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SETTING ENGAGEMENT
SETTING ENGAGEMENT
BLANKET PERMISSIONS
Players do not have to ask permission to thwart or cause villainy. Our assumption is that as this is a superhero game in a world where superpowered people have existed for decades, daily life is going to involve supervillains and general mayhem.
Examples of things that do not require permission or engagement requests.
You are welcome to have your characters interact with the game's NPCS at any time.
Players do not have to ask permission to thwart or cause villainy. Our assumption is that as this is a superhero game in a world where superpowered people have existed for decades, daily life is going to involve supervillains and general mayhem.
Examples of things that do not require permission or engagement requests.
You develop an NPC villain for a log! This villain doesn't cause any major damage or many casualties. Maybe they have a de-aging ray, they give people temporary amnesia, turn people temporarily into animals, etc. You are welcome to use these for temporary effects.
Your character steals anything up to 5000 dollars. You can assume that they got away with this, or if they were caught, the guild paid law enforcement to look the other way.
Your character uses their powers to heal or change another character or player created NPC. This is a superhero game after all. We expect you to be using your powers and testing them.
Your character invents a tiny teleporter that jumps between their house and their friends house. This technology exists and is normalized in this world. We encourage players to create their own systems like this.
You are welcome to have your characters interact with the game's NPCS at any time.
SETTING ENGAGEMENT
The Metaheroes setting is designed to be interacted with. Our approach to this is best compared to a tabletop roleplay system. Your character will take an action and the mod team will provide you with the outcome of that action.
You do not need to pre-plan these actions. You're free to approach us as they evolve in threads to ask the consequences of your characters actions. Some of these consequences will be immediate, and others will appear down the line. Some may be expanded into full blown player plots.
Please note that these engagements are developed as ongoing storylines. We gently discourage players to rush to a conclusion as they're designed to be evolving based on character actions. We'd like to know how your characters are reacting, what actions they're taking, etc. We encourage reporting back to us with any developments or changes your characters are making to their approach, we will adjust the plot and add new elements accordingly.
To better keep track of these engagements, please reply to the corresponding monthly top level. You can continue to reply to that comment thread if your plot extends out from the month it begins in. Or you can begin a new one and link to the previous one if it helps you better track your character's specific movements through the months.
The Metaheroes setting is designed to be interacted with. Our approach to this is best compared to a tabletop roleplay system. Your character will take an action and the mod team will provide you with the outcome of that action.
You do not need to pre-plan these actions. You're free to approach us as they evolve in threads to ask the consequences of your characters actions. Some of these consequences will be immediate, and others will appear down the line. Some may be expanded into full blown player plots.
Your character kills someone. If they're a hero, are they reporting themselves to the authorities? The mod team needs to know how your character is handling the body.
Your character tries to use their powers to heal, harm, manipulate a Mod NPC.
You want your character to dismantle a major crime syndicate.
You want your character to develop a following / a cult / etc.
You want your character to steal everyone's left shoe.
You want your character to enter a pact with a God and become their champion.
You want your character to gain power and influence.
You want your character to learn the magic native to the setting.
A character or group of characters stage(s) participate in a conflict that destroys a city block. There may be fallout, fines, and a loss of public favor for this.
You want your character to open up a business.
A character or group of characters engage with a mod-run NPC character, guild, or business. The NPCs will react accordingly and their opinion of your character will change.
A character uses a baby ray on important political figures to take over the tri-state area. You need to inform the mods to find out whether or not you're successful or if you're thwarted by Perry the Platypus.
Please note that these engagements are developed as ongoing storylines. We gently discourage players to rush to a conclusion as they're designed to be evolving based on character actions. We'd like to know how your characters are reacting, what actions they're taking, etc. We encourage reporting back to us with any developments or changes your characters are making to their approach, we will adjust the plot and add new elements accordingly.
