CONFLUENCE 020

[metamods]

Who: Everyone!
What: A Confluence! + Part II of the Downburst plot
When: The beginning of July
Where: Primarily Arcadia & Excelsior, Washington
Content Warnings: Just a little of Fantastic's fascist ideology

 

CONFLUENCE

A Confluence, capitalized, is the converging of one or more supernatural forces: it encompasses all occurrences that cause sudden, unnatural change in this world.

The Starfallen only arrive during Confluences. For this Confluence, the sky over Excelsior, Washington opens up after a ripple rolls through the clouds, seeming to cause a visual glitch for anyone who’s watching. The glitch itself looks more like an adjustment to reality than anything, and time – if but for a moment and nothing more – stops. Everything stops, and then it starts again.

It’s that stoppage in time that makes the arrival of the Starfallen easy and safe. Rather than forcing the people of Excelsior to contend with their new arrivals, they find them suddenly on the ground, standing as if they were there the entire time. How did that happen? How did they get here? It’s unclear.

The effects of this flicker in time won’t be immediately obvious. As the newly arrived Starfallen take in their surroundings, they’ll notice that the rather advanced city they’re in is experiencing a bit of trouble. Large, carnivorous plants walk the streets and people are chasing after them one by one. Moving in and out of the scene is a rather dashing-looking man – one they’ll soon learn is named Fantastic. He’ll stop by the Starfallen once or twice, flash a smile and offer some help, but he’ll otherwise be occupied.

Well, that aside, time for you – one of the many new Starfallen – to adjust to your new surroundings. Welcome to Excelsior and welcome to an era of political turmoil. Don’t worry about the time dilation that may have occurred. That’s the least of your worries.

EXCELSIOR

A safe “landing” of sorts means that the newly arrived Starfallen will need to look up to get the full scope of where they have arrived: a city with tall buildings, flying cars, and visuals that make it seem as if it’s further in the future than it is. Technological progress and prowess is the name of Excelsior’s game; it’s just too bad that this progress sometimes comes with its share of hiccups. In this case, those hiccups are the dangerous plants roaming the streets and causing problems. These plants had been a problem very recently, and it seems that any weed whacking only temporarily dealt with the issue at hand. That, or whoever made them in the first place wasn’t put off of their experiments.

Or … maybe something else is afoot?

After all, it’s rather surprising that someone as enterprising and industrious as Fantastic is roaming the streets to stop the problem at hand – but then again, these plants are rather troublesome!

Aside from his occasional greetings and offered help to the newly-arrived Starfallen, he’s otherwise occupied. In his stead, several rather official-looking individuals will be approaching the Starfallen once they recover from the time stoppage. They’ll offer the newcomers a mobile device as well as a teleporter, along with a place to stay in a state-of-the-art facility named Arcadia. After all, Arcadia is meant to be there for Starfallen – a safe haven when they might otherwise be caught up in the chaos around them.

No one is obligated to go to Arcadia, but it appears that anyone who’s newly arrived will be given their teleporter with the intention of forcing them there. Once they’re given freedom to move on their own, there is a good chance that they will be teleported right into Arcadia proper against their will. Upon arrival, they’ll find that their teleporter is now glitched. A guard, upon spotting their arrival, will greet them and apologize if they can’t go anywhere else. “Our system has been buggy lately.”

At least they’re trying to keep the Starfallen away from the plants?

➢ Everyone arriving during this Confluence will be given the same story: that Fantastic and the Alliance have been working hard to provide a safe home for all Starfallen because the world itself views them with a great deal of animosity. Just recently, a man hypnotized a number of Starfallen in order to force them to cause harm to others and themselves – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

➢ Once someone who’s been forcibly teleported to Arcadia either accepts their place there or manually leaves – by exiting through one of the gates on foot – they’ll find that their teleporter is working. Somewhat. From time to time, it’ll just drop them right back into Arcadia even if they intended to use it to go elsewhere. Like Dorothy always said: there’s no place like home.

