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The Merge Universe

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:48 pm
by Bladewind
* Disclaimer, this is actually Neo-Paladin's sandbox. I just happened to compile most of the info on the old board with the help of kirinke so that it could have some semblance of order. Reposting here "just in case."
Neo-Paladin wrote:This is a meant to be a writeup of the setting I use for the game of the same name here on the boards. Hopefully this time, I will be able to get more done than usual...ideas are easy, fleshing them out in written form is hard and I often lack the discipline to do so...I hope this time it'll be different. Also, as always, participation would be welcome.
An infinite multiverse - infinite possibilities

That, at least, is one of the theories postulated by quantum physicist. Of course, here, in a world without super-science, it is hard to prove...or at least, it was...

Earth-Prime: June the 5th, 2015. Just another test run at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. Nothing spectacular.
Earth-4856: June, the 5th, 2015. A catastrophic engine failure rocks the Carrier, home base and interdimensional ship of the superhero team The Authority...
Earth-3982: June the 5th, 2015: A superspeed-brawl between the Flash and his arch-nemesis Professor Zoom releases a tiny amount of strange particles...
Earth-278: June, the 5th, 2015: To synthesize a new element, inventor Tony Stark builds and operates an improvised particle accelerator...
Earth-9556: June, the 5th, 2015: Doctor Strange collapses a minor hell-dimension that Dormammu was using as a mustering place for an invasion...

A number of other, similar events happened in other universes, a conjunction that was statistically as close to impossible as it could get. But when you have infinite possibilities...
A massive quantum shift rocked Earth-Prime and all nearby dimensions, followed by a catastrophic disturbance in the substrates between the worlds.
Wounds opened in the fabric of the megaverse. And as they healed, the worlds, more than 100 of formerly-separate universes, merged, centered on Earth-Prime.
Suddenly, dozens of people in costumes appeared, followed by entire new landmasses and new cities...followed by new stars in the skies...and new physics. Accidents that should have killed people now gave them superpowers while those who had landed in this new world had to adjust to a world that knew them only as fiction.
The nations were help- and headless at first, but fortunately, a slew of heroes from a myriad worlds had landed on Earth...and they would do what they did best....

The game takes place about six months past the event that is known as The Merge. In here, I will shed a light on what has happened within that time and how the various parts of the world are faring in this brave new world...

Multiple Iterations of the Same Character

Ever played video games where you can fight your clone, but its not a clone? And there's no other in-game explanation for you to fight yourself? Well, in the Merge, it is known that multiple iterations of some characters have crossed over. For instance, there are at least six Batmen in contact with Oracle... There are at least two versions of Kara Zor-El, and they are completely different from each other... So if someone is playing your favourite character... feel free to pitch another version.

Note that it's not likely two of the same character would be chosen to play in the same game at the same time, but you never know...
drothgery wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2017 2:19 am[This is] the post-Merge universe. Just because something was unlikely or made no sense or violated the laws of physics as [you] know them [doesn't] mean it [won't] happen.

Table of Contents

Character Creation and House Rules
List of PCs, Submissions, Inactive Characters
Bladewind's Merge Inspired Characters
kirinke's Merge Inspired Characters
macynsnow`s Merge Inspired Characters

Coping with Merged Peoples - Government Decrees
Coping with Merged Peoples -Weapons Legality in Britain


[url=viewtopic.php?p=701#p701]The Merge, Possibilities and Homegrown Heroes

Known Characters to have Crossed Over/ Appeared
Beyond Earth: Cosmic Players
Vampires
Physics and Technological Interaction

Locations of Note
Merged Earth Atlas: The Middle East
Merged Earth Atlas: The British Isles
[urlhttps://roninarmy.com/threads/7408-The-Merge-Tales-of-London-(Recruitment-ends-9th-April!)?p=260121&viewfull=1#post260121]Farringdon Railway Station/url]

Specific Settings/ Setting Elements

Reboot
The Honorverse
Pokemon

Character Diaries and Other
Nightwing's Letter Home
The Many Noodly Adventures of Agrippina (Aggie) Edwige Heterodyne. In No particular order or reason

The Merge: PbP Games
Prologue to Annihilation
Cosmic Quandaries
Agents and Powers
Omega Company
The Merge: Tales of London

Note that the setting now exists in PDF format, all entries from here copied therein. It can be found here.

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:49 pm
by Bladewind
Making it difficult to keep track of who is who and what is what, in several instances more than one version of a comic character crossed over. In some cases, unpublished characters crossed over from unknown/ unwritten comic worlds. The merged settings make identifying some heroes even more difficult as their worlds are only just slightly different than the one we read about...

Known Characters to have crossed over/ appeared:

Abigail Whistler A character whose origins are the Blade Trinity movie, Whistler's Daughter has appeared here as well, and continues her hunt against the supernatural. So far she has not crossed paths with Hannibal King.

Agrippina "Aggie" Edwige Heterodyne . A Girl Genius from a generational version of that comicverse where Gil Wulfenbach and Agatha H got married.

Alex Danvers. Kara Danvers`sister. She followed but the DEO from the series did not. She is currently established herself as an Agent of Homeland Security and is an operative under Cecil Stedman's command at the DXDO

Amanda Waller Former head of the Suicide Squad, current head of the New Belle Reve prison facility. Answers to Cecil Stedman. Makes Aggie spark out.

Aphrodite A The female counterpart to Tranzor Z, Aphrodite A is likewise ready for duty. Sayaka Yumi stands by Koji Kabuto...

Apollo (The Authority) Solar Themed equivalent to Super Man. Though not as nice

Archangel Gabriel It's uncertain what version made it through, but given that he (she?) is an angel, any of his (her?) origins and activities could be true at the same time

Aquaman
The King Of The Seas. The Monarch of Atlantis. He is mainly known for his ability to breathe underwater, swim at high speeds and communicate with sea life. He might also have hydrokinesis

Batman According to a man claiming to be Batman, at least four versions of the Dark Knight exist in this world. None have been confirmed by Homeland Security. The Batman making this claim appears to be the Vampire Batman from Dark Rain.

