# Anyone planning on running another Mutants and Masterminds Game?



## Tokiwong (Mar 24, 2003)

Just curious, I would love to play the game myself, and see how it is on the other side of the fence, as far as playing is concerned, and I am open to any superheoic playing style... rom my own preferred gritty style, to 4-color, to Silver Age... to well whatever... alright... well lets see if there is some interest...


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 24, 2003)

Maybe, I have been working on a "Beyond Freedom" game setting for a while (mostly other world stuff as I don't have Freedom City yet and would like to wait for that before doing to much with the city itself. There are a few 'know' pieces of info like the Atom family, ASTRO city, etc.)

The idea of course is that it is 35 or 40 years in the future. 20 years ago there was some huge "big-bad" (ATOMIC BRAIN maybe?!?!!?) that cause a big diseaser and most if not all the well know heroes died or disappeared. Super-heroes (and most villians for that matter) activity dropped off and faded from the national limlight. Now a diseaser calls out the next generation of heroes. Legacy heroes are ok (maybe even incuraged) and include those from Freedom City and META -4 (Super-U world, and most of the characters pictured in the main M&M rules book).

I am still working on some stuff (more then likely PL 10, standard rules with errata and _maybe_ [1] house rule - skills) AND as I am playing in two PbP games here and one weekly live-action one I would not mind trying to run one again. I have tried running on PbP about a year ago and don't want to mess up though...


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 25, 2003)

I am curious what other types of supers games people might want to see. I am thinking about something other then the games that we have going on here right now but would be interested in just about anything. Here is a post of info that I have collected for the face-to-face *Beyond Freedom* that I might be interested in doing here if there is interest...

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Beyond Freedom 
PL10 standard characters using the M&M rules and errata. The game takes place in a future, darker Freedom City (kind of a Batman Beyond, but in Freedom City, hence the name)

The setting is a mix of 4-color/gritty (i.e. heroes are mostly good and want to help people, villains are mostly evil; BUT the world has a slight “cyber-punkish” look and feel - huge buildings and powerful corporations, cyber and gene enhancements, gangs and high street violence. Also people get hurt and die, bad things can happen, there are bad cops and politicians, collateral damage happens and innocent people can get hurt during super battles etc). All super-types are available BUT most have not been very active the last 20 years or so. So while the heroes will be some of the most resent costumed heroes to appear in Freedom City in the last 20 years, they are not the first heroes. Legacy Heroes are available and encouraged (and I am assuming all META-4 and Freedom City heroes are available. If you want to do a villain let me know before hand to see if it can be worked out but I would prefer not. This includes all the heroes listed in the basic M&M rules book and those pictures listed on SU website, etc).  

A brief history of the world as you know it is that it… the year is 2043, the city is Freedom City. With a population estimated at 16 million, the city has grown very quickly and it is feeling those growing pains… bad traffic, gangs, huge corporations, huge skyscraper apartments and office buildings spreading everywhere, violence, greed, corruption, poor social services, high unemployment, low-paid public employees (including police), Federal enforcement and infringement into “individual privacy” etc. The current Mayor, Randall Cross, has promised “new jobs, new hope, a brighter future” for the city and promised to clean up crime. With federal backing by the DCC (Department of Civil Control), the mayor promises to control crime and gangs that all but rule the city streets here, thus jobs will return to the city (actually most jobs are in the higher-tech professional area and there is still a strong market in this area; most unemployed are low-skilled, lower-income people who moved here within the last 10 years drawn by the apparent strong economy when compared to the rest of the nation).   

Most of the worlds Superheroes disappeared, died or have gone into hiding for the last 20 years. Why? 20 years ago, during the “L.A. Disaster”, Atomic Brain destroyed the city with a mega-bomb after his demands to be given control of the state of California were rejected by the US government. Most of the worlds heroes (and a fair number of villains) where in or around L.A. at the time either working against or for the Atomic Brain (it appears that those villains working for him did not know that he actually had a bomb!). 10 million people died and most of the heroes of the world disappeared in the fiery flash. Most people and governments turned against the heroes then, accusing them of failure and bringing the disaster onto the innocent. Repressive registration laws and agencies were created and those heroes and most villains still alive faded away (retiring or disappearing all together). 

Today the US government maintains a federally sectioned super-team known as “Section One” in Washington D.C. (main job is protection of politicians and their families, etc. as a branch of the Secret Service) but they don’t actively suppress or promote any other supers. Most of the laws that where enacted after the L.A. Disaster where declared unconstitutional but the damage had been done; the older heroes didn’t reappear, the villains hung up their costumes and pursued their master plans in some civilian ID. 

Also the L.A. basin is an uninhibited ruin, and much of California suffers from the environmental impact caused by the event; most people have moved away. Political bonders around the world have been redrawn as new dynasties raise and old ones fall. 

Freedom City has no “Freedom Force” or any public known members of the Atomic Family; in fact no know costumed heroes have operated in the city for a long time. The only publicly know groups that seem to embrace the 'costume gene' are a couple of trill-kill gangs in Freedom City, like the “Hyena Dog Soldiers” (lots of ‘splicers’ or gene-splicers, in this group, lead by a heavily modified cyber-splicer who calls himself Hyena), the “Gepetto Fun Boys” (dress up like mimes and crazy clowns, and are into ‘boost’ drugs), and the War Mongers (heavy into cyber-modification, this biker gang is lead by Mars, a crazy cyber freak whom is more machine then man. They tend to dress in neo Greek Centurion ballistic armor and ride around on their bikes raising hell). 

