25th Anniversary - The Terminus Invasion (July 10-13)

[Avenger Assembled]

We are looking for: 

GMs 

and

players (really it would be better if you pick one thread PER CITY to play in during the event, with the idea that your characters are busy elsewhere) 

 

Starting date for posts - 

Early June 

 

Date of Event 

July 10-13 

 

With the 25 Year Anniversary of the 1993 Terminus Invasion, many places around the planet are holding some sort of event in memory. It is never a true celebration, while Earth was saved that day and that is, in fact, celebrated, there is a focus on remembering the many lives lost to the Invasion, chief amongst them Centurion. This leads to a diverse mix of emotions spread around the planet, and Freedom City in particular. Emotions which are of use to the Annihilists, who have been in complete disarray ever since the death of Omega. There have been efforts to resurrect him by some, to claim his power by others. Shadivan Steelgrave has worked tirelessly to steal the ambient power of his master, gathering a sizeable amount of allies (of convenience), followers and servants while doing so. He believes that the final resource that is needed to summon his master's great power is what made him become who he was in the first place, emotions - and the planet that absorbed them. 

 

Emotions and memories, related to the Terminus as a whole and its master in particular. Fortunately, there is one place across the multiverse where, on one day, those emotions and memories will be abundant. Earth Prime. Steelgrave has prepared for the Invasion for a long time, but he is not the only party that is involved. Other, more ambitious Annihilists seek to use the dimensional gateway that has been prepared for their own good, to do what Omega never could and conquer Prime, to become the new Lord of the Terminus. All of this means that the various Annihilists of Nihilor and their forces will be occupied, something that has not eluded Taarvon the Undying, who sees the perfect Opportunity to attack the planet and conquer it while its defenders are occupied in another dimension, something that will likely require part of his army to travel to Earth as well, to further exploit the situation and get rid of his most threatening enemies. 

 

All of this could lead to destroy the current balance of the Terminus which mainly sees infighting between various Annihilists and thus little in terms of stability, something the other inhabitants of the Terminus would rather keep. Thus, they too have made plans, to keep things as they are and weaken both the Annihilists and Taarvon where possible. 

 

What if I don't want this to apply to my characters? 

Then don't! The invasion only lasts for 72 hours and is restricted to Freedom City; and the heroes are on scene to help rebuild. Just don't write any stories set during the invasion or a week or so afterwards, and you can keep all recovery posts to the background. 

 

Initial Phase (this will be a News post)

Initial Invasion during the Memorial Ceremony - the sheer volume of heroes present on the scene makes this a short-lived attack - but it's only a feint! 

 

Early Freedom Evacuation Thread (EternalPhoenix and Ari GMing, PRISM [Thunder King], MANNEQUIN [Vorik])
Big convoy of civilians and the heroes are trying to get them out of town. Small problem, though. They've been infiltrated by a Duplicating Annhilist who keeps feeding their location to Omegadrones and his teammates (a Speedster and a variant Powerhouse, probably reminiscent of Thor or Horus, ask Ari). The Speedster is nabbing people one at a time at high speed, making them seemingly disappear. And at the end of the road lurks Not!Thor, who'll be smashing up vehicles so the civvies have nothing to escape in. And just to make things more horrifying, these three are from a version of the Freedom Legion that sold out their earth for their own survival. So even if these guys are caught, the heroes may be hesitant to strike blows against the future's heroes.

 

Another Castle [Evac] (TT GMing,  WRAITH [Fox], MISS GRUE [TiffanyKorta], GHOST GIRL [Gizmo]) - Tarva has been fearing this day for years, so when it comes down, she works her magics and drags the entirety of the DuTemps Building - and its inhabitants - to another dimension far from the fighting. Tempers are high, because no one's getting out just yet. There's also the problem that Tarva's surveillance of her fallback plane missed a few pertinent details. Powerful and hungry ones...

 

“News” Vignette Thread, which includes a few characters/sidekicks/NPCs tracking happenings around the world - Works as a way to include other areas. 