Black Adam Villain, hero, anti-hero, villain again. His backstory is pretty simple. Given enormous power by the Wizard Shazam, he eventually went nuts and took over his country. Shazam banished him and he came back 1000 years later to wreck havok on the planet. He was of course stopped numerous times.

Booster Gold Screw up from the future who decided to use time travel to improve his lot in life. Found out it was a heck of alot more complicated than he thought.

Brawn: Little girl with a love of creating art and a hatred of anybody messing with her art. Has the strength to make her ire known. All over the place.

Captain America. A version that was not frozen in ice but who was pulled to this reality directly from the end of World War II. Also of note is that in his world, DC comics existed as far back as WWII.

Captain Marvel Not sure which one is intended here - Marvel or DC ?

Cecil Stedman The group's boss and all around hardcase. Considering the idiots and lunatics he has to deal with, that's no surprise.

Charles Bishop Weyland One of the founders of what becomes the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Currently working for an affiliation of the DXDO - the OWIA (Other World Investigation Agency)

Cloud Strife. A video game character.

Commisioner James Gordon Generally speaking, he's as good a cop as they come and the only sane guy in Gotham City. What he's doing now is anyone's guess, but it's a sure bet he's sporting a badge of some sort.

Cybertronians: Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons on the Merged Earth, including a battle for the Allspark that saw the creation of feral Cuybertronians from Earth technology and the creation of at least one Autobot. None of the "Big Names" have shown themselves as yet, and the groups scrambling for the AllSpark were relatively unknown to most Transformers Fans.

The Darkness: Is an elemental force that allows access to an otherworldly dimension and control over the demons who dwell there. Almost always has a male host.

Damien Wayne: Son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul. Kind of a self-important jerk.

Darkseid: One of the most powerful beings in the DC universe, Darkseid is the ruler of the planet Apokolips. The character is intent on conquering the universe and eliminating all free will. Darkseid often invades Earth, making him a major enemy of the Justice League. Think super-villain Nazi with a perpetual bad attitude and you got it right.

Darth Nihilus
: He is currently busy doing... something. Those mystics capable of delving into such matters lately have started to mutter his name in connection to a thing/being called Azathoth

Divinos: From Charles Phipps' Halt Evil Doer setting...basically a superman analogue with a somewhat different and more distant mindset

Dead Pool.The Merc with a Mouth ™ appeared for a time, but seems to have disappeared. He ran wild with Aggie Heterodyne for a time until she fell in with better role models

Death Toll. Another brainchild of a role-player prior to the merge. He seems to have elements of the Crow, Spawn and Ghost Rider.

The Doctor (The Authority) Heroin addict with the ability to bend reality to his whims.

Doc Samson Gamma irradiated powerhouse whose day job is a psychologist

Doctor Doom Doctor Victor Von Doom that is, is the archenemy of the Fantastic Four and came over with Latveria. Has a keen obsession with Aggie and her castle and wants both. Aggie and her castle disagree with this notion.

Doctor Fate: The Lord of Order, but which one is not yet identified...

Dracula The Blade 3 (Trinity) Movie version. Probably in torpor somewhere, thankfully.

Edward Jellico Starfleet Captain who briefly took over from Picard and wasn't liked by some of the crew, especially Riker... Currently working for an affiliation of the DXDO - the OWIA (Other World Investigation Agency)

Elenor Absolon. Steampunk mage. A steampunk/ magic version of Lara Croft

Engineer (The Authority) Nanotechnology in her body allows her to fly and to create anything she can imagine.

Faith Lehane Known as the Dark Slayer, second of the chosen two Slayers.

Genevieve Dieudonne a 400 year oldish vampire from the Warhammer fantasy verse that serves a barkeep in Home Sweet Home.

Ghost Hawk. A character in the vein of Batman Beyond, Ghost Hawk is actually the Jason Todd of his world.

Goldorak Based somewhere between Quebec City and Montreal, this is the French Canadian version of Grendizer. Exactly how much of the mythos transferred/ merged beyond the pilot, the massive mecha and it's flight unit is unknown. The giant mecha is grounded as much as possible given the potential for collateral damage and the relative lack of massive enemies that it needs to ace.

The Great Ten. A team of Chinese superheroes reputed to be hindered by bureaucracy.

Hannibal King Foul mouthed vampirically enhanced vampire hunter.

Harry Dresden: More or less, he's the sorcerer supreme of his world (even if he doesn't admit it), who advertises his services in the yellow pages. Most people who mess with him wind up dead. Messily.

Helen Tasker ("Doris") From the movie True Lies, a few months and a heap of training later, she has become a field operative and is a rep for the OWIA. She was weirded out when her "daughter" turned out to be a rogue vampire Slayer.

Hellboy A half demon, half human super hero who likes cats and humans. He's generally portrayed as an all around nice guy.

Infinity Gauntlet
a glove designed to hold six gems that gives the wearer power over Time, Space, Mind, Soul, Reality, and Power. Generally speaking, it's not worth the hoopla, because once you start doing stuff with it, you find that it's a pretty hollow victory after all

Intergang A nasty gang that uses Apokolips tech.

Inquisitor Lord Bacon
. Potentially the character of a gamer. Crossed over not from a comic but from a gamer's stable of characters.

Invincible: Son of Omni-man. Kind of a Superboy analog. Let's hope the rest of his race didn't cross over. And that Grayson won't grow a porn-stache like most of the adult males of his species.

Iron Man
. At least one version of Iron Man, with armor but no fortune is known to exist. There is also evidence of Tony Stark without his trademark armour. At least one version of Iron Man to have crossed over is not the abrasive instigator of Civil War.

Jack Hawksmoor (The Authority): Leader of the Authority, has the power to control things associated with cities.

Jedi.
The details haven't been established but the Force exists. It`s probably focused in Australia. Satele Shan is rumoured to be among those that have crossed over. An incarnation of Savage Oppress was proven to be body modifed pretender.

Jenny Quantum (The Authority):
Jenny has the ability to manipulate reality on a quantum level, allowing her to do anything she can imagine. Aggie gained her friendship with a teddy bear and tea during a fight in New Belle Reve.

