Masks: A New Generation of Heroes

Game Master Cwethan

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Angry, Insecure Potential 1/5

Alright. Tectonic, when Ghost Dragon introduced her to ice cream for the first time (which totally seems like something in character for him), she broke down and told him about how sucky her life was. Most notably, about a quarter of her day was spent in surgery without anesthesia, as Jill and Barney tried to figure out how to replicate their success with her as well as testing her pain resistance.


conditions:
None.
Influence:
I Have Influence on: No One
Labels:
Danger: 0, Freak: +3, Savior: +2, Superior: +1, Mundane:-1

I updated my relationships on my alt, but I'll re-post it here:

You told Wingblade all about your doom and the danger you’re in.
You’d love to kiss Tectonic or Hashtag before your doom comes.


Shaun Adams - The Transformed

Influence stats
Tectonic influences 4 people (#, NS, GD, I)
Wingblade influences 4 people (#, NS, GD, I)
Deputy Atoms influences 3 people (#, NS, I)
Eldritch influences 3 people (, NS, I)
Ghost Dragon influences 3 people (, T, I)
Hashtag influences 3 people (T, I, E)
Imagine influences 1 person (NS)
North Star influences no one

@DM Default - Notice: Errors
There are a couple errors here, but I got you fam. Almost didn't catch the first one. Thanks for taking the time to update when you're swamped.

DM Default wrote:

Deptuy Atoms

Homeschooled
Gave influence to: Eldritch, Hashtag

Deputy Atoms' Influences are Eldritch and Ghost Dragon. (Gave Influence to...)

Ghost Dragon, Hashtag, and Imagine are Influenced by him. (Given Influence from...)
DM Default wrote:

Eldritch

Attends Halcyon High
Gave influence to:Hashtag

You once hurt North Star when you lost control of your powers.
Eldritch and the others were fighting Arachnes, this terribly quick spider mutant. Eldritch channeled too much power and would've probably harmed the captive citizens if it wasn't for Deputy Atoms jumping in the way. He left a mark on the man's armor and form, one that he seems proud to show off. Eldritch makes little mention of it and is terrified that Deputy Atoms secretly hates him now.

North Star should read Deputy Atoms, as per the backstory.

Influences/Labels:

The Transformed has influence over...
The Beacon - Ghost Dragon
The Delinquent - Hashtag
The Outsider - Imagine

The Transformed labels themselves as...
Danger : +1
Freak : +3
Savior : +1
Superior : -1
Mundane : -1


Potential: 0/5
Condition(s): Doing good!


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent
Tycho "North Star" Simpson wrote:


You’d love to kiss Tectonic or Hashtag before your doom comes.

I find this satisfactory.

Also, I was curious what anyone thought of the little Hashtag short story I posted. I made some assumptions in it, but I can adjust things as needed.

Hashtag
Attends Halcyon High
Gave influence to: Tectonic, Deputy Atoms, Wingblade

You keep trying to impress Imagine with your antics.
You and Eldritch pulled an awesome (if illegal) stunt together.


December 26th Update

Deptuy Atoms
Homeschooled
Gave influence to: Eldritch, Ghost Dragon

Imagine comforted you when you were at your lowest.
During an attack on the city, Deputy Atoms, then Shaun Adams, saved Wingblade's life. The event would play a key role in his transformation.
Wingblade knew you before you changed.
Although Imagine isn't human, she is trying her hardest to fit in, just like Deputy Atoms, and its always been encouraging to have someone to share the journey with. During a time when Atoms felt farther apart from humanity than ever before, she gave him the Theta Suit, and with it, the chance to walk among humans once more.

Hashtag
Attends Halcyon High
Gave influence to: Tectonic, Deputy Atoms, Wingblade

You keep trying to impress Imagine with your antics.
You and Eldritch pulled an awesome (if illegal) stunt together.

Tycho
Attends Halcyon High
Gave influence to: Wingblade, Eldritch, Imagine, Tectonic

You told Wingblade all about your doom and the danger you’re in.
You’d love to kiss Tectonic or Hashtag before your doom comes.

Wingblade
Home-schooled
Gave influence to no one.

You and Imagine teamed up a few times before the rest of you came together.
It was rare that Wingblade was given leave to fly on her own. But it was a quiet morning after a dull night of patrol, so she was allowed to stretch her wings and do some flying in the hazy dawn.

Because of that, she was closest when her communicator alerted her to a Unknown Aerial Entity floating high above the Mercantile District. With Whippoorwill's voice in her ear constantly going on about the delicacy of first-contact situations, Wingblade boldly flew straight at the oddly colored being.

"...Hi."
Your mentor is cautious; they asked you to keep an eye on Hashtag.
Because reasons.

Ghost Dragon
Attends Franklin High
Gave influence to: Wingblade, Tectonic, Deputy Atoms

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

Tectonic
Attends Halcyon High
Gave influence to:Hashtag and Ghost Dragon

Ghost Dragon(platonic) is your love. You’ve opened up to them about the worst parts of your past.
Tectonic, when Ghost Dragon introduced her to ice cream for the first time (which totally seems like something in character for him), she broke down and told him about how sucky her life was. Most notably, about a quarter of her day was spent in surgery without anesthesia, as Jill and Barney tried to figure out how to replicate their success with her as well as testing her pain resistance.
Hashtag(platonic) is your rival. They tried to control you at a crucial moment.
ou know that idea that Atoms had that during the initial raid on the lab, the two different teams got confused and attacked each other? Maybe you tricked Tectonic into attacking her allies using illusions?
Imagine
Attends [N/A] = Through conditions met = Halcyon High
Gave influence to: EVERYONE

You’ve been learning about Earth by spending time with _____________.
You have a crush on ________________ but you keep it under wraps.

