OUBLIETTE

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Michuru
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
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NVAE, Class of 2008

Post by Michuru »

  • AURIC (Eva Nikulainen; Finland): When her ability to transform living matter to gold first manifested, Eva killed her girlfriend. Since then, the woman made of liquid gold has lived in fear of her ability.
  • CERBERUS (Marcus O’Shae; Northern Ireland): A Nephilim capable of duplication, teleportation and summoning hound-like creatures.
  • COMET (Janosh Berbatov; Bulgaria): Somber and sullen, this speedster manifests an aura of frictional heat around him as he moves all-out. Though easily manipulated, he is loyal to a fault.
  • FOLKLORE (Boy Verhoeven; Netherlands): Renown as the school’s resident geek, this metamorph has the ability to transform into creatures of legend.
  • MIND LASH (Gonca Alvadez; Portugal): An Esper whose telekinesis manifests as a pink glow, she typically lashes out with whip-like tendrils formed from psionic energy.
  • PLAYLIST (Alexander Schmiddt; Belgium): Depending on the genre of music he’s listening to, Playlist’s powers vary greatly. He frequently relies in a pair of goggles that feed him visual data and allow him to generate illusions.
  • SAINT (Maxime “Max” Dupont; Algeria): The son of Samael and a Neo-Sapien woman, Saint’s Nephilim abilities grant him a healing touch, calming aura and spectral mallet while his mother passed him augmented strength and constitution. Once the forerunner of his class, he departed with a mysterious woman and several members of his class have devoted themselves to finding him…
  • TINY TANK (Alexi Miatovich; Belarus): With the power to simultaneously shrink and transform his flesh to steel, Alexi is a man with a secret—one he’s willing to kill for…
Michuru wrote:The NVAE's 2008 graduating class is based on characters created by Atomic Think Tank member Manintights and his players. Before the NVAE PBP game, Manintights set a campaign at the school, and he was kind enough to let me borrow the descriptions of his cast to better fill out this corner of the campaign world.
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Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

NVAE, Class of 2009

Post by Michuru »

  • CATALYST (Emily Adler; Germany): Though the 2011 class originally encountered Emily as an opponent, this young Esper joined the school while she continued to search for her parents.
  • DIAMOND DUST (Juozas Cahan; Lithuania): This young man is possessed with the Neo-Sapien power to transform his body into a cloud of ice crystals.
  • MILDEW (Matt Meyers; Estonia): Unable to control his Neo-Sapien power to form a creeping layer of mold on anything he touches, this foul-smelling teen has been a social outcast for years. Seeking to conquer his social awkwardness, Matt became a student of stratagem but his social awkwardness and less-than-witty commentary has rendered his tactical opinions less-than-inspiring. He has delved (i.e., read about it on Wikipedia) the occult.
  • NILOTICUS (Gustav "Gus" Abdelfattah; Egypt): Formerly Lacuna's host, Gus is a Neo-Sapien capable of transforming into an anthropomorphic crocodile.
  • SIDRA (Alina Amânar; Romania): A master of chess, Sidra has the Neo-Sapien ability to fly and withstand any atmosphere.
  • SPRITE (Mira Linden; England): Mira is a relatively well-adjusted girl with the Neo-Sapien ability to manipulate plasma. She comes from an open-minded, albeit poor, family who love and accept her. Her peers often refer to her as ‘happy-go-lucky.’
  • VENEFICA (Unknown; America): Able to transmute any chemical into any other chemical, Venefica was first rescued by the rogue Vindicators, and later transferred to the New Vindicators Academy of Europe to finish out her senior year of high school.
  • WARDER (Dag Schenkenberg; Sweden): Possessing uncanny alertness, Sven suffers from hypervigilance, a psychological condition that leaves him distanced from his peers. Unbeknownst to him, he has died before; he owes his immortality to his ancestor, Heimdall.
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Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

The Astral Plane

Post by Michuru »

In the world of OUBLIETTE, some characters are able to traverse to other dimensions. Heaven and Hell exist, as do the notions of Purgatory and the Dreamtime. These places are connected to each other and to the mortal realm by the Astral Plane.

The Astral Plane is mirror world: it is a thin layer that lies over the Material Plane. All that exists in the real world appears in the Astral Plane, albeit in an intangible state. Those who fully traverse to the Astral Plane are able to pass through walls but are incapable of affecting objects that rest on the other side.

While precious few possess the ability to physically move to the Astral Plane, there are numerous individuals who become astral themselves. In most humans this is achieved through dreaming; the consciousness separates from the body and begins to move about the Astral Plane. Some stronger-willed humans are capable of controlling the landscape of the Astral Plane in this state. For example, those who physically journey across dimensions are unable to pick up a vase in the Astral Plane, but Dreamers are able to heft it (a process which causes the vase to move in the real world as well).

Others may have the ability to consciously leave their bodies--though they are still anchored to them. These individuals can only move so far from their bodies. Neither on the mortal realm nor fully in the Astral Plane, these soul forms are unaffected by those on either realms (though their physical body is still at the mercy of those near it).

The Astral Plane is also the bridge to the afterlife. A rare individual may be able to exert their will over the human soul--binding them to the Astral Plane rather than passing through to Heaven or Hell. It is for this reason that the Purgatory, a choir of angels, resides in the Astral Plane and hunt those who are no longer able to return to their physical body.

Those blessed with immortality are incapable of resurrecting, if they die on the Astral Plane. Those who perish on this landscape are unmade: their soul is forever absorbed into the Astral Plane.

For reasons yet to be discovered, the Astral Plane has an odd effect on those capable of wielding hellfire. Demons and Nephilim both become unnerved upon stepping foot into the realm. The longer they remain, the worse the psychosis becomes: eventually, they transition from unsettled to panicked before becoming terrified and eventually losing their sanity. It is commonly believed that this is due to another affect the Astral Plane has on demonkind: while in the mirror dimension, their hellfire powers are completely nullified. It is impossible for any being to channel a single spark of hellfire or evoke any of their associated abilities while on the Astral Plane.
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Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

Artifacts

Post by Michuru »

AEGIS
  • The Aegis (Device 1; hard to lose): Emotion Control 10 (Extras: Area [Perception, +1]; Flaws: Limited to One Emotion [Fear, -1], Range [Touch, -2])
FRAGARACH
In Irish mythology, the gods forged a sword of great power. It was said that anyone who found that blade at their throat were unable to lie or move. Other tales placed command over the wind in the hands of whoever wielded it. According to some legends, the weapon was capable of cutting through anything; other tales said that no man ever recovered from a wound given to him by that blade.

Also known as "The Answerer", Fragarach was carried by Manannan mac Lir before it passed to Lugh Lamfada. From Lugh it was passed to Cúchulainn, and then to Conn of the Hundred Battles.

The truth is that Fragarach is a relic forged on Hyperborea thousands of years ago.
  • Fragarach (Device 9; easy to lose): Mind Control 10 (Power Feats: Mental Link; Extras: Conscious [+1], Effortless [+1], Instant Command [+1]; Flaws: Limited to One Command [“tell the truth”, -1], Range [Touch, -1]; Drawbacks: Power Loss [must be at the target’s throat, -1 points]), Strike 3 (Power Feats: Incurable, Mighty; Extras: Penetrating 10 [+1])
THE IMPERIAL REGALIA OF JAPAN
The sword, the shield, and the gem. Collectively they are known as the Imperial Regalia of Japan. For ages, these three items have been the subject of many myths. They have long been evoked into modern tales of fantasy and heroism--appearing in manga, anime, video games and even American comics.

The simple truth is that they were the raiment worn by a noble from the lost continent of Hyperborea. The young hero was stranded in a foreign land as his armada had been sunk in a terrible storm. Still, the young prince used the weapons to slay Orochi, the eight-headed wyrm attacking the simple island nation. The man became a national hero- who began to share his mystical knowledge with the people. Indeed, it was from him that the ninja arts were born.

Though his name has been forever lost to history, his arms are immortalized in the hearts of the Japanese. Kusanagi no Tsurugi, the sword, is capable of controlling the wind. The shield, Yata no Kagami, can deflect attacks back at the wearer’s opponent. Lastly, the jewel Yasakani no Magatama is capable of turning whoever carries it into an unstoppable juggernaut with a manipulation of sheer force.

