Blizz

Parahumans: Earth Drega

Beedrill lookin’ ass

Approved

Inferno - STRIKE THE MATCH! - Concluded

---

---

Jack Hawthorne

---

Location: Limbo
Skills:
Spells: Shadow Scythe
Outfit

---

---

At last, they seemed to be forming a coherent plan. Annika managed to form a connection for Max to speak through, and he had a good idea in mind. Using three of them, who had an affinity for other worlds, they could stabilize part of the Veil just enough to get the hell out of here and give Magik of piece of their minds, using Madalyne's connection to two separate worlds as a conduit. It sounded less risky when three of them worked in tandem. Three was an important number in magic. Thinking about it, Jack liked the idea. "That could work. Let's expand on that. All of my magic is derived from a dimension called the Everdark. Also known as the void, it's a place where all other universes and realities spill into slowly. The Veil works differently there, and I use this to go anywhere in existence, constantly. This means that any portal I make will first lead there, and then out to my intended destination through another. There are an infinite number of stable rifts there, which someone could simply walk through like a hallway to enter another world. I've mapped many of these rifts extensively; Opening a singular portal there is easier than two linked portals. And if we do, I could minimize our risk of failure by directing our passage through known territory."

The Everdark was a place that even the most powerful Sorcerer Supreme could not access normally. It was a place that only its own Shadowtouched had the right to step in and out of. But Jack has brought others there before, some willingly, some by force. As far as his antics with interdimensional travel went, this one was pretty interesting. Idly, he fidgeted with the scythe still in his hands, "It would be an extra step, but we'd be less likely to stray off course, and we need all the stability we can manage in a time like this. Assuming we go that route, we'll need to move quickly once we're there. My home world is alive, in a sense, and doesn't appreciate outsiders lingering longer than temporary."

Parahumans: Earth Drega

Shattercrash

Shattercrash

All Good Things | The Pretender

---

Name: Evie Lockwood

Cape Codename: Shattercrash

Age: 16

Appearance:

PR Department: The only reason that tacticool bullshit got approved is because the kid's power has her taking a lot of punches upfront. It's ugly as hell, makes her look like she's a marine and a villain at the same time, but it protects her, so who cares what I think, right? They didn't even stop to think that the fucking NAME makes no sense. I mean- It fits her power, sure, but... I need a fucking raise."

Engineering Department: Pretty damn easy stuff to work out, actually. Kevlar from head to toe, specially molded level 4 body armor and an accelerometer in the helmet. It was pretty badass watching Shattercrash punch through a piece of tank armor. Who cares what PR thinks? I like this one.

Personality: Brazen, disrespectful, defensive, and self-reliant are usually the words people use to described Evie. Some people navigate social dynamics with the precision of a scalpel, but she navigates them with the precision of a sledgehammer. Evie is often quick to write others off as undeserving of respect, and acts like she’s better than them when it comes to keeping Bridgewater safe. Based on her track record, it isn’t hard to see why she acts this way. Evie is used to solving problems alone, and therefore doesn’t usually play nice with others, giving her orders usually results in her following them begrudgingly, or not giving a damn because she thinks her idea is better. Trying to call her out on this usually doesn’t do much either, as Evie is prone to turning inwards and becoming more prickly under pressure. Evie was quickly placed in the care of a mandated PRT therapist to “correct” this behavior. Unfortunately, Evie went into it expecting the worst, so they haven't made any progress with her attitude, or addressing where it comes from.

It's easy for someone to expect her to not care about her status as a hero, or to have little regard for the unspoken rules between capes. Evie, however, has a reputation in the city that she feels justifies her arrogance. She doesn't just think she's better than the rest of these kids. From Evie's perspective, she knows she is. She's quick to call others out on their mistake, and holds herself to that same standard as a perfectionist. Evie takes her "job" very seriously, and expects anyone else with a mask and a power to as well. Under this exterior, though, there's someone a bit gentler that most people don't see. Once someone actually gets to know Evie, they meet the side of her that cares for others, and wants to protect good people more than punish the bad ones. Her hard outer shell betrays a sort of tough love she doesn't get to show others enough.

Power Classification: Striker (Blaster, Mover)

Power Description:

Kinetic Powerhouse: Shattercrash’s power allows her to store kinetic energy from her surroundings and weaponize it for later use. Early observations of her power assumed that she was a Breaker with the ability to enter a state of being solely composed of kinetic energy, but through the teeth-pulling process of testing her powers, it has been determined that she simply wields it. When Shattercrash manipulated the kinetic energy stored in her body, it becomes visible to human eyes, in the form of a bright violet-pink glow. This also means that it is tangible, and someone can “touch” the energy.

Shattercrash applies this in a variety of forceful ways, the most notable of which involves punching something with the force of a speeding train, by amplifying her punches to a level that most Brutes would feel embarrassed by. She has also demonstrated, mostly through her independent days, that she can launch projectiles of kinetic energy with her power by throwing punches and kicks from a distance. Testing has shown that she can reliably hit a target from well over 30 feet away with this. This also allows her an impressive mover power that lets her leap well over 50 feet in any direction, and run at speeds clocked in at seventeen MPH.

Shattercrash's power has also been observed providing her a degree of cover against impacts such as colliding with solid surfaces, or hitting the ground too hard. This was significant enough to warrant consideration for a Brute rating, but Shattercrash herself admits that this is simply a clever application of her abilities, and not an inherent part of their function. By enveloping herself in a sufficient amount of energy, she can cushion otherwise devastating blows, though this tends to result in more collateral damage for whatever she gets hit by.

Strengths:

Frontliner: It turns out that having a power that makes you punch like Superman means you should get good at punching. Shattercrash picked up boxing once in the weeks after her trigger event, so even when she's reigning herself in, she has a leg-up over the average shmuck on the street. She'll even throw down with the rest of the Wards from time to time. Evie is also pretty accustomed to moving around the city a lot, she's nimble, quick on her feet, and generally less reliant on her powers than someone would expect.

Resourceful: The first costume she made back in her solo days was so good that the PRT based her current one off of it. Evie is pretty creative and knows how to apply this to the real world. Out of bandages? Give her five minutes and she'll turn the backseat of a burning car into something to wrap a wound in. Did an Endbringer ransack your city? No problem! Evie knows how to cook food on a kerosene heater. One has to wonder how she knows these things, but are you really complaining when she keeps you warm?

Weaknesses:

Raging Bull: Her cape name is Shattercrash, not Silentcrash. Evie's power is loud, flashy, and explosive. She operates with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, meaning stealth is either entirely off the table where she's involved, or viable only because Evie is nerfing herself terribly. Under the cover of darkness, you will see Shattercrash use her powers long before she's in your face.

Charisma Dump Stat: She's not good with people, period. Shattercrash's PR campaign is nonexistent. This kid does not belong on a talk show, or a negotiation mission, or basically anywhere that people are expected to kiss ass and be sickeningly polite. She will fuck those delicate situations up worse than you thought they could be fucked up.

History: Shattercrash stared up at the memorial of all the capes who died during the disaster. A pillar of stone commending them all for their bravery, and honoring their sacrifice. Metal plates engraved with their names were the last of their memories. Honestly, Evie found it to be a fucking joke. A bunch of names on a rock in the middle of town wasn't going to bring their precious Wards back. A fancy list of names and a bit of fanfare wasn't going to reunite families with their loved ones. It was a fucking war fought. The heroes got their asses destroyed, and just barely made it out, and now they had this thing all pretty and shiny to immortalize it all. Did they really think this would make it all okay?

She looked down the list of names... A lot of them were from out of town, mostly Protectorate capes. But her eyes stopped when she got to one name in particular. Karnstein, a tinker who used her own blood as a resource to augment herself. Shattercrash knew her as Jasmin Kay. It wasn't fair. She tried so hard to be a hero even when she couldn't roll out of bed in the morning, and now she was dead. All because of a fucking bad guy that went off the deep end. Her mask started to fog on the inside, and she had to remind herself that it was on.

They were going to leave the city together one day, before she went off and joined that stupid team, and now she was dead.