The Joker: Clown prince of crime, the Batclan's nemesis and all around psychotic mass murdering lunatic.

John Constantine There appear to be at least two versions

Johnny Cage:
Film star, martial artist, guy who went into Mortal Kombat to prove he's the real deal. Became a hero in spite of himself.

Joyride In another world, he might have become Booster Gold. Instead, Joyride is a speedster without a direct comic analog…

Klingons: Yup, the bellicose beings did cross over.

Maggie Sawyer: One of Superman's police friends, current member of Coulson's team. Not the version from the CW Supergirl.

Mara Jade: With the imminent arrival on Earth of Emperor Palpatine for a summit and discussion, Mara Jade was sent ahead in a Sith Infiltrator, Mara's Saber. The cloaked starship carried her to Earth and she is pursuing an agenda only she and the Emperor are aware of. If discovered, her cover is that she is acting under the orders of Master Skywalker... just truthful enough to get her by...

Martian Manhunter: J'onn J'onzz is an alien from Mars, who came to Earth (depending on his source by a variety of means), where he became a private detective and then a super hero and founding member of the Justice League. Currently dealing with some crisis on the Death Star with Superman. He has a variety of powers depending on the source material.

Manhunter (Kate Spencer) Kate Spencer hasn't been able to maintain her secret identity since the Merge, and as such found herself recruited by Homeland security. Her knowledge of the law and ability to research has gained her some clout and she operates on a level similar (if slightly lower ranked) to that of Phil Coulson. She is a also a direct liaison to Satele Shan.

Matthew Ellis (Senator) President of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is a sitting Senator in the post Merge world and government liaison to an affiliation of the DXDO - the OWIA (Other World Investigation Agency)

Maxwell Lord: A guy with powerful mind control abilities, though they take a heavy toll on his body. Wonder Woman killed him once, but it didn't stick.

Mazinger/ Tranzor Z Much like Goldorak (See above) it's not known how much of the mythos surrounding this character appeared. The American version of the pilot, Tommy Davis, is known to Homeland Security as is his sister, Jessica. They are hoping to secure the location of the Island of Bardos (assuming it has also Merged...) before anyone else can. Tommy is not the pilot of Mazinger/ Tranzor Z, instead the Japanese version of the character (Koji Kabuto) is at the helm. Mazinger, like Goldorak, is grounded as much as possible at this time.

Mega Man X: Advanced AI robot built to protect humans from his own replicas.

Metallo: Low intellegence cyborg with a hate for Superman.

Midnighter (The Authority):
Psychotic Batman analog. Possesses enhanced physical attributes, pain suppression, an auxiliary heart, and the ability to anticipate the moves of his opponents. Aggie figured out a way to supress his anticipation powers with a jury-rigged StopWatch during the battle of New Belle Reve. Surprisingly, he didn't kill her for it.

Mogo
: Travelling the stars, seeking to gather the Green Lantern corps, as he found Oa to be completely devoid of life after the Merge, with only the Green Power Battery still remaining and being functional.

Namor: Marvel analog to Aquaman and Marvel's first anti-hero.

Nyarlathotep: An Outer deity who enacts the will of the Outer Gods, and is their messenger, heart and soul; he is also a servant of Azathoth, his father, whose wishes he immediately fulfills. Unlike the other Outer Gods, causing madness is more important and enjoyable than death and destruction to Nyarlathotep. It is suggested by some that he will destroy the human race and possibly the earth as well.

Nightwing
. A character not written about and the brainchild of a gamer and role-player prior to the Merge. Nightwing appeared in New York like so many others. Her deal was different though. Her costume was one that many recognized as Thrillkiller Batgirl and it's not something she went out of her way to discredit. Nightwing, however, is the product of a merged setting of her own and is the child of Timothy Drake-Grayson and Jessica Drew.

Oracle. The aforementioned Batman noted Oracle was coordinating the Batmen...

Power Girl: The Kryptonian with the impressive mammary glands. Cousin to Superman and Supergirl.

The Punisher: Insane anti-hero with a grudge against the mafia. Does not like the Joker.

Quasar
. The Quantum Bands apparently crossed over, but instead of bringing a comic version of Quasar to our world, they empowered a native with the powers.

Radar. From MASH. Currently acts as a bartender in Detroit.

Rasputin The mad monk. Given the effects of the merge, his origins could be a multiple choice question from heck. Hellboy managed to corral him and throw him into New Belle Reve. What he is now, is anyone's guess.

Rene Montoya
From the same world as Robyn Drake. Apparently is manager of Home Sweet Home.

Richard Woolsey From the Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis series. Following the arrival of Atlantis off the coast of the United States, Woolsey was contacted to assist various government task forces. Currently working for an affiliation of the DXDO - the OWIA (Other World Investigation Agency)


Rorschach The Question analog. More of an exclamation mark.

Satele Shan. Just after the events of the video that introduces the game Knights of the Old Republic, Satele is not at the height of her power, nor willing to assume any prestige that her eventual exploits would give her. She currently divides her time between wandering the world and spending time at the fledgling Jedi temple in Australia. For the latter, she tends to prefer the anonymity of the mask and robes associated with a Jedi Temple Guard.

Scorpion . There have been signs that at least some versions of Mortal Kombat characters have crossed over, Scorpion was seen once and has not been never heard from since.

Sephiroth human alien hybrid from Final Fantasy.

Shen Li-Men (The Authority): Has the power of flight and talons.

S.H.I.E.L.D. sort of. Phil Coulson, Agent May, Leo Fitz and Gemma Simmons crossed over with the Bus, and they know about the fall of SHIELD in the MCU. They have not been able to establish SHIELD in this reality, so instead are a part of Homeland Security.

Shredder: Leader of the foot clan, enemy of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Tends to favor a costume that looks like a colander and the cutlery section of the supermarket upchucked on it.

Starkiller. Galen Marek from the video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. He appears to be the version that is rebuilt as a weapon for the Sith.

Stephanie Strange: Self-proclaimed or possibly even acclaimed Sorceress Supreme.