➢ Despite the rather forcible welcome, Arcadia is … rather nice. Constructed in collaboration with the people of Excelsior, Arcadia is an odd mix of modern-day and historical architecture, leaving it to be a beautiful view for anyone to witness from a distance. All aspects of Arcadia are pristine, and it’s apparent that this structure is meant to be safe and protected. Each Starfallen who chooses to take a room will find that their quarters are designed to their liking: they’re allowed to choose anything and everything they want.

➢ There are a few … quirks when it comes to Arcadia. There are suns emblazoned throughout, as well as guards standing post. These guards are equipped with strong armor and power nullifiers if anyone tries to fight them. Finally, the entirety of Arcadia gives off a sense that it’s resonating with magic – with this being the strongest near its lowest level. That level is, of course, blocked off to anyone who may dare to enter.

➢ If Arcadia seems a little … empty, that’s because it’s been shunned by the current population of Starfallen. Thanks to their antics and ungrateful tendencies, they’ve decided that they’re too proud to take what’s been offered to them. Instead, they’re causing problems all over the country, and Fantastic is working tirelessly to stop their mayhem. Surely this is all there is to it, right? … Right?

DOWNBURST II

Right around this Confluence, Fantastic begins making frequent television appearances in order to try to assuage any worries that the people he’s promised to protect might have in the wake of the chaos following his rise to power. What does this mean? Well, a lot of bloated speeches that no one wants to listen to, as well as countless television programs interrupted so that he can ensure that everyone hears the sound of his voice.

Even with his frequent messages, his message largely remains the same – so here are some notes.

➢ Fantastic always apologizes for the chaos happening everywhere. While he hoped that he would be able to bring order to the Alliance and use his new opportunity to help others, it appears that some bad actors have attempted to frame him in a bad light. These bad actors are not limited to the Starfallen – while he doesn’t name Atomight or Mechanima, it’s apparent that he is likely referring to them.

➢ After all, Fantastic inherited Atomight and Mechanima's messes. The biggest and most recent "mess" is just about everything in Central City. Everything. But he mainly means Jinx's destruction of the city on Father's Day – which is an event that could only take place with Mechanima's intervention. Had the city not been placed under an unwanted quarantine, Fantastic would have been able to intervene and help.

➢ When it comes to Mechanima, he reassures the citizens of Central City that he is doing everything in his power to restore its autonomy so that Alliance processes can proceed as normal. Otherwise, it appears that all Alliance operations have been moved to Excelsior for the time being. He alludes to the “problem” being solved by some heroic Starfallen there, so there is no reason to keep it under quarantine … but some villains just can’t help themselves!

➢ Overall, Fantastic alludes to countless problems. Guards who are just trying to protect reticent Starfallen are being attacked without provocation. Many people are speaking out against Fantastic and even calling what he’s doing a “regime.”

➢ The more Fantastic appears, the more he seems desperate – frazzled. At first, it seems like an act: him appearing desperate to win viewers’ hearts and minds. But soon he’ll seem less calm and collected, like he’s aware that he’s lost control (or never had control in the first place). He won’t admit this outright. He’ll never admit it. No, he’ll always smile. Always seem pleased to help anyone, even the Starfallen who hate him for some reason. Always.

CLIFF NOTES.

➢ Welcome to the midway point for our Downburst event! This Confluence is meant to double as a means for all of our new players to integrate into the middle of an event. We reused some assets from the most recent TDM in order to help, but if you would like any additional help keeping your TDM threads canon, please hit us up below!

➢ No players will be forced to place their character into Arcadia if they don't like the bizarre and not-at-all-biased intro to this world – their teleporters can merely glitch out if they so choose. After all, it doesn't seem like anything is going as planned.

➢ Even though this batch of Starfallen have just arrived, they will be followed by Guards as if they've been here all along. Isn't it fun to suddenly be under unwanted surveillance upon arrival?

➢ Incoming players can check our prior event log for more information about Arcadia and the Guards in detail.

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.

