Half Pint

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

That's the IC up and ready to go! I have also updated the character list on the character tab. I'm still working on my banner so I'll edit that in later

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

Non-canon

"Ladies and gentlemen, Gotham has a sickness."

The camera's flashed all around the debonair prosecutor began his keynote speech. Facing back against the hoard of reporters was a huge campaign banner, a suave smile of pearly whites flanked by American flags like a golem defending the castle. The man on stage paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in, the crowd waited with bated breath.

"And that sickness has a name. In Latin they would call it 'scelus', in our tongue we call it crime. Me? I call it Cobblepot, Falcone, Sionis."

The names echoed through the room like gunshots. A few gasps rippled through the gathered press, their pens scratching furiously under the sea of mumbles each asking the other if they could believe he mentiond them by name began to rise. His dark eyes scanned the crowd, the flashbulbs stuttering like lightning on a stormy coast.

"Gotham's veins are clogged with it. Its courts are shackled by it. Our streets, our homes, our children - all live under its shadow. And every day, the people of this city are told to settle. To settle for less safety, less dignity, less justice...because they say Gotham can't be saved. That it's not worth saving!"

Harvey Dent leaned forward on the podium, his eyes flush with passion underneath the practiced calm he displayed on that stage. "I say they're wrong. Dead wrong." His reply was a ripple of applause that cracked across the room like dry timber catching fire. He allowed himself a smile.

"I've stood in those courtrooms and watched monsters walk free because they could buy the law, or intimidate it, or twist it to their advantage. I've seen good cops buried while their killers drink champagne in penthouses. I've seen our leaders turn their backs on us because it's easier to negotiate with the mob than to fight them. Gotham does not need another warlord. It does not need another masked savior swooping through the night, deciding who is guilty and who is not. What Gotham needs is law. Order. A justice system that works - and a District Attorney who will not be bought, bent, or broken."

He straightened his tie, his eyes burning with conviction.

"Good people of Gotham, I say again. Gotham has a sickness. But I intend to be the cure."

Thunderous applause roared to life, cameras flashing so wildly it looked like an electrical storm. James Gordon, seated to Dent's right, smiled up at him, shooting him a thumbs up from underneath the desk.

"On election day," Harvey's voice boomed over the applause, "You're not just voting for me! You're voting for a future where the law belongs to the people again. Where justice isn't for sale. Where Gotham can finally stand tall!"

The crowd erupted. Dent raised one fist high, then pointed to the large window at the back of the room, a stunning view of the Gotham river and the city beyond it.

"This is our city!" he declared. "Let's take it back!"

---

---

The army of journalists swarmed the would-be District Attorney as he exited the building, flanked by Gilda Gold, his fiance and the decidedly less lovely Commissioner Gordon, who seemed to be a stone's throw away from beating the crowd back with a campaign placard. The three climbed into the back of a sleek black town car as the chaos of shouted questions and flashing bulbs beat against the windows like hail. As the car began to pull away, Harvey rolled down the window and flashed a peace symbol with his fingers in front of a practiced smile.

He rolled up the window. Inside, the noise dulled to a muted hum. Harvey exhaled slowly, shoulders sinking as if he'd just finished holding up the whole city on his back. Gilda laid a hand gently on his arm. "Harvey, you were incredible."

He gave her a smile, much more genuine and tired than the one he'd flashed out the window moments before.
"I have to be. This is a race for the finish. Second place is losing."

Gordon grunted, tugging at his collar, undoing the top button and loosening his tie.
"Careful out there, Harv. Dropping names like Sionis and Falcone - hell, even Cobblepot? That's blood in the water, kid. They won't like it."

"They don't have to like it." Harvey shot back. "They just have to learn there's a line now. And I'm the one drawing it."

Gilda's fingers tightened. "And what about the one already out there crossing lines?"

Harvey looked at her, puzzled for only a moment. "Batman."

Gordon leaned forward. "People are split on him. Half think he's a savior. The other half think he's a lunatic in a cape."