To better keep track of these engagements, please reply to the corresponding monthly top level. You can continue to reply to that comment thread if your plot extends out from the month it begins in. Or you can begin a new one and link to the previous one if it helps you better track your character's specific movements through the months.
EVENT FOLLOW UP & SETTING INVESTIGATION
There are a number of mysteries for players to solve. Most events have an investigative element that requires player collaboration to uncover.
An example of some mysteries currently unsolved are:
To ensure that this is visible to all players and isn't lost in the shuffle, there is a dedicated toplevel to investigations HERE. Please reply to this comment.
There are a number of mysteries for players to solve. Most events have an investigative element that requires player collaboration to uncover.
An example of some mysteries currently unsolved are:
What really happened to Starstruck?
Who was the person who hacked the Expo exhibits?
What caused the first confluence?
Who and what brought you all here?
What exactly are the flowers in Sunset Falls? Are they here to stay?
To ensure that this is visible to all players and isn't lost in the shuffle, there is a dedicated toplevel to investigations HERE. Please reply to this comment.
MOD PERMISSION REQUESTS
Actions that will significantly affect or impact the game must be run by the mod team before being introduced into play.
These would be things that alter the shared setting of the game environment in a way that cannot be easily ignored.
For this, we ask players to visit the PLAYER PLOT & Mod Permission page. Below is an example of actions that go beyond consequence reporting or investigation. You can use this page to develop a plot in this direction, but these actions cannot be taken until approval has been given.
These actions are still doable! However, as they may greatly impact the setting and may count as mini events, we ask players submit them on the Player Plot page.
Actions that will significantly affect or impact the game must be run by the mod team before being introduced into play.
These would be things that alter the shared setting of the game environment in a way that cannot be easily ignored.
For this, we ask players to visit the PLAYER PLOT & Mod Permission page. Below is an example of actions that go beyond consequence reporting or investigation. You can use this page to develop a plot in this direction, but these actions cannot be taken until approval has been given.
A character is killed and not revived two hours after their death. Characters will still revive after this happens. However, this must be brought to the mod team.
Your character installs surveillance equipment around town that would allow them to spy on NPCs or player characters. This would require a permissions post and a post on the OOC comm to notify players that it has occurred.
Your character destroys established areas of the setting. Guild HQs, established landmarks, or large parts of the cities.
Your character causes mass casualties.
Your character enters an agreement with a God / Demon for power (outside of an event).
Your character kills an Mod Created NPC.
Your character kills and becomes a God.
Your character breaks Guild Law.
Your character tries to go to the Underworld.
Your character attempts to destabilize the guilds or government.
These actions are still doable! However, as they may greatly impact the setting and may count as mini events, we ask players submit them on the Player Plot page.
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RESERVES | APPLICATION | MOD CONTACT | PLAYER PLOTS
HIATUS & DROP | CANON & POWER UPDATES
MARCH 2023 - Setting Engagement
no subject
Character Alignment: Unaligned
Summary of Actions Taken: Tim suggested Jason take advantage of him and Other Jason having the same face to rob the D'Amicos, but Jason, being Jason Todd, has decided to take it a step further: he wants to rob the D'Amicos of everything they've got and also wreck their main money-hoarding base. He is not going in his hood to avoid identity confusion; other Jason can keep Red Hood. Kyle Rayner and Tony Stark are coming along to keep him from actually getting murdered and also to watch him get punched. A lot.
Tony has also volunteered to destroy the building once they're done robbing it, to prevent Jason from pulling out the C4.
