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CONFLUENCE 016
Who: Everyone!
What: A Confluence! A mystery! A haunting! A storm!
When: Early March
Where: Everywhere!
Content Warnings: Comic book violence, drug mentions, death
Little Love is a simple place–a quiet place above all else. This is a small town that doesn't want any trouble, and appears to do all the right things to avoid it. Seen scary glowing eyes in the woods? It's probably just someone's cat that got out. Or maybe the cat's meant to be there. Don't you worry your head about that. Anything creepy or truly unsettling about this rural location is based on its simplicity: Little Love has rejected all potential urbanization projects, and its most ambitious citizens have partnered up with large corporations to provide them with the corn they need. They're not doing half bad.
At its core, Little Love prides itself on its history. Rather than expanding, changing, or adding new buildings, the local historical society does everything in its power to help promote what they already have. Anyone hoping for a quieter life can start their own farm with many acres of land, and even renovate anything that hasn't already been renovated already. Just keep in mind that anything that clashes with Little Love won't be welcomed, but it'll be a quiet sort of judgment that might grow into acceptance. Well, as long as the clash itself is ultimately quiet at its core.
There's a new villain in town! However, the identity of that villain has yet to be discovered. Civilians have found items missing from their person-their favorite watch, a child's balloon, an important heirloom that they keep at all times. And yet no one has discovered how these items have disappeared. One moment they're there, the next they're gone. There has been a reward posted for the capture of this mystery villain, promising any hero who is able to discover their identity and capture them a decent sum.
However, the villain leaves barely a trail behind. A little magic may be sensed where items have been stolen, but only for the first few moments. After, the trail runs entirely cold.
Maybe the way to catch this villain is to check into the civilians instead, and see if anyone has that same magic signature...
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should--unless you've found yourself in Excelsior, that is. This is the city full of possibilities. Have a wild idea that you could never get funding for back home? Excelsior is the place to go. Just be ready with your Shark Tank-like presentation and it'll be underway. Haven't considered the negative ramifications on society? Don't sweat it–Excelsior loves any and all kinds of chaos brought on by technology. Despite its welcoming nature toward any and all types of technology, its citizens often give the cold shoulder toward any metas. So, maybe try not to brag about that part of your identity, all right?
Everything in Excelsior reeks of technological excess. Large skyscrapers touch the clouds, each one built to be better and more advanced than the one that came before. Excess is the name of the game here, so long as it's along the same lines of harder, better, faster, stronger. Just keep in mind that these principles go along the lines of technology, not morality.
With March's arrival also comes an unexpected and terrible storm. Sporadically between March 4th-9th, large chunks of hail rain down upon Excelsior. They leave large dents in nice, unprotected cars. Some may find smaller holes in the roof of their homes. But most importantly: they're hurting people who decide to venture outside in it. Some of the chunks are just large enough to leave bruises, others may be large enough to break bones or crack open skulls. Heroes are encouraged to assist civilians in their daily ventures out, to prevent any unnecessary tragedies.
Meanwhile, those villains with ice related abilities? They're loving the fun weather and the inconveniences it causes. Heroes may find a significant increase in crimes committed by low and mid range villains with control over ice--including robbery, destruction of property, and other heinous acts.
After the storms pass, a call goes out to assist in fixing the damage that had been caused by the hail. Locals may drag new arrivals into their shops mistaking them for volunteers and pointing out damaged areas on their ceilings to ask for assistance.
➢ New arrivals will be appearing in Central City. Their arrival will be expected and handled by a number of local heroes, helpful magic, and a few drones. The locals give mixed reactions: from easy smiles to scowls to ignoring their existence entirely and continuing about their day, as if people falling from the sky is an entirely normal event. Because for them? It is.
➢ Central City is preparing for the ALLIANCE EXPO and many vendors are asking for assistance.
➢ Little Love has a disappearing items problem, and has posted a reward for those that find the culprit.
➢ Sunset Falls not only has a significant amount of pop up raves and drug-related deaths, but also: strange building hauntings.
➢ Excelsior is experiencing a storm which will cause significant damage to the city.
What: A Confluence! A mystery! A haunting! A storm!
When: Early March
Where: Everywhere!
Content Warnings: Comic book violence, drug mentions, death
ARRIVAL
A Confluence, capitalized, is the converging of one or more supernatural forces.
