[center][h1][u][b]Welcome to Legacy of Heroes: The New Age![/b][/u][/h1][/center] As you can probably guess by the name of the interest check here, Legacy of Heroes is just that: A story about heroes. Legacy of Heroes will be the story of an Earth where vigilantes and people with impossible powers have just started to truly come into the public image. The RP will evolve over its course, starting from the heroes just starting out to becoming legends in their own rights. The universe of this RP will change along its course, responding to the actions of you, the players and their characters. Legacy of Heroes is based in a DC (As in the Comics) universe, though there will be influences pulled in from Marvel and stuff which will be created for this RP. With all this in mind, I do hope to see a varied cast of characters appearing in the RP, stepping up to carve out their places in History. Hopefully, we’ll even make a fun story along the way. That being said, onto the part you people really care about: The Story Premise! [hr][hr] There have always been stories of heroes. Stories passed down from generation to generation, consistently throughout all of recorded history. Stories of people who seemed to accomplish the impossible. Ranging from myths about demigods completing a set of labors to appease a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses, war stories of soldiers doing the impossible to save the day, urban myths, all the way to stories created for the entertainment of others. Yet, as with every great story, there are always hints of truth woven into the grandiose tales of the impossible. Though the truth to these stories is a bit more present than most would suspect. The truth of it is that people with impossible abilities have been around almost as long as humanity itself. Although they have been quite rare, and in recent times have been kept deep under wraps by the governments of the world. Though things have changed, and with it more with these impossible abilities have come to this world. Only six months ago, the massive particle accelerator created by one Harrison Wells in Central City exploded on the night it was activated, seeding the world with a massive dark matter wave that hit every soul around the globe. This wave caused something deep within many of the people hit by the wave to awaken. These people have gained impossible abilities as the effects of that dark matter explosion washed over their bodies, and made them into something… more than human. Yet there are others whose abilities always existed, those who gained them from experiments, other worlds, or even magic. Even more, there are those who have simply decided to do something about the crime in their city. People with all kinds of abilities and those without have suddenly found themselves thrust into a new age. An age of heroes. These would-be heroes are only now at the point of either discovering their powers or finally putting on their suits for the first time to try to protect their cities. Yet even more of them have either turned to a life of crime or are simply too afraid to use their abilities. In the twin cities of Central and Keystone, there has been a new wave of crime that has left the police force baffled at how to deal with it. A new group has appeared in the cities, well, stories of a new group have surfaced in the cities. As the police have been completely unable to find the perpetrators of these crimes. The stories from eyewitnesses tell about people who have been able to do this like shoot beams of energy from their eyes, walk through walls, disappear from view. Along with this, are stories of an orange blur around the city as well. Though not quite human, as many fear this to be some strange phenomenon that leaves bodies in its wake. Many are scared of these new occurrences, although the official statement is that these stories are nothing more than urban legends. Still, there are those who know that something is happening within the twin cities. Those who might just choose to make a stand. So will you be one of those to take on the mantle of a hero, and stand up to protect those who cannot protect themselves? Will you face your destiny as a hero? [hr][hr] Basically, this RP will follow along with our protagonists as they are just starting out as heroes and through their journeys as these heroes. Where the heroes’ choices impact the universe overall; who they save, when they do/don’t show mercy, and much more. How this RP will turn out is ultimately up to us, the players, and the repercussions from our actions will surely be felt throughout the RP’s universe. Of course, that doesn't mean I don't have a couple of surprises planned for the RP as it stands. We will be focusing on the twin cities of Central and Keystone Cities at the start of this RP. Marvel-based, DC-based, or your own creation styled characters are all welcome! With that said, a full range of cast is highly encouraged and welcomed to join the RP. The range of characters from heavy hitters to street-level heroes is what we are hoping for, as the range helps keeps things interesting, and a variety for character interactions. We hope that you will be enjoying your time here, and if there are any questions about the kind of character you want to play, feel free to ask here, or PM myself, or either of the CO-GMs! We also can answer more questions about the setting/RP, in general, should you have them! Leave a post if you're interested in playing a role in [b][i]Legacy of Heroes![/i][/b] [hr][hr] [hider=NOTE]We do have a discord for the RP to come to hang out, so if you’re interested in the RP, we will PM you the link after you post interest here in the thread![/hider] [s]Beautiful People[/s] CO-GMs: [@Alfhedil], [@Apollosarcher] [hr][hr] [center][h2][b][u]The Setting:[/u][/b][/h2][/center] In this section, I’ll be going through a bit of the setting of the RP. It’ll be handily divided into details about the world/cities we will be starting in, followed by the current state of the world (recent events), then a general history of the world. So without further ado, let's get rolling: The RP will be starting on New Years Day of 2020, on the border between Missouri and Kansas, particularly in the twin