[h1]The Gifted[/h1]

[u][url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/77028-the-gifted-a-fast-paced-superpower-rp-relaunch/ooc]IC[/url][/u]

Our world has changed. Our civilization has changed more in the last five years than it has in over a century. Extreme advances in the fields of engineering and medicine have drove humanity forward in an increasingly more optimistic world. The survivors of the war became the heralds of the future - Professor Alto Ganze's expertise in the field of biological engineering and his ownership of notable technology giants paved the way for the massive boom of medical technology and even directly aided in the crafting of some of 2020's finest gadgets. With the help of a range of technopaths and other Metas, technology blasted forward at a speed that none could really keep up with.

Needless to say, this new world is more connected to the system than it's ever been before. Of course, for others it's not so bright. After the Aperture disaster, the Government began working by themselves when it came to Metas. For a mercenary who simply desires to make a living from jobs that require a more violent touch, the government cracked-down hard. In this skewed world, you either live by the government's rules or you don't expose your powers whatsoever. Of course, criminal gangs still pay for Metas who can offer them aid but the life of a mercenary is no longer cost-effective. That's primarily why most became more professional and joined the corporate aspect of things. There's quite a bit of money to be made in private security these days and a Meta is always hired, no matter what their background states. Corporate Metas can also land massive contracting jobs out in the Far East as well where the pay is usually high.

There does exist, however, a group of people who have had enough of the government. A group of people who have had enough of the Reformists and their aimless peace talks. A group of people who are not afraid to use violence to achieve their own political aims. Although it is exceptionally hard to even get near them, the Underground Movement has been running for quite a number of years. It's chain of command is unblemished because it's basically impossible for the government to get anyone into the group without their intents being immediately detected. Don't get me wrong, most members of the group simply don't believe that humanity and Metas can ever get along and all of this is going to descend down into war. Some of the more fundamental members of the group, however, take a direct hand in trying to bring this war about.

The Reformist Council is a group of people all built around the ideas of integrating Metas into normal human society in a wholly peaceful way. Their ideals can sometimes seem unrealistic with the current climate of Meta-acceptance but that has yet to stop them. However, to Metas, the Reformists are so much more. They're the people who stand up to Meta discrimination and make sure to protect the Meta population. However, there does exist a shade in this group of people who are willing to destroy everything in the pursuit of justice. These people are just as dangerous as any Underground Movement Fundamentalist.
[h2] [/h2]
Hello everyone! First of all, I believe I should mention that I am not the sole GM of this, as much as my nice little ribbon dictates. Decisions made for The Gifted are purely democratic (unless it's something about the plot because I'll work with a limited number of people for that). My purpose is primarily as Admin for the RP because I'll be doing the organisation work but please note that most of the old-timers have an equal level of authority.

Anyways, what we're aiming for in this RP is player freedom. When we were designing the plot, we wanted to have something that the Players could choose to follow and their choices affected the outcome. This will work on a reward-punishment sort of system where we'll judge if your actions have deemed you worthy of a reward in the plot or some form of punishment. Please note that these rewards and punishments are not a way to drag you into world-events; they just serve to create a world where [b]your[/b] actions make a difference. By all means, engage in as many side-plots as necessary and I may even post a few on here just to get the creative juices flowing.

Just to explain the groups, you still have the choice of what type of Meta your character is (Merc, Hero, Corp, none) but now you also have the choice of a faction to align yourself with. Like everything, you can choose to have no alliances to factions. I've set these factions up so that even if your character is "bad", they can still join the Reformists and become a member with darker intents. Even if your character is "good", they can join the Underground Movement by simply disagreeing with the Reformists. You're not locked into a certain faction, to put it simply. Also please note that if you find your character not fitting into a particular group, you can simply create your own (with some permission once you've explained them).

This is a RP and what we're going for is people having fun. If something limits that then please, please, please say it to me or someone else. If you find your character not being interacted with then just mention it in the OOC and someone will pick up on it! Good luck and have fun!
[h2] [/h2]
[hider=The five hear gap between Arc 2 and Arc 3]
On September the fifth, just over a month after the initial spark created a bloody war between the sides of good and bad, the battle for the City of Angels ended in supposed victory. Doctor David Taylor, the genius madman behind the Eden Project (the development of a forced adaption process for the normal population of humans), was killed by a joint coalition force of the Reformist Council and the US Military. His actions deemed him too dangerous to live any further. However, the day ended in a number of deaths and a few cold-cases. The wanted mass-murderer, Ruby Greenfoot seemingly disappeared in the midst of a battle for her life and with her disappeared most of her advanced research into the field of robotics and computer-engineering, leaving government scientists scratching their heads as to just how she got so advanced technologically.

