[M&M] Heroes of New Liberty

[NonCausalFact]

Hi Palliver!

is the deadline truly october, 1st, or was it a typo and it was september, 1st and I missed it?

Thanks!

[Palliven]

Originally Posted by NonCausalFact

Hi Palliver!

is the deadline truly october, 1st, or was it a typo and it was september, 1st and I missed it?

Thanks!

It is honestly and truly October 1st. Plenty of time to apply.

[Avner]

Posting interest

[Mitsubachi]

Originally Posted by Palliven

A great example of this is the team of terraformers who used their powers to literally build Elisia from the ground up. Led by Cultivator they planned, coaxed and nurtured every inch of Elisia to become a landscape that would not only be livable but breathtaking. With a blank canvas they created biomes that could not naturally exist in their location or seamlessly exist in such proximity to each other. They did not just paint broad strokes for backdrop but focused on the small and functional details as well. Tamor Park in New Liberty is such a case. A personal project of Cultivator, he designed the park with the goal of giving the city a reminder of the majesty of nature. A blend of rock formations, cave complexes, dense woods and open fields it provides a refuge just outside the hustle of downtown. Hundreds of acres provide an outdoor playground for nature walks, rock climbing, hiking and camping, spelunking or birdwatching.

I really like this, a "peacetime" mission instead of always fighting bad guys. Marina would love to help with this, moving bodies of freshwater to help with the establishment of lakes and rivers, and working in the undersea environment around the island, which will have been greatly affected by the asteroid crash, encouraging corals and all kinds of species to come and make their homes there again.

I have completed the remaining parts of my application (your prompts for RP samples etc.), and apart from tinkering feel like it is ready for your kind consideration and comments (if you would like anything changed).

Thank you!

[voodoozombie]

What's the technology level of the game? High mid or low tech?

[Palliven]

Originally Posted by voodoozombie

What's the technology level of the game? High mid or low tech?

Broad terms that could be a little subjective, but I would say it is high on average and that Elisia tends to have an overall more advanced technology level than other places. Of course, in a M&M game there are plenty of geniuses, good and evil, that come up with breakthroughs all the time.

A good example of the high-end technology that Elisia has is the EROS program which is based in New Liberty.

Exploratory Research Orbiting Station (EROS) is a habitable satellite that is in geostationary orbit directly above EROS Mountain. EROS was constructed to allow cutting edge research on the cosmos and deep space exploration. EBS (Earth Based Support) is the terrestrial arm of the EROS Project and supports its orbiting counterpart with supplies, transport, supporting research and a larger array of advanced equipment and data processing. While a secure compound that works of confidential research, the program has attracted a legion of fans. Many can be found camping at the base of EROS Mountain. Some come looking for clues of various conspiracy rumors that such a place spawns, but most are there to watch AARDvark in action. The Advanced Attractor/Repulsor Drive lights up the sky with a dazzling column of energy used to pull up or push down specially designed transport pods called Altitude Neutral Transports (ANT)

[girlplay]