And here she was, about to replace Karnstein in a few days. Evie's life was stabilizing a little. The Protectorate finally got their hands on her after they learned Jasmin had a secret relationship with her, and sniffed out their old meeting places one by one. They knew everything that Jasmin knew... Her dad being the reason she could punch with the force of a train, her homelife, her plan to run away and never look back. All of it. The fast one with the shock sticks just appeared on a roof behind her one evening, and almost got her head taken clean off with the punch to end all punches that day. They even knew that Jasmin wanted her to be a Ward too, but that she had her own reasons for not wanting to. But still, here she was, stopping on her way to their building for a government-mandated psychological evaluation.

It seemed hollow to her. The only reason they gave a shit about recruiting Shattercrash was because she had been showing up take out bad guys well over a year before Confessor, and now they had a hook to finally convince her to become “legit.” They had essentially outed her, put her in a corner just so they could secure one more cape for their new team.

Evie could pack up and run. She still had a couple hundred in cash from what Jasmin used to sneak away for her. She could’ve been halfway to Rhode Island by the time anyone important realized she wasn’t going to show up. But Jasmin might’ve been rolling in her grave if she knew that Evie wasn’t coming. Jasmin loved the Wards. She thought she was doing a good thing by encouraging Evie.

So for nothing else but her own feelings, Evie kept walking.

Parahumans: Earth Drega

---

Hornet: A girl who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, Grandmaster and the directors have noted that her demeanor will likely cause friction between her teammates, most likely Shattercrash, Keystone and Decree. Countermeasures against her include flashbangs and containment foam, with standard Mover protocols regarding confined spaces omitted to compensate for the range aspect of her power.

Richter: The PRT isn't sure about this one. He's an enigma, and Gatecrasher expects he's the one responsible for the Ivory Basterds' demise. In her own words, "Damn kid worries me. He's too easygoing for a parahuman, too collected. Even if he ain't hiding something, and I'm sure he is, his demeanor has to change one way or another. The fact that he approached me first, and not the other way around, is promising. Just make sure he has help when he needs it." The PRT recommends excessive and persistent use of containment foam, and long range in the event that Richter becomes a threat. Engaging him should be done in open spaces, and confined areas are to be avoided.

Shattercrash: The vigilante who the PRT tried to reign in for two years now, Shattercrash turned heads when they finally made her bend. While there is no question that she's competent, the PRT notes that she has a vested disdain for working with what she calls "government sponsored super-police." She's arrogant, and that worries everyone she takes orders from. The PRT is advised to use flashbangs and adhere to strict mover protocols when dealing with Shattercrash. Assume she cannot be contained, unless fought in a confined area, and use stealth to incapacitate her with smoke grenades, tranquilizers or anything similar.

Keystone: The Protectorate has especially high hopes for this young man. Grandmaster has quietly taken a vested interest in Keystone's power, and intends to eventually, work with his fellow thinker in mission planning. Grandmaster sees much of his younger self in the boy; Irritable, burdened by his powers and his family, and not particularly interested in the spirit of heroics. It's no surprise that he has personally arranged for an unknowable amount of additional protocols surrounding him, many of which have been classified until further notice, at his and vice director Fukuda's recommendation.

Muninn: Muninn is a complicated addition. He was effectively a rogue Parahuman, and despite that, willingly joined the initiative, even going so far as to directly request such (which is especially surprising given his demeanor). However, he has no combat training and seems adverse to battle in general, an unusual trait for a Parahuman. Still, beyond his socially challenged personality and lack of experience, his desire to do good is clear, and a welcome change from most of the others. Protocols are to ground him as soon as possible, ideally confronting him in an enclosed space, and using containment foam to seal his mobility. His sensitive senses are render him vulnerable to flashbangs and most other non-lethal explosives.

Decree: The PRT takes Masters very seriously. And they take Master Strangers even more seriously, but between her behavior and the state of Bridgewater, she's been given a pass that most people with a power like her wouldn't receive in a lifetime. The PRT hopes she will set a good example for parahumans with inherently sinister powers. Her powers are of a more textbook variety, meaning a mix of passwords, rotation and eyes-on surveillance are recommended for countermeasures.

Ethos: PRT psychologists are no doubt having a field day with this one. Ethos is considered by the higherups to be the poster girl of master capes; Uncaring, too willing to user her powers for her own purposes. Were it not for Bridgewater, Ethos would be in prison at this very moment. Nightstalker seemed to think that freshly baked cookies would win a few points with her. Striker protocols are to be used with the typical Master Stranger conditions. Keep out of arm's reach, and disable her ability to touch others.

Wattson: "If that brat sneaks up on me again, I'm gonna kick her for a fucking fiel-" Wattson's paranoia aside, the PRT's psychologists worry about her lack of conviction in her new career, though not nearly as much as they worry about her aversion to their sessions with her. Ironically, Shattercrash was less abrasive towards their questions, which surprised several therapists and psychological experts. Grandmaster finds her professionalism towards heroics a breath of fresh air compared to some of the more enthusiastic members of her team, but fully understands the need for someone to care about why they do things, not just about doing them. Nightstalker has talked about getting to know her on a more personal level once they all have time to themselves, and hopes he can get to know her a bit better than people who are only doing their job and want to get it over with. Standard Breaker, Mover and Trump procedures are to be used in full force in the event that Wattson goes rogue. Containment must be assumed to be impossible.

Tandem: Grandmaster normally doesn't flinch when he learns that someone has gone through tough conditions. But hearing that Tandem triggered a while ago despite only being 13, he couldn't help but feel somewhat sorry for her. Moreover, he normally prefers to let the PRT do it's own thing, leaving certain jobs to the experts. But given her history with a cluster of complicated individuals, Grandmaster got as much information from Axiom as possible to handle her. Axiom was, characteristically, very worried about this child and has taken steps to earn her trust. The PRT is very unsure about throwing Tandem into the fight against villains, but the Protectorate's leadership has assured them that she will be cared for... And given as many baked goods as Nightstalker can cram into the Ward's wing of the building. The PRT currently has no way of confirming the contents of her pocket dimension, and operates on the assumption that containment foam and sensory warfare will be sufficient in containing Tandem until further notice.

---

Villains

Necrophage: Necrophage is a Tinker specializing in transhuman cybernetics. Her body is virtually entirely a machine, which she has been observed modifying extensively. These noted modifications include hidden weapons in her extremities, high brute-rating regeneration, and trump-adjacent ability distribution. Necrophage is known to employ enforcers who have been given tinkertech cybernetics that augment their body into pseudo-parahumans. She is considered a highly dangerous tinker, and the Wards are to avoid her at all costs, as she is extremely unpredictable, and stands out from other tinkers due to her self sufficiency in direct combat.

Chemtrail: Chemtrail is a chemistry Tinker, who has been observed employing the use of chemical explosives, napalm, and even mind-controlling substances. She runs an underground drug trafficking network that the PRT has been unable to breach. Chemtrail’s powers are not as documented as the directors would like, but she has a well-known relationship with Necrophage. The two are often found working together, and it should be assumed that they are both together at all times during combat. All engagements with Chemtrail are to be designated to the PRT and Protectorate without the Wards until further information is verified.

Blackburn: Blackburn is a small mercenary group consisting of highly competent capes. Little is known about them, as they tend to appear quickly, and get their job done quietly as possible. They tend to favor jobs that most villains turn away from, such as assassination. Blackburn’s members aren’t likely to pose a threat to the PRT and Wards, but they should be monitored as much as possible.

Ironsides: Changer, brute, shaker and mover. Grows metallic armor over his skin. Can spread this metal to the surroundings, which act as teleportation waypoints. Highly dangerous, and the leader of the group

Sundown: Blaster shaker, throws orbs of light that explode, and distort gravity for a while until she throws another one.

Champion: Combat thinker whose powers are not fully known. Has supernatural knowledge of the human body and the motions it can make. Has a brute ability that prevents her from feeling fatigue, and always operates at peak performance.