Her research wasn’t the important thing, however. During her battle, a program was leaked online and quickly propagated itself, spreading itself onto every news outlet on the planet within a matter of hours. The consequences were drastic – every scrap of information about the darkest program the US government had ever involved itself in --Project Genesis-- was leaked online. This information detailed how the US government engaged in barbaric methods to turn low-power Metas into incredibly powerful Metas to be used as super-soldiers or the sires of super-soldiers. Ruby, who used to be viewed by most as a crazed serial killer, became a martyr due to being one of the only two who made it out of the Project alive. Her plight became the backing for a civil-movement that rivalled that of The African-American Civil Rights Movement.

The movement itself seemingly lacked any form of structure which made it easy to infiltrate by people who had their own aspirations that typically weren’t very favourable. However, almost a year after Ruby’s disappearance, a new leader by the name of Benjamin Chatsworth united the movement under a single banner of peace. After a long political battle, the desires for peace between Metas and humans reached a conclusion in the UN where nearly 80% of all nations signed a charter to respect the basic rights of any Meta who did not engage in illegal activities and to treat those who were arrested in a fair and unbiased way. Metas finally gained an equal standing in most societies and generally, life became a lot easier for them.

Mercenary Metas became less-used as most of the Meta population, who continually sought for peace, turned on them and handed them over to the authorities. The common ideals of good versus evil dropped away and for a time, it was only the good and those who continued to lead their lives as normal citizens, albeit with some extra powers that normal citizens didn’t exactly possess. Things settled down for almost a year before the peace was shattered by a series of key events in the Middle-East brought on by various uprisings in previously fascist countries. Armies were raised with weapons that rivalled that of even the Western Countries. They turned their attention on the West to seek some bloody revenge in answer to some of the atrocities committed on their people. Instead of turning on Metas, like most fundamental religious organisations did, these groups eagerly accepted them and used them accordingly.

Things looked tense for quite a while until peace talks brought together two fractured sides. At the heart of these talks were the Metas involved so it was only fair that the output from the talks also heavily involved them. The talks themselves were later called [i]The Cairo Conference[/i]. In the talks, it was agreed that an international group of impartial heroes would be formed to target illegal wars wherever they reared their ugly heads. The group was better described as an army, containing a council of leaders that oversaw some two thousand Meta heroes. Their cause truly was just and taking no side whatsoever, they eventually earned the trust of the world. Metas were no longer beacons of fear for the normal population - they became role-models and people even began to aspire to become one. As hypocritical as it sounds, humanity fell into a lull of peace and worked towards a brighter future together.

Things seem to be heating up once more. Unrest rages across the world and try as they might, Heroes just don't have the numbers to fight it. Evil is returning to this new yet familiar world. An evil that hungers for the destruction of order and the embellishment of chaos. New Metas rise everyday and the rules constantly morph to accommodate these people. To put it bluntly, there's never been a better time to be bad.
[/hider]

[hider=Background events Pre-Arc 1 & 2 (most of it doesn't apply now)]
May 1st, 2010: The Maybark Incident. At 3:41 pm, at the local community high school in Maybark, NC, student Joseph Brown went on a murderous rampage, ending in the deaths of three fellow students and one teacher. He was eventually taken down by local law enforcement. Normally this would go down as another school tragedy, and perhaps it would get some media attention before dying down after a month or so. This massacre, however, would go down in history books as one of the defining moments in human history. The reason behind this was the assailant's God-complex, largely fueled by his seemingly unnatural powers.

Following this, publicity around mysterious, previously thought unexplainable events exploded. Dozens of individuals were revealed to also have unexplained powers, and shortly after national efforts flushed many more out. Laws were passed in an effort to control those gifted in many countries, forcing thousands to take action: Either hide underground, or make themselves invaluable.

Now, five years later, the Gifted are separated into two groups. The 'Hots', those publicly recognized as having super powers and not treated as pariahs for it. Corporate moguls, public activists, and superpowered groups defending cities all fall under this category. Hots make up a vocal minority of the Gifted, making up perhaps one-tenth of their numbers. The remaining Gifted, 'Colds', stay out of the spotlight. Many try and live normal lives, ignoring their powers to the best of their ability. Some, however, spend their time as anti-heroes roaming the streets, or as private mercenaries and criminals.

