Take A Stand [Interest Thread | Superheroes]

[Diesel Heart]

Take A Stand

"The problem often is that aspiring brands wish to be universally loved. Unfortunately, universal love is neither achievable nor desirable. Instead, great brands are loved by some and hated by others because they actually stand for something."

- Nirmalya Kumar

Welcome to "Take A Stand", a freeform collaborative story I hope to engage alongside willing and amicable writers. This story (or game, as we call it on Elliquiy) should centralize a relatively small group of individuals (18+ of age) endowed with larger-than-life capabilities in a world where mutagen incidents, cosmic radiation exposure, and biological anomalies are uncommon. If things align properly, I hope to extend this story into a long-term commitment, starting with the heroes union through a mutual benefactor and the transition of team-building exercises as they face the struggles each individual brings to the dynamic. As the story progresses, they will unveil various plots of diabolical intent and selfish motive, and inevitably become the team that puts a stop to them.

While I have a loose, chronological outline of events I intend to lead us through, I remind you that I mentioned this story to be collaborative. What this means is that I hope my fellow writers are willing and capable of coming up with their own villainous plots for our heroes to thwart. I am not expecting much, but I do implore you to consider things and I am more than willing to assist the creative process. I state this for two specific reasons.  First and foremost, I understand that I am volunteering to be the Storyteller of the main plot, but I would also enjoy having moments where I can have my character act without knowledge vital to the plot. Second, I am an advocate for communal effort and this is an experience we all must put some effort into for the ideal level of enjoyment.

If I have managed to pique your interest, please read the information below that provides insight into the universe your character will be in.  The information is loosely based on preexisting, licensed lore belonging to the Hero System pen and paper game. Below it, you will find the character I intended to play with a code for the Character Sheet which I ask you to send to me privately for review and discussion.  While I want everyone to play something they will enjoy, I must take some steps to enable each character to have a niche and defined role to the team. I am currently seeking at least 3 players, but I will put a limit of 7 for the time being.  This is a first come, first serve basis.


Historic Overview

On May 1, 1983, Der Strumvogel led his cult of German fanatics through a ritual that would bestow him with unimaginable power. The magnitude of arcane energy in use proved to be powerful enough to shatter the leylines that separated the Material Plane from the Imaginal Realms, and Earth was flooded with ambient mystical energy. The laws of physics had merged with a second, contradictory set of laws and the influences of unknown historic events seeped into the very fabric of existence. This event gave rise to the "superpowered being", and these men and women possessing extraordinary ability has been a premiere focus on human history since.

It was not long until other manifestations of what was considered science fiction began to occur, from alien invasions to unearthed ancient tombs safeguarding forbidden knowledge. In response to certain events that plagued humanity as a whole, select superpowered beings decided to put their abilities to use and keep the planet safe. These individuals became superheroes and they followed the example set forth by the first costumed crimefighter to appear in recorded history, Black Mask. Some decided to band together, creating teams such as the Defenders of Justice who thwarted the first alien invasion by the Sirians. Others were created by means of science, such as the "All-American", the world's first supersoldier created in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack. By the 60's, every corner of the world had its fair share of superpowered beings, both good and evil.

The rise of supervillainy also became more prolific as time passed, birthing tragic events such as "Green Monday" when an international paramilitary group dedicated to an ancient god successfully assassinated several world leaders. The peak of villainous acts occured on July 23, 1992 when the world's most dangerous supervillain, "Doctor Destroyer" was killed after nearly destroying the entirety of Detroit, Michigan and taking the lives of fourteen influential, powerful superheroes such as "Vanguard". From that moment on, the world began to look at superpowered beings with a new outlook that mixed fear and scrutiny with awe and inspiration.  The world's tribunal gave birth to the "Registration Act", legally requiring every superpowered being to provide information about his or her capabilities.

It is now 2019, and much of the world continues to benefit from the scientific advancements brought by preternatural minds and charitable donations from alien species. The United Nations alleviates some of its concerns with dangerous superpowered beings thanks to the founding of UNTIL, and the world's esoteric, mystical orders works diligently to keep magic a close-guarded secret to facilitate the Ban.

What is the Ban, and why is Magic a close-guarded secret?