Kintsugi: Master who creates monsters from inanimate material in his surroundings. These creatures are vaguely sentient and obey his will telepathically.

Imperia: Imperia is a breaker, who enters an energy-like state, the properties of which are not currently known by the PRT. The only information known about Imperia’s breaker state is that it draws on the powers of nearby parahumans, at their expense. For this reason alone, it is recommended that all Wards and Protectorate members do not engage until further notice. They were last seen working with Necrophage.

Red Angels: Monsters at best, and the most detestable examples of human beings at worst. The Red Angels were a parahuman supremacist organization that believed the powered would one day grow to rule the earth. They were violent extremists who operated in multiple states, and put up a significant fight against the PRT for years. The Red Angels are currently just a crumbling shell of their former selves. They once had more than 20 members at a time, and now no one can find more than one or two members together at a time. Roughly two thirds of the Red Angels were killed overnight by a cape named Inferno, who no one has heard from or seen since the incident. Inferno was said to have been one of the Red Angel’s highest ranking members, but he has since vanished without a trace. In the event that Red Angel remnants do turn up, they are not to be taken lightly. It is recommended that the Wards take an indirect approach to engaging them, as they have been known to target children before.

Epitaph: ͋̏eï̀͛]̀i̻̅̂́̈́[̠̲̖̋̉͛͒̚̕b͈̘a̗̅̎̈[̴̸̡̛̮͔̺̪͓͕͎̩̹̰̞͖̞̐̈́͛̔͂́̕͝͠͝n̪͜ḙ̷̴̷̛̞͚̞͈̞̞̰̬͍̿̾̽͋͆̏͆̕͜l̷̛̳̻̭̘̳͈͑̈́̾[̊͂ ̷̷̼̰̼̥̟͚͚̼̝͖̲̞͚͉͉͇̇́͒͒̈́͋̉̓͘o̵̷̡̳͈̗͖͓̦̮̫̤͖̞̰̊̅̔͂͐͊̄͗͌̀͆̀͝n̷̸͚̯[̵̸̨̢̝͖̮̰̠͍͈̘͙͕̂͗͛̀͒̉̏͜͠m̵̩̐̂ë̵́͌̅̇]̬v͙͈̩̋͜t̟͙͕̮̰͓̥̣̤͛͌͑̍͝d̸͔̮̘̺͋]̢̗͝ǫ̴̜͙͍̐́͂͐ṟ̴̵̬̳̓͐ ͒̆e̞]̺̇̐i̦̲̺͗ ͊̔̉͠͝[̼̹̓]̵̴̧̹̮͍̭͚͈͕͇̘͂̑̿͆͂̈̚͝F̷̜͆a̬͙̣̰͂͋̚ͅ[̵̷̷̘̬̓̈[̶̫͉̫̓̓̋s̳̬̦̝̾̐ę̷̷̨̨̮̠̝̭̣͚̈̈́͐̉̌̃̑̋̑̋[̴̵̸̴̨̨͇̦̟͕͙̹̭̻̱̩͎̟̤̪͐̏͒͋̏̀̾̇̈͆̅̇́̏̈́̐̆̾̀̿̀̕̕[̵̳̞̹̭̰̈́͂͒̒͝a͕̮y̡̎̀̽ḛ̟]̵̣͉̖̒̑̅̌͠ ̷̵̼͎͇͍̠̝͋̈́]̶̶̨̬̍͋̀ ̵̸̘̦̯̘̱̔̏͛́ņ̷̶̶̶̗̭͓̞̖̦͊̈́̇̑̿͆̈̑͒̚͜͠͝]̵̴̷͇̟͓̥͎̇̆̈́̿͌P̸̸̶̧̧̪̫̝͎̙̄͋̆͘̕͝͠o̷͋m̶̴̞̦̒̈̉.̸̴̵̷̴̡̡͕͖̭͔̫̙̖̲̦̱̗̭̠̦͉̤̣̼̺͌̈́̆̉̃̊͑̉̀͊̿͑̋͆͛̂͜͜ǫ̷̭͔͚͖̇͒̌͘͝m̸̴̲͂͆̋͘ ̴̵̸̵̴̨̨̨̛̞̤̗̫̭̖̪̻͇̦̹̰̔͊̌̊͂͆̔̑͋̋͆̆͑̓͝ ̤̹͎͖̕͝ ͍̹̪̉r̡̩̫̲̗͎̊́͋̄͑]̧̤̣̬̺̲̪̪͛̈͋̚͠͠͝i̷̷̯̝̺̘͕͔̲̐͒͌͠͠ͅl̖̝[͇f̠͈]̴̄̔ḛ[̷͈͔̦̙̟̩̓̒̐͊̔r̷͓͖̹̚̕o̍̀̈́̃nr̷͓͇̙̗͋̀̄͊͋̎̒̚͘̚]̷̷̤͕̲͎͓̽̄̅̍̓̎͝͝s̵̸̡̨̢̢̛̪̜̩̩̙͎̥̖̆̊͐̍͌̄͊̐͝]̥̝͓̇]̨̛̬̮̤̜̯͔̬̲̬̻̳̇̈́̓̚͝]]̝͈̹̋̂̍[̵̨̧̻̺͗̽̓͊͆.̸̯̬͒̓o̷̴̸̷̧̧̢̤͚͈̹̺̖̰̐̓̚̚ͅh͔̍f̸̡̤͇̦̻̀͒͠ ̟̥̈́[̢̩̝́͑̚[̸̸̵̖͍̘̰͍̰̹̗̼͉̰̯̦̰͕̫̳̤̻̣̈́̔̇̉̀̇̓͒́̆̂́̽͌͒́͛̚̕͜͠͝ͅͅṫ̸̖̼̜͍̘̩͊̍́̉̔ẽ̶̩̫ ̠̱̙̅̅[̵͈̥͒̎̊̌͛͝f

Independent Heroes

Parahumans listed here are considered benevolent towards Bridgewater, based on their known actions. However, they must still be treated with apprehension for the sake of following protocol. In an ideal world, they would join us so we could help them keep the city safe more than they already do. We have a common goal, and steps should be taken to maintain a good relationship with as many of these capes as possible. For this reason, Protectorate members are free to approach them and coordinate with this individuals at their discretion, and should not take action against them unless truly necessesary. Wards are permitted to access these files, but are not permitted to contact these capes alone. If the Wards wish to contact them, they must first consult the PRT, or Protectorate. This rule is in place for their safety, as we cannot guarantee that unofficial capes won't use them for their own motives.

- Director Foster

Livewire: Livewire is a vigilante known for regularly making attacks against the villains in Bridgewater. Her powers, rated as Blaster and Shaker, allow her to project visible energy that has been observed to take the form of painful projectiles and forcefields. The PRT also suspects that Liveware possesses a mover ability, but this is not confirmed. Liveware maintains a distant, but suitable amicable relationship with the PRT. She regularly transports captured criminals to the PRT's doorstep, and offers statements for reports. She does not willingly provide information about her powers, or any other capes she works with. She is considered a low priority threat.

Grassbones: Hellstar describes Grassbones as "An irritating jackass who makes the Protectorate look like a bunch of fucking clowns." Grassbones is a somewhat enigmatic cape, and the PRT has been unable to determine the exact nature of his powers. Grassbones is a skeletal figure made of smoke, often seen in very minimalist gear. The PRT knows for a fact that he is a Mover and a Brute, as he has demonstrated superhuman forms of agility and shrugged off gunshots directly to his face on live television before. Grassbones has also been witnessed throwing himself- almost literally- into burning buildings to rescue trapped civilians in a fraction of the time it would take emergency services to arrive. It is unclear whether or not he is a Changer, a Brute, or some combination of the two. The PRT also suspects him to be a combat Thinker similar to Grandmaster, given his typical hand-to-hand method of combat. Grassbones is notably more elusive than Livewire, who at least goes out of her way to deliver her captives. Grassbones, on the other hand, typically leaves them tied up and calls the PRT from a currently untraceable phone number. This has left some PRT personnel somewhat confused, given his seemingly social and carefree nature; He has often been seen interacting with civilians, even agreeing to take pictures with some. Grassbones is to be considered a medium priority until further notice.