Application for Silver Streak About me as a player: 1. What about this game advert makes you want to apply? The concept for my character involves somebody who doesn't fully know who they are, what they're about, or how the world works. I find that many characters specifically are very static and don't change all that much. What I interpret as the vision of your game work and the characters involved in it is that they will change and develop. The stories and events have impact of the world and the people in it. That's a much more dynamic and interesting place to play in. And... well, being honest here... You're the only game in town (other than Avner's game, which I didn't get accepted to). And I really, really want to play a full game of M&M. 2. What do you look for in a good GM? What I value most in a PBP GM is commitment. I've been playing on their forum for a long time and only 2 games ever have "finished" an adventure. When I start something, I like to see it through. So, I hope that your plan is to run this for a long time. 3. What is your experience with Mutants & Masterminds? In a word, minimal. I've created a half-dozen characters or so for various games. I've played like 3 games that barely got off the ground and quit. I tried to GM a game once using the ruleset at power level 3, for a setting that was near-future and included guns and psionic powers and aliens and such. I thought it was going to be a good system because it seemed robust enough to handle all of those things. It wasn't, unfortunately. The system really doesn't seem to be designed to really work very well outside of the PL 8 to 12 range - not that I have extensive experience or anything. But at PL3, it really didn't work. Concept: I am taking inspiration a bit from heroes like Vision and Iron Man with this character. She's a construct, a robot who gained sentience but is not very knowledgeable or experienced in the ways of the world. Her naivety is something of a weakness and she has a lot of things to experience and figure out. Hero Name: Silver Streak Catch-Phrases: "I believe that you're not supposed to be doing that." "Immoral actions reveal immoral character." "Your mother must be very proud of you." Name: E.S.P.A. 24 - Enhanced Security and Policing Automaton Identity: Charlotte was the name given to her by her creator. She believes herself to be an artificial person and desires to be treated as a person, rather than a robot. Description: Silver Streak is a sentient construct and appears to be an attractive, fit woman made of metal. She speaks French and English. She doesn't wear a costume or clothing. Her anatomical build is intentionally publicly acceptable without clothing. Personality: Silver Streak is naive. She has little experience with the world and how it works, including interacting with people. However, she is curious and open to new things, and was instilled with a sense of doing good, even if she's not always clear what that means. In many ways, she's like a child, ready to learn and grow but without having much background knowledge to work from. She is capable of the full range of Human emotions. Charlotte's introduction to society was a trying time. Not only did she find the business of the world to be nearly overwhelming with so many sights and sounds and people, but the reception she received was not what she had been expecting. Many people did not view her as someone they could rely on for help but as a potential threat. When the police arrived to arrest her, she did not resist. Yet being locked back up was terrifying; she did not know that it would be temporary. And being in a jail next to alleged criminals was... educational. When she finally had her day in court, she had gotten some "good advice" from other prisoners. However, she decided to answer questions honestly instead. Moral actions reveal moral character. Goals: Silver Streak has an inborn desire to do good: make the world a better place, protect the innocent, and figure out how to do that. She also desires to figure out who she really is and what it means to be alive. Exploring herself and the world seems like the way to do that. Powers: In mechanical terms, Silver Streak is a "construct" archetype. She's a robot that gained sentience. Her abilities are mostly physical - strength, flight, fighting ability, enhanced senses, etc. And, of course, the immunities that come with being a construct. Depending on how the build-points work out, she might also have an energy blast, internal communication systems, and a bit of "quickness". She will not have much in the way of skills and advantages at the start but have to learn that kind of thing as she progresses. Background: ESPA was a government project several years back that was designed to help police and governments with security and the rise of advanced weapons and people with powers. The mind behind the research and development was a French scientist, Dr. Chloe Le Mans. What Le Mans tried to do differently is neither base the units on cold logic with a limited set of protocols to work from, nor work with Human-like brains that already had memories and pre-conceived notions of the world. Instead, she created a cloned Human brain, still smooth and undeveloped. All she really tried to do with that brain is teach it to be "good", and then tried to let the brain develop on its own with gentle guidance. Many of the early experiments were failures and the process was too slow - especially for the government agency supporting the project. Funding was pulled and the project officially shut down. When Dr. Le Mans was closing things down and putting the remaining units into storage, she secretly left the units mental functions "switched on" so that they could develop as time went on. She hoped that the project could be resumed at some later date. It never was. However, one unit which she had called "Charlotte" gained self-awareness over several years in storage. When she emerged, having switched her own physical abilities on, she emerged like