Storm: The wind riding goddess, the ultimate weather based heroine. Affliated with the X-men and married to T'Challa.

Supergirl. Not the one from the recent TV series, not the one from Smallville and not quite the comics version.... this version of Kara is most assuredly sassy, cocky and flirtatious. And worthy of the name of Supergirl. She shares the origin as presented in Superman:Batman Apocalyspe

Supergirl. The one from the recent TV series. She spent the first few months post Merge getting her bearings and actually shares the identity of Melissa Benoist with the actress, giving her a way to go out in public to a greater extent than some of the other heroes to have Merged.

Superman. At least one version of Superman has crossed over and is most assuredly living up to the name. He recently headed into space to check out a report of the Death Star near Mars.

Sylar. Facing the same demons he did on the television series Heroes, Sylar wants to be left alone. With his ability to copy other metahuman powers and insatiable hunger to do so, he is both menace and asset to the world.

T'Challa The first black superhero also called the Black Panther. Married to Storm

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.Cowabunga dudes.

The Thing Alien plant that needs blood to survive.

Tracer Temporal manipulator straight out of a video game.

Venus Sivana The ex-wife of Thaddeus Sivana, longtime foe of Captain Marvel (aka known as Shazam). There is no indication that the demented scientist has crossed over though

Vindicare Warhammer snipers and assassins.

Voltron The lions appear to have transferred over in the Merge. At this time, only one has been discovered. The Blue Lion is currently docked on Atlantis and it appears John Sheppard is bonded as its pilot. The Yellow Lion is on Earth, but has yet to be discovered. The other lions may or may not be on Earth... No indications of the Drule, Robeasts or anything along those lines has manifested. The same holds true for any incarnation of the Voltron Force themselves...

Vulcans/Romulans: There is evidence that they crossed over as well.

War Machine. Definitely not the MCU version, this version of Rhodes is more blunt, wants to take charge and acts with authority he may or may not have.

The Yellow King: A bar where the monster's nightmares go hang out and karoke. Is associated with the most disappearances of any bar in the city, but the cops are too afraid to investigate it (not that many can find it). Generally speaking, you have to be either really dangerous, really powerful and or absolutely batcrap mad to enjoy the place. On the plus side, it has the best root beer in the world, top notch roast beef on rye sandwiches and hosts Poetry Slam Night.

Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a stage magician with real powers. She managed to corral some chaos deamons and the guys dealt with them rather permanently.

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:49 pm
by Bladewind
Locations of note:

Atlantis. There are multiple versions of Atlantis in various sources, and there is one version at the bottom of the ocean. It has not been established whether its DC, Marvel Atlantis, a merged version or something else.

Atlantis: Stargate
As the Merge began, Atlantis had just destroyed a Wraith Hive in orbit. While re-entering, the city appeared on the Merged Earth and is currently undergoing repairs. It rests in San Fransisco Bay. The team standing looking out at the bay in the series finale, along with the entire crew/ expedition transferred. Samantha Carter was also on board (See SGC, below) The post-merge Stargate program is based out of Atlantis with the Pegasus gate replaced with a Milky Way gate.

Central City. Version from the CW show, complete with damaged STAR Labs.

The Death Star The giant disco ball near Mars built by the Empire to destroy planets. Had a successful test with Alderaan. Earth doesn't want to be it's second test. Who or what actually populates the station is unknown. Superman and a version of Supergirl are investigating.

Europe Europe at first seemed to have withstood the Merge without any greater upheavals, if you ignore the appearance of Mechanicsburg and Latveria. But that was, unfortunately, not the truth. Soon, it became obvious that Europe's and especially German's Nazi past was catching up to it, with several superpowered warriors of the Third Reich from multiple parallels appearing all over the place. They quickly banded together and would have been even more of a problem were it not for the appearance of the Guard, one of the first groups made up entirely of newly empowered pre-Merge humans.

The fact that the EU outlawed vigilantism forces these heroes to operate outside the law, but in most cases, police look the other way these days.

In addition to that, many of the old legends of monsters suddenly became real, with some areas like the Black Forest in Germany turning into a werewolf-haunted wilderness and the British Isles becoming a haven for fey.

Home Sweet Home
. A safe haven/ pub style location run by the Rene Monotaya of the same universe as Nightwing (Robyn Drake)

Island of Bardos Remains of a pre-Greco civilization and the seat of the Mycenean Empire. Contains the remains of steel titans and is a source of the metal Super Alloy Z and its raw form of Japanium. While damaged beyond repair or use, these robots could be used as a template for new robots of mass destruction... Its location is currently undiscovered.

Metropolis.

Mars: A cold desert of a planet. Before the merge, only microbes possibly inhabited it. Now home of the Martians and quite habitable if you've got a parka. Currently has the Death Star orbiting it. Mars is also a warzone. To some, this is an understatement. As it currently stands, there are fivemain factions laying claim to the planet: the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Barsoomians, the White Martians, the vampiric Martians and, to top it all off, the Necrons.

The Adeptus Mechanicus were just as overwhelmed by the sudden shifts from the Merge as the humans on earth. Initial attempts to contact Terra succeeded but caused even more discontent and fear, as the earth being contacted was not the Terra anyone knew.

With the Imperium gone, the Adeptus Mechanicus might have emerged as a new superpower in the solar system...were it not for the fact that they were no longer alone on the red planet. Suddenly, they found themselves beset by the somewhat primitive but very territorial four-armed Barsoomians who had inhabited Mars in a different timeline, the White Martians, who simply sought to subjugate every other lifeform on the planet and the vampiric Martians who had invaded Earth with their tripod walkers in another universe.

Add to that the fact that the shifts in the space/time continuum caused the Void Dragon to stirin its prison on Mars and its awakening called to the Necrons who had translated in the Merge...

Smallville.

Venus as a Jungle World
In the early times, before the advent of space probes, people thought Venus was habitable. It turned out they were very wrong. After the merge, things changed drastically. Now, it's a jungle world in the same vein as Endor. And the geeks rejoiced. (The rejoicing had nothing to do with cute teddy bears that want to eat you for dinner. )

Stargate Command (SGC) With Atlantis, Stargate Command and a Stargate appeared. It has been established that a large network of gates also exists. Samantha Carter was requested by Homeland Security to become joint commander of the base. Stargate Teams are being established to determine what is out there from the Stargate franchise.