The items have passed hands over the years--transfiguring those who wield them into heroes of legend.
  • Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Device 7; easy to lose): Deflect 2 (all ranged attacks; Extras: Action [Reaction, +3]), Air Control 7 (Alternate Powers: Blast, Tornado, Wind), Flight 3 (Flaws: Gliding [-1]), Strike 3 (Power Feats: Improved Critical, Mighty)

    Yasakani no Magatama (Device 7; hard to lose): Force Field 5 (Extras: Impervious [+1]), Immovable 5 (Extras: Unstoppable [+1]), Kinetic Control 6 (Alternate Powers: Paralyze, Speed, Telekinesis)

    Yata no Kagami (Device 7; easy to lose): Reflection Field 4, Shield 3
SHAMSHIR-E ZOMORRODNEGĀR
In ancient times, a mage feared for her son's life. His father was Asmodeus, one of the Fallen, making the child the target of humanity's undying contempt. Among his enemies was Solomon, another magus, and one devoted to banishing demonkind from Earth. Calling upon all of the arcane knowledge she possessed, she performed a ritual that created a dagger that would protect Fulad-zereh from Solomon's magical spells. Solomon ultimately found a way to slay Fulad-zereh and took the dagger for himself.
  • Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegār (Device 3; easy to lose): Immunity 10 (magic effects), Strike 1 (Power Feats: Improved Critical 1, Mighty)
TARNKAPPE
  • Tarnkappe (Device 1; hard to lose): Invisibility (normal vision)
NVAE Setting - VP: 5
Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

The Affiliation

Post by Michuru »

Leader: Acrimony
Current Roster:
  • Anomaly
  • Beekeeper
  • Bile
  • Black Widow
  • Bleach
  • Bluetooth
  • Cerulean
  • Coulomb
  • Dipole
  • Fluke
  • Gabrielle
  • Girth
  • Lurker
  • Mara
  • Mirth
  • Morph
  • Orencio Arevalo
  • Pack Master
  • Prompt
  • Rapunzel
  • Renewal
  • Rick Tasker
  • Shiva
  • Siren
  • Torrent
Former Members:
  • Blitzkrieg (missing)
  • Chimera II (dead)
  • Coriolis
  • Incendiary
  • Okami
  • Oxidane (in prison)
  • Pandora
  • Rift (missing; presumed dead)
  • Stockholm
  • Tide
  • Tusk
  • Ungud (deceased)
Base of Operations: Mobile
First Appearance: New Vindicators #1
Significant Appearances: New Vindicators #11-12 (The White War), #35 (Lodestone versus the Affiliation), #60 (Gabrielle Farouk, Bluetooth, Fluke, and Renewal are all revealed to be Affiliation spies), #75 (Adonis visits Chloe before Magnus and Maria’s wedding), #81 (The Affiliation rescues the school from Black Box), #88-90 (The Affiliation help the New Vindicators deal with the outbreak), #101 (The Affiliation begins investigating Autumn Colbenson), #111-113 (The Affiliation works with the New Vindicators to stop Black Box)

Goals: Though originally, the Affiliation’s only goal was to destroy Forrest Bedford’s congregation and topple Amy Bedford’s political ambitions, the Affiliation has since evolved into a militant group of freedom fighters. They monitor the movements of any they perceive to be an enemy of Neo-Sapien rights and act accordingly.

Biography: In 2006, Adonis Skraag’s powers unknowingly manifested and helped him win the heart of his longtime crush, Chloe Bedford. When her father discovered what had happened, he rallied his congregation—the Church of Genetic Purity—and went hunting for the teenage boy. Though Adonis was saved by Rift, his parents were not so fortunate. They lost their lives, and neither Forrest Bedford, or any of his followers, saw the inside of a prison cell.

Craving revenge, Adonis began to plot against his parents’ murderers. He imagined a group of Neo-Sapiens who would destroy the inflammatory church, their leader’s vitriol-spewing wife, and the young girl who had broken his heart.

He proceeded to spend the school year building the group. He recruited his classmates, his teachers, and even alumni. Some wanted to help him in crushing the Bedford family; others were swayed with false promises that he could use his powers to quash unrequited love.

During the long campaign, the Affiliation took the lives of their fellow Neo-Sapiens in order to ensure their machinations were not revealed. On his Graduation Day, Adonis put his plan into motion. The result was the White War: the Affiliation allowed Godai to transform into a hellfire beast that proceeded to rampage through New York City, claiming the lives of thirteen-thousand, seven-hundred people. (New Vindicators #1-12)

Though several of their members were apprehended, the Affiliation went underground. During this time, news of Senator Bedford’s assassination reached them, and Black Box rose to power. Wrangling up Neo-Sapiens and putting them into concentration camps, the Affiliation moved to save their brothers and sisters and found a new purpose: fighting for Neo-Sapien rights.

The Affiliation made monitoring Black Box a priority and soon saw them moving on the New Vindicators Academy’s new location in Canada. The Affiliation arrived and evacuated the school just in time, leaving them in the Montana base Hikari had employed. (New Vindicators #82)

When the New Vindicators Academy found itself under biological attack, they appealed to one member of the Affiliation—Renewal—for help. With Maria Loder’s kidneys failing, the regenerator donated new organs for the expectant mother. (New Vindicators #88)

Seeing the condition the New Vindicators were in, the Affiliation raided a Black Box facility to reclaim the school’s archives. (New Vindicators #89) Combing through them, Adonis guessed that a graduate of the European school might very well have been behind the outbreak. With the help of the Affiliation, the heroes journeyed to Egypt and assaulted those responsible for the illnesses running rampant through their halls. (New Vindicators #90)

Departing once more, the Affiliation took to monitoring Black Box’s dealings. They uncovered the existence of Autumn Colbenson, a Nephilim capable of neutralizing their powers. It was information Adonis brought to Magnus Loder as a peace offering. (New Vindicators #101)

Ultimately, neither side was able to prevent Autumn from using her powers to turn off the powers of every Neo-Sapien across the globe. Though powerless, the Affiliation still joined the fight. Ultimately, Autumn Colbenson was killed, and their powers were returned. Moments later, however, Justice made an attempt on Adonis’ life—an attempt thwarted by Chloe Bedford sacrificing her own life for his. Enraged by this latest loss, Adonis took up the codename Acrimony and had Bluetooth broadcast his message to the world—declaring war on mankind and calling on Neo-Sapiens to take what rightly belonged to them. (New Vindicators #111-113)
Last edited by Michuru on Mon Nov 07, 2016 3:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
NVAE Setting - VP: 5
Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

Sanada Juuyuushi

Post by Michuru »

Leader: Sanada Yukimura
Roster:
  • Anayama Kosuke
  • Kakei Juzou
  • Kirigakure Saizou
  • Miyoshi Isa
  • Miyoshi Seikai
  • Mochizuki Rokuro
  • Nezu Jinpachi
  • Sarutobi Sasuke
  • Unno Rokuro (deceased)
  • Yuri Kamanosuke
First Appearance: Vindicators #634
Base of Operations: Best Akachōchin, Tokyo, Japan

Biography: In the fifteenth century, Japan was rocked by upheaval. Initiated in 1467 with the Ōnin War, the Sengoku jidai lasted one-hundred and thirty-six years, ultimately concluding with the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603.

During this instability, a small cloister of monks sought to secure the emperor’s power, and conducted a ritual that they believed would give them dominion over nature itself. Instead, it unleashed the Fallen on Earth for forty days, allowing the first generation of Nephilim to be born since Solomon had sealed them thousands of years prior.

While many of these oni were hunted down by the samurai, a few managed to hide their dark heritage. As the years passed, a handful of Neo-Sapiens manifested their powers. Ten such figures joined various ninja clans, putting their abilities to use during the constant battles the period suffered.

In 1600, one of Uesugi Kagekatsu’s followers warned him of an attack on Sekigahara. Further, he was told that Tokugawa Ieyasu was searching for a relic rumored to help whoever held it outlive their enemies. The ten were sent to retrieve the artifact and, fearing that it might eventually end up in the hands of their enemies, destroy it. Doing so caused a surge of power—one that imbued each of the ten with agelessness. Though mortal, they forever ceased to age from that day forward.

A samurai named Sanada Yukimura revealed that he possessed the ability to glimpse the future. The ten banded together under his banner and devoted themselves to becoming the defenders of Osaka Castle.

Looking ahead to the future, Yukimura saw that the castle would fall in 1868, at the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. It was at that moment that he vanished, unwittingly manifesting the other aspect of his powers: the ability to travel to the periods he foresaw.

The Sanada Juuyuushi—the Ten Brave—remained at the castle, reuniting with their leader at the moment he had seen. Thanks to his prophesies, Yukimura helped secure victory for the Kangun troops over the Imperialists, turning the Battle of Toba-Fushimi into the downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate.