Eldritch
Attends Halcyon High
Gave influence to:Hashtag

You hang out all the time with Tectonic to blow off steam.
Both of these heroes have come to realize their powers come with some heavy, destructive capabilities and keeping it all tight and constrained is tiring. Out in the boonies, with no one around, they can just let it out and use their power. This has led to the two of them becoming friends.
You once hurt Deputy Atoms when you lost control of your powers.
Eldritch and the others were fighting Arachnes, this terribly quick spider mutant. Eldritch channeled too much power and would've probably harmed the captive citizens if it wasn't for Deputy Atoms jumping in the way. He left a mark on the man's armor and form, one that he seems proud to show off. Eldritch makes little mention of it and is terrified that Deputy Atoms secretly hates him now.

===============================
@ Tycho
Why do you want to kiss Tectonic or Hashtag? Please don't "say I don't know" Given what you know about their characters, create a reason why your hero is atrracted to them. It will say something about your hero.
===============================
@ Everyone
Technically speaking, as you all are writing mini-stories that speak for other characters and take certain elements into your choosing, the stories here can be considered a "loose" canon for the world.
===============================
@ Wingblade
Forgot to mention, but given that the main adult that interacts with your hero is your mentor and that is incredibly important, I'm going to be speaking for them. If you could refrain from posting as the mentor, that would be great.

And as I am playing your mentor, I also decide the reasons why I want you to keep watch on Hashtag.


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent

Im sure it will be a great reason, though! :D

And why wouldn't northstar want to kiss me? Im dead-sexy! :p

-Posted with Wayfinder


conditions:
None.
Influence:
I Have Influence on: No One
Labels:
Danger: 0, Freak: +3, Savior: +2, Superior: +1, Mundane:-1

I like Tectonic because she doesn't hold back, but just dives in and starts kicking a$$.

I like hashtag because he's defining himself as he sees fit, without really caring about what other people think.

And because they're both dead sexy. =P

Mind you, Tycho wouldn't even try anything with either of them, cause he's been drilled over and over about the dangers of using his powers and worse, the temptation; but still, all things being equal, he's attracted to both of them.


Shaun Adams - The Transformed

Speaking of adults, I've been reading through the Influence section on the Moves pdf and I wanted to share something there with the team because it stood out to me.

Quote:

INFLUENCE

When someone has Influence over you, it means you care about what they do, say, or think. At any time you can give Influence to any character who doesn’t have Influence over you. All adults have Influence over you when first introduced (emphasis mine).

It's definitely something to keep in mind if you ever come across an adult character.

@Imagine - Notice
I put a school section in Deputy Atoms' profile as per your request.

@Hashtag - Feedback
I liked your story! It gave me a better picture of him and what he stands for.

Influences/Labels:

The Transformed has influence over...
The Beacon - Ghost Dragon
The Delinquent - Hashtag
The Outsider - Imagine

The Transformed labels themselves as...
Danger : +1
Freak : +3
Savior : +1
Superior : -1
Mundane : -1


Potential: 0/5
Condition(s): Thinks today was quiet.

Dark Archive

HP 46/46 SP: 49/49 DR: 6/- FF: 5/2 RP: 10/10 | 1st: 6/6 2nd: 4/4 3rd: 3/3 EAC: 20 KAC: 21 | Init: +2 | Perc: +15/16 | F: +6 R: +7 W: +9 | Atk:+8/2d4| Human Mys 7 |

Imagine's first day of school:

Imagine observed Windblade's relationship with her master, and felt the lack of her own tutor. She asked about such things, and was informed that the youth of this planet learn things by going to something called "school," such as Halcyon High.
(On Skylar IV, fetuses in utero begin telepathic communication as soon as the first glial cells are formed. After birth they begin Assimilation into the Collective by Mind-Speaking to their parents and family, and, as they age, they are allowed a broader and broader Circle until the Age of Maturity when they join the planet-wide Link.)

Kara communicated this idea to the handful of Scouts, and such a knowledge-gathering excursion was approved. Indeed, as the Spheres of Knowledge were plumed, though they knew this planet was significant in finding and aborting Lord Borak's ambitions, exactly how was yet to be seen.

In answer to her call, she was Manifested a necklace. It was only adorned with a small pewter dragon, wings out-stretched, with a lower body of crystal.

One day Imagine simply walked up to the admissions clerk and asked to join the school. The Admissions clerk, named Brenda, who was allergic to milk and kept a small bottle of brandy in the lowest drawer of her desk that she thought no one knew about, asked to see her paperwork.

The necklace about her neck glowed briefly, and sudden Brenda quite definitely remembered that she had personally handled her transfer papers and everything was quite in order...even if she couldn't find those papers just this instant.

Brenda handed Imagine a class schedule and an assigned locker number and asked her to report to her homeroom teacher for a quick introduction.

Imagine thanked her and left.

For backstory, most details will be hand-waved as a succesful use of the "Belong In Two Worlds" power. =)


Influence:
I have influence on: Bran the Blessed, Mercy
Conditions: Insecure
Labels:
Danger +2, Freak +2, Savior 0, Superior +2, Mundane +1. Potential 0/5

@Default: Understood.

If you're going to be handling Whippoorwill, hopefully you'll be okay with me posting another vignette or two so you get more of a sense of who Whippoorwill is, and her voice.

Whippoorwill's real name is Briana McClaine. She got her powers through a process run/backed/funded by a super-powered mercenary group called the Covert Arms Division: Reconnaissance and Enforcement (CADRE). I'll leave it up to you to decide if Wingblade was created by the same group. It doesn't make a difference to me.

She's very serious in her demeanor, but has a dry, almost arid sense of humor. She knows she chose a life with large, feathered wings on her back and therefore has accepted the fact that she cannot go incognito, but still sometimes misses being normal. She's a veteran of the superhero game, and despite her dark past, is one of the truest and staunchest "good guys" around.


Shaun Adams - The Transformed

@Imagine
Did you ever decide on Imagine's secret crush?

@Wingblde
That's one cool acronym. Speaking of Whippoorwill, I've been wondering. What does Whippoorwill look like?

@North Star
And hey, while I'm at it! What does Alleghory look like?

