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APRIL CONFLUENCE
APRIL CONFLUENCE
It comes to the precogs in a flash: On APRIL 26th, a confluence will occur in Little Love. Any available metahumans are requested to take a trip to the tiny town and stand guard.
Just as it has the previous four times, an OMINOUS STORM rolls in. Thunder booms and a bolt of lightning crashes into the field below.... but nobody falls from the sky. In fact, nothing weird at all seems to happen. The storm runs its course and in the end, the night is uneventful. The metas standing guard are left wet, cold, and frustrated.
THE ALLIANCE and THE SOCIETY do a thorough sweep but seem to decide everything is fine. Confluences appear to be winding down once again and all breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
Yet unknown to them, the new arrivals have come through… but this time rather than crashing into the ground, the lightning strike has EMBEDDED THEM deep, deep beneath the ground.
The following morning, the residents of Little Love are stunned to find their FRESHLY PLANTED POTATO SEED has reached full maturity overnight. Curious and wary, one brave farmer wades into the towering stalks to investigate the potential cause. She fails to come back out.
A little later into the week, one disappearance has become dozens. The Alliance receives a call stating that SOMETHING has been calling to the townspeople in the crop field. Anyone who sets foot in it doesn’t seem to be coming back out, and the town is small enough as it is already.
Once again, you’re asked to go INVESTIGATE.
Just as it has the previous four times, an OMINOUS STORM rolls in. Thunder booms and a bolt of lightning crashes into the field below.... but nobody falls from the sky. In fact, nothing weird at all seems to happen. The storm runs its course and in the end, the night is uneventful. The metas standing guard are left wet, cold, and frustrated.
THE ALLIANCE and THE SOCIETY do a thorough sweep but seem to decide everything is fine. Confluences appear to be winding down once again and all breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
Yet unknown to them, the new arrivals have come through… but this time rather than crashing into the ground, the lightning strike has EMBEDDED THEM deep, deep beneath the ground.
The following morning, the residents of Little Love are stunned to find their FRESHLY PLANTED POTATO SEED has reached full maturity overnight. Curious and wary, one brave farmer wades into the towering stalks to investigate the potential cause. She fails to come back out.
A little later into the week, one disappearance has become dozens. The Alliance receives a call stating that SOMETHING has been calling to the townspeople in the crop field. Anyone who sets foot in it doesn’t seem to be coming back out, and the town is small enough as it is already.
Once again, you’re asked to go INVESTIGATE.
HARVEST —
Nothing seems off about the fields at first. But a thermal scan reveals just where the missing farmers have gone - they’re IN THE GROUND. Alive, but appearing to be in a deep state of slumber.
And you, new arrival, have been PLANTED right beside them. You may remember a fleeting glimpse of the world rushing by, but that now feels like a bad dream. You’re having a much nicer one down here, surrounded by all your brothers and sisters. You can HEAR THEIR VOICES in the back of your mind, compelling you to stay here with them forever. The earth around you is like a warm embrace. Why would you ever want to leave it? Your body will feed it and give your brethren strength.
Some of you may snap awake at that particular thought. You begin to desperately CLAWING YOUR WAY UP. Your hand breaks the surface and someone screams at the zombie, but someone else is there to quickly grasp your hand and yank you up and out. There are THIN WHITE ROOTS all over you - easily torn off, but unsettling all the same.
And you, new arrival, have been PLANTED right beside them. You may remember a fleeting glimpse of the world rushing by, but that now feels like a bad dream. You’re having a much nicer one down here, surrounded by all your brothers and sisters. You can HEAR THEIR VOICES in the back of your mind, compelling you to stay here with them forever. The earth around you is like a warm embrace. Why would you ever want to leave it? Your body will feed it and give your brethren strength.
Some of you may snap awake at that particular thought. You begin to desperately CLAWING YOUR WAY UP. Your hand breaks the surface and someone screams at the zombie, but someone else is there to quickly grasp your hand and yank you up and out. There are THIN WHITE ROOTS all over you - easily torn off, but unsettling all the same.
