The new IC guys! Welcome back to the world of the Gifted! This world is unlike our own and after the events of the Maybark Incident, the population of humans with unnatural powers has increased exponentially. These humans, aptly dubbed "metas", are individuals with powers ranging from the most mundane of things to being able to wipe out entire towns in a blink of an eye. Due to initial public backlash, very little is known about the origins of these powers but after public opinion on metas changed, more and more research was indulged in the field. Now, five years later, there isn't a country on the Earth that has yet to arm itself with a powerful Meta or group of Metas. Whether they serve the public, hire their services out to others or use their powers to make money, metas have become a critical part of life in this new-age of superpowers. The first group highlighted --the Heroes-- are the guardians of the common people and the main judiciary body when it comes to dealing with other metas. The second --the Mercs-- are typically lone-wolves who offer the use of their abilities in different situations, for the right price, of course. For example, a Merc could be paid by a celebrity to protect them or used by gangs for smuggling. The final group --the corporates-- are a group of metas that use their abilities to make money or become top of the food-chain of business. Each group has their differences but they're all linked by one single truth - Metahumans are driving society in a new and completely arbitrary direction. So, will you climb to the top of the business empire and forge billions for yourself? Or will you protect the innocent from harm in this dangerous new world? Maybe you can even offer your services for a price? Whatever way you choose, it is guaranteed to be a long and bumpy ride. --- [hider=Background]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]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. [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. --- 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] --- [hider=Rules] 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] --- [b]CS Examples:[/b] [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/58944/posts/ooc?page=4#post-1832777]MiddleEarthRoze - Nightingale[/url] [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/58944/posts/ooc?page=5#post-1834971]AcerRo - Elijah Craigh[/url]