 

“Resistance” Phase 

 

The city has largely been evacuated, with the various Annihilists holding control over their redoubts and dragging away what population remained or couldn’t flee in time. Heroes which weren’t captured yet are basing their activities out of a few HQs/Hotspots which are well-defended enough to discourage an immediate unorganized attack by the Annihilists. 

 

HQs that might work to set threads in, depending on players, threads etc.: 

 Claremont. 

 The Espadas School 

 Silbermann’s

 Albright

 ArcheTech

 AEGIS HQ

 

Redoubts: 

Why is the Terminus able to establish a beachhead in Freedom City despite twenty-five years of preparation and a far greater number of metahuman defenders than there were in 1993? Largely because unlike in 1993, the Annihilists invading the city are not trying to conquer the city proper - rather after the initial feint at the dedication ceremony, they've dug themselves in behind hastily constructed defensive fortifications guarded by powerful force fields and armies of vassals. In many parts of Freedom City during the 2018 Invasion it's entirely possible to shelter in place, or in nearby emergency shelters, largely unmolested, all the way from the 10th to the 13th. 

 

The two hotbeds of Terminus activity are in two areas of Freedom with relatively few costumed defenders and thus with the greatest opportunities to rapidly consolidate power - the suburban communities of Ashton and Grenville west of Freedom City proper and the upper-class neighborhood of Kingston in North Freedom. This is where the doomforges are built, this is where the Omegadrones are going house-to-house, this is where the true, unvarnished horror of the invasion lies.

 

Most of the offensive raids, scouting operations, and escapes from captivity will be happening in these two neighborhoods. 

 

Offensive Raids (3 players) (1-2 thread each)

Thread/s in which a group of PCs attacks a location which holds prisoners/a smaller portal to the Terminus/a lieutenant and his troops/strategic supplies and so on. Easy to do combat threads for people who wanna do those, which can then be spiced up. 

 

Crack the Anvil [Kingston] (3 players, Gizmo GMing, REPLICA [Cubismo], CANNONADE [Trollthumper] , BLACK MAMBA [Tarrakesh])

Our heroes launch an attack on a doomforge being built atop the ruins of million dollar homes, hoping to prevent it from going online and freeing captives being prepared for conversion but are they already too late? And who has come to see the doomforge go online? Is it a coterie of Annihilists here to sip champagne and make their plans for future conquest? You know it! 

 

Defensive Raids (3 players) (1-2 threads each) 

Thread(s) where the HQs mentioned above get attacked by an organized siege force. Ruthless combat essentially, probably depends on whether or not people want a combat thread like that

 

Shepherd the Flock [West End] (3 players, Gizmo GMing, PINNACLE [Jander-Prime], DREADNOUGHT [Exaccus], GLAMAZON [HG Morrison])

Temporary shelters and medical supplies have been gathered in park that usually houses the West End's farmer's market. As the Terminus attacks people who have already lost so much our heroes draw a line in the sand.

 

Technobabble Thread (3 players, Cubismo GMing, TERRIFICA [EternalPhoenix], SALVO [Zeitgeist Blue], SOLAR SENTINEL [Thunder King] ) 
PCs are offscreen inserted into an important location and gather gear the heroes need for the device to close all the portals.  

 

Taarvon’s Arrival  - News post 

After various skirmishes on Nihilor during which they have gained a significant foothold, Taarvon’s forces follow the Terminus into Prime, where they start fighting them, leading to a three-way standoff. 

 

The Climax (Sometime Day 3) - News post

More and more of Taarvon’s forces seem to arrive in Prime, and the Annihilists themselves have also increased their activity, launching more regular attacks on the few areas that are still holding firm. Furthermore, ther technobabblers have determined that Omega will resurrect soon, meaning immediate action has to be taken

 

How Much Further to Fall [Bedlam] (TT GMing, ARROWHAWK II [Ecalsneerg], LADY HORUS/WADJET [AvengerAssembled], JETTE [EternalPhoenix]) - Schism in the Sisterhood of Screaming Stars leads to a war between true believers who have found one of Taarvon's new model Omegadrones and are worshipping it as an angel of death, and opportunists drawing on the bones of their ancestors' rituals who are possibly dangerous enough to crack the final seal and lead their rapacious embodiment of Death into the world. 

