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OOC thread for this thread. A strange visitor from another planet is here to turn us all into were-jaguars, and it's all Max Mars' fault! @Heritage @Tiffany Korta

GM April 20th, Wednesday, 2022, 11.30AM Guthrie Gallery of Energy Innovations, Freedom City University, Freedom City, USA Adorning the Gallery's entrances were banners inviting readers to "SEE THE FLYING ALIEN PYRAMID!", strategically augmented with "Free food!", "Live music!" and "Meet Max Mars!" Whatever else could be said about him, in this case all those things were true. Inside was an extravaganza of Max Mars' usual levels. The austere and functional layout of the Guthrie Gallery, a rotating exhibition of various energy sources from steam engines to a replica Omegadrone Power Pike, was coated in glitz and excess. On one stage, up-and-coming rock sensation Frank Larrabee sang about the misty forests and mountains of his hometown, Emerald City, and of the unsolved mysteries they hid from wondering eyes. On another, acoustically-isolated from the rock balladeer, metal band Spydor acted out the War of Taranok and Scorvicious, and on a third pop idol Silvia "Silver" Moon and the Moonlites danced through a confrontation with hereditary illness and the stigma against the chronically-ill. The technology making it possible for all three acts to be on at the same time without their performances interfering had its own mini-exhibit, replete with attractive salespersons. Booths pertaining to other recent inventions, including the Phobos V utility-phone, and advertising positions within MarsTech itself, packed the halls. The free food ranged from buffet-style steam trays to onigiri to fresh-baked pretzels, in quantities sufficient to feed even a crowd of university students and guests with families. And in the center, visible from all the arms of the Gallery, was the huge floating, pulsing nightmare of metal and stone that was the alien pyramid. A suite of technicians kept a careful eye on read-outs behind the cordon set up around the pyramid itself, a cordon guarded by smiling and uniformed representatives of Brande Mangement, a company so mysterious that all anyone really knew about it was that it hired superhumans as security personnel. In the shadow of all this, Max Mars, standing proud in his five-nothing frame cloaked in a resplendant red suit, held court and eagerly explained what the strange machine was and its ramifications. The crowd that had gathered filtered in and out, kept up to date everywhere in the Gallery on Max's endless patter through the P.A. system. "This is better than gold, folks! A working alien spacecraft! If you think anti-gravity is for your grandkids, you're in for a shock! With this baby we've picked out planets NASA wouldn't have found for another 80 years, at least! A food replicator, a database of languages we've barely begun to scan, and this ain't even it's full size! Before we dug it up, the people in that Mexican village thought it was just another hill! This is our ticket to the stars, people! Without having to wait until Americatech deigns to grace us with the answers, we'll make our own!" That last hit more of a sour note with the Freedom City crowd than it might have back on the West Coast. But Mars' other words, and the various gizmos around the central hall demonstrating the applications of this alien super-tech, left a much more positive impression. "And best of all!" Max's grin seemed barely able to fit on his red-bearded face, "We've found the space jockey who piloted this thing! He's been trapped inside, for thousands of years, and you'll be here when he says his first words to us! So stick around, folks, enjoy yourslelves, and get ready for an outta-this-world encounter!"

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Wednesday January 22nd 2020 11:13AM EST 42 degrees Freedomheight Light rain wind gusting to 30 mph offshore Skies over Kingston Over the abandoned homes, squatters, and bold rebuilders that comprised Kingston now the rain fell in the kind of lazy drizzle that said even it didn't want to be out in this weather. Those too proud or too poor too flee the ruined suburb went about their days heads down and focused on the next step and getting in from the blustery wind and chill wet that coated the near empty streets. High overhead the clouds, or space itself twisted and through the rent between worlds something emerged unnoticed by those below. That wouldn't last long. The Unbreakable Kronk emerged from the twisting rift in the warpwold his transit beacon giving off a foul acrid smoke and letting out a high pitched keen before falling silent and still no matter how hard he tapped the display. Against the backdrop of the dark clouds the black and chrome of his wyldride was but a shadow for any soul who looked up. Of course dimensional transit by such crude means would have alerted many looking for such things or sensitive to the warp and weft of the terminus and the fallen worlds it left behind. The bulky rider looked out over the city trying to get his bearings and soon his eyes fell on the doomforge, apparently unguarded but for distant proles far below. With a wild whoop and bellow far below the hearing of most humans reverberating off the clouds above he charged the cannon mounted in his sidecar and gunned the engine of the inter-dimensional bike the repulsors leaving a golden afterglow in the skies above as he angled for attack, "EAT MOLTEN DEATH YOU GLORIFIED TIN CANS" Kronk boomed as he unleashed a blistering burst of charged particles from the scavenged ship cannon mounted at his side. With a crashing boom the sky was lit by the stream of energy as it crashed into the nihilor steel of Doomforge sending arcing lighting crawling the dormant buildings armored bulk. With a mad laugh the biker swooped past and turned about angling for a fresh attack heedless of the panicked proles below fleeing from his assault, "COME GET ME DRONES I GOT A FRESH SPOT JUST FOR YOU!" he challenged slapping the side of his bike where he'd meticulously painted miniature Omegadrones for each confirmed kill.

