MALFUNCTION – The Superpower RP Where Everything Sucks
What the hell is this?
Welcome to a world where having the genetic mutation equivalent of "superpowers" really, really sucks.
The basic premise is simple: a world united under a single government, where super-powers come with devastating consequences, and where supers (dubbed “Genetic Malfunctions”) are feared for their terrifying abilities. Malfunctions are rooted out during their late teen years, through a test administered every year by their local district to all students between the ages of 15 to 20: the time period over which powers begin to manifest.
Testing positive marks you out as a non-human and a Genetic Malfunction. It means there are now two options for you. If your ability is too powerful, then you are put to death immediately. If not, then you’ll shipped off to one of 150 different Training and Education Facilities across the globe: the concentration camps of the twenty-first century. There, you are trained to use your abilities in order to uphold societal order at all costs.
But even the powers themselves aren’t all sunshine and daisies -- this is the real world, after all, and dangerous mutations mean dangerous consequences. Throwing a super-strength punch means breaking every bone in your arm. Excessive use of telekinesis can cause serious brain damage.
Malfunction takes place in this world. Specifically, it takes place in one of these Training and Education Facilities: TEF-149.
The Rules:
1. No "adult themed" content in the RP -- fade to black or take it to the PM.
2. The GM's word is law. Yeah, all three of us.
3. No god-modding/auto-hitting.
4. Remember that there are real consequences in this setting! If you're going to spit on a guard's uniform, expect to be punished if not hung.
5. Keep IC drama separate from the OOC
6. Act realistic -- don't suddenly barge into conversations where you have nothing to do.
7. READ THE GODDAMN LORE. The essentials, and preferably the supplements too.
LORE ESSENTIALS
Reading the lore essentials is the most important thing that you can do before starting your CS!! We're looking for characters seem to "fit into" the crapsack world of Malfunction, so make sure you know what's going on! And, of course, if you have any questions... please feel free to ask a GM (preferably all the GMs) via a PM.
We're friendly people, and we don't bite~!! Well... Zoldyck only bites sometimes.
Malfunction's History, the very short version:
The events of Malfunction take place in the year 2021.
In 1989, the Cold War would escalate into a Third World War that would come to be called the Last War. This war lasted until 1990. Nuclear weapon usage reduced large parts of the globe to toxic wasteland, and traces of nuclear radiation ended up basically everywhere.
Horrified by the results of this nuclear war and fearing the powers of nuclear weapons, mankind sought to prevent further conflict from occurring. In the rubbles of a mostly destroyed world, humanity united under the banner of the New World Order, creating one united human nation separated into regional districts. All humans now speak the Common Tongue (called Common for short). Languages, meanwhile, have become dialects.
In 2006, the first Genetic Malfunctions began appearing: teenagers with superhuman abilities like teleportation and levitation, in large enough numbers that the UEF simply could not keep them hushed up for long. These Malfunctions (who came to be known as Mals) were children born from the year 1991 onwards, who'd mutated to have certain abilities due to exposure to nuclear radiation.
This started the Malfunction Scare, in which Malfunctions were systematically hunted down by vigilantes and small skirmishes broke out between Malfunctions and humans. Terrified citizens everywhere called for government intervention. The Malfunction Scare continued until 2008, when it concluded with the passage of the Test and Training Act.
The Paragon Act established the rule that teens must take the Test between the ages of 15 and 20. Testing positive gets them sent to a Training and Education Facility, which is where "Malfunction" takes place.
The events of Malfunction take place in the year 2021.
In 1989, the Cold War would escalate into a Third World War that would come to be called the Last War. This war lasted until 1990. Nuclear weapon usage reduced large parts of the globe to toxic wasteland, and traces of nuclear radiation ended up basically everywhere.
Horrified by the results of this nuclear war and fearing the powers of nuclear weapons, mankind sought to prevent further conflict from occurring. In the rubbles of a mostly destroyed world, humanity united under the banner of the New World Order, creating one united human nation separated into regional districts. All humans now speak the Common Tongue (called Common for short). Languages, meanwhile, have become dialects.
In 2006, the first Genetic Malfunctions began appearing: teenagers with superhuman abilities like teleportation and levitation, in large enough numbers that the UEF simply could not keep them hushed up for long. These Malfunctions (who came to be known as Mals) were children born from the year 1991 onwards, who'd mutated to have certain abilities due to exposure to nuclear radiation.
This started the Malfunction Scare, in which Malfunctions were systematically hunted down by vigilantes and small skirmishes broke out between Malfunctions and humans. Terrified citizens everywhere called for government intervention. The Malfunction Scare continued until 2008, when it concluded with the passage of the Test and Training Act.
The Paragon Act established the rule that teens must take the Test between the ages of 15 and 20. Testing positive gets them sent to a Training and Education Facility, which is where "Malfunction" takes place.
Student Life Guide:
What do you need to know for survival in TEF-149? This guide will tell you! (an excerpt from the Student Handbook of TEF-149, 2021 edition)
1. Why am I here?
Between the ages of 15 and 20, all teenagers are administered the Test each year. During one of the five times that you would have taken the test, your results came up positive. This means that you have one, or possibly two, dangerous superhuman abilities.