Steelheart: Though no one has seen him in recent months, Steelheart is a Tinker seen piloting a suit of armor similar to Axiom. Little is known about his suit, other than the fact that it offers Brute-adjacent abilities such as incredible strength and durability. During the fallout of Confessor's rampage across Bridgewater, Hellstar and Gatecrasher had extensive contact with Steelheart. He took it upon himself to use his armor to deliver emergency relief all across the city, and the phantoms produced by Confessor could barely make a dent in it. Hellstar claims to respect him, which is a rare compliment to receive. Steelheart has been somewhat more open to the PRT's questions than other independent heroes, but remained adamant in his decision to not join the Protectorate officially, claiming he simply wouldn't fit in with them. A few months ago, Steelheart went missing. No one knows if he simply left Bridgewater, gave up the cape life, or was taken away somehow. Hellstar all but demanded an investigation be opened, and Director Foster did not hesitate to. However, little evidence turned up. In the event that Steelheart resurfaces, the PRT plans to find him ASAP and get answers. The PRT considered him a medium priority on the basis of Steelheart being a rogue tinker, but no higher due to his working relationship with Hellstar, who the Protectorate designated as the primary contact with him before his disappearance.

Parahumans: Earth Drega

@Duoya@TheMushroomLord@Mintz@Aku the Samurai

Gamers here’s the OOC

The rp will begin one week from today, meaning anyone else reading is more than welcome to apply still!

Parahumans: Earth Drega

.....................................................................................

Trigger Events - The Manton Effect - Parahuman Response Team First and foremost, every parahuman develops superpowers during a trigger event. This event is when they're brought to the lowest possible point they may ever experience when they can't take it anymore, and something finally gives. The specifics of this incident dictate the nature of the granted powers. All powers originate from entities referred to in canon as Passengers, Agents, or Shards. Shards are fragments of incomprehensible, abstract lifeforms that exist in a separate layer of reality, disconnected from our own. This fact is entirely unnecessary for the working knowledge of Earth Drega, but the important takeaway from it is that the powers granted by them do not line up with our reality. The powers that parahumans receive are foreign, have their forms of logic that they play off of, and are rarely as simple as they appear. Most powers tend to have an "And" or a "But" associated with them, having a degree of depth and complexity that goes beyond the surface. An example of this would be a teleporting mover cape, someone who can go from point A to B in an instant with some effect connected to this power. The teleporter may not have any issues appearing somewhere on the other side of the country, regardless of sight or distance. Still, the catch to their power is that they can only teleport so often, so many times in an hour before their power stops working, and they must wait again. Or, they may be strictly limited to extreme distances, only able to teleport a minimum distance of a mile. These complexities are what set most powers apart and tend to play into the way they are applied and the way the PRT classifies them. The PRT has a system of 12 classifications they assign to any known powers, used to identify the broad expression, how it behaves, and the potential their users can get out of it. Powers can have multiple classifications and often have subratings derived from them. For example, if the teleporter produces an explosion upon arriving at their destination, they would be classified primarily as a Mover, with a shaker subtracting.

---

---

Power Classifications

Movers are capes with powers related to forms of mobility. These include teleporters, speedsters, and fliers of all forms. These powers have additional stipulations involved based on their use. Some Movers affect the environment at various points during their travel, such as disorienting anyone who attempts to look at them while they move. The Mover rating often overlaps with other powers, with examples being a changer who grows wings or a tinker who specializes in jetpacks. Movers are triggered by circumstances where they experience a great need to escape. The nature of this need, as well as what the Mover is specifically running from, influence the power.

Example: A child lives with an overly controlling parent and tries to move out but is caught triggers during the parent's latest tantrum. Their powers allow them to produce a smokescreen and teleport to a random location not being observed by anyone.
.
.
.
Shaker is a rating that's granted to capes with a broad field of influence tied to their power. These capes affect their environment or have a blast radius associated with their powers that others must know, if they plan to enter the area. The shaker rating encompasses forcefields, pyrokinetics, and environmental hazards, to name a few. Shaker powers come from trigger events with an environmental threat. The danger does not come directly from an individual and only vaguely involves people. These threats are not pinned down to one specific factor and encompass the whole area.

Example: A woman's car crashes while evacuating a flooded area during a hurricane. She travels on foot to the nearest shelter, but the world around her only gets worse. The road is flooded, trees are falling apart, and her clothes are soaking wet from rain. She triggers and can produce energy barriers that burn anything around her.
.
.
.
Brutes are capes with an ability that enhances their strength or physical ability to survive things. Almost every Brute can be summed up as a form of regenerative healing, physical durability, or super strength. Brutes are about as simple as powers get in Worm or Ward, but as with all powers, the specifics depend on what the cape went through. Brute is often a secondary rating for more accurately describing other powers. A cape who grows stony armor over their skin would be a changer with a Brute subtype. These capes trigger from physical harm, with the exact nature of the harm influencing the power itself. Being beaten to the edge of death, being poisoned, or set on fire are just a few examples.

Example: A woman is attacked by her crazy boyfriend and is chased out to a frozen lake after she gets stabbed in the ribs. She runs across the ice, thinking he won't follow, but she falls through. She triggers before freezing to death, gaining a personal forcefield that layers over her body to absorb impacts.
.
.
.
Breaker is typically the weirdest classification. Breakers are identified by their ability to shift into an alternate state of being that "breaks" away from the standard rules of reality. All powers defy the rules of reality by their very nature, but this does not define most powers. Movers are defined by their ability to move, and Changers are defined by their ability to change. Breakers access their powers by entering their altered state, which follows its own rules. Typically, the Breaker rating comes with one or multiple sub-ratings, as the Breaker form inherently operates with its logic. A Breaker who turns into a living fractal of alien material might be able to regrow parts of itself and be considered a brute. Breakers and changers tend to overlap but are often distinguished by the strangeness of their forms and their relationship to them. Breakers are simply in one state or another, while changers have to go through a process of changing.

Breaker triggers are equally as complicated. A mix of mental and physical trauma is necessary for the trigger. Those two things are the requirements for thinkers and brutes respectively, but what separates Breakers from either is that there is no clear distinction between physical and mental. The lines are blurred. The conflict can be felt on an existential level or a tangible one, and it is not clear which is which.

Example: A man is in a coma and knows it. He is fully lucid and spends weeks unconscious, roaming the abstract world of his head after a horrible concussion. He is desperate to wake up but can't. The desperation grows endlessly, and he triggers. He can enter a mental state like hypnosis, where he can perceive everything around him up to a mile away, while his physical body becomes untouchable. Attempts to make physical contact result in being flung backward by an unseen force. This is made clear by the veins of blue light that spread across his skin and warp the edges of his limbs.
.
.
.
Masters are typically the most problematic capes by default. Master powers involve the control of other entities. Most commonly, this results in manipulating the free will of others through various forms of mind control, but it also includes abilities that influence emotional constructs and make a person more suggestable. Masters work through others by assuming control of them or creating entities that act as vessels for their power. Some fringe cases include empowering entities and giving them abilities, such as Rachel Lindt's ability to mutate dogs. The PRT treats capes with this rating with a remarkable degree of caution, going as far as to make protocols so effective that non-powered officers can outright resist human-manipulating powers. Masters are triggered by instances of isolation and being left behind. They are betrayed, and the source of the betrayal is the variable that affects the nature of their powers.

Example: A child is hated relentlessly throughout his life and lives with a single parent who neglects him, never being in his life. He has no one to turn to. No friends, no other family members who care for him. He is alone in a world that seems to hate his existence and doesn't feel safe anywhere he goes, no matter how hard he tries. He triggers and can create sapient beings out of energy, which slowly duplicate themselves over time and obey his every command.
.
.
.
Tinker is highest priority classification as listed by the PRT, and my favorite of the list. Tinkers have powers that allow them to build alien technology that would otherwise be scientifically impossible. These capes are inherently the most diverse in terms of what they do, but they always work through their tech rather than simply willing it into existence. They are essentially the superhuman engineers of the world. Every Tinker has their specialty, the general field of tech they make, and the methodologies that they work with. Methodologies define how the Tinker makes their tech. A Tinker specializing in energy doesn't just build anything related to energy; they might build it into weapons and create lightsabers or railguns. These elements make a Tinker unique, even among Tinkers with similar abilities. Tinkers trigger from situations where every option results in failure, a lose-lose situation that slowly builds up with a big emphasis on time. The problem itself and the dilemma they've been struggling with affect the form of tech they can build, as well as what specialty they can work with.