OOC Goals & Intended Outcome:
Destroying the D'Amicos favorite home base(which would make them angry), distributing a good chunk of the stolen funds to charities benefiting underprivileged youth. Clearly he's now Robin Hood. There will not be any NPCs killed, although most will likely come out with some bruises, broken bones, and other injuries that are non-fatal.
no subject
However, their approach will not go unnoticed. While they may be able to get into the safe, getting out with it will prove to be significantly more difficult. The D'Amicos have their own supply of drugs which provide their members with metahuman abilities, and once the three of them are caught, they would quickly arm themselves to prevent any loss of merchandise, funds, and, of course, their building. They're not going down without a fight, and certainly not leaving behind their things. Slyvester Crow will hit fast and hard, taking the six best of his crew to head them off before they can leave. These metahuman members of the D'Amicos are tough and not afraid to get hurt. They will be brutal, as if there's no going back, wielding their powers without remorse. These powers range from turning stone to lava, to hallucinations. Feel free to play with the powers of the other four, but keep in mind, they'll be rough to beat!
As soon as the alarm bells are rung, they may catch onto a phone conversation between members: backup is on the way and will arrive in 30 minutes. The D'Amicos aren't just fighting them, they're also stalling.
Destroying the building without getting at least a few of the D'Amicos crushed under the wreckage will prove to be impossible. There are too many of them, and they refuse to give up ground.
The police are quickly notified of all the noise and the Alliance sends out a few of their heroes to investigate and help. The wreckage gets cleaned up quickly, but no word of what was contained in those shipping containers gets out.
The charities who receive the money will distribute it to their programs that are in severe need of renovations. The D'Amicos will be licking their wounds, but they won't be down for the count.
no subject
Character Alignment: Unaligned
Summary of Actions Taken: Loki has a particular interest in the magical items across all the cities but especially Central, here and there he tends to steal them, see what they can do, then put them (or a dupe) back depending on how useful they are. Nothing has been very notable as of yet, handwaved as his usual sticky-fingered hobby, but I'd like for him to steal something that amplifies people's trust in him and accidentally starts a cult of Trickster followers who try to emulate him (stealing, chaos, etc) and start giving "Loki" a bad name. All Lokis, oops. It rides off the setting engagement prompt, You want your character to develop a following / a cult / etc. The item could break down in his hand and cut him, turn into an airborne magical virus of sorts, and infect people nearby, passed on by physical contact.
OOC Goals & Intended Outcome: The Cult of the Trickster starts off as a weird hippy spiritual group who encourage independence of rules and order, an NPC will have approached Loki to bring them up and share their starstruck love of him. Being a big-headed idiot he won't think much of this, but a week later the group has become a cult. Shopfronts are being smashed, cafes robbed, and a few more weeks on the fanatics have armed themselves and taken over the museum where the original artefact was stolen, setting up a basecamp/temple there. Loki will need to ask for help from healers and vigilantes/heroes to take down the web of sick cultists.
no subject
Regardless, as he continues through his week he'll discover more and more onlookers beginning to trail after him, telling him how much they adore him. Possibly a little too much. Within the next several days, he'll notice others around him wearing homemade replicas of his horned helm, long green coats, with their fingernails painted black. Not only are they doing their best to look as close to him as possible, but they're also getting up to their own brands of mischief. Stores are broken into, all kinds of odd baubles stolen off shelves, such as scented candles (usually some sort of overbearing fruit scent), decorative pillows, and other homegoods. It escalates over a period of a few days: first, a few stores. Loki's garbage will be ransacked and his new followers will steal everything from his discarded coffee cups to nail clippings. Then a bank. Loki's favored coffee shop. Finally: the museum. They'll fight off everyone trying to get in who isn't one of them, barricading doorways and having a few of them with their own metahuman abilities guarding any potential entrance.
Through research, Loki may discover two ways to break the curse: soak the stone in salt water and sage for three days. Not just any old sage either, the real deal. Have fun finding fresh, wild sage, Loki. Once the water turns a soft green, add in nasturtium flower heads, and cover them in the water. Remove the flowers, and feed the petals directly to those affected.
Alternatively, smash the stone (while also getting hit with a hefty fine for stealing and breaking it) and knock out everyone affected. Once they come to, they will have no memory of what had transpired but will have an instinctive dislike of Loki.
no subject
no subject
Character Alignment: Alliance
Summary of Actions Taken: Patron Hunt 2023 is ongoing for our new Deputy Mayor, but she has narrowed her search to two choices and is looking for signs of their influence on Meta-Earth.