As a new age dawned over Japan, Yukimura looked further into the future, and saw that it was not only Japan that needed the Juuyuushi’s power, but the whole world.

Under Yukimura’s direction, the Sanada Juuyuushi threw themselves into the Blood War and both World Wars. They no longer moved to prevent the events he foresaw but manipulate them. Yukimura had looked further into the future and saw a possible outcome that he truly believed would benefit all of mankind.

One such prophesy involved a war erupting over the legendary sword Kusanagi, which the Vindicator Godai discovered after dredging Shimonoseki Strait. Under Sanada’s direction, the warriors fell in behind the heroes and became allies to the Vindicators. (Vindicators #634)

Years later, Yukimura found himself serving on a group of timeless beings tasked with preventing the Sephirot, an ancient artifact capable of nullifying all of existence, from being assembled. Though the universe was not destroyed, one of the Juuyuushi gave their life to fighting against Ahasuerus. (Illuminati #1-5)

Following his departure from the order, Yukimura saw that Deimos would one day be in a position to kill one of the Fallen, but that in order to do it, he would need training. When Deimos arrived in Japan, he was pitted against one of the Juuyuushi: Sarutobi Sasuke, who managed to defeat Deimos handily, and without his Neo-Sapien gifts. (New Vindicators #6)

Sometime later, one of the Juuyuushi—Kirigakure Saizou—lent his talents to the newly formed Tokyo branch of Vindicators. Along with his new teammates, Saizou was summoned to New York to help fight Apocatastasis. Though he survived his battles with the resurrected Nephilim, he never returned to Japan, and has since been counted amongst the missing. (New Vindicators #41-50)

Deimos eventually returned to Japan, to test himself against the other members of Juuyuushi. (New Vindicators #63-64)
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Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

DPRK

Post by Michuru »

Leader: Supreme Leader Jung Hye-ki
Known Roster:
  • Kim Nam-seun
  • Kim Yu-jin
  • Pak Dong-suk
  • Pak Ji-won
Base of Operation: Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
First Appearance: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #20
Significant Appearances: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #20

Biography: On December 24, 1991, Jung Hye-ki succeeded his father as the Supreme Commander of Korean People’s Army. Believing that wars would one day be decided by super-powered beings—not conventional weapons of mass destruction—he initiated a special project wherein a Korean Neo-Sapien possessing the power of flight was bred with Neo-Sapien women, resulting in several Korean Neo-Sapiens possessing different abilities.

The children were trained in hand-to-hand combat, espionage, strategy, and several other fields in an effort to transform them into perfect soldiers. As the children grew older, it was decided that they would not breed with each other—given that they were all half-siblings.

Recent History
In 2009, General Gam Byung-hoon arrived in Vienna, Austria as part of an envoy intended to meet with the International Atomic Energy Agency at the United Nations. Upon arriving, he petitioned the Volunteers to act as the bodyguards for his children during their stay in Vienna. General Gam voiced concerns over the number of super-powered conflicts the city had seen and claimed to want super-powered protectors for his children to put his mind at ease.

In reality, the four children accompanying General Gam were not related to him. Rather, they were the product of the DPRK’s attempt to create a race of super-powered protectors. The four brought with him were tasked with seducing key members of the Volunteers: Magnitude, Maze, Rheid, and Manticore possessed the more enticing powers of the group. However, when Nam-seum attempted to seduce Manticore, he came out to her—and everyone else in the room. Upon learning of his sexual proclivities, Dong-suk became hostile, causing Magnitude to announce that the Volunteers were leaving.

Before they could, however, a teenager engulfed in flames burst through the window and crashed into Diamond Dust. Thinking it was an attack on them, Dong-suk revealed the existence of his own powers when he attacked the French boy. Likewise, Nam-seum revealed her ability to manipulate temperatures. Eventually, the truth about their heritage began to emerge. (NVAE #20)

Goals
The DPRK is attempting to breed a group of powerful Neo-Sapiens, which they view as the new nuclear warheads.

Crimes
Thus far, the Neo-Sapiens hailing from the DPRK are not known to have committed any crimes.
Michuru wrote:I remember reading once that JFK once appeared in a comic that was released after his assassination. Given that comics are made months in advance, the story was written and penciled while he was still alive (obviously), and no one could have predicted what was about to occur. It's for that reason that comics started to employ generic presidents. Rather than depict Reagan in the White House, they'd just use some generic white guy. Granted, this has been tossed out on occasion. Nixon's featured in Watchmen; Bush the Younger surfaces in Marvel's Civil War (pretty much screwing up their sliding timeline considering Obama's now in office in the 616--kind of hard to say Peter Parker only just got bit ten years ago when we can easily point to Obama's two terms as evidence that at least eight years have passed since Civil War)... but I digress.

Despite that the current year for the game is 2009, we're pretty much safe from the surprise of Kim Jong-il unexpectedly dying (for two more years) and changing things, buuuuut I still prefer to run my game with analogues rather than represent a real life person and have someone call me out about some inaccuracy in how they're treated.

To that end, Jung Hye-ki is the supreme leader of the DPRK in Oubliette-137... who has never heard of Kim Jong-il.
NVAE Setting - VP: 5
Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

Uganda Unity Brigade

Post by Michuru »

Leader: General Basenji
Known Roster: Base of Operations: Northern Uganda; they have also been active in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan

First Appearance: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #12

Significant Appearances: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #12, New Vindicators Academy of Europe #13, New Vindicators Academy of Europe #19

Biography: In 1979, Walkabout strove to end the conflict between the United Nations and Moksha as peaceably as he could. Knowing that no nation would give the citizens of Moksha asylum, he elected instead to scatter them around the globe—giving them an escape from persecution as well as preventing them from swiftly regrouping and continuing the war.

Years passed and Uganda was being ripped apart by rebellions: the Bantu groups in the south and southwest formed the Popular Resistance Army to rebel against the Uganda National Liberation Army, only to align with the Uganda Freedom Fighters. Meanwhile, in the West Nile, the Uganda National Rescue Front and the Former Uganda National Army rose up to attack the forces of the Second Obote Regime.

As the war raged on, it was the people of Uganda who suffered the most: the National Resistance Army looted their livestock, burned their homes, raped their women, and murdered their men. Many of the survivors of these atrocities found themselves imprisoned in concentration camps.

In the midst of such swirling chaos, rumors of another guerilla group began to spread: the Uganda Unity Brigade was led by a man known only as General Basenji, who claimed to be a tribal priest possessed by angels and sent by God to lead the Ugandan people out of the suffering the countless fighting had brought upon them.

General Basenji is a former citizen of Moksha about whom little is known. Those who have seen him claim that he’s part-animal. Indeed, his name is that of a hunting dog originally from Central Africa. His abilities coupled with the staggering number of victories he’s had over the Uganda People’s Defense Force have led many of his followers to believe his claims that his powers are supernatural in origin and that he is divinely protected.

In the decades he’s been active in his campaign, he’s drawn other Mokshans to him—naming them lieutenants in the army he’s created from abducted children.

Recent Events
When political activists attempted to make the leaders of the UUB infamous, their attention was brought to Matt Kowalski, a former Mokshan now living in Finland. Kowalski recognized several of his former comrades and, when he realized that the United Nations was not going to dispatch the Vindicators to stop them, rallied more Mokshans to do so.

Kowalski contacted Joseph Cahan, Russell Dhaese, Sean Kircher, Jerry Meyers, and Philip Sonnemaker and drafted them into his band of guerilla fighters. They were joined by Mustafa Rauf, a Turkish man who had been inspired by the Sayfo to dedicate his life to fighting for civil liberties, much like his hero, Tadeusz Kościuszko.

For months, the guerillas vexed the UUB and appeared to be preventing them from gaining more ground. Shortly after the defeat of Laputa in Vienna, Kowalski’s estranged son, Otso Karell, appeared on national news, pleading for his father to contact him.

Sensing an opportunity to eradicate their enemies, the UUB sent Larry Harrison to retrieve Otso. He told him that he was a friend of Kowalski’s from his days in Moksha, and that Kowalski was in trouble. He told Otso that a group of guerillas was fighting the UUB and that he too desperately wanted to find the Finnish boy’s father. Oblivious as to the truth, Otso agreed to help the UUB find his father.