PRUNING THE GARDEN
Your captors do not appreciate their garden being invaded. And for every person that’s pulled out of the ground, A MASSIVE POTATO the size of a large dog is disturbed and springs free. They don't appreciate being woken up.
These YOUNG SPROUTS are full of piss and vinegar, ready to fight anyone who comes too close to their nesting grounds. Others are eager to return to the soil, and keen on adding to the collective by taking you with them.
Meanwhile, the remnants of last fall’s harvest appear to have adopted a persona not unlike that of a SENIOR DOG. They want to be left alone and will lash out at any of these whippersnappers intruding on their space. You may find an unlikely ally in a particularly CRANKY SPUD. If you're patient, kind, and maybe a little off-kilter (who are we to judge), you can try to ADOPT one of the SENIOR POTATO MONSTERS. Good luck?
These YOUNG SPROUTS are full of piss and vinegar, ready to fight anyone who comes too close to their nesting grounds. Others are eager to return to the soil, and keen on adding to the collective by taking you with them.
Meanwhile, the remnants of last fall’s harvest appear to have adopted a persona not unlike that of a SENIOR DOG. They want to be left alone and will lash out at any of these whippersnappers intruding on their space. You may find an unlikely ally in a particularly CRANKY SPUD. If you're patient, kind, and maybe a little off-kilter (who are we to judge), you can try to ADOPT one of the SENIOR POTATO MONSTERS. Good luck?
ALIEN CAVERN —
For those of you unfortunate enough to be pulled into the earth, you’re in luck - the potatoes seem to be overestimating how much room they have to work with. The next thing you know you’re falling through the CEILING OF A CAVERN, splashing into a shallow glowing river.
There’s NO WAY OUT, and even if you're able to fly, the hole above you appears to have sealed itself up.
Your mouth is full of dirt. Perhaps you feel compelled to DRINK THE WATER to clear it, or perhaps you swallowed a mouthful as you hit the ground. Regardless, swallow any of the glowing water you’ll BEGIN TO GLOW as well. You’ll also become keenly attuned to the nature in this cavern. You’re probably a little stoned, but your senses tell you all of the organic material appears to possess a RUDIMENTARY SAPIENCE.
Follow the stream to its source and you’ll find an impressive piece of ALIEN TECHNOLOGY. It’s difficult to discern exactly what it does, but as its surrounding area is surrounded by exotic looking plants you guess it may be some sort of TERRAFORMING MACHINE. It looks like the bolt of lightning caused it to go haywire and its pushing energy out into the fields, trying to terraform the planet into whatever its now warped parameters tell it to. A VISCOUS BLUE LIQUID is leaking from the tank and into the water supply. And you may feel regrets about drinking that.
Bring it offline. Once the machine has shut down, the POTATO-BEASTS abruptly crash through the ceiling and burrow through the ground underneath your feet. Your rescuers look down at you through these massive holes and as the sunlight strikes your skin, FLOWERS begin to bloom all over your body.
Someone makes a reluctant call to HQ and tells them to prep the medical team.
There’s NO WAY OUT, and even if you're able to fly, the hole above you appears to have sealed itself up.
Your mouth is full of dirt. Perhaps you feel compelled to DRINK THE WATER to clear it, or perhaps you swallowed a mouthful as you hit the ground. Regardless, swallow any of the glowing water you’ll BEGIN TO GLOW as well. You’ll also become keenly attuned to the nature in this cavern. You’re probably a little stoned, but your senses tell you all of the organic material appears to possess a RUDIMENTARY SAPIENCE.
Follow the stream to its source and you’ll find an impressive piece of ALIEN TECHNOLOGY. It’s difficult to discern exactly what it does, but as its surrounding area is surrounded by exotic looking plants you guess it may be some sort of TERRAFORMING MACHINE. It looks like the bolt of lightning caused it to go haywire and its pushing energy out into the fields, trying to terraform the planet into whatever its now warped parameters tell it to. A VISCOUS BLUE LIQUID is leaking from the tank and into the water supply. And you may feel regrets about drinking that.