In the news of late – earthquakes have been hitting the lower parts of California and New Mexico. Nothing to major, but they seem to be increasing in strength and frequency. Scientists call it a natural ‘re-settling’ of the major faults in that area. The weather has been acting funny all summer; July snow storms in Kansas, Tornados in Idaho, to much rain in Arizonian, etc. Men and women in dark costumes have been seen late at night in many cities, some righting wrongs while other commit terrible crimes. None of appeared on TV yet but main believe that the heroes of old are returning, right when the innocent need them the most. Some kid in San Francisco even has a fuzzy, black and white picture of a armored humanoid walking away in the rain… he swore to reporters that the armor had a green glow to it and that the guys head was “funny-looking” head…like a bubble or something

I don’t want to get into the disaster that “calls all the heroes out” but the basic idea is this … character have powers and have recently decided that it is time to start helping people (or they have been doing it secretly for a while but now with a big public emergency, they are coming out into the light… at least a little bit). You can have any origin that you want and your power source(s) should be defined, but up until now you have kept a low profile and have not gotten into this whole hero thing; but that is about to change. Please make your characters somewhat well rounded AND post a basic background. Also if you could I would ask for you to post a “3x3” about your character. This is where you give me 3 allies, 3 contacts and 3 ‘enemies’ (or locations) for your character. This only have to be a couple of lines but I just want to flesh out a little about each character on who they know and who they trust and who really hates them. Note that enemies don’t have to be super-villains, they could be your neighbor or ex, something like that. Remember that most super heroes and villains have not been very public these last 20 years or so… but that is all about to change in a really big way!

And a few things that we (well me) know about Freedom City that I am using (this is REALLY incomplete, but just taken from hints about both Freedom City and META-4 info on GR site and the basic M&M rules book)…

*Corporations*
ASTRO Labs 

*Evil Organizations*
The Freedom City Mafia.
Majestic Industries and the Grant Conglomerate. 
The Foundry.
Overthrow, a network of anti-government terrorists which is actually a front for... 
SHADOW (the Secret Hierarchy of Agents for Domination Over the World)
UNITROL: a global psueo-governmental army of extortionists 
ANTAG (Advanced Neural Technology Application Group)
Octopus Umbrella

Other stuff will be added as the book becomes available and as I add stuff myself.


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## bkmanis (Mar 25, 2003)

Hey Sen mind if I join?  I have a couple of character concepts bouncing around in my head.  I'll work on it and let you know what I come up with, if it’s okay.

bkmanis


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## Tokiwong (Mar 25, 2003)

that looks cool Sen, very cool indeed!


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## Keia (Mar 25, 2003)

I have some interest.  I need to read my M&M book some.

Keia


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## anonystu (Mar 25, 2003)

That looks like a great idea. I have interest in playing, and also wanted to note that I was planning on starting my own M&M game. This is the ultra-thin explanation, but should hopefully get across some of the promise:  The basic conceit is that of Bendis' "Powers", which follows the lives of two normal homicide detectives as they go around closing cases, except for that all the cases in their division, Powers, revolve around super-powered crime and murder.

NYPD Powers: Corpses and Capes will revolve around two tightly linked groups of players. One group (a) will be a pair (maybe 3 or 4) of NYPD homicide detectives in the Powers division, investigating and solving crimes. The other group of players will include detectives/policemen/swat team members who used to be with the department a month ago, and were actually working with group (a) on a case, when an accident happened, and in the midst of horrible event X, they gained powers as a side effect. They were immediately catalogued, and thrown off the force, and out of a job.

I think there's a whole lot of neat tightly linked roleplay to explore, with the relationships between characters, the investigations, the roles the other PC's will play in these investigations, and how all these people get on with their life in a world turned upside down. I'm not sure if I'm expressing this well enough, but it's a really interesting concept to me.


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 25, 2003)

I always loved powers 

We could do both (hehehe). Anyway looks like some interest in thsi. I am working out a couple of things and might be ready to start by Monday if we can get a few heroes posted.

Of course  bkmanis if you are interested you are in. I will post some additional info this afternoon but right now got to get to training (AGR)


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## themaxx (Mar 25, 2003)

*Count me in*

I'd like to join the Freedom City game, and I have a concept that I've been pondering for a while. Shall I post here or in Rogues Gallery?

Edit: I'm thinking about doing some sort of ultra-environmentalist hero who is very anti-corporation and fights people who are polluting and contaminating the world. He also takes time out to help the needy and the innocent, but his true passion is to reform corporations and corrupt governments and prevent their abuses. Not sure about what powers I'd want to use yet.


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 25, 2003)

We can start posting them here if you would like. Later I will start a new thread


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## Tokiwong (Mar 25, 2003)

I am thinking a teen hero... in the vein of Spiderman... though I like the idea they had from the Manga version of Spiderman, a ninja type with some tools, and incredible dexterity... think spider-ninja...


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 25, 2003)

hehe totally fine with me


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## Set Harth (Mar 25, 2003)

I'm In as well if you need more people. Though posting in four games and DM'ing a fifth Maybe asking for some punishment later on.  

As for hero concepts, howbout:

 WARLOCK Son of ancient Merlyn, he has lived for centuries guarding the earth from the forces of darkness. (Mystic Archtype)

Or

 STARMAN Former Astronaut Richard Hauck, was blasted by Solar radiation while on EVA above the earth. His body was incinerated, but he now lives on as a being of cosmic energy. (Original Archtype)

And can we start at PL 12 or so. Just to be different from the other M&M games.


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 25, 2003)

Hmm higher PL... let me think about that for a bit. I like the balance of 10 but I might be able to work with 12 if I have to. 
And hey I am playing in 4 games myself right now  all goodness. Both character ideas sound good, but I like Starman a little bit more...


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## themaxx (Mar 25, 2003)

*Character concept*

How's this sound:
Man who has worked long and hard all his life, and was comfortable and middle aged, and then had the joy of being relocated to an office right by a big corporation that did rather iffy radiation and high-energy work. His family eventually succumbs to cancer and other diseases that could have been caused by exposure, and he gets pissed. He also realizes that he has not suffered at all from the exposure.

He starts a new life away from the industrialized cities, and finds a deep connection to nature. He pursues spirit guides, buys up some land to make a sanctuary, and begins to exhibit powers granted to him by a mother earth vision.

