This war hasn’t been the first involving Gifted- the superpowered, the blessed, the cursed- as a species, as active participants using their powers for bloodshed.

Throughout history, there have been traces of humans talented with special abilities, capable of feats unachievable by the average man or woman. Prophets, creatures of lore, those blessed with incredible luck, or who could read people completely, or those regarded as magicians...Of course, many were unaware of these abilities, and those who did were either regarded as gods, or kept their secrets under lock and key in fear of the consequences. It was only recently- several hundred years ago- that they began to appear more frequently, with more intense powers, more obviously “special”.

The Gifted.

As with anything unique, tensions rose, with humans declaring the Gifted dangerous. Their children could easily be harmed by one with super strength, and robberies could become even more life-threatening when performed by a pyrotechnic. War soon broke out, the recorded beginning dating to around a century ago. However, this story is not about then.

Humans, those who were unfortunate enough not to have such powers, not only lost; they were wiped off the face of the earth, with only tiny pockets remaining. In the chaos and anarchy that followed at the lack of any real stable civilization, two factions emerged.

Erubesco, the faction of culture, monarchy, grace, and science.

Liberty, the faction of order, efficiency, unity, and progress.

Given the clash of their ideologies, lifestyles, and many other factors, it did not take long before both declared war on one another. They scrambled to collect land, stronger Gifted to fight under their command, and to gain an upper hand when both were equal in strength. Both groups even found themselves relying on tampering with genetic code, hoping to unlock something which would strengthen their own side. The war has currently been raging for eight years in total, in which many lives have been lost, and many atrocities committed.

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Much like the fairy tales which parents tell to their children at storytime, Erubesco is based around a concept of nobility, kings and queens, and an idealized view of “good” and “evil”. Towns cluster around grand castle bases, soldiers are dubbed as the “knights in shining armor” for the weak and defenseless, and many civilians go about their life with art and song heavily involved in their schedules. At face value, it appears like a beautiful utopia of prosperity and life.

However, the truth is far darker, as one might expect. Not only are the general issues that tend to come with a monarchy present- inequality, a very unlikely chance of ascending to another role, etc.- but civilian experimentation is very much the norm. While the entire process tends to be kept rather hushed, what occurs beneath the beautiful tiling of the castle floors is very real, and very active. While the glitz and glamor of movie stars and storybook towns may be appealing to many, it is a thin veil to what Erubesco truly stands for underneath it all.

Compared to Liberty, however, one might find the freedom of choice preferable, and Erubesco isn’t the worst place to live. In fact, most of its populace find it quite delightful.

Most.

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The first impression which tends to fall upon the viewer of any Liberty city is a certain...blandness. Nigh-identical buildings and streets, all made up of a monochrome color. A majority of the population reside in their own apartments, and a lack of real vibrancy. However, Liberty’s morals are the main reason so many are drawn; preaching fair rights for all, scorning the pointless harm of her populace, and pushing the belief that, with enough hard work and care, even the weakest can grow into a potential Councillor.

Of course, while Liberty preaches patience towards its people, caring for them and providing for the needs of the loyal, they also push for extreme devotion. The rebellious are carefully groomed into fiercely loyal citizens, and the unity which is so focused upon can have the unfortunate side effect of damaging individuality. The ranking system is a fair deal more complicated when compared to that of Erubesco’s, but retains somewhat of a pattern. There are several sectors of Liberty, with each having seven ranks or less; ranging from the lowly Trainee, to the grand Councillor. Each sector is headed by a Councillor, which work with the Founder- and Leader- on near equal terms to make decisions for Liberty.



While it preaches equality, Liberty is led by people, and certain people can be particularly corrupt. If one desires more luxury in life, they could very easily inform their higher ups of certain activities of their neighbors for boons and the like. Nevertheless, many of Liberty’s civilians are well provided for, and have all their needs met.

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Ashlanders. The term applies to nearly anyone who lives in the ashland, or wasteland, or Outside- whatever name you prefer for the vast expanse of ruin and earth that exists outside of the factions’ walls. Unlike what the names would imply, the ashland isn’t all ruin and sand- there are several areas where vegetation flourishes and the scars of man have begun to heal- but there’s enough of it that it’s been dubbed desolate by those who live both inside and away from the lands. Resources are thin, and what communities have manifested are largely composed of nomadic groups or small towns for ashlanders to make businesses, although any group that doesn’t possess a few particularly strong Gifted among its members is often quickly snuffed out.
Life in the wastes is harsh, unforgivable, and often leads to very short lifespans. As such, the Ashlanders that populate it are often harsh and unforgivable themselves. While some retain their humanity and are relatively friendly (if not a bit skittish), others become considerably more ruthless. Mercenaries prowl the ash, hungry for jobs or searching out the targets that they’ve been assigned to- usually by the high-paying factions. Slavers and raiders abound, preying on the weak. However, for all of its harshness, some Gifted might retreat into the ashland for various reasons. Whether it’s freedom, the pursuit of their own morality, or madness, the ashland is never completely empty.

One nomadic group in the ashland, the Wanderers, are a ragtag team of misfits who have found one another, as well as their share of adventure in the Ash. They are considered enemies of both Liberty and the Crown, and consist primarily of defectors and powerful Gifted. While wary of strangers, they do take newcomers into their fold from time to time. Speak to the GM or any Co-GMs about joining.

Full Name: Midas Worth

Nicknames/Aliases: Walking Crater

Age: 20

Gender: Male

Gift: E.C.A.R. Energy Consumption And Redirection

Loyalty: Ashlander, for now

Description:

Midas stands at 5'9", with a head of grey hair, and bright amithyst eyes. They tend to glow when his abilities are active. Scars litter his toned form, showing a life in the ashlands.

Personality: Midas is often seen as a wihdrawn individual with little interest in others. He can usually be found alone, simply watching others. He hasnt been seen as a very open person, and rarely gives out more than his name. However, some have noticed he doesnt care to see anyone being treated unfairly, is often the first to help someone up, even if it is wordlessly, and seems all to willing to start a fight with someone he feels thinks abit to highly of themself.

Skills:physical skills are as follows- physically fit, hand to hand combat, adabtable, quick thinking, able to maintain composure, durable
Gift breakdown-
E.C.A.R. is the ability to absorb energy, be it heat, impact, electricity, or others, and converted into a volatile violet energy. He can use this energy in several ways, from regeneration, to physical improvements, to ranged blasts.
There seems to be no limit to how much energy Midas can absorb.

Weaknesses:
Cold- heat is Midas first choice when absorbing energy. If you take that away, he must find another source, and others arent so readily available
Midas can absorb the energy from attacks,but his body still takes the damage. He can use energy to heal,but this reduces the amount he can use to fight.
While midas has no limit to the energy he can absorb at one time, he can not store energy for long. He can not charge up. He must gain energy either imidiatly prior to using it, or during use.


Brief History:
"Yeah, no. Dont know you that well, sorry"

Other:
Midas enjoys both the bottle and the smoke abit to much.
Midas likes to look at the stars.