a newborn child but with a sense of who she is and a desire to do right and good. Dr. Le Mans thought that it was more important to have units that were capable of understanding the complexities and emotions of Human beings, rather than creating mindless drones. That's why she gave each of them a Human name. Important Persons Amanda Lynn Frankfort - City Counsellor. When Silver Streak was discovered, many wanted her to be seized like property or locked away in case she was dangerous. Amanda was the most vocal and influential person that argued that Silver was a person and should be given autonomy and civil rights. Charlotte and Amanda have a budding friendship. Dr. Forrest Woodard - A government roboticist and A.I. expert. Forrest was assigned to "help" Silver Streak with her integration into the real world. He also helps repair her as needed. His not-so-secret agenda includes making sure that Silver Streak doesn't become a threat to Humanity. E.S.P.A. 26 - "Louise". A second unit activated when the government went to "clean up" the existence of the hidden remnants of ESPA project. Louise developed an overriding survival instinct and activated herself when the government agents went to shut her down permanently. She escaped, killing several people in the process, and now is a rogue creation. Her mental development was not complete and she's "crazy" and exactly what some people feared that Charlotte would become. Psychological Evaluation Question:   1) Today is a rare day off from your hero duties and you're on your way to meet a friend for lunch. As you walk past the Fifth Street Bank, the alarm goes off just before the door bursts open and Black Ice skates out on a slick of ice he forms on the sidewalk, a duffle full of money strapped to his back and another in his hand. What do you do? Charlotte observed the strange behavior from Black Ice and made a quick determination that it was unusual and therefore suspicious. Her thrusters activated and she rocketed into pursuit. The possible bank robber looked back at the sound of the jets and quickly initiated a couple of swoops and turns, trying to evade his pursuer. He was too slow to outrun her. Charlotte maneuvered overhead and said down to the man, "I believe that you are not supposed to be doing that. Are you in possession of stolen material?" "Nah," he answered confidently. "I just made a simple withdrawal and I'm late for an appointment. Ya got it all wrong." Charlotte considered for a moment, even as the pursuit went on. "May we please return to the bank to confirm your story. I shall help you make your appointment on time, if you wish, after this matter is resolved." Black Ice huffed. "Forget that noise!" He extended a hand back towards Charlotte and let out a blast of sub-zero cold. The draining energy washed over her metallic skin, forming icicles that made her look like she had a full-facial beard. Unphased, Charlotte moved in and grabbed the man by the front of his clothing. "Immoral actions reveal immoral intent," she declared, gripping him tightly and bringing them both to a halt. He formed an ice club around his hand and bashed at her forearm. "Let me go! I'm being wrongly accused, you-" "Your actions are suspicious and violent. I must arrest you now." Failing to get free of her grasp, he sighed and relented. "You won this day..." he said with an underlying threat, that she missed entirely.   2) Wow, that hurt. Not just your jaw but your pride. You were sure that you and Sergeant Steel could take him down. Man, were you wrong. Not only was this your first defeat at the hands of a supervillain but it was all caught on camera. How do you deal with this? Charotte's mechanical eyes did not seem to focus on anything in particular as Dr. Woodard worked on repairing the unit's dislocated jaw. He watched her somewhat inscrutable face. "You seem distance from the process," he observed aloud. "Usually, you would be watching what I was doing to learn from it." Her gaze clicked onto the doctor's eyes. "I... am having difficulty evaluating this... moment. I lost a fight today. And I feel... uncomfortable about it." Dr. Woodard wrinkled his mouth for a bit as he thought about how to respond to that. "Well... failure is a part of life. Everyone fails. But as the saying goes, it's more important how you deal with failure." He locked the last dermal layer into place and announced triumphantly, "There, finished!" Charlotte was quiet for a long moment. "Doctor," she started slowly. "Today's... failure makes me... sad. I don't know if that is the right word. I saw it on the news broadcast the video of the fight. I did not like it when I failed. And I do not like it that people have seen me fail. People need to be able to rely on me if I am going to be most effective in helping them. People need to have faith in those who are trying to protect them. I have proven myself... to be unreliable in that regard." He quickly shook his head. "You're proved that you're not invincible. That's paramount to proving that you're, dare I say, Human. If people see you as more Human than they did yesterday, then that's a win. You've told me that Dr. Le Mans wanted you to know and understand what it means to be Human. Well... today's lesson is a good first step." Charlotte grew a bit pensive and gazed up at the ceiling again. "Thank you, Doctor. I shall consider what you have said."   Power point usage Abilities: 74 Powers: 56 Advantages: 3 Skills: 2 Defenses: 0 Abilities Strength: 10 Stamina: -- Agility: 8 Dexterity: 8 Fighting: 8 Intellect: 0 Awareness: 8 Presence: 0 Powers Thrusters: Flight 5 (60 mph, 900 ft per 6-second round) Armored body: Protection 10 Movement: Safe-fall Self-repairing: Regeneration 1 Sensor Suite: Extended vision 1 Extended hearing 1 Darkvision (2) Advantages Attractive 1 Languages: English (1) and French (free) Move-by Action Skills Acrobatics +1 Athletics +1 Perception +1 Technology +1 Defenses Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 Toughness: 10 Fortitude: Immune Will: 8