 

Macguffin Threads (3, 3 players each)

DAKANA - TiffK GMing, RED LYNX [Angrydurf], ASAD [TheAbsurdist], DALIR THE DASHING [HG Morrison] 

 

NIHILOR - AvengerAssembled GMing, WANDER [Electra], MIDNIGHT II [Gizmo], PSYCHE [Alderwitch]

 

FREEDOM CITY - HG Morrison GMing, SINGULARITY [Electra], SEA DEVIL [AvengerAssembled], COBALT TEMPLAR [KnightDisciple] 
 In order to close the portals to Freedom City, the device powering them has to be shut down before the bomb to seal them shut can be used.. However, the generators powering it are scattered. One is in Freedom City, defended by one of the largest armies of the Terminus to be sighted during the invasion. The Heroes have to punch through and disable them. Another is tucked away in Dakana, hidden there through a trick and guarded by stealth. One more is a bit more difficult to get to. It’s on Nihilor, in the middle of Steelgrave’s holdings. A small group of PCs has to get to the Portal, get through it, disable the generator and then, if possible, get home. Return is not guaranteed. (It is unless people wanna get heroic deaths, I guess)

 

Big Battle Thread (3 players) - TheAbsurdist GMing, PHALANX [angrydurf], TRIAKOSIA [TiffanyKorta], GAIAN KNIGHT [Fox] 
A group of PCs hears of Taarvon himself arriving in Prime through a portal, currently in combat with Shadivan Steelgrave personally. They rush to the scene to pick off the weakened foes. And then Omega appears, as not himself - a mad cosmic bull raging at the multiverse, turning on lieutenants and heroes alike, immediately absorbing Shadivan Steelgrave and injuring Taarvon enough to force him to retreat - then The “Resistance”, helped by the Furions, deploys the device which would disrupt the main portal. Teleported onto the scene, the heroes prepare the device - but have to push through a horrifying illusion created by Omega's consciousness.

 

 

 

[Avenger Assembled]

What if I don't want this to apply to my characters? 

Then don't! The invasion only lasts for 72 hours and is restricted to Freedom City; and the heroes are on scene to help rebuild. Just don't write any stories set during the invasion or a week or so afterwards, and you can keep all recovery posts to the background. 

[The Sailor]

When it comes to the lieutenant meeting thread, where there are some HVTs about to get pummeled... might be the perfect sort of thread for Torpedo Lass. Former military experience would come in handy.

Edited May 31, 2018 by Sailor

[Ecalsneerg]

As usual, I'm just offering to play

 

I'll put Arrowhawk II forward, as TT has a sweet Bedlam idea and seriously dibs.

 

Also Geckoman if there's room, but like super-low-priority.

[Jander-Prime]

I'd love to get Pinnacle involved in this, even though he's in EC he could certainly make the trip across country to help and a prolonged absence from his civilian life could lead to an interesting vignette with him coming clean about his heroic ID to his parents.

[Tarrakhash]

And offering to just play as well, this would tie in perfectly for Black Mamba as he was here for the First Terminus Invasion and as I flesh out my other characters I think some of them might enjoy this too!

[trollthumper]

I will be offering up a thread for members of the DuTemps crew, as well as a thread for Bedlam folks.

 

As for who I'd put through the fire... I'm prefer to put either Nick Cimitiere or Cannonade on the front lines. 

[angrydurf]

I'd like to get Phalanx into one of the dustups with the heavies.  I have some thoughts for a Claremont thread if there is interest, I'll see what sign ups look like. 

[Fox]

I'd like to throw Wraith's hat in for DuTemps.

[Tiffany Korta]

So many to choose from but if I had to pick on then Triakosia has the biggest beef with the Terminus.