Wayne Manor. There is an old, abandoned building sitting around in New Jersey (Gotham did not cross over) that has a strange cave underneath it

Yellow King. A bar where the monster's nightmares go hang out and karoke. Is associated with the most disappearances of any bar in the city, but the cops are too afraid to investigate it (not that many can find it). Generally speaking, you have to be either really dangerous, really powerful and or absolutely batcrap mad to enjoy the place. On the plus side, it has the best root beer in the world, top notch roast beef on rye sandwiches and hosts Poetry Slam Night.

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:56 pm
by Bladewind
Vampires

Just some quick info on vampires that everyone who is somewhat literate and shows an interest in monstrous X-Dees knows...

Given how ubiquitous vampires were in the myths, legends, folklore and pop culture of the pre-Merged world, it came as no surprise when vampires began to pop up after the Merge. However, no one had expected there to be so many different versions, as vampirism across the multiverse seems to mirror the many differences in traits, vulnerabilities or nature of these creatures in our assorted stories.

To keep tabs on the various different vampire types which have been observed so far, they have been divided into so-called Strains, regardless of whether they are actually the result of viral infection or not.

Currently, the many different strains are fighting a semi-covert war on - and underneath - the streets, as they, unsurprisingly, vie for the same resource - us.
This ongoing conflict, fought with magic and inhuman and human pawns has been dubbed the Night War.

So far, the following strains of vampirism have been observed:

M-Strain: M standing for " Masquerade", these are the clannishly divided schemers and monsters known from White Wolf's Vampire roleplaying game. Among the most intelligent, they are also the most versatile in terms of power.

Sardu-Strain: Hailing from a universe described in the " The Strain" novels in our world, these creatures are actually humans infested by worm-like parasites. Sexless, they feed and infect via a long tentacle hidden in their throats. While normal Sardu-Strain vamps are instinctual creatures, some few have exhibited greater mental faculties. These can be granted by a master vampire, apparently the one controlling the infection.

Stoker-Strain: You know Dracula? The one from the novel? These vampires are either his progeny or simply hail from a universe where the rules of vampirism are very similar to those described in the novel. Sunlight does not burn but weakens them, they die when staked through the heart or their head is cut off or simply when you hurt them enough. They are still very powerful and very versatile in terms of power. Vampires who come close to this "ideal vampire" are sometimes lumped into the same category, like those vampires from the Warhammer world.

G-Strain: Yeah, those had to happen. The G stands for Glitter. The problem is that these guys, while much-loathed and despised by most vampires and all those serious horror fans out there, are still very powerful and not everyone of them is as "nice" as Edward...in fact, most aren't.

A-strain: Thankfully, these are very rare and that is a good thing. A-strains can only be created if a sire vampire drains a virgin (male or female) and makes a willing effort to turn them. Everyone else drained by them becomes a ghoul, a mindless zombie-like creature. Unfortunately, if left alone to simmer in their darkness for too long, they become very, very powerful. Thankfully, Alucard has yet to be encountered. Seras Victoria, however, is currently working for a covert monster hunting team in the employ of the UN.

B-Strain: The vampires from the Buffyverse. Actually corpses brought back to unlife by a demonic infestation. Become more inhuman the older they get. Easy to dispatch with a stake through the heart. Seen as the " runts" of vampire society.

L-Strain: The L stands for " living". Also calling themselves Vampyres, these creatures are apparently an offshoot of humanity in their home universe and feed on blood, much like other vampires do. They are stronger and faster than humans and can regenerate up to a point...but they age and die just like humans.



//Those are the ones Neo Paladin could think of. Other ideas will gladly be included, if you have any.

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:56 pm
by Bladewind
The Merge, Possibilities and Homegrown Heroes:

Nobody actually knows if their arrival here was simply them being ripped from their worlds that still exist, or if everything crashed into one world and what we have is what is left. Those with dimension spanning powers are unable to confirm or refute as travelling to parallel earths, at least for now, is impossible. It's not that the powers don't work, it's just that attempts to travel between parallel dimensions result in a limbo like void.

Image

It would definitely seem that there is nothing there, but our heroes being heroes don't necessarily believe that.

Some heroes with sources of power that do not seem to have fully merged still have their power. Other dimensions that should be accessible to others are still accessible. The calling of the void has actually resulted in the loss of a few individuals, but where they go is unknown. It is possible that the void is simply like the Breach, or even something akin to the phlogiston of Spell Jammer. No one has been able to determine the truth, and the heroes have essentially put a no fly restraint to prevent themselves from finding out until it can be done safely.

It is certain though, that at least one iteration of the the Fantastic Four began exploration with the help of a version of the Flash and a cosmic treadmill. They have not been seen since, and the remains of the treadmill (along with its specs) are now under lock and key.

For now though. determining how this new reality works and establishing a status quo is the priority.

An interesting side effect that many predicted, and many are very concerned about, is homegrown heroes. We know that the Merge did not just effect Earth. If only to recognize that the Death Star orbits Mars, or perhaps the Starfleet officers and alien species that have appeared sporadically, it is quite possible that beyond our solar system other fictional worlds have been brought to life. The consequences could be far reaching. But that's the point of another entry. For now, focusing on Earth, we know several things:

For instance, the Force flows through us all, or so said an Australian based quasi religion Pre-Merge. There is nothing quasi about them now, and members - people who were native to this world before the Merge - have developed psionic powers. Lightsabers are not something that are abundantly available as yet, with the actual knowledge of same in the hands of the few real Jedi and Sith that transferred over. Still, it's a matter of time.

For this fledgling Jedi order, the allure of the Dark Side is strong. With no one really there to guide them now that they truly wield the Force, the path is an easy one to follow. It has been rumored that there are certain Jedi Knights of renown and infamy that have crossed, even if nothing is confirmed. One such that the the Jedi seek is Satele Shan, who is known to have crossed but who does not wish to take the role of Grand Master as yet.

