charles edward allan brock (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
frenchkissed) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
metalogs2022-07-20 07:50 am
frenchkissed) wrote in metalogs2022-07-20 07:50 am
Can You Do It In The Dark?
Who: Eddie Brock frenchkissed, Peter Parker tinglesense, and you!
What: Meddling kids lead to an entire city of people losing their powers.
When: Jul 20 — Jul 31
Where: Excelsior!
Content Warnings: Potential violence, identity issues
Opt-Out: Don’t be in Excelsior during this event!
RUMOR MILL —
Just as people are beginning to work through this city-wide blackout, the real trouble begins. Not long after this loss of power comes, well, a loss of powers. All the juice in the city has to be used to fuel up something. Instead of a super-mega death ray, or some other magnificent murder device, the machine in question sucks away superpowers.
Metahuman abilities, extraordinary talents, basically, anything that makes a metahuman different from their average human counterpart, is drained away and trapped within. Of all the devices for Spider-Man to stumble into...
AFTERMATH —
frenchkissed, Peter Parker tinglesense, and you!What: Meddling kids lead to an entire city of people losing their powers.
When: Jul 20 — Jul 31
Where: Excelsior!
Content Warnings: Potential violence, identity issues
Opt-Out: Don’t be in Excelsior during this event!
CAN YOU DO IT IN THE DARK?
An investigation headed by Eddie Brock and Peter Parker results in not only a city-wide blackout, but hundreds of metahumans losing their powers!
In the days that follow, those affected by the blast will be forced to contend with what it means to exist without their powers. All the while, bad guys will be looking to take advantage of the situation and move in on vulnerable areas within Excelsior. People who are used to relying on their abilities will need to find new ways to fight back.
In the end, all powers are restored, but not without some hijinks along the way.
In the days that follow, those affected by the blast will be forced to contend with what it means to exist without their powers. All the while, bad guys will be looking to take advantage of the situation and move in on vulnerable areas within Excelsior. People who are used to relying on their abilities will need to find new ways to fight back.
In the end, all powers are restored, but not without some hijinks along the way.
RUMOR MILL —
Everyone loves a good urban legend. There's the story of Bloody Mary, the vanishing hotel room, the one about the tall, slender man who dresses in a tuxedo, that story about the abandoned bunker beneath Excelsior that no one can get into, the one filled with untold riches and gold... Naturally, some stories are more far-fetched than others. Some die off as whispers in the night, while others get entire forums dedicated to them. Leave it to bored teens take it upon themselves to go urban exploring in the dead of night, or hokey paranormal YouTube reporters saying they've found the clue that everyone's been missing.
Maybe you even went poking around yourself, having caught wind of these rumors and wanting to see the land of legends for yourself.
Unfortunately, most hunts lead to dead ends and boring drives home. There's nothing to see, really. The bunker doesn't even exist. It's all just a thrilling goose chase to pass a boring evening.
...
Maybe you even went poking around yourself, having caught wind of these rumors and wanting to see the land of legends for yourself.
Unfortunately, most hunts lead to dead ends and boring drives home. There's nothing to see, really. The bunker doesn't even exist. It's all just a thrilling goose chase to pass a boring evening.
...
But if it did exist, shouldn't something more practical than a mountain of gold lie inside? Eddie Brock seemed to think so.
If nothing else, these rumors sure are a conversation starter.
If nothing else, these rumors sure are a conversation starter.
Stranger Than Fiction
Unsurprisingly, like most rumors, there's a hint of truth to this bunker of gold story. With Spider-Man's technomancy powers and Eddie's investigative prowess, the two are able to find the source of all these rumors. There's no untold riches, but there is a treasure trove of strange, old technology.
However, investigating this space quickly goes awry when Peter's technomancy accidentally brings something to life.
Upon being powered on, a machine rapidly begins draining the power from the city. One by one, skyscrapers flicker out, televisions go dark, refrigerators stop humming. The entire city is steadily plunged into darkness, silence. Like with most power outages, most wait for the lights to flick back to life. Here, there's no such luck. Waiting for things to right themselves won't yield any results.
Once that realization sets in, it might be best to help those who really need it. Beyond the crying, frightened children and the teens who can't bear to part with their computers, there are those for whom the darkness holds unseen terrors. Be there for those in need, for those afraid of the dark, for those who've gotten separated from their families and can't find their way back on their own.
No power also means no computer systems, which means no credit cards. And who carries cash these days? No, in times like this, it makes sense to go back to the old bartering system.
Someone on the street is hawking four flashlights and a can opener in exchange for some batteries. Someone else is looking for what he can get for two cans of tuna and a roll of dimes. Get in there and make a deal!