[EternalPhoenix]

I mean, all four of my slots can be of use here in multiple places. I don't know how to begin to choose. Well, okay. JETTE's strictly Bedlam. But the rest? Yeah.

[Brown Dynamite]

Hm.  It's tough to pick between Argonaut and Glamazon.  I think I'll only lean to Glamazon because I can at least still stick Argonaut in a vignette.

 

Now, I would rather not GM.  Not out of lack of interest in doing so.  But, because my activity has been questionable.  But, if the need is there I'll gladly do a Defensive Raid in an AEGIS HQ.  Maybe the Iceberg itself.

[Exaccus]

Ill put forth dreadnought for use where you think suits best, using the club immortus to break ranks with vanguard and get to freedom city.

 

His natural inclination is to find the biggest fight and lean into it, probably one later on in the event as he's not gonna abandon ship until he's sure its secure.

[Avenger Assembled]

Redoubts: 

Why is the Terminus able to establish a beachhead in Freedom City despite twenty-five years of preparation and a far greater number of metahuman defenders than there were in 1993? Largely because unlike in 1993, the Annihilists invading the city are not trying to conquer the city proper - rather after the initial feint at the dedication ceremony, they've dug themselves in behind hastily constructed defensive fortifications guarded by powerful force fields and armies of vassals. In many parts of Freedom City during the 2018 Invasion it's entirely possible to shelter in place, or in nearby emergency shelters, largely unmolested, all the way from the 10th to the 13th. 

 

The two hotbeds of Terminus activity are in two areas of Freedom with relatively few costumed defenders and thus with the greatest opportunities to rapidly consolidate power - the suburban communities of Ashton and Grenville west of Freedom City proper and the upper-class neighborhood of Kingston in North Freedom. This is where the doomforges are built, this is where the Omegadrones are going house-to-house, this is where the true, unvarnished horror of the invasion lies.

 

Most of the offensive raids, scouting operations, and escapes from captivity will be happening in these two neighborhoods. 

[Tiffany Korta]

To update I'd like to offer up Miss Grue to the DuTemps shenanigans.

 

Also if people want I can GM a something in Dakana for a couple of poor souls characters.

[Fox]

With the per-city rule, I'll throw Gaian Knight in for some event action - anywhere that needs a heavier hitter, like a macguffin thread or a raid that needs rounding out.

[angrydurf]

I'm up for throwing Red Lynx into a dakana thread. Or if it melds better with bringing in outsiders I could use Ace. WHatever works for your idea.

[Gizmo]

I'll be running an Offensive Raid thread against a doomforge in Kingston and a Defensive Raid thread for a refugee camp in the West End.

 

Kimber should be in the DuTemps thread, naturally, and I'd like to have Wail in the deep end somewhere, given his last experience with a Terminus Invasion. Set and Sekhmet can reasonably show up in an international thread as needed but I'm happy to leave room open for other players, too!

[Cubismo]

I'd love to be a player in the Kingston Crack the Anvil thread. I think Replica will do. 

 

I'd also be willing to GM the Technobabble thread. I finally get to use all those hours of watching TNG for something useful!

Edited June 1, 2018 by Cubismo

[alderwitch]

Let me think about which one to run! I'll run one and I think if its just one character, it'll probably be Phantom? I'm waffling a lot

[EternalPhoenix]

I'm thinking I could run Organization or Scouting. Doesn't seem like there'll be too much combat there, which is where my bookkeeping dislike kicks in.

Edited June 2, 2018 by EternalPhoenix

[TheAbsurdist]

Asad in

Dakana

 

I can run something.

[Brown Dynamite]

I suppose I could volunteer as Tribute!  To run the Freedom Macguffin thread.

[alderwitch]

Can I put Psyche in the Nihlor thread? I think she's right in Wander and Midnight's PL and doesnt have too much overlap with either? Also she'd totally go with them

[Exaccus]

Ill also offer up facsimile if there are any threads that need one more.

 

He'd probably be on the offensive behaviour wise being a young, "dumb" and relatively powerful mutant maybe even doing liberation raids, or the jailbreak thread if he's eaten his humble pie already