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.
HP 46/46 SP: 49/49 DR: 6/- FF: 5/2 RP: 10/10 | 1st: 6/6 2nd: 4/4 3rd: 3/3 EAC: 20 KAC: 21 | Init: +2 | Perc: +15/16 | F: +6 R: +7 W: +9 | Atk:+8/2d4| Human Mys 7 |

Yes I did. It's in the profile, but I just haven't done a big job of announcing it, what with it being a secret crush and all that. ;-D


Male Human The Beacon | Condition: None

I'm just letting everyone know that I am still checking things. Do we have any other backstory stuff to figure out?


Influence:
Deputy Atoms, Tycho, Imagine
Labels:
Danger : +2 Freak : +2 Savior : 0 Superior : 0 Mundane : -1
Kenneth Kaine Potential 2/5 / Conditions: Angry

I am super ready for this game, I cannot wait. I'm going to be working a snippet for Eldritch, try to jump into his personality and not immediately dive into teen angst :P


Female Altered Human Sheet
Deputy Atoms wrote:


@Wingblde
That's one cool acronym. Speaking of Whippoorwill, I've been wondering. What does Whippoorwill look like?

Thanks!

Whippoorwill's tall, a good 5'10", strawberry blonde, athletic build. Her hero costume is canary yellow with red accents. Her weaponized quills are white, and arrayed around her outfit on her arms, boots, belt and neck. She wears a red domino mask out of habit, even though her identity is pretty close to publicly known.

Far and away her most distinctive feature is her great, brown-feathered wings that protrude proudly from her back. Not some fragile appendages, these are living wings, superhumanly strong that can knock a man down with a flap.


Deputy Atoms wrote:

@North Star

And hey, while I'm at it! What does Alleghory look like?

Roughly like this, but he now wears mainly jeans and flannels.

Alleghory's power set allows him to control time on himself and anything he touches. He was made a guardian of this timeline by a group of higher-planar beings whose motives are unknown but seem to be beneficent. He was a soldier in world war I who was nearly killed by a tank round but it triggered his latent power to control time around him. he used that power to turn the shell around so that it hit the tank.

Unlike a lot of superheroes, Alleghory keeps a low key, but he occasionally takes on students like North Star to help change their fate.


Influence:
Deputy Atoms, Tycho, Imagine
Labels:
Danger : +2 Freak : +2 Savior : 0 Superior : 0 Mundane : -1
Kenneth Kaine Potential 2/5 / Conditions: Angry

Just A Day In The Life:
The bell rang loudly, declaring the school day over and releasing the student from their educational hell. Sitting in the back, twirling a pencil casually and idly drawing a small circle design into the desktop. Dozens of diagrams, sigils, and other odd symbols and glyphs decorated his desk, cleaned off every day by a brave and determined janitor.

Kenneth grabbed the worn bag sitting on the ground, decorated with pins from bands like the Sick Puppies, Marilyn Mansion, Slipknot, a range from heavy metal rock to obscure and generally forgotten goth. Wearing a long military coat, black and worn down, with a thin hoodie underneath that he slung over his head. A pair of dark pants with a series of buckles on them, studded leather belt, and a pair of Doc Martins that covered his feet and had his pants tucked in, the boy known as Eldritch didn't do much to try to hide his presence.

Shoulder length hair that was usually straight and black, a strong jawline that was kept shaved and dark eyes that were highlighted with exceptionally placed eyeliner, his fingernails were painted black for ease and because it pissed the jock kids off to know that there was such an ample target but with a hefty warning sign attached to him. Kenneth was dangerous; to himself and to others.

There was a reminder of this as he made his way through the hallways, getting out into the fresh, Autumn air. By the massive track and football field, it was where his sister and him got into an argument. It was the first time that he had really hurt someone by accident, where he ended his sister's athletic career. Even now, she looks at him warily, distrusting, like he was a monster of some sort.

"Maybe I am..." The low yet oddly gentle voice seemed like such an opposite of the intimidating demeanor that Kenneth had worked so hard to create and maintain. The time for introspection was over as he caught sight of a group of former bullies finding easier, younger prey in a small freshman. He remembered what Inquisitor had said, that he had to learn to use his powers and gifts for good but to not rely on them. They weren't meant for small, everyday things. He could harm others, he could destroy things, he needed to have control. Yet with another shove, Kenneth put his mind back into where he was before he became Eldritch, before he got wrapped up in everything, and how he just wished someone would've helped him. "Hell with control." He murmured, making his way down the small alleyway between the gymnasium and the field.

The jeers and taunts of the bullies grew louder and louder, the poor kid's glasses broken and his nose bloodied but so far unbroken. "I bet you'll help me now in Mr. C's class, will you Mikey?" Victor Puntz growled, delivering another kick to the downed kid's stomach. The others laughed and cheered, encouraged and insulted. Kenneth's stomach grew tighter like it always does, whether it was his former bully or a giant death robot, it always happened. "So what's going to happen tomorrow Mikey? What's going to happen!?"

"Nothing at all, ain't that right Vic?" The kick stopped midswing, the group turning as a whole to view the new threat. Mikey was forgotten as Victor sized Kenneth up, narrow eyes upon too big of a face studying him. "This doesn't concern you, freak. F$~+ off."

"No, its my business now. That kid can't put up a defense Vic, why don't you mess with someone who can. Or are you feeling a little under the weather again?" Victor's face flushed red. Once a starting quarterback for Halcyon High, he'd been moved to third string after illegal performance enhancers were found. His condition deteriorated after that still but it wasn't withdrawal, he was just "under the weather". "I'm going to beat your face in Kenneth. You may think you're tough shit but...

The words died on Victor's lips as Kenneth's hands touched the wall, his fingers twitching with a very unnatural movement. Twisting in angles that shouldn't be, they began to draw glyphs on the unwashed brick surface. The simple designs glowed with an ethereal blue, pale and unnatural, before etching further down the alleyway's walls.

"What were you saying Vickie?" Kenneth growled, the hood illuminating as those same glyphs and etchings began to glow upon his skin. The dark browns had been replaced with that fiery blue that burned like a torch in the dark, a sinister smile upon his face. Before Victor could rally his cronies, Kenneth began to speak in a low and wicked tone.