Example: A woman suffers from a chronic condition requiring medication. She physically cannot live without it, but the medicine is so expensive that she struggles to pay for her necessities. Worst of all, her car broke down recently, and she can't afford to fix it. If she buys another month of her medicine, she can't afford repairs for her car and can't go to work to earn money. But if she fixes her car so she can go to work, she won't be able to get out of bed in the morning. She could take a bus, but then she'd be late for work and would get fired. She doesn't remember exactly when she triggered, but the woman can suddenly build cybernetic augmentations out of absurdly cheap parts, which replace the need for functioning organs.
.
.
.
Blaster Is one of the more straightforward ratings. Blaster powers emphasize range and projectiles. These are your optical laser capes, your living flamethrowers, and your grenade-hurling maniacs. All Blasters have a medium they use to attack from range, such as a sphere of light they make out of thin air and an effect attached to it. The light sphere might fire laser beams that break up atomic bombs or drain energy from an environment. Or, the Blaster might throw the sphere, causing it to expand outwards into a small gravitational field. These capes are essentially the living firearms of the world, and they trigger from situations where the threat is obvious and defined but not immediately in their face. A danger coming from a crowd, as opposed to one person, for example, would influence the exact nature of the Blaster's power.

Example: A terrorist is destroying a street armed with a grenade launcher, and a child crosses paths with him. Buildings are smoking, and the explosions grow closer until the madman points his grenade launcher at the child, who triggers when he realizes he is in danger. The child throws his hands up in fear, and a glowing disc of green energy flies toward the bomber, arcing like a boomerang before hitting him square in the jaw. The disc explodes in a light shower, as his target is suspended in a bubble of frozen time. He throws another that glows red, which curves and hits a crumbling building. The disc explodes, and the building is no longer there.
.
.
.
Thinkers gather information and deal with extrasensory perception or specialized forms of knowledge. Some Thinkers have powers that alter their senses, allowing them to see the world with heat vision or see things before they happen. It should be noted, however, that there has never been a precognitive Thinker whose power was 100% infallible, as they require knowledge to derive predictions and may not always have the whole picture. Some Thinkers are also supernaturally adept in one skill, allowing them to leverage martial arts, record-shattering accuracy with guns, or learn any language within seconds. Thinkers are triggered by mental stress. This often comes close to Thinker's powers in concept, but the difference comes from the buildup. Tinkers triggers are slow and snowball over a long period, while Thinker triggers are immediate and traceable to one event.

Example: When discovering that his brother ran away from home, a teenager feels anger unlike anything he felt before. He spends hours trying not to think about his brother abandoning his family. But when his mother comes home and learns about it, he can't take it anymore. All his rage spills out, and he triggers, suddenly understanding how to wield any form of close-quarters weaponry with terrifying mastery.
.
.
.
Strikers are capes with powers based on touch, or have particularly close range. These capes usually fall into one of two categories; Their powers affect their environment, but have too little ranged to be considered a shaker outright, or they apply some sort of effect upon touching a person or an object. Strikers are a relatively low-priority classification in terms of general threat, but don't be fooled. All it takes is one touch, or for the striker to ambush you, and you'd be at their mercy. Strikers trigger from direct threats that get in their face, make themselves known, and can easily be traced to a single instance or person. What this threat does, and how it presents itself tend to affect the expression of the striker power.

Example: A young girl is cornered by an intruder who broke into her house. He's waving a knife around and no one is coming to help her. She triggers when he steps too close, and she's suddenly holding a white object, which looks like a mix between a spear and a tree branch. She stabs him with it, not fully understanding what it is, and the man is vaporized from the inside out.
.
.
.
Changers are one of the least immediately dangerous classifications. They are the shapeshifters, the werewolves, and occasionally the healers. Changers are often confused with breakers, who also access alternate states. But changers have to physically undergo the process of stepping from one instance to another, if their powers are based on forms. Changers also do not revolve around divorcing themselves from conventional reality, and simply mutate to access other powers. Most changers typically trigger from an identity crisis, concerning who they are as a person, their physical image, or the image that others have of them. This crisis determines what changers the changer can undergo, and what secondary powers are attached to it.

Example: A teenager is pressured into criminal activities by his friends for long enough that he finally caves. He tries to tell himself that he won't do it again, and will instead focus on living an honest life, but he doesn't feel like he really belongs in either life. It eats away at him, feeling like he doesn't know what he's supposed to do, until the day his crimes are revealed to his family after he crashes a stolen car. In the hospital, he triggers. He can shapeshift into a large, bear-like monster that rapidly heals, but only after sustaining serious wounds in his normal form.
.
.
.
Trumps are the wild cards. The trump rating describes parahumans with the power to manipulate powers. This includes capes that can shut down other powers, copy them, temporarily out give out new ones, and more. As a classification, the trump rating is incredibly vast, with the only requirement being the ability to directly impact powers themselves. As a result of this, the PRT’s standard procedure for dealing with trumps is to put friendly parahumans as far away from them as possible, lest they give their target extra powers or have their own taken away. Ironically, trumps trigger from a crisis involving powers as the main source of stress. The relationship to the power in question, what it does, and the strain caused all affect how the trump can affect others.

Example: A young girl has grown up with an abusive, former Protectorate hero for a single father. Fallen from grace, he turned to alcohol after losing his job. One day, he gets especially angry and beats her beyond reason. His powers cause him to grow stronger when his skin is cut, and she triggers when she claws at him. Her power allows her to generate medium-sized forcefields that nullify instances of powers they come into contact with.
.
.
.

Strangers play dirty. These are the capes with powers that allow for infiltration, distraction, highly effective stealth and subterfuge. Strangers are one of the more naturally dangerous classifications not for raw power, but because of the fallout that strangers can cause. These capes can render you unable to use any of your senses, assume your identity, or subliminally convince you to trust them with no justification. Never fight a stranger alone. These capes trigger from instances of emotional insecurity, and cases of unwanted attention. In a way, these triggers overlap with movers. But strangers feel a need to simply hide and be left alone, rather than to run or flee.

Example: A woman moves to a new city after her ex had been stalking her for weeks. She learns to relax and move on with her life after a while, but comes home from work one day to find a camera hidden behind her refrigerator. In a paranoid frenzy, she tears her house upside down, revealing more and more cameras in places she thought were secure. She no longer feels safe, and triggers. Her power produces an effect in a small area, where all evidence and memory of her presence is erased, prevent her from leaving behind any trace.
.
.
.

---

Parahumans: Earth Drega

.....................................................................................

Earth Drega is an AU roleplay set in the world of Parahumans, a web series written by John “Wildbow” McCrae. This roleplay is based on the canon universe and placed in the period of the first work in the Parahumans series but is not based on the canonical storyline. Prior knowledge of the story is, therefore, helpful but not explicitly mandatory. You will not be turned away for not having read the Parahumans series. Discord - Parahuman Wiki One year ago, a villain named Confessor unleashed an army of ghostly monsters on the city of Bridgewater. The incident lasted two weeks, with Confessor slowly growing into an S-class threat that resulted in the deaths of eighteen parahumans, five of whom were members of the city’s Ward team. The remaining survivors, only two teenage heroes, were transferred out of state once their injuries were healed. Bridgewater grieved heavily, and most people spent the following months expecting the other shoe to drop when it would turn out that some of the phantoms hadn’t been killed and were simply replicating in the shadows. Some didn’t leave their home for weeks, still paranoid that they’d be met with monsters or a more ruined city than the day before. Known villains stepped up and took advantage, capitalizing on the chaos to grow their influence over the city. Some even left outright and haven’t been seen since. The city wasn’t the same after Confessor’s reign of terror ended. In the following months, damage to the city was repaired, families got back on their feet, and additional workforce was requested from nearby cities. But most importantly, the people picked up the pieces and moved on, as they always do. The planet still turned, and time passed. There were scars, but they faded to the background.