"I think he's a symptom." Harvey said coldly. "A side effect of a city that’s stopped believing in its own laws. If we do our jobs, if the people trust us to fight for them...there won't be a need for him anymore." He paused for a moment. "Hey, hold on, someone write that down."

The three smiled to each other. The car went quiet for a moment as the skyline of Gotham rolled past the tinted windows - neon lights flickering over cracked concrete, the black water of the river below cutting the city into two jagged halves.

Harvey spoke again, softer now, almost to himself.
"Gotham doesn't need a dark knight. It needs a district attorney."

Gilda watched him with worried eyes, and Gordon just stared ahead grimly, the city lights reflecting in the lenses of his glasses.

---

Deep beneath the foundations of Wayne Manor, the world narrowed to darkness, stone, and the low hum of electronics.

The Batcave was silent except for the steady click-click-click of a projector reel feeding news footage onto the cavern wall. The ghostly image of Harvey Dent loomed across the jagged rock, frozen mid-sentence, fist raised like a conquering hero.

Bruce sat back in the chair, he adjusted his glasses and then allowed his chin to rest on his fist. He was deep in thought, a state of being he often found himself in much more recently. He hit a key on the keyboard to his left and the projector clicked on again. Dent's passionate voice echoed through the cave once more. A few bats stirred further into the chamber.

"Gotham does not need another warlord. It does not need another masked savior swooping through the night, deciding who is guilty and who is not. What Gotham needs is law. Order." The sound bounced off the stone and water all around him.

Alfred appeared behind him, tray in hand, the smell of fresh coffee cutting through the cold.
"Rousing, wasn't it?" the butler said mildly. "A touch self-righteous if you ask me, but I suppose that's the job description."

Bruce didn't answer, he continued to stare at the broadcast, almost hypnotized by it.

"He has a point, Master Bruce." Alfred continued, placing the tray gently on the console. "If Gotham's institutions could be trusted to stand on their own, they could bring justice to Cobblepot and the rest, and you might be able to take the occasional night off."

Finally broken from his trance, Bruce leaned back on his chair and caught his butler's gaze. "Alf, how many times have I got to tell you. You don't have to call me 'Master Bruce!'"

Alfred raised an eyebrow, unflinching.
"And how many times have I told you, sir, that if I start calling you Bruce, the entire fragile illusion of this arrangement will collapse? You have been Master Bruce to me since you were a baby, I don't intend on changing that now."

Bruce huffed, the closest thing to a laugh he ever gave. He turned back to the flickering footage of Dent, pausing it on the frame where Harvey stood with his fist in the air, fire in his eyes.

"He believes it, Alfred." Bruce said. "Every word. We've seen hundreds of men like Dent be bought out and corrupted, somethings telling me he's different."

"That would make him a very rare breed indeed." Alfred replied. He stepped closer. "The question, I suppose, is whether Gotham will believe in him long enough to let him make a difference."

Bruce removed his glasses and set them down gently on the console, leaning forward.
"If he wins...if he can clean out the corruption in the courts, give people faith in the system again, then maybe this city won't need a man in a mask. Maybe it can stand on its own."

There was a beat of silence. Alfred folded his hands behind his back.
"I take it, then, you intend to assist his campaign?"

Bruce smiled. "How do you always read my mind, Alf?"

"It's my superpower sir."

"I know you're joking, but I'm starting to believe you. I want to make a donation to the Harvey Dent campaign fund. Better yet, let's try and get an invite to any gala dinners, Dent will be attending and I can make the donation in person."

Alfred pursed his lips, suppressing a smile.
"Ah. So the reclusive billionaire intends to walk amongst the mortals again. I shall alert the press to prepare themselves for the shock."

Bruce shot him a dry look. "Quietly, Alfred. The fewer headlines, the better. This isn’t about Bruce Wayne. It's about Harvey Dent."

Their conversation was interrupted by an alarm flashing on his monitor. He turned in his chair. Far off, through the thin mouth of the cave high above the cliffs, a beam of white light split the night sky. Its edge wavered against the low clouds - a single, stark silhouette cut into the darkness.