And speaking of Sith, given the nature of the Merge, it is not likely that the so-called Rule of Two exists. The presence of Satele Shan - whether she acknowledges or accepts the role of Grand Master or not - proves that the different eras may have converged in whatever became a part of the Merge. And Satele, for instance, comes from the time of the return of the Sith Empire...

Homeland Security contacted Quasar for help at one point, and although the universe called him to a larger need, one thing was clear. The Quantum Bands transferred, but Wendall Vaugn did not. The bands chose a native earther, who became Quasar. There are suggestions that at least one Nova, Green Lantern and even a Space Knight have also manifested, their powers choosing natives to this plane, making ordinary people into superheroes.

This brings us to the fear that many have. If Superheroes and meta powers can spontaneous develop, and the rules of physics have changed... what about ordinary people suddenly developing powers? Or what about alien races staging an invasion?

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:57 pm
by Bladewind
Nightwing
Robyn Drake

Dear Mom and Dad.

Writing a journal seems and feels weird, but since I can't talk to you face to face hopefully one day you'll be able to read this.

It's funny in a way. But right now, I'm missing a sense of belonging. A sense of being anchored. I'm sure you're both doing everything you can to try and find me and any number of people who disappeared. This world I find myself on? Unbelievably, but it seems this world used to - still does in fact - write about superheroes in comic books. A lot of their fiction was reality to us. Hell, the Death Star is in orbit around Mars.

But what makes it worse for me is that noone wrote specifically about us. Most of us exist in one way or another in a comic, but not together. Not as a family. And me? The closest is an alternate reality Batgirl. There is no Spider Bat in this universe. And I've realized what's been eating at me. Just that. So many have ties to home by going to the local comic shop, by watching this reality's version of MeTube. And I don't have that anchor. On the plus side, I'm one of few of the hero community who has been able to keep a secret identity.

Having said that, I am going to do something I haven't been able to do before. I'm going to tell you about the night I almost lost both of you. I'll mention it once now, but the rest of this is going to be about us - about me. This story actually spans about half a dozen different heroes in various comics, on various worlds. In most comic-verses - still feels weird to think of us a comic characters - it was Uncle Bruce who faced the Court of Owls; a guy called Peter Parker that fought Spider Totems; it was Ben Reilly that emerged from the Jackal's clones. But in our world, it all happened to me. And almost all of it in one night.

So this is my story, and me finding my place in this world, so despite the assertion that I plan to write only about myself, I can already feel that I'll be making references to the various other heroes who share similar stories...

I know that you already know most of the story. But it's my reaction to it that you don't. And it's something that you want to know. I just hope you get to read this one day, or that I get to tell you myself...

It started with Gwen. Spiderman's girlfriend in this universe, and a guy who uses a suit a lot like the one you intended for me, mom. The Spider motif, the red and blue... and just like my Gwen, his Gwen died on the end of a web line. And I'll never know if it was the shock of my web, or the blow from the Goblin that ended her life. But when I say it started with Gwen, that's not what I mean. In this world, they call her Spider Gwen and she comes from a reality where she is bitten by a radioactive spider instead of a guy call Peter Parker. In our world, the white hooded girl called herself Spidergirl and she knew who I was and you never knew about the face behind the mask. We clashed a few times over the span of a few weeks, until I unmasked her and the shock of seeing Gwen's face almost cost me dearly.

But Dad had been following me, and he stopped Gwen from killing me. But he didn't see her face and he didn't understand why I wouldn't let him go after her. I caught up with her again and she explained that she felt we were two sides of the same coin. And she had been testing me because, supposedly, I was now an avatar of a spider totem and the demi-goddess Arachne was coming and she wanted to destroy all representatives of the spider totem. She claimed to be from an alternate reality.

I know, crazy.

But then, I was attacked by someone fast and with all my powers dialed up to eleven. I was alone at the time and barely got away. Sounds like a recurring theme, and we all know that I am more than capable of handling myself. This went on for almost a month until that night I mentioned above. Turns out it had nothing to do with Totems and that Arachne was no demi goddess or totem eater. It was an elaborate plot set up by a secret cabal that controlled Gotham from behind the scenes. They called themselves the Web and one of their most prominent leaders turned out to be a guy called the Jackal. To add layers to the story, he also had a thing for all things me and mom. I think he wanted mom but when he realized he couldn't have her, he cloned her. Gross, I know.

The clone of mom was difficult to fight, but I prevailed. But it was the beginning.

So I fought a gauntlet. One after the other, spider themed opponents. The Goblin Spider, Red Widow, Scorpion, Redback, Blood Spider, Venom... and behind the mask, the face of someone dear to me. The battles were designed to wear me down physically and emotionally. I tried to walk away, to get out, but they threatened civilians, they left me with no choice. The Goblin destroyed my communications and I know how frantic you both were when my signal went down.

But, of course, that was part of the plan. Dad stayed in the cave with Babs, and mom took to the streets.

And I fought for my life.

Behind each mask, as I mentioned, was someone dear to me. The Goblin had always been Richard Fisk, with a vendetta against the family for taking down his father. But this wasn't really Richard. It was a clone spliced with mom's or my DNA... Redback wore a suit to amplify his powers, and I still don't know which set of powers was his and which was genetic enhancement. It doesn't really matter. His face was my high school lab partner, Max Dillon. Red Widow was my first clue that something was seriously off, because her face was Kara's. It stung really hard because Supergirl had died the year previous. The Jackal didn't know how hard that one hurt, thank god, but when she had my powers and not Supergirl's the wheels began to turn. But of course there was no time to really think. Blood Spider was Barbara, trying to convince me that her shattered spine was all a lie. Venom was Julia Carpenter, mom's friend and "fellow" Spider Woman. But of course, none of those faces were really the people they appeared to be.

And then the wave of those Infected by Karen Langstrom's serum, the Man-Spiders were powerful, and they took their toll.

I think the worst was the fight where mom - the real spiderwoman - finally found me. Hurt, tired and spent emotionally, I took her for one more in the line of foes. I wouldn't listen to her protests. I wouldn't give her the chance to explain herself.