Or... you could get in with the good crowd and begin looting stores. But, no, you're heroes! You should stop the looters! Ignore that little voice telling you otherwise. Instead, join up with those organizing shelters for everyone and working to get people out of the city as quickly as possible.
However, investigating this space quickly goes awry when Peter's technomancy accidentally brings something to life.
Upon being powered on, a machine rapidly begins draining the power from the city. One by one, skyscrapers flicker out, televisions go dark, refrigerators stop humming. The entire city is steadily plunged into darkness, silence. Like with most power outages, most wait for the lights to flick back to life. Here, there's no such luck. Waiting for things to right themselves won't yield any results.
Once that realization sets in, it might be best to help those who really need it. Beyond the crying, frightened children and the teens who can't bear to part with their computers, there are those for whom the darkness holds unseen terrors. Be there for those in need, for those afraid of the dark, for those who've gotten separated from their families and can't find their way back on their own.
No power also means no computer systems, which means no credit cards. And who carries cash these days? No, in times like this, it makes sense to go back to the old bartering system.
Someone on the street is hawking four flashlights and a can opener in exchange for some batteries. Someone else is looking for what he can get for two cans of tuna and a roll of dimes. Get in there and make a deal!
Or... you could get in with the good crowd and begin looting stores. But, no, you're heroes! You should stop the looters! Ignore that little voice telling you otherwise. Instead, join up with those organizing shelters for everyone and working to get people out of the city as quickly as possible.
I Don't Want To Be You...
Just as people are beginning to work through this city-wide blackout, the real trouble begins. Not long after this loss of power comes, well, a loss of powers. All the juice in the city has to be used to fuel up something. Instead of a super-mega death ray, or some other magnificent murder device, the machine in question sucks away superpowers.
Metahuman abilities, extraordinary talents, basically, anything that makes a metahuman different from their average human counterpart, is drained away and trapped within. Of all the devices for Spider-Man to stumble into...
How this power loss manifests varies from person to person.
A keen observer might notice the correlation between someone's emotional attachment to their powers and just how difficult it is for them to be taken away. Someone who has a strong connection to their powers, for example, might go through immense pain when it comes to losing them. On the other hand, someone who never wanted powers in the first place might not even realize they've lost their abilities until it's too late.
A keen observer might notice the correlation between someone's emotional attachment to their powers and just how difficult it is for them to be taken away. Someone who has a strong connection to their powers, for example, might go through immense pain when it comes to losing them. On the other hand, someone who never wanted powers in the first place might not even realize they've lost their abilities until it's too late.
Like the power outage before it, simply waiting for your abilities to return to you won't be enough. Even if you leave the city premises, your powers won't return to you. For all intents and purposes, this is who you are now.
Punch, Kick, Bite... Fight!
What better time to contemplate your identity without your powers than in the face of danger? Ne'er-do-wellers exist in all shapes and sizes, and some take it upon themselves to take advantage of this chaos. While powers might have been the preferred method for taking care of trouble, knives, fists, and guns still work just fine. Hoodlums and robbers roam the streets, wielding all sorts of makeshift weapons. They'll corner anyone in an attempt to see what they can get.
Even if you don't encounter them, there's no telling what number of con artists, thieves, jokers, and jesters you'll encounter. Be sure to keep your wits about you!
Chief among these miscreants are Lola and the Gang, a once quiet gang of Pink Lady and Greaser-types armed with brass knuckles, switchblades, and cigarettes.
Chances are you'll smell their brand of smokes before you see them rolling up six deep and ready to brawl. Hand over everything you own and they'll leave you be, but put up any resistance and it's time to scrap.
Of course, you could try to talk your way out of this, but their patience for talking is small enough to flip your lid. So make like a tree, and get to fightin'.
Chances are you'll smell their brand of smokes before you see them rolling up six deep and ready to brawl. Hand over everything you own and they'll leave you be, but put up any resistance and it's time to scrap.
Of course, you could try to talk your way out of this, but their patience for talking is small enough to flip your lid. So make like a tree, and get to fightin'.
Even if you don't encounter them, there's no telling what number of con artists, thieves, jokers, and jesters you'll encounter. Be sure to keep your wits about you!
Topsy-Turvy
With the recent spur of Confluences, more metas have made their home in this world than those who crafted this device had ever accounted for.
Eventually, both in part to a team of dedicated scientists and due to the device's own shortcomings, the device containing all of the powers in Excelsior will combust. Powers, neatly contained like orbs, are sent bursting through the sky on their hunt for their rightful owners.