The Bat-Signal.

"Seems Gotham has other plans for your evening." Alfred said dryly, already lifting up the undrunk coffee and placing it back on the tray.

Bruce rose, all traces of weariness gone now, a subtle electricity moving through him like a switch had been thrown. He pulled off the glasses, set them down gently beside the keyboard, and crossed the stone floor toward the armor vault.

"Have the car ready." he said, his demeanour already shifting.

"Already warming the engine, sir." Alfred replied.

Moments later, the roar of the Batmobile tore out of the cave mouth and into the night, heading for the signal blazing above the Gotham skyline.

---

The Narrows were never quiet, even at this time of night.

The streetlights here buzzed and flickered, casting long sickly-yellow shadows across cracked pavement and rusted fire escapes. A freight train groaned somewhere in the distance, drowned beneath the pulse of bass leaking from a club two blocks away.

Sixteen year old Max Cole sat on the back steps of an abandoned laundromat, knees tucked to his chest, watching the rain trace crooked lines down the brick opposite. His hoodie was too thin for the cold, his sneakers worn until there were holes in the sole. A paper bag with two bruised apples and a can of beans sat beside him. Dinner for the week, if it came to that.

He didn't hear the footsteps until a voice cut through the hiss of the rain.
"You're Max, right? Benny's cousin?"

Max looked up fast. A man in a black leather jacket stood at the edge of the alley, collar turned up, a cigarette glowing like a small orange eye in the darkness. His grin showed too many gold teeth. Behind him loomed two others, both bigger and bulkier than the small man in front.

"Y-yeah." Max said cautiously. "Why? Who's askin'?"

The man flicked the cigarette into a puddle and stepped closer. "Benny says you're quick. Says you don't talk too much. We like that. You want to make some real money, kid?"

Max blinked. His stomach twisted, part hunger and part a feeling of danger. "Doing what?"

The man smiled wider.
"Running errands. That's all. Pickups, drop-offs. Nothing you can't handle. Easy money."

Max hesitated. He thought of the empty fridge, of the eviction notice taped to the front of his building. He thought of his mom, gone two winters ago, and the social worker who'd promised to 'check in' but never did.

"Who-who for?" he asked finally.

The man's grin thinned, like a knife.
"Mr. Cobblepot."

Max swallowed. He didn't know much about the name, just that people didn't say it loud, and that when they did, they didn't smile. But he nodded.

"Atta boy." the man said, clapping him on the shoulder. "First run's tomorrow night. Don't be late." He tossed a business card onto Max's lap. "Oh and uh, call this a sign-on bonus. Get yourself some new clothes and a place to stay for a few nights, kid." He reached into his wallet and threw a few hundred dollar bills at him.

The three men vanished back into the rain-soaked dark, leaving only the faint smell of smoke and the sound of water dripping from the rusted awning overhead. Max sat there for a long while, the cold biting through his hoodie, the city humming all around him. For a long time he just held the money, counting it over and over again. He pulled the hood over his head, picked up the paper bag, and walked into the night.

High above the city, the Bat-Signal cut through the clouds like a scar.

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

These cities never sleep.

From the neon-lit alleyways of Manhattan to the brooding gargoyles of Gotham, from the gleaming tech spires of Metropolis to the bustling highways of Central City, the world hums with life. It's a world where billionaires and madmen play chess across entire continents, where masks are as common as mugshots, and where the extraordinary walks shoulder to shoulder with the mundane.

No one remembers a time when it wasn't like this. Some people wake up, pour their coffee, and read headlines about men who can fly, sorcerers who bend reality, and street-level vigilantes who stalk the night. To them, it's all part of the morning news cycle. Heroes and villains are just part of the ecosystem now. People adapt. They always do.