Bridgewater has relaxed a little, and the PRT has determined that now is an excellent time to try and fill the gap left behind by the former Wards team. Bridgewater is the largest city in Maine, with roughly 800,000 people. It would be straightforward to miss another villain rising in the background. The Confessor disaster caused a lot of chaos across the city that could have easily resulted in trigger events, meaning there are young parahumans who can be recruited and turned into the city’s next generation of heroes. You are those heroes. The PRT and the Protectorate are starting from square one to rebuild their numbers and ensure Bridgewater has heroes to defend it in future years. Many people are afraid to throw children into the line of fire after so much loss, but a lot is riding on this. If the Wards aren’t reinstated in the city, then Bridgewater could suffer in the future.

That can’t happen again.

---

---

---

Welcome to Earth Drega. This is an RP set in the Parahumans series, as stated above, with our alternate lore. Our purpose in this story is to rebuild something important that the Confessor took from us- The Wards. In every city across America, the Protectorate oversees teenage heroes with their own vulnerabilities and troublesome backstories. These kids one day grow up to join the Protectorate while being trained and kept safe from a world full of monsters in human form. Their dissolvement in Bridgewater left a power vacuum, but we're here to change that. The lack of a Wards team is an unusual problem, meaning there isn't any precedent for building one from the ground up. But the good thing about not having a precedent is that we can make our own rules. A branch of the PRT or the Parahuman Response Team oversees every branch of the Protectorate. Their responsibilities include handling the "politics" of capes, preventing the good guys from going too far when stopping the bad guys, and working with heroes of all kinds to ensure evil doesn't win. The PRT's director has come up with his plans to set the Wards for success, plans that break half of the rules in the book and get him fired if these were normal circumstances.

Typically, Wards have to follow rules that their adult counterparts wouldn't, such as the number of hours they're permitted to be on duty. This was the first rule to go out the window for Bridgewater's new team, as they can't get up to speed if they're constantly taking mandated breaks. Wards are given a standard paycheck at the end of every month, which is docked if they break the rules. In canon, it is said to amount to $50,000 a year, but this money will be effectively tripled as an incentive. This money will be theirs to use how they see fit, within reasons. This additional budget also extends particularly to any tinker-class heroes who may join the team, along with absurdly lax limitations on what tech they are permitted to build and use on the job, provided it passes safety testing as usual. The wards will also receive special permission to access PRT information that would otherwise be classified for anyone in their position. This information includes schematics for high-level tinker-tech access to PRT records regarding villains, to name a few. They won't have complete access to the entire PRT database, but they are encouraged to use their available resources.

Lastly, arguably the most important to some is that the usual probationary measures for Wards with a criminal background will be nonexistent. Canon examples of these measures include an ankle bracelet used to track someone's locations for the first six months after they join, restraining orders, curfews, and specific limitations on what someone can use their powers for. None of these will be enacted on a Ward, regardless of their history, as long as they are honest with the PRT and take their new role seriously. This decision was made to encourage more would-be heroes to "come clean," knowing many people were pushed to desperation in the wake of Confessor's rampage. This is also meant to encourage players to write characters that are more rough around the edges, as no one ever gets superpowers in this world by being a well-adjusted individual. They can get away with this without being thrown into a jail cell, thanks to the circumstances.

Character Sheet

[center]

[img] Pics here [/img]

[h3][b][color=xxxxxx] Cape Name [/color][/b][/h3]

[url=xxx] theme song name [/url]

[/center]

---

[color=xxxxx][/b]Name: [/b][/color]

[color=xxxxx][/b]Cape Codename: [/b][/color]

[color=xxxxx][/b]Age: [/b][/color] 13-16

[color=xxxxx][/b]Appearance: [/b][/color] Either some more pics here, or a look at their cape costume. Or a description of you prefer.

[color=xxxxx][/b]Personality: [/b][/color] Do this however you want, be brief or give me a full psychoanalysis, as long as you give me a vibe of how they act.

[color=xxxxx][/b]Power Classification: [/b][/color] If you’re not sure, ask and someone can help.

[color=xxxxx][/b]Power Description: [/b][/color] What your character’s powers actually are. Be sure to include limitations and drawbacks, powers aren’t always clean and “convenient.” If your character is a breaker, does their breaker form have some side effects?

[color=xxxxx][/b]Strengths: [/b][/color] At least two things your character is particularly good at

[color=xxxxx][/b]Weaknesses: [/b][/color] At least two things your character sucks at.

[color=xxxxx][/b]History: [/b][/color] The big events that shaped who your character is up to this point. Be sure to write about how they got their powers. If you aren’t sure how to do that, don’t be afraid to ask.

---

---

---

With a population of 80,000, Bridgewater is the largest city in Maine. You can cross the border to Canada and reach Montreal in just 90 minutes by car or take a boat further up east. Bridgewater received its name for this reason, being a port city for ships going up to Canada. The city has a primarily defunct shipyard where cargo vessels used to come in bi-yearly, but they’ve stopped coming in after Confessor’s rampage. The city was hit pretty hard when the Confessor attempted to take over, and this shows in the less populated districts, now left to crumble to dust. These are typically the areas most likely to see villain activity.

---

---

PRT HQ: The main base of operations for the Parahuman Response Team. An ugly, utilitarian building with dozens of floors ran with the vigilance of a federal prison. Numerous sublevels of the PRT building are dedicated solely to holding nefarious parahumans for detainment and questioning.

Protectorate HQ: Partially inspired by the canon Protectorate base of Brockton Bay, the BPHQ is a large, heavily fortified complex with multiple buildings, surrounded by a specialized forcefield system and armed with tinker-made weapons. This is where the city’s heroes plan their day-to-day activities. Everything from public relations patrols and more is plotted here. This is also where the Wards will be when they aren’t off the clock, or on a mission.

The current lineup of heroes protecting the city are as follows:

