DM_Lazer_Beam |
< < < Woot! Here is the promised intro post! I will post again when we are ready to begin. Please use the Discussion thread until then. > > >
The year is 2024. It has been almost 12 years since the event that the Mayans referred to as “the World’s End”. Well, the world may not have ended per se, but it sure got a hell of a lot weirder.
It all started at midnight on December 21, 2012. The “Freak Wave” as people are calling it now hit everywhere on the planet all at once. Some places, like Australia and Russia got hit the worst, 8.2 on the Richter scale. A few other places had quakes as high as 6.9 but the majority of places suffered only a few collapsed buildings and fewer casualties. The aftershocks continued for a week afterwards. Seismologists tried tracking the Wave’s source only to find that it had none. It was like the entire planet had just…shuddered. And then there were the Lights.
Visible from miles away, beams of Light were confirmed by governments around the world. As the last of the aftershocks receded, they faded away. Each appeared to point straight into the sky, piercing the clouds. To date, only two of the Light’s sources have been discovered. One originated from the Great Pyramid in Egypt. The other source came from the Chichen Itza temple in Yucatan, Mexico. Investigators reported that the interior layouts at both locations had been rearranged revealing previously unexplored additions…and dangers.
After several archaeologists failed to return from the first exploratory mission into the depths of the Great Pyramid, investigations at both locales have been slow-moving. The Mexican government is reluctant to allow any investigation of the Mayan temples but has had limited success keeping trespassers away due to the vast number of Mayan sites populating Mexico’s southern regions.
And that’s when the really weird stuff started. Slowly at first but in ever-increasing numbers, people worldwide would wake up to find they had…changed. Meta-humans, or “supers”, have been around since World War II, but never had such a large number of them discovered their powers so quickly. For some their powers were easy to accept and be accepted. Some were not so lucky. After twelve Michigan police officers and several civilians were incinerated during a shootout with a deranged pre-adolescent that developed pyro-kinesis, many began siding with the usually ignored Factor X anti-mutant group.
Not all norms would come to think like Factor X though. Maximum City was built as a safe haven for supers and norms alike, and is the US’s fastest growing metropolis. The city teems with citizens intent to prove that supers and norms can live together as equals. A major branch of the world superhero organization known as Guardians of the Earth resides in downtown main street. The local police force has developed it’s own division to handle incidents involving meta-humans. Maximum City’s Special Hazard Response Unit, or S.H.R.U., keeps the streets as safe as humanly possible. It is a hotly debated topic whether or not any meta-humans will be allowed to join this special division, even those that pass the qualifying exam.
Desperate for a counter-measure, and knowing their own attempts at mechanized armor suits were years behind the Japanese, the US began searching for alternative methods of defense. Nanotechnology research was escalated until the town of Tulsa, Oklahoma was wiped out by an inadvertently released nano-plague.
At the behest of the US, the United Nations voted to ban any and all research into nanotechnology for reasons of global security. Cuba, Germany, and many European countries opposed the ban and the movement was defeated until 2019 when Cuba’s main research facility reported an uncontrolled explosion. Only days afterwards, all communications to and from Cuba ceased. Initial reports from surveillance craft showed nothing but a black, glassy mass covering the countryside. An emergency session was convened and in perhaps the closest vote in UN history, it was decided to detonate a thermonuclear device in Cuba. Nothing survived the resulting blast…we hope.
Those learned in the subject of course scoff at the idea of magic being “back”. To them, it was never gone, only hidden. But even the most esoteric practitioners of the arcane arts will grudgingly admit that the Weave has become stronger since the Wave hit…perhaps too strong?
DM_Lazer_Beam |
It is yet another gorgeous Monday in October for Maximum City! The leaves are are starting to turn colors and the air is just on the cold side of nippy.
You blearily roll over and fumble for your phone. Whoever is calling better have life insurance as it's your first day off in a week and a half and it's 8:00 AM.