He helps others, and tries to keep the corrupt government and corporations in check. He hates pollution and disregard for human or animal safety. 

More later (like powers and 3x3) if you like where this is going.


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 25, 2003)

I like the idea a lot themaxx...


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## Victim (Mar 25, 2003)

I might be interested.  I'd probably do a power armor guy.


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 25, 2003)

Great! For right now we can post character ideas, etc here. I will write up something in the Rogues Gallery later today or tomorrow. Also for right now, assume PL 10... I _might_ try PL 12 but is always easier to add points then to take them away. 

Skill point cost... I am torn by this one. I don't think skills are that bad the way they are written so I am inclinded to stick with the basic rules...


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## Citizen Mane (Mar 26, 2003)

If you've got room for one more, I may be interested.  I'll give it some thought and post something later if you're willing (I was leaning towards something along the lines of the totem archetype, but that might interfere with themaxx's concept, so I'll keep on thinking).  

thanks,
tKL


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## bkmanis (Mar 26, 2003)

Hey Sen, I have two characters created, which I will post here. Let me know what you think and if you have any preference between these characters.   

Harbinger:
Donald Drake

Power Level: 10
Power points earned:
Power points spent:

Description:
Sex: Male
Age: 25
Height: 5’ 9” 
Weight: 170
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
Costume: Wears a black trench coat over a dark blue jumpsuit. A full mask covers his face.
Identity: Secret

Abilities:
STR: 12(+1)
DEX: 20(+5)
CON: 14(+2)
INT: 10(0)
WIS: 12(+1)
CHR: 20(+5)
(Total ability pp = 28)

Saves:
Damage +2 
Fort  +2
Reflex  +10
Will  +1

Attacks:
Base  +5(15 pp)
Melee +6
Ranged +10

Defense:
Base +5(10 pp)
Defense 25
Flat Footed 20
Initiative +10

Hero Points:  5
Speed: 30’(50’ teleport)

Skills:
Acrobatics +11/1
Bluff +6/1
Diplomacy +9/4
Gather Information +6/1
Open Lock +11/1

 (Total pp spent in skill 8)

Feats:
Attack Finesse
Connected
Dodge 
Evasion
Radio Hearing (Flaw: Device)
Radio Broadcasting (Flaw: Device)

(Total pp spent in feats 10)

Super Powers:
Create Object +10 (Extra: Create Attacks (Energy Blast), Realistic, Shapeable. Power-Stunt: Dual Damage. Flaw: Weapons only) 4pp/lvl (42pp)

Super-Dexterity +5 (Extra: Protection) 5pp/lvl (25pp)

Teleportation +10 (Power-Stunt: Extended Teleport) 2pp/lvl (22pp)

(Total pp spent: 89)


Weaknesses:
Quirk: Hatred of Drug Dealers.  Will go out of his way to stop drug dealers.
(Total pp spent: 160)

Background:

	Donald Drake was born into a normal middle-class family in Freedom City.  Donald always had a vivid imagination, as a child he would write stories and draw pictures of strange people and places.  He would tell his parents of his strange dreams he would have.

	Don’s father, Ben, was a Biochemist that worked for a medical drug company.  One day Ben found out that the company he worked for was controlled by a criminal organization that used the company to develop designer drugs.  Ben left work and rushed home to see to his family’s safety before reporting to the police.  But the company knew about Ben’s discovery and sent enforcers after him.   To eliminate the problem the enforcers decide to inject the Drakes with an overdose of a new drug they recently developed.  The drug of course killed Don’s parents but it had a strange effect on him, it activated a latent mutant gene.  Don discovered that all his imagination and strange dreams were due to a mental connection to a parallel universe.  When the drug activated his powers he discovered that his connection to this parallel universe was strengthened, he was now able to instantly summon objects from that universe into his.  It was unfortunate that the first thing he summoned was a weapon, which he used on the enforcers.  

Don later discovered other abilities, while not able to enter this parallel universe himself he was able to skip through it.  This enabled to instantly move from one point to another without traveling the space in between.  Due to a mental block caused by the violent incident with his family Don is only able to summon weapons from the other universe.  Perhaps in the future Don will be able to overcome this limitation. 

Don has developed a great hatred for organized crime, especially drug dealers.  He has received a small fortune from his parent’s life insurance, which he uses to finance his fight against crime.  He has developed contacts with street informants and has contacts in the police department.  While he has dedicated himself to fighting crime he will go out of his way to take down a drug dealer or a drug lab.


War Strike:
Aaron Smith

Power Level: 10
Power points earned:
Power points spent:

Description:
Sex: Male
Age: 233
Height:  6’ 2”
Weight: 210
Eyes: Brown  
Hair: Brown 
Costume: Dark Blue jumpsuit that covers him from head to foot with the GEN-Marine symbol on the chest.  Rank insignias on the shoulder, these are different the present day insignias and may not be recognized as rank insignias.
Identity: Secret
Occupation: Librarian  

Abilities:
STR: 20 (+5)
DEX: 20 (+5)
CON: 18 (+4)
INT: 14 (+2)
WIS: 14 (+2)
CHR: 10 (+0)
(Total ability pp = 36)

Saves:
Damage  +4
Fort  +4
Reflex  +5
Will  +2

Attacks:
Base: +5  (15 pp)
Melee: +10
Ranged: +10

Defense:
Base: +5 (10 pp)
Defense 20
Flat Footed 15
Initiative +5

Hero Points:  5
Speed: 30 (30 Flight, Sprint 873 mph)

Skills:
Knowledge: History +5/3

 (Total pp spent in skill 3)

Feats:
Aerial Combat
(Total pp spent in feats 2)

Super Powers:
Flight +6 (Power Stunt: Super-Flight) pp 2/lvl (14pp)

Super-Strength +10 (Extra: Protection, Immunity) pp 6/lvl (60pp)
(Immunities: Aging, Critical hits, Disease, Exhaustion, Poison, Starvation, Suffocation, Pressure, Energy: Heat, Energy: Cold)

Regeneration +5 pp 2/lvl (10pp)

(Total pp spent: 84)

Weaknesses: None

(Total pp spent: 150)

Background:

The year is 2268 and humanity is near extinction, Earth has been at war with the Vantalor race for nearly 50 years.  No one on Earth knows why they're fighting this war or why the Vantalor are out to destroy the human race.  It started when a fleet of ships was detected heading for the Mars colony, there were no response to the hails sent to the fleet.   When the fleet entered orbit above Mars it attacked destroying the colony without mercy.  Earth sent ships to intercept the fleet and they too were destroyed.  When the fleet arrives at Earth it attacked destroying all satellites and stations in orbit.  Then the alien troops descended to the surface, and humanity started the fight for survival.

