[center] Sorry for having everything in hiders, guys. it just kinda bugged me without them. [/center] [center][hider=Lore] [hider=The Beginning] The tension between the Soviet Union and the United States had reached a climax in the late 1960s in a Cold War stalemate under the Nixon Administration. Each side possessed nuclear weapons capable of devastating the enemy, and the reality of mutually assured destruction forced the U.S. to focus on new shielding technologies that might be able to protect at least some American cities from nuclear war. In 1974, the federal government created the first so-called "Zenith Shields" over Washington, D.C. and New York City. Over the next 18 months, Zenith Shields popped up over Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Approximately twenty percent of the population was purportedly protected from nuclear strikes. But the costs were high. Riots broke out in unprotected cities and the economy stalled for over a decade. In addition, those living in shielded cities were physically unable to leave. Z-Cities were arguably safe from nuclear attacks, but they were prisons. [center][img]http://orbitalvector.com/Defenses/Force%20Fields/atlantis%20shield.jpg[/img][/center] An entire generation was born in the Z-Cities. They grew up never traveling outside their hometowns. But people adapt to change very quickly, and within a few years, most citizens had grown accustomed to their new situation. According to leading scientists, their bodies also adapted to the energies of the Zenith Shields that bombarded them twenty-four hours a day. Based on later studies, it appears that children absorbed higher concentrations of these energies than did adults. In any case, the Cold War ended in 1992 and the shields came down. Soon after, the heroes emerged. Although some scientists still point to ozone layer depletion or even food additives as possible causes, most leading authorities agree that the energies from the Zenith Shields created the first generation of young people with unique abilities that emerged in 1993. These are the heroes you grew up idolizing. The media initially dubbed these heroes "Zenith People," which the general public quickly shortened to "Zeniths" or "Z-People" or even just "Z"s. Prestige University for Heroes, founded in 1994 in New York City by the iconic hero Mega Cat, (one of the first self-proclaimed "Z-People") was the first hero school the world ever had the privilege of laying their eyes upon. in conjunction with federal and state agencies, has dominated the hero education industry for most of its existence. Prestige University's programs are devoted entirely to hero training and education. No other programs are offered. Since its founding, Prestige has worked with the government to test Zeniths and objectively measure their power levels. In 1995, an official power "Grade Scale" was adopted; it still serves at the authoritative reference on Zenith power levels. [/hider] [hider=Zenith Power Grades] (Each Grade represents a power level roughly double that of the previous Grade. For example, a Grade-2 Zenith is roughly twice as powerful as a Grade-1 Zenith) Grade-1 presumed capable of defeating five standard humans; minimum Grade needed for admission at Speck Community College Grade-2 presumed capable of defeating 10 standard humans Grade-3 presumed capable of defeating 20 standard humans; minimum Grade needed for admission at Savior School Grade-4 presumed capable of defeating 40 standard humans; representative of advanced student at Savior School Grade-5 presumed capable of defeating 80 standard humans; minimum Grade needed for admission into Prestige University Grade-6 presumed capable of defeating 160 standard humans; representative of advanced student at Prestige University Grade-7 presumed capable of defeating 320 standard humans; minimum Grade needed to serve on faculty of Savior or Prestige Grade-8 presumed capable of defeating 640 standard humans; rumored to be minimum Grade needed to apply for membership in the Diabolical Dozen; constitutes a regional threat Grade-9 presumed capable of defeating 1,280 standard humans; constitutes a national threat Grade-10 presumed capable of defeating at least 2,560 standard humans; constitutes a global threat [/hider] [hider= The Colleges] [hider= Prestige: Hero University] For the past two decades, Prestige faculty and graduates alike have battled against the Diabolical Dozen, the world's premier group of villains based somewhere in southern Florida. Each member of the Dozen is capable of engaging an entire battalion of highly trained soldiers with little chance of defeat. As a group, the Diabolical Dozen can swat down an entire division (over 15,000 soldiers). No member of the Dozen has less than Grade-8 powers. Several of the members, including Lady Ash, are believed to have Grade-10 abilities which constitute a global threat. Despite many high-profile battles between Prestige and the Dozen over the years, including the wildly destructive two-week "Siege on St. Louis" five years ago resulting in the destruction of the Gateway Arch, only two members of the Dozen have ever been captured. Neither revealed any information about their comrades and both were immediately replaced. According to whispers among the criminal underworld, leadership of the Dozen passes to a new member each year, although all members possess voting powers. Ever since the "Siege on St. Louis," the Dozen appears to have toned down their