"Klaatu... The winds began to rise, slowly building through the alleyway from behind Eldritch. "Barada..." The light around them seems to dark, highlighting the burning glyphs that had even spread upon the floor now. Before he could finish another line, Vic bravely yelled "F%%! this!" and booked it, dashing past Kenneth with his minions following him.

"Come back Vickie! We were about to play!" Kenneth shouts after him, grinning widely to himself. The wind dies and the light becomes natural again as the glyphs recede, the world returning to normal. His head was beginning to hurt though, maybe the theatrics weren't such a good idea. Wingblade and the others had been showing him how to fight, maybe he should've just fought.

"That...was...AWESOME!" The voice made Ken jump as Mikey stood there, a big smile on his face despite the runny and bloody nose. "Don't mention it." It was time to go and Kenneth hadn't really learned how to deal with people since. "You were going to cast a spell on him! What was it! Would he explode!?"

Kenneth shook his head, almost regretting his small, heroic moment now. "No, it doesn't sound like that. I was just reciting some lines from an old b-rated horror movie. Idiot can't tell the difference." Looking back, he could see that awestruck look in the kid's eyes. It was that look that others had watching the real heroes of Halcyon City save the day, that look that idolized and praised them.

"Listen...Mike was it? Good...Mike...they're going to come back. They'll wait till I'm gone and they're going to come back." There was a look of confusion on the freshman's face as he shook his head, about to talk before Kenneth interrupted him. "I know what you're going to say. 'You're here, you'll help.'. Unfortunately...I won't be. I can't always be there. But you know who can?"

Mike would shake his head as Kenneth poked him in the chest, a smile on the goth's face. "You can. When you see this happening to someone else, call some help, get involved, don't fear that you'll be another target. Remember, there are more of you than there are them. There is more good than there is bad." The freshman, deflated but looking like he was standing a bit taller now, nodded. The communicator in Eldritch's ear went off, the voice coming through on the other line.

"All available members, we have a situation. Meet at the clocktower ASAP." Standing up, he pressed the communicator down and spoke into the incredibly precise speaker. "Eldritch here. I'm coming in." Looking back to the kid, he stared awkwardly for a moment before pressing his lips together. "So...I got to go. Take care...alright?"

Turning to leave, he was stopped as a hand grabbed his arm. Mike stood there with a smile, offering out a piece of paper with a phone number on it. "If you ever need help with studying or something, I know some good strategies. Thank you Eldritch, good luck out there."

Taking the paper, he gave a small nod and headed off of school property as his powers began to surge around him. He didn't look back to see the young freshman waving at him but he was feeling better. Sometimes it wasn't so bad to be the bigger monster.

Just wanted to do a little posting...get an idea of the character and feel him out a bit more. I'm super excited for all of it though :D

Dark Archive

HP 46/46 SP: 49/49 DR: 6/- FF: 5/2 RP: 10/10 | 1st: 6/6 2nd: 4/4 3rd: 3/3 EAC: 20 KAC: 21 | Init: +2 | Perc: +15/16 | F: +6 R: +7 W: +9 | Atk:+8/2d4| Human Mys 7 |

The perfect almond-shaped face watched silently, from a distance, with wide eyes and intense curiosity as the bully was dealt with. After Kenneth left the new girl stood a moment, overlooked and ignored.

"I don't think you're a monster..." she mumbled to no one.


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent

Because I also go by Vick (or Vic I guess), I had a hard time at first realizing you weren't narrating me being a bully. :/


Influence:
Deputy Atoms, Tycho, Imagine
Labels:
Danger : +2 Freak : +2 Savior : 0 Superior : 0 Mundane : -1
Kenneth Kaine Potential 2/5 / Conditions: Angry
Imagine wrote:

The perfect almond-shaped face watched silently, from a distance, with wide eyes and intense curiosity as the bully was dealt with. After Kenneth left the new girl stood a moment, overlooked and ignored.

"I don't think you're a monster..." she mumbled to no one.

<3


Influence:
I have influence on: Bran the Blessed, Mercy
Conditions: Insecure
Labels:
Danger +2, Freak +2, Savior 0, Superior +2, Mundane +1. Potential 0/5

Awakening... and a new beginning:

Wingblade stirred. Her whole body hurt, but she'd felt worse before. Much, much worse. She stayed still, letting her other senses gather information before opening her eyes.

This place smelled different. It wasn't home, the lab where they made her, trained her, and sent her off to do... bad things. Then she remembered, explosions, large, booming, vats of chemicals, banks of computers, all erupting in fire and smoke. She remembered fighting, and, for the first time in her life, losing. Then the explosions caught up to her--

She wanted to open her eyes, to assess the damage, but she could feel her skin knitting itself back together. She was healing, the way she always did. Instead, she kept her eyes closed and remembered. Her world went red when she was ordered to do the bad things, but she could still fight through the haze and remember. She remembered wings. Not razor-sharp, metallic fans like her own, but living, with feathers. And the woman who had them, flying like nothing in the sky she had ever known. She danced around Wingblade's swordlike pinfeathers, moving so fluidly and gracefully that she felt sluggish and clumsy for the first time in her life.

She fought through the haze and found her face. She wanted to hate it for having beaten her so soundly, but there was something else that she couldn't help feel. Awe. If I could move like that... she thought.

She remembered the woman's voice, talking to her. In her battle frenzy, words didn't much register, but she knew the feathered woman had been saying something to her. She tried to remember, to pull those words out of the fog.

She realized suddenly she was hearing her voice, but it wasn't from memory. It was a room away, muffled, but Wingblade's ears were as sharp as her wings. There was another voice, too. More distant, tinny. Probably from a phone. She listened.

"It's not everything, and much of it's encrypted, but I've pulled out some interesting data," said the slightly electrified voice.

"You find out anything about my new houseguest?" asked the winged woman.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely. Lot of it's corrupted, but she's clearly been a long-term project of theirs."

"How long term? She can't be much older than fifteen, if she's even that."

There's a sigh. "No way to tell when they got a hold of her, but they had her for a long time. She may have even been lab-grown."