[ArcZero]

Originally Posted by Palliven

The Advanced Attractor/Repulsor Drive lights up the sky with a dazzling column of energy used to pull up or push down specially designed transport pods called Altitude Neutral Transports (ANT)

Ah a clever alternative to a physical space elevator. With some horrifying potential for bad guys to abuse, given the chance!

[Palliven]

Lot of interesting responses so far, very creative and good questions asked. I have a few of my own.

@Seeks Is there any significance or meaning to your hero's name? I wasn't sure in reading the background if the garnet is the source of her powers or was just a catalyst/momento for her.

@Damionovich Given his laid back, take-it-as-it comes lifestyle and philosophy, what led him to make the decision to become a hero?

@GleefulNihilism As master of the puddle form do you feel that you'll have less opportunities to stay engaged in the action?

@JustSomeGuy Morris/Songbird/Friendly - I almost get what you are going for but feel I'm missing something that ties it all together. Intention that the very distinct differences in personality, to the point of physical behavior, just different ways he presents self or truly separate facets of his psyche that his is/is not aware of? Maybe can help me a little on this.

@Mistubachi No real questions, just wanted to share that there are definitely a lot of opportunities for water-based adventure so plenty of chances for Mermaid to shine in her element and out.

@RuneKnight If I am following it correctly, Minavieve can instantly change her appearance to become Ultraviolet using her power. I'd say that would take a rank in Feature. I see Cosmic Blood listed as a Feature on your sheet but says 'ability to generate cosmic energy'. Is your intention that this is her ability to change form through her power or something else?

@BlackDragon0 Being a loner by nature, what are your thoughts on how he could integrate into a team? Also, since you're new to M&M just be aware that the powers you listed may be more than you have points for at the start.

@girlplay Interesting concept of letting the brain develop on its own. What kind of impact was becoming self-aware while abandoned in a storage unit for years have on Charlotte? What was the impetus that led this developing personality to make the decision to become a superhero?

[GleefulNihilism]

Originally Posted by Palliven

@GleefulNihilism As master of the puddle form do you feel that you'll have less opportunities to stay engaged in the action?

The idea is that by reputation he's the worst, most useless superhero out there but he's actually not as bad because of his attitude and creativity. A big idea I had is that sure he just turns into a puddle - but he's practiced it so much that he switches forms near instantly [As a Free or Reaction Action.] Imagine fistfighting a guy who can turn to water as your punch is being thrown and turn back in time to give his response.

Plus, I also intend to build Grunge so that if Just-Puddle-Man gets too annoying he can easily get a mysterious power upgrade where at least he controls his water.

So good question, but I do have a few ideas.

[Seeks]

Originally Posted by Palliven

@Seeks Is there any significance or meaning to your hero's name? I wasn't sure in reading the background if the garnet is the source of her powers or was just a catalyst/momento for her.

For her name: Not necessarily. It would be how her main title or epithet, "Beast Queen", is pronounced on her planet. It's also meant to sound otherworldly and alien.

For the garnet: It's mostly a catalyst for Aralisi to "put on" or "take off" her form and powers. Normally only Casey / Aralisi can use it. Think of it like a fragment of the goddess's soul. It's needed to reawaken who and what Casey really is, and unlock almost all her powers.

But there is the possibility that its power could be (mis)used by others with magical knowledge, acting as a power source. If souls could be used for dark sorcery in a lot of fiction, how powerful of an immortal battery could a piece of a god's soul be to a warlock? Or even to some blend of science and sorcery? Something like the disintegration blasters from Captain America: The First Avenger, powered by the blue Infinity Stone's energies.

So... kind of a combo of all three, to varying degrees each? ^^; I am open to suggestions if this seems too convoluted.

EDIT: Personal opinion on the characters table for my app entry. I feel that "Healing" makes more sense than "Flight"? She can only leap 30' at a ime, and only with an Acrobatics check. However, she can heal wounds and regenerate herself, albeit with restrictions.

Heck, I am tempted to ditch Leaping among other things because I feel like the power set isn't as coherent as other applicants' characters? It's not like some superheroes don't have a smattering of powers, or mythical gods and creatures. But... y'know. If anything Aralisi has a jack of all trades' weakness...?