Wherever you were, whatever you were getting up to back home—it doesn't matter anymore. One moment you're standing, laying down, sitting, getting shot at—the next, you're falling. It's not from a short distance, either. The sky opens up, and out of it comes you. Maybe you've got the ability to catch yourself before your face meets asphalt, but if you don't, don't worry about it. The citizens of CENTRAL CITY are here to lend a hand. Some may be heroes with the ability to create force fields, or fliers who reach up into the sky to pluck you right out of it—or maybe you're one of the unlucky ones who gets caught by a very sassy drone that flings you around a bit before it drops you onto the floor with enough distance between your feet and the ground that you really feel it in your knees.
Whatever way you've arrived, you're here now. Your saviors that prevented you from crashing to the ground don't stay around long. Enough to make sure no one needs to be carted off to the closest emergency room or nearby healer, before they're going back to their daily chores.
Welcome to Central City. At the very least: you've been dropped off close to the DIADEM HOTEL and won't have to walk very far to get to your temporary housing.
Wherever you were, whatever you were getting up to back home—it doesn't matter anymore. One moment you're standing, laying down, sitting, getting shot at—the next, you're falling. It's not from a short distance, either. The sky opens up, and out of it comes you. Maybe you've got the ability to catch yourself before your face meets asphalt, but if you don't, don't worry about it. The citizens of CENTRAL CITY are here to lend a hand. Some may be heroes with the ability to create force fields, or fliers who reach up into the sky to pluck you right out of it—or maybe you're one of the unlucky ones who gets caught by a very sassy drone that flings you around a bit before it drops you onto the floor with enough distance between your feet and the ground that you really feel it in your knees.
Whatever way you've arrived, you're here now. Your saviors that prevented you from crashing to the ground don't stay around long. Enough to make sure no one needs to be carted off to the closest emergency room or nearby healer, before they're going back to their daily chores.
Welcome to Central City. At the very least: you've been dropped off close to the DIADEM HOTEL and won't have to walk very far to get to your temporary housing.
CENTRAL CITY
Compared to just about anywhere else that a meta can land, Central City isn't exactly the nicest place in the world. Seemingly always cast in shadows, sunny days are few and far inbetween as a dark cloud always seems to settle over the beautifully constructed architectural marvels throughout the city. These marvels do little to hide the very real income disparities throughout the city, worsened because of the thriving criminal enterprises that serve as its backbone.
Central City is everything a modern city never wants to become: half the city is boarded up and forgotten, with the properties slowly being carved away to make way for the overpriced urban sprawl. A lack of safety feels artificially created by the atmosphere; couldn't someone have prevented it from getting this bad? But just across the city, over these abandoned houses, are large monuments to technological ingenuity. The rest will be helped and taken care of–it just takes time. Besides, the sparkling new shopping district over there is where anyone would want to spend their time anyway.
Wander too far from the shopping district and you'll find yourself thick into territory controlled by the local non-meta crime syndicate... but maybe that's where you want to be. Maybe you're here to see just what this world is dealing with. If you're going to be stuck here you might as well make yourself useful, right?
Currently, Central City is preparing for the ALLIANCE EXPO. This includes getting spaces ready for vendors, and asking local heroes for a bit of assistance-including villain proofing stalls, insuring doors are well-protected, and assisting with some of the heavy lifting. It's a temporary job, but it's very well paid, and heroes who step up to assist will receive a few vouchers towards purchasing merchandise when the Expo goes live.
During the preparations, several less than savory individuals try to prevent the expo from happening: everything from setting fire to the buildings to kicking over the stand belonging to ten year old little Suzie trying to sell her fan-made phone charms of her favorite heroes. This is really why the locals requested assistance: it's hard to prepare when Professor Slime keeps sludging up all the goods.
Central City is everything a modern city never wants to become: half the city is boarded up and forgotten, with the properties slowly being carved away to make way for the overpriced urban sprawl. A lack of safety feels artificially created by the atmosphere; couldn't someone have prevented it from getting this bad? But just across the city, over these abandoned houses, are large monuments to technological ingenuity. The rest will be helped and taken care of–it just takes time. Besides, the sparkling new shopping district over there is where anyone would want to spend their time anyway.
Wander too far from the shopping district and you'll find yourself thick into territory controlled by the local non-meta crime syndicate... but maybe that's where you want to be. Maybe you're here to see just what this world is dealing with. If you're going to be stuck here you might as well make yourself useful, right?
Currently, Central City is preparing for the ALLIANCE EXPO. This includes getting spaces ready for vendors, and asking local heroes for a bit of assistance-including villain proofing stalls, insuring doors are well-protected, and assisting with some of the heavy lifting. It's a temporary job, but it's very well paid, and heroes who step up to assist will receive a few vouchers towards purchasing merchandise when the Expo goes live.