	Aaron Smith volunteered to become a member of the Gen-Marines, a military force genetically enhanced with abilities to fight the Vantalors.  He was one of the last to under go the procedure before the Vantalors destroyed the last of the secret facilities that created the Gen-Marines.  Human scientists have found a technology that may destroy the Vantalor once and for all but it is too late, humanity doesn’t have the fighting force to attack the Vantalor to use this weapon.  In fact there are only a few hundred thousand humans left huddled in hidden bases waiting for the end.  The only hope is a desperate plan developed by the last of the scientists, to send some survivors back in time with the information before the Vantalors arrived at Earth.  Aaron was assigned to guard the scientists and the volunteers that were to go back in time.  The time portal was built and was ready when the Vantalors attacked the base.  In the attack the scientists activated the portal in hopes to send the volunteers back before all was destroyed.  But an explosion ripped through the wall and Aaron, moving to protect the volunteers, was flung back into the portal.

	Aaron awoke and found himself in the desert, no one else was around and there was no sign of the base.  Aaron headed towards the nearest town but when he arrived he knew something was wrong.  The town was primitive, there was no indication of advanced technology anywhere.  Disguising himself he entered the town, he soon found out that he was sent back in time too far.  The year was 1835 and there was no help here for the future.  Aaron decided he would have to wait for the proper time, hiding among the people waiting for the time when he can give them the information that could save the human race.

	Before Aaron was altered into a Gen-Marine he was a historian, as he waited and watched he began to notice inconsistencies in history that he knew was historical fact.  When Lincoln was assassinated he knew something was wrong.  He began to research history and discovered many inconsistencies in history.  He soon found that not only was he sent too far back in history but also into an alternate time stream.  Aaron began to keep track of the historical differences and what changes these differences caused from his own time stream.   When the first of the super-humans appeared Aaron began to wonder what destiny this time stream was heading towards.  Would the Vantalors even attack the earth?  And what difference would these superheroes make against them?   Aaron decided to do what he could to help them and wait and see if humanity could survive in this time stream.

	Aaron rarely participated as a superhero and was not involved in the L.A. disaster, but recent events are making him reconsider that decision.


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 26, 2003)

Hi Kajamba Lion, totally room for one more, so please post a character if you want to. As for the character, yea I am not sure what totem type you where thinking, but so long as it is different enough from a spider (as that was what themaxx mentioned as his concept)... I think there is a lot of room to be different though (like a Bear totem character type is going to be very different from a spider or cat one).

Wow bkmanis both look good to me... I always loved that Harbinger of Justice, but I hope that you would not play him as a loner... and he was really dark (not sure how dark you would play him though, just maybe my thoughts from the character in Dark Champions, you of course would play him the way that you wanted and all)

The does bring up a couple of other points... first the characters are going to have to be willing to work together. Also while the world is darker I don't want the characters to be... to dark. Does that make sense?  Vigilantes, etc can work so long as they are not so dark (i.e. killing every criminal they come across, etc). 

Last I wanted to add one more thing to character development from the old DC Super's MEGS game - Heroic Motivations. Each hero had to have one and I always thought they worked pretty damn well to explain why you were a "super hero" and not just a "guy with powers." 

They were (IIRC)... 
1. Upholding the Good: believes steadfastly in traditional moral values; compassion, justice, truthfulness, and resolute faith in society's laws. (prime example - Superman) 
2. Seeks Justice: will ignore anything that inheres with his quest; subverting society's laws, some of which he believe protect criminals (prime example - Batman) 
3. Responsibility of Power: the character decides to change as a result of the assume powers and skills that separate him from the rest of the world. (prime example - Spiderman) 
4. Unwanted Power: kind of a darker "responsibility of power"; this character generally joins super teams to gain the acceptances they can't get in normal society. (prime example - Cyborg) 
5. Trill of Adventure: take extreme changes in combat and enjoy every moment of it. (prime example - Changeling, Guy Gardener)

Of course these are only a few, and if you want to come up with your own, so long as it fits with the basic idea that is fine with me.


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## Citizen Mane (Mar 26, 2003)

Great.  I'll hack out a character this afternoon and have it posted by this evening (probably fairly soon, but I need to work it out, so...).  I think themaxx was the nature mystic/environmental guy and tokiwong is the spider, so I'll work around them and avoid the totem (most likely, although a bear is tempting).

Best,
tKL


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## themaxx (Mar 26, 2003)

*Simon Edgar Frost (aka Winter)*

Pardon the melodrama, but it just came out that way.  Hope you like.
-----------------

Simon Frost had a happy childhood, and was blessed with two intelligent, caring and wise parents. They gave him and his sibilings a wonderful education, and all three children eventually obtained high-tech jobs, with Simon going into Engineering, primarily involved with power production.

Simon progressed up through the ranks, being practical and effective at his job, and along the way he met a wonderful woman and decided to get married and start a family. They had two lovely children, and the years went on as Simon became a Senior Engineer in Vasta Energy Corp, the primary energy supplier for the Souther U.S.