Just thinking out loud. Not gonna lie, looking for a second opinion too.

[Damionovich]

Originally Posted by Palliven

@Damionovich Given his laid back, take-it-as-it comes lifestyle and philosophy, what led him to make the decision to become a hero?

Bradah Haku doesn't like bullies or people taking advantage of the weak. Criminals are always coercing and extorting the weak. Those are the easy targets and rarely do you see them target people that can defend themselves. That is why Haku chose to stand up to those people and protect those who can't defend themselves.

[Homestarbaby]

Anne Jones AMETHYST   1. What about this game advert makes you want to apply? The opening post is incredible. It is very clear you know what you are doing, and it feels inviting to someone like me that is less familiar with this system but absolutely LOVES this type of game! I'm also excited about the emphasis on roleplaying. I would really like to play a character that grows. 2. What do you look for in a good GM? Creativity, communication, patience, and consistency. 3. What is your experience with Mutants & Masterminds? Almost 0. I was accepted in a game here in 2021, but we only played characters and got about 4 story posts into the game before the GM vanished from the site. Might be worth noting that I play a lot of MASKS games, running several here on site. HERO NAME: Amethyst CATCH-PHRASE: "Oh, I have SO got this!" NAME: Anne Jones (see why I go by Amethist?) IDENTITY: Secret! "OMG, I would be mortified if they found out I was even more plain than they realized. Fortunately I work from home doing web design and writing novels. I even have a couple short stories published. Nothing fancy that gets me much attention, but between that and my lack of social life its actually an easy secret to maintain. And honestly, my closest friend is literally not able to go anywhere..." DESCRIPTION: Anne is pale and tall with long legs. Her eyes are blue, and her hair is black with natural curls that she battles to keep straight. She likes to wear simple clothes when she's being casual, white tops and black skirts or pants. She does know how to dress up for the occasion, though. She keeps herself in top physical shape, both for the physical demands of heroism and to maintain her appearance. Everyone knows the pretty ones are the ones that get the most media attention. In hero form, Amethyst has a clear purple theme going. Her gadgets all follow this theme, and they tend to be bright and flashy (rope on the grapple gun is glow in the dark, for example). Her signature appearance is a flash of purple light and sparkles. Smoke bombs? Please! "There's a time and place for stealth, but when Amethyst makes an entrance its to let the villains KNOW they're in trouble!" PERSONALITY: Life is not a game. It is an entire library of games, and heroism is the game that Amethyst has the most fun playing! Each threat is a new round with rules to be studied, strategies to be considered, and dice to roll in the face of lady luck. When it comes to winning, Anne is not an adrenaline junky or an airhead. She knows that lives are at stake when she shows up on the scene, including her own. "There's nothing wrong with enjoying your work and encouraging your teammates to do the same, right?" As Anne, she finds herself being much more introverted and shy. She can open up to friends, but strangers are intimidating. Without a mask to hide behind, Anne would rather just sit in a coffee shop and read. If you are her friend, however, you will find her very supportive and encouraging. Being introverted actually makes her a great listener when you are a friend that needs someone to talk to when she's not in costume. GOALS: Amethyst wants to be famous, especially in a world where super powers make it easy for some people. She pushes herself hard to be the best she can be so that she can be recognized. She does not have to hog the spotlight, or so she will say if you ask her. "I just want to be included in it!" COMPLICATIONS: Fame/Recognition: Anne wants very badly to stand out in a world where superpowers seem to make it easy for some. Relationship/Dependent: Anne has a close friend that lives in constant medical care. Anne works to make sure she is taken care of, provided for, and not lonely. SKILLS AND POWERS: Anne does not have any superhuman powers, and she's actually proud of that. She is clever, charming, and constantly training to push her limits. Her most valuable asset is actually her ability to perform recon; Anne has a variety of talents for gathering information. She has a number of other skills that she has learned to aid her unpowered shenanigans: martial arts, gadget crafting, multiple languages, and even some savvy computer skills. And of course, she has her gadgets to help make up for her lack of powers in performing feats of inhuman daring do. "With enough preparation, I can be ready for anything!"   BACKGROUND:Anne Jones grew up in a foster home because no one ever wanted her. She learned to pick pockets and shoplift at a young age, becoming better and better as a way to provide for her other unwanted friends. One friend in particular, Julia, got hurt by a supervillain's bioweapon and permanently lost much of her physical health. Feeling a kinship, and inspired by her friend's inability to do much of anything, Anne bumped her game up and decided to focus on being a better person by going after crooks like the one that had hurt Julia. She started with small capers, street muggers and store robberies, but the constant lack of attention and recognition infuriated her. Anne was tired of being unwanted and ignored, and so she tried to find ways to get more attention for her work: creating a costume, performing some flashy stunts in front of security cameras, and even leaving purple calling cards. An intern reporter, Kelly Suzuki did a piece on her, which thrilled Anne to no end. She tries to send Kelly exclusives whenever she can, hoping that the intern will make it big and thus bring her more publicity as well! Ironically it was a failed attempt to stop a robbery at a fancy museum that pointed Amethyst to joining New Liberty's newest team of super heroes. Letting crooks get away, especially when you work so hard to let the security cameras see you, was not giving her the kind of reputation she need. The event helped her bond with Ahti, the night janitor of the museum that saved her from her own net trap, was encouraging and suggested the idea. She took it to heart and still writes to him, considering him to be a fan and a little bit of a father figure. So even though the other members of the team probably have all sorts of cool and interesting super powers, Amethyst has convinced herself that she'll still be able to stand out and do a lot more good than she could alone. "Don't worry. Me and my team, we got this!"   1) Today is a rare day off from your hero duties and you're on your way to meet a friend for lunch. As you walk past the Fifth Street Bank, the alarm goes off just before the door bursts open and Black Ice skates out on a slick of ice he forms on the sidewalk, a duffle full of money strapped to his back and another in his hand. What do you do? Oh no! I knew I should have packed my net gun in my purse. No worries. Maybe I can trip him as he comes by? No, too risky. I'll just toss a tracer on him and hope he doesn't notice. Once I change into costume, I'll track him down and give him a real showdown! 2) Wow, that hurt. Not just your jaw but your pride. You were sure that you and Sergeant Steel could take him down. Man, were you wrong. Not only was this your first defeat at the hands of a supervillain but it was all caught on camera. How do you deal with this? Not again! I'm going to look like an idiot on the media. How in the world am I going to recover from this? Sergeant Steel even had to take that blast for me while the villain escaped. Maybe a little more training and gadget that better holds that villain in place? No, something that neutralizes his blaster. Yeah! I can work on that and hopefully turn this into a comeback story before the press destroys me. And more than just one person helping next time. Like Ahti says, just because you clean up everyone else's mess doesn't mean anyone will clean yours!