Grandmaster: With a superhuman mastery of all melee weapons and a knack for strategy, Grandmaster leads the Bridgewater Protectorate by example.
Axiom: Axiom uses her custom exosuit to effortlessly warp the laws of physics. The universe yields to her intellect.
Nightstalker: One of the few Case 53s, and never letting his background get him down, Nightstalker prowls the darkest corners of Bridgewater. Under the cover of shadows, no villain is safe when he finds their trail.
Hellstar: This fiery striker leaves nothing but dust in his wake with a single punch. Anyone left standing is sure to be blown away by the force of solid matter going supernova when he throws a punch.
Gatecrasher: The villains won’t know where to look. Gatecrasher tears open doorways into an alternate reality where no one else can survive. She enters a partial breaker state to teleport across the battlefield and compromise even the most secure locations in a flash.
Revenant: ̷̰̗͉̈́͘͝ͅè̶̷̸̟̱͛͌̕ë̵̸̡́̈́͌F̸̘̟̐]̺̇͒ơ̶̸̷̵̸̷̸̴͇͎̰̤̳̥̤̫͓̯̭̳͉̬͙͒͋̇̾̎̀̑̽͂̕͝[̴̖f̸̧̳͖̲͎͆[̨̬͛e[̪̩̣̗͔̘͒̓e̷͇͇̚e͎̠̗̘̍̔ḑ̵̰̳̼̊̐̅̅̚͝[̵̧̬̪̔̒́ͅe͕̋͂͂̍̚h̵̵̢̩̭̝͚͖̹̱̦̋͛̓̃̀́̈̎̏̚͠t̴͙̪͍͒̂͐ő̘̉͠y̫ ̵̷̷̡̨̧͚͕̥̳̻̦̺̘̫̙̞̇͒͌̿͆̉͐͛͌͋̒͐̋n̵ ͈]̷̭͒r̵̢̼̮̫̹̠̖̭̅͗͊̀̋̒̒̀̕͠ͅi̷̸͊̈͗́̇̆͠[͓̗̺̀ [̷̵̨̨̹̬̦̬̳̫̔͂͗͒̽̔͋̚s̷̠̰̮͋̾̅]̡̘͈̯̭̳̈͑̉̿̐̍͝]̴̢̨̮̀̅̚͝į̵̸̸̲̞̠͓͚̰̞̞͇͙̝̰̙͈͔͋̉̑̉͛̑͌̋͌̐̀̓̔̚̚͝ ̸̧̢̣̞̺͋̐̓̓͑̈́̾͜]͖̆ȧ̧̯͉̈́̏[̵̨̖̹̣͐͝[͚ ̷̴͓̘̰͔̇̿́̈́me͕͍̮̳͒̕o̴̖͓̖̪̭͈̤͉̼͇͍͌̈̀͑̑̕]̱̮̭̀̚.̵̉̈ ̈́n̵̷̷̶̷̵̷̨̛͚̼̹̹̝̟̞̥̟͎̰̞̐̑̈́͂̌͆̎̈́̆̈̂̄̏͋̚͜͜͝P̵̶̡̬̗̝͚̤̭͇̻͚̺͙̽̇̄̔͊͊͋͒͆̂͜͠ą̷͕̬̩̦̪̖̫͒͌͘̚]̴̜̃̎m̷̡̛̻̦̩̲͈̲̝͙͇̦̦̃̈́͋̇̔̓̌͊̿̐̕͝͝͠]̸͆ ͍̲̤ ̶̰̠̌́͠]̤i̴͚͔̝̭̿̄͆̽͛̄̓̚͘͠r̴̴̛͓̝̘̹̪̲̜̀͜n[͔̰̥̖͍̞͔̙̋̐̅̎͂̑̈́́͘͜͝ḇ̍]̴͍̲̘͇̣̜̉[͑[ ̧̨͉̺͖̲̭̓̀́́́͜͝l͎͚̺̈̾͐o̮͎͕̩̻̼̮s̻̩̦̮͓͛̽.̷̷̺͍̙̪̩̤̰͔͖̓͂̈́[[̸͈̩̩̝͕̉̈̒͒͝ ̶̸̨̧̛̛̦͓͍̰̝̯̦̤̹̮̬̰͕̖̺̤͈̗͖̹̔͊̊̀͋̓̂̊̍̅̇͆̾͆̐̊͝ḯ̸̻̤̩͉̻͖̥̝̊̆̅̋̆͑͋]̵̵̢͈̯̻̣̗̦̪͍͈̤̞̞͈̼̞̹͕͖̞̬̌̃̿͒̄͋̍̐̏̋̂͊͒͊̍͛͝r̗f̖̠̼͈̹̂̕l̵͒͂͜v̵̶̷̫̱̣̇͂͑͛̌̓̄̕[̸̷̟̘͐͊͊]̟͖̬̗͕̲̆̔̇̈́̔́͠r̷̡̦̪̦̓͗͆ͅt̚]̶̷̴̡̡̞̼̝̥͂̊̉͆͋͝ͅŏ̴̬͑͠ò̢̨̆éf̩̖̫͎̰̈́̉͆͒͝[]̴̸̷̴̴̸̷̨̤̜͈͓̯̬̙͇͕͛̄̅͋̊͠͠m̨̲̭̣͔̹̟̑̏̈́͝]̓̏̓n̶̫̈̀ą̷̟͎̠̘͎̥̜̰̰͙̙͋̇̉̍͆́̇̏͘̕͝͝

Eastwood Park: It’s a half-mile-long park full of things to do. Have a picnic, ride bikes - and hope a villain doesn’t come out of the treeline and start setting things on fire, or just lay in the grass—your choice.

Bridgewater Harbor: Formerly just an industrial sector of the city, the harbor was renovated in the last few months to allow smaller ships and boats to come through. It was a mostly wasted project that made the city look nicer since most people don’t go out on the water in a city where the warmest day is 50 degrees.

Heroes Memorial: A monument of metal and stone in the heart of downtown, dedicated to the lives lost in the Confessor disaster. Dozens were killed in the attack, including a staggering 18 heroes: five Wards and thirteen Protectorate heroes across three cities.

---

---

---

• 1) Be considerate of other players, above all else. No one is the main character. We will not be entertaining the idea of our characters dying, but our actions may have consequences if we aren't careful. If an issue comes up, I'll help solve it so we can prevent it in the future.
  .
• 2) We will be using Discord as our primary method of communication for this RP, as most people do these days. Discord is excellent for contacting people for reminders, asking for extra time to post, or coordinating with one or multiple people for a collab post. I'll post a permanent link at the top of this thread if you don't see it when you're reading this.
  .
• 3) When posting your character for approval, post them to the OOC first. If you post an in-progress sheet, do me a favor and state that in your post when you drop it. I'll be shooting for a maximum of 9 characters. Anything more, and it'll get hectic. You will be allowed to write multiple characters. But as a rule, I'm limiting people to a single Ward, with any additional characters being NPCs, members of the Protectorate or PRT, or possibly something else. Our primary focus is rebuilding Bridgewater's Ward team, so these characters won't typically be the center of attention.
  .
• 4) Going back to rule one, there are certain things we'll avoid for this RP. This alternate universe is based on a world where people get superpowers from awful things happening to them. But for obvious reasons, some things are best left out. When in doubt, use your best judgment and fade to black.
  .
• 5) I'm gently pushing for a post a week, but I know we live in the real world. Things happen: people get rushed to the hospital, your car stops working, and no one's manager is paying them to roleplay. Therefore, this rule will be very flexible. If it turns out that we don't have any issues or get into a rhythm where we post slowly but consistently, I'll probably redact this rule entirely. All I ask is you at least keep me informed so I can accommodate your absence in character as needed.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

---

Interactions: Way Too Many Fucking People

Flowers and Canvases

---

Well, everyone seemed mostly fine with Kali staying. Unsurprisingly, Tayla left. Good for her, she didn't seem like she could handle this. The damn gun was an escalation that didn't need to happen. This other coven that the others seemed worried about was a surprise to Jack. "What unkillable horror from beyond this world are they trying to kill?" That was, obviously, a joke about them stepping on the Sycamore's toes, but he hoped it wasn't really why 8th Street existed. "If they'll test us, then we should just deal with them as they come. If we need, we can bait them into fighting this Greenwood coven to keep them both distracted." One old coven banding together to solve a murder mystery shouldn't intrigue what sounded like magic political wars.

He would've added more onto that, but the doors swung open. And Britney was there.

Jack and Britney were on... Odd terms after her secrets were revealed. Luca did not deserve what she did to him, but the others didn't seem to care that much up until the moment she showed up. Despite that, he had so many fond memories of that girl guiding him down the path he took.

"You're... Alive. I didn't think you would be." It's hypocritical coming from Jack fucking Hawthorne, but maybe that's the joke.

And of course, all hell broke loose as Luca lost his shit on the floor, and the tensions in the whole room flared. One thing stuck out in particular, to Jack, though. That would be dear old Greyson's magic. For a brief moment, there was resistance, and then the door fell through, as Jack willingly let him stumble into Jack's emotional field long enough clumsily feel confidence, stillness and a sense of superiority. One that was target at Greyson specifically. Jack's consciousness was like an old monument; Standing in spite of countless weathering that mere human beings were incompatible with, riddled with damage from exposure. By travelling in the Void as he had, Jack was... Different now. He had seen things that most would go mad from, and embraced them. Edict was a fly on the wall to him.

"I agree with Sloane. Do you want that time with the cactus to be the second worst thing to happen to you, Greyson?"

