over easy — Roleplayer Guild

Dear Recipient,

Thank you for your interest in the New York City division of Atypicals Anonymous (henceforth known as AA). We are excited to have you, and we are pleased that you would like to learn more about us. Whether you heard about us through an existing member, or were contacted by our meeting leader, we welcome you into our community! We meet from 7-9pm every Thursdays, and our usual meeting spot is Central Park Community Hall.  We are a small but welcoming group who stands by our mission to provide a supportive environment for those possessing unique skills and abilities, otherwise known as Atypicals. Our motto is "Benign Anarchy" and our three pillars are "Unity, Stability and Responsibility." While we realize that the abilities that Atypicals possess can lead to confusion and distress, we don't believe in suppressing them, but rather gaining mastery over them, as well as finding the best outlets for their use.  Additionally, our central and guiding philosophy is that all Atypicals have the ability to live normal, and productive lives, and can use their powers to contribute to society. Thus, we strive to ensure that all Atypicals who choose to join us are interested in upholding our ideals, and strive to use their powers conscientiously. 

Additionally, this is an important reminder that participation in this meeting should be discreet. Unfortunately, we have found that widespread knowledge of Atypical existence was putting our members in harms way, and that integration and assimilation are necessary in order to keep all of our members safe. Our acronym's alignment with the popular Alcoholics Anonymous organization was strategic, and we have found that it lends us appropriate cover despite the stigma associated with addiction recovery. Thus, if it is necessary to refer to our group in an outside setting, please simply refer to it using the acronym or by using our cover organization.

Lastly, since you are a brand new member, we unfortunately find it necessary to issue a couple of warnings that have become relevant recently. If you feel like you are being followed, please do not panic, but instead contact the meeting leader immediately via the number provided to you at the bottom of this letter. Additionally, please do not respond to any phone calls, flyers, emails or other types of communication sent to you from Obsidian Inc. Please forward any correspondence from this group to the meeting leader.

We are a group by and for Atypicals, and we hope that you will join us at our next meeting! Meetings are a casual way for you to engage with other local Atypicals, and gain the tools needed to reach your vast potential.

Sincerely,
Dr. Erina Slate
AA Meeting Leader, NYC 
555-098-3458 ext. 1327

P.S. Please dispose of this letter responsibly. Recommended methods include burning, dissolving in acid, or tearing into small pieces and consuming.

Background

Atypicals Anonymous was started by Dr. Erina Slate, a researcher of abnormal psychology, and an Atypical herself. It was started only one year ago, but Dr. Slate's ability to detect the powers of others, word of mouth from other members, and strategically worded online advertisements, have made it easier for Atypicals to learn about her group. While the group is still small, Atypicals have traveled from all over the US and the world to take part in the first group of its kind. It has been a relief to many to know that they're not alone.

Atypicals are extremely rare, only 1 in a million according to Dr. Slate's research (estimating current population at 7.7 billion, there are only 7,700 Atypicals in the entire world.) She believes herself to be the only Atypical focused researcher, and is quietly pioneering different methods to help Atypicals control and channel their powers in a responsible way. She chose NYC as a central hub, given the unusually high number of Atypicals already located there, and the ability for strange behaviors and people to blend in more easily. 

She seeks to only be a resource, and to help Atypicals outwardly blend in with society, while staying true to their abilities and reaching their full potential. Otherwise, she encourages them to live their life as they see fit. However, it's hard to keep Atypical-ness a secret, especially in this very digital world, and there are organizations who may seek to use Atypicals to accomplish certain more nefarious goals. These organizations are rarely as "hands-off" as the AA meeting format, and it is suspected that a certain organization is making local Atypicals disappear. Additionally, not all Atypicals believe that integration, assimilation and harmony is a fulfilling life philosophy. Atypicals aren't like regular humans, so why should they have to abide by laws that seemingly don't apply to them?