attacks. Things have been relatively quiet in the past five years. Mega Cat credits the tireless efforts of his school in combating the villains and eventually wearing them down. [/hider] [hider=Savior School] Savior School emerged on the hero training scene in San Francisco seven years ago, purportedly to accommodate and train the growing number of Z-People being denied admission to Prestige. The founders, twins Booksmart and Streetsmart, publicly criticized Prestige for not accepting more students of diverse ethnicities and sexual orientations. Savior School promotes a more inclusive admissions system, accepting students with abilities classified as Grade-3 and up, meaning that young Z-People with low-tier to mid-tier abilities finally had a place to train. Booksmart, widely recognized as one of the smartest people in the world, was recently quoted as saying, "No one, not even Mega Cat, should monopolize the training of the next generation's heroes. This is not a fiefdom, and he is not a lord. The Diabolical Dozen has terrorized our nation for almost twenty years and although Prestige has made progress against the Dozen, logic dictates that if Mega Cat and his colleagues could definitively stop the Dozen, they would do so. We acknowledge Mega Cat's contributions but respectfully suggest that a more collaborative approach is needed." Savior School also employs high-level technology in its school grounds, employing the use of high-tech battle simulators, on campus teleportation pods, and even offering high tech gear and implants to advanced students and faculty.[/hider] [hider= Speck Community College] Even after Savior arrived on the hero training scene, those with Grade-1 and Grade-2 abilities still had no place to train, at least not until Speck Community College announced its new program for training low-level Z-People this year. Not much is known about Speck, as it was only opened a few months ago, except for the fact that its purpose is to give low-level Z people a place to train, and that it was partially funded by Speck, as a show of support for the new school. [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [hider=Savior School: Hero University campus] [img]https://i.imgur.com/Oy8IDOP.jpg[/img] (This was the best map I could find, that worked with what I needed. And since I can barely make a straight line, I don't think I could really make the map myself. So in other words, this is not my art and all respects to the artist. Also, yes, I know the numbering system is pretty garbage, sorry :P) Campus Key: Auditorium=1 Female Dorm=2 Male Dorm=3 Faculty Building=4 Simulation Room=5 Agility Center=6 Gym=7 Protection 101 Room=8 Breaking Villains Room=9 Shadows Room=10 Main Office=11 Field=12 [/hider] [hider=Class Schedule]Class Schedule: Breaking Villains and Things: Monday & Wednesday Protection 101: Tuesday and Thursday Agility Training:Monday & Wednesday Hero-ing From the Shadows: Tuesday & Thursday Field Mission/ Live Simulation: Friday [/hider] [hider=Character Sheet] Student Character sheet: Name: Alias: (Required) Gender: Age: 18+, with the exception of exceptonally powerful and prodigy children who could have earned themselves a scholarship for this fine establishment. Height: Weight: General Appearance: (Picture) Costume: (Required) Powers/Abilities: Power Grade: What is your Zenith power grade? Remember, Savior School only accepts Zeniths with grade 3 and up abilities. Skills: Any mundane skills you may possess go here. Equipment: If you use have/use any special equipment other than your suit, you may list that here. Suit Capabilities: This is only if your suit can do out of the ordinary for normal clothes, list those special capabilities here. Personality: This is not a must, as I like to see characters come alive in character, as well as finding out their flaws and strengths, though you may put something here if you'd like. History: Again, not required, as I prefer to find out people's pasts in character. Though, please write at least a paragraph on the basic things, like where they were born, their general upbringing, stuff like that. Faculty Character Sheet: I am likely to need help with running the faculty, if you're interested, please PM me. [/hider] Rules: 1. Romance is allowed, though I don't want it to be an extremely excessive part of the RP. 2.No power levels above 4.5 (Unless you can make a really good case for yourself, in which case PM me.) power grades are constantly reassessed as the individual grows more powerful, quite obviously the individuals with lower power grades will progress quicker at first. 3.Minimum of four sentence posting, though for the most part, I'm hoping for six+ sentences. 4.Cursing is allowed and welcome. 5.I expect there to be no OOC drama, if you have a problem work it out like civilized human beings, we are no longer apes. IC drama on the other hand, that is extremely welcome and I am looking forward to such. 6.Try and stay active, though if you will be inactive for a while, do not feel bad, just let everyone know. 7.The current year is 2028, meaning the oldest known (born) Zenith is around 35 years old, relative for people who want to be faculty members. 8.Power SETS are allowed, just make sure they are relative or you have a reason your character could have these set of abilities (or you can make them sound cool together to where I'm like "Oooh, that's neato", that works too.). So, telepathy and telekineses, yes. Pyrokinesis and shapeshifting, no. [/center]