How lucky! If you were a higher level Genetic Malfunction, you would probably have been put to death immediately. Human mercy, however, has spared your pitiful life. In order to preserve the purity of the human race and to protect societal order, you have been sterilized and brought to this Training and Education Facility to learn how to best benefit humanity.
2. What can I expect my time here to look like?
You will wear your uniform at all times and answer to your serial number. During this time, you will be instructed in the use of your powers and in ways for you, a Malfunction, to benefit society. You will remain in the facility until it has been determined that you have gained complete control over your powers, and that you can be trusted to act as a Guardian of Order for human society. You will not leave the facility until this has been determined.
3. What's stopping me from just leaving?
TEF-149 is also equipped with a team of elite soldiers who patrol the school's borders, and the latest in forcefield technology. The facility is surrounded on all sides and underground by an extremely powerful forcefield bubble. No one goes in without government permission... and no one comes back out.
Aside from this, there's also the bomb collar! This handy-dandy device has been permanently grafted into your neck. It will never come off. Trying to take it off will automatically activate a nifty little bomb that will blow your head off. Going within three feet of the forcefield will also activate the bomb. This is how the faculty prevents disciplinary problems here at TEF-149.
4. What will the rest of my life look like?
You will wear the bomb collar for the rest of your life. You will work for the benefit of society by using your mutation for the purpose of maintaining order in society. If you are unable to continue maintaining order due to irrepairable damage, you will be tested for the possibility that your abilities are still useful to society. If so, you will be sent to a mutant farm be transported to a new location where you will be useful. If not, you will be relieved from duty by the activation of your bomb collar.
5. What happened to all those people who mysteriously disappeared from our class?
That is none of your concern.
6. Is there really a secret laboratory under the facility?
That is none of your concern.
What do you need to know for survival in TEF-149? This guide will tell you! (an excerpt from the Student Handbook of TEF-149, 2021 edition)
1. Why am I here?
Between the ages of 15 and 20, all teenagers are administered the Test each year. During one of the five times that you would have taken the test, your results came up positive. This means that you have one, or possibly two, dangerous superhuman abilities.
How lucky! If you were a higher level Genetic Malfunction, you would probably have been put to death immediately. Human mercy, however, has spared your pitiful life. In order to preserve the purity of the human race and to protect societal order, you have been sterilized and brought to this Training and Education Facility to learn how to best benefit humanity.
2. What can I expect my time here to look like?
You will wear your uniform at all times and answer to your serial number. During this time, you will be instructed in the use of your powers and in ways for you, a Malfunction, to benefit society. You will remain in the facility until it has been determined that you have gained complete control over your powers, and that you can be trusted to act as a Guardian of Order for human society. You will not leave the facility until this has been determined.
3. What's stopping me from just leaving?
TEF-149 is also equipped with a team of elite soldiers who patrol the school's borders, and the latest in forcefield technology. The facility is surrounded on all sides and underground by an extremely powerful forcefield bubble. No one goes in without government permission... and no one comes back out.
Aside from this, there's also the bomb collar! This handy-dandy device has been permanently grafted into your neck. It will never come off. Trying to take it off will automatically activate a nifty little bomb that will blow your head off. Going within three feet of the forcefield will also activate the bomb. This is how the faculty prevents disciplinary problems here at TEF-149.
4. What will the rest of my life look like?
You will wear the bomb collar for the rest of your life. You will work for the benefit of society by using your mutation for the purpose of maintaining order in society. If you are unable to continue maintaining order due to irrepairable damage, you will be tested for the possibility that your abilities are still useful to society. If so, you will be sent to a mutant farm be transported to a new location where you will be useful. If not, you will be relieved from duty by the activation of your bomb collar.
5. What happened to all those people who mysteriously disappeared from our class?
That is none of your concern.
6. Is there really a secret laboratory under the facility?
That is none of your concern.
RULES FOR CHARACTER CREATION:
1. Avoid generalizations!
-> Be specific in what the ability can/can't do,
-> Have ready some weaknesses/limitations for the ability.
2. Be aware that one can have up to two abilities!
-> Someone specializing in one ability will have better control/capabilities than someone with two abilities from the same tree, who in turn will have better control/capabilities than someone with abilities from two different trees. Do you want one great tool, or two okay ones?
3. Duplicate abilities, while allowed, are not encouraged.
-> Diversity makes things interesting. With so many powers to choose from, we encourage characters to pick abilities that are not yet represented. This is more to keep any two characters from being too similar. That being said, we are not ruling out the possibility. We just ask that should two characters both end up with the same powerset, just spice it up! For example: maybe out of two Ice Manipulators, one has freezing breath, while the other physically envelopes their body in ice? Just play around with it. And remember: BE SPECIFIC!
4. All characters will have roughly the same amount of experience with their abilities!
-> As of the start of the RP, all charries will have only had their abilities for up to a year. People aged 15-20 are tested annually for the mutation. In general, it tends to activate between those years, with no cases showing it having activated post-puberty. While some may be inherently stronger than others, we won't be seeing any battle-tested super-ninjas.
5. You cannot be the son/daughter of another superpowered person!
-> Malfunctions are feared in this universe and sterilized upon being identified through the Test. So... no mutated babies. It just ain't gonna happen.