These orbs, somehow, know where they're meant to go. They're far from sentient, but they know their homes and they know they're meant to be there.
Things rarely go as planned, however, and these power orbs are eager to get into anybody, or any body, they see. Once they're free, chances are you won't make it far without taking an orb straight to the chest. Within moments, the new power is absorbed into your body and, congrats, you're now capable of super sonic hearing! Or acid spit! Or the ability to have pockets that never get full! Who knows what you might end up with.
Along with the new dose of powers comes an image of their rightful owner, something that the orbs brings along with them—a mental portrait of someone you may or may not have met before. You could do the right thing and help these wayward powers get to the right person, or you can take your new abilities for a spin and try your hand at being a god for a day.
Be careful, however, because these powers won't stick around for long. They've got a home to get to! The last thing someone needs is to try out their new flight abilities only to lose them mid-air.
Eventually, both in part to a team of dedicated scientists and due to the device's own shortcomings, the device containing all of the powers in Excelsior will combust. Powers, neatly contained like orbs, are sent bursting through the sky on their hunt for their rightful owners.
These orbs, somehow, know where they're meant to go. They're far from sentient, but they know their homes and they know they're meant to be there.
Things rarely go as planned, however, and these power orbs are eager to get into anybody, or any body, they see. Once they're free, chances are you won't make it far without taking an orb straight to the chest. Within moments, the new power is absorbed into your body and, congrats, you're now capable of super sonic hearing! Or acid spit! Or the ability to have pockets that never get full! Who knows what you might end up with.
Along with the new dose of powers comes an image of their rightful owner, something that the orbs brings along with them—a mental portrait of someone you may or may not have met before. You could do the right thing and help these wayward powers get to the right person, or you can take your new abilities for a spin and try your hand at being a god for a day.
Be careful, however, because these powers won't stick around for long. They've got a home to get to! The last thing someone needs is to try out their new flight abilities only to lose them mid-air.
AFTERMATH —
With the device in shambles, power steadily returns to the city and, though it may take some time, all superpowers end up returning to the right people. There's no clear indication of who this technology belonged to or what its original purpose was, but surely Reddit, Facebook, and Conspiracy!YouTube will be in a tizzy trying to figure it out.
IN SUMMARY...
- Peter and Eddie stumble onto a device that wipes the city of its power and all metaheroes within it of their superhero abilities.
- During the blackout, gangs attempt to take hold of the city.
- Those who leave the city will not regain their powers, but those who enter the city will lose them. Eddie and Peter will also be asking for help from any mech-heads, scientists, tech specialists, and anyone else who might know how to turn off the machine.
- When the machine is destroyed, powers don't immediately go to their rightful owner. Characters might cycle through as many as ten different powers before their rightful abilities are returned to them.
- Ask any questions here!
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[There's quite the collection of miscreants around a certain tree. They're sneering at something caught up in its branches, and picking up items that have apparently dropped from whatever it is.
There's...a boot? A wrench, and a screwdriver? A flashlight with something odd and shiny oozing from its battery port, and...a vial full of...
Rainbows? Huh?
Whatever the hell those things are, they're clearly being stolen. And the owner of those things is apparently what's in the tree. On closer look, it's a human body, draped over a branch at least six stories up. The clothes are covered in leaves, and there's several broken branches above them, like the person had fallen from above. It's draped across the branch so limply, like they're dead. How unfortunate.
...On even closer look, the person isn't dead. They're just sleeping.
Yusei, what the hell.]
ii. wake-up fight
[Okay. Okay. Yusei's awake. Somehow. And gotten back most(?) of his things? He doesn't really care about losing the boot that much, and he could probably get another screwdriver, but the rest of his things are slightly more important than that. But he's clearly looking like he'd drop asleep again at any moment, and his haggard, dishevelled appearance makes him look like an easy mark for even the most reluctant of looters.]
Heh. Well, aren't you down on your luck?
That's nothing new to me.
[Yusei, you barely look like you can throw a punch right now. Don't - Yusei, no. Somebody stop him.]
c. wildcard
[feel free to plot with me at
ii
That's enough. Move along.
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One of the more eager thieves speaks, however.]
Well, aren't you eager ta' bring us the go-
[One of his companions smacks him upside the head. Did you really think you could take on somebody with all of those things attached?? Even their victim, as tired as he looks, is giving him a judging look.]
Learning what battles to pick is essential for living in the streets.
Shouldn't ya be following your own advice?!
[Yusei doesn't appear to see the difference - he apparently does believe that he could take all of them on in his depowered state. That blatant confidence, plus Otto, is enough to get the punks to back off. They're looking for easy marks. Someone who still appears to have some kind of power doesn't match that description.