Upon tracking them down the guerillas were massacred one after another. Skew managed to trick Otso, Kowalski, and Cahan into going through a portal into Rwanda, separating them from the others. Though Cahan refused to give up on his friends, Kowalski wanted to protect his son more than he wanted revenge and returned to Vienna. (New Vindicators Academy of Europe #12)

Months later, Kowalski devoted himself to trying to raise awareness about the atrocities the UUB was committing while vehemently campaigning to have the United Nations dispatch the Vindicators to Uganda. Seeing that the United Nations would not care about an insurgency contained to Central Africa, Tallemaja used enchantment magic to compel Ironside to attack one of Kowalski’s rallies. Kowalski, his son, and other students from the New Vindicators Academy of Europe put the man down, upon which they realized he had been controlled. (NVAE #13)

When their sister school found themselves in a medical emergency, Doctor Talley left the Vienna school, leaving them without a physician. Headmaster Newton dispatched a group of New Vindicators (Blue Knight, Greystone, Magnitude, and Ursa) to Uganda to locate and recruit Doctor Bacon. His fears that their mission would cause them to cross paths with the UUB were realized: the UUB had captured Bacon and—knowing about his immortality—used the Artful Dodger as an intermediary to sell him to Al-Akhwan. The New Vindicators clashed with the UUB and retreated once they had Doctor Bacon. (NVAE #20)

Goals
The UUB strives to overthrow the government of Uganda and forge a new state based on the religion General Basenji has fabricated around Neo-Sapiens as angels sent by God.

Crimes
The International Criminal Court has issued sealed arrest warrants for General Basenji and his lieutenants for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The UUB has been accused of murder, rape, mutilation, kidnapping, and forcing children to become soldiers or sex workers.
Michuru wrote:First and foremost, in an effort to sell the UUB as the good guys, they were originally composed of player characters. Each one was created and played by a player in the NVAE game. Thanks go out to Arkrite, Arthur Eld, flynnarrel, HorsenHero, and TattooedMan for their help in making McGuffin's life that much worse. Seriously, though... You guys are amazing and I'm very grateful that you all still want to keep playing this silly little game with me. Thank you, my friends.

That being said, if you have a modern link you want me to use or what not, let me know, and I'll edit it into the roster.

Now then... The Uganda Unity Brigade is really just the Lord's Resistance Army, while General Basenji is just Joseph Kony with a dash of General Butt Naked, because there's not an original bone in my body.
NVAE Setting - VP: 5
Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

The Armada

Post by Michuru »

Leader: Argus; Chen Lei (The Elpis), Vociferant (The Catherine), Nocti and Tenebrae (The Kurbash); potentially others
Known Roster: Armada Roster
Base of Operations: The Elpis
First Appearance: Armada #1
Significant Appearances: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #14, The Armada, New Vindicators: Tabula Rasa #25, New Vindicators Academy of Europe #20, New Vindicators Academy of Europe #22 - 25

Biography: Given the nature of the Armada as time travelers, it is difficult to chronicle the journey they have taken. What follows is not a chronological timeline from the viewpoint of the Armada, but of their appearances thus far.

On June 3, 2054, the Elpis arrived on Oubliette-1935, a world where mankind rose up in an effort to exterminate all super-powered beings. In the face of a new opponent, the denizens of St. Deimos banded together against the Armada. (Armada #1)

On June 6, 2033, it arrived in Oubliette-483,119. Two of the Vindicators, Dominique and Felix Infinity, snuck aboard the mother ship, only to run into a pair of the Armada’s legion: Creeper and Black Ice. (Armada #2)

When the Astrolabe took the Drifter to Oubliette-2, she found The Catherine, a frigate of the Armada on a scouting mission. Upon discovering a world where super-powered beings never appeared, the minute crew elected to remain in this dimension, which they easily conquered. Their reign of terror was ended when the Drifter left to retrieve reinforcements: the New Vindicators of Oubliette-731 made short work of the Catherine’s crew—killing four of them and leaving one on ice flow in the Arctic Circle. (Tabula Rasa #25)

An enigmatic woman stole a saucer and attempted to warn her son of the coming of the Armada. The ship was gunned down by someone named Argus and crashed in Romania, Oubliette-137, in 1995. Though she died of her injuries, the child she was carrying survived, as did her partner. Both of the survivors were taken in by the SRI. (Armada #3)

The Drifter arrived in Oubliette-519, a world where Neo-Sapiens had been eradicated. Here, The Kurbash had landed, and like the crew of The Catherine, found conquering the world an easy feat with little in the way of resistance. After defeating the Vindicators, the Astrolabe took the Drifter to Oubliette-137, to draft several of the New Vindicators into the conflict. (New Vindicators Academy of Europe #20)

Timeline: What follows is a chronological timeline, from the point of view of the Armada.
  • Day 0: Everyone sentenced to Pandora arrives at a fixed moment in time. (NVAE #22)
  • Day 45: The Drifter arrives. (NVAE #22)
  • Day 58: A faction rebels against Chen Lei’s council; many die before the rebellion is exiled from the city, forming New Madrid. (NVAE #22)
  • Day 60: Herzog Kasamir, Prince Oscar, Ritter Gwyn, and Ritter Xun arrive. (NVAE #22)
  • Day 137: Argus arrives; the Armada is formed; The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-533,464. (NVAE #22)
  • Day 146: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-103. (Armada #4)
  • Day 149: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-513.
  • Day 186: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-371; Sister Clarissa joins the Armada.
  • Day 204: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-94; Charlie and Andrea Amanchukwu join the Armada. (Armada #5)
  • Day 211: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-685.
  • Day 216: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-4,219.
  • Day 229: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-1,935; Nate Miller, Penny Kubichek, and their son Jude join the Armada. (Armada #1)
  • Day 231: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-6.
  • Day 238: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-483,119; Cleave is killed by Felix Infinity. (Armada #2)
  • Day 254: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-62; Therianthrope, Erudite, Confectionery, and Greystone’s plot to commit mutiny is uncovered by Ganze, Locus, and Anansi, respectively; while Ganze attempts to help them find an alternate path to protecting their home dimension, Anansi and Locus engage Greystone and Confectionery and Anansi is slain by Confectionery; Locus flees with her, forcing the others to act now; they are surrounded and surrender. (NVAE #23)
  • Day 255: The Elpis shifts to Oubliette-685 and leaves Therianthrope there; that night, Greystone escapes his cell and stages a jailbreak; he is killed by Locus; Erudite concocts a plan to put her in contact with Ganze and makes love to Maurice Vitesse. (NVAE #23)
  • Day 261: The Elpis shifts and a ripple takes two of the Armada: Presto and Savateuse.
  • Day 278: Utilizing some of Ganze’s data, two small crews commandeer ships and permanently leave the Armada: the Catherine leaves for Oubliette-2, while the Kurbash heads for Oubliette-519; both groups are stopped by two different teams of New Vindicators, rallied behind the Drifter (Tabula Rasa #25, NVAE #20)
  • Day 392: The Elpis intentionally shifts to Oubliette-333, but creates Infinity. (NVAE #23, Armada #6)
  • Day 501: Martin Ehrlenmeyer takes over Ganze’s body and frees Erudite and Confectionery before committing suicide; Erudite’s shift breaks the Elpis out of Infinity; able to choose target dimensions, Carlos leaves the Elpis with Carol’s body for another world. (NVAE #23)
  • Day 502: Under orders from Argus to stop Erudite, Admiral Chen Lei pilots the Elpis to Oubliette-137. (NVAE #24)
Goals: Mass-global destruction

Crimes: Numerous
Last edited by Michuru on Tue Nov 08, 2016 12:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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The Avalon Academy

Post by Michuru »

Leader: Alice Godridge
Known Roster: Gliten, Gliton, Glitonea, Mazoe, Moronoe, Thiten, Thiton, Tyronoe
Base of Operation: The Avalon Academy for Young Ladies, Switzerland
First Appearance: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #18
Significant Appearances: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #18, 20

Biography: Before Will Arnett was the Director of MI18, he was an agent investigating a string of robberies. He and his partner deduced that their suspect had the ability to control people's minds. Armed only with a picture of the woman, they eventually met her older sister. Carla told them everything she could about her baby sister, Alice Godridge.

She never saw her sister again... (NVAE #19)

Recent History
Having sustained numerous wounds from her battle with Cleave, Kirstie found herself in the infirmary. Her parents arrived and her father announced that, due to the danger the New Vindicators Academy of Europe had begun courting fairly frequently, he was transferring her to another school: the Avalon Academy for Young Ladies.

Ultimately, it was revealed that Arnett was not acting under his own volition, but was being controlled by someone affiliated with the school. Though they were able to expel the foreign influence, MI18's protocols forced the man to remand himself to the agency's custody until they could determine how much he had been compromised and until the Esper responsible was brought to justice. (NVAE #18)

After scouring the internet for information on the school, Lex and Kirstie found a message from Benedikt Jónsson, a young boy in Iceland whose sister had been enrolled in the school and then forgotten about by their parents.