cities of Central and Keystone City. Along with Kansas City just 18 miles north of the twin cities. This does include various small towns that make up the suburbs of these cities, not just the proper cities themselves. Each city is impressive in its own right, with Kansas City being in a similar state to its real world counterpart. The other two cities are similar in both scale, and quality of life. So, we shall begin going through the highlights of each city. [list] [*] [hider=Central City]An unexpectedly vibrant and glittering jewel within the heartland of the US, a city of a dozen names and nationalities stands as a representation of the "New American Dream". Skyscrapers crowd a busy downtown district with high-profile tech companies each jostling for attention, as well as the myriad of clubs, shopping centres and exclusive residences. With how new and brilliant much of Central City looks, a first-time visitor would be forgiven for thinking they had accidentally stumbled into Star City, Metropolis or even Silicon Valley in some places. It's all thanks to the efforts of a string of mayors and governors of the city's home state, a plan that has spanned two decades to transform what was once a rather sleepy glorified residential district for Keystone into a true twin city. Much of the life of the city can be found in the downtown district, where the buildings quickly eclipse those of the suburbs and even compete against Keystone across the river for the light of the skyline. Here can be found the headquarters of many growing and already established tech companies such as Mercury Labs, Lundgrau Intelligence Services, STAR Labs, Apple and Microsoft's Midwestern offices among dozens of others with both their own buildings and sharing others. It's not just business here though, as with the relatively young average age of the city hovering around the mid-twenties, the city streets are active well into the night. From the neon of dozens of vibrant clubs catering to the bustling college population to the "hole in the wall" style bars off to the side it can be guaranteed that no matter what time of day it is, there's always something to do. Nowhere is that most obvious though than what has been referred to by many as "The Silicon Strip", a long boulevard along the main strip of the city. Lined by the glow of a variety of shops selling everything from shoes to iPhones to pizza by the slice and even a car vending machines, the road splits either way to give space for Central Plaza. Built in a way to be the midwest's own take on Times Square, the plaza since being completed has been the center point for business, tourism and almost every other facet of life within Central City. From the plaza, past the competing tech companies and nestled along the river that separates the city from Keystone though is one of the many modern landmarks the city has come to call its own. Though now a scar on the city and a bitter reminder of what happened six months ago, the STAR Labs Particle Accelerator still dominates the landscape on the western side of the city. Scaffolding covers much of the outer surface, a vague attempt at repairing the building that had been touted as the future of science, where most people are more interested in the red flash sometimes seen just out of the corner of their eyes than what Harrison Wells had tried to do. Elsewhere among the highrises and crowded city streets though is where another of Central's many attractions sit, and for a good many a home away from home. Centered around what remains as one of the few reminders of the city's past, the so-called "International" district is home to multiple blocks dedicated to one nationality or another. It had started in the early years of the city's founding, where Chinese immigrants settled in order to work on the railways for Keystone, then refugees of the Great Famine seeking a way west, and over the years more and more from varied events across the last nearly two-hundred years. No matter if it's Liaoning Block, Little Dublin, Korea Town or the varied Hindu communities, each have brought something to Central City to make it a more culturally rich and lively city. Beyond the hustle and bustle of the city the suburbs are slow to taper off, forming more of a sprawl than its sister city across the river. Lively communities present themselves around the three colleges just outside the main city. To the north towards Kansas City is the largest and almost a new city in its own right, the township of Morgan with the tech-focused Central City University as well as the Isaiah Morgan Academy, a prestigious private school for the elite and wealthy. Further east and on the border of the Central City municipality is Missouri State, a rather sleepy and low-key college with a broad spectrum of classes and with a quieter, more relaxed community around it. Finally, in the south is Siltwood. One of the other remnants of the old Central City, Siltwood sits between the main city and the Ozark Highlands. It still bears many of the hallmarks of an older town, with brick buildings lining more rustic boulevards filled with small family businesses and the odd residence. The only new addition is the recently constructed Lundgrau Community College, funded by Raymond von Luneburg and serving the residents of the twin city region with a more technical skill focused college.