When they retreat back into the alleys, Yusei relaxes and glances back at Otto. He remembers you, from back in all that chaos. Good to see that you're doing well.]
Thanks.
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All the same, he lets out a short sigh of relief when the men finally turn and retreat. It wasn't a bluff; he could certainly have beaten all of them. But that doesn't mean he really wanted to fight. He doesn't like violence, when he's in his right mind.]
Of course. People like that have been causing trouble around here for days. [He'll lower back down to chat, putting his feet on the ground again. From here, Yusei's condition is clearer.] Are you alright?
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[A blatant lie. Even Yusei's aware that he's probably not going to get away with saying that, as he winces as soon as the answer reflexively leaves his lips.
He shakes his head a moment later.]
Sorry. I mean...I'm about as fine as I can be, right now. [shrug.] At this point, being awake is more than I expected.
[He glances over at Otto and the robo-arms. If they haven't been affected by all this, then those weren't powers given by this place? Interesting. At least he's able to defend himself.]
You're doing okay?
no subject
[Otto actually means it. He's tired, sure, but it's a natural weariness, born of nothing more than roaming about trying to keep as much peace as possible for the past several days.]
What's wrong? Is it the powers?
[He hasn't been so badly affected by it, but he's seen several others who were. People who used their powers a lot more than he does, he figures.]
no subject
[he hesitates, looking like he's thinking about how much he exactly wants to say.]
One of my powers...it made it so that I didn't need to sleep.
[Awkward expression. It's a vague description, but hopefully his point gets across.]
I haven't really slept much since coming here.
[Try: not at all.]
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[Yusei that doesn't count.]
...I'm worried. I can't shake the feeling if I fall asleep again, I might not wake up.
[he's not sure if it's anxiety talking, or if the possibility is truly real. all he knows is that he hasn't felt so hollow in ages.]
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[Not that Otto has a ton of room to talk, between his various periods of either hyperfixation on his work or else regular old insomnia. But hey - that just means he knows what he's talking about!]
no subject
[otto's well-versed in the language of hyperfixative foolishness, so he can probably read between the lines: this kid probably doesn't sleep until he feels tired. or his body makes him. or someone else makes him.
give a kid like that the ability to not need sleep, and, well. he can surely imagine how yusei got to this point.]
...I'll sleep when we get our powers back. At least then I know that my body won't give out on me in my sleep.
[yikes! that's a morbid thought.]
no subject
Do you have a reason to think that'll happen?
no subject
[He looks awkward admitting this. About as awkward as he can look, anyway.]
...I haven't really slept for the past three or four months. [...] Or...eat very much, either.
[...how much do you mean by "not very much".]
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( i )
Yusei.
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Yusei is, of course, oblivious to Loki's exasperation. He remains unconscious on the tree branch as the thieves swarm the tree, sneering at Loki's appearance. Another mark, eh?
One of them makes the unwise decision to approach, swinging a crowbar menacingly.]
no subject
Lay a hand on me and I cannot guarantee your survival.
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[Like rats from a sinking ship, they scatter - some still holding onto the stolen objects.]
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Yusei.
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nnnnnnope. still not waking up.
he must really be out of it if the disapproval of an acquaintance isn't rousing him. ]
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so he throws a rock at him instead. ]
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which he does! once the rock beans him on the head, he jerks awake with a startled blink. the action makes his precarious position on the branch even more unwieldy, as he was draped over it on his stomach, leaving very little for him to grab on.
the branch cracks, and yusei slides further down its length. it gives him the leverage to actually grab onto the branch now, but his startled expression and his awkward hanging position is very reminiscent of a stranded cat who has just realized that they are, in fact, stuck.]
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[His voice sounds a little raspy. The branch cracks a little more.]
I was...using my wind abilities to avoid looters, and then.
[crack. his expression becomes slightly more panicked.]
I'm...not sure what happened. Everything went black.
[What happened is that he passed out the moment his powers ran dry. He's not aware that he's lost them yet.]
no subject
Everyone's powers are gone. Now get down.
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[this is said very, very softly. he looks like he's very close to figuring out how he got in this precarious mess.
then loki tells him to get down from there, and almost right after he nods his assent -
the branch gives way.
Yusei screams as his fall is broken by a few more branches on his way down, but he just barely manages to grab onto a sturdier one about a third of the way up the tree before he ended up as a splatter on the pavement.
Not quite the way he planned on getting out of there, but it's a start, he supposes.]
I'll - [wow, his voice is sounding super hoarse, he must be really tired] - be down in a minute.
[ha ha.]
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