The woman made a disgusted sound. "You can't tell that for sure? Help me out, Whet. Does this girl have parents or not?"

"I'll keep looking, but this hard drive's pretty wrecked. From what I can tell, though, no. Her parents are most likely Test Tube A and Beaker B."

After a pause, the winged woman asked something else. "What about her wings? Anything on how they gave her those? Any chance it's related--?

"To the process that gave you yours? I'm going to say it's a firm maybe," Whet replied, then immediately continued over the woman's voice of disgust. "Hey! Success breeds imitators. Your process worked, so I can't say these guys didn't at least get the idea from you. Let me keep working. There's still some encrypted files I haven't cracked yet. But there's something else. And you're not going to like it, Bree."

"I'm not liking much of what I'm hearing so far, Whet. So what is it?"

"They'd already put her to work. I'm trying to get the names of her targets, but I'd say she's been operating as a kind of assassin for the past eight months at least. There's easily a dozen confirmed kills."

"Oh, God. That's... You're right, I don't like it." The winged woman's voice was thick with emotion.

"I'll keep working. What are you going to do?"

"Well, for starters, I'm going to have a talk with her."


December 26th Update

I'll try to get the game started tomorrow. So....so tired from work.


Influence:
Deputy Atoms, Tycho, Imagine
Labels:
Danger : +2 Freak : +2 Savior : 0 Superior : 0 Mundane : -1
Kenneth Kaine Potential 2/5 / Conditions: Angry

@Hashtag - Sorry about that! I totally spaced that was your guys real nickname. I was pulling at uncommon names and that was one that came to mind. Hashtag is a sweetheart, he wouldn't be mean to poor ol' Mikey! :P


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent

No I wouldn't. I might have left the bully clinging to an antenna tower on a high rise somewhere, but Mikey didn't need that shit. And jeez, that's my favorite smoking spot at school.


Influence:
I have influence on: Bran the Blessed, Mercy
Conditions: Insecure
Labels:
Danger +2, Freak +2, Savior 0, Superior +2, Mundane +1. Potential 0/5

A conversation:

Wingblade opens her eyes as the footsteps approach. She sees that she's in a posh apartment with a dazzling view of downtown Halcyon City. Standing in front of her is the woman from before. Her yellow and red outfit is replaced by sweats and a tank, but her large brown wings still stand proudly from her shoulders, twitching and shifting like living things.

"Hello. I'm Briana, but I also go by Whippoorwill. What's your name?" she asks as she lowers herself down to her haunches.

She pushes herself up to a seated position and pulls her knees to her chest. A name? Did she really have a name? "Um, Subject? Project Wingblade?" she answers tentatively.

Whippoorwill crosses her legs and puts her hands on her knees. "'Project Wingblade.' Going for the obvious, I see. Well, until we find your real name, if you have one, we'll go with Wingblade. Do you like that?"

She shrugs.

"Okay, then. I'd like to get to know you. Your old home is gone. The bad men who kept you are gone. You're free."

Wingblade processes that. Her home, full of vats, and needles, and glass cages, and men in labcoats with their tablets and all the computer screens, all gone. She remembers the explosions, dim and unimportant in her haze of violence. She feels strangely numb. "Can I go, then?"

Whippoorwill smiles, but shakes her head. "That's not a good idea. You can't be left on your own. I'm --"

Wingblade launches herself at her, knifelike feathers fanned out and slashing. Despite her apparently relaxed position, Whippoorwill had been ready. She rolls backwards, deftly avoiding the blades and a flap of her wings sends her a few feet in the air.

Not expecting her to evade her strike, the lab project was overextended. Whippoorwill kicks her hard in the temple, sending her back to the floor. She lands light on her feet standing over the sprawled form of Wingblade.

"You just proved my point. You're not my prisoner, but you're too dangerous to be let go. Please, stay down. I'm going to find somewhere you can go, so you can be taught how to use your wings responsibly."

Dazed, Wingblade pushes herself to her knees. She blinks the double vision away and then lunges again. Whippoorwill tsks and dances again out of harm's way. She lets her attacker again throw herself off-balance, then strikes several nerve clusters in rapid succession, sending Wingblade's body into spasms.

"All right, you're testing my patience. Watch those tips of your wings. Ruin my floor and you're going to really piss me off. Stay down. I'll get you someplace that you'll hopefully like a lot more than here."

The tingling in her muscles slowly fades, and she pushes herself back up. "Wait. Please. Can I... stay here? Can I stay with you?"

Whippoorwill stands stunned, her communicator in her hand. "What?!?"


December 26th Update

All right gang, about to get the game started!

{its finally here.....*tear rolls down cheek*)

Anywho, this is a game that counts on developing characters constantly, your own and others.

If you ever have questions on rules or moves, feel free to ask. Try not to assume especially when it involves another character as that is a sucky thing to do, deciding something for someone else.

And since it is possible for PvP to happen, if you're mature enough to handle it character vs character, not player vs player, its fine. I see a hint of actual malice, I'm putting my foot down. It keeps going, I'm kicking you from the game.

If there's a detail you think could be expanded on for another character, feel free to ask here.

This should be fun, hope you guys have fun too.

Cheers!

[ps: still dying from work and finals, but thought I should give you a diving board]


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent

I am all for CVC combat (character vs. character), but I will not participate in a fight if it feels like it's a personal player thing. That's just no fun!

If hashtag gets into a fight with another player, it will dang well make some sort of sense, or I'll explain here in discussion the reasons.


Influence:
I have influence on: Bran the Blessed, Mercy
Conditions: Insecure
Labels:
Danger +2, Freak +2, Savior 0, Superior +2, Mundane +1. Potential 0/5

You caught me on a busy work day! I'll get something posted shortly.


Shaun Adams - The Transformed

@Everyone - On purpose
I don't think purpose means actions or goals. Obviously, we all want to defeat the villain with as little loss as possible, and we're all going to have different roles in helping to complete that objective. What purpose really means then, is not "What we're doing" but "Why are we fighting and are we all fighting for the same reason?" For example, Hashtag might be fighting just for fun or to impress Tectonic, while Deputy Atoms might see the purpose of this fight as a chance to test Wingblade's leadership.