[/hider] [*] [hider=Keystone City]Keystone City is a very old city, tracing its roots all the way back to the Louisiana Purchase. Over the years since, it has been a growing and maintained an important role in the U.S. Industry. Much of its history is heavily related to plantations, then the cattle drives of the old west, and is ever intertwined with the railroad. As the world neared the cusp of the World Wars, Keystone city quickly became a central hub for production industry. In the years since, several major Aerospace and Car manufacturers have kept their central hubs within the limits of Keystone city. The city overall can be neatly divided into four unique sectors. Downtown, Historical, Industrial, and Residential/Financial. Downtown Keystone(located in the south-east quadrant) is where much of the young live in Keystone city resides. Here, one can find Whiskey Row, where a multitude of bars have made their home along a single strip. Along with this, downtown also plays host to several nightclubs, movie theaters, and the whole likes of entertainment. Nestled in the heart of Downtown, however, is Keystone University. The college is well known for its law, medical, and historical fields. Where multiple leading experts in each of these fields claim Keystone to be their Alma Mater. Downtown Keystone is also heavily populated with malls, and skyscrapers from the businesses that seek to connect with the youth by having their headquarters so nearby. Most notably in downtown keystone, is the futuristic-looking behemoth of a skyscraper that is the home to Oscorp. Historical Keystone (located in the north-east quadrant) is where the history of the city is kept. Here, one can find museums with countless artifacts, along with the few remaining ranches anywhere near the city. Historical buildings are kept up to date, and a few are even still operated as their original purposes. City Hall is also located within Historical Keystone. Industrial Keystone (located in the north-west quadrant) is where the vast majority of the production that built Keystone takes place. Here, car companies such as Tesla, Ford, and Chevrolet have massive factories here which pump out new vehicles in massive quantities. Aerospace Companies such as Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, and Lexcorp also have their own heavy production facilities located in industrial Keystone. Residential/Financial Keystone (located in the south-west quadrant) is where the vast majority of houses, apartments, and townhomes are located in the city. Thats not to say no businesses exist here, as plenty of malls, shops, groceries, and the likes have made their homes within residential Keystone. Though near the border with Downtown, is where much of the financial blood of Keystone lives. Here one can find the headquarters of a few banking companies, the federal reserve, and a multitude of other companies inhabiting the high-rise skyscrapers that dominate here and downtown Keystone. Apart from these sectors, Keystone is surrounded on three sides by suburbs, and on the fourth is the river separating it from Central City. Keystone is everybit a powerhouse city, though its average population is older than that of its twin city. [/hider] [*] [hider=Kansas City]Kansas City is generally regarded as the lower class area of the three cities. Direct questions towards the GM team about Kansas City until information for this section is provided. (The GM in charge of this section is currently experiencing internet issues and cannot update as of this moment.)[/hider] [/list] [b][u]Current State:[/u][/b] The current state of Earth is one riddled with change in the last six months since Harrison Wells’ particle accelerator changed the world after it exploded on its activation night. While for the most the world is in a very similar state to our own, there are truly some deep seeded changes taking place. After the dark matter wave washed over the world on that terrible night, changes within many began to manifest. In the coming month, there was chaos as rumors of people with odd abilities started to surface online. Abilities that had only manifested since the night that the wave washed out over the world. The rumors floating online about these people quickly dubbed them as ‘Metahumans’, and their stories have torn through the masses like wildfire. Some envy these people, yet others fear them greatly. Especially with the strange occurances of crimes or disasters that simply could not be explained without the implementation of a metahuman into the stories. As the stories continue to spread, so does the instability and mess of emotions that comes along with the stories. In recent weeks, there have also been rumors of these metahumans taking more… hostile approaches. With there being growing concerns about robberies, and criminal activity taking place around the city with relation to metahumans. Very few have seen the individuals behind these crimes, and fewer yet have lived to tell the tale. While there is naturally a contingent of these crimes that can be linked to metahumans who have joined up with gangs, or struck out into a life of crime on their own, something else lurks in the shadows. A new group, not associated with any of the major crime factions within the city. A group whose agenda is not yet clear, as the unexplained crimes many presume to be their actions are of a rather wide variety. Ranging from theft, to assualt, and even murder. The few survivors that witnessed this group reported that this faceless enemy seems to have an impressive assortment of powers. Walking through walls, lasers being fired from one can assume to be their eyes, robotic limbs filled with weapons, and a host of others. While the police forces of the cities tend to keep downplaying the presence of this group, dubbed the ‘Horsemen’ by the masses online, many are afraid. Doors are locked, lights turned out, and fewer roam the streets at night with these monsters on the loose. At around the same time the Horsemen first surfaced, so did reports of yet another strange phenomenon in the trio of cities. A mysterious blur appearing in the streets. Its coloring seeming to be orange and black, none are quite sure exactly what this phenomenon is supposed to be. It moves much too fast for any to get a good look, yet it still causes chaos in the streets. Official explanations call this phenomenon some sort of strange weather anomaly, though many are not completely convinced that it is that. Its actions seem almost purposeful, as if the blur itself has some sort of sentience. Despite that, none can guess at its true nature or what it wants. In the last few days, tensions seem to be at an all time high within the three cities. Fear and uneasiness from the recent events seem to be just about to boil over. Protests in the streets against the Metahumans are common almost every day, with people demanding that the officials acknowledge they exist, and take them into custody. A danger to society they are called. The media stirs up these events by providing coverage of every protest, and even bringing