Dr. Erina Slate:
Female | 30s | Research Scientist | Atypical

Dr. Erina Slate is a young research scientist in the field of abnormal psychology, an Atypical who can sense the powers of other Atypicals, and the founder of AA. She has a very friendly, welcoming demeanor, appears to prefer dressing down for AA meetings, and gives off the vibe of a laid back grad student despite being a research professor at a small liberal arts college. She is rather tall, has short cropped black hair, olive skin and dark brown eyes that seem to peer directly into your soul. However, despite being a very competent listener, she doesn't talk about herself much, and doesn't tend to spend time with members outside of AA functions and recruiting. In fact, any attempt to talk to her more about her family, her hobbies outside of research, and her past tend to be met with a subtle but firm change of topic. Many things, including her age, the exact nature of her atypical ability, and her deeper motivations for starting AA are a mystery. However, she'll gladly share everything about her research into Atypicals, and is happy to serve as a counselor to the members of AA.

Obsidian Inc:
A shadowy organization with a seemingly obsessive interest in Atypicals.

It is extremely unclear what the nature of Obsidian Inc. is, however they have recently established a bit of a presence in Atypical life. Some Atypicals have received a barrage of correspondence from this mysterious organization - coming in the form of emails, letters, phone calls, and even cold approaches on the street by well-dressed men in mirrored sunglasses. Obsidian Inc. offers employment, lucrative compensation and the ability to be a part of "a game-changing and innovative company in a rapidly expanding new field." However, despite the seeming prestige and buzzwords that Obsidian offers, there lies a couple of concerning questions: How are they finding Atypicals, why are they targeting them, and what exactly does Obsidian do? And then, there's the rumors of stalking, harassment and even kidnapping that are being whispered within New York's Atypical community. But then again, how can a down and out Atypical resist an offer that comes with a $25,000 sign on bonus and a great health care plan?

Atlas Biotech
A biotechnology company in Silicon Valley, near the San Francisco Bay area. Specializes in cutting-edge prosthetic technology.

Atlas Biotech was founded 5 years ago by the enigmatic (and reclusive) billionaire Fulton Atlas, who built his fortune from renting his patents out to bigger companies. It is a relatively small company for the industry, with just under 200 employees; a large portion of work are security belonging to another company owned by Atlas. The rest of the employees are composed of material scientists, programmers, robotics experts, and assorted medical staff. The company's main product line are custom-fit prosthesis for retired military personnel and injured athletes, built to accurately replicate the function of their lost and damaged limbs; but rumors circulate that the company is on the verge of a major breakthrough in the field of cybernetics.

Your Character

It's up to you how your Atypical character fits into this world! Are they a native New Yorker, or did they find out about AA from somewhere else around the world? Were they invited by a fellow Atypical, did they stumble upon an interesting advertisement, or did they encounter Dr. Erina Slate in one way or another? Lastly, and I think most importantly, what are they looking for in AA? Are they having trouble controlling their powers, are they seeking others like themselves, or are they trying to find out what their purpose in life is? Being an Atypical is difficult, confusing and sometimes dangerous, and it can be hard to cope with a special ability on top of typical challenges of navigating through life. Coming to an AA meeting means they are seeking group therapy for one reason or another, and at least somewhat believe in the mission of AA. Or maybe they just came for the free post-meeting danishes, who am I to judge? 

I'm really looking to flesh out this RP with not only people of diverse powers, but with unique backgrounds and personalities who are not only struggling with their special abilities, but also trying to find their way in the world. Feel free to be creative and take risks, but keep in mind that the tone of this is more "slice of life" rather than "dark and gritty." I envision the RP as focusing just as much on relationships and character development as it is on exploring a world with super-powered individuals.

Important Note: This template is meant to be filled out in character! If some of these questions would make your character feel uncomfortable, if your character prefers to write entirely in limerick form...etc. feel free to reflect that in your responses. Also, I know people like to include pics of their characters, so while the form doesn't prompt you to include a pic, feel free to do so!

AA New Member Form

Please fill out this form and bring to your first meeting.

Personal Information

Name (please include any nicknames):
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
Neighborhood or Borough in Which You Reside:

Questionnaire
Note: These questions are for research purposes only. Please respond honestly, completely and without omissions.

Describe the nature of your Atypical abilities.

Briefly describe the series of events that led to who, what and where you are today.

How would you describe your appearance to someone who is blind?

How would you describe your personality? Likes and Dislikes?

What is your current state of mind?

If your current place of residence was destroyed under mysterious circumstances, which of your belongings would you attempt to recover from the rubble?

What is making you happy right now?

How did you hear about AA, and what made you want to attend?,

What is your greatest fear?

If you could give up your atypical abilities, would you?