You have a field trip to lead today for your 11:00 AM History of Ancient Artifacts class at MCCC. A nagging feeling gnaws in the back of your brain.
October 1st, 2024...wasn't there some sort of minor historical significance to this date? Make an Expertise(History) check
WOOF! He wags his tail furiously at you hoping for a treat.
You doubt Liora or Abraham have risen yet and you use the side stairs to access your small but amply furnished basement apartment. You have been asked to head a tour of the new history exhibition at the Sphinxonium today. There will be students from nearly every school district in the city attending. You should get ready
If you could reply to me within spoilers for the moment I'd appreciate it. You will all meet up soon enough ^^
Baker Scott |
Baker rolls back over, falling back asleep as the phone stops ringing. Thirty seconds later, he is rudely awoken again by his phone. ga-dammit...smy day off...
Baker rolls himself half out of bed, covers falling loose, to answer his phone.
...hulo? He manages to groggily yawn out.
DM_Lazer_Beam |
It's Lorenzo Pachenti, one of your IT aquaintances. He continues without letting you get a word in.
Dude, ya got to bail me out bro. I met this chill lady last night at Elmo's. She wants to go out again today! Can you believe it? But I'm scheduled for a shift today...I promise I'll make it up to you.
Baker Scott |
you owe me big, and she better be a damn good looker. i'll cover for you, but you're lucky I like you. Doesn't your shift start at eight thirty? now i'm gonna be late for your job! i swear, you owe me big!
After listening to Lorenzo's hasty thanks, Baker hangs up and crawls out of bed and decides to forgo a shower today. Quickly getting dressed, grabbing a poptart and calling in the schedule change on his phone while walking out the door, he bikes off through the clear morning trying not to be late for his new shift.
...add this to the new reasons to hate mondays.
As he rides to work he notices all the familiar sights of the city that keep him cheered up in the morning, Joe's Donughts (that he'll have to skip for today), the crazy flower lady selling roses on the corner of Howard and Taft streets, the MegaMillionz sign showing off the 70 Million prize money up for grabs... It's the little things that don't change that he likes, and that put him back in a decent mood by the time he arrives at work.
Prof. Emit Nile |
Emit walks to the calender. The 1st of October 2024 I have a funny feeling something happened that day but what could it be..
Emit scratches his head with one hand and his thumb and finger rubbing his chin begins thinking.
expertise history: 1d20 + 12 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 5 = 29 the + 5 is from my idetic memory
Rabbi Joseph Fankenburg |
DM_Lazer_Beam |
...how about Friday? I've got the day off and two free tickets to go see Rox Falls. Isn't that the new band you like?
Marco appears to be chatting Marissa up.
Make a perception check
Rabbi Joseph Fankenburg |
perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
I look at these protesters so fearful of their fellow man and i shake my head solemnly. But they do have reason to fear their fellow man, as do the mutants who are afraid of these people
I continue to go to my office and gather up some notes for the tour today, and double check where in the Museum i am to meet up with the Curator to show off the exhibit.
Prof. Emit Nile |
Hows my baby doing today? Your the one thing I got in this world.
Then he pulls out and heads to the M.C.C.C. to gather his students for the field trip. He parks Flux and heads on in.
Prof. Emit Nile |
Well my young minds waiting to be appropriately shaped lets head to the bus that's waiting to take us to our destinies or at least our next couple of exhilarating hours!
Leading the young people on the run down bus that the college has for these little excursions he greets the bus driver.
Hey Eddy hows the family? as he takes the seat behind him and waits for the bus to fill.
DM_Lazer_Beam |
Oh hai, Prof! Wife's still angry bout that job I turned down at MCU, but I'm sure she'll come around. I mean who's gunna ferry dese kids around so they can get some edumacatin. No one that's who. What with the budget cuts but I bet ya know all about that.
There is one student that is already on the bus. He is totally engrossed in his hand-held game console.