When Lex and Martin found themselves embroiled in a mysterious auction that was underfoot, they learned that the headmistress of the Avalon Academy was Alice Godridge. Armed with this information, Lex learned more about the woman from Kirstie's mother.

With Dewhurst's aid, Lex and Martin followed the auction to China. There, they found the transaction disrupted by students of the Avalon Academy. (NVAE #20)

Goals
At the moment, little is known about the Avalon Academy's goals. However, in light of revelations made by Carla, it may be safe to conjecture that their goals may simply be monetary.

Crimes
Alice has invaded the minds of several individuals: Will Arnett's family and Mikayla Garrison among them. It is also believed that she has used her telepathy to coerce her students into enrolling at the Avalon Academy.
Michuru wrote:For some time, I've been wanting to do a group of villains who have codenames that don't actually give away their abilities. I mean, think about it: if you're any sort of stealth operative and you're codename is... Pyro, for instance, everyone is going to know you do something with fire. I wanted a group who took codenames that didn't give anything away, and this seemed like a good place to do it.

As for where the names come from...

"Geoffrey dealt with Avalon in more detail in Vita Merlini, in which he describes for the first time in Arthurian legend the enchantress Morgan le Fay as the chief of nine sisters (Moronoe, Mazoe, Gliten, Glitonea, Gliton, Tyronoe, Thiten and Thiton) who live on Avalon." -Wikipedia's Avalon article

It forces the school to only have eight students at a time, sure, but... eh, coolness factor.
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The Faustian Society

Post by Michuru »

Leader: Chuck Faust
Roster:
  • Fata Morgana
  • Mikayla Garrison
  • Nicholas
  • Dante Thao
Former Members:
  • Gwendolyn "Gwen" Llewelyn
  • Mary Ljungdahl
  • Joan Oakfor
  • Luther Oakfor
  • Rembrandt "Remy" Van Benthuysen
Base of Operations: The Dust Jacket (formerly); mobile
First Appearance: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #4
Significant Appearances: Chuck contacts Jason (NVAE #4); the Faustian Society gathers (NVAE #10); Joan and Luther Oakfor attack Vienna (NVAE #11); Remy begins to work with Martin; Dante and Nicholas unleash a legion of giant skeletons on Vienna (NVAE #16); Chuck attacks the school; Mikayla takes on Martin; Dante breaks Chuck, Mikayla, and Nicholas out of the NVAE; Mikayla and Nicholas attempt to purchase Xing Tian (NVAE #20)

Biography: Chuck Faust is a man filled with ambition. Constantly seeking a way to grow more powerful, he struck a deal with a mysterious broker named Agamemnon: in exchange for a Tharivol, he would receive a golden apple capable of granting immortality...

Chuck's maneuverings had drawn the attention of Laputa, who sent Tallemaja to act as a spy. While posing as Chuck's student, she told him about Erudite's son, Jason Lamperouge. Chuck began to watch him, waiting for a moment to lure him into his web. When Jay accepted Chuck's invitation to meet him at a used book store, the magus explained that he was an enemy of the Aurelius, and that he had been keeping tabs on the master mage's minions--Iulia Catargi, William Benson, Dana O'Laughlin... He told Jay that they were watching him and offered to teach the American teen to wield arcana to help defend himself against them.

Jay's tuition was not a steep one: he was given a set of glasses that would allow him to see auras and a trio of scrolls to use when he found anything around the school. In reality, Chuck intended for Jay to find the barriers the Aurelius had put around the school in order to protect the Tharivol children. With the wards disrupted, Agamemnon made a down-payment: a canister containing a golden apple that Chuck didn't know how to open...

Fearing what would happen if Chuck were able to open it, Tallemaja stole the canister and hid herself at the New Vindicators Academy of Europe. Chuck gathered other mages he knew and tasked them with retrieving the canister. After several failed bids, the group moved to work with one of the other students in the school: Martin Curie.

Martin was growing increasingly worried about Tallemaja's influence over his own girlfriend, Tatjana Nelson. Working with Rembrandt Van Benthuysen, Martin stumbled upon Siegfried's plot to attack the school. Mercenaries hired by Siegfried managed to capture both Tatjana and Remy, using them as hostages to purchase Martin's silence.

Remy's disappearance made Chuck and his companions fear Martin had turned on them. One of their number, Gwendolyn Llewelyn, defected to join Martin in trying to free the Dutch magus. Before they could move, however, Gwen's former comrades attacked Vienna--a distraction meant to lure the heavy hitters away from the school. Though many of the mages were apprehended, they ultimately escaped when the New Vindicators became engrossed defending the city from Siegfried's siege.

Unbeknownst to the Faust Society, Tallemaja had reasoned out how to open the canister. Though she succeeded, she did not eat the apple--rather another student, Jack Rexroth, did.

Still, Chuck's ambitions continued. He bid on the body of Xing Tian and sent two mages--Mikayla and Nicholas--to Mount Putuo to claim the headless immortal. While there, it became apparent that Chuck himself was in Australia on other business...

Goals: The Faustian Society serves Chuck Faust, an ambitious man who schemes to increase his own power. Chuck is obsessed with becoming more powerful, though what he intends to do if he should ever acquire that has yet to be seen...

Crimes: The Faustian Society has committed several crimes, both together, and individually.
  • Chuck: Chuck attempted to kidnap the Pachyderm from the school.
  • Dante: Dante broke into the school, only to be fought off by a combination of Diamond Dust, Eiron, Fiore, and the Pachyderm. He next appeared attacking the Blue Knight and Magnitude.
  • Joan: Joan summoned animals used in attacking Vienna. She was apprehended and sentenced to Pandora.
  • Luther: Luther enlarged the animals his sister summoned to attack Vienna. He lost his life in the ensuing fight.
  • Mikayla: While he posed as Tallemaja, Mikayla tried to kill Fluxx and his driver. She was apprehended, but escaped
  • Nicholas: Nicholas led a giant, flaming skeleton to attack the NVAE, only to be stopped by a contingent of students. Though he was captured, he escaped, only to resurface weeks later, now leading an army of giant skeletons in attacking Vienna. Though captured, he again escaped, only to surface on Mount Putuo, in an attempt to acquire Xing Tian.
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Black Box

Post by Michuru »

Leader: Doctor Cheryl Colbenson
Roster: Caliber, Iron Curtain, Okami, Phase, Stockholm, Tide, Tinnitus, Tusk

Base of Operations: Several

First Appearance: New Vindicators #27

Biography: Doctor Noah Meinstein’s right-hand woman, Doctor Cheryl Colbenson, was sent to Kaffeklubben Island in order to salvage the instruments left by his father’s experiments. There, the woman discovered a cube that—according to Doctor Alexander Meinstein’s notes—was a Hyperborean artifact capable of restoring lost memories. Doctor Alexander Meinstein had been working on a way of reversing the artifact’s supernatural ability and created a device that could use the cube to alter memories instead. Discovering Gregaro Vincentsson frozen nearby, they freed him and opted to make him their first test subject: with the aid of the cube, they were able to manipulate his memories and even implant subliminal commands that could be triggered with a string of words.

Seeing the power the cube possessed, Colbenson moved to install herself as the Director of SPB Affairs. She used the cube on Colonel Sidell, causing him to tender his resignation and recommend the unknown woman as his replacement. Boasting General Arthur Colbenson as a father, the woman secured the position on the eve of Senator Bedford's assassination.

The presidential candidate's death was serendipitous for Colbenson, who had hoped to use her new position as a way of subjugating Neo-Sapiens beneath her. In the wake of the news, she revealed the existence of the New Vindicators Academy of America and charged a new agency--Black Box--with raiding the campus. Though many escaped arrest, Black Box subdued several students, as well as many members of the faculty. They transported them to Peoria, where Colbenson employed Meinstein's technology to assess the Astral Plane, where she erected an internment camp. Black Box claimed to be doing this for the protection of Neo-Sapiens, presuming that the general public would respond with violence in the days after the Bedford assassination.

At the same time, Black Box continued to use the cube to restructure the memories of several young Neo-Sapiens, turning them into her own soldiers. Even though the New Vindicators liberated the prisoners of Black Box's camp, the militia continued to round up SPBs. In the wake of Apocatastasis' assault on New York City, they suffered strikes executed by the Affiliation, designed to engage Black Box in attrition warfare. Almost a year later, maintaining Black Box became economically impossible, and only a skeleton crew remained.

