metamods: (Default)
meta moderators ([personal profile] metamods) wrote in [community profile] metamemes2022-03-04 04:33 pm
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TEST DRIVE MEME #02




TEST DRIVE MEME
Welcome to [community profile] metaheroes! As the game is invite-only, please bear in mind that new players must have an invitation from a current player to apply. Interested players who do not know anyone in the game can reach out to the mod team HERE to request an invite for the March app round. These invitations will be processed the day before reserves open. However, no invitation is necessary to play on the this test drive.

Threads from this post can be made game canon if players agree upon it. To facilitate this, this log has no new arrival prompt. Please see the PREVIOUS CONFLUENCES for general ideas as to how characters may have arrived. New characters will be arriving with the March 27th arrival log.

For players who do not want to thread out an arrival, they may backdate their characters' arrival to a previous Confluence. These characters were not picked up by the transportation spell used by the Alliance. These characters will have been living on their own for the last few months, so please address this in the 'Brainstorming' section of the application.


01. METASTRAVAGANZA — everywhere.
Things haven't been the same since Confluences started again. The last two months have been more exciting than the last twenty years! The skies are full of new heroes, the day is saved and threatened by unfamiliar faces, the media is having a field day trying to report on every single new face while companies try to snag them for brand deals.

But not everything in this world centers around costumed combat. Today is a perfectly normal day and you're tasked with the most dangerous mission of all - leading an every day life. Maybe you go to a perfectly normal job to maintain your secret identity - or maybe you've already abandoned that, living full time as your metahuman self.

The sun is shining, and even in the early hours of the morning, parties in the DOWNTOWN STREETS of those CITIES STRUCK BY THE RECENT CONFLUENCES are disrupting the reconstruction efforts that have gotten well underway. These parties celebrate meta efforts to save the day! The streets are full of booths selling food and hastily made knock-off toys of the newest heroes who haven't yet put a copyright on their costume.

But not everyone looks so thrilled about this celebration. Many people look disgusted at this celebration of metahumans interrupting their commute to work, muttering under their breath about what a pain in the ass metahumans are and how much destruction they've wrought in these few short months.

Meanwhile, school-aged metas board the bus to LOFTY HEIGHTS META SCHOOL, hidden somewhere in the sky. There, in-between learning about grammar and punctuation, they are trained to use their new abilities ... Notably, when powers training arrives, the new arrivals outshine the metas native to this world. Very few seem to have any powers on par with the new comers.

Later in the day, the Student Council holds an assembly dedicated to the responsible use of powers. They award any students who have helped save the day with accolades — as well as detention for skipping class to help out as an unlicensed hero. Whoops!

Maybe you should just skip today.


02. SEEDY UNDERBELLY — central city.
Central City is a hard place to live. The city is in almost constant peril, with constant power vacuums in organized crime and city government being filled by worse and worse people. Despite having the Guardian Alliance stationed at its center and doing their best to uplift the people and their citizens, the city suffers from a corruption so deep that it seems to be baked into the very concrete.

The Alliance does what it can to make the city a better place but it's a bandaid over a bigger wound. Because the nigh constant metahuman-centered destruction is the source of so many of Central City's problems - meta organizations are often the last resort for its people. Still, the Alliance makes sure to keep heroes on hand to punch muggers as well as run soup kitchens. Their healers provide healing free of charge, and many of their psychics are trained therapists who use their powers to soothe the citizens' many traumas.

But the real power in the city is held by people like FRANK KAFKA, a crime lord with a finger in every pie. Both guilds leave Kafka to his own devices because he officially possesses no metahuman abilities and he avoids any dealings with them. Tonight, his goons are running their favorite extortion scheme with a twist. A group of them marches through a run-down street, shaking down vulnerable families and businesses for protection money. If an individual resists, the gang threatens to bring the spectre of newly created metahumans down upon their head. Though Kafka himself is not present, his goons will give up his location under enough pressure.


03. NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM — excelsior.
With how often the city is destroyed, one wouldn't expect the MUSEUM OF EXCELSIOR to get much in the way of priceless artifacts, but the museum's basement vault is one of the most well guarded facilities in all the country. Practically impenetrable, it stores every conceivable relic of value. But today, thanks to some villainous meddling, there's a lapse in their security that aligns perfectly with the planned time for the changeover of an art exhibit, affording some enterprising thieves a chance at millions of dollars in priceless artwork.