During the preparations, several less than savory individuals try to prevent the expo from happening: everything from setting fire to the buildings to kicking over the stand belonging to ten year old little Suzie trying to sell her fan-made phone charms of her favorite heroes. This is really why the locals requested assistance: it's hard to prepare when Professor Slime keeps sludging up all the goods.
DIADEM HOTEL
Whether you've survived the chaos, or arrived after the trouble's over, you're not going home anytime soon. After exiting from Excelsior, you're given the proverbial keys to a pretty lavish location. Hopefully, the LUXURY HOTEL they've put you up in will ease that sting.
The DIADEM HOTEL is usually reserved for the obscenely wealthy. Its rooms are enormous, the beds quite literally enchanted to offer the perfect night's sleep, and the food would usually cost your life savings just to sample. But given the circumstances, the Guilds feel its the least they can do to aid your transition into this world.EVERYTHING is complimentary, and everyone gets an ALLIANCE CREDIT CARD to spend on entertainment, clothing, and whatever other necessities they might need. The cards have an obscenely high limit and there doesn't seem to be an expectation for you to pay it back... though if they catch you abusing it, their accountant will be coming for your head.
There's a shopping center immediately across the street. It has an impressive array of outlets that cater to your every need. Food, clothing... and swords? If you can think of it, it's for sale. Although anything clearly supernatural or metahuman seems to be at a minimum and offered under the table. You can grab clothing made to withstand any superpower and a surprisingly mediocre Taco Bell order while you're at it. There's a Super Cinema in the shopping complex across the street that's showing the Director's Cut of SAMUEL HAMES: IMMORTAL DETECTIVE, in which Hames struggles with his lifelong immortality, monstrous need to drink blood, and long-held attraction to his very, very mortal partner, Jason Waites. Having long been on the trail of the Illuminati, Hames has to make a choice: stop this disastrous organization from taking over the world, or profess his love to Waites and chance turning him into a monster like himself.
The DIADEM HOTEL is usually reserved for the obscenely wealthy. Its rooms are enormous, the beds quite literally enchanted to offer the perfect night's sleep, and the food would usually cost your life savings just to sample. But given the circumstances, the Guilds feel its the least they can do to aid your transition into this world.EVERYTHING is complimentary, and everyone gets an ALLIANCE CREDIT CARD to spend on entertainment, clothing, and whatever other necessities they might need. The cards have an obscenely high limit and there doesn't seem to be an expectation for you to pay it back... though if they catch you abusing it, their accountant will be coming for your head.
There's a shopping center immediately across the street. It has an impressive array of outlets that cater to your every need. Food, clothing... and swords? If you can think of it, it's for sale. Although anything clearly supernatural or metahuman seems to be at a minimum and offered under the table. You can grab clothing made to withstand any superpower and a surprisingly mediocre Taco Bell order while you're at it. There's a Super Cinema in the shopping complex across the street that's showing the Director's Cut of SAMUEL HAMES: IMMORTAL DETECTIVE, in which Hames struggles with his lifelong immortality, monstrous need to drink blood, and long-held attraction to his very, very mortal partner, Jason Waites. Having long been on the trail of the Illuminati, Hames has to make a choice: stop this disastrous organization from taking over the world, or profess his love to Waites and chance turning him into a monster like himself.
LITTLE LOVE
Little Love is a simple place–a quiet place above all else. This is a small town that doesn't want any trouble, and appears to do all the right things to avoid it. Seen scary glowing eyes in the woods? It's probably just someone's cat that got out. Or maybe the cat's meant to be there. Don't you worry your head about that. Anything creepy or truly unsettling about this rural location is based on its simplicity: Little Love has rejected all potential urbanization projects, and its most ambitious citizens have partnered up with large corporations to provide them with the corn they need. They're not doing half bad.
At its core, Little Love prides itself on its history. Rather than expanding, changing, or adding new buildings, the local historical society does everything in its power to help promote what they already have. Anyone hoping for a quieter life can start their own farm with many acres of land, and even renovate anything that hasn't already been renovated already. Just keep in mind that anything that clashes with Little Love won't be welcomed, but it'll be a quiet sort of judgment that might grow into acceptance. Well, as long as the clash itself is ultimately quiet at its core.
There's a new villain in town! However, the identity of that villain has yet to be discovered. Civilians have found items missing from their person-their favorite watch, a child's balloon, an important heirloom that they keep at all times. And yet no one has discovered how these items have disappeared. One moment they're there, the next they're gone. There has been a reward posted for the capture of this mystery villain, promising any hero who is able to discover their identity and capture them a decent sum.