I fought my own mother almost to death.

We never told you about that part Dad, and for that, I'm sorry.

Well, actually, it's all on me. Mom doesn't remember the end of the fight or she keeps it in. I don't push it because it's better if she doesn't remember and it's better if I fool myself into thinking she doesn't.

Standing over mom... the rest of that is not important. At least not right now.

It feels good to write this, and it's not about how I won and how I defeated the Jackal - or who helped me. There are two things that are important though. First, it taught me that I need to rely on others. Second, well, that's only happening now. For the longest time I've hidden behind my snappy comebacks and attempts at wit. But I'm not hiding any more. As I write this out, I realize for the first time that the guilt I carry over fighting mom is something I can finally let go. Before blocking or forgetting what happened she insisted it wasn't my fault.

And I finally believe that. I finally forgive myself.

And somehow, dad, I know that you will too.

But don't think that my snappy comebacks are coming to an end though. They're too much fun to give up.


Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:57 pm
by Bladewind
Merged Earth Atlas: The Middle East

The Middle East is...problematic. First off, some ancient sites in Syria and the surrounding countries got displaced by their alternate counterparts from world which had functioning magic. Now, nobody told the IS that and they went ahead and bombed them anyway...which released, among other even worse things, a couple of pissed off Djinn and Ifrit which are still at large.


That was before the Six Hour War during which The Authority announced their presence to the world by wiping the IS off the face of the earth - there are some places in the desert that have turned into panes of solid glass thanks to Apollo.

After they did that, the whole Islamic world was in a state of either anger or confusion as the attack was quickly interpreted as a secret weapon testing by the West. Nobody knows what might have happened if a group of superheroes - and Black Adam - hadn't intervened and, through a mixture of brute force and surprisingly adept diplomacy, prevented a nuclear exchange.

The emergence of magic and of creatures associated with it has made the region no less unsafe. Thanks to Black Adam's influence, Egypt is experiencing a resurgance of ancient beliefs, which has led to clashes between believers in the old gods and muslims.

Also, while the IS is destroyed, in theory, such groups never truly die but just splinter into a thousand different cells - some of which now have access to magic, supertech, superpowers or, in at least one documented case, the Force.

The djinn and ifrit are running rampant and those few capable of binding them have their hands full. Add to that ghuls and other creatures and that unwholesome...thing inhabiting the resurfaced Irem of the Pillars...and yeah, the area is still not a safe tourist spot.

India has relatively few people with comic book superpowers, but several fakirs and gurus have now begun to possess the powers which they always claimed they had, observable and repeatable. Also, the gods regularly manifest, possessing statues, people or even formations of the land as avatars.

China has their superteam, as the Great Ten have crossed over, but their presence is rarely felt outside of China, as they are way too busy dealing with the supernatural critters running around, the terracotta army coming back to life, at least one vengeful sorcerer mummy...and dragons.

As for Japan...the Japanese have embraced the changes coming with the Merge, especially the appearance of masked superheroes. They are less thrilled about the Kaiju, though. Fortunately, the Godzilla that crossed over does not intentionally destroy everything in sight. It just doesn't care who gets trampled under when it has bigger fish (or Ghidorah) to fry...

Oh...and yes, Pokemon have been sighted, not just in Japan but all over the globe. Ecologists all over the world are wondering if the ecosystem is able to keep up with so many new species appearing...especially when some of them clearly have greater intelligence than ordinary animals.

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:58 pm
by Bladewind
Beyond Earth: Cosmic Players

Unfortunately, the Merge has left our universe in a much more chaotic state than it was before. Many starfaring civilizations must somehow make do with being scattered across the cosmos, often without much of their infrastructure and surrounded by strangers. And, unlike on Earth, there is no helpful fiction out there to assist in putting things in perspective. Fortunately, the universe is a vast place which has kept it from erupting with all-out war. Still, trouble is brewing...

These are some of the big players out there. List is, however, by no means, exhaustive. If you have more ideas, let us know by posting in the Cosmic Merge Thread.

The Ancient Orions and the Time Lords
Rumors are spreading that the Ancient Orions survived. Immensely advanced ships have been sighted in the Medusa Cascade. What relations, if any, they have are unknown.

The Merge has apparently freed Galifrey from the time lock, allowing the Time Lords - whose powers have greatly diminished thanks to the space-time rip caused by the Merge - to explore the Galaxy at large.

Arrakis
However, the events of the Dune novel have not yet happened there. Through mysterious channels, Spice has entered the new galactic civilization and even earth. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to deal with its effects and quickly either die or become hopelessly addicted. The effects of a Force user taking Spice, though, are much more troubling, as it boosts their powers to a ridiculous degree but the addictive effect is even stronger. Oh, and Spice has become a favourite among Slaaneshi and Tzeentch cultists.

Babylon 5
Located between territories claimed by the Kree and Skrull Empires, Babylon 5 is a space station from a universe where Earth has sovereign states, and a unifying government. Colonies within the solar system, and beyond, make up the Earth Alliance, and contact has been made with other spacefaring species. The 5-mile-long Babylon 5 space station was a center for trade and diplomacy in its universe.

Bolos!
Bolo tanks randomly appear all over the galaxy - some, especially early models, might be destroyed, or unnoticed. Some, like the Mark 30+, have enough firepower to level entire worlds, and their suddenly new presence can mean destruction or protection for the populace they are suddenly part of.

The strongest bolos would be both terrifying for all those nearby, and coveted as a secret weapon by the same. Trying to figure out how to get on the diplomatic good sign of a strong bolo could be the basis for entire generations.

The Borg Collective
With their queen not having crossed over with them, the Borg are falling back to their standard decentralised programming, attempting to assimilate other species. This has brought them into conflict with the GL corps, the Realm of Ultramar...and nearly every other power in the galaxy. Only the Borg's formidable ships and weapons - now augmented with tech from the Ancients - have kept them from being wiped out.