Heroes affiliated with the Guardian Alliance are asked to patrol and keep these relics safe, while the members of the Society of Villainous Reformation are called upon to pay favors forward by getting in their way. As the untested new kids on the block, player characters draw the short straw and are sent in pairs to complete their task, regardless of whether it's to steal these artifacts or guard them.

Villains, now's the chance to get rich quick! Heroes, protect these treasures from falling into the wrong hands!


04. DINOTOPIA — excelsior.
Confluences are back.

And that means new unaffiliated supervillains are running rampant in the streets, causing the kind of directionless, clumsy chaos that the Guild typically frowns at. A little mischief is good if it serves as distraction for a heist, but this is...

Well...

This a very large velociraptor with human arms standing in the middle of Excelsior. If anyone asks, he calls himself DINO DAN. But why would you ask when he's busy transforming people into dinosaurs - or partially into dinosaurs - using his aptly named Dino-Ray? The people of Excelsior are used to a lot of chaotic shenanigans, but this is a little much even for them. The newly transformed dinosaur-people are losing themselves to their instincts and charging at bystanders. Of those that retain (or regain) their senses, some appear strangely delighted to have this new experience, while others wail in horror at their lost humanity.

As heroes line up to stop him, he'll tell anyone who listens about his displaced rage and the revenge he seeks on an unfair world that let him turn himself into a dinosaur. Not surprising, out of an Excelsior local. However, confronted by metas who can stop him, Dino Dan hooks the Dino-Ray on his belt and grabs a second ray-gun. Anyone he shoots with this one disappears with a comical POP!

Those unfortunate enough to be hit by this ray will find themselves standing in a land before time, right beside a research station. Those clever enough to pull out their cell phones will notice that they still have reception, and rule out time travel.

In addition to clippings of ancient and extinct plants, characters who venture inside will find a half dozen prehistoric humans have apparently been displaced through time and held captive in Dino Dan's remote island research station. If that wasn't obvious enough, his research notes suggest the use of time travel — though like all other dimensional travel, it stopped working in January.

Characters may trigger a trap in the research station and find themselves also temporarily transformed into reptiles, or they may take it upon themselves to rescue the poor folks this mesozoic maniac has been holding hostage! Whatever the plan: if he's causing havoc in the city, that has to mean there's there's a teleporter in his lab to get back. But there's no shortage of Guard T-Rexes blocking the path.
curar: (065)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
[She's not really sure what a god of mischief is supposed to be. But fun is always good, in her opinion. So her claw retracts, the bloodied skin where it emerged healing over quickly. She's all eager smiles and energy now, nodding quickly in response.

Her sunglasses manage to become dislodged in the process, and she slides them up to her forehead so she can look up at him properly.
]

What kind of fun?
dothelokimotion: (Fear is a reasonable response to life)

[personal profile] dothelokimotion 2022-04-24 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
I'm going to create a distraction. You're going to rob them blind.

Does that sound satisfactory?
curar: (078)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
[It's the vague smell of her father that causes her to be knocked for a loop. She's still sniffing at the air to try and pick up on the scent, when it very nearly knocks her over as she's spoken to.

Her eyes glance upward, not recognizing him. But the smell he's giving off is familiar enough that she clutches her Wolverine toy close to her chest as she rises up to sniff at him in close.
]

Yes. [She speaks the single word in English, still trying to figure out his scent.] He is my father. [That's spoken in Spanish, and she gets frustrated by the fact he smells enough like Logan that it's a distraction.]
tosavethisworld: (don't give in)

truly the start of a beautiful friendship

[personal profile] tosavethisworld 2022-04-24 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Deadpan:] Well, at least he’ll die in style.

[Is this thing floor-length? It looks floor-length. So many ways this could go so terribly wrong. But hey, she can’t deny this action figure looks really good, at least.]

It’s—uh. [How do you tell someone that in one timeline, the world they know is wiped out in a matter of months, and humanity was reborn centuries later and had to struggle back to even a rudimentary understanding of the world around them? She can’t, so instead she’s somewhat vague:] Where I’m from, these [gesturing to the toys on display] would be ancient artifacts, from a world we have barely any readable records of. We call the people who belonged to that world the Old Ones.
curar: (pic#12210793)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
Yes! Very good.

