Every few years I crawl out of the woodwork and attempt to do something interesting.
When we first huddled around fires in caves, hoping against hope to fight off what lay in the dark, we told stories. They were simple then. Small, pointless. Stories of strange animals, of wandering spirits. We did not understand the world, and so did our best to make sense of it.
How poetic then that those things that lived in the dark needed us to make sense of the world.
It's not known where they come from. It is not known why they're here. Their answers are vague, and some say even they don't know. It matters not. What was once unknown became bound itself to our words, our dreams and perceptions. They had no form until we gave them form. They had no purpose until given purpose.
They needed us. They still need us. There exists in the Human mind the capacity to find shape in the shapeless. And so when given shape, they were given power. And when given power, they sought to gift it to us in return.
And so began an exchange borne from fear, but slowly edged out by simple curiosity. They saw us, strange and fleeting. And they learned from us. Kindness, clemency, and valor. Our Warriors of old, our Heroes long written down. You've heard the tales, haven't you? Of men that could strike down a thousand foes in a single blow. Glorious figures that defended weak from evil. From Monsters.
Monsters, yes. Because they learned from us. They learned greed and avarice. They learned hatred.
You see, Good can exist without Evil. That it can't is a lie borne of our inability to admit fault. And it was because of that inability that they who embraced Evil would never question its existence.
Human History took its natural course. The great wars, the crusades. The trials and burnings. Suddenly, suddenly. They had no place in our world. Evil, we called them. Monsters, we called them. Creatures of our own design. Beings who were but a reflection of our will.
They saw this. They believed this. Somehow, they believed us. And they started to disappear. Retreating into the forests and seas. They confined themselves to temples long forgotten, letting the world pass them by.
And eventually belief in them died out. We had no need for monsters, spirits, or even Gods. All lay forgotten in the annals of History collecting dust, and Daemons were right there with them.
How poetic then that those things that lived in the dark needed us to make sense of the world.
It's not known where they come from. It is not known why they're here. Their answers are vague, and some say even they don't know. It matters not. What was once unknown became bound itself to our words, our dreams and perceptions. They had no form until we gave them form. They had no purpose until given purpose.
They needed us. They still need us. There exists in the Human mind the capacity to find shape in the shapeless. And so when given shape, they were given power. And when given power, they sought to gift it to us in return.
And so began an exchange borne from fear, but slowly edged out by simple curiosity. They saw us, strange and fleeting. And they learned from us. Kindness, clemency, and valor. Our Warriors of old, our Heroes long written down. You've heard the tales, haven't you? Of men that could strike down a thousand foes in a single blow. Glorious figures that defended weak from evil. From Monsters.
Monsters, yes. Because they learned from us. They learned greed and avarice. They learned hatred.
You see, Good can exist without Evil. That it can't is a lie borne of our inability to admit fault. And it was because of that inability that they who embraced Evil would never question its existence.
Human History took its natural course. The great wars, the crusades. The trials and burnings. Suddenly, suddenly. They had no place in our world. Evil, we called them. Monsters, we called them. Creatures of our own design. Beings who were but a reflection of our will.
They saw this. They believed this. Somehow, they believed us. And they started to disappear. Retreating into the forests and seas. They confined themselves to temples long forgotten, letting the world pass them by.
And eventually belief in them died out. We had no need for monsters, spirits, or even Gods. All lay forgotten in the annals of History collecting dust, and Daemons were right there with them.
Just like everyone else, you found yourself trapped in the hellscape of late stage Capitalism. Everything costs more money than you have, and since you're not a Trust Fund Baby, the future isn't looking too bright.
You could have accepted it. Submitted yourself to the slow grind of day-to-day life. If you played smart you might even carve out a passable existence. One of countless niches filled by people like you.
But that never happened, did it?
Maybe you saw a flyer slapped on some wall out of thousands in the city. Maybe you'd seen them on television. Standing rank and file, gleaming as if they'd stepped out of the page of a fairy tale. Most likely, you'd seen the massive tower looming at the edge of the city, and wondered what kind of asshole ruins a skyline like that. Whatever the case, the gaze of Apex Implementations was hard to escape. Always sitting just at the edge of your sight in the most annoying fashion possible.
Getting in the door wasn't difficult. If you passed the interviews, and the written and physical assessments, you were in. They did training on site too, and the pay was better than everywhere else in the city. Thing was, that was only on the outer limits of HQ. A massive wall circled the perimeter, and it was behind it that the real benefits lie. They didn't let just anyone past those gates; it was obvious. They gave those hopefuls who ranked higher than the rest a shot. Although it was rumored that Apex would take on people who seemed to possess some unseen potential, not obvious to everyone else. Whatever the case, what they were doing at the center of the campus worked. And it set the employees inside the wall far from the ones outside of it.
Most were content to remain outside the wall. Getting placed at various office buildings all over the city. Watching rows of monitors night after night. You could get paid a real livable wage for very little effort.
But is that what you wanted? Sitting in the shadow of that massive wall, content in your own mediocrity? Weren't you just a little curious? Maybe getting to wear a suit of armor didn't pull you in. But the astronomical rate of pay, and the chance to actually do something had a serious draw. At the very least, you'd get the chance to travel a bit. It was certainly better than the alternative.