Wanting desperately to win the war against Neo-Sapiens, Colbenson began to hunt for her half-sister. As a Nephilim, Autumn had an ability to generate a force field that nullified the abilities of Neo-Sapiens caught inside it. With augmentation from Doctor Meinstein, the reach of Autumn's powers was now global. Doctor Colbenson depleted the last of her resources to invade Patriot Robotics, liberate her sister, and activate her abilities. With their powers gone, the Vindicators and the Affiliation teamed up to stop Colbenson's machinations. Prompt, a student of the New Vindicators Academy and a former prisoner of Black Box's internment camp, ultimately killed Autumn Colbenson and forced what remained of Black Box to retreat.

Goals: Black Box strives to protect normal humans from Neo-Sapiens, and frequently take extreme measures to accomplish these goals. They have arrested Neo-Sapiens and known blood relatives of Neo-Sapiens, jailing them in an extra-dimensional internment camp. They have also utilized a Hyperborean relic--the Black Box for which they are named--to reconfigure the thoughts of super-powered beings, transforming them into loyal soldiers in their army.

Prisoner Log: Utilizing the files they obtained from their raid of the New Vindicators Academy of America, Black Box began rounding up known Neo-Sapiens and anyone related to them (as they could potentially be Neo-Sapiens as well). These people were taken to an internment camp in Peoria, Illinois. Upon entering, each prisoner was branded with a five-digit registration number on the inside of their right arm.
  • 00001: Norman Goodman (Crag and Mist's son)
  • 00002: Eli Cron (Crag and Mist's son's boyfriend)
  • 00003: Bartholomew Hart (Bio and Siphon's father)
  • 00004: Bethany Hart (Bio and Siphon's mother)
  • 00009: John Styles (Halogen's father)
  • 00010: Diane Styles (Halogen's mother)
  • 00013: Dwight
  • 00014: Nicole DiMera (Pandroa's mother)
  • 00015: Bud Jordan (Rift's father)
  • 00016: Corrine Quequesha-Jordan (Nephilim; Rift's mother)
  • 00018: Ford Freeman (Onyx's father)
  • 00019: James Titus (Tide's father)
  • 00020: Annie Titus (Tide's mother)
  • 00021: Martin Miller (Haymaker's son)
  • 00022: Regina Campbell-Miller (Haymaker's daughter-in-law)
  • 00023: Isaiah Miller (Haymaker's grandson)
  • 00024: Joseph Miller (Haymaker's grandson)
  • 00025: Rachel Miller (Haymaker's granddaughter)
  • 00026: Dwayne Miller (Haymaker's son)
  • 00027: Todd Miller (Haymaker's son)
  • 00028: Laurie Gross-Miller (Haymaker's daughter-in-law)
  • 00031: Jeffrey-Alan Manther (Caliber and Jetstream's brother)
  • 00032: Orville-Otis Manther (Caliber and Jetstream's brother)
  • 00033: Wilbur-Reuchlin Manther (Caliber and Jetstream's brother)
  • 00034: Kyle-Oliver Manther (Caliber and Jetstream's brother)
  • 00035: Timothy-Calvin Manther (Caliber and Jetstream's brother)
  • 00038: Connie Guthrie-Manther (Jetstream's mother)
  • 00039: Christine-Sue Manther (Caliber and Jetstream's sister)
  • 00040: Katherine-Joan Manther (Caliber and Jetstream's sister)
  • 00042: Hank
  • 00045: Frank Williams
  • 00046: Matthew Titus (Torrent's father)
  • 00047: Sharon Titus (Torrent's mother)
  • 00048: John Titus (Torrent)
  • 00049: Dawn Arbors (Monique Arbors' sister)
  • 00055: George Emmanuel Espada (Tierra's father)
  • 00056: George Emmanuel Espada, Junior (Tierra's brother)
  • 00057: Eduardo Espada (Tierra's brother)
  • 00058: Enrique Espada (Tierra's brother)
  • 00059: Santiago Espada (Tierra's brother)
  • 00073: Armande (Rheid)
  • 00075: Jack Rexroth (Greystone)
  • 00076: Levi Carmichael
  • 00089: Jimmy Schultz
  • 00096: Kayla Hudson
  • 00116: Doug Droll (Quail)
  • 00119: Parker Gibbs
  • 00137: Michael McDougall
  • 00141: Rory Casper
  • 00142: Annette McMenamin
  • 00143: Jacob Wright
  • 00145: David Glock (Pastel's father)
  • 00146: Nina Covington (The Aurelia's mother)
  • 00147: Christine Sway (Anomaly's mother)
  • 00148: Doctor Zachary Jenkins (Copycat's father)
  • 00149: Everett McGee
  • 00150: Carlin Witte
  • 00151: Mort Norris
  • 00152: Cheyenne Ford
  • 00153: Sonya Glock (Pastel's mother)
  • 00154: Lance McGee (Anomal's father)
  • 00155: Steve Potter
  • 00156: Christmas Clark
  • 00157: Steve Brown
  • 00158: Monique Arbors
  • 00159: Isaac Slade
  • 00160: Cloud Goodman
  • 00204: Robert Clark (Christmas' father)
  • 00217: Janine Clark (Christmas' mother)
  • 00219: Annle Caplan
  • 00254: Rick Tasker
Michuru wrote:The list is far from complete--intentionally so. It allows for future characters to be established as a guest of Black Box's prison camp, while also serving to keep track of what has been established about the roster.
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House Rules

Post by Michuru »

HOUSE RULES
  • Source Material: I try to keep things as simple as possible and dislike having to guess what book what random feat or power comes from. As such, please try to stick to the core rulebook, the Mastermind's Manual (sans the Opportunity feats), and Ultimate Power when building your character.
  • IANAI (I Am Not An Idiot): Sometimes, the line between what the player knows and what the character knows isn't clear. If a player just isn't sure whether or not their character would connect the dots that they have, feel free to roll a Wisdom check (DC 15) to determine whether or not the character connects the dots.
  • Posting: I understand that real life has it's demands and don't expect anyone to put this game before their obligations to family, friends, school, work, ect. However, from time-to-time, the PBP game finds itself in combat or a situation where a response is necessary. Rather than hold up the game indefinitely, after twenty-four hours (not counting weekends or holidays), a post will be made for you. Hopefully, no offense is taken if this occurs; it's just my attempt to keep things moving for any other players participating in that scene.
  • Powers as Feats: I'm not a fan of powers as feats, as shown in the Mastermind's Manual. Similarly, I'm not keen on someone simply increasing an ability score to superhuman levels, when they describe it as part of their power. It's not often that I employ effects that nullify powers, but... powers should be powers. Maybe it's nitpicking, but that's where I am on it.
PROBLEMATIC POWERS
There are certain abilities that create problems. Unless flawed in some manner, I likely won't be allowing certain abilities into my games.
  • Force Field: I’m okay with Force Field, but your ranks of Impervious probably shouldn’t go above the game’s PL.
  • Healing: I’m not a fan of healing, as it tends to hurt the campaign world. If someone capable of regenerating others’ lost limbs or curing diseases exist, then suddenly there’s no reason that a lost limb or sickness has any gravity.
  • Mind Reading: My brand of storytelling tends to employ secrets being kept from the main cast: their allies and enemies alike will frequently make plays that lead to big reveals, and it’s no fun (for both me, and the other plays) when these plots are revealed ahead of schedule. With some limitations, I’ll be more apt to let this into the game. If you’re Charles Francis Xavier and can delve into someone’s thoughts from anywhere on the globe, I’m not okay with it. If you can only read the thoughts of someone you’re actively touching, I’m probably going to be on board with things.
  • Protection: See Force Field.
  • Spatial Control: This one I’ll allow in moderation. If your character can taxi the entire group across the country without batting an eye, I’ll probably nix it. If your character’s fighting style is to banish his opponents to the surface of the moon with a look, I’ll probably shoot it down. If, however, you’re essentially Nightcrawler and your power is short-ranged teleports that augment your particular fighting style, and you tend not to take a small army with you? I probably won’t have any problem.
  • Regeneration: I’m perfectly fine with Regeneration in certain situations. If you’re just a normal guy whose power lets you bounce back from anything, cool. If you’re sporting flight, a sonic scream, and an immunity to fire effects, a healing factor might be overkill. Basically, if ranks of Regeneration are accompanying other powers, you might want to require a source or have some sort of nifty limitation so that you’re not just supplementing an already cool build with something to make you even more brutal.
  • Shapeshift: Unless it’s flawed in some way, I’m probably going to pass on any variable sort of power.
    • A good example of a flawed variable power Greystone, Tattooedman's character in my NVAE game. Jack is a Swiss-army knife of powers, but the descriptor on how he gets access to those powers limits him in other ways, such as preventing him from full-on becoming another creature. Jack can't utilize his powers to become a fly and go spy on a clandestine meeting, nor can he really use it to escape an opponent by hiding in a flock of birds taking flight.
  • Super-Senses: I’m a big fan of psychometry. I think the ability to touch and object and learn its history is one of the coolest powers ever. As a GM? I think it sucks. This one is similar to Mind Reading in that it can potentially ruin the story. I’m going to be okay with people grabbing Low-Light Vision or Analytical Smell, but Precognition, Postcognition, and their friends won’t really make it into the game without some sort of flaw like uncontrolled.
  • Teleport: See Spatial Control.
  • Transmit: See Spatial Control.
OPTIONAL RULES
There are plenty of alternate rules given in supplemental material that I have elected to include in my games. For ease of access, I'm putting this here.
  • LANGUAGE CHECKS: "Normally, there are no Language skill checks. However, Gamemasters may allow a character who knows a number of languages a check to see if the character understands some of an unknown language when encountering it. The DC of the check is 15 for a language similar to one the character already knows (such as another Romance language for a character who already speaks one), 20 for languages different from those the character already knows, and 30 for completely different languages. Complex or technical subject matter increases the DC by 5 while very simple words and phrases may decrease it by 5. Make a skill check using Intelligence as the key ability and the number of languages the character speaks as the skill rank. A successful check means the character understands the gist of the communication or gets his meaning across, although it’s by no means exact. A failure by 5 or more means a miscommunication or misunderstanding." ~Mastermind's Manual, Page 35
Michuru81 wrote:Off the top of my head, these are the only real house rules we're so far using. If one my players notices that I've missed something, let me know.
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Timeline