However, the villain leaves barely a trail behind. A little magic may be sensed where items have been stolen, but only for the first few moments. After, the trail runs entirely cold.
Maybe the way to catch this villain is to check into the civilians instead, and see if anyone has that same magic signature...
SUNSET FALLS
Further east is Sunset Falls, a quirky little town that doesn't stand out in any particular way. At first. Many of the people here dress a bit strangely and go on about their crystals and tarot cards, but they aren't out to hurt anyone. There's just one simple … suggestion around these parts: try to keep indoors once the sun sets. After that occurs, everything turns even stranger than the rainbow-colored plaid pants the fudge store owner was wearing.
After dark, Sunset Falls is hit by any number of strange things, making it so that a newly strange thing would barely begin to stand out. Want to see yourself as a ghost? Or slip through time to another era? Sunset Falls is the place to make that happen. The problem is, you might not make it back to where you started if you're not careful.
March 6th, an announcement goes live: Loki Odinson is the new mayor! Congratulations from other officials and local celebrities spread across social media. CHRISTIAN WEST posts on Instagram thanking Loki for campaigning, and in the same post includes an image of a beautiful serene beach. He is clearly enjoying his newfound freedom.
The cold weather in Sunset Falls leaves many of it's teens bored without the ability to stretch their legs outside. And boredom leads to bad decision. A series of exclusive raves have started popping up, taking advantage of closed warehouses, and with those raves — a series of drug-related deaths and injuries. A brand new, ecstasy-like drug gives users the highest highs and no lows, so those partaking start feeling invincible. They're not.
Following the raves is a string of inexplicable changes to the warehouses they were previously held in. When the sun rises over the horizon on the next morning, they look almost brand new, facilities cleaned and new equipment filling them. Looking for a new dental office? Well this warehouse may be just for you! Looking for a new garage to start a mechanic business? Here's one fitted with all the tools needed! However, entering those warehouses doesn't turn out well for anyone. A few kids who decided to check out a toy store exited the warehouse only seconds later but years older, having lost the ability to speak and trembling in fear.
But the deaths and strange occurrences after leaving behind buildings doesn't discourage the teens any. After all, how could this be their fault? It feels like it's just another day in Sunset Falls.
After dark, Sunset Falls is hit by any number of strange things, making it so that a newly strange thing would barely begin to stand out. Want to see yourself as a ghost? Or slip through time to another era? Sunset Falls is the place to make that happen. The problem is, you might not make it back to where you started if you're not careful.
March 6th, an announcement goes live: Loki Odinson is the new mayor! Congratulations from other officials and local celebrities spread across social media. CHRISTIAN WEST posts on Instagram thanking Loki for campaigning, and in the same post includes an image of a beautiful serene beach. He is clearly enjoying his newfound freedom.
The cold weather in Sunset Falls leaves many of it's teens bored without the ability to stretch their legs outside. And boredom leads to bad decision. A series of exclusive raves have started popping up, taking advantage of closed warehouses, and with those raves — a series of drug-related deaths and injuries. A brand new, ecstasy-like drug gives users the highest highs and no lows, so those partaking start feeling invincible. They're not.
Following the raves is a string of inexplicable changes to the warehouses they were previously held in. When the sun rises over the horizon on the next morning, they look almost brand new, facilities cleaned and new equipment filling them. Looking for a new dental office? Well this warehouse may be just for you! Looking for a new garage to start a mechanic business? Here's one fitted with all the tools needed! However, entering those warehouses doesn't turn out well for anyone. A few kids who decided to check out a toy store exited the warehouse only seconds later but years older, having lost the ability to speak and trembling in fear.
But the deaths and strange occurrences after leaving behind buildings doesn't discourage the teens any. After all, how could this be their fault? It feels like it's just another day in Sunset Falls.
EXCELSIOR
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should--unless you've found yourself in Excelsior, that is. This is the city full of possibilities. Have a wild idea that you could never get funding for back home? Excelsior is the place to go. Just be ready with your Shark Tank-like presentation and it'll be underway. Haven't considered the negative ramifications on society? Don't sweat it–Excelsior loves any and all kinds of chaos brought on by technology. Despite its welcoming nature toward any and all types of technology, its citizens often give the cold shoulder toward any metas. So, maybe try not to brag about that part of your identity, all right?
Everything in Excelsior reeks of technological excess. Large skyscrapers touch the clouds, each one built to be better and more advanced than the one that came before. Excess is the name of the game here, so long as it's along the same lines of harder, better, faster, stronger. Just keep in mind that these principles go along the lines of technology, not morality.