Naturally job openings were scarce at Apex, and they preferred to list them en masse, rather than one at a time. And so when the doors opened once more, you found yourself in a crowd of hopefuls. Most hoping to simply land a cushy spot outside the wall. There were a notable few that wanted to go beyond it, however. Whatever the reason, it drew these people to those gates and what lay behind them.
Perhaps that desire showed plainly on them during examinations. And perhaps it showed plainly on you, too. Because weeks later, when it seemed sure that you wouldn't be getting a call back, you did.
It was strange. There was no discussion of whether you passed. Where you'd be placed, if at all. Only directions to make your way to a nondescript building outside the wall. Odd, and a little suspicious. But you showed up, one more addition to a small group of equally confused people.
That wall loomed over you, and the towers behind it loomed higher still. What lay behind? What lay at the very top?
You didn't know, but as the door to the building swung open, it was clear that you were about to find out.
You could have accepted it. Submitted yourself to the slow grind of day-to-day life. If you played smart you might even carve out a passable existence. One of countless niches filled by people like you.
But that never happened, did it?
Maybe you saw a flyer slapped on some wall out of thousands in the city. Maybe you'd seen them on television. Standing rank and file, gleaming as if they'd stepped out of the page of a fairy tale. Most likely, you'd seen the massive tower looming at the edge of the city, and wondered what kind of asshole ruins a skyline like that. Whatever the case, the gaze of Apex Implementations was hard to escape. Always sitting just at the edge of your sight in the most annoying fashion possible.
Getting in the door wasn't difficult. If you passed the interviews, and the written and physical assessments, you were in. They did training on site too, and the pay was better than everywhere else in the city. Thing was, that was only on the outer limits of HQ. A massive wall circled the perimeter, and it was behind it that the real benefits lie. They didn't let just anyone past those gates; it was obvious. They gave those hopefuls who ranked higher than the rest a shot. Although it was rumored that Apex would take on people who seemed to possess some unseen potential, not obvious to everyone else. Whatever the case, what they were doing at the center of the campus worked. And it set the employees inside the wall far from the ones outside of it.
Most were content to remain outside the wall. Getting placed at various office buildings all over the city. Watching rows of monitors night after night. You could get paid a real livable wage for very little effort.
But is that what you wanted? Sitting in the shadow of that massive wall, content in your own mediocrity? Weren't you just a little curious? Maybe getting to wear a suit of armor didn't pull you in. But the astronomical rate of pay, and the chance to actually do something had a serious draw. At the very least, you'd get the chance to travel a bit. It was certainly better than the alternative.
Naturally job openings were scarce at Apex, and they preferred to list them en masse, rather than one at a time. And so when the doors opened once more, you found yourself in a crowd of hopefuls. Most hoping to simply land a cushy spot outside the wall. There were a notable few that wanted to go beyond it, however. Whatever the reason, it drew these people to those gates and what lay behind them.
Perhaps that desire showed plainly on them during examinations. And perhaps it showed plainly on you, too. Because weeks later, when it seemed sure that you wouldn't be getting a call back, you did.
It was strange. There was no discussion of whether you passed. Where you'd be placed, if at all. Only directions to make your way to a nondescript building outside the wall. Odd, and a little suspicious. But you showed up, one more addition to a small group of equally confused people.
That wall loomed over you, and the towers behind it loomed higher still. What lay behind? What lay at the very top?
You didn't know, but as the door to the building swung open, it was clear that you were about to find out.
You've made it this far, so you must be interested! Or you're looking for the tl;dr. I don't blame you.
'Man Made Gods' has gone through a number of changes over the years, but the core concept remains the same.
A "five minutes into the future" setting, supernatural creatures of unknown origins roam the world, always avoiding the human eye if they can. The Daemons take on a slew of forms and possess powers unheard of. So naturally, an international arms dealer started collecting them.
Amassing power is the primary goal of Apex Implementations. But for slightly less questionable reasons beyond not wanting to pay taxes. Daemons vary in power as much as they vary in form, and some of them are incredibly powerful. Too powerful. Apocalyptic event kinds of powerful. An obvious problem that Apex wants to solve without scaring the hell out of the general public. Daemons are the key to this. Through them, the world can be saved. But they need help. And that's where Handlers come in.
More importantly, that's where your character comes in.
Be it for money, power, or the need to do what's right. Your character stands as one of many Handlers committed to protecting Human life from all threats. Be they supernatural, or all too familiar. With a Daemon at their side, a Handler comes to understand the meaning of power. And to understand what it means to be a monster.
There are a few things you'll have to do if you're interested in throwing your hat into the ring.
-This is a setting for 2-5 players. I am open to more depending on certain conditions.
- There is an info dump, but god forbid I make you read it all. The only real required reading is the Daemon Physiology section, which has a tl;dr at the top. and the Power Types section as that's integral to well...your power. I'd also highly suggest skimming the different daemon phenotypes, but honestly, I can inform you what you're working with there. That said, your daemon's threat level starts at A-class. A-class daemons typically range from the size of an average human to about the size of a draft horse. You can find all of this under the Daemons tab.