1. Kannon, bodhisattva of compassion and mercy, she of eleven faces and thousand arms, rider of dragons. In addition to local sources, Mayuko is willing to seek assistance from her home country (via American embassy) for experts or to gather relics or homegrown/homeproduced resources forrrrr a small shrine? Or whatever Kannon needs if her influence needs to be active for at least a year.
2. Athena, goddess of wisdom, warfare and crafts, guardian of the welfare of rulers. Given Eros and Hades are both in Sunset Falls, the Greco-Roman pantheon seems to be active! Same as above, Mayuko would also be up for making a place of devotion for Athena, but would stick with intel within the US.
Mayuko would also be checking with temp-patron Eros if there needs to be anything for his current expense on Mayuko's (and Loki's) behalf. (and if any attributes have been gained or only protection which is cool!!) She did nail a(n imaginary/AUverse) mobster's heart to a tree for White Hearts, does that get her kudos, lol?! Romance-wise, she loves someone very much back home who has fond feelings back-- she hasn't seen him in years (very Odysseus and Penelope vibes). I don't know if that makes her more interesting or less for Eros. But she does want to acknowledge her gratitude that he is keeping her from becoming demon chow.
OOC Goals & Intended Outcome:
*Finding out about the gods in this version of Earth and choosing which to appeal to for protection! Both are protective goddesses, but I imagine their vibes are way different! The information from here would be used to develop the patronage plotline and/or NPC threads.
*Maintaining good ties with patron (even if she is not a lovey-dovey person herself atm)! Information might also build to NPC thread if there's anything meaty to tap into before she switches.
**If an Okami!Amaterasu does apply, Mayuko would be highly motivated to pact with her. Hello, head goddess of the Shinto pantheon! BUT the fates of PCs are fickle so I want to have the NPC options' first step spelled out. And otherwise, Mayuko would think it beyond presumptuous to expect Amaterasu-omikami to grant patronage to Mayuko's insignificant self. UNLESS...!!
no subject
While Mayuko could form a psuedo-pact with Amaterasu, it wouldn't provide the necessary energy she needs to be protected in Sunset Falls. If that is a plot you would like to pursue with Amaterasu though, we wholeheartedly encourage it.
As Sunset Falls sits not just on a Hellmouth, but on several crossing leylines, most deities will respond to any call Mayuko makes. A prayer with a small offering is enough to do it for both of the ones that she mentioned. Answering the call is easy, but as both of the Gods that Mayuko is considering are rather powerful, will ask that she earn their respect and prove her worth.
Kannon would ask that she visit the Japan of this world and make her way to her statue in Sendai, Japan. While she can take a plane to cross the oceans, once she sets foot in her homeland then she must travel on foot to the statue. There, she would ask that Mayuko leave an offering that is symbolic of her hopes for this pact. She can bring with her only her closest companions and the clothes on her back. This trip will take three days on foot, and bad luck will follow her at every turn.
Athena will ask for something a little less philosophical and a lot more... well, combat heavy. Athena would ask that Mayuko prove herself as a warrior with any weapon of her choosing, and that she studies the art of battle. She will give her two weeks, and then will ask to face her in combat herself so she may see her warrior's spirit.
Let us know which she would prefer to do!
And finally, as for her temporary pact with Eros, he seems very invested in Mayuko's love life. To keep his favor for as long as she needs it, well... he's going to need Mayuko to go on some dates. Which he will be watching back home on his Love-O-Vision. He's currently only offering protection, but Mayuko may receive some bonus abilities depending on which of the Goddesses she decides to go with.