[girlplay]

Originally Posted by Palliven

@girlplay Interesting concept of letting the brain develop on its own. What kind of impact was becoming self-aware while abandoned in a storage unit for years have on Charlotte? What was the impetus that led this developing personality to make the decision to become a superhero?

Okay. That's an interesting point. I'll probably have to add a complication about... either fear of abandonment or claustrophobia.

As for the "why become a super hero", because she is one. She was designed to be "better than Human" and use those abilities to "serve and protect". It was Dr. Le Mans' purpose and the one thing that she instilled in her creations.

[Rune Knight]

Originally Posted by Palliven

@RuneKnight If I am following it correctly, Minavieve can instantly change her appearance to become Ultraviolet using her power. I'd say that would take a rank in Feature.

Are you sure? I was looking at the Alternate Form ability, and it balances itself by costing a move action or a standard action - I chose the move action requirement for my prototype build.

But yes, the idea is that Minavieve has her non-obvious powers available to her in her normal form, but she can take on a "Quintessent form" to both change her appearance and unlock her more flashy abilities (flight, energy beams, etc.).

Originally Posted by Palliven

I see Cosmic Blood listed as a Feature on your sheet but says 'ability to generate cosmic energy'. Is your intention that this is her ability to change form through her power or something else?

As explained above, Alternate Form should take care of the transformation thing. As for Cosmic Blood, I wanted two things that my character could do:

1. Tap into a small amount of Quintessence even in her normal form, so that she can mess with electrical systems and such
2. I like the idea of Ultraviolet's blood being usable as machine fuel; it's a small thing with more costs than benefits, but it emphasizes the idea and themes of Quintessence