TEST DRIVE MEME #3

[metamods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

A confluence is defined as the convergence of one or more forces. A Confluence, capitalized, is the converging of one or more supernatural forces.

Confluences have been mild ever since the Godfall Event occurred in the 1980s. The older generations tell their children of the confluences they remember as children, the earth-shaking events that transformed the landscape of the world (and the people) every time they occurred. Now they're largely inconveniences. An explosion of experimental ALIEN NANOBOTS here, a magical LIGHTNING STORM there, nothing particularly disruptive to day to day life.

ONLY SHOOTING STARS. CENTRAL CITY.

Awareness hits you in a rush. As does the sound of a town’s EMERGENCY ALARMS WAILING.  Just as you begin to register the sound, you realize how quickly the towering skyscrapers are coming up to meet you. You may throw your hands up to shield yourself from witnessing your own grisly demise. Not to worry - THREADS OF MYSTICAL ENERGY rush up to meet you, grabbing for limbs and catching you before you make landfall.  A NET MADE OF STARS has come up to cradle you, giving you a much gentler entry into this world than most others have received thus far. A smattering of exhausted looking people holding staves and wands peer up at you and attempt to smile, though they appear to be much more focused on keeping you held aloft.

Correction. They’re keeping MOST of you aloft. The mystical net made of stars doesn’t seem quite large enough to cover the entire sky. THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE FALLING. Perhaps you’re not spared the fall, plummeting through the gap in the net and straight into someone’s living room. Or car. Or straight into the sewer systems.

DIADEM HOTEL

You're not going home anytime soon. Hopefully, the LUXURY HOTEL they've put you up in will ease that sting.

The DIADEM HOTEL is usually reserved for the obscenely wealthy. Its rooms are enormous, the beds quite literally enchanted to offer the perfect night's sleep, and the food would usually cost your life savings just to sample. But given the circumstances, the Guilds feel its the least they can do to aid your transition into this world. EVERYTHING is complimentary, and everyone gets an ALLIANCE CREDIT CARD to spend on entertainment, clothing, and whatever other necessities they might need. The cards have an obscenely high limit and there doesn't seem to be an expectation for you to pay it back... though if they catch you abusing it, their accountant will be coming for your head.

There's a shopping center immediately across the street. It has an impressive array of outlets that cater to your every need. Food, clothing... and swords? If you can think of it, it's for sale. Although anything clearly supernatural or metahuman seems to be at a minimum and offered under the table. You can grab clothing made to withstand any superpower and a surprisingly mediocre Taco Bell order while you're at it. There's a Super Cinema in the shopping complex across the street that's showing the highly anticipated DROP DEAD GORGEOUS movie, a thriller wherein a fictional beauty queen accidentally swallows a fragment of the Necronomicon and becomes the world’s most powerful necromancer. Oh, and her boyfriend transforms into her chainsaw.

CENTRAL CITY isn't exactly the nicest place in the world. Wander too far from the shopping district and you'll find yourselves thick into territory controlled by the local non-meta crime syndicate... but maybe that's where you want to be. Maybe you're here to see just what this world is dealing with. If you're going to be stuck here you might as well make yourself useful, right?

Or perhaps you're NOT the heroic type. Maybe this is simply scoping out the competition.

Regardless, it won't take long for TROUBLE to find you. Test out your new powers, do a little thieving, stop a few muggings - this is your time to use as you see fit.

MAY FLIES AND FLOWERS. EXCELSIOR.

EXCELSIOR has just opened its very own BOTANICAL GARDEN! The facility is roughly the size of a city block, a modern monolith of steel and glass, specially equipped to prevent birds from flying into the many windows. There’s plants from all over the world growing inside, different rooms hosting rare and exotic specimens from different climates. Each mini-biome has animals native to the regions they mimic, of course - not a great many of them, but you’re likely to see some insects and birds flitting here and there.

To better protect the guests, all animals inside are man-made creations - be they mechanical or genetically engineered for a single purpose. The most notable of these projects is a MECHANICAL BUTTERFLY enjoying its first test flight. Researchers hope that these butterflies can be introduced into nature to aid the waning bee populations. These butterflies, beautiful creations spun from delicate metal wire, can be found in nearly any of the ecosystems present in the Botanical Garden. Aside from being hardy and efficient, they’re also equipped with a CHEMICAL ENHANCEMENT that makes the pollen they collect twelve times more potent. Everything’s getting pollinated in here! Best hope you don't have allergies.

This SPECIAL POLLEN also has the side-effect of making anyone in the vicinity feel quite lonely or loved. Theorized as a way to make dates more intimate, no more consideration was put into the ethical ramifications of subtly altering people’s mood for commercial benefit. It’s Excelsior, after all, hopefully someone warned you they view ethics as optional.