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Mayuko is as normal a Starfallen as the day is long, she gets a demon-death curse chucked at her, she doesn't want to get nommed, of course she's going to go big :\
RE: Kannon's pilgrimage, the Internets tell me that walking pilgrims usually average 20-30 kilometers per day/9-12 hours per day (including breaks/midday meals). Mayuko's fit so she can hit 25-35 unless it's a really bad luck day. Given the distance from Narita Airport to the statue is 323-336 km... I mean, that's still about nine days to 2 weeks of "notice me, sempai" time for Kannon, as it would for Athena! But that's a long time to travel with the clothes on her back the only guarantee....
no subject
There are several international airports closer to Sendai, such as the Sendai International Airport. Regardless of the airport Mayuko chooses to land in, it will take her three days to make the journey. This is a quest provided by a god, after all.
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EDIT 4/20/23: Weapons are going to be staves. In addition to anyone at Alliance HQ willing to help train, Sephiroth agreed to give her martial instruction in Sunset Falls. She will also have studied (and stored texts) regarding battle and strategy. She's going at this serious and as prepared as she can be; she'll fight hard but will do her best to be sensible and yield when she's beaten.
sorry Kannon, once Mayuko gets through her term and if I have to hiatus for whatever reason, Mayuko will totally go to Japan and visit some of her temples along the 33-route like a normie pilgrim in thanks for even communicating. :'(
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Athena waits the two weeks provided to approach Mayuko again; she appears in front of her, large bow in hand, and asks Mayuko to prepare for her trial.
During their fight, Athena is not focused on Mayuko's combat ability but her inner strength, her warrior's spirit. Her bow will change shape to match Mayuko's weapon of choice, and she will follow her hit after hit, throwing back what Mayuko throws at her. Athena doesn't stop, and only pushes forward once Mayuko begins to slow down. Her hits get harder, pushing Mayuko further, waiting to see if she will give in and give up or if she will continue fighting until it seems like she's close to pulling in her very last breath.
Let us know how Mayuko would respond!
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Fast forward to CFUD where there's two distinct modes to Mayuko. When she was without powers, she was envious of all the people fighting to protect, wishing she could step in too. She got a mace and daggers her first "birthday" in Camp, and she took them into the Caves of Despair (a dungeon) and levelgrinded the slow way for four years off and on. On the two occasions she HAD powers, whooooo, she tore any monster that crossed her path.
She was careful back then because she had a teen she was looking out for and many friends who would be worried for her if they knew she were putting herself in danger.
They aren't here. And now Mayuko is "responsible" for a city; she's got nothing holding her back.
When it comes to the end of the fight... Mayuko will take it as close to her last breath as possible! Part of strategy is gauging if and when to disengage to fight again another day (thanks, Loki, for that admonition), and it SEEMS like it would be leaning into blind Ares-esque battle fury to fight until she drops.
But she is fighting hard to the last, and she's in no way expecting quarter, give her some lumps to remember this day by!
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Then she will take to one knee and offer her hand, not to help the other woman up but simply to hold.
“State the terms of your pact,” she says in a soft voice, but each word seems to pulse with power and authority. “What do you want to use my power for, aside from surviving the curse of Sunset Falls? To hold a pact with me is not just to live, but to thrive, and I must know that which you desire most out of this world to grant you the wisdom and power to achieve it.”
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"Unwearying Athena... I want what I have always wanted. To protect and guide people. For now, to face the... unique demands leveled against Sunset Falls, to navigate the arcane which I know little about but which... suffuses this territory. To balance Loki's chaos with order. To stay ready to help my people, the other arrivals, as the leagues try to drag them under thrall, and keep my wits from sinking too deep myself."
She takes Athena's hand. "Formally, for the term of office, I seek your protection,
strength and wisdom. How can I best strengthen you in return?"
no subject
Now, with the pact forged, the Goddess vanishes. Mayuko will find an ancient ring in her hand, marked with the symbol of an owl. She’ll find herself having far more lucky days than poor ones, and the Goddess of Wisdom may grant her insight into things if she calls upon her to ask.