Wednesday, June 19th, 2019, 2:02 PM Fulcrum sometimes wondered what radar operators thought of Freedom City. The newer systems could easily track something of her size or smaller. At least that is what the science magazines were writing. But planes and helicopters were one thing. Flying heroes? That she'd like to chat with someone in the know. Such were her musings as she descended toward home. Her flight path arced lazily westward across the blue waters of the Atlantic. Out there she could cut loose, but closer to land she slowed down to a more reasonable 200 mph or so. No need to shatter windows or capsize boats after all. Soon the familiar face of Centurion's memorial gleamed on the horizon below her. She smiled. Home. To those with keen eyes, a white and gold streak approached from the east and aimed for Sentry Statue.

Location: Liberty Park Date: July 22, 2019; 10:07 AM Star Child It was a lovely morning in Liberty Park, not yet hot enough to drive people to air conditioned environments and full of summer sunlight. Children were playing, there were teens skateboarding along the path. The athletic fields were full of people playing mid-morning matches of one sport or another. It was a perfect, peaceful Freedom City morning in July though if anyone was was used to how things could change in an instant, it was the citizens of Freedom City. There were a few scattered shouts as people sun bathing or otherwise paying attention to the sky noticed the sudden streak of light. Of course, it could be a super hero with a contrail but it just... didn't look quite right. Freedom City was used to seeing the occasional flying form in the sky. This... well, it didn't look anything like that! For one thing, it was coming straight down towards the park with a glowing red contrail. "Oh my god, its a meteor!" That's about when people started to grab things and run just in case. A few - a very few - eagle eyed individuals, watching the rock drop out of the heavens noticed that it swerved suddenly. Where it should have impacted the athletic field, right in the middle of a soccer match, it veered suddenly and sharply, landing with a splash and a column of hissing steam at the edge of Sunset Lake instead, just across the path from the shocked soccer players.

GM Location Unknown Lor Time Mark 1898.6 (July 30, 2019 Terran Calendar) A pair of figures walked down a long marble hallway. Great pillars held up a vast, vaulted ceiling as light from some unknown source gleamed off the gilded sections of the ceiling and the smooth marble. One of the figures was tall and thin, dressed in a yellow robe and hood, a golden mask covering its face. The other was short, no more than four feet tall, with a stout body and dark red skin. It had a bald head and wide face. Along the hallway the two figures passed several alcoves, each containing a hologram image sometimes depicting individual beings, other times a small group of beings. "See all the great champions of contests past Kanto?" The tall hooded figure asked as the pair passed some of the alcoves and their holograms. The smaller figured nodded its bald head, a grin on its wide face. "It has been far too long since I have had any truly entertaining contestants for any games." The taller figure continued, a note of disappointment in its voice. The figure came to a halt in front of one of the alcoves. The hologram contained within was of a single muscular human, wearing blue tights over which were a golden breastplate, matching forearm guard and knee-high boots. A long white cape hung from the man's shoulders. "Now here Kanto, here was one of the greatest champions I have ever seen." The tall figure stated as it looked upon the hologram. The shorter figure nodded excitedly, looking up at the tall figure and then back at the hologram. "Centurion of Terra. His noble nature meant he always refused to compete in any contest I put before him." The hooded figure stated. "But, in the end I always found a way to compel him to compete, even if he did not see it that way." It then added, a hint of humor in its tone. "But alas, he is now lost to use, fallen in battle against the great Omega." The hooded figure said as the shorter one looked at the hologram with a sad look on its face. "But…" The hooded figure began before pausing in thought, causing the shorter figure to look back, a quizzical look on its wide face. "Perhaps it is time for another to take up the mantle Kanto." The hooded figure stated, looking down at the shorter for a moment before looking back to the hologram. "Yes, that is the answer Kanto. There needs to be a new Centurion, then I can have hold the greatest contests in the cosmos once again!"