Should you have come to this beautiful slice of nature alone you may find yourself OVERWHELMED WITH LONELINESS as the flock fly overhead. Yet this loneliness comes with an edge of courage. Perhaps you’re emboldened to approach another lonely heart and ask if they would care to accompany you. 

If you’ve come with someone you all may find yourselves feeling much more WARM AND AFFECTIONATE towards them. Such a pretty place, such great company - let’s spend some real quality time!

WORKING ALL ANGLES. SUNSET FALLS.

Be you hero, villain, or unaligned - socialite KATHERINE WEST has a request for you. Miss West appears to be quite distressed. The weirdness of Sunset Falls has put her dear father in a bit of a pickle and she’s looking for strapping heroes (and villains, and unaligned, really anyone with two feet and a heartbeat) to help out. She states that she’s no metahuman and so she can’t offer you a team-up, but she can offer you a shoutout on her Instagram page.

The TASKS she’s issuing seem simple on the surface. Safe enough that you may be swayed by her sweet smile and the 15 million followers who might take a shine to you.

HUNT SOME WOLVES.

A shame she didn’t mention that these wolves are WEREWOLVES.

A pack of werewolves has been wreaking havoc in the PARK. They come out at night to grow their pack. Nearly a dozen locals have been conscripted by this infectious bite.

Luckily, there is a POTENTIAL SOLUTION! This particular brand of lycanthropy can be cured if you grievously wound them with a SILVER WEAPON. A quick google also tells you that curing the ALPHA – or killing him – will end the curse for the whole pack. She’s twice the size of a direwolf with jaws like a steel trap. 

Granted, killing them is the faster solution. There is a slight hitch in that plan. These wolves REVERT BACK TO HUMAN FORM upon death. It might look weird to find a bunch of bodies in the park so you’d best be prepared to clean up after yourself.

There’s always the risk you’ll get bit and JOIN THEM. Should this happen, the transformation will come on suddenly and painfully, your body distorting under the light of the moon. The ANIMAL INSTINCTS will come on just as powerfully - you’re part of a pack now, and you’re out on a hunt. Hopefully some kind soul can hit you with silver or take out your alpha, because you won't turn back on your own.

HERE KITTY KITTY.

Miss West has tasked you with finding all of the town’s TREED CATS. This one is an easy enough task, right? For the last four months there's been an absurd amount of cats getting stuck in trees.

Well, it seems two months of storing AMBIENT CHAOS MAGIC has made these cats more unpredictable than usual. Chaos magic isn't something you want to mess with, especially not when it's held in purrsnickety paws. It's easy to snatch them from the branches if they don't know you're coming, but if you approach under their watchful eye you'll begin to find the rules of reality start to bend. The ocean becomes a sky full of fish, and the grass beneath you a warm carpet warmed by a sunbeam. Your thoughts and feelings suddenly seem to be able to influence this space - so careful! You wouldn't want your worst fears to suddenly manifest.

Now would be a really bad time to remember that dream where all your teeth fall out.

DANCING SHADOWS.

This one is fairly simple. All Miss West wants is a PICTURE OF YOUR SHADOW. She gives you her best camera and asks you take the very best shot you can.

The ambient mystical energies of Sunset Falls are known to be chaotic. The LINGERING MAGIC of the spell that snatched you from the sky is ignited. Your shadow begins to glimmer faintly like the night sky itself. If you catch a glimpse of it out of the corner of your eye, you could swear you spy your shadow smiling back. Its eyes appear to be bright, burning stars.

These stars grant it a RUDIMENTARY SENTIENCE. And with it, liberation! No longer is it bound to your feet.  Your shadow-self wants to live it's very best life and that means doing whatever impulsive thing strikes its brand new consciousness. CAUSING MAYHEM, infecting other shadows with its newly gained brilliance. Before long, the town is OVERRUN with dancing shadows. While their antics don't affect the physical space, if you glance down at the ground in pure chaos.

The magically inclined among you may want to work together to bind your shadows back to your feet. It's not good for a person to be split between planes like this. It's not good for the world, either, as the ground seems to give an ominous rumble every now and again. Catch your shadow and pin it under your foot!

WILDCARD.

Metaheroes takes inspiration from all walks of comics. Take a look at the CITIES to get an idea as to what day to day life is like in the other cities. Perhaps you've encountered a supervillain (or hero) who needs to be thwarted, or a metahuman with unusual powers creating bizarre effects. You can also take a look at the MISSION BOARD to get your start as a professional hero, villain, or vigilante.

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Quentin Beck (Mysterio) | Marvel Comics

[makeanentrance]

A. DIADEM HOTEL

[After the initial shock of falling into this strange alternate world, Quentin Beck had been pleasantly surprised by the hotel room he was shown to and given a limitless credit card. It all sounded way too good to be true... But if this was some sort of trick or trap then it so far seemed much better than being sent to Hell. He shivered at a distant memory. No, no, second chances, right? He was here now and maybe things would get better. Hopefully...?