An example of a unified purpose would be the team coming across Franklin High in flames, and we all run in to help. No one is thinking about impressing someone or blowing off some steam, but only to save lives because we're in the position to do so.

@Tectonic - Question: The Bull's Heart
Hey, Tec! I have a question. We know who Tectonic's Lover and Rival are, but what is her role for them (Defender, Friend, Listener, or Enabler)? Thanks in advance!

@Wingblade and North Star - Reply: On Whippoorwill and Alleghory
Thank you both!

@Eldritch and Imagine - Feedback: "Just A Day In The Life"
I really liked the story, and I loved Imagine's very cute snippet at the end. It made me go "daawwwww".

@Wingblade - Feedback: "Awakening... and a new beginning" and "A conversation"
Intriguing and well-written as always, Wingblade! I'm interested in seeing the mentor and protégé interact in-game.


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent

Ooooh! Purpose makes more sense now!

-Posted with Wayfinder


Angry, Insecure Potential 1/5

Defender, sorry.


December 26th Update

Deputy Atoms has "Purpose of the fight" right on mark. Mild variation is fine, but everyone goes into the fight with a main goal in mind whether its to "Defeat enemy" or "Protect bystanders" or even "Escape"

If everyone shares the same rough purpose, then you get a team point.

Also, cramming for final so updates tomorrow.


Angry, Insecure Potential 1/5

In that case, it would be, "Take this idiot out of the fight before he hurts anyone."


Influence:
I have influence on: Bran the Blessed, Mercy
Conditions: Insecure
Labels:
Danger +2, Freak +2, Savior 0, Superior +2, Mundane +1. Potential 0/5

Default: hopefully that's not too "bad ass" of a maneuver, since I put myself in a bad spot at the end of it. Let me know of you think that's too over the top, and I'll scale back what I can do.


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent

I think the fact that the combat itself isnt rolled, but cooperatively narrated, you should be fine as long as youre not breaking the scope of your characters abilities and/or affecting other characters or npc's without letting them respond.

Of course, just my opinion.

-Posted with Wayfinder


December 26th Update

Here are some quick "rule of thumb" guides for some of the basic moves:

Directly engage a threat usually involves going against someone who can also retaliate and possibly hurt you back. Even if you're shooting a gun at a martial artist two blocks away, there's a chance he has some kind of capability to reach or harm you in return.

This is your basic "fight" move.

Defend can be used in and out of combat. You are essentially covering or protecting someone in both cases with a chance of harm for yourself.

Unleash your power is the universal "Plan B" that comes in when a move doesn't really fit any of the other basic moves. Remember it usually comes into play when you are trying to accomplish something that strains or pushes you to do something you don't know will succeed and has a decent chance to fail even.

It's also fine to double up on Assess the situation questions, as some information may be apparent to only some of you.


Male Human The Beacon | Condition: None

Hashtag, don't worry about "not helping me with the condition" right now. I'm not sure how Ghost Dragon could be helped in this situation.


Shaun Adams - The Transformed
DM Default wrote:

Here are some quick "rule of thumb" guides for some of the basic moves:

Directly engage a threat usually involves going against someone who can also retaliate and possibly hurt you back. Even if you're shooting a gun at a martial artist two blocks away, there's a chance he has some kind of capability to reach or harm you in return.

This is your basic "fight" move.

Defend can be used in and out of combat. You are essentially covering or protecting someone in both cases with a chance of harm for yourself.

Unleash your power is the universal "Plan B" that comes in when a move doesn't really fit any of the other basic moves. Remember it usually comes into play when you are trying to accomplish something that strains or pushes you to do something you don't know will succeed and has a decent chance to fail even.

It's also fine to double up on Assess the situation questions, as some information may be apparent to only some of you.

Here's an example I came up with. Lets say you have a grappling gun as part of a gadget ability, like the Arkham games. Using it to get yourself to the top of a building is no problem as it's a normal use of the device, and as such it doesn't require a roll and thus isn't a Move. However, if you were to use it to carry you and someone else to the top of a building, or to create a zipline between rooftops, then it becomes an Unleash Your Powers move. Likewise, if someone falls off the side of a building and you want to dive after them and use your grappling gun to swing or otherwise break the fall once you've got them, then you're using a Defend move. And finally, if you want to use the grappling gun on an criminal to pull their weapon away, you would be using a Directly Engage A Threat move with the hope of rolling a 7 or higher in order to pick the option to "take something from them".

Hope this helps clear things up a little.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
December 26th Update

So....a few things happened while I was gone.

First things first, let's all talk about what kind of game this is gonna be. I was going for kind of comic-book like fun romp with the occaisional serious issue of possibly dying and growing up.

And then Imagine just straight up killed someone in the first combat.

=======================

I've been letting you guys have a bit more narrative control than normal since you're all feeling out this system, but technically I've had to adapt to details you've added into the game. For instance, originally the cars Haxor launched at you all were empty parked cars as he was mostly there to defeat/mess with you. Wingblade declared there were pedestrians inside and suddenly this move by Haxor turned him from a minor annoyance into an actual kinda villainous person.

See what I mean?

I even one of the Haxor's use a move to program some insurance to make sure no bystanders got hurt, just in case as Haxor "originally" didn't want anyone outside of the "hero/villain" business to get injured.

Another example is when Hashtag frees the street lamp trapped Haxor with teleportation. In my version (which I didn't think to put down completely in writing) Haxor was back in one piece though his body was going through some intense pain.

Then Imagine assumes I mean he's practically dying, shoots him dead, and justifies her action. Awesome character moment. Not the actual situation.

========================

So we have to move forward in two ways: Either you guys have to get into the habit of asking questions in the discussion tab to clarify things just in case, or the time between updates is going to get longer so I can make sure I have most of my bases covered so there's no confusion.

Also, we need to decide tone. As is now, you guys are headed for a heck of a dark path and while I'm curious where it goes, I'm not sure that's the game everyone wants to play. That game involves established heroes going after the alien that decided to murder a person.