The children became teenagers, and the eldest was just beginning to prepare for college, when things began to go wrong. Colds developed during the summer, and muscles became especially brittle. Simon's wife had multiple benign tumors that were easily removed, but scary nonetheless. The children had to be pulled out of school because they began to have trouble breathing, suffering from extrememe pneumonia. All the while, Simon felt no consequences, and no tests done on him showed anything.

As things got worse, the specialists figured out that radiation poisoning, from the nearby power facilities, from the water, and from the plants and animals they ate, was causing their illnesses. They also told Simon that his whole family had only about a year to live. He was devastated, angry and confused. He quit his job, starting to hate Vasta Corp and its slimy executives. He turned to religion, but could not find anything to soothe his pain.

Around the time his second child died, his wife and eldest child already succumbing to the radiation that had suffused them, Simon got positive results back from a radiation test. Evidently his blood had high amounts of isotopes, and they were surprised he showed no symptoms. This was the last straw for Simon, and he left. He left his home, his friends, and he went out to escape the grim existence he faced.

Simon Frost travelled for weeks, just walking. He forgot to eat, forgot to drink, and forgot to sleep. He became delusional, and lost much of his hold on reality. Eventually, unable to continue any longer through sheer will alone, he lay down in the wilderness to die. When he awoke, he could not tell if it had been mere minutes or whole months, but he was different. 

Roots came from his toes. The leaves of the trees spoke to him. He rose and began to fly with the birds, and fly as the birds. His sight seemed limitless, and his body malleable and strong. Then he began hearing a voice unlike any other. It came not from inside him or from outside, but from everywhere. It did not speak in words but in feelings. And it was wonderful.

He began to listen more closely, and try to understand what had happened to him. This voice continued to communicate with him, and he realized that the earth, the plants, and the animals were all talking together, in one supreme channel, to him. It was they, and it, that had altered him so profoundly. He wanted to thank them. And he began to remember bits and pieces of his past life. He remembered the injustices that the corporations had committed, and he also began to learn about what had happened since he had left his former life. Since then his powers have grown, being nurtured by the spirits, animals and plants that he spends time with, and he has decided to start using them to correct some of the wrongs he sees.

He started with little things, like helping prevent industrial disasters, and saving plants and animals from damage and death. Then he began moving up, pursuing enemies that the government agentcies were having trouble apprehending, or taking action (sometimes drastic) to prevent egregious wrongs against the environment. After the first rumor or two of his sighting the media began to refer to him as Plant Man. As he became more courageous and obvious with his work, he began to also leave notes. Often interpreted as poems, they frequently alluded to the downfall of various corporations or individuals who polluted and damaged the environment, and the writings also mentioned the 'winter of industry' and a 'changing of the seasons.' Further similar analogies have earned him the nickname Winter, which is what most media references tend to use.

Winter was very troubled by the Atomic Brain's actions in California, which he found out about after the fact. It did give him a substantial push to increase his efforts and take more serious action, and so he has become more active. In addition, Winter and a friend or two have set up a number of private parks, land being used to shelter wildlife and protect the natural flora and fauna from the expansion of industry. He puts all the resources he can into these park projects, and travels far and wide to both protect endagered plants and animals and stop those who would harm them. He hopes to find any who may have survived the cooperation with the Atomic Brain and remove them from power, usng whatever means necessary.


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## Thain (Mar 26, 2003)

Hey Sen... if you've got more room, I've got more concepts!


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## Tokiwong (Mar 26, 2003)

*Current Concepts:*

*Zero:* Female ninja, mutant, with powers of amazing agility, clinging, and stealthy skills... teenaged hero

*Ghost:* Incorpreal hero, an actual ghost of a dead cop, returned from the grave for justice, weilding two phantom [istols for justice... did I mention she wad dead 

*Ares:* The War God transplanted and placed in the body of a mortal, his powers stripped until he proves himself for crimes in Olympus, he has a dual identity as Janus Pratchet, a budding iluustrator

*Kid-Paragon:* An alternate universe hero, of an original type in this world, created from the genes of the now dead hero in that world.  Basically a kid-original type, at the age of 13, great power and responsibility, in an idealistic youth


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## themaxx (Mar 26, 2003)

*Motivations, friends, enemies, character*

Thought I should split this up, so it doesn't get huge.

EDIT: changed skills, assigned extra points, remembered that I need Attack and Defense (doh!).

As for heroic motivation, I see a combination of Seeking Justice, and also Responsibility of Power. He thinks he has a connection with the spirit of Earth, and that is a big responsibility, but he is embracing it and acting as best he can.

Allies/Friends:
a) His cousin, Allen Appletree, a scientist and friend. He helps out with Winter's pet project, not actually knowing that Simon Frost is involved. He's a skilled environmental engineer and ecologist.
b) Assistant manager of the EPA (or equivalent agency at this point), Harold Atkinson. Winter often feeds him info, or does favors, and Harold helps certain actions get overlooked, and sometiems provides funding or resources.
c) Carmela Ramirez, an employee of Vasta Corp, and a contact to this day, who is very disatisfied with how things are done, but also very subtle in her leaks. 
d) Wendy Arturo, scientist and inventor, who concentrates on renewable energy and pollution-free living. She often receives help from Winter whenever possible, and he sees her work as vital and pivotal. 
e) more later...

Enemies:
a) Vasta Corp, its executives, its operations, its lawyers.
b) Majestic Industries, for frequently violating the law on emissions, and for carelessness.
c) The Atomic Brain, or his minions if he is dead. He committed a most heinous sin, and must be punished. Mistreating the earth in such a way is vile and cruel.
d) Anybody who has acted similarly to the Atomic Brain, by carelessly exposing large areas to danger or pollution.