[she thinks she may have found a new friend.

Laura eagerly nods, and gestures for him to hurry ahead to create a distraction. She's a little apprehensive about him possibly changing his mind and getting her caught, but if he does that, she can always just stab him later.
]
mistersnikt: (025)

[personal profile] mistersnikt 2022-04-24 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
[ okay, good, that answers several questions. his lips quirk up into a small, reassuring smile. ]

Mine, too. [ he lifts a hand, popping one of his claws out briefly for her to see, then resheathing it. ] You're Laura, right? I'm Akihiro. I'm your older brother.

[ he jerks his head back in the direction he'd come. ] I thought I was smelling you back there.
curar: (049)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
[She stares at his claw with fascination, excitedly smiling. The only siblings she's ever known are the other children that were made with her at Transigen. And he's definitely not one of those children, as far as she knows. typically she'd be uncertain about anyone that knows her name the way he does, but he has Logan's scent and he has claws.]

Like me. [She whispers, claws extending out of both of her hands. Unlike him, she keeps hers out for longer, holding her hands up for him to see like it's a family trait they can both be proud of.]

Akihiro. [She very carefully turns her palm to touch at his arm, not letting her claws graze him.] Laura. [She confirms that's her name, head nodding slightly as she touches at her chest. Her claws retract then, the skin between her knuckles rapidly healing.]

Family. [He gets sniffed again, this time so she can commit his scent to memory.] But how do you know my name?
dothelokimotion: (Something else will take its place)

[personal profile] dothelokimotion 2022-04-24 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
Watch carefully.

[ with a flick of his fingers, signs next to the stands start to move of their own volition. they start tearing themselves free and running off. the vendors gawk before chasing after them. ]

Quickly now. Remember what I said.
curar: (004)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh, she watches. Watches with complete fascination as the signs seem to magically tear free and fly away. As amusing as that is, she's a girl on a mission. She tries to keep her back to the crowd that's running after the signs, and looks as cool and unassuming as possible.

And then she goes by the stands quickly, swiping and placing things into her backpack as she hurries along. She's not even necessarily looking at what she's stealing. Not until she reaches a stand that has a stuffed unicorn.

she doesn't care who sees her. Eyes lighting up, she greedily reaches over to grab it, turning her head to hiss at a nearby child that's watching her too closely.

Job done, she gleefully runs over to his side. She doesn't care to steal anything else. She's got the best piece of merchandise this festival has to offer in her arms.
]

Time to go?

[She really feels like maybe they should be making their exit right about now.]
mistersnikt: (022)

[personal profile] mistersnikt 2022-04-24 05:00 am (UTC)(link)
[ he lets her examine and sniff him to her heart's content. he's rarely been as feral as laura or their father, but it's not to say that he's not plenty animal-like at times.

when she's satisfied, he smiles, shaking his head. ]
That's a long story, but if you really want to hear it, how about over lunch? [ he reaches out, cupping her face in both hands, thumbs brushing her cheekbones. she's so young. ] We can grab some stuff from the booths, whatever you want to try.

[ and then he can figure out her living situation, maybe pick up some new clothes for her, things like that. ]
dothelokimotion: (Fear is a reasonable response to life)

[personal profile] dothelokimotion 2022-04-24 05:05 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, I believe so.

[ with a wave of his hand, they're disguised from view. ]

Let us depart.
curar: (072)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
[Food? He wants to feed her? It feels too good to be true. For once, Laura is patient with someone that touches her without warning, eyes looking up to him as he cups her cheeks. But all too soon she's feeling a little anxious by the contact, and gently pulls herself away so she can reach up and grab his sleeve. It's tugged to show that he should follow her, and she hurries off into the crowd to head back toward a booth she had passed earlier.

The smell of roasted corn is too appealing to her, and she skids to a stop in front of the booth, sniffing at the air.
]

That. [She insists, right as another smell catches her attention. She pivots over to the left, toward a booth that sells gourmet hot dogs. Another sniff has her looking over toward yet another booth that has curry. It all smells so good that she isn't sure where to start.]

I want to try everything. All of it.
curar: (015)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
[She mimics the wave of his hand, just to see how it feels.]