Turning the card over and over with his fingers as he muses his current situation, he finally decides to check out the shopping center. After some casual browsing of the shops, Beck discovers there is a cinema and he is immediately seized with a warm feeling. The cinema had always been a source of comfort to him, especially in his childhood. It would relieve any troubled feeling he still had about being here. At least temporarily.

So he makes his way into the next available showing, gets some popcorn and takes a seat. He is soon enthralled by the movie, a crooked smile on his craggy face. Then... his peace is disturbed by somebody kicking the seat behind him - whether on purpose or accidentally, it takes him abruptly out of his good mood and he turns to glare angrily at the person sitting behind him.]

B. BOTANICAL GARDEN

[Hearing about the Botanical Garden opening and having some spare time, Beck decides to visit. He's less interested in the gardens themselves and more in the man-made creatures and the mechanical butterflies interest him greatly. They remind him of projects he'd made himself. Robotics and realistic beings, some that he'd created had been highly advanced and... then the thought saddens him. Oh, some of the robots had been for criminal enterprises and therefore disposable but then he thinks of Misty. A daughter who had... No, he doesn't want to be reminded of what had happened to her.

The sadness quickly becomes an overwhelming loneliness. Yes, part of that is the pollen's effects on him but much is indeed himself and how he misses some sort of companionship. He'd spent so much time in his life alone, using his imagination to keep himself company. Hugging himself, Beck backs up against a wall, looking miserable. He is alone, all alone... Forever alone...

Wait. Is that... somebody nearby? There's a small sliver of hope in his chest and he reaches out toward them.]

H-hello... I.. Would you...?

[His halting words bring back more memories of a lonely childhood. Won't somebody talk to him now? Or is he doomed to be always lonely?]

C. WILDCARD

[Open for other prompts from here or random prompts around the cities! Contact at quentinbeck if you want to plot first or just feel free to toss anyone at him in here!]

B!

[frenchkissed]

( venom just hasn't seen many earth flowers before. that's it. that's the whole reason they're here. flowers on klyntar, he's explain, are less organic being and more symbiotes in different shapes. the whole planet is all symbiotes—one giant symbiote, really. it's throwing eddie for a loop, so there's a chance beck overhears one side of a two-sided conversation: )

...when you stop to smell the flowers, it's like you're just sniffing your friends?...Because that's what flowers are for, man. They smell good. Roses smell good. So you smell them... It's all of it. The way they look, the way they smell. Seriously, what the fuck is happening with flowers on your planet?...

( all this flower talk has eddie inhaling pollen by the truckload, which he doesn't seem to immediately notice. it's only when someone seems to call out to him does eddie feel an immense sense of self-awareness. he's alone, talking to no one but himself. venom is a person, but he's not a person person. eddie doesn't have anyone here. he doesn't have friends, he doesn't have connections, he doesn't have anne. without anne, who even is eddie? does he matter? should anyone bother to care about him? )

Hey! Hey... ( beck is the first person eddie has seen since he started taking pollen shots, and the urge to run up to him and begged to be noticed is strong. ) Do you mind if we... uh, talk? Just, like, chat? About anything. Seriously, whatever. What's your favorite movie?

[makeanentrance]

[Beck has had a symbiote encounter in the past but he doesn't yet recognize that's what was going on here. That the man was talking aloud, seemingly to himself doesn't bother him. Many a time, he's given speeches to himself. Practice, just speaking aloud to hear how it sounds. It wasn't that unusual, right...? But then the man was approaching and at first Beck is a little uncertain until the last question makes his face light up. A kindred spirit who enjoys films? It's an easy question to answer with pure enthusiasm.]

King Kong!

[He exclaims, beaming. He could ramble about this all day.]

The original, of course! A true classic! The effects were so ahead of their time.

[But it's polite to ask questions back and he wants to stave off that loneliness and keep this man around.]

What about you? What's your favorite?

[frenchkissed]

King Kong? ( eddie didn't know that was anyone's favorite movie. he can't help but think of the adrian brody version, and that one didn't quite capture the same energy of the orignal. ) Yeah.. Yeah, I'll give you the effects. The scaling, the modeling... it's good. Haven't seen it in a while, but I'd totally watch it again sometime.

( does he have a favorite? maybe... )

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas? Had a whole phase with gonzo back in college. Book was better, as always, but... it stuck with me, I guess?

Eddie, by the way. Did you fall out of the sky, too?

[makeanentrance]

[King Kong had been a great influence on him when he saw it as a kid. Something that had stuck with him too and even though there may be better films with more advanced techniques, it still held the top place in his mind.]

I'm Quentin.

[He replies, briefly hesitating before holding out a hand. For a moment there was a fear of it being rejected. Then he chuckles.]