Imagine, we're going to need to have a private chat to establish more bout your alien culture sooner rather than later. Just so I'm aware of everything that entails.

Your thoughts everyone? We just started, so no harm in Command: Reseting (heh) or everying agreeing to retcon the last part there.


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent

I am NOT okay with just killing people. Especially on such 'easy' justification. That also just makes imagine into a creepily peppy murderer and that clashes with what ive been told of her.

-Posted with Wayfinder


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Shaun Adams - The Transformed

Yeah I've been meaning to point out that thing with the cars myself, as in the narrative they were described as being taken and thrown from the side of the road. I didn't mention it because I loved it <3 I saw it as showing Haxor as not necessarily being reckless or villainous, but instead the reality of the average teenage superpowered humans not having the wisdom or experience to even consider that someone might be sitting/reclined/laying down in a parked car, and Wingblade perhaps only spots it because of her enhanced senses and her training. I really appreciate that Default was flexible and allowed that change of narrative to slide instead of retconning it. Thanks, man! It worked so good that I mentioned the concept in Deputy Atoms ASSESS THE SITUATION post, in which he looked around for civilians who might have been hit by stray debris or lazerfire (another product of his police training, where he considers the backdrop; i.e. because some of Haxor's shots probably missed, what was behind the team that got hit instead?). But obviously those kinds of worries are a little bit outside of the tone.

What happened now is a pretty awesome character moment. Props to Wingblade and Imagine. The execution (no pun intended okay, actually intended) was nearly flawless. Wingblade has, but quickly passes up, this idea of putting the Haxor Copy out of its misery. After Hashtag ports the Copy out, Imagine assumes that the Copy still has external and/or internal injuries, and she deems the damage to be too great to survive and uses a Mind Blast to "halt the suffering". This is some fantastic writing because it not only harkens back to Imagine's backstory; which mentions this concept of "MercyDeath" that her people practice; but also the fact that Wingblade, her tutor in all things Earth, has been trying her hardest to avoid killing people (and mostly because of her own mentor's, Whippoorwill's, guidance). It's interesting to consider the kind of fallout Imagine will get from this later, from the team and maybe even Halcyon's paragons.

Of course, the only problem with this is that DM Default never specifically mentioned whether the Copy had any injuries (and we know now through Default's discussion post that he didn't). That and it definitely goes against the tone, a "comic-book like fun romp with the occaisional serious issue of possibly dying and growing up", which I think we would all like to keep. We certainly do have a dark bunch of superheroes though and I think it would be awesome to keep the scene, but with some retconnage.

MOVING FORWARD
We're still learning the game and the setting, tone, other player characters and stuff, so I feel like we should be asking more questions. There are a lot of details to keep track of. I don't know how far we are off the rails, but I would like to get back on them xD

TONE
I would like to keep the tone as DM Default described it. I think all that needs to be lightened right now is the level of violence. Death or inflicting death should be extremeley serious, and maiming/inflicting long-lasting harm on a person should be a major issue in itself. Imagine should certainly get some talking to about how what she attempted to do was very wrong, and not just from other members of the team, but maybe by adults/paragons as well. Tectonic could get some fallout as well, for maiming a Haxor Copy (by breaking his hands) and for her general recklessness (notice how in all of Tec's posts, a lot of her moves are described as cutting it really close).

PROPOSED RETCON
Hashtag ports the Haxor Copy out of the post, which is an awesome character moment for him!
He has saved someone with his powers!
The Haxor Copy is still in a lot of pain, but otherwise is undamaged
Imagine, who connected telepathically with Haxor earlier in the fight, senses this pain
She is young and inexperienced
One of the last things she saw before coming to Earth was MercyDeath
The Outsider, then, thinks that it is a good thing to grant the Haxor Copy MercyDeath
It doesn't cross her mind to check him for actual injuries
Imagine doesn't consider that the Copy's suffering might just be momentary
She starts giving her speech (as per Imagine's post) about how she'll free him from his "corporeal shell"
Wingblade is shocked (as per Wingblade's post)
Deputy Atoms is watching Tectonic as she deals with the remaining Haxors
Then Atoms hears the commotion behind him and he turns to the scene.
He immediately understands what Imagine is doing and he tackles her before the deed is done
The Deputy brings The Outsider down and restrains her on the ground
He is shouting and being very physically rough
It's hard to watch. It's all very police-like, and to Deputy Atoms, it's necessary
Imagine, meanwhile, is confused and emotionally hurt, maybe she is scraped up a bit too in the process
Hashtag and Ghost Dragon check on the Haxor Copy, who is kind of shocked and visibly/understandably upset at Imagine's actions
Most importantly though, he is alive and has no injuries
Someone or Atoms questions Imagine and she explains MercyDeath and apologizes when she realizes that the Copy is fine
We pick up from there?

Alternatively, someone besides Deputy Atoms makes the tackle. Maybe an adult/paragon.

Dark Archive

HP 46/46 SP: 49/49 DR: 6/- FF: 5/2 RP: 10/10 | 1st: 6/6 2nd: 4/4 3rd: 3/3 EAC: 20 KAC: 21 | Init: +2 | Perc: +15/16 | F: +6 R: +7 W: +9 | Atk:+8/2d4| Human Mys 7 |

Ah! Boy do I feel sheepish. ^_^

Yes, DM Default, when you wrote "still wriggling and moaning form", I took that as meaning that he is moaning and wriggling because he still has a street-lamp sized hole in his torso! ^_^

Um, in the future, a better narrative tact might be to include a physical description. Like, instead of ""Wriggling and moaning" (as one might do in death throes) he might've been "surprised and intact." (Indeed, one who is surprised is rarely dying.)
(Even, maybe giving him an action. Like, "The de-lamp-posted Haxor stands up and pats himself down, surprised and pleased to no longer by impaled alive. He runs off, saying, "Don't think you're out of the woods yet! I'll be back jerkfaces!")

Hence, ya, I was just reacting to his "moaning" status.