---

Interactions: The Group

Flowers and Canvases

---

Stormy tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat of the radio. He always thought this day wasn't meant to come, that the coven was just a memory from a time with a dire situation. And yet, here he was a decade later, rolling down the streets of his old stomping grounds. St. Portwell held many mixed feelings for him. His father died in obscurity, but so did several of his friends. Who the hell could do that from so far across the world, at the same time as somewhere in another country? Another hemisphere entirely? How did you track someone like that? Stormy rolled up to a parking lot on the other end of town, and took the long way to Auri's place. It was getting late, and he really should've arrived sooner. He would have, but it took forever to set up his course for the online format. He answered six different emails while leaning against the driver door, and then took in a deep breath. This shouldn't have been making him feel jittery. Stormy had nothing to fear, he never had anything to fear.

Walking down the streets, Stormy kept a low profile as he flicked his eyes from one lane of buildings to another, looking for familiar faces. Anyone who might stand out, who might've been lagging behind. Stormy wondered, just how many of them were still alive right now? How did Father Wolf know which of them were from here or not? What if-

There.

In the corner of his eye, he saw it. Flowers and Canvases. A car or two were pulled up already, maybe there weren't that many people inside? There could be two people on the other side of that door, or 10. He wouldn't know until he opened it. And Stormy wished he hadn't opened it. Stormy walked in, quietly, with his head held up. Body language told everyone who looked at him, that he was confident in showing up. Looking around, he saw a lot of them. A lot of his old friends.

"I tried to get here sooner. It's great to see all of you, how much did-"

Britney.

His eyes fell on the woman who most of the coven cast out. The one none of them trusted, the one he wanted to snap in half for ruining lives.

And so, like any normal person would do, he got mad.

"YOU!"

A pair of glowing green shields manifested across Stormy's forearms, both laced with chain-like patterns of red energy to match her lux. This was the same spell that he used to hold back monsters summoned by the Stygian Snake years ago. If he started throwing these at a person right now... "What are you doing here?!" His voice went from that of a gentle giant, to a war horn that spoke English. Forget Kali, forget Judas. This was what he was fixating on now, in front of everyone.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Left. Ahead, fifteen paces.

Shirik stalked up the river, following the directions in their mind. Velhass climbed higher into the tree far on the other side. Hood down low, Shirik’s flames were all but nonexistent from the beast’s perspective. Especially since it did not know it was being hunted.

She is drinking, eyes to the sun. It was setting over the mountain, Shirik was behind the beast. It stood on six narrow legs, had coare fur that flared in hues of red and green, to ward off some animals. Two eyes like kaleidoscopes darted into a clearing and down to its feet while it lapped up water from the river.

Velhass recalled Shirik referring to the strange animal as a rakthir. They were solitary things, prone to running from conflict. Shirik also said that the more important thing about them was that they had more meat than most creatures in the area. More to be harvested with less killing. They taught him that this was how they respected the world and what it provided for them, and Velhass scouted this specific beast out with that in mind.

It will leave soon. You should-

Quiet.

It was strange, hearing Shirik’s voice in his mind. Even the fact that Velhass could hear it spoke volumes of how capable he was becoming, but Shirik’s voice felt like hot coals against his mind. It crackled, and it left smoke to linger with his thoughts.

Shirik gently raised their spear above their head, using their opposite hand to aim the tip directly at the heart of the rakthir. They wanted the beast to die as quickly as possible, lest it suffer in its last moments. Silence stretched out of the dim, dusky forest as the rakthir raised its head to the setting sun. Just as it turned to walk off into the trees, a thousand ancestors threw a spear into its heart, their wisdom and experience all working through one ever-burning descendent.

The rakthir fell silently to the ground. Shirik whispered words unheard by their son, who came clambering over stones in the water.

”How… Did you kill it so quickly? It didn’t even twitch.”

”It was not done by me, Velhass. It was done through me. We Iriad remember the deeds of our ancestors. All but the earliest of mine were hunters. The oldest ways of the hunt live through me, as they do in the Myriad.”

Velhass’ awe was written on his face. ”One day, I want to hunt like you.”

If Shirik could smile, they would have. ”One day, boy. One day.”

---

A bird with feathers darker than a Tekeri’s streaked across the sky, over trees and hills, through the countryside of the Ascendancy. Its eyes lazily scanned from side to side, from the pink hue of the sun to the rising greater moon. In this form, Tural was best equipped to patrol the widest area of his team. Every squad of Inquisitors had an expert for all forms of magic, even Stone, albeit not of the Sovereign variety. But every life mage Inquisitors was therefore naturally the best at recon, able to take forms that rogue thought mages wouldn’t expect.

This was the last known location of the child they chased. He ran like a fool from them, unaware he would’ve been spared if he simply surrendered. Salaketh had Tural patrolling this area constantly as of late. It had been almost a year now, and they were still looking for him. No other inquisitor in the Ascendancy, Sovereignty or Mythadia had even caught a glimpse of the boy, so he couldn’t have been moving much.

He needed to stop and rest from flying so long, so he perched himself in a tree and reverted back to his natural state. Still staring out at the forest, the idea that he could be here, of all places seemed all but-

There.

Down in the biggest forest in the area, something pricked against Tural’s senses. Thought magic was being used somewhere. It was too wide to pinpoint where, but he had a trail now. Somewhere, down below, there was a thought mage. And so, Tural turned his mind inwards, ringing a metaphorical bell.

I’ve found something…

Intrigue. Approval. Concern. Ideas were conveyed back to him like heat from a fire. Tural became a bird once again, circled back into a valley, shifting back into his Tekeri form upon landing, putting his mask on before anything else, and then his armor. There behind him was a Glen, two S’tor, and Driisu, all dressed in their Inquisitor armor. Not a word was said, but a conversation was held.

---

---

”Bridges do not collapse on their lonesome. It may be different on Earth, but our bridges stand for centuries. This… This was sabotage,” Shirik had likely crossed this exact bridge hundreds of times over the millennia. There were things older than them that were just as unbreakable, and someone broke this.

”Listen to the world. This place we are in, it is home to predators that would swallow a Glen whole. A warband is only rations for the cold to them. We are not alone. Silbermine, your scouts would be wise to spread thin,” they warned, just before Ixtaro started jumping across the ruined remains of the bridge. They laughed their usual horrific, demented laugh.

”She is right to press on. There is foul play here.”

But they began weaving a circle of flame into the air, first. Wisps of glowing heat became strange symbols in the air, forming something not unlike what Shirik used to communicate with the humans on the day of their arrival. It oriented itself perpendicular to the ground, and slowly spun in place. ”I am going with her. If you are ambushed, remain near this. I will use it to incinerate your assailants from afar,” Shirik instructed, before trudging forth and leaping off of the cliff.

And they floated up, rather than fell. Thick waves of distorted air shimmered underneath Shirik’s feet, allowing them to loosely remain at a steady elevation and push forward at a pace somewhat quicker than Ixtaro’s. They caught up with her a few seconds after taking off.

”I have seen the faces of gods, and left them weeping in their graves, and I fear your bravery!” They joked, clearly amused by Ixtaro, as the two scouted ahead.

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

Leah Jordan

---

Location: Training Room B
Gear: A hot ass dress
Skills: The insurmountable will to not lose her cool under any circumstances
Oh god oh fuck

---

---

Oh, good lord. They were both asking her to make a decision. April and Sabine, the ones who had actually planned on coming, were both asking Leah what she wanted to do. This was really her on the spot, like a deer in the headlights. It felt like a shitty thing to just say, “no, I don’t want to do anything” when this was supposed to be a fun night. Why even come if she was just going to sulk in the corner? Someone would eventually come over and talk to her, probably hit on her and she’d throw them through a window. She didn’t want to dance, she didn’t want to mingle… Honestly, she wanted to hide in her dorm and pretend tonight didn’t happen. But if she did, then Sabine and April would be upset.

”Screaming? Nah. We can do whatever you guys wanna do. You’re the dance-goer-people. A haunted house sounds fine to me. I’ll punch Nimue back into the… Whateverworld place she’s from if it’s really that bad in there.” She was trying to enjoy this, and honestly? Her girls made it a lot better. At least she didn’t have to dance, imagine trying to dance with two people at once. She knitted her fingers between both of their hands. ”So… Scary shit, and then we do something you two want?” She asked.