Bring it offline. Once the machine has shut down, the POTATO-BEASTS abruptly crash through the ceiling and burrow through the ground underneath your feet. Your rescuers look down at you through these massive holes and as the sunlight strikes your skin, FLOWERS begin to bloom all over your body.
Someone makes a reluctant call to HQ and tells them to prep the medical team.
AFTERMATH —
RETURN TO HQ
After the potato beasts are taken care of (or adopted?) and the chaos from the strange underground Confluence abates, the guild places a call back to headquarters to bring everyone back with a teleportation spell. The spell reaches out for whatever metahumans it can find in the area and pulls.
All the metahumans who were involved in the Confluence — new arrivals and old — to a white training space that has already transformed into a luxurious waiting room. Everyone present receives a cellphone.
Atomight isn't there in the flesh this time, but there is a broadcast over the network to those stuck at HQ:
Once everyone gathered has been looked over and attended to they're directed to:
All the metahumans who were involved in the Confluence — new arrivals and old — to a white training space that has already transformed into a luxurious waiting room. Everyone present receives a cellphone.
Atomight isn't there in the flesh this time, but there is a broadcast over the network to those stuck at HQ:
Thank you for your help out there. We would like to issue an apology for the way you arrived here. To those of you grappling with your new abilities, please rest assured that this room will give you a much needed reprieve. We have staff on site who can work with you to gain control of you new abilities, and nullifiers if you find it's still too much.
You are the fourth set of newly powered individuals this confluence has brought. To those of you who have been flung far from home, we'll put you in connection with the others. Many of them are here today and can advise you of what your new reality is.
We of the Guardian Alliance are committed to doing everything we can to get you home, and to give you some time to get your feet under you. And as this may be your home for a while longer, I wish to formally extend an invitation to those of you who wish to use your powers to defend the innocent to join us.
You are the fourth set of newly powered individuals this confluence has brought. To those of you who have been flung far from home, we'll put you in connection with the others. Many of them are here today and can advise you of what your new reality is.
We of the Guardian Alliance are committed to doing everything we can to get you home, and to give you some time to get your feet under you. And as this may be your home for a while longer, I wish to formally extend an invitation to those of you who wish to use your powers to defend the innocent to join us.
Once everyone gathered has been looked over and attended to they're directed to:
THE DIADEM
As always, there is space aplenty for new arrivals in the DIADEM HOTEL. (Though there's a lot of you now, so you'll definitely be matched with a ROOMMATE, possibly at random.)
The Diadem Hotel is a luxury hotel 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 don't worry! Everything is COMPLIMENTARY, and everyone gets an Alliance credit card to spend on entertainment, clothing, and whatever other necessities they might need. The cards appear to have an obscenely high limit and there doesn't seem to be an expectation for you to pay it back.
You might get approached by GUILD REPRESENTATIVES and invited to join. Depending on your character's actions during the Confluence crisis, they might get approached by one guild and not the other. Recruiters are charming and personable, talking up the perks of being in the Guilds (see more on our FAQ and GUILDS pages). They won't be harassing anyone, but a "no, thank you" might be returned with a "think it over" and offer of a calling card. Be careful, though. You only have TWO MONTHS to join a guild and secure guild housing. If you don't join one or the other, you'll be on your own. Oh well. Live it up while you can, right?
The Diadem Hotel is a luxury hotel 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 don't worry! Everything is COMPLIMENTARY, and everyone gets an Alliance credit card to spend on entertainment, clothing, and whatever other necessities they might need. The cards appear to have an obscenely high limit and there doesn't seem to be an expectation for you to pay it back.
You might get approached by GUILD REPRESENTATIVES and invited to join. Depending on your character's actions during the Confluence crisis, they might get approached by one guild and not the other. Recruiters are charming and personable, talking up the perks of being in the Guilds (see more on our FAQ and GUILDS pages). They won't be harassing anyone, but a "no, thank you" might be returned with a "think it over" and offer of a calling card. Be careful, though. You only have TWO MONTHS to join a guild and secure guild housing. If you don't join one or the other, you'll be on your own. Oh well. Live it up while you can, right?