Comments

arcadia — captivity? (open to all folks in arcadia!)

[redhourglass]

( eventually, the device she’d had pressed upon her activates on its own — too fast for natasha to drop it or otherwise throw it away. it just does and she flicks out of existence again and reappears somewhere else… the infamous arcadia they’d told her about, no doubt. it seems to be nice, at least. new. but there are guards everywhere, the sun motifs dripping off every wall…

there’s a lurch in her stomach, a part of her that feels primal and insists that she has to fight, to get out. with the ease of a lifetime spent compartmentalizing, natasha shoves that impulse to the back of her head. )

I’d like to see my room. ( her smile is bland, almost sunny. a natalie rushman smile; with a trace of worry because natalie is smart, but no open cunningness.

her room seems to be close to other people’s quarters, at least. the guards leave her there, as much as they leave anyone alone, and once she’s in it — she sweeps it for bugs and other listening devices, movements quick and practiced. the entire toss of the room only takes a few mins.

then she collapses on the bed, fiddling with the device in her hand. the teleporting function seems conveniently disabled. shit. )

[shield]

[ Teleportation feels different from time travel. This isn't something that Steve Rogers anticipated knowing before day's end but life likes to surprise him.

Maybe it's because he doesn't expect it. Time travel was a progression; he had the space to mentally prepare. Teleportation is sprung on him when he gets cornered on a sidewalk and has a strange device shoved into his hands. He isn't sure whose finger grazes the button but one second he is there and the next second he is somewhere else.

Time travel actually felt like travel: he physically moved through time or space or whatever it is that makes up the quantum realm. Teleportation, by contrast, doesn't feel like anything at all. It seems to happen not to him but to the space around him, reality taking new shape under his watch. He jabs the button again but nothing— true nothing— happens. Reality maintains its current configuration.

When the teleportation shock wears off, Steve realizes that he recognizes his new surroundings. Arcadia featured in almost every digital ad that Steve was served in Excelsior. So that was no accidental encounter on the street; someone wanted him sent here. That makes him even less inclined to stay, but first, he wants to see what he can learn about the so-called safe haven.

His curiosity eventually leads him to the residential quarters, where he intends to learn how other Starfallen feel about all this. But when guards lead him to an apartment that he is meant to call his new home and he knocks at the next door down, it's Natasha who answers. ]

Huh. [ Steve takes a step back, looks to his left down one end of the hall, then over to his right down the other end. He shrugs. ] I guess it makes sense, alphabetically. You end up here by accident too?

[redhourglass]

( it doesn't matter how many surprises she's had already — when she opens the door to the room she's been given, the last person she expects to see on the other side is steve. still, it's not necessarily that he's unwelcome. on the contrary, she ushers him inside after looking around the hallway after him, shutting the door firmly behind him.

better not to talk where they might be overheard. she can't be confident there aren't any bugs in the rooms, but she's done an initial sweep at least. )

Teleporter brought me. One way trip, it seems. ( she gestures at her device on the table. ) Everyone seems very confident that this is for 'our protection'.

[shield]

Me too. [ As Steve shuffles through the door and past Natasha, he flashes his own teleportation device before dropping it on the table next to its twin. Then he gives the room a quick once-over, assuming with confidence that a sweep for hidden surveillance has already been performed. That doesn't mean they're in the clear but this might be the safest space they have until they break free of Arcadia. ]

Protection, right. I've heard that one before. [ It was a lie when Wanda was confined during negotiations for the Sokovia Accords and Steve would bet everything that it's a lie now too. This sort of thing only ever ends one way.

It may not be their fight, exactly, but he can already feel that familiar, invisible tug towards what he knows is right. The more he sees, the harder it gets to look away.

He hears the door shut and turns to face Natasha. ] This could go downhill fast.

[redhourglass]

I know.