1. Avoid generalizations!
-> Be specific in what the ability can/can't do,
-> Have ready some weaknesses/limitations for the ability.
2. Be aware that one can have up to two abilities!
-> Someone specializing in one ability will have better control/capabilities than someone with two abilities from the same tree, who in turn will have better control/capabilities than someone with abilities from two different trees. Do you want one great tool, or two okay ones?
3. Duplicate abilities, while allowed, are not encouraged.
-> Diversity makes things interesting. With so many powers to choose from, we encourage characters to pick abilities that are not yet represented. This is more to keep any two characters from being too similar. That being said, we are not ruling out the possibility. We just ask that should two characters both end up with the same powerset, just spice it up! For example: maybe out of two Ice Manipulators, one has freezing breath, while the other physically envelopes their body in ice? Just play around with it. And remember: BE SPECIFIC!
4. All characters will have roughly the same amount of experience with their abilities!
-> As of the start of the RP, all charries will have only had their abilities for up to a year. People aged 15-20 are tested annually for the mutation. In general, it tends to activate between those years, with no cases showing it having activated post-puberty. While some may be inherently stronger than others, we won't be seeing any battle-tested super-ninjas.
5. You cannot be the son/daughter of another superpowered person!
-> Malfunctions are feared in this universe and sterilized upon being identified through the Test. So... no mutated babies. It just ain't gonna happen.
Superpowers in Malfunction:
Okay, the thing to remember in this RP is that superpowers aren't, like... given to you by God or something. This is not an RP about perfect powers. It's not a mutation that is magically engineered to give you the best possible version of a power, with zero downsides.
Malfunction's have abilities that come out of random mutations that changed your genetic code. Like any other genetic disorder, this can have terrible side effects: think Down syndrome, not "Superman!!".
The key here, I guess, is that aside from a random freak mutation in your DNA that codes for the ability to, say, use huge amounts of ATP in one go (ie. super strength), you're still basically a regular human being. You don't suddenly become super durable to make up for it. You're just a regular kid with muscles that can throw a super strong punch... but your arm itself is still made of relatively normal flesh, so things are going to be damaged.
Okay, the thing to remember in this RP is that superpowers aren't, like... given to you by God or something. This is not an RP about perfect powers. It's not a mutation that is magically engineered to give you the best possible version of a power, with zero downsides.
Malfunction's have abilities that come out of random mutations that changed your genetic code. Like any other genetic disorder, this can have terrible side effects: think Down syndrome, not "Superman!!".
The key here, I guess, is that aside from a random freak mutation in your DNA that codes for the ability to, say, use huge amounts of ATP in one go (ie. super strength), you're still basically a regular human being. You don't suddenly become super durable to make up for it. You're just a regular kid with muscles that can throw a super strong punch... but your arm itself is still made of relatively normal flesh, so things are going to be damaged.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
We'd prefer it if you at least read the world-building sections of this! But, of course, this is supplementary material. Read this when you're trying to get a better sense of the Malfunction World.
The New World Order and its districts:
In order to prevent another nuclear war, humanity united into one single nation, eventually becoming the Unified Earth Federation. Under the leadership of the People's Action Party (PAP), the dominant political party, the NWO has created a society that values order and rule of law above all. It seeks to protect human rights and the purity of the human race. Under NWO law, Genetic Malfunctions are non-humans and thus do not have citizenship or rights.
The NWO's territory spans the entire planet, aside from a few barren, toxic wastelands. NWO citizens make up the large majority of humans on the planet.
NWO-controlled land is separated into a number of districts. These are:
--> District 1: Western North America
--> District 2: Central North America
--> District 3: Eastern North America
--> District 4: Western South America
--> District 5: Central South America
--> District 6: Eastern South America
--> District 7: Western Europe
--> District 8: Central Europe
--> District 9: Eastern Europe
--> District 10: Western Asia
--> District 11: India
--> District 12: Central Asia
--> District 13: Eastern Asia
--> District 14: Western Africa
--> District 15: Central Africa
--> District 16: Eastern Africa
--> District 17: Australia
In order to prevent another nuclear war, humanity united into one single nation, eventually becoming the Unified Earth Federation. Under the leadership of the People's Action Party (PAP), the dominant political party, the NWO has created a society that values order and rule of law above all. It seeks to protect human rights and the purity of the human race. Under NWO law, Genetic Malfunctions are non-humans and thus do not have citizenship or rights.
The NWO's territory spans the entire planet, aside from a few barren, toxic wastelands. NWO citizens make up the large majority of humans on the planet.
NWO-controlled land is separated into a number of districts. These are:
--> District 1: Western North America
--> District 2: Central North America
--> District 3: Eastern North America
--> District 4: Western South America
--> District 5: Central South America
--> District 6: Eastern South America
--> District 7: Western Europe
--> District 8: Central Europe
--> District 9: Eastern Europe
--> District 10: Western Asia
--> District 11: India
--> District 12: Central Asia
--> District 13: Eastern Asia
--> District 14: Western Africa
--> District 15: Central Africa
--> District 16: Eastern Africa
--> District 17: Australia
Malfunctions in New World Order:
"Genetic Malfunction" is the official term for a teenager born in the year 1990 or later who manifested superhuman abilities due to nuclear radiation induced mutation. These abilities come with dangerous consequences, both for them and the people around them. Aside from their freak mutation, however, Mals are still just normal human beings. They are usually not equipped to handle the consequences of their mutation.