IN SUMMARY...
- NEW ARRIVALS arrive in LITTLE LOVE during a storm. At first, the Confluence escapes notice, as these arrivals arrive UNDER THE GROUND.
- At first, sleeping arrivals may feel compelled to STAY underground with their newfound root brethren. Eventually, they realise the error of that thinking and CRAWL OUT OF THE GROUND like freaky plant zombies, covered in roots. "Get this stuff off of me!"
- MUTANT POTATO-BEASTS also crawl out of the ground with arrivals! You may be able to make an UNLIKELY ALLIANCE with one of these creatures and even take it home with you!
- Those PULLED INTO THE EARTH can explore an ALIEN CAVERN completely with glowing, questionable water. Arrivals need to shut down an ALIEN TERRAFORMING MACHINE before being rescued by farmers and potato-beasts. Delicious(?).
- As always, new arrivals will later be transported either to GUILD HQ or the DIADEM HOTEL. Enjoy your new guild perks for the next two months! Decide to join a guild (or not)! Pluck that last stray potato root off yourself and meet your fellow
potatoesarrivals. - Ask any mod questions HERE.
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"Yeah. Who knew literal dirt naps would suck. What the hell is happening?"
Seeing another Robin was upsetting already but there was still also the matter of why was he suddenly out in the middle of what looked like the Midwest.
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"I knew. Just because people found a way to sell mud baths doesn't mean that I want to be up to my neck in earth." The second question, though, that's the real problem. He's about 74% certain that he was in Gotham before the flash. The lack of buildings rules out this being Gotham City. "In the immediate sense? A potato with teeth and legs is fighting a raccoon. Broadly? I don't think we're in Jersey anymore, Toto."
Unless Jersey got reeeeeeal flat. Lost all its trees in a tragic... something. Man, Poison Ivy would lose her mind if this is New Jersey.
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"No kidding," Jason replies dryly. He brushes off more dirt off of his armored bat symbol-less chest.
"Well Dorothy, is there anyone else around?"
And was there anyone else Jason should be concerned about?
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He doesn’t know though. Jason could have a very good reason for wearing something plain. Tim doesn’t actually know what everyone’s doing every single night.
Starting to think that’s an oversight, though, when Red Hood asks him who else is around. “”The Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. All things considered, I hope the Scarecrow took the night off.”
Just go with the flow, don’t collapse the bo, and eventually whatever post-burial paranoia Tim’s feeling will die down.
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Jason also makes a short laugh from the teenager's crack about the Scarecrow. Witty remarks while dressed in traffic light colors is certainly a Robin move.
"And Batman?"
Unless Bruce has made even more changes than Jason initially thought, he's assuming his adoptive father isn't too far behind. Things could get ugly quick.
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But that’s neither here nor there. Why are you asking where Batman is in so few syllables, with no cracks or complaints? It’s all so perfunctory and contained. It’s wrong.
“Haven’t seen B in the last five minutes. I’ve been kinda busy. Potato monsters. Dirt nap. It’s Friday.” Perhaps contrary to popular opinion, theft doesn’t go down on Fridays because people get paid. It goes up because people are getting paid. Including bank robberies.
But Tim expects Jason to know that. He also expects Jason to know that he’s not on a leash for patrols. He’s not sure why he answered like Batman could in the next furrow. They’re both here. Maybe he is too. “I don’t think he’s got a plan for carnivorous potatoes.”
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"After all those times dealing with Poison Ivy, he's probably got a contingency for dealing with killer vegetables."
Jason looks back at the squealing potato and raccoon, still duking it out. God, this all felt surreal.
"What are the chances there's a Kryptonian around?"
Frankly, they're more experienced with dealing with farmland than a couple of nocturnal city vigilantes.
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His tone gives away that he’s making up this theory as he goes, but aside from picking a direction to start walking, there’s not much else to do. “Not too bad, I think, if two of us dug ourselves out of the same field. I’ll try raising Superboy.”