Prof. Emit Nile |
He waits until the last student is on the bus and goes up and down the isle and stops at the young man with his video game and says Billy ive told you not to bring those to class, now i know this is college but this is my class so give it up. he grabs the game and heads up to the front alright Eddy we are good to go as he sits down and starts playing Billies game.
Oh cool its the new Guardians VS. Robot Zombie Nazis video game
Eddy fires up the engine and it backfires as he heads on down the road.
DM_Lazer_Beam |
I am operating under the assumption that none of you have revealed your powers to anyone else so far. Please inform me if there are exceptions to this rule.
About 5 years ago, the Meta-Human Census Act was passed in Congress (and provisionally in the U.N.) requiring any and all people exhibiting metahuman abilities to report to the nearest approved metahuman facility for registration as such. The age requirement is 20 so any under-age supers are "safe" from discrimination, barring those that exhibit dangerous tendencies.
Understandably, there are numerous "lurkers" that keep their powers a secret for fear of public humiliation and discrimination. Should these lurkers be discovered, they face a fine and possible jail time in addition to a lengthy investigation into their family and friends.
Vigilantes not registered to the Guardians of Earth are frowned upon by most officials but are generally considered harmless. Indeed, there are numerous "heroes" showing up in Maximum City every week. Most don't last very long as they either find adventuring too hard, the fame to minimal, or fall prey to those that they hunt.
Robert Trelain |
He mumbles ...i-i-it's Rob no-not B-B-Billie.
He nervously glances around at the other students. He takes great pains not to let any other students sit next to him.
The PP version of Guardians of Earth vs. Robot Zombie Nazis is only a demo as the full game has yet to be completed for the PP.
Baker Scott |
Oh god, I really hope this doesn't mean I've lost my chance with her... Baker stops by the coffee machine, pouring a slow cup and hoping to eves-drop on more of the conversation to see Marissa's reaction to Marco...
Baker Scott |
Baker mentally tries to push the god out of his thoughts.
You know I wouldn't do anything to win her over that wasn't my own doing. I don't get how your luck powers work, but i'll be damned if i'm going to let you be the one who gets me the girl; that'll be my doing. So do us a favor and shut up, thanks. Besides, you're making it hard to hear what all is going on over there...
Prof. Emit Nile |
Attention now we are not going to have an incident like the last field trip we had, im looking at you Rogers and Franklin... pointing at the to hoodlums in the back as they high five and laugh.
I mean it the Dean said one more incident and he'll stop letting me take students off campus and im sure you dont want to sit with me in a room all year without having a little fun. Now line up in an orderly or whatever you may be capable of line outside the bus as i go in and let them know we are here.
The good professor gets of the bus and heads towards the door keeping one eye on the group and shakes his head as he hears and sees Rogers and Franklin thrust open the emergency door and jump out setting off the alarm highfiving once again as they get in line.
Why do they even come to class and why do i continue to put up with their nonsense oh well just get through the day how bad could it get?
DM_Lazer_Beam |
Marco exits Marrisa's cubicle. He seems to be in high spirits as he passes by you without even noticing you are there.
Before you can further contemplate the impact of the upcoming date, you here heavy footsfalls coming your way. There is only one person that can be...your BOSS.
Sir, can I interest you in our new exhibit? It's all about the latest findings from the Great Pyramid Excavation. Some of the finds are quite astounding. She looks at you expectantly, holding out one of the fliers.
Rabbi Joseph Fankenburg |
Hello, are you a student at our fine University? Don't mind the protesters, our campus is always open to the ideas of citizens, so protests or pride rallies are common. if you are afraid just keep walking and look like you have class to attend, it always works for me.
Sierra Mesa |
The young woman jumps at the sound of your voice. As you approach, you notice she has two noticeable features. Her ears are pointed, giving her a distinct elven appearance and her eyes are a brilliant shade of blue.
