[hider=Backstory]
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. 
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Welcome to the world of the Gifted! This RP will be an action-driven story, focused on the world following the introduction of superpowers. Whether you're part of a superhero-type team, or a well known mercenary in the underground, you will have a part to play in the coming days as numerous events shake the world. The story will be based around various arcs, each revolving around a greater mystery; The source of these new powers. For the purpose of this RP, I'd like to have two to three groups of players, with 3 to 6 players each. One 'hot' group, one 'cold' group of mercs or criminals, and one group of 'cold' businessmen and cons. 

Further details can be provided on request, but a better intro will be presented in the OOC when it's made. This game will be semi-realistic, and brutal at times. I want this to be fast and driven, with plenty of action and intrigue, so I will allow brief paragraphs if there's honestly nothing to pass a scene. If enough interest is shown, I may open a chat room so that scenes with two people or so can pass and fights resolved quickly and in a fun way. The game and most of the action will be centered around some metropolitan area and its surroundings, and could jump around the world if need be. However, it is likely that the bulk of the story will take place in either North America or Europe. Power rankings will be limited to [b]Low A Rank[/b]. For information on this, see my brief descriptions below.

I'd like to go ahead and say I drew a lot of inspiration from the web serial 'Worm', by Wildbow, which can be found with a quick Google search. 

[hider= Preliminary 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]: This will come later.
[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.
[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.

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

[i]SS Rank[/i]: Users with powers 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, all have a Flee On Sight order.

[i]S Rank[/i]: Users with powers allowing them to wipe out small towns, move faster than sound, or to create highly advanced weapons. Generally have a large range, and are considered to be highly dangerous opponents. Most have a Flee On Sight order.

[i]A Rank[/i]: 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.

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

[i]C Rank[/i]: These Gifted are capable of destroying a typical ranch-style home, have 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.

[i]D Rank[/i]: 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.

[i]E Rank[/i]: 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 a certain period. Have a Seize On Sight order when refusing registration.

[i]F Rank[/i]: 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.
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