Robin prods at his gauntlet and then at the hologram. He frowns. And then it deepens. “That’s weird. I can’t get a signal.”
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"What about anyone else? We can't possibly be the only ones around."
And whose sick idea was it to try to literally bury him?
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He shoots Jason a worried look. "What about the comm in your helmet? Anything out of that? Maybe dirt or moisture got in mine when I was underground."
Like anything electronic they use can't handle getting a little soiled.
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"Afraid not," Jason replies shortly. "My helmet's fine but I got nothing."
He's not lying. As far as he can tell his helmet wasn't really damaged during the burial and he can't contact anyone. It's just that he a lone vigilante, not someone who works with others like this kid is thinking.
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“So it’s being jammed, or for some reason it can’t connect to the satellite. Which could be myriad things, and we’ve got nothing to go on.” No point in trying to figure out why they can’t connect without the means to correct it.
Tim looks over towards the lighter side of the sky, finds the center which is close enough to east, and starts walking. “We should go before the death potato comes back.”
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"You got any idea how we wound up taking dirt naps in the first place?"
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Almost fully unprepared. At least they’re suited up, so that’s encouraging. It could be worse. He could be on a nearly deserted island drawing a domino mask on with mud. You know. Again. “I’ve got plenty of wild speculation, though. Do you want to hear the Swamp Thing idea, the Jonathan-Swift-inspired alternate universe where the potato people are the dominant life form, or do you want to go first with the theories?”
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"Giving me a modest proposal, huh?" Jason says dryly. "Go ahead with your theories then."
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Tim’s finding his stride, both literally and metaphorically. So much that when the next small fry potato charges, he runs up and kicks it like a soccer goalie. Gets a pretty good distance, too. That’d be at least midfield. No word on the potato’s condition.
“So, if it were Swamp Thing, he’s clearly going to trick Brazilian farmers into planting these. Kinda hard to deforest the Amazon when you’re overrun by spuds,” he’s joking but. Does it really sound that implausible? “Gulliver’s Travels is self explanatory. Want me to formally introduce you to the Lillispudians, or do you want to wait until they’ve gotten us thrashed to the ground?”
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"Don't need a third dirt nap, least of all from a swarm of people the size of my index finger."
Jason then backhands hard against a potato sprout that tried to pounce on him.
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"Yeah, no. It's either dead or not dead," Jason then says. "Not mostly dead like in Princess Bride."
He's trying to keep his tone even but he also has a feeling he might have to give up the charade soon.
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“Mostly dead?” Spluttering in near indignation. He’d returned to Gotham in bad shape, and had managed to stumble into a hospital before he fell into cardiac arrest. “They used a defibrillator, and I can’t even get credit for mostly dead.”
Tim holds up a finger. An index finger, he’s not Jason Todd. The irritation is gone. “Although now that that’s out of my system, I don’t really want credit.”
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"Yeah, no. This is one of those contests where there are no winners," Jason says dryly.
Jason then stops to shake off a potato sprout trying to gnaw on his combat boots before giving it a satisfying kick. The vegetable launches across the field several yards like it's a football.
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Tim whistles at the kick. He would golf clap, but he’d have to put away his bo. Between the continuing waves of potatoes and the earlier weird vibes, he’s not inclined to do it. “Nice one. In all seriousness, who has potato goons? They’re terrible. It’s like farmer whack-a-mole. They’re too small for Ivy’s pets.”
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Given the bizarre and gimmicky rogues' gallery Gotham has, Jason doesn't think it's too far of a stretch.
As he punts away another spud and watches it sailing away across the field, Jason frowns. Just before his panic and the scramble to get out of the ground, there was a strange feeling he had. What was that about?
"Hey, did it feel like you had company when you were buried?"
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He hesitates, for a second, because it will sound crazy. “Vague sense of belonging, like someone’s whispering in your brain that it’s nice here and you belong?”
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"Like we were getting reasons to just stay in the ground."
He lightly kicks at the ground. The soil all around them was still loose. How big is this crop field?
"What are the chances we weren't the only ones?"
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