Please suggest any refreshments you'd like to see at the next AA meeting.

World-building, Plot Development and Communication Strategy!

I've chosen NYC as the setting for this story as it works as both an interesting place for Atypicals to live, and a real world place that I think most participants are at least loosely familiar with. However, it's up to you to determine what the feel of the city is - which I think has a lot to do with who your character is. Don't stress too much about the nitty gritty, and it's fine if you're not familiar with land marks, neighborhoods...etc. 

While I expect some posts will take place in the Central Park Community Hall given that this is where AA meetings take place, there's obviously a lot of action to be had outside of this space. I'd love to learn more about where your character lives, their favorite places to go in the city, their workplace...etc.

While plot points should definitely be discussed prior to putting them into effect in the story, there's really no exact arc that I am insistent upon. I have included a couple of possibles areas of exploration, such as Obsidian Inc., the truth behind Dr. Slate and the tumultuous natures of the characters themselves. However, I see this story as going in all sorts of directions, so I'm open to any new ideas that anyone else has. Also, any writer is free to use an NPC as they see fit, and are welcome to contribute to the list of NPCs/NPOrganizations. Some of the main themes I see as being applicable to this story are coming-of-age/self-discovery, camaraderie, conflict between good and evil, and individual vs. society. However, these are just springboards to get you all thinking. 

I think for the first couple of introductory posts, I will give you all a loose theme/prompt in order to coordinate the meeting of all the characters, to establish how AA meetings are run, and to help introduce your character. However, after the first rounds of posts, the contents of posts can be more open ended.

Thanks for being a part of what I hope will be a fun and fascinating foray in the superhero genre! I am very open to talking about new ideas, plot and NPCs with the writers who will be involved and I hope you are all as excited as I am to bring this concept to life. I am happy to coordinate descriptions of setting, character interactions and plot developments with everyone, and I hope that you are all open to working with one another collaboratively. This means giving each other a heads up about plot developments that include each other's characters and allowing everyone to have an equal say in where the story is going. The best place to do this is Discord. discord.gg/y6prGB <--- Please follow this link to join the server for this RP!

Some general expectations in terms of mature themes, violence...etc: I think it's difficult to write within this genre without including violence, drugs, mental illness and other serious and potentially triggering topics. I'm not averse to them personally, but just be aware that these subjects can be disturbing to your fellow writers. If you feel it's important to the development of your character to describe these situations, just shoot a message in the Discord in order to make others aware of the content of your post. In terms of mature themes, and by that I mean sex, keep it PG-13 please! 

Some expectations I have as GM: Please post at least once a week! I know there are holidays and the like coming up, as well as school and work commitments, but I think this is fair. Please contact me if you have special circumstances!

Welcome to Atypicals Anonymous - not your average A.A. meeting! This is a support group for those with interesting abilities that some might dub "superpowers." Some Atypicals have been around for awhile, and others are just discovering their powers and are seeking ways to understand and control them. The friendly, but enigmatic, leader of the New York City group has noticed you and encouraged you to show up to the weekly meetings in the hopes that you can find acceptance, inspiration and strength through engaging with others like yourself. It's a group of people from all walks of life - maybe an electrician who can create sparks with her fingertips, an up and coming local politician who is wrestling with the morality of his mind-control powers, or a lonely introvert who can stop time, and spends days wandering within a single moment. As the group continues to meet, and gains rapport with one another, it becomes clear that there are complex forces at work that may affect any attempts at leading a (relatively) normal life. There are Atypicals whose powers can cause grave harm and damage to the world around them, and who don't care about reining in their strength. There's a shady government organization that keeps trying to recruit you for an unknown, but "highly lucrative," opportunity and who might make you disappear if you say no. And finally, there's the leader of the A.A. meeting, who seems well intentioned, but is harboring quite a lot of secrets. 

I'd love to write a more casual take on the superhero genre, putting ourselves in the shoes of people with genetically based powers who have to navigate the twists and turns of life with the added challenge of a superpower. This is inspired by 'The Bright Sessions' and of course the X Men universe. This is definitely trying to be a more realistic and science-y take on the genre as well. I'd definitely like to establish some 'Universe Rules' so that time traveling and dimension hopping doesn't get too complicated if it comes up...etc. Let me know what ideas you all may have, and if you're interested in fleshing out this idea with me! 

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