Stats:
Simon Frost, aka Winter

Attack Bonus: 2 (6)
Defense Bonus: 5 (10)

	Abilities (24)
Str: 	10
Dex:	18
Con:	20
Int:	12
Wis:	16
Cha:	 8

	Skills (10)
Handle Animal 2
Spot 4
Listen 4
Survival 8
Search 2

	Feats (4)
Track
Darkvision

	Powers (100)
Alternate Form (Semisolid: flock of birds, swarm of bees, etc., Extra form: Radiation): Rank 10 (60 points) Source: Mutation
[includes Immunities: Disease, Energy: Radiation, Fire, Cold, Electricity, Darkness, Poison, Pressure, Starvation, Suffocation)
Plant Control (Plant Stride, Regeneration, Plant Sense): Rank 7 35 points) Source: Mystical
Obscure : Rank 5 (10) Source: Mystical
Super Senses: Rank 5 (10) Source: Training


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 26, 2003)

Wow very cool... and seems to be more interest then I thought! OK as of right now we have 9 people interested -

Tokiwong
bkmanis
Keia
anonystu
themaxx
Set Harth
Victim
Kajamba Lion
Thain

I think I will hold it to this number and better put up a Full notice or something 

Like *Winter* themaxx... and as for skills yea I go back and forth on this one; but I think I can justify balance in the game with a 2:1 cost so...

*Skills will cost 1PP per 2 Skill Ranks. Debating what to do with Skill Focus and Talented* 

Tokiwong I like ALL of your character a lot (the thing I hate most about supers games in that I can't play ALL the characters I come up with either). The one I like the most... can't tell you... maybe Ghost or Kid-Paragon but man I like them all... hard choose there


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## Thain (Mar 26, 2003)

Here's my characters, in the order I'm most keen to:

*Poseidon*: (Building of of Toki's idea, I'd had the same thougth for weeks, and it'd rock if we both played these characters!) The greco-roman god of the oceans, exiled from Olympus for the same crimes as his cousin, Ares. Poseidon has been much humbled by his time as a mortal, and has begun to regain some measure of his former power. (Superswimming, strength, and an attitude) [Aquaman archetype]

*Shard*: Fed-up with the crime, injustice and genetic criminals that were plauging his city, Dr. Alexis Scott designed a solution: the Super-Human-Armored-Robot-Drone, S.H.A.R.D. Now, Dr. Scott is able to battle criminals by remote control! (Iron Man as R.C. superhero!) [Ironman archetype]

*Mesmer*: A prominant and popular stage-magician, Henry Scott- better known as the Uncanny Canuck, the Hypnotic Henri 'Hodini' Hudson! Who ran afoul with one of Freedom City's mafia groups. Fatally shot  and left for dead, Henry actually managed to trick Death and was given a renewed lease on life. He now seeks redemntion by fighting crime with his keen mind, acrobatic skill, and array of "magic" gadgets. [Batman archetype]


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 26, 2003)

All good Thain, and now that I think about it woud be kind of cool if you and toki played banished gods  that is something I had not thought about before but is very cool.

OH yea wanted to add... post your character ideas here to flesh them out. Then post them over on the *Beyond Freedom (M&M PbP)* thread I just started. I will put more world info there also


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## Thain (Mar 26, 2003)

Okay Toki, its up to you- do we play banished gods, or do I have to warp my mind figuring out how to stat up a super-hero robot and the crippled Doctor that "pilots" him by remote?

(I'm leaning to stating SHARD as a construct PC character, with the Doctor as a "sidekick." And calling it a big case of SFX)


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## Tokiwong (Mar 26, 2003)

Thain said:
			
		

> *Okay Toki, its up to you- do we play banished gods, or do I have to warp my mind figuring out how to stat up a super-hero robot and the crippled Doctor that "pilots" him by remote?
> 
> (I'm leaning to stating SHARD as a construct PC character, with the Doctor as a "sidekick." And calling it a big case of SFX) *




Lets go for the Greek Gods, that would be coolness... I shall work up Ares then...


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## Set Harth (Mar 26, 2003)

Nine People, I think I'll bow out. Beside My dragonstar game should be starting up soon. and I'll need to consentrate on that. for bit.


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## Tokiwong (Mar 26, 2003)

*Ares:* Going for a super-warrior type, wields a Vulcan made blade, and wears sleek, archaic styled armor over a black jumpsuit when he assumes his Ares persona... _*Powers:* Most likely Powerhouse Scheme, or Perhaps something similar to the Original, perhaps without Flight... not sure..._


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 26, 2003)

No problem Set, I will be a watching the Dragonstar game also (almosted joined but was thinking about other things at the time)... I am a bit worried also BUT I think (hope) I can do it 

Banished greek gods... coolness


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## themaxx (Mar 26, 2003)

*Beyond Freedom thread?*

I can't find the Beyond Freedom (M&M PbP) thread. Where did you put it? Can you provide a link? I feel dumb...

Also, I have a few details to work out, like the intricacies of my sub-powers, but otherwise I feel pretty happy with things. Can't wait to start.


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 26, 2003)

It is here in the Talking the Talk area... I am not sure I know how to post this right but...

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=45599


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## Thain (Mar 26, 2003)

Okay, banished Greek gods it is... but I'm dropping the pseudo-Aquaman angle. And I'm going to make this a brother-sister act:

*Athena:* Super-soldier and super-citizen type, wields her Vulcan made shield -Aegis- for both defense and as a weapon. Sleek retro-style armor over white bodysuit- an intentional reversal of her brother's style. _Powers: Probably just amazingly good attributtes, combined with a host of Feats._

Toki, if you want to feel free to e-mail me at this addy if you have any story ideas you think I shold know, perhaps we could work out our powers/roles/background?


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## Tokiwong (Mar 26, 2003)

cool idea, mulling over powers now... hmm Powerhouse or Sword Using Original?  Hmm how about a spear?


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 26, 2003)

Kajamba Lion said:
			
		

> *Great.  I'll hack out a character this afternoon and have it posted by this evening (probably fairly soon, but I need to work it out, so...).  I think themaxx was the nature mystic/environmental guy and tokiwong is the spider, so I'll work around them and avoid the totem (most likely, although a bear is tempting).
> 
> Best,
> tKL *




Just an FYI looks like tokiwong is going to be a banished greek god so no spider totem anymore


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## Citizen Mane (Mar 27, 2003)

I'll be whipping up a bear totem of some sorts this evening (actually right now) — sorry it's later than I thought, but graduate school reared its ugly head.  