With March's arrival also comes an unexpected and terrible storm. Sporadically between March 4th-9th, large chunks of hail rain down upon Excelsior. They leave large dents in nice, unprotected cars. Some may find smaller holes in the roof of their homes. But most importantly: they're hurting people who decide to venture outside in it. Some of the chunks are just large enough to leave bruises, others may be large enough to break bones or crack open skulls. Heroes are encouraged to assist civilians in their daily ventures out, to prevent any unnecessary tragedies.
Meanwhile, those villains with ice related abilities? They're loving the fun weather and the inconveniences it causes. Heroes may find a significant increase in crimes committed by low and mid range villains with control over ice--including robbery, destruction of property, and other heinous acts.
After the storms pass, a call goes out to assist in fixing the damage that had been caused by the hail. Locals may drag new arrivals into their shops mistaking them for volunteers and pointing out damaged areas on their ceilings to ask for assistance.
CLIFF NOTES.
➢ New arrivals will be appearing in Central City. Their arrival will be expected and handled by a number of local heroes, helpful magic, and a few drones. The locals give mixed reactions: from easy smiles to scowls to ignoring their existence entirely and continuing about their day, as if people falling from the sky is an entirely normal event. Because for them? It is.
➢ Central City is preparing for the ALLIANCE EXPO and many vendors are asking for assistance.
➢ Little Love has a disappearing items problem, and has posted a reward for those that find the culprit.
➢ Sunset Falls not only has a significant amount of pop up raves and drug-related deaths, but also: strange building hauntings.
➢ Excelsior is experiencing a storm which will cause significant damage to the city.
WILDCARD.
Metaheroes takes inspiration from all walks of comics. Take a look at the CITIES to get an idea as to what day to day life is like in the other cities. Perhaps you've encountered a supervillain (or hero) who needs to be thwarted, or a metahuman with unusual powers creating bizarre effects. You can also take a look at the MISSION BOARD to get your start as a professional hero, villain, or vigilante.
expo assistance!
Doreen grins crookedly at 'Prodigy' from behind a ridiculously huge stack of metal chairs that she's carrying. When you have super strength and need some cash, you get recruited for a lot of heavy lifting jobs!
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"It really seems like it. Of course I think maybe I'm also slightly cursed. Any time someone expects me to do customer service, things get bad. Or tech support. Last year, the arm? Remember him? It wouldn't stop petting my head."
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"God, hard to believe that was a year ago. You tried a hard system reset yet?" IE the old 'turn it off and on again' solution! "Or, failing that, want me to grab you a coffee or something?"
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Still, he agrees with the hard reset, and he mentally commands the thing to shut down while he's touching it, waiting for it to obey despite the cursing. He'll unplug it after.
"Coffee would be welcome, if they have straws."
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"Man, you'd think at a convention like this, they'd have some convenient changing booths kickin' around. We can do straws though, we'll find something." You know what, that stack of chairs is fine just sitting there, it's not like anyone is going to pick them up and run off with them. Doreen starts heading for the coffee booths, and gestures for David to follow.
"How've you been? If that's too much of a loaded question, we can change the subject and go back to IT jokes."
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"Maybe you should request changing booths. But don't worry. I've got an emergency induction port."
He's absolutely accounted for comfort and needs with this helmet. Still, he's happy to get away while this thing is restarting. So he follows her with his hands going into his pockets.
"I'm... Not doing great, yeah. The whole bubble basically put me back to high school mentality. My boyfriend wasn't happy for me to be in the closet and forgetting him. Again."
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"Oh. Oh god. Dude, I'm so sorry. This last confluence was... brutal doesn't describe half of it, this one was just cruel."
She hadn't been caught up in it herself, but she had been involved in the rescue efforts, and even the ones that had gone decently well hadn't been pretty.
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He sighs, because he KNOWS Doreen will get this some.
"But in that lie, there was no Purifiers, they never attacked the school."
Sure he'd never gone to Xavier's school, but to not have that trauma in his past was something.
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Doreen isn't... super on top of everything that went on at Xavier's, but with a name like 'The Purifiers', it isn't hard to guess the context, or their attitude towards mutants.
"They went full Revisionist History on this, huh?"
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"Full on. IT's a... horrible lie that I wanted so much."
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"Desire is a powerful force, Squirrel Girl. I feel like we've seen that time and time again back home. Hell, Scarlet Witch and Wiccan's powers alone are just based on that sort of thing, on will."