Post by Michuru »

Prehistory

Twentieth Century
  • January 1, 1900: The Blood War ends; the Fallen are loosed.
  • August 9, 1911: Michael Hawpe is born.
  • 1911: The Thule Society formed.
  • September 5, 1919: The Thule Society establishes the Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or German Workers’ Party; later in the year, Adolf Hitler joins the party.
  • February, 1920: The Deutsche Arbeiterpartei is reconstituted as the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or National Socialist German Workers’ Party; a schism occurs when several members of the Thule Society, devoted to the study of antiquity and occult, split off to form the Illuminati Society.
  • 1926: Michael Hawpe eats a golden apple and transforms; Crusader leaves Michael in Tartarus. (NV #47)
  • 1934: The Illuminati uncovers a conspiracy...
  • 1944: Michael Hawpe, Willoughby, Wolfe, and Apollo escape Tartarus and participate in the tournament at Drenthe. (NV #87)
Vindicators
  • September 8, 1945: The Fuhrer and the Fourth Reich make their move; the Vindicators are assembled to stop them; the world learns of the existence of Neo-Sapiens.
Vindicators IV
  • December 24, 1978: Mister Mayhem takes over the airwaves and announces the Mokshan government.
  • December 31, 1978: Hordes of Neo-Sapiens migrate en masse from Ellis Island to Moksha. Weeks later, the Vindicators arrive on Moksha and Walkabout solves everyone's problems...
Vindicators VII
  • September 8, 2001: Atlas holds the earth in rotation, threatening to begin a new ice age. When the Vindicators VII make their assault on him they stand victorious, at the cost of Chimera’s arm and Bio and Xianbei’s lives. Heartbroken, the team disbands.
  • September 11, 2001: Duplicates of the villain Jihad hijack four commercial airlines. Two crash into the World Trade Center buildings, one into the Pentagon and a third is reclaimed by the passengers and brought down into a field. The newly disbanded Vindicators are blamed for the devastation and anti-NS sentiments inflate.
  • September 18, 2001: The United Nations Security Council signs the Vindicators Act officially decommissioning super-hero teams and granting the Department of SPB Affairs the authority to police all SPBs; the New Vindicators Academy is founded.
Time Without Heroes
  • March 19, 2002: Jesse Robinson, a junior at Arkansas High School, breaks several athletic records, leading some to incorrectly conjecture that he is a Neo-Sapien. Several people with connections to the Church of Genetic Purity, attack Jesse and his girlfriend, killing him and putting her into a coma.
  • June 8, 2004: Neo-Sapien Brian Simpson is arrested for the murder of three Boyd County sheriffs as well as a district attorney he blamed for railroading his father through the justice system.
  • August 19, 2006: After being fired for lying about his genetic status, baggage handler David Koener returns to Detroit Metropolitan Airport and uses his Neo-Sapien powers to kill six and injure eleven.
New Age
  • 2006
    • September
      • September 8, 2006: After almost five years without an active team of Vindicators, the Department of SPB Affairs debuts a new team of UN-sponsored heroes; Samael gives Drew Jenkins a fraction of the power he took from Apocatastasis 6,000 years earlier in preparation for Abaddon bringing him back. (NV #1)
  • 2007
    • May
      • May 27, 2007: Graduation day is interrupted by the Affiliation; hundreds of thousands die in the White War. (NV #11-12)
    • September
      • September 8, 2007: The Trials begin. (NV #13)
      • September 23, 2007: The Trials end with the abduction of Iris. (NV #15)
  • 2008
    • May
      • May 14, 2008: Senator Amy Bedford is assassinated.
      • May 15, 2008: Black Box raids the New Vindicators Academy of America; the Neo-Sapien diaspora begins.
    • September
      • September 8, 2008: Deimos takes on the Vindicators at the Empire State Building and Bulwark rides the bastard into the street (NV #70); a handful of American refugees experience their first day of classes at the New Vindicators Academy of Europe. (NVAE #1)
      • September 9, 2008: Emissaries from Laputa abduct the parents of Emily Adler and coerce her into mind controlling Captain Ronald Nelson, creating a hostage situation in Kaiserslautern. (NVAE #2)
      • September 16, 2008: Vicente DeGallow arrives at the New Vindicators Academy of Europe. (NVAE #3)
      • September 20, 2008: Greystone rescues Parabola from human traffickers; Kuq Hundë fills Current with bullets; Impasse and Prodigy take down a member of Arkan's Tigers. (NVAE #3)
      • September 27, 2008: The New Vindicators go to Florence, Italy and run into Iconoclast at the Uffizi Gallery; Elle Curie and Herta Elaide arrive at the New Vindicators Academy of Europe; Herta sets off a bomb and Candyman; Lacuna takes over Elle's body and proceeds to let Basilisk free. (NVAE #4)
    • October
      • October 1, 2008: Candyman and Ursa prevent Savateuse from stealing a scroll; Greystone saves Elfriede from Presto; Fluxx, Impasse, and Prodigy apprehend Tristan Vitesse (NVAE #5)
      • October 2, 2008: Isaac Newton steps down as headmaster. (NVAE #5)
      • October 4, 2008: Candyman defects to Laputa. (NVAE #5)
      • October 13, 2008: Kasamir Flaegler arrives; Fluxx leads a recruitment mission to Australia; Mildew shoots Diamond Dust; Nadja Nelson is murdered... (NVAE #6)
      • October 14, 2008: The New Vindicators of Europe successfully capture Therianthrope; Captain Ronald Nelson is arrested for his wife's murder; Cornelis Noteboom spends his 16th birthday flying from Laputa to Vienna in order to warn the school of Laputa's plans. (NVAE #7)
      • October 15, 2008: Emily Adler, Martin Curie and Gaspar Zorilla e Higueras testify against Captain Nelson and a confession is successfully coerced; Entier attacks the Hague and is defeated; Current leads a team to Algeria and comes across a plot of Al-Akhwan; Fluxx and Impasse awaken Isaac Newton from his 13-day slumber. (NVAE #8)
      • October 24, 2008: At the school dance, Eddy takes over Jason's body, prompting his classmates to enter his head and help him reclaim control. (NVAE #9) Upon their return to consciousness, the young heroes learn that Laputa has made their move, and that their island fortress has appeared in the skies above Vienna. Accompanying the Vindicators, they invade the island and defeat the terrorist group, albeit at the loss of Warder and Apex's lives. (NVAE #10)
      • October 25, 2008: Violet Lear enrolls at the school; Blue Knight arrives in Vienna. (NVAE #11)
      • October 26, 2008: Elemenoh arrives in Europe; Otso unwittingly aids the UUB in finding his father and the guerrilla forces he leads, resulting in the end of their opposition. (NVAE #12)
  • 2009
    • January
      • January 10, 2009: Magnus Loder and Maria Espada marry; David and Cassandra are in a car accident; the Vindicators encounter Castor and Pollux. (NV #75-76)
      • January 17, 2009: Venefica is saved by Phobos. (NV #77)
      • January 23, 2009: Phobos versus Absalom; Wilt saves Phobos. (NV #78)
      • January 26, 2009: The Vindicators arrive in Japan to help their sister team deal with the White Witch. (NV #79)
    • February
      • February 2, 2009: Castor and Pollux attack Denver while Pisces, Libra and Deimos move on New York. (NV #80)
    • March
      • March 14, 2009: Ironside attacks a rally in Vienna; Astrid, Gaspar, Harry, Jack, and Kas join the Drifter in hopping dimensions. (NVAE #13)
      • March 16, 2009: Quintessence takes Martin, Mira, Otso, and Viktor to Băile Tuşnad, Romania, where the remaining Amânar children have manifested the power of flight, but are unable to control it, thanks to Durendal; in the other dimension, Harry meets his double, Ritter Gwyn. (NVAE #14)
      • March 20, 2009: Lex and Violet stop the Albanian mafia from abducting Rose; Wolf is arrested; Siegfriend takes Tatjana hostage. (NVAE #15)
      • March 21, 2009: Magnus and Maria return from their honeymoon; the outbreak begins. (NV #81) Meanwhile, in Europe, the New Vindicators return from Oubliette-1127 as the Faust Society launches an attack on Vienna just before Siegfried lays siege to the city (NVAE #16 and NVAE #17)
      • March 22, 2009: Kas saves Agnes; Durendal is stopped; Anne, Eve, Gaspar, Lex, Martin, and Mira are expelled from the New Vindicators Academy of Europe. (NVAE #18)
      • March 29, 2009: A London Energy oil refinery, located in South Killingholme, North Lincolnshire, is attacked by a winged man; six people lose their lives in the explosions that cripple the facility; Nanette Montauban's brother, his wife, and two daughters had been killed by their own police guard.
      • March 30, 2009: Flight 229 vanishes; the New Vindicators recruit Doctor Bacon; Crux ruins Violet and Jakob's first date; Mira is compelled to free Cottingwood. (NVAE #19)
    • April
      • April 4, 2009: Two die in another attack on a London Energy oil refinery--this time in Rotterdam, South Holland.
      • April 8, 2009: The Drifter whisks the New Vindicators to Oubliette-519 and the truth about Pandora is uncovered; the Volunteers deal with SPBs from DPRK and the appearance of Napoleon IX in this dimension; Lex and Martin go to China. (NVAE #20)
      • April 9, 2009: The New Vindicators return from Oubliette-519 along with Imago. (NVAE #20)
      • April 18, 2009: A London Energy oil refinery in Brofjorden, Sweden is attacked; three lose their lives.
      • April 22, 2009: An oil refinery in Ingolstadt, Bavaria is attacked.
      • April 23, 2009: Agents from MI18 arrive at the Vienna school to abduct Jack. (NVAE #21)
    • May
      • May 27, 2009: Adonis Skraag sends the Affiliation into Black Box's headquarters to retrieve the absconded school files from the New Vindicators Academy; after learning who was behind the pandemic, the New Vindicators headed to Egypt; (NV #89-90) Cavalier arrives at the New Vindicators Academy of Europe, seeking the Blue Knight's help. (NVAE #23)
    • June
      • June 1, 2009: Corey Ander’s funeral (NV #92)
      • June 16, 2009: Miss Multiple attacks New York City. (NV #93)
      • June 19, 2009: The Vindicators versus the Basileus. (NV #99)
      • June 20, 2009: Dana O'Laughlin's funeral.
      • June 26, 2009: The Vindicators are reinstated. (NV #99)
    • July
      • July 1, 2009: Deimos attacks the New Vindicators Academy of America; Joshua Cron dies; Michael Luom dies; half of Magnus Loder dies. (NV #100)
    • August
    • September
      • September 8, 2009: Andrew Woodford's Neo-Sapien powers manifest; Chienne leads the newest class of New Vindicators (Pandora Filash, Gideon, Carl Hamilton, Lloyd Hilton, Ranaan and Razi Lumanta, Gage Morris, Maxwell Swift, Gregaro Vincentson), (NV #101)
    • October
      • October 2, 2009: Jude Bellows is expelled from the New Vindicators Academy of America (NV #102)
      • October 24, 2009: The Damned raises an army of undead (NV #103)
      • October 26, 2009: A group from the New Vindicators Academy of America visits the New Vindicators Academy of Europe (NV #104)
      • October 29, 2009: Remnants of Black Box activate Levi Carmichael, Jack Rexroth, and Doug Droll in an attempt to abduct Doctor Bethany Fisher (NV #104)
    • November
      • November 2, 2009: Elemenoh arrives and Raanan leaves (NV #105)
      • November 6, 2009: Gregaro opts to find Raanan; Justice and Absalom take hostages; Lloyd dies. (NV #106).
      • November 10, 2009: Lloyd Hilton's funeral (NV #107)
      • November 13, 2009: The New Vindicators locate Anomaly. (NV #109)
      • November 14, 2009: Doctor Howell’s wedding (NV #109); Black Box activates Gregaro Vincentson; Gregaro and Gideon get their memories back (NV #110); Autumn Colbenson is activated and every Nephilim and Neo-Sapien on Earth have their powers suppressed (NV #111); a coalition of Vindicators and Affiliation move to stop her; Christmas Clark kills Autumn; Justice kills Chienne; Adonis declares war on humanity (NV #113)
    • December
NVAE Setting - VP: 5
Michuru
Posts: 739
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:26 pm
Location: Illinois