And, yes, when those cars went from unoccupied to occupied (by innocent bystanders, possibly children), that promoted Haxor from "Random bully" to "careless, murdering souless nazi that needs to be shot in the face". =) Woulda been good to nip that in the bud if you don't want any darkness. =3

Anyway, I'm fine with Atoms' proposed retcon. I was just trying to get a "no killing" side-story, with a lot of shouting right now, and maybe some 1 on 1 time later as Imagine gradually realizes the depth of the act. I know a lot of that has been off-panel, but this would've been a good time for on-panel verbage.
Maybe later. =)


Influence:
I have influence on: Bran the Blessed, Mercy
Conditions: Insecure
Labels:
Danger +2, Freak +2, Savior 0, Superior +2, Mundane +1. Potential 0/5

For starters, I'm sorry if adding the occupants to the vehicles threw you off. I wavered between assuming they were unoccupied and going with things the way I ultimately went. But while launching occupied cars into the air could be more villainous than you intended, I also agree it can be just inexperience/recklessness on Haxor's part.

Deputy Atoms, those are some great ideas. I also have one: maybe the duplicates aren't really real? In most other examples of the duplication power, the copies aren't fully sentient, autonomous individuals. Maybe they have a shelf-life of only a few minutes before they go back to wherever (and even Haxor doesn't know where they come from/go).

So in this instance, it's not really killing since it was just a digital copy, not the real article. (Otherwise, that's an insanely powerful ability to create instant clones of yourself that live indefinitely -- think of the implications.)


Angry, Insecure Potential 1/5

Yeah, I agree, this game should probably have a far lighter tone that the one it's starting to have. I'm find with Atom's proposed retcon. The fact that Wingblade made it so that there were innocent pedestrians in the car is what made Tectonic flip out and start ranting at one of the Haxors, so maybe we should keep that? I mean, from what you mentioned, Haxor actually had the forethought to make sure that no civvies were hurt, so it wouldn't have mattered anyways.

Also, as a side note: when I was making Tectonic, I was like "oo, Superbody from Young Justice but with earthbending!" And then I realized that being alive and conscious while be experimented on would give Tectonic far more issues than Superboy. Thus the pseudo-PTSD flashbacks.


Male Human The Beacon | Condition: None

I like Deputy Atoms's proposed retcon as well. I'd like to keep the tone of this game more fun and less "Zach Snyder directing a superhero movie" dark. For starters, my costume has color in it.

Related, once this fight is over, Ghost Dragon should definitely be getting a talking to from a paragon (either Whippoorwill or someone else) about his pulling Haxor through the street lamp. Once we decide on the retcon, Ghost Dragon will be feeling relief over the fact Haxor isn't hurt - or dead.


conditions:
None.
Influence:
I Have Influence on: No One
Labels:
Danger: 0, Freak: +3, Savior: +2, Superior: +1, Mundane:-1

Meanwhile, there is still a car sitting on me.

In all seriousness, though, having a discussion on tone is worth having, as there are some teen comics from the 80s that had anti-heroes in them that straight up murdered people.

Given the reaction, however, I'm assuming that most people are going for the Saturday morning cartoon style of super hero.

I am fine with both the idea that Imagine would kill someone and the proposed retcon that Deputy Atoms saved them.


December 26th Update

Looks like there's a majority consensus here.

Guess a good rule of thumb going forward is "If it probably wouldn't happen in an episode of Teen Titans or Young Justice, probably don't do it here."

As for Haxor's powers, my original intent was as portrayed, a manipulation of reality. In original intent, there are now 4 actual Haxors. Multiplying himself was his trump card. I'm going to try and keep it that way if possible.

And as for Haxor's condition, I was trying to portray intense pain. After being semi-impaled and still reeling from the after effects. It might have been more clear if I went with one of Imagine's suggstions, but it would definitely alter the tone of the scene. As this was kind of a big deal for Ghost Dragon, I didn't want to laugh it off with a lucky break.

Updates with retcons will come up sometime tomorrow or today.

No worries guys, its the nature of the game.


Ji-Wan "Vick" Zeng Conditions: Guilty; Potential 4/5; Delinquent
Ghost_Dragon wrote:
I like Deputy Atoms's proposed retcon as well. I'd like to keep the tone of this game more fun and less "Zach Snyder directing a superhero movie" dark. For starters, my costume has color in it.

Also, Hashtag has a dark backstory explicitly because it will make his light shine all the brighter. I always looked at this game with a Young Justice kind of feel.

DM Default, I think just a wee bit more description will help iron out some confusion. On the ground moaning is fine, since he was terribly traumatized, but include a few more words at the end like "but otherwise intact". (I'm an author. I get acutely aware of how narration flows and some things can be fixed with little 'patches' like that.)


Influence:
Deputy Atoms, Tycho, Imagine
Labels:
Danger : +2 Freak : +2 Savior : 0 Superior : 0 Mundane : -1
Kenneth Kaine Potential 2/5 / Conditions: Angry

Firstly, I'd like to say that it has been a wonderful story so far. It has had a great introduction, the switch between player narrative and Default's narrative has been superb, and I've really been enjoying everyone's writing so far.

I'm with Hashtag on how I viewed the series, that this was a Teen Titans/Young Justice feel of a game. The characters have light moments, dark moments, super close calls, and growing up all around. I think the path we were taking is definitely taking an interesting route and it would be very interesting to play through the moral dilemma of it. Someone can stop it still technically, if we have enough actions left. The influence fallback and how things will change would be really neat!

I can see the reasons for the retcon though, we're not wanting to necessarily jump into the deep end of the pool just yet. It may be something we want to have an arc into at some point, since it is a thing that happens in comics at a point. I'm good for the retcon but I agree with Imagine that it could/should be something that have a character story with.

Eldritch will have heard the voice and then all the shouting, since he is blind. I suppose he could tackle her as well or something, if we want? I'm good with Deputy Atoms as well or an adult of the city.

I look forward to more roleplay folks, this has been exquisite so far.


Shaun Adams - The Transformed

I like Foresight already :D

@DM Default
Are any of the label shifts targeting Deputy Atoms?

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