Under NWO law, Mals are classified as non-human and do not have citizenship rights. Mals are identified through a Test administered five times (once a year) to teens between the ages 15 and 20. Once identified, Mals are transported to a Training and Education Facility, and trained to be Guardians of Order: essentially, super-powered enforcers. Harboring a Mal is illegal and punishable with life in prison.
Mals make up only a tiny fraction of the New World Order's population. An uprising of Mals would go nowhere before being brutally supressed. The average human being does not think about Mals in his daily life -- they are objects of fear and targets of extreme prejudice, but they are not insignificant to the NWO on the grand scheme of things. The NWO's main priority in regards to its dealings with Mals is supression and control.
"Genetic Malfunction" is the official term for a teenager born in the year 1990 or later who manifested superhuman abilities due to nuclear radiation induced mutation. These abilities come with dangerous consequences, both for them and the people around them. Aside from their freak mutation, however, Mals are still just normal human beings. They are usually not equipped to handle the consequences of their mutation.
Under NWO law, Mals are classified as non-human and do not have citizenship rights. Mals are identified through a Test administered five times (once a year) to teens between the ages 15 and 20. Once identified, Mals are transported to a Training and Education Facility, and trained to be Guardians of Order: essentially, super-powered enforcers. Harboring a Mal is illegal and punishable with life in prison.
Mals make up only a tiny fraction of the New World Order's population. An uprising of Mals would go nowhere before being brutally supressed. The average human being does not think about Mals in his daily life -- they are objects of fear and targets of extreme prejudice, but they are not insignificant to the NWO on the grand scheme of things. The NWO's main priority in regards to its dealings with Mals is supression and control.
TEF-149:
Built five years ago in 2016, TEF-149 is one of 153 currently active Training and Education Facilities. It is located in District 1, in the area that once was Death Valley National Park, between California and Nevada. TEF-149 is one of the newest currently running facilities, and can hold up to one hundred Malfunctions at a time.
Is it an impressive piece of architecture? Well, certainly. TEF-149 is a fortress to behold: surrounded on all sides by towering cement walls studded with barbed wire and encased by a nigh-impenetrable forcefield, TEF-149 isn't going to let anyone come in... or anyone get out.
But, well... is it a nice place to spend the rest of your life? Certainly not. Unspeakable cruelties have taken place behind those cold cement walls. And a good portion of the Malfunctions who go in never seem to come back out...
Built five years ago in 2016, TEF-149 is one of 153 currently active Training and Education Facilities. It is located in District 1, in the area that once was Death Valley National Park, between California and Nevada. TEF-149 is one of the newest currently running facilities, and can hold up to one hundred Malfunctions at a time.
Is it an impressive piece of architecture? Well, certainly. TEF-149 is a fortress to behold: surrounded on all sides by towering cement walls studded with barbed wire and encased by a nigh-impenetrable forcefield, TEF-149 isn't going to let anyone come in... or anyone get out.
But, well... is it a nice place to spend the rest of your life? Certainly not. Unspeakable cruelties have taken place behind those cold cement walls. And a good portion of the Malfunctions who go in never seem to come back out...
Warlords:
In the barren wastelands outside of the NWO’s control, Warlord Kingdoms thrive: Malfunction-controlled pockets of territory that the NWO has found it unnecessary. These often autocratic city-states are small enough to be insignificant, and often ruled by individual Malfunctions that are simply too powerful for the NWO to put down effortlessly.
Malfunction runaways and escapees make up a significant portion of such communities. Warlord Kingdoms are generally ruled by the most powerful Malfunction in the vicinity, with power struggles usually ending in the death of one party. Warlord subjects live in primitive conditions, surviving without electricity or running water.
It is rumored that some Warlord Kingdoms are in contact with (or even working with) a secret underground resistance. Baseless rumors, obviously.
In the barren wastelands outside of the NWO’s control, Warlord Kingdoms thrive: Malfunction-controlled pockets of territory that the NWO has found it unnecessary. These often autocratic city-states are small enough to be insignificant, and often ruled by individual Malfunctions that are simply too powerful for the NWO to put down effortlessly.
Malfunction runaways and escapees make up a significant portion of such communities. Warlord Kingdoms are generally ruled by the most powerful Malfunction in the vicinity, with power struggles usually ending in the death of one party. Warlord subjects live in primitive conditions, surviving without electricity or running water.
It is rumored that some Warlord Kingdoms are in contact with (or even working with) a secret underground resistance. Baseless rumors, obviously.
TIMELINE:
1990 - Nukes drop
1991 - First Mal born
2006 - First Mal discovered, Malfunction Scare begins
2008 - Passage of Paragon Act, Malfunction Scare ends
2009 - TEF program starts; 1 trial TEF in each region (17 total)
2011 - Full launch of program, 5 additional facilities open in each region (102 total)
2016 - 3 additional facilities built per region, TEF-149 built (153 total)
1990 - Nukes drop
1991 - First Mal born
2006 - First Mal discovered, Malfunction Scare begins
2008 - Passage of Paragon Act, Malfunction Scare ends
2009 - TEF program starts; 1 trial TEF in each region (17 total)
2011 - Full launch of program, 5 additional facilities open in each region (102 total)
2016 - 3 additional facilities built per region, TEF-149 built (153 total)
Questions that Have Been Asked:
Written by Glorious BROGO. Compiled for viewing and edited by ASSKICKIN' SUPER Bunny.