It is August 1st, 2015 in Los Angeles. The city is one hit hard by change, having one of the highest rates of registered superhumans. It has recently lost its protectors, a 'hot' group of heroes known as 'The Magi' after the federal government asked them to take care of their new super-prison facility, known as 'The Sleeper Facility'. New heroes have been asked to take their place, from around the nation, and a handful have accepted. Word has spread, and gangs around the city challenge these new capes. Mercenaries are in hot demand as businesses and individuals are unsure of the new heroes, while the corporate 'colds' continue their business as usual. L.A. is rife with possibilities and opportunities for anyone with the guts to make them. The city is seemingly under siege from within, and the worst is still yet to come.. [/hider]

[hider=Character Sheet] 
[b]Name:[/b] True, given name. 
[b]Alias(s):[/b] If you have an alias you're known by. 
[b]Age:[/b] Self Explanatory. 
[b]Affiliations:[/b] Either The Heroes, The Mercs, or Corporate.
[b]Factions:[/b]
[b]Description:[/b] Basic description of your character in and out of costume.

[b]Powers:[/b] Your supernatural abilities. Cumulatively, they should equal standards roughly meeting A Class Ranking or lower. Please include some points about weaknesses.

[b]Skills:[/b] Your practical abilities, gained through hard work or natural skill. 
[b]Equipment:[/b] Any notable equipment you own goes here, including vehicles 
[b]Ranking:[/b] A Rank or lower.

[b](Optional) Brief History:[/b] A brief summary of your character's back story. Keep it brief. [/hider]

[hider=Power Rankings] 
SS Rank: Abilities which make the user capable of taking out small cities, bending reality in some profound way, or taking control of small armies. Gifted with SS rankings often have issues with mental health, and given their capabilities, most have a Flee On Sight order.

S Rank: Abilities which allow their user to wipe out small towns, move faster than sound, or can create highly advanced weapons. Generally have a large range, and are considered to be highly dangerous opponents. Most have a Flee On Sight order.
[h2] [/h2]
A Rank: Gifted with A Rank abilities are able to take out city blocks with their powers, lift tens of thousands of pounds, or possess functional immortality. The lower end of this is considered the ceiling for starting PC characters. Most have a Flee On Sight order, unless risk for civilian casualties is low and suitable firepower is present.

B Rank: Those having B Ranked gifts can wipe out commercial sized buildings with their powers, heal others of grievous wounds in minutes, or a strong elemental power. While still exceptionally dangerous, most have a Kill On Sight order, assuming capable personnel and low risk for civilian casualties.

C Rank: These abilities grant the user powers capable of destroying a typical ranch-style home, having a powerful animal physiology, or excellent speed and reflexes. Exponentially more common than B Ranks and above, C Ranked Gifted only have a Kill On Sight order when they refuse registration and resist law enforcement.

D Rank: Again much more common than C Ranked and above, these abilities are often minor but life changing, such as amazing senses or a minor elemental power. Most D Ranked and below accept registration and live normal lives. D Ranks have a Seize On Sight when refusing registration.

E Rank: Almost non existent abilities. Perhaps they can light a cigarette with a snap, or see marginally better in the dark. These powers are actually rarer than D Ranks and above. Most theorize this is because most powers grow over time, while these seem to have stopped after being discovered. Have a Seize On Sight order when refusing registration.

F Rank: The ones who drew the short straw in becoming Gifted. Their abilities harm themselves while offering little to no benefits. When combined with their sometimes uncontrollable nature, many live painful or erratic lives.

*Note, that all of these descriptions assume the height of a user's power. For example, an SS ranked criminal would have difficulty destroying a small city, but would be capable of it given focus and determination. Basically, all powers round UP, to their maximum capabilities.

**Also note, that multiple abilities in a Gifted are not uncommon. In this case the sum of all their powers are taken into account when assigning a ranking to that person. [/hider]
[h2] [/h2]
[hider=Rules]
[i]You all know the drill by now - play nice and enjoy yourself and you'll have a wonderful time here.[/i]

1. Due to our last GM going MIA, no one has particularly stood up to the GM post. For that reason, the decisions made are consecutive and are usually decided amongst the others. 
2. This is a PG13 RP! Feel free to cuss and use adjectives in your fights, but no sex! Do that via PM. 
3. Yes, this is Low-Casual and up. This means post at least two-three full lines in this thread. However, I still expect clear speech, decent grammar, and good formatting! Walls of text will be ignored until reformatted! 
4. No PC Killing without its player's permission. This isn't a rule I'm a huge fan of, but I will enforce it just like the others. 
5. Follow any other site rules, in addition to my own. If you make it a habit of breaking rules, you will be allowed a single post to say farewell with your character, and then you will be removed from the RP. 
6. Please, enjoy yourself. Immerse yourself in the story, the characters and try to do the best you can! [/hider]

[hider=Notes]
[b]Some useful links:[/b]
[url]http://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Supernatural_Powers_and_Abilities[/url]
((If you have anything that you think would be helpful for people making characters then just link it to me!))

[b]Old OOC (I don't advise trying to read it!):[/b]
[url]http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/58944-the-gifted-a-fast-paced-superpower-rp/ooc[/url]
[/hider]
[h2] [/h2]