The lines are blurry here. A caped figure on a rooftop might be a savior or a lunatic. A smiling billionaire might be funding hospitals or arming deathbots. Some wear masks to inspire, others wear them to hide. Either way, the world keeps spinning. Cities rise, fall, rebuild, and repeat. Crime lords rise and fall like the tides. Titans clash overhead while pickpockets work the corners below.

And somewhere out there, in the fog between myth and reality, the next great story is just beginning.

Welcome to...

WORLDS COLLIDE

The Story So Far

For many of our heroes, it was just another normal day in their lives. Arthur/Aqualad was heading to school, J'onn Jonzz/the Martian Manhunter was waking from a nightmare then starting his first day as a New York Police Detective, Donald Blake/Thor woke up with a random woman in his bed then flew to stop a plane crash, Carol Danvers was going through another day as a high school alpha cheerleader. They thought they knew what was going on in their lives. But things around them were changing.

In Metropolis, due to Loki's machinations, Thor faced against his first super-foe, the Toyman, who'd set up the plane crash Thor stopped in order to get vengeance. That caused a Daily Planet reporter to write his exploit in the paper, (and led to him 'inavertedly being adopted' by a black cat he'd call Sir Midnight who was actually Loki in disguise wanting to learn more about the mysterious brother he'd never known). But also drew the attention of Lionel Luthor, who in part of his bid for the mayorship of Metropolis, called for a Superhero Registration to be put in place to only allow registered heroes to be able to fight crime in the streets and to crack down on 'vigilantes' and also placed a bounty on Thor's head for over $1000. These actions caused him to lose the mayor race, but he manage to buy the Daily Planet and now runs it. It also has started to set the seeds of the idea of making the Superhero Registration act a reality. But a new hero also rises in Metropolis, Steel/John Henry Irons.

Throughout the world, Genosha's government was overthrown and Magneto ended up becoming the new president. He now is gathering a council around him to make Genosha a nation for mutants, regardless of what the rest of the world says.

Martian Resistance members escaped from Mars in a daring plan that involved stealing six of the experimental new Martian Saucers then landing (or crashlanding) on Earth throughout the globe where they then have sought to go underground and hide with typical Martian shapeshifting and psychic powers in order to avoid being caught by local authorities or by Martian United Government officials who have come down to Earth as well in order to recapture them for their executions. We especially follow one group of Martians who crash landed within the heart of the USA, comprised of major leaders such as My'ri'm, her brother Le'i, and Dr. B'nj'm'n along with lesser known members such as Ash'r, a non-psychic Martian pilot. They so far have managed to escape from the pursuit of Argus, led by Amanda Waller, who suspects them of being the first wave of an invasion force, but Argus is learning much about the ship from their examinations of things.

Arthur ends up finding out about Atlantis after rescuing Garth with his telepathy. That then led to Fire Giants attacking New York City while he was there in order to kill him. Martian Manhunter, Ronnie Raymond & Martin Stein/Firestorm, Bailey Briggs,/Captain Marvel (after just coming into existence from a separate dystopian alternate dimension where he'd been a spider-boy), Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider, and Thor all strived to fight against the Trolls and drive them back to the sea. Only due to Arthur reaching out to them was the city finally saved, though leaving him in shock in the aftermath [allowing the player to leave the roleplay while still maintaining this important event]. Coulson then came by to lead Damage Control efforts, causing all but Thor to immediately flee the scene for their various reasons. There, Coulson invited Thor to join Shield.

At the same time, Carol Danvers ended up being called upon as Warbird by her supervisors in the US government to fight against extra-terrestrial threats, in part brought to Earth due to two mysterious young men. In the successful aftermath, the USA would hold a press conference to unveil and boast about the security of their new early galactic threat detection system. This would lead her to end up taking on more public duties, including busting a mad scientist operation in New Mexico where the research mysteriously vanished.

Cay'an, a Martian United Government operative, was on the hunt for the runaway Martians that had crashed in the central USA, but seeing the presumed dead Martian Manhunter in the news has caused her to switch targets. Her plan right now is to infiltrate the gala in order to recruit Thor to help her capture the Manhunter.