( natasha crosses the room, brushing past steve like it’s nothing — like it’s not weird that he’s here, like this is just another day at the compound. there’s the same raw kind of feeling that comes with seeing him, the same stab of guilt, the same everything — but beyond that, it feels … comforting. his face, open and honest, his surprisingly wry sense of humor.

it calms her much more than her sweep coming up empty had. dropping onto the edge of the bed, she leans back on both hands, surveying him under her lashes with an appraising look. )

We’re not sticking around to find out, right? ( it’s a real question. steve ‘never back down’ rogers, walking away from a fight? she can’t imagine it.

but that’d been then. before thanos. before they’d had a chance of maybe getting everyone back. she has to believe he won’t squander that for whatever the fuck is going on here. )

[vaudevision]

[ it’s too soon in this existence to tell how much vision really feels as though he embodies his old life. he remembers being an avenger; he remembers feeling the necessity of the role. he remembers being part of a team, and while he maintained certain interpersonal guardrails—it was important, with the cosmic rock embedded in his temple, to make it clear he could be neither compelled nor controlled—he still, generally, liked them.

more importantly, he was and remains deferential. natasha was a good leader, trustworthy. even if in the present day vision isn’t really sure how much following he ought to be doing, he knows roughly what she might get into in this place; he knows she’d be right to do it; he knows he’d rather not see her come to harm.

so as natasha is doing a covert sweep of one of arcadia’s more personnel-only corridors, there is—unsettlingly—a voice that seems to issue with quiet urgency through one of the overhead announcement devices. ]

Agent Romanoff.

[ short enough a call that it’s probably actually a bit difficult ascertain whose voice it might be. tbh it’s actually fucking spooky ]

[redhourglass]

( as a general rule, natasha is not jumpy — that’s for other people. less well-trained people. people who don’t walk around armed to the teeth with things that could kill other people. jumpiness while sneaking around where you definitely shouldn’t be is a fast way to get yourself killed — and she knows all this. has internalized all of this.

it doesn’t stop her from going for a gun that is no longer at her hip when she hears her name from nowhere—

covering it with a quick duck into a nearby doorway, room empty, she peers back out in the hall, eyes darting from the empty space to the speaker systems on the ceiling. you didn’t imagine it. but who would… )

If this is a joke, Stark, it’s not funny. ( furious muttering. whoever it is, who knows if they can even hear her? )

[thwikt]

[ believe it or not, roy chose to come to arcadia of his own volition.

he could've easily gotten away. in fact, he technically did. he never made contact with the guards, evading them and their "let's pretend you have a choice" invite to the so-called starfallen sanctuary. but after his masterful sleuthing on the network as one orchard greenwood, he decided that he couldn't turn away from it.

he isn't here as either roy harper or orchard greenwood, however. right now, the man walking through the halls is only known by his alias, flamebird. he doesn't have the most sleek and professional look, yet his outfit is enough to conceal his identity and that's good enough for him. he wears a dark orange hoodie pulled up over a similarly colored beanie. his face is hidden behind a beaked black phoenix half-mask that reveals only a pair of bright green eyes and a boyish smile. the rest of his apparel is all black from his gloves to his combat boots. not bad for something he tossed together with barely any money to his name.

en route to his own room, flamebird slows his tracks as he watches a guard drop a young woman off at one of the previously empty residences. he has been keeping tabs of new arrivals, so since it's along the way, he ought to welcome her to the neighborhood, right?

waiting for the guard to round the corner, flamebird approaches the closed door, lifting his hand to rapt on it twice. knock knock. ]

[redhourglass]

( the last three days have been ... a lot. waking up falling (floating?) through space, being shuffled off to this place that screams prison in her every cell (and she should know, she's been there before), reuniting with stark and steve and realizing that they were different...

it takes most of her self control to not slam the door in the face of the masked man (?) who'd knocked on her door. )

Halloween come a little early here? ( in spite of her quip, the eyes that scan the hall are all business; the guard is gone, for now, which gives her ... oh, approximately three minutes before he rounds back and they're seen chatting. convenient timing, if it really was a coincidence. ) I'm not interested in whatever you're selling.