"The Ban", a term only known to a select many in the mystical world, refers to a divine intervention that prevents any and all god-like beings from manifesting on the Material Plane.  They must resort to other means in order to access and influence the world.  There is not a living soul that understand the intricacies or origins of the Ban, only know that it must be maintained at all times for the sake of human life. To properly facilitate this, mystical and religious orders alike go through great lengths to keep the advent and truth of magic in skeptic's eyes. Numerous points in modern history detail individuals stepping forward to the public and demonstrating magical power, but scientists counteract it with "evidence" to support these strange abilities to be nothing more than odd mutations from someone adopting a superntural motif for the sake of showmanship. Luckily, with the wide-spread knowledge of "smoke and mirrors" and "sleight of hand" in conventional magic, this counteracting claim has much more weight.

Law & Government

Most western civilizations require superpowered beings to register with a government authority. These databases, built with the help of some of the brightest minds the superpowered community has to offer, are some of the most secure computer networks known to mankind. Despite the evidence of no recorded hacks or breaches, several superhuman individuals that prefer anonymity remain skeptical on the security and refuse registration. While it is legally required, the nations understand that enforcing it would become problematic very quickly, so they adopted a laissez-faire approach. Non-registered superpowered beings that do heroic activity will quickly find themselves unable to represent themselves in a court of law against lawsuit or may be denied assistance from law enforcement against criminals. This is the nation's way of reminding unregistered heroes that they are technically acting as an illegal vigilante and that arrest of a criminal requires a warrant; some criminals taken into custody without a warrant or that have been injured have the possibility of suing the hero responsible; and that secret identities are not protected by law.


Character Sheet
(Please remember to send this to me privately).

Code Select Expand

[float=right][img height=350]Insert Image URL here[/img]
[center][b]Face Claim:[/b] [/center][/float]
[b]Alias:[/b]
[b]Years Active:[/b]

[b]Character's Full Name:[/b]
[b]Nickname (if any):[/b]
[b]Date of Birth:[/b]  ([b]Age:[/b] ) | [b]Place of Birth:[/b]
[b]Ethnic Background:[/b]
[b]Sex:[/b]  | [b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Religion:[/b]  | [b]Degree of Religious Practice:[/b]
[b]Current Occupation:[/b]
[b]Income Level:[/b]
[b]Education:[/b]
[b]Marital Status:[/b]
[b]Height:[/b]
[b]Weight:[/b]
[b]Body Type:[/b]
[b]Eye Color:[/b]
[b]Hair Color:[/b]
[b]Skin Tone:[/b]
[b]Prominent Features:[/b]
[b]Face Shape:[/b]
[b]General Health:[/b]
[b]Chronic Conditions:[/b]
[b]Current Health Problems:[/b]
[spoiler=Optional Information]
[b]How does she dress:[/b]
[b]Speech Pace:[/b]
[b]Accent or Dialect:[/b]
[b]Voice Tone:[/b]
[b]Favorite Words or Phrases?:[/b]
[b]Mannerisms:[/b]
[b]Typical Posture:[/b]
[b]Gestures:[/b]
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Sexual Information]
[b]Sexuality:[/b]
[b]On(s):[/b]
[b]Off(s):[/b] [/spoiler]


[b]Personality[/b]


[b]Powers, Skills & Capabilities[/b]
[list]
[li]] [/li]
[li][/li]
[li][/li]
[/list]

[b]Equipment[/b]
[list]
[li][/li]
[li][/li]
[/list]

[b]History[/b]


[b]Current Story[/b]



Questions & Answers

Conflict Resolution

Oh, I agree that solving freeform is difficult and don't blame anyone for my state of confusion.  And unfortunately I don't have any good insights really.

That said, knowing the outcome before hand I am fine with.  That gives me a framework to make my posts.  When rolling, that is what the dice are doing, giving you a general idea of what is going to happen.   And the story is more important than the mechanics.

If I get told that I will be losing the first couple of posts and then the last two posts I turn it around and win.  I would happy with that and I can fill in the details of how exactly that happens. :)   Or even the reverse for that matter. ;)

I determine the outcome of character's actions on two key component(s):
How viable is the intended action? While this may seem frank, I have to base actions upon the laws of physics.  While I understand that the nature of superhero and fiction defies reality, I believe there is an obtainable balance.  After all, science fiction has a basis of science involved.
By what order does this happen in chronological order to the others? This goes hand in hand with the first component, because subtle nuances of a conflict can drastically change the success ratio of actions.  A punch from the speedster can knock the villain over, causing an energy projector to miss his shot, or maybe the energy blast knocked the villain off of his feet causing the speedster to rush past swinging at air. While disappointing, these are realistic curve balls to keep in mind.

[keyotess]

I love superheroine campaigns, so posting tentative interest. 

One question I have is how are you going to handle conflict? 