1. What do you mean, "realism"? Superpowers aren't realistic! World government isn't realistic!
What we’re going with is a certain “what-if” scenario. We’re aiming for “realistic-fiction” as much as one can when involving superpowers, but even that will require some suspension of disbelief. That’s just basic fiction. If you’re having a hard-time with that, well...I really don’t know what to tell you.
2. Why is the situation with the Mals the way it is?
Aside from lore-related reasons, we would like to stress that this is a very new issue for a world plagued with issues. There are definitely parts of this mutation that are just quite frankly, not understood. With that said, this society has decided that rather than just allow this unknown variable run rampant, they would attempt to quarantine, at least until they’ve done enough research to fully grasp what the capabilities of afflicted individuals. But this is post nuclear-war. Society has enough on its hands just trying to combat resource shortages and rebuilding the massive destruction. It quite frankly does not have the time to throw EVERYTHING at the Mal problem.
But Mals have proven to be dangerous. Thus, they’ve gotta be contained. The ones that are too dangerous to be contained are quite simply eliminated. It’s harsh, but if it’s the well-being of the many compared to the well-being of the few, the many will have it. It might not be the happiest decision, but it’s a decision that has to be made.
3. The Test isn't foolproof, so why can't I play a Test-dodger?
The Test doesn’t have to be 100% foolproof. It could quite frankly be wrong. But it is unlikely to be wrong every time, considering that this test is given five times in a person’s life. Now, yes, if the mutation were to activate towards the end of puberty, one would have to dodge fewer tests but it’s pretty rare for the mutation to do that. Most known cases activate at fifteen. Even fewer at sixteen. So on, so forth. The test itself, it’s basically just a comparison of the Mal’s genes compared to those of normal human’s, then ruling out common known genetic flaws (down’s, turner’s, etc.). The Mals are going to have wonky results there. Some humans may throw false-positives. That blows to be them. The gov will err on the side of public safety. Some Mals MAY slip through the cracks. Good for them! They should keep their heads down and their noses clean. Getting caught as an unregistered Mal is...not good. But really, it doesn’t matter. This story isn’t about them.
As for dodgers of the test, people going underground...sure. That could happen. But they’d be giving up their place in society. The test is required for...well...everybody. To not take is to pretty much retire into a life of a hermit. And, y’know, if you’d like to play some shut-in the middle of the wilderness...more power to you. Just know that THAT story, likely isn’t going to be very interesting.
As for people that dodge the test, and have a relatively mild mutation that may allow them to pass in society...well good on them. They’ll have to hide for the rest of their lives. There’s a nice cash/resource reward for any information that aids officials in apprehending rogue Mals. People will be desperate enough to narc. And they’d feel morally okay with it. After all, why hide? Why go underground? Unless you’ve got something to hide or are planning something nefarious, the right thing to do would be to follow society’s rules and turn oneself in.
If you see something, say something, and all that jazz.
4. Why can't the Mals just take over the world with their superior powers?
If this is what you're wondering, then you're severely overestimating the full extent of the evolution. This isn’t some giant, widespread mass mutation. We’re not talking one in every ten people being a Mal. To put a rough estimate on the scale, a standard TEF facility can hold around forty malfunctions. There are one hundred and fifty facilities worldwide. Assuming that all facilities are running at full capacity, with no deaths and not taking into account the few Mals that are missed by the test, or executed for being too dangerous, we’re looking at...what? Six thousand new Mals a year? If we use that as a base, then in the span of thirty years we’re looking at 180,000 Mals total. Again, assuming that absolutely no Mal has ever died, the test has never thrown a false-positive/negative, Mal birth rate is 1:1 with facility capabilities, and nobody has ever went underground.
But’s let’s go ahead and say that they have. Let’s skew the number a bit. Let’s give it a range of 90,000 - 270,000 total (that’s half either way.)
The population of Earth in 1989 was 5.19 billion. Let’s say half were removed by nuclear war. They weren’t, that’s just a preposterous number, but let’s use it for argument’s sake. We’d be looking at a total population of 2.6 billion people on the planet. Let’s even say that the population has remained static, that the birth rate and death rate have been completely balanced (again, hyper unlikely, but just hang with me).
In the scenario being the most optimistic and generous for Malfunctions, we’re looking at them being about…
0.01038%
To put that in perspective, something like 67% of the Jewish Population of German-occupied states died during the “Final Solution.”
The entire death toll of World War II, including both military and civilian deaths, deaths by famine, etc., was something like 3-3.7%.
It's not a valid comparison. Why haven't Mals risen up? Because, quite simply, not enough people have been affected by it. They just don’t care. Average Joe Schmoe doesn’t care what’s happening with little Tina Teleporter. He just wants to know where he’s getting his next meal and what his plans for Saturday are.