some of the protestors on their shows. Some citizens are even attacked in the dead of night under accusations of being one of these Metas. Unrest and fear have put the police on edge, causing an increase in patrols, and a crackdown upon the laws to keep the order of the cities. Yet despite this, a massive uptick in crime has occurred in Central, Keystone, and Kansas city. This crime wave serves only to tip things closer to hitting that feared boiling point, one that many fear will not be easily recoverable. So what are [i]you[/i] going to do about it? [b][u]Brief History:[/u][/b] The world of Legacy of Heroes is very much the same as the real world that we all live in. (Although some current events [s]The Pandemic[/s] have not occurred). History lines up in very similar ways to that of the real world, though there are some key differences. The first major detraction is that the Lost City of Atlantis was proven to exist, with texts being found in Ancient Greece that seem to describe some ancient conflict, featuring Amazonians, Gods, and Atlantis. Then, upon visiting the location of this ancient battleground, historians did, in fact, find armor and weapons similar to those described in the texts as belonging to all sides. Though even with these historic finds, the location of the city is still very much lost to mankind. Many assume that these ancient conflicts were myths based off of a real conflict, and that Atlantis was simply a Greek State washed away in some disaster. The second, being that Metahumans and those with enhanced abilities have existed in the past, although they were very rare. Those that did exist, were quickly taken in by their country’s government and relegated to the highest level of secret to ever exist. Their operations were used as a sort of Black Ops to act in their host’s interest. So secret and buried these operations were, that other countries were not even certain if people with strange abilities existed outside of their own borders. Even to this day, none have discovered the existence of these enhanced beings. Even though they were used more than once throughout the course of history. Otherwise, the world is very much the same as what you have come to learn about in the real world. The United States, Russia, China, etc, are all existing in their current states and the same people are in power around the globe. Though do not expect real-world politics to come into play much during the course of the RP. Should there be any questions about the history of the world, feel free to ask a GM! [center][b][u]Guidelines[/u][/b][/center] With the foreword and the introduction out of the way, we would like to take a quick moment to set some expectations for the RP and let people know how we do things. First and foremost, we aren’t really ones for hard and fast rules. we don't like deadlines, and we don't like posting requirements. Our primary goal in running an RP is the story and to see that everyone is having a good time with it. Because of that we are pretty flexible and do our best to work with people so long as they communicate with us, and will always encourage such from all our players. The GM team understands that as well, and while we may be a little more firm on things than each other and work a little differently, we all are in agreement about the end goal. But with all that said, we do have some guidelines that we would really appreciate people look to for as long as they are part of the RP. - Primarily let's touch upon the status of the RP as 18+. We have done this for good reason, as our setting will have us dealing with some things that normally is a bit more niche with Superhero Content. Violence, death, drug-use and some sensual tones may be present at many points through the RP, as our focus will take us into some intense situations at times, and others on the diplomatic circles between nations where we might get our GoT on. This is of course not an excuse or permission to sprinkle expletives all over your posts, or to get especially graphic, but moreso as a warning. We will be watching posts to make sure that things don't get too excessive as there are more firm rules to abide by on Guild, but we have the hope that most of you who have come this far down the post will be mature enough to understand this and show restraint. That said, if the concept of mild sensuality, drug-use, violence or anything else of the post PG nature might be offensive to you, then we would kindly ask that you keep that in mind if you choose to apply anyways. - Respect and communication. While we personally don't mind a little bit shown our way as the GMs, we moreso ask this for your fellow players. We are all building a shared story with our characters, who we hope will be interacting with each other plentifully. To that end, keep your fellow players in mind when posting and planning posts or arcs. Communicate with them if ever there is the possibility of their character being affected by something you have planned. - Post Requirements. We hate them. No really, we dislike the idea of saying that someone has to post x number of times in a certain period or they're out, and especially despise having to stick to that ourselves. In our experience, nothing drains the creativity more assuredly than deadlines. As such there isn't one for submitting a character to the RP, and we won't demand of anyone that they keep to a posting schedule. All we ask is that when interacting with other characters, that you not only be respectful as asked above, but also be mindful of your own times of posting. - Don't be a dick. Really, don't do it. If you do it, we'll have to do it, and we don’t want to be dicks. We prefer to be nice and have a good time, but if you decide not to be nice and to keep other people from having a good time, then we will not hesitate to remove you from the RP. [center][b][u]Character Creation[/u][/b][/center] No sliders, but there are plenty of options. Seriously, we don't quite like the idea of restricting people to this or that, saying that one thing is completely not allowed under any circumstance or whatever justification other GMs like to use. We've found that on occasion people can surprise us with a character that at first glance