I-I-I'm sorry sir, I-I Didn't see you there. She glances nervously towards the protesters. Can we talk somewhere else? I don't want them to see me.
Prof. Emit Nile |
How rude of me my name is Professor Emit Nile, Im leading a field trip for my intro to history class at M.C.C.C. and you are?
DM_Lazer_Beam |
I remember you from the last field trip you led here. Unless I'm mistaken wasn't it some of your students that...rearranged...the cranial cavities of the deinonychus and the cynognathus displays? She is trying to restrain a giggle.
It took us weeks to completely restore them to their original selves. Let's just say a liberal amount of adhesive was used.
Baker Scott |
Baker offers a cup of coffee to James Sarver, the man who built the company from the ground up, like they were old friends.
Anything big going on today for us here? Or is it all the same old stuff?
...man, I hope I can talk to Marissa today... Damn, it sucks being terrible with girls, especially when I finally find one like her. You know Ithran? With all the powers you've given me, I'm still just a normal guy when it comes to girls, heh.
DM_Lazer_Beam |
He grabs the coffee and downs it in one big gulp, crumples the styrofoam cup, and tosses it in your wastebasket.
Well since he can't be bothered to make an appearance I guess your up, Slim. He hands you a thick dossier labeled "Sphinxonium". Oh, and it's a two-man job. Marrisa can handle the routine stuff today. Take Marco with you.
She spots several newcomers that look rather lost. Speaking of my boss, I'm going to get fired if I don't hand out all of these fliers before the tour. She looks genuinely apologetic.
Baker Scott |
he had something up today boss. Baker wipes away a few stray sprays of coffee.
Hey Ithran, you want me using luck? Fine, here goes nothing.
also boss, I know Marissa has been itching to go out in the field recently. Give Marco the routine stuff today and let me take her instead. I know she'd thank you for it and it would be good to show her to the real deal.
Baker flips through the dossier waiting to see if his powers kick in.
What do I see as I page through the folder, and what do I know about the job required?
DM_Lazer_Beam |
Just in case it wasn't clear, You all start with 1 Hero Point available to you. Your Hero Points reset at the start of every scene.
Mr. Podges, Sarver's assistant catches up to him. Sir, you've got calls on lines 3 through 7. Apparently HE trashed the Level 7 lab again and the sprinklers are spraying acid, The control panel is fused, and there is a hole in the ceiling...
Sarver interrupts the timid man.
Again?! Why that nincompoop show-off and his frickin tin suit. I never should have let him buy out my company... His voice begins to fade as he stomps back towards his office. Take whoever you want, Slim. just GET...IT..DONE! The door o his office slams rattling the blinds.
Shade of Ithran |
The Dossier contains an e-mail trail between the IT department and one of RoboCorp's customers, the Sphinxonium Museum of History. The e-mails don't go into great detail on what the issues are only that the repairs needed to be done today.
A one Archibald Louvre appears to be the Director of the Sphinxonium and judging from the e-mails, has no great skill with computers. One entire section of his e-mail seems to have been typed with the CAPS LOCK ON.
There does seem to be mention of a malfunctioning set of the new HoloCore FX 3000 models. Both of them apparently are working erratically and they are "of absolute necessity for today's joyful gala on the re-discovery of the mysteries of the Great Pyramid" or some such.
Ithran intrudes into your thoughts.
We aren't seriously going to this bore-fest are we? I saw GORE III is now showing in that sorry excuse for an arena. I am interested in what your culture calls "The goriest massacre yet to date!" I contest that anyone can out perform the Romans in terms of gore and yet I am ...curious what this "3D" is...
Baker Scott |
Baker downs his coffee, grabs his coat and heads over to Marissa's cubicle.
Hey! Marissa! grab your stuff, boss said we're heading to the Sphinzonium Museum of History for a not-so-regular fix-it job. something about a Holocore FX 3000 not functioning properly and it needing fixing asap. i'll get the company keys and meet you at the elevator!