Is it horrible what’s happening for the Mals? Certainly.
Is it the only thing happening in the world? No.
The idea that the entire world would be concerned with what’s happening to 0.01038% of the population is just...it’s not even worth addressing, man.
The world does not revolve around these teenagers. And that’s the point we’re trying to drive home with this story.
5. Why can't the Mals' bodies just "adapt" to not have some of the bad, scary effects?
Because science don't work that way, kids! The human body can build up immunities to, say, viruses and bacteria, but scientifically, evolution doesn't work like it does in Pokemon. An organism can't just, say, grow wings to adapt to the sky, or just magically have super durable fists to go along with their super strength -- it has to be coded into their DNA.
Think of it this way -- I genetically inherited really bad asthma, so my airways contract whenever I do a lot of physical exercise. My body doesn't adapt to make me able to breathe even when my airways are contracted or learn to function without oxygen. When I'm having an asthma attack, I just CAN'T breathe, and I might even faint. Because the rest of my body still needs the oxygen that I'm not getting.
Written by Glorious BROGO. Compiled for viewing and edited by ASSKICKIN' SUPER Bunny.
1. What do you mean, "realism"? Superpowers aren't realistic! World government isn't realistic!
What we’re going with is a certain “what-if” scenario. We’re aiming for “realistic-fiction” as much as one can when involving superpowers, but even that will require some suspension of disbelief. That’s just basic fiction. If you’re having a hard-time with that, well...I really don’t know what to tell you.
2. Why is the situation with the Mals the way it is?
Aside from lore-related reasons, we would like to stress that this is a very new issue for a world plagued with issues. There are definitely parts of this mutation that are just quite frankly, not understood. With that said, this society has decided that rather than just allow this unknown variable run rampant, they would attempt to quarantine, at least until they’ve done enough research to fully grasp what the capabilities of afflicted individuals. But this is post nuclear-war. Society has enough on its hands just trying to combat resource shortages and rebuilding the massive destruction. It quite frankly does not have the time to throw EVERYTHING at the Mal problem.
But Mals have proven to be dangerous. Thus, they’ve gotta be contained. The ones that are too dangerous to be contained are quite simply eliminated. It’s harsh, but if it’s the well-being of the many compared to the well-being of the few, the many will have it. It might not be the happiest decision, but it’s a decision that has to be made.
3. The Test isn't foolproof, so why can't I play a Test-dodger?
The Test doesn’t have to be 100% foolproof. It could quite frankly be wrong. But it is unlikely to be wrong every time, considering that this test is given five times in a person’s life. Now, yes, if the mutation were to activate towards the end of puberty, one would have to dodge fewer tests but it’s pretty rare for the mutation to do that. Most known cases activate at fifteen. Even fewer at sixteen. So on, so forth. The test itself, it’s basically just a comparison of the Mal’s genes compared to those of normal human’s, then ruling out common known genetic flaws (down’s, turner’s, etc.). The Mals are going to have wonky results there. Some humans may throw false-positives. That blows to be them. The gov will err on the side of public safety. Some Mals MAY slip through the cracks. Good for them! They should keep their heads down and their noses clean. Getting caught as an unregistered Mal is...not good. But really, it doesn’t matter. This story isn’t about them.
As for dodgers of the test, people going underground...sure. That could happen. But they’d be giving up their place in society. The test is required for...well...everybody. To not take is to pretty much retire into a life of a hermit. And, y’know, if you’d like to play some shut-in the middle of the wilderness...more power to you. Just know that THAT story, likely isn’t going to be very interesting.
As for people that dodge the test, and have a relatively mild mutation that may allow them to pass in society...well good on them. They’ll have to hide for the rest of their lives. There’s a nice cash/resource reward for any information that aids officials in apprehending rogue Mals. People will be desperate enough to narc. And they’d feel morally okay with it. After all, why hide? Why go underground? Unless you’ve got something to hide or are planning something nefarious, the right thing to do would be to follow society’s rules and turn oneself in.
If you see something, say something, and all that jazz.
4. Why can't the Mals just take over the world with their superior powers?
If this is what you're wondering, then you're severely overestimating the full extent of the evolution. This isn’t some giant, widespread mass mutation. We’re not talking one in every ten people being a Mal. To put a rough estimate on the scale, a standard TEF facility can hold around forty malfunctions. There are one hundred and fifty facilities worldwide. Assuming that all facilities are running at full capacity, with no deaths and not taking into account the few Mals that are missed by the test, or executed for being too dangerous, we’re looking at...what? Six thousand new Mals a year? If we use that as a base, then in the span of thirty years we’re looking at 180,000 Mals total. Again, assuming that absolutely no Mal has ever died, the test has never thrown a false-positive/negative, Mal birth rate is 1:1 with facility capabilities, and nobody has ever went underground.
But’s let’s go ahead and say that they have. Let’s skew the number a bit. Let’s give it a range of 90,000 - 270,000 total (that’s half either way.)
The population of Earth in 1989 was 5.19 billion. Let’s say half were removed by nuclear war. They weren’t, that’s just a preposterous number, but let’s use it for argument’s sake. We’d be looking at a total population of 2.6 billion people on the planet. Let’s even say that the population has remained static, that the birth rate and death rate have been completely balanced (again, hyper unlikely, but just hang with me).