Cybertron
A mostly depopulated world, but one that has been dormant for millenia as the Autobots and Decepticons raged their battles across the cosmos. As a result, the planet is near restored, at least in terms of energy and potential. Much of the surface still lies in ruin. it is also not known if this is a "standard" version of Cybertron or a "Shattered Glass" version.

Daleks, Viltrumites and Antarans
They arrived and the space they arrived in to claim as theirs occupies the same territory. They`ve been fighting ever since, and with the exception of long range probes and surveillance, no one has attempted entry into their contested territory.

The Daleks have a lot on their plate with the Viltrumites, but simply cannot resist their genocidal impulses and have thus stupidly attacked the Antarans, only to be beaten back...for now.

Elerians
They are currently in conflict with the Asari. Also, within the last months, spies have discovered several human or at least human-looking females with bright blue eyes among their number, leading to some suspicions that the Bene Gesserit from the Dune universe maintain a presence in this new cosmos.

Eldar
The Eldar and their dark cousins are used to being alone amidst primitives in the universe. Not much has changed. The webway seemed to have crossed over with them, as did the warp. The Dark Eldar keep on raiding - although they have suffered a few setbacks, thanks to superpowers and advanced weaponry on the part of their intended victims - while the craftworld Eldar just try to stay out of everyone's way until they have figured out the best way to survive in a changed universe.

The Empire (Star Wars)
The Emperor and Darth Vader are both very much alive, currently residing on the Death Star. The other remnants of the Empire have either gone to ground or are heading for the Death Star. Since humans no longer seem the dominant species in the universe, they are unsure about what to do next.

Goa'uld
Coming from a time before SG-1 destroyed their hold on the galaxy, the Goa'uld have reacted with confusion and infighting. Seeing that many of their conquered worlds were gone and that newly arrived populations have no intent to submit to them, they have gathered on the few worlds left to them and are trying to establish a new pecking order. If they keep this up, they are certain to be destroyed either by their own hands or by someone else with the power to remove them for good.

Imperium of Man
Several remnants of the Imperium have shown up, among them the Realm of Ultramar, curently at war with the Klingons, the fortress-ship of the Black Templars, who have gone on a xenocidal rampage upon realising that the universe was now full of Xenos empires, the Adeptus Mechanicus of Mars - at war with the Martians and the Necrons and numerous single worlds.

Klingon Empire
Quo'nos crossed over with a klingon empire at the height of its power and eager for conquest. Sadly, in the Merge universe, they border the Realm of Ultramar, a society just as comfortable with war as they are. The conflict has raged for the last four months and an end is not in sight.

Krypton
The Kryptonians that have merged are in the normal peril that they usually face. The remnants of their homeworld orbit a distant Red Star. The Kryptonite of this debris affects all Kryptonians, the physics of the Merge making the resonance of the radioactive material identical regardless of pre-Merge Kryptonian origin.

Bizarrely, there is also a New Krypton around somewhere.

Sentient System
Four light years from Earth at Alpha Centauri, space-flying heroes have discovered not one, but three sentient planets! Chiron, a planet covered in intelligent fungus, was being fought over by the Preservers and Usurpers. Ego the Living Planet orbited the second sun, just watching and waiting. Zonama Sekot traveled freely around the system, sharing information about tactics to destroy the Yuuzhan Vong.

The Terminator-Cybermen Alliance:
In the version of Earth from the Terminator Timeline, Skynet came online. Allying with the Cybermen, they attacked the Federation. A last ditch alliance between the Federaton and the Tau drove them back, but they've been expanding ever since. this Skynet hails from a universe in which its attempt to destroy John Connor was successful, allowing it to exterminate humanity and eventually take to the stars.

United Federation of Planets
Numerous ships have basically stranded in our universe, among them the Enterprise under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. They have dealt with the Merge somewhat gracefuly, trying to reconsolidate and gather what information and - out of necessity - military might they can. While they have contacted Earth, they are still cautious doing so, the existence of superpowers perplexing them. Currently, the improptu HQ of the Federation is on Vulcan.

Xandar
Xandar, a few surrounding systems and some of the Nova corps ended up in Federation Space along with the Kylnn.

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 12:14 am
by HalloweenJack
nice.

Really looking forward to reading this more in depth. For a second I thought maybe somebody from one of my old circles had started posting here, as we used to have a very small (like 3-4 writers) who did a little thing called The Merged Universe

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 1:19 am
by Bladewind
Nope. Sorry. ;)

Just a game that was running on the old tank that may or may not move... Too much work and was too good to not take the precaution of preserving !

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 2:02 am
by HalloweenJack
Well like I said....for a second :D

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:56 pm
by HalloweenJack
also just realized you threw Genevieve in there....well one of her analogues anyway.

Kim Newman does seem to love using her though. I had read she was in a few of his War Hammer books, but I've never read those albeit I have read Anno Dracula where she's a primary character.


Plan on using her myself in a version of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen for My Little Universe. Basically splitting up the comics version and the movie version (I admittedly kind of like the movie though its not particularly well thought of). I'll just sort of explain that maybe in say....the Watcher Diaries back in England, alot of records got mixed up and damaged during Caleb blowing it up way back in season 7 of Buffy. So there's some confusion as to who or what were in the various accounts (its also how we'd have several versions of Frankenstein....a bunch of different creators, maybe a Promethean Society or sorts kinda like in The Frankenstein Theory).

also....just for note the Dorian Grey stand-in would be the immortal version of Lord Byron from Highlander. I just think that's neat.

Anyways, enough of my rambling. I like what you're doing though. Keep up the good work.

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:02 pm
by HalloweenJack
Reading through a little more, this reminds me of a setting I came up with years ago too that was kind of inspired by Rifts.

Oddly, I too had a populated Mars that was caught in the midst warring clans between the various denizens of it. I liked using the aliens from the 50s version of War of the Worlds and the short lived tv show of the same name.


But at any rate, loving what I'm reading so far

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:54 pm
by Bladewind
This is a actually collaborative in nature. The players in the game were charged with world building and each named "two elements" that arrived in this world from any world. Could have been their world or another...

Re: The Merge Universe

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2016 10:30 pm
by HalloweenJack
Is Nice