Smiling, Baker backs away waiting for Marissa to overcome her mild shock at the aspect of a field job. When he is sure she's following, he grabs the keys and holds the door to the elevator.
You know, for all the times I use it, I still find it hard to believe that this luck stuff works as well as it does. Doesn't mean I don't hate you sometimes though. I still think you're pretty much an ass, but you do help from time to time. Baker gives Ithran a genial mental nudge as the elevator doors shut.
Baker Scott |
Vase or not, you tend to know things. And that poetry was good!
Awarness: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Baker holds up the keys to the Mercedes and smiles.
company car while on the clock, you know that, i'll drive. we can take your car off the clock sometime for coffee or something.
...oh god... i said "something" too many times... and did i just ask her out...? what am i doing? how do normal people do this? i don't stand a chance with her...
Prof. Emit Nile |
Reaching in to his suit jacket pulls out his card and hands it to miss Madelyn Fourmer.
I hope to hear from you.
Emit after watching her Madelyn walk away begins to scan the room as the crowd seems to becoming larger. perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Looking for anything that may catch my eye as important.
Then proceeds to walk over to the check in list for school trips and signs in his class.
DM_Lazer_Beam |
...it doesn't fit! Trade with me, bro. you're smaller so it should fit you better...
Both catch your gaze as you're looking at them. they attempt to act nonchalantly and wave stupidly at you. You feel a small twinge of concern over Robert's safety.
The pamphlet you briefly glanced through mentions a large reception held at 2 PM where a "great discovery" will be revealed. Several members of the city's elite will be present including the mayor.
Prof. Emit Nile |
What did you two do? I know you did something now spill it! You wont ruin this for me and everyone else, so help me if you've done it again people will be observing you because you'll be history.
While lecturing the two boys he tries to shuffle them back into the bathroom to avoid a scene.
The card reads First line= Professor Emit Nile
Second line= M.C.C.C. (in large print)
Third line= 1-(987)654-3210
Fourth line= Making history come alive
DM_Lazer_Beam |
Franklin chimes in, Yea, we just found these lying around.
As you enter the mens bathroom, you hear pitiful struggling coming from one of the stalls.
Make a Perception check.
Prof. Emit Nile |
Pointing at the door looking very unpleased. what is wrong with those two. But really where did these clothes come from, im kind of scared to find out.
perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
DM_Lazer_Beam |
You hear the struggling continue inside the 3rd stall. It appears to be the only stall that's taken. A small puddle of water is forming underneath it.
Prof. Emit Nile |
Is someone in there and is everything ok? What is going on in there? I really hope they don't need help, this could be quite awkward.
Robert Trelain |
You hear snickering coming from outside the restroom door.
Opening the door, you see that Robert, devoid of his usual leather gloves and leather bomber jacket, is stuck butt first in the toilet bowl. The toilet water has completely soaked his jeans. Judging from the fact that he is still wearing his jeans, you deduce that he's been the victim of a bullying. He appeas to be unable to get enough leverage to get himself free. (Updated from coat because it's cooler)
He reaches a hand towards you.
Prof. Emit Nile |
Before getting a full answer out of Robert, Emit heads strictly towards the door thrusting it open. Rogers, Franklin your coming with me out to the bus now and i wont repeat myself.
Grabs the two by the arms and walks them out to the bus. Trust me you will be dealt with when we get back but right now instead of the fun that you would be having.., I planned for this Eddy you got those books I had you hold on to.
Grabbing two large history books from Eddy.
You will instead be reading about ancient history cover to cover and if you fail the test I wrote for this when we get back you will fail out of my class for good! Now i sugest you get started its about 3000 pages give or take. Eddy will you do me a favor and watch these two for me? Thank you and im sorry about this Eddy really i am but they need somone to hold their hands apparently.
Walks back to the museum and back into the bathroom to help Robert dry his pants.
DM_Lazer_Beam |
Make a Fort save.