In the scenario being the most optimistic and generous for Malfunctions, we’re looking at them being about…
0.01038%
To put that in perspective, something like 67% of the Jewish Population of German-occupied states died during the “Final Solution.”
The entire death toll of World War II, including both military and civilian deaths, deaths by famine, etc., was something like 3-3.7%.
It's not a valid comparison. Why haven't Mals risen up? Because, quite simply, not enough people have been affected by it. They just don’t care. Average Joe Schmoe doesn’t care what’s happening with little Tina Teleporter. He just wants to know where he’s getting his next meal and what his plans for Saturday are.
Is it horrible what’s happening for the Mals? Certainly.
Is it the only thing happening in the world? No.
The idea that the entire world would be concerned with what’s happening to 0.01038% of the population is just...it’s not even worth addressing, man.
The world does not revolve around these teenagers. And that’s the point we’re trying to drive home with this story.
5. Why can't the Mals' bodies just "adapt" to not have some of the bad, scary effects?
Because science don't work that way, kids! The human body can build up immunities to, say, viruses and bacteria, but scientifically, evolution doesn't work like it does in Pokemon. An organism can't just, say, grow wings to adapt to the sky, or just magically have super durable fists to go along with their super strength -- it has to be coded into their DNA.
Think of it this way -- I genetically inherited really bad asthma, so my airways contract whenever I do a lot of physical exercise. My body doesn't adapt to make me able to breathe even when my airways are contracted or learn to function without oxygen. When I'm having an asthma attack, I just CAN'T breathe, and I might even faint. Because the rest of my body still needs the oxygen that I'm not getting.
Character Creation
Please read the lore BEFORE you make a character! And if your desired power isn't listed here yet, don't worry -- maybe you're just more creative than us! Go ahead and check with us, and we'll tell you whether you can use it or not.
Submit character sheets through a PM to all three GMs -- that's me, @Ogobrogo, and @Zoldyck!
Known Mutation Variants:
1) Extrasensory Perception
a. Telepathy: ability to communicate mentally
b. Telekinesis: ability to move objects with mind
c. Spiritual mediumship: Ability to see and communicate with the dead (i.e., ghosts)
d. Empathy: ability to read or sense the emotions
e. Technopathy: Ability to manipulate technology.
2) Personal Physical Powers
a. Acid generation: ability to generate acid, can be manifested through touch or as a spray (e.g. acid spit, acid blood, etc.).
b. Bone manipulation: ability to manipulate the bones in one's own body. This includes, but is not limited to, the generation of new bone mass, projecting bones out from the skin or rearranging one's own bones.
c. Echolocation: ability to determine location of objects in the environment by use of reflected sound waves, whether generated by the character or ambient sound. Also known as sonar or radar sense.
d. Elasticity: ability to stretch, deform, expand or contract one's body into any form imaginable
e. Self-healing: ability to heal rapidly and with greater finality from any injury. Can sometimes result in the slowing of aging and immunity to illnesses and other defects.
f. Healing Hands: ability to heal others rapidly, but not one’s self
g. Invisibility: ability to render the user unseen to the naked eye and/or other forms of perception.
h. Intangibility/Phasing: Ability to quantum tunnel through solid matter without harm
i. Poison generation: ability to generate toxins from one’s body
j. Superhuman durability: ability to have a higher resistance to one or more forms of damage before being injured
k. Superhuman agility / reflexes: ability to react faster than a normal human and to possess greater flexibility and with higher/farther jumping capacity.
l. Superhuman senses: ability to see, smell, taste, feel and/or hear more than a normal Human.
m. Superhuman strength: ability to have a level of strength much higher than normally possible given their proportions.
3) Elemental Manipulation:
a. Air Manipulation: ability to control, generate, or absorb air or wind.
b. Ice Manipulation: ability to reduce the kinetic energy of atoms and thus reduce temperature, can be used to control, generate, or absorb ice.
c. Earth Manipulation: ability to control earth; sand, stone, rock, lava, dirt, or other minerals.
d. Electric Manipulation: ability to control, generate or absorb electricity and electric phenomena.
e. Fire Manipulation: ability to control the kinetic energy of atoms to generate, control or absorb fire.
f. Plant Manipulation: ability to create, control, manipulate or animate plant life.
g. Water Manipulation: ability to control, generate or absorb water.
4) Energy Manipulation
a. Concussion Beams: ability to generate or transform various forms of energy into a "solid" or concussive beam of energy.
b. Energy Blasts: ability to expel various forms of energy from the body.
c. Energy Constructs: ability to create complex shapes or even functional machinery out of solid energy.
d. Energy Conversion: ability to absorb one form of energy and convert it into another form of energy.
e. Force Field Generation: ability to project powerful fields of manipulated energy.
5) Transportation and Travel
a. Flight: ability to fly, either through levitation that is limited exclusively to one’s body, or through body manipulation (growing wings)
b. Superhuman speed: The ability to move, run, fly, react, and sense at speeds much faster than a normal human.
c. Teleportation: Ability to move from one place to another without occupying the space in between
1) Extrasensory Perception
a. Telepathy: ability to communicate mentally
b. Telekinesis: ability to move objects with mind
c. Spiritual mediumship: Ability to see and communicate with the dead (i.e., ghosts)
d. Empathy: ability to read or sense the emotions
e. Technopathy: Ability to manipulate technology.