Google Docs Version
Microsoft One Note Version
-All characters are new hires at Apex. They've all been gathered for an orientation of sorts. But they have no previous history with the actual company. Other than that, their employment history can be what you like.
- All characters will be given a Daemon upon their employment. You still have to list them on your profile, however.
- The standard that got your character accepted into Apex is something unseen to everyone else but them. Your character's skills in combat and firearms training can range from novice to expert. They still should be in good physical condition, given the requirements of the job. Everything else they can learn, but feel free to consider skills that would be helpful to your teammates and daemon.
-The human profile should contain the following.
name: first and last. nicknames optional.
Age:
Place of residence:
Occupation: They're a Handler by default. But feel free to choose a secondary specialization from the 'jobs at apex' page on the infodump linked above. Except for Templars. Those are more of a narrative tool.
End goals: optional
Personality:
History:
-The daemon profile should contain the following.
Name:
Phenotype:
Class: For narrative reasons, this will be 'a' by default.
Major power type: pick one.
Minor power type: pick one.
Personality:
History: optional
Powers and skills: a brief description of the powers the daemon utilizes and the skills they lend to a handler.
-Don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm always excited to info dump, and if it makes the process easier for you, I'm glad to be of help!
-I work full time and so I cannot post multiple times a day. Posts on weekdays will come after 12am EST. The story will move at the pace determined by general involvement, but I will inform everyone of changes ooc.
-I expect a minimum of 1 post a week.
-This is a medium level to advanced rp. 2-3 paragraphs at minimum. I'm willing to give wiggle room on that based on how the plot is progressing though. Literacy is expected, but I'm not going to ream you for a few grammatical errors.
-If you intend to drop out, please say so. I seriously won't mind. I can simply shelve your character and open recruitment back up.
'Man Made Gods' has gone through a number of changes over the years, but the core concept remains the same.
A "five minutes into the future" setting, supernatural creatures of unknown origins roam the world, always avoiding the human eye if they can. The Daemons take on a slew of forms and possess powers unheard of. So naturally, an international arms dealer started collecting them.
Amassing power is the primary goal of Apex Implementations. But for slightly less questionable reasons beyond not wanting to pay taxes. Daemons vary in power as much as they vary in form, and some of them are incredibly powerful. Too powerful. Apocalyptic event kinds of powerful. An obvious problem that Apex wants to solve without scaring the hell out of the general public. Daemons are the key to this. Through them, the world can be saved. But they need help. And that's where Handlers come in.
More importantly, that's where your character comes in.
Be it for money, power, or the need to do what's right. Your character stands as one of many Handlers committed to protecting Human life from all threats. Be they supernatural, or all too familiar. With a Daemon at their side, a Handler comes to understand the meaning of power. And to understand what it means to be a monster.
There are a few things you'll have to do if you're interested in throwing your hat into the ring.
-This is a setting for 2-5 players. I am open to more depending on certain conditions.
- There is an info dump, but god forbid I make you read it all. The only real required reading is the Daemon Physiology section, which has a tl;dr at the top. and the Power Types section as that's integral to well...your power. I'd also highly suggest skimming the different daemon phenotypes, but honestly, I can inform you what you're working with there. That said, your daemon's threat level starts at A-class. A-class daemons typically range from the size of an average human to about the size of a draft horse. You can find all of this under the Daemons tab.
Google Docs Version
Microsoft One Note Version
-All characters are new hires at Apex. They've all been gathered for an orientation of sorts. But they have no previous history with the actual company. Other than that, their employment history can be what you like.
- All characters will be given a Daemon upon their employment. You still have to list them on your profile, however.
- The standard that got your character accepted into Apex is something unseen to everyone else but them. Your character's skills in combat and firearms training can range from novice to expert. They still should be in good physical condition, given the requirements of the job. Everything else they can learn, but feel free to consider skills that would be helpful to your teammates and daemon.
-The human profile should contain the following.
name: first and last. nicknames optional.
Age:
Place of residence:
Occupation: They're a Handler by default. But feel free to choose a secondary specialization from the 'jobs at apex' page on the infodump linked above. Except for Templars. Those are more of a narrative tool.
End goals: optional
Personality:
History:
-The daemon profile should contain the following.
Name:
Phenotype:
Class: For narrative reasons, this will be 'a' by default.
Major power type: pick one.
Minor power type: pick one.
Personality:
History: optional
Powers and skills: a brief description of the powers the daemon utilizes and the skills they lend to a handler.
-Don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm always excited to info dump, and if it makes the process easier for you, I'm glad to be of help!
-I work full time and so I cannot post multiple times a day. Posts on weekdays will come after 12am EST. The story will move at the pace determined by general involvement, but I will inform everyone of changes ooc.
-I expect a minimum of 1 post a week.
-This is a medium level to advanced rp. 2-3 paragraphs at minimum. I'm willing to give wiggle room on that based on how the plot is progressing though. Literacy is expected, but I'm not going to ream you for a few grammatical errors.
-If you intend to drop out, please say so. I seriously won't mind. I can simply shelve your character and open recruitment back up.
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