1959 Conway & 25th, Lincoln, Freedom City 7 am 18th June 2018 It didn't matter how quick you were breakfast was still a flurry of activity, cat and child to feed and get and superspeed couldn't make water boil any quicker or toast to brown perfectly. And of cause when Dancia was meant to have her new Intern and superhero colleague of several adventures, she was of cause running late. She was quite proud that over the last couple of years that she'd earned enough cache at the Ledger that she was able to convince them to let her take on an Intern, even if it meant she'd have to do all the related work. not that she minded, in fact, she was looking forward to the challenge. Even with all her enhanced senses she was distracted and didn't notice her new Intern imminent arrival, some in the house had and just before they arrive at the door it was opened. "Hi there I'm Katie Melitta Devons-Leeds and I'm eight years old!" With a smile, the young girl offered out a hand. She looked very much Dancia, except for a head of extremely blonde hair.

The OOC thread for here.

Starbase Coffee, Freedom City 1st June 2018, 10:00 am It wasn't often that you got to meet a namesake but sat across from Hypno-Hippie was one, Lucy S Diamond. When London was swinging in the sixties as well as being a hero she was hanging with all the big names including her fellow Liverpudlian the Beatles, though all involved denied (somewhat weakly)) that she inspired that song. Despite the intervening years she still looked as stunning as ever dressed casually but still looking classy sipping on her coffee. "Are you all right pet? Bit of a shock I know but I need your help with summin'."

GM The lunch room of Ripley High School was all abuzz with the latest gossip. The star of the school's football team, Ross Montana, had gotten into a scuffle with his best friend and local farmboy Anthony Anderson . Apparently, the well off Montana's family was buying up local plots in a bid to begin an industrial farming operation in Ripley. A business that would almost assuredly put the Anderson family out of business. Both teens could be seen on opposite ends of the lunch room, only fueling the rumor mill all the more. "You owe me twenty cents." A soft voice whispered from behind before setting a carton of milk in front of Dancia Devons. The cheery faced red headed girl made her way over to the other side of the lunch table. "So what did you get on Mrs. Greenwalt's test? I'll be done for after my mom sees my grades."

Freedom City, Earth Prime Silently above the streets of Freedom City flew the vessel, an amazing vessel of bronze and copper that looked like a broad flat sailing vessel. Even within the crowded airspace above the city, it drew some attention from those below, few vehicles like this flew in its skies. From beneath the vessel shot out a bright light that scanned the ground beneath it, going from person to person the light being more than just a simple spotlight it was searching for someone very special, special even in a city like this one. The crew of this craft was searching for a very specific half-blood, whos very existence could maybe save an entire civilization from disaster!

Downtown Freedom City 10 am, 3rd July 2018 Someone had dug up an empty lot in Downtown Freedom, not in itself a strange occurrence and most paid it no heed. After all, eventually Doctor Metropolis would fix the damage and everything would be as it was before. But for some reason they hadn't so eventually the FCPD reluctantly investigated, in the full glare of the local media as things were fairly quiet today. Down in the hole, they found an old abandoned base of some sort of technological hero or villain, with technology that suggested that it hadn't been touched since the 1950's. But why had the base been uncovered now?

July 13th, 6ish PM, Riverside. The end of the world’s arrival looked to be on a Friday, Eastern Standard Time. This was in stark contrast to the expectation from many office workers, and comic strip cats, that it would be on a Monday. Though it was in part towing the line of the firm the belief of those who lived in Northeast United States that the world revolved around them. It was only fitting, then, that the apocalypse would start in one of the most important cities there. Self-fulfilling prophecies being what they are. In a parallel with other historical events, this particular phase was set off with the delivery of a message: “Taarvon is here, he is fighting Shivan Steelgrave. At the peninsula of Loneliness” This was news, good or bad it was hard to suss out, or know that what the impact had. But it came from the lips of a Furion, young as they went, battered, bruised, and bloodied. Though, he had succeeded in getting to the some of the Earth heroes, and relaying the information, before he collapsed in a heap. There wasn't many there, but it was a number that wasn't zero, and the three that he had found were some of the luminaries in the dark times that were crashing around them, the city, and humanity itself. But it wasn't just a swarm of Omegadrones, of course. Though the relief on the young Furion's face spoke volumes that they were the ones he had been after. Especially the recognition in his eyes on seeing Gaian Knight, before the rush of words came out before he dropped down. A look to the Eastern horizon showed the sky alight with flames against the dwindling day.