should have never been approved, but after a bit of one on one, can be a strong presence in the RP. With a setting as diverse as [b]superheroes and comics[/b], there are so many possibilities to build off of, so many backgrounds for characters and ways to make something truly unique. To that end, before we get to the character sheet proper and we let you all go to await what wondrous possibilities you provide us with, we do have a few things we would like to comment on regarding characters. - The Theme. As you may have noticed the world is very much poised on the edge of tensions boiling over into one big mess. That being said, the RP is still very much based around the heroes that we will all be making. So we ask, please make sure you are keeping within the theme of the RP. We will be welcoming a wide range of characters, but a character who might belong more within a horror movie than a hero role, or something like that might be looked at suspiciously. The more thought that is put into a character, the more likely we are to enjoy the CS and as such be more forgiving with it, so do keep that in mind. - Rookies. As an important note, just remember that the core of the story is supposed to be about the heroes learning how to be heroes for themselves. The goal is to start out fresh, and evolve over time while building up who you are as a hero and character. While we will be allowing veterans, we want very much to limit the veteran characters. These characters will be judged more strictly, and if they are made will have been a part of the Government Black Ops teams mentioned in the sections before this. - Faces/Appearances. As you will note when looking over the CS, there is both a place for a picture and one for a detailed appearance. We would like both done, and encourage everyone to take that as an opportunity to go into greater detail about their characters. More important here, is the subject of pictures used in general. We've become rather partial to face-claims, and especially the use of gifs and such to show how our characters express themselves a little more… Viscerally. This is by no means a requirement for anyone, and we won't refuse a character on the basis of their CS using a particular art style. Just… Keep it presentable. You know what we mean. - Characters in general. All that said, we would like to say that a well-structured and detailed sheet will always go over better than one that is essentially a somewhat expanded concept. The character sheet below is one adapted from another RP that we happened to like because not only is it innately structured better than something we could do on our own, but provides many places of opportunity for the player to add detail to their character. Just don't get too involved in creating a character that you may not be as enthused to play as the character once it's done. As someone who has done that before, we would hate to see someone put a lot of effort into a well-written character only to dislike it and not want to RP as it. Finally, the character sheet. You are free to post WiPs in the OOC, and I even encourage it so that we can all work together on things and help to ensure everyone gets as close to the type of character they want to play as possible. Just please do not post your character in the characters tab until approved. You may request a specific member of the RP staff to review your sheet in particular if you like by mentioning them with the posting of your CS. We will also be implementing an appeals process in the discord, where if you feel a decision made on your character is unfair or doesn't necessarily hold up with prior decisions, you can invoke either a GM appeal or appeal to the accepted players. Do note however, that any character that is denied through such a process is denied with prejudice. [hider=CS Skeleton][code][hider=Character name][center][h1][color=???]Character name/Title[/color][/h1] [img]Image or gif of character[/img][/center] [color=???][b]|[u] {Full Name} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]???[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Age} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]???[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Species} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]???[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Gender} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Male/Female/Neither[/indent] [hr.] [color=???][b]|[u] {Appearance} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Self-explanatory, cover at least the basics to some detail.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Equipment and Personal Belongings} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]All personal belongings, equipment or items of note that would be either on your character's person on a daily basis or in their homes.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Physical Abilities} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Any and all strictly non-superability abilities your character may have. This includes, but is not limited to combat skills, natural ability or learned skills.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Superpowers} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Strictly superpowers your character may have. Only include this section if your character has superpowers (be it from being meta, magic, alien, etc.). Anything that may affect your character's ability to use said powers would fall under the Limitations section.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Limitations} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Any and all limitations that your character may possess.[/indent] [hr.] [color=???][b]|[u] {Personality} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]This, along with the Backstory section should be the more detailed areas of the CS.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Place of Origin} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]Quite simply, where your character came from and a brief bit on their upbringing.[/indent] [color=???][b]|[u] {Background} [/u]|[/b][/color] [indent]A history of your character showing important events in their past.[/indent][/hider][/code][/hider]