That sounds romantic, doesn't it? Like a line from a movie. 'I fell out of the sky into your arms!' Or maybe it's an alien invasion... Bodies falling out of the sky after being abducted.

It could go either way.

[frenchkissed]

Quentin. Cool.

( eddie takes the hand when it's offered. he doesn't hesitate. striking up a conversation with a stronger isn't all that weird, and that strange bout of misery and loneliness feels like it's ebbing away with their idle chatter, so it's not like he minds.

the name sounds familiar, but there are plenty of quentins in the world. that doesn't mean anything. the alien comment, though, has eddie frowning. not because he cares, but because venom seems to take it to heart. calm down, buddy. no one here is dissing aliens. )

Haven't had the luxury of catching anyone just yet. We, uh... we did crash into a barn on our way down. Splinters everywhere. Owners weren't too happy about it.

Someone catch you?

[makeanentrance]

Yeah, there was a bit of a jarring thump at the end with the landing but there was some sort of magic catching me that made it a slower descent.

[He got lucky there for once.]

You said 'we'? You came in with someone?

[frenchkissed]

Yeah. I did.

...

He's mad at you right now, though.

a.

[nepotis]

[ Ever since moving to Excelsior, Harry doesn't come back to Central City that often. But a limited run monster movie marathon is enough to pique his interest.

He's settling into his seat as the lights begin to dim, legs propped up on the seat in front of him, tossing popcorn into his mouth one kernel at a time. Suddenly, some guy is turning around to give him the stink eye. ]

Uh, do you mind? I'm trying to watch the trailers.

[makeanentrance]

[Beck gives the legs a very stern look then daggers in his eyes at Harry more directly. If looks could kill... all over a disturbance at the movies. But Beck could get petty about some things. He just wanted to relax and enjoy himself here.]

Get your feet off of my seat.

[nepotis]

[ Harry's eyes narrow, and he pointedly shifts his feet from the top of guy's seat... six inches lower, to the seat back.

That fixes the problem, right? ]

[makeanentrance]

[He doesn't look pleased but turns back around to face the screen, audibly muttering.]

And no kicking.

a

[qualityfriend]

[He might have to look up to give the girl behind him the stinkeye, as she's standing. And rubbing her knees. (Guess what actually hit the back of his seat.)]

Sorry. I- I was in a hurry to leave.

[makeanentrance]

So leave!

[He snaps huffily. He's a bulky guy, potentially intimidating - even if right now he appears a little petulant.]

I'm trying to watch the movie.

[qualityfriend]

I will!

[She frowns at him, embarrassment (and shock) fading into irritation and defensiveness).]

It was an accident. I didn't mean to disturb you.

[makeanentrance]

[He lets out a heavy sigh.]

Why would you even want to walk out on this?

[He waves at the screen, somehow offended at the very thought of somebody departing mid-movie. He certainly would be offended if it was his movie.]

[qualityfriend]

[She glances at the screen, currently showing a dark cave, and looks away.]

It brought back bad memories.

[makeanentrance]

[He glances that way too. A cave?]

That must be quite the story.

[It's not quite an invitation to talk about it though - as if she'd even want to. It's almost dismissive as he's still trying to concentrate on the screen.]

[qualityfriend]

One of the times I came closest to dying. After being kidnapped for hours. I've avoided being underground as much as possible since then.

B

[soulmakingsound]

[His loneliness is almost palpable to the empath. Hits her like a wave and she closes her eyes under the weight of it for a moment, trying to hold herself steady in its wake.

When she opens her eyes again, they're rimmed with tears. She scrubs at her face and takes a deep breath, shaking her head a little.]

Yes. Yes, I'll come talk with you.

[makeanentrance]

[He feels a surge in his chest of being so grateful to her when she responds. Someone to help scare away the loneliness.]

Thank you, thank you so very much.

[soulmakingsound]

[She's not used to being the one who comforts. Usually, she's on the other side of things. But she reaches a hand out to touch his arm lightly.]

No thanks necessary. I'm River. Would you like to sit? There are places to do so.

[makeanentrance]

[He nods, eyes also brimming with tears as if he's so moved by her offer.]

I'm... I'm Quentin.

[He's happy to be guided to the nearest seat.]

[soulmakingsound]

Quentin is a nice name. [She's not very good at this, is she? But she leads them to a bench and sits, patting the space beside her] Where are you from, Quentin?

[makeanentrance]

[More people make fun of his name than compliment it so he's also grateful for that. Not being mocked is nice. When he's not wearing his full costume with helmet he tends to speak quieter and with less grandiosity and so he continues on with a soft, measured speech now.]

I've spent a lot of time in New York.

[He winces as if that brings up some unpleasant memories then continues on, a smile forming.]

But before I arrived here I was in Hollywood, shooting a movie.