GM Post Freedom Ledger, Business pages GRANT CEO RETIRES by Dancia Devons The business world was surprised today by the announcement of the retirement of Grant Conglomerate CEO Jonathan Grant (57). Even more surprising was the announcement of the appointed of his daughter Sarah Grant (28) to the position. Ms. Grant has been a champion of metahuman and alien right and averment critic of her own father. FEUD WITH MARSTECH DEEPENS by Dancia Devons The Grant Conglomerate has pulled out of a co-project with MARSTECH to develop the new Spartoi Powered Armor for the US Army, citing severe mismanagement of the project.

@alderwitch, @angrydurf, @Tiff, and maybe @Avenger Assembled. Here it goes.

GM Simon Gordon's little movement actually started 25 years ago, so he claims. When the then unknown force of the Terminus invaded Earth. Millions died. All because of the Terminus. It was found later on that there were 'sleeper agents' born of the incident. Children of the Terminus. Some used their powers for good, others for evil. But Simon Gordon knew the truth. They were all lying in wait. They would call down the thunder again. It was only a matter of time. Simon found like minded folks. Some with fervent belief. And then his message began to spread. He was a leader. Over the past few months, Humans Against Terminus ERuptionS - a term that Gordon cooked up himself after people called their group 'haters' - grew in size and visibility. The HATERS went national Simon got the ear of media. Suddenly everyone knew a little bit about the Terminus. Enough to know that a scary dark invasion was bound to happen. How the public perceived it was split. Though most saw it as a tinfoil conspiracy theory, others knew such things could happen! March 17, 2018. Noon. Simon was going to educate the masses, personally. He advertised a meeting in Liberty Park. His like-minded would come, but he wanted his detractors to come. He wanted the fence sitters and unknowing to come. He would explain how the HATERS's goals and ideology. There was a small stage with a banner above it reading HATERS. No one was on there, but there was a large group of people swarmed around it. The presentation would be starting in thirty minutes.

GM Thursday, April 13th, 2017 The Freedom Ledger Office, Freedom City 2:24 PM It was a slow news day so far. There had been some reports about a corrupt politician going around the entire last week, so the quiet was certainly appreciated by most of the office. Everybody needed some time off occasionally. Still, slow news days meant that generally, the one thing most people did was smalltalk. Smalltalk, or stare at the screen of their respective preferred devices. Something which Dancia Devons now had ample reason to do, as she received a message by an unknown number. Which, in her line of work, usually either meant trolls, death threats, or information. In this case, it was, most likely, the latter. Hey Remember that thing you said back at the Christmas party Have something that might interest you, and could need some help with it Where and when can you meet me Preferably Riverside, but I can adapt -Bonfire

It had started out as a normal quiet day Dancia had been given a straightforward assignment. An interview with a young woman, Sabrina Locke, who had become an overnight success in her business. She should have noticed that the woman had been giving her strange looks when she wasn't looking. The interview was over, it was mostly a fluff piece so it didn't take long, Sabrina suddenly asked Dancia a question. "Would you like me to show you how I achieved my success?" Alarm bells should have rung right there and then, but Dancia smelt a story and that foolishly overcame her common sense.

September 2016 Lincoln Dancia had spent a week away from the office, covering a story about the new generation of West African nuns who were taking over an isolated Franciscan nunnery down on the Maurice River in southwestern New Jersey. it had been a fascinating story and a chance to meet people she might never have met, but the nunnery's remote location had left her isolated from world events. No sooner had she arrived back at the Ledger that she had a stack of urgent messages - including one from a familiar UNISON agent asking her to arrange a meeting with Triakosia at a remote cliffside lookout spot near Lonely Point. "This is an urgent meeting. Please let me know as soon as you've arranged it - and when we can see her there."