One of problems I have had in other games is that I never had a clear idea of how the Storyteller/GM was handling conflict.  I would respond to what the GM posted and then counter with my characters actions, with the assumption that as the heroine, my character should eventually win or at least chase away the opponent.  This might just be my problem because I was always told I was doing fine, but I never felt like my character was actually doing anything.

[Diesel Heart]

Conflict resolution that satisfies everyone's expectations is quite difficult, unfortunately, and the prospect of properly conveying a powerful antagonist that can take on the entire team alone is one of the greatest challenges for a freeform system.  The challenge comes from the fact that some writers have a tendency to go for the throat, so to speak, and that everyone wants to play hero with a glorious victory.  While this is not inherently wrong, it means that any aspiring storyteller must ensure each participating character - and his or her writer - has some role to play every post while attempting to maintain the atmosphere and continuation of the plot.  I only say these things in defense of your previous experiences.

As for me, the philosophy of "story first" is a key component. A system is meant to be used or referenced for guidelines, not rules. Within a freeform setting, those guidelines are open to interpretation, so I want to thank you for bringing this question up. Unlike the movies and other mediums of storytelling, a conflict is not scripted and we all adapt and compromise based on what others post. Sometimes, we all have to make a little sacrifice for the sake of making the story more enjoyable. A way to prevent this sort of things is through proper communication, but it increases the risk of everyone knowing what comes next.  I am completely fine with that, but I know others may not want to write based on out-of-character knowledge.

I determine the outcome of character's actions on two key component(s):

• How viable is the intended action? While this may seem frank, I have to base actions upon the laws of physics.  While I understand that the nature of superhero and fiction defies reality, I believe there is an obtainable balance.  After all, science fiction has a basis of science involved.
• By what order does this happen in chronological order to the others? This goes hand in hand with the first component, because subtle nuances of a conflict can drastically change the success ratio of actions.  A punch from the speedster can knock the villain over, causing an energy projector to miss his shot, or maybe the energy blast knocked the villain off of his feet causing the speedster to rush past swinging at air. While disappointing, these are realistic curve balls to keep in mind.

With that said, I'll ask you what method would you like to see in conflict resolution? Perhaps your insight can provide me and others something to ponder.

[keyotess]

Oh, I agree that solving freeform is difficult and don't blame anyone for my state of confusion.  And unfortunately I don't have any good insights really.

That said, knowing the outcome before hand I am fine with.  That gives me a framework to make my posts.  When rolling, that is what the dice are doing, giving you a general idea of what is going to happen.   And the story is more important than the mechanics.

If I get told that I will be losing the first couple of posts and then the last two posts I turn it around and win.  I would happy with that and I can fill in the details of how exactly that happens. :)   Or even the reverse for that matter. ;)

[Diesel Heart]

Well, unless otherwise stated, I will resort to rough outlines of what may come within the post to you.

[Ace Flyer]

This looks like it could be fun! I'll get to work on a CS.

[keyotess]

Well, unless otherwise stated, I will resort to rough outlines of what may come within the post to you.

Thanks :)  Working on a character.

[arthenwel]

I'm in just give me a bit to get my cs up. Also are we capable of adding a second character later?

[Diesel Heart]

I'm in just give me a bit to get my cs up. Also are we capable of adding a second character later?

Second character will be permissible at a later date, yes.

[WolZereX]

I'm definitely interested! This seems to be right up my alley, but I did have a curiosity question: are all the characters supposed to be females? I didn't see that anywhere in your description of the game anywhere but I might have missed it. Or is the fact that all the characters so far are girls just a coincidence?

[Diesel Heart]

I'm definitely interested! This seems to be right up my alley, but I did have a curiosity question: are all the characters supposed to be females? I didn't see that anywhere in your description of the game anywhere but I might have missed it. Or is the fact that all the characters so far are girls just a coincidence?

Coincidence.  Feel free to submit a male character.

[Rel Mayer]

Woha! Hey Diesel!

Planting my interest and reading up. Looks fun!

[Diesel Heart]

Woha! Hey Diesel!

Planting my interest and reading up. Looks fun!

Long time no see, Rel!


EDIT:  I have created the OOC thread.

[apygoos]

debating what id wanna join this as..

[Countdown0]

Is this still accepting applications, or naw?

I have an idea for a character who is almost entirely a non-combatant himself, but would instead act as a very helpful but possibly unnerving addition to the team :P

[Diesel Heart]

Is this still accepting applications, or naw?

I have an idea for a character who is almost entirely a non-combatant himself, but would instead act as a very helpful but possibly unnerving addition to the team :P

Thus far, only 4 characters have been completely approved, so there are 3 slots still open for review.