The USA runaway Martians meanwhile have split up in panic after seeing the presumably dead Manhunter in action on the news. Le'i, My'ri'm, B'nj'm'n, and Ash'r all ended up going to New York to keep low with the doctor now working in Frost Industries, My'ri'm getting a job as a secretary at Alchemax, Ash'r struggling to be useful, and Le'i getting a job within a security firm as a guard but also making plans to kill the Manhunter. (All while Manhunter himself is totally unaware of any of this).

In Gotham, Thomas Wayne/Batman set off to stop a mutant protest at Robinson Park and with Batgirl and Dick Grayson/Robin, is finding that they're more armed than he expected. Robin meanwhile ditched his Gotham Academy 'Pizza Club' Detectives to help Batman, who in Robin's absence have met with a ghost.

Hal Jorden is on a road trip around the world to find the other wielders of the lantern rings throughout the earth with Sinestro as his partner/mentor. So far, they've found Dex-Starr, the feline wielder of the Red Rage ring. They also recently fought off a death head in Japan while on the trail of the Star Sapphire Love ring.

John Constantine went from coming back to awareness from years as an alcoholic to looking for his missing sister, Chas, to finding out that he killed his twin, Jacob, who was destined to be 'the Laughing Magician' in the womb and so his ancestors are seeking to have his twin birthed out of Chas and then to have Jacob take over John's life. This led John to have a journey through hell, where he managed to trick his way into saving his sister while also not dying. He's now heading to New York City in order to draw any unwanted attention away from his sister and friend.

Ancient Vampire Andrew has woken from his sleep and is seeking to reclaim his sword, but has ended up captured at the moment.

Zach Zatara, the famed Zatana's cousin, just unleashed his magic powers while livestreaming magic tricks.

Back at Metropolis, Kori/Starfire just landed outside Metropolis after escaping from captivity and experimentation, believing she'd left her sister to die behind her. She was caught within the news, bringing Thor to come to her aid. Thor's ability to speak English though has marked him as being of the same race as the High Evolutionary she just escaped from and so now she feels cautious. However, Thor manages to soothe Kori's fears and allow her to trust herself to follow him through a portal to head into his apartment.

Hal Jordan is sent to enter into another ship that crash-landed to Earth with a similar emotional energy as his ring with Dex'starr, but ends up waking up a Manhunter (distinct from the Martian one). The Manhunter is defeated but then Hal is forced to fly the spaceship falling through the atmosphere, calling a friend to help. But when all hope seemed lost, the current holder of the Blue Ring rescued him. He revealed himself to not be the new Lantern, but he would pass on the ring in time to the true one.

Sinestro meanwhile had to retrieve Kori's escape pod for SWORD while Argus sought to snatch it for their own purposes. Amanda though called them off, not wanting to reveal themselves to SWORD too early.

Hal, Sinestro, and Mae are then in a meeting with the head of SWORD about their next steps when the current holder of the Sorrow ring comes crashing in.

Bailey Biggs has been continuing to grow and figure out his new Captain Marvel powers with the help of an oddball millionaire tied into the Web. He then deals with his first villain, a racist, and ends up going to Hephaestus's volcano to gain the god's aid.

At Christmas time, Toyman kidnapped Santa with a trap meant to capture Thor. He then took Santa's sleigh to finally get his revenge on the guy he'd tried to crash the airplane to kill, getting Santa suspected as a murderer on the news. Thor with Starfire lured Toyman to the New York Central Park, where Zach Zatara joined in, eager to use his newfound magic in a fight, and J'onn Jones ended up stumbling across the scene. Toyman came, with Zach, Starfire, and Thor working together to overwhelm him. But then Thor dived between Toyman and a blast meant for Starfire and fell to the ground. In a fit of blind rage, the Martian Manhunter flew up to the Toyman and tackled him to the ground of the sled. Starfire meanwhile got the sled under control and on the ground, Zach did some first aid on Thor, and Thor had a dream of Odin and Gaia before waking up. With Toyman defeated, Thor went to find Santa and J'onn went to drop the Toyman into the slammer. Zach ended up getting text messages from Zatana herself, offering to train him. And all four plan meet at the Ace of Clubs for a team celebration.