GM Rabat, MorrocoMonday, June 20th, 2016 11:20 PM As part of a variety of social and political reforms under the current ruler, King Mohammed VI, Morocco offers a “conditional neutrality” to various superhumans seeking temporary asylum. Under this agreement, superhuman possessing a special visa issued by Morocco can operate within the borders of the nation sans government interference, even if they are wanted by the authorities of other nations with which Morocco usually has extradition treaties. These visas are of a very limited length and can be withdrawn at the discretion of the crown. For the most part the idea of a superhuman safe haven has a broad range of appeal to the public, but foreign leaders have begun to speculate as to whether Morroco was using the opportunity for a superhuman arms race. Gathering power as it were. It was this level of speculation that brought Dancia Devons to Morocco to pursue an interview and possibly a story worth printing for the Freedom Ledger. Yves Zermeño was in Morroco on a pursuit of her own AEGIS had been tracking OVERTHROW activity to Morroco and in a cooperative effort with UNISON the freed drone found herself in the heart of the capital staking out a garment factory. Planet Inspector Dol-Druth had his own reasons for being in the city. The Lor sent word through the Freedom League of a crashed ship in the area. But, with not so much as a news story to go on, the Lor Mentat had nothing to go on if this ship ever passed through the area to begin with. As sensitive as the matter was the Freedom League reached out to Cobalt Templar to keep an eyes on Dol-Truth, lest an international incident occur due to his search for a craft that may never have been there to begin with.

April 25th; 8:00pm; Freedom City Airport Bonfire, Net Fly, Trikoskia (assuming you want to go through the proper channels and such.) Having arrived at the terminal you find yourselves universally greeted with the roaring wall of bureaucracy that seems to permeate such places passing through it like a curtain of falling water you are lead towards the departure lounge, politely informed that the flight has been delayed due to a small chartered flight due to depart in roughly 15 minutes and offered a bag of complementary salted pretzels for any inconvenience this might have caused; this goes over about as well as could be expected amongst the assembled representatives of the various media outlets and university faculty, which is to say with all the serenity of a fallen hornets nest as their flight to the Harrow Association Labs Expo is delayed.. Doctor Warp You have encountered some difficulty in securing a flight, not for lack of means but more so your greatly amplified density posing a flight risk to all but the most experienced of pilots but eventually you found someone with the skill required to handle such a burden and so with your wife in tow as your Plus one you have made your way to the airport ready for departure, baggage pre-checked and boarding passes at the ready, guided and aided by helpful if eerily plastic smiling airport staff towards the awaiting plane, with ruby followng in tow, though she has little professional interest in this exposition she is only to happy to spend more time with her husband outside of his laboratory.

Port Regal, Freedom CIty 7:15 am, 14th October 2015 The sky was red and thunder filled the sky there was a pressure building and the air seemed almost electric. Not that any of that was unusual in a place like Freedom City but it was obvious that something momentous or unusual was about to happen. With all that build up the result was almost anticlimactic suddenly a small figure appeared in the air a white cloak billowing out behind them. Then the figure began to fall from the sky plummeting to the city below them.

OOC for this thread here.

AEON's lobby was a comfortable place to wait, designed to encourage loitering rather than discourage it with available computer terminals for open use and plush chairs to wait in. Despite the obvious efforts made to make people feel comfortable, the gleaming lobby was clearly expensively designed and furnished with a wide receptionist desk staffed with a small number of receptionists. The individuals on duty noticeably straightened at their posts as a petite red-head stepped off of the elevator, gesturing animatedly to her far taller compatriot. Alex was dressed casually today, wearing blue jeans with be-dazzled patches on her pockets and a bright sweater with alternating bands of hot pink and vivid yellow. Her red curls were drawn up with barrettes. She looked, really, nothing like the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation. Truly, Alex looked out of place in her own lobby as she hustled towards the receptionist counter with a spring in her step, talking animatedly the whole way. "So, there's a badge here although the elevator's biometrics have already been calibrated to you but good to have it just in case security gets nervous," Alex said to Mike with an animated smile as she turned towards the counter. "Marcia, hello. How's your son doing, feeling better?" She asked before tipping her chin up towards Mike and explaining, "He got a cold that's been going around his school. Have you met Marcia?" Alex made quick introductions between Mike and the staff currently working the counter. Perfect recall meant never forgetting a name or face which came in handy more often than not.