*Edit*: It's most certainly a bear.  I'll post him in the other thread (at least as far as I've gotten — meaning stats, but only rudimentary background).

Best,
tKL


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## Tokiwong (Mar 27, 2003)

Thain, do you want to get Mental Link, for our characters, or should we just go without it?  I may switch Ares to Apollo... hmm... I will do both and see what I get... up to you Thain


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 27, 2003)

Hey Kajamba Lion, your character looks pretty good BUT remember that Super-Strength doesn't add to your attack bonus.


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## Citizen Mane (Mar 27, 2003)

Oops.  My bad.  Will go fix that now.

thanks,
tKL


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## Tokiwong (Mar 27, 2003)

Apollo is updated, I will debate the costume and all that, lots of light of course... anyways, Thain hit me up with an email at antuan@artificial-evil.net if you have any questions...


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## Keia (Mar 27, 2003)

Sen-

Still interested and studying the book.  Looking at either a psychic archtype or a speedster.  Probably won't get to character building until Fri-Sat.  Can probably come up with a name and superhero name before then though.

Keia

[Edit]  Background will be the son of two of the former superheros of the past.  Both of them disappeared around 5 years ago (when he was 16).  Alone since then, he carried on with his life and went to college.  He had no idea that they were (at least he suspects that the were) until his powers started to develop.  Strange new abilities have been emerging in him and he left college (at 21, he's a junior) to head to Freedom City for follow a lead on where they might be....


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## Victim (Mar 27, 2003)

My character is generally distrustful of super-powered entities- his parents were vacationing in LA 20 years ago.  He seeks to elimate dangerous supers, cybers, and splicers because they're too dangerous, but prefers non lethal means for mundane crooks.  In his secret ID, Michael Evans is a consulting engineer that specializes in turning super science gadgets into viable products.  He's worked on some DoD projects involving advanced tech, including a battle suit project.  As the activity of supers has recently picked up, he realized that he could use his military design experience to create a more refined version of the special battlesuits once used against super villains.  

I was thinking max ranks in Flight, EB (with lots of secondary modes), and protection, low ranks in obscure, immoveable, super senses, and sensory protection, and moderate ranks in Super strength.  Hopefully, I'll be able to squeeze in neutralize too.  Plus a sophistated battle computer (feats+bab) and sensor package.


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## Thain (Mar 27, 2003)

_Okay, I had written this before I found out that Toki was goign to play Apollo; should be an easy fix, tho... Was trying to do a combination of _Wonder Woman / Hawkman & Hawkwoman_ with this orgin.

Formerly nigh-omnipotent beings, who must give up divintiy for the sake of humanity; While on Earth they come to love and appreicate mankind._

___________________________________________________

ATHENA

Name: 		Athena
Secret Identiy:	Toula Prachett
Age: 		N/A (physcially late- to mid-20s) 
Sex: 		Female
DOB: 		N/A
POB: 		N/A
Ethnicity: 		Greek
Nationality: 	American
Hair: 		Dark Brown
Eyes: 		Olive Green
Height: 		6' 0"
Weight: 		190 lbs.
Family: 		Ares/Janus Prachett(brother), Greco-Roman 		Pantheon
Occupation:	Civics Professor, FCSU (holds Ph.D. in 			Philosphy, bar liscenced lawyer)
Hobbies:		Poetry, Politics, Cooking
Dislikes:		Horses, Violence, Genetic manipulation
Fav. Food: 	Olives
Least Favorite: 	Beer

 The myths and legends surrounding the gods of the Ancient Greeks and the Romans are well known and widly told. What few living today realise, is that the Gods of the Ancients are as real as the super-heros of their grandparents. Powerful, petty, and aloof they retreated to their moutain tops, ocean depths and their underworlds... where humanity forgot about them, and created new myths and new gods. But the gods did not forget humanity.

 The greatest inventor of his age, Daedelus, was gifted with immortality after the death of his son, Icarus. He lived for long years among the mortals, sometimes retreating to suclusion but never for very long, he became a champion, then a hero, and later a superhero. Daedelus the Undying. Daedelus the Brave. Daedelus the Genius... When his fame and reputation became to grow so great as to cause humanity at large to begin to alternatly question whether he was greater than the old and forgotten Gods, or to begin to seek out the Ancient's Pantheon, the Gods took notice.

 But among the Gods, were many who had grown ever more petty and cruel in their forgotten days. Hera, Queen of the Gods, hated Daedulus with all her heart. Hera turned her husband, Zeus, and his brothers Posiden and Hades, agianst the man they had once promised so much. Hera convinced them to send the Kindly Ones, the dreaded Furies to plauge Daedelus. When he and his allies -the famed Freedom Force- were able to escape the Furies punishments, Hera devised something more devious: she sent her daughter, Nemesis to slay the very man she had made immortal.

 This was more than many of the Lesser Gods and Goddesses could bear. Long they may have been apart from the mortal world, but the mortal world was always a part of who they were. Concepts such as fairness, honour, and a most new idea- one first adopted by Athena, and then her sister Aphrodeiti- had spread throughout most of the lesser gods of Olympus: that the ruler ruled only with the consent of the "people."

 Athena, and a sizeable host of her fellow gods protested Hera's plan. When Hera ignored them, and dispatched Nemesis to Earth anyway, something even more drastic than Athena's protest took place. Ares, God of War, drew his blade struck Hera a swift blow. Hera was wounded, her right eye forever lost; and a civil war was begun in the heavens. On one side stood Zeus, Posedein, Hades and the most powerful of the Olympians, on the other were a thousand score of the small gods, the lesser deities and they were led into battle by Athena and Ares.