2) Personal Physical Powers
a. Acid generation: ability to generate acid, can be manifested through touch or as a spray (e.g. acid spit, acid blood, etc.).
b. Bone manipulation: ability to manipulate the bones in one's own body. This includes, but is not limited to, the generation of new bone mass, projecting bones out from the skin or rearranging one's own bones.
c. Echolocation: ability to determine location of objects in the environment by use of reflected sound waves, whether generated by the character or ambient sound. Also known as sonar or radar sense.
d. Elasticity: ability to stretch, deform, expand or contract one's body into any form imaginable
e. Self-healing: ability to heal rapidly and with greater finality from any injury. Can sometimes result in the slowing of aging and immunity to illnesses and other defects.
f. Healing Hands: ability to heal others rapidly, but not one’s self
g. Invisibility: ability to render the user unseen to the naked eye and/or other forms of perception.
h. Intangibility/Phasing: Ability to quantum tunnel through solid matter without harm
i. Poison generation: ability to generate toxins from one’s body
j. Superhuman durability: ability to have a higher resistance to one or more forms of damage before being injured
k. Superhuman agility / reflexes: ability to react faster than a normal human and to possess greater flexibility and with higher/farther jumping capacity.
l. Superhuman senses: ability to see, smell, taste, feel and/or hear more than a normal Human.
m. Superhuman strength: ability to have a level of strength much higher than normally possible given their proportions.
3) Elemental Manipulation:
a. Air Manipulation: ability to control, generate, or absorb air or wind.
b. Ice Manipulation: ability to reduce the kinetic energy of atoms and thus reduce temperature, can be used to control, generate, or absorb ice.
c. Earth Manipulation: ability to control earth; sand, stone, rock, lava, dirt, or other minerals.
d. Electric Manipulation: ability to control, generate or absorb electricity and electric phenomena.
e. Fire Manipulation: ability to control the kinetic energy of atoms to generate, control or absorb fire.
f. Plant Manipulation: ability to create, control, manipulate or animate plant life.
g. Water Manipulation: ability to control, generate or absorb water.
4) Energy Manipulation
a. Concussion Beams: ability to generate or transform various forms of energy into a "solid" or concussive beam of energy.
b. Energy Blasts: ability to expel various forms of energy from the body.
c. Energy Constructs: ability to create complex shapes or even functional machinery out of solid energy.
d. Energy Conversion: ability to absorb one form of energy and convert it into another form of energy.
e. Force Field Generation: ability to project powerful fields of manipulated energy.
5) Transportation and Travel
a. Flight: ability to fly, either through levitation that is limited exclusively to one’s body, or through body manipulation (growing wings)
b. Superhuman speed: The ability to move, run, fly, react, and sense at speeds much faster than a normal human.
c. Teleportation: Ability to move from one place to another without occupying the space in between
Stuff that will get you executed:
1) Death touch
2) Mind/emotion control
3) Time travel
4) Gravity control
5) Copying powers
6) Immortality
7) True invulnerability
8) Omnipresence
9) Your power being strong enough to OHKO another super or destroy a building in one hit
1) Death touch
2) Mind/emotion control
3) Time travel
4) Gravity control
5) Copying powers
6) Immortality
7) True invulnerability
8) Omnipresence
9) Your power being strong enough to OHKO another super or destroy a building in one hit
[centre][hider=Name]
[img]-insert faceclaim here-[/img]
[color=playercolor][h3][b]Name | Age | Gender[/b][/h3][/color]
[u][b][color=playercolor]Appearance:[/color][/b][/u]
Picture, paragraph, both, whatever. You know the drill. We prefer drawn images, with realistic hair color unless there's a reason for unnatural coloration (eg. dye, effect of the mutation).
[*hr]
[u][b][color=playercolor]Powers:[/color][/b][/u]
List any powers that your character has, with an explanation of how it works. Two is the maximum for powers. Keep in mind that certain powers are not allowed (eg. mind control, copying) due to in-universe laws regarding dangerous powers and… execution.
[u][b][color=playercolor]Weaknesses/Limitations:[/color][/b][/u]
Detail the weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and limitations of your character. Please do not include character traits (arrogance, being an asshole) — those don’t count.
[*hr]
[u][b][color=playercolor]Personality:[/color][/b][/u]
Your character, in a nutshell. It ain’t hard.
[u][b][color=playercolor]Backstory:[/color][/b][/u]
Where did your character grow up? What was their childhood like? Hopes, dreams, brutally smashed plans for the future? Please keep this in line with the history of Malfunction’s world.
[*hr]
[u][b][color=playercolor]Talents/Skills:[/color][/b][/u]
Cooking, singing, etc.
[u][b][color=playercolor]Quirks/Habits/Other:[/color][/b][/u]
This part is optional. Does your character have any quirks? Strange habits? A terrible allergy to cats, but only on rainy days?
[u][b][color=playercolor]TL/DR:[/color][/b][/u]
Summarize, for the lazy RP-ers out there.
[/hider][/centre]