Do you know... [how do you say it? oh, that's right -] magic? Or are you a mutant too?

[But she's sticking close to his side, all too happy to follow him wherever he may go.]
dothelokimotion: (This is the fear that looms)

[personal profile] dothelokimotion 2022-04-24 05:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ loki hums. ]

I know magic and I'm not a mutant.
robintohood: (I am lost)

[personal profile] robintohood 2022-04-24 05:26 am (UTC)(link)
The fact you know more than one is already impressive. Though what's above sorcerer supreme?
curar: (pic#12210763)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
You are a god, yes?

[She remembers he introduced himself as that.]

Loki. The mischief god.
dothelokimotion: (Minutes before librarians ate him)

[personal profile] dothelokimotion 2022-04-24 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
[ he inclines his head at her as they weave through the crowd. ]

Yes. I learned my magic from another planet.
curar: (073)

[personal profile] curar 2022-04-24 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
Mars?

[It's the only other planet she's heard of, thanks to comic books. But he doesn't look much like the green aliens that had been in that story.]
dothelokimotion: (Comfort was the answer to all)

[personal profile] dothelokimotion 2022-04-24 07:14 am (UTC)(link)
[ a low chuckle. ]

Much further than that.
tosavethisworld: (this is your grace)

[personal profile] tosavethisworld 2022-04-24 12:54 pm (UTC)(link)
So I'm guessing Gotham is just full of people who've found that niche and went very, very far with it. Present company included.

[She can respect that. She doesn't understand it, coming from an upbringing where survival required adaptability, but she respects it as long as the dedication doesn't result in people getting hurt. And since it sounds like Nightwing's using it to stop crime in its tracks, she doesn't mind.]

Does that happen regularly? Themed museum heists, I mean. Sounds like a lot of work for not a lot of pay-off.

[A chuckle.]

I guess they didn't make their art confusing enough to get people's attention. [Another pulse from her Focus, catching only a couple of rich newcomers.] There's new people coming in, but my Focus isn't coming up with anything suspicious. What about you?
mostdangerousbird: (064 send up a signal i'll throw u a line)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2022-04-24 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
That depends on your perspective.

[ He hums as he figures out how to present the argument. It’s a matter of spin. ]

You’re framing everything too narrowly. Whoever’s behind this has a plan. You’re not restoring order, you’re creating chaos in their plan and restoring your right to choose your own chaos.
ordinarily: ([f] my timmy turner face)

[personal profile] ordinarily 2022-04-24 04:12 pm (UTC)(link)
[ See, Danny was also new, but apparently he'd showboated enough for someone to already try and make a quick buck off of him. Emphasis on quick, because he's pretty sure Bigfoot had more accurate photos than this. ]

I don't think there's a single part of this toy that looks even a little like the dude they made the toy out of.

[ He said that with a level of confidence and exasperation that could make one wonder just how familiar he was with the actual hero. ]

Like, first of all? [ He grabs the cape, holding it like a dirty tissue, the toy hanging off of it. ] He doesn't even have a cape. Like, who decided he had a cape?
mostdangerousbird: (023 but you know that she’s watching)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2022-04-24 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Tim gives him a two-fingered salute. ]

Right. I’m out. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, Riff.

[ He knows that Riff is going to or is already shoplifting, but Tim can’t follow him around all day to make sure he doesn’t. And, since his goal today is to stay under the radar, he can’t call the guy out in advance and cause a scene.

He’ll find Riff again later.
]
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2022-04-24 06:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[Fair enough. Though Team ‘Pet Cerberus Because He Is Just A Lost And Misunderstood Doggo’ had handled it well sans violence. What she said though was a relief. His Kate, just a question of when.]

Yep, the Loki we thought we knew as a kid, turns our he’s a huge X-Men fan, who knew. Then ours. Can help when talking about more than one of them to call him Ikol. I’m aware there is and older one too. I think we have about as many Peter Parkers. Who, in case you run into them, tend to prefer private identities. Poor guys.
mostdangerousbird: (071 shade never made anybody less gay)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2022-04-25 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ He does. His pants are very intelligent. ]

Outside of a physics thought experiment? Not… exactly those two things, but I’m from Gotham. Weird stuff happens all the time.