Otto was seeking to use octopus DNA and a harness of octopus like limbs in order to help those impaired. In a fit of desperation though, he injected the DNA into himself and so has found himself acquiring many octopus-like traits. In honor of his friend, Peter Parker, uncle's death, he decides to use his new abilities and the harness he made to become the Octopus and started his vigilante work with saving a woman from a burglar.

Meanwhile, his other friend, Harry Osborn, is seeking to help Otto get funded for his research with his father. Norman Osborn though is also driving forward some underhanded research that leads to the creation of the KRAB. One day, the KRAB is drawn up to a fishing trawling. The next, the trawling is found on the beach, split in half and with no survivors. Otto went o investigate and had his first run in with the KRAB, leading to him having to lick off his wounds back in his lab.

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

<Snipped quote by Mao Mao>

The funny thing being, I'd actually be okay with the Turtles being in this game. They just feel like fit the setting better than Transformers or G.I. Joe. You could make the Foot and the Hand branches of the League of Assassins. Shredder trained by the Sensei or Ra's al Ghul.

@Lord Wraith

To be honest, I felt the same way initially! (Especially after rewatching Mutant Mayhem the other night also) But I wasn't sure how to word it within the rules to allow for certain characters but keep it fair when rejecting others.

I feel like the TMNT fit very neatly into this universe, and if someone were to apply for them as an OC I would likely accept them. Maybe I could do a bit of re-wording about non DC/Marvel characters being accepted so long as they fit within the mold of this game if that works for everyone? I did want to give people the opportunity to apply for characters like Spawn, Hellboy, etc.

But if I am actually able to submit a sheet for the turtles, I will drop whatever I had planned and write one up lol

@Mao Mao

Personally I'd love to see the Turtles in this game, I think I'll edit the rules a little bit on the first post and clarify that independent comic company characters can be allowed so long as they fit within the theme of the game. If anyone else has any ideas for characters like this, I'd urge you to put your idea in the OOC or PM me before taking the time to make a character sheet.

Now I need to figure out how to convince my girlfriend to make the XIII character sheet she'd been considering since it would technically fit the theme of the game...

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

@Half Pint, how would you feel if I played as a nation (it would be a newly-formed Genosha) instead of a character?

@Mao Mao

This is a very interesting idea! Could you send me a PM about how you would play this and what you plan for a storyline going forward? I'm a bit cautious about such a grand scope for an idea affecting the RP world as a whole, but I could see you playing the leader of Genosha affecting the world in the same way if circumstances were different.

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

@Master Bruce@Archangel89

Both accepted!

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

<Snipped quote by Half Pint>

This kind of response is exactly what made me think you were the same people.

@Sep

Also sorry for saying I was dipping then going lol-no I'm back.... Maybe I got a barebones of a sheet going to see if it becomes anything

@Sep

Haha no worries looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

<Snipped quote by Hound55>

Wait, can Half Pint and Hound be in the same RP? They're the same person aren't they?

I'm so confused.

@Sep

Which one of us is the secret identity and which is the alter ego that’s the real question

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

@Half Pint That's fair. I may aim to continue my old Green Lantern story. Or, I may throw my hat in that ever-so-covetted Spider-Man ring.

@mattmanganon

Great! I’m looking forward to see what you come up with. I know @Azure Bubbles previously mentioned doing a spin on Star Sapphire so it would be interesting to see you guys interact if you go for green lantern!

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

Sorry I don't think I'm going to appear this time around.

I'm just not feeling it. That might be exhaustion, and I know I don't need to apologise but damn it I'm doing it anyway.

TAKE THE APOLOGY. ACCEPT IT.

@Sep

No problem, no apology necessary! Hopefully this runs a while, and the aim is for it to always be accepting so feel free to send in an application another time if you'd like!