 The war was long, brutal and ultimatly a stalemate. Daedelus himself was forced to mediate the final solution, the heroic inventor aged to give his gift of immortality back to the Gods; Athena and Ares likwise agreed to a 1,001 years of exile among the mortals for their hubris. Proud Hera, humbled by Ares blade, agreed to the same exile.

 Athena and Ares took up residence in the city that was home to Daedelus for so long, Freedom City, on America's eastern coast. Athena admired what the American's had done for democracy and for women, Ares liked their military might and equality. They adopted mortal guises and mortal lives, and began to sink into their lives as ordinary citizens. That all ended, however, in a bright flash over the City of Angels...

 With the death of most of the worlds superheros, nearly 20 years ago, Athena and Ares have worked and trained for the last two decades as vigillante heros. Bringing aid, comfort and justice to those without. 

 Athena has taken up the identity of Dr. Toula Prachett, a tenured professor of civics and philosophy at Freedom City State University. By day, she teaches political theory and civics to some of FCSU's most promising students; by night she partols Freedom City's rooftops and back-alleys. A liscenced lawyer, she also frequently provides the downtrodden with pro bono legal aid.

____________________________________________________

_Here's a rough draft of Athena stat-wise:_

STR	18	[54 pp.]
DEX	18
CON	18
INT	20
WIS	20
CHA 	20

BAB	+6	[18 pp.]
BDef	+10	[20 pp.]

Skills	30	[15 pp.]
_Still working out the specifics._

Feats	10	[20 pp.]
Sidekick
Headquarters
Inspire
Leadership
Attack Focus - Shield
Attack Focus - Unarmed
Point Blank Shot
Precise Shot
Richochet Attack
Immunity - Aging
Mental Link - Ares

Powers

*Shield +12* [_Extras:_ Deflection +12, Weapon +7 [_Extras:_ Mighty; _Power Stunts:_ Ranged]; _Flaws:_ Device; _Source:_ Divine; _Cost:_ Variable pp]. (total: 28 pp) 

	Deflection +12 
	_w/ Weapon +7 [Extra: Mighty; Power Stunts: Ranged] 

*Armor +5* (total: 5 pp.)


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 27, 2003)

Looks good Thain but I am not 100% that we are going to be PL12, as I stated earlier I wanted everyone to make up PL10 level characters and then if later I went with PL12 it would be easier to add points instead of taking them away. Sorry  I still might go for PL12 but I want to see all the characters first


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## Citizen Mane (Mar 28, 2003)

Hey there.  I'll have history and all that for Ursus Maior late tonight (or early tomorrow morning, as the case may be).  Got a load of work I need to fight through first.  Good thing I like grad school, eh?  

Best,
tKL


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 28, 2003)

No worries man... I am taking a quick break myself right now as work loves to pill everything onto my plate on Friday's WHY OH WAY!?!?! I will try and post some more later today but it might not be until really late tonight when I get home (if they wife lets me log on, she seems to think I spend to much time online )


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## Citizen Mane (Mar 29, 2003)

Thanks, Sen Udo-Mal.    I meant to ask — I'm in regardless, but how often do you anticipate posting?  Just curious.

Best,
tKL


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## themaxx (Mar 29, 2003)

*Schedule*

And what kind of posting frequency or schedule do you want from us?

I'm kind of an amateur in PbP games, and so I'd love to get feedback and comments once we start. I'm not sure what style you're looking for, or what posting frequency. I'm happy to adapt and try to match the kind of game you want to run.


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## Tokiwong (Mar 29, 2003)

as you can probably tell I can post just about every day...


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 31, 2003)

All sounds good to me and I am a total amateur when it comes to PbP also. As to how often I can post; normally I can post 3 or 4 times a day (well weekday) on all the treads I am on. I plan on posting at least twice a day (more if the volume is up) during the week on this thread. I am going to try and post at least once each day on the weekends...


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 31, 2003)

Don't post yet, but here is sort of Issue #0 and 1 of Beyond Freedom over in the Playing the Game section...

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=46216

I want to do one more part and then we will start the game. Also I want everyone to decide who among their Allies has vanished!! You can post here on this thread what actions you might be taking before the game starts


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## themaxx (Mar 31, 2003)

*Allen Appletree ... abducted?*

Allen Appletree, Winter's cousin and also one of the skilled scientists assisting with Winter's reservation project, has disappeared. He has not been heard from, and nothing but strange rumors and odd descriptions have come from his neighbors.

Winter, hearing about this, has been wandering and looking. He suspects perhaps Allen got lost on one of the private park areas, and so has been roaming around as a flock of birds, periodically landing and checking to see if any plants have seen the missing scientist. Nothing has turned up so far, and Winter has suggested increased security for other researchers working with Appletree. He has also been attempting subtle inquiries to the FCPD to see if any information has come about from the missing persons report filed recently.

[anything else you want? will this remain (or become) the ooc thread for the game?]


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## Tokiwong (Mar 31, 2003)

*Danny Williams*, he usually gives Apollo at least once a day, though there have been brief instances where he has missed a day, though rare, and never like this.  Besides they were supposed to go out, and orkour together, and Danny missed a good workout session, especially since Apollo found a place where many of the models worked out at...

Apollo had done some fact checking, and found tht Danny simply dissapeared and hearing of these strange black clad figures, he decides that perhaps it is time he brings these goons to justice, Olympus style... maybe he should contact Athena, she was in town afterall...


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## bkmanis (Mar 31, 2003)

Elizabeth Brenner will be Harbinger’s missing ally.  She is one of the few people he truly cares about.

I am also wondering which of these threads will be the OOC thread.  I don't think we need both.

bkmanis


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## Sen Udo-Mal (Mar 31, 2003)

Lets use the other one for OCC as it was started by me. Sorry I posted on both, just wanted to make sure everyone read it.

Good so far. I posted more over in the Playing the Game section. I want to hear from everyone about what they are doing before we start...


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