The Aurelii

Post by Michuru »

While anyone is capable of learning to wield the esoteric forces of arcana, such individuals face certain restrictions. Everyone has an aptitude for one of the eight arcane talents. Everyone, that is, save for those descended from the Aurelius. Thanks to an ancient pact, those who can trace their lineage back to this antediluvian magus are capable of feats other mystics could only dream of. These descendants are known as the Aurelii and from their bloodline, the immortals choose an advocate for the planet. This magus is given the title of the Aurelius (or Aurelia) and tasked with safeguarding mankind from all things mystical.

Ancient Aurelii
Throughout the years, several men and women have acted as the Aurelius, working to protect humanity from supernatural forces.

The Blood War
Seeking to ensure that one of their own would be elected as the next Aurelius, the Tharivol clan moved to prune the Aurelii family tree by hunting down other descendants. Before long, a full-blown war between spellcasters was being waged around the globe. In the end, only seven members of the Aurelii gens survived: Eldritch White, Bruno Marsh, Abraham Field, Henry Carlyle, Rachel Stark, and the Buchanan siblings, Thaddeus and Lola Mae. After the war had ended, another Aurelii was born: Bartholomew Tharivol, whose late father had been one of the warlocks who instigated the war, was born months after the fighting ended.
  • Lola Mae Buchanan (1868 - 1926): For years, Lola and her husband James struggled to conceive. That was fine by her: following the death of her brother, Lola was elected as the Aurelia, and she felt her responsibilities as Earth's master mage would have prevented her from being the sort of mother she wished to be. As the years went on, however, she found herself with child. As her son came into the world, she began to shirk her duties, entrusting them to her apprentice instead. Eventually, her family found themselves in a battle in Spain, fighting to keep a crate of Golden Apples from getting into the hands of Adolf Hitler. Though her forces were victorious in keeping immortality from the madman's grasp, it came at the cost of Lola's life. (Lola's Descendants)
  • Thaddeus Buchanan (1864 - 1900): Following the tragedy of the Blood War, Thaddeus found himself elected as the Aurelius. He tasked his fellow survivors with replenishing the Aurelii bloodline. Journeying to England to deal with the puca, he met a woman with uncanny abilities. The two fell in love and Thaddeus wasted little time in proposing. However, word soon spread of Thaddeus' arcane talents as well as the power his bride-to-be possessed. Though Naomi survived the mob's attack on them, Thaddeus' injuries claimed his life.
  • Henry Carlyle (1883 - 1963): With the fighting concluded, Henry imaged a life with Rachel Stark by his side. Thaddeus Buchanan advised against it, stating that they all needed to repopulate their bloodline. Though willing to defy the man, Rachel was not. She left the States and married another, forcing Henry to settle for another woman. However, years later, he received word from Rachel's daughter that she was in danger. Henry hurried to Scotland where he saved Rachel's daughter from her brother. Taken by how much Rachel favored her mother, Henry abandoned his wife and children to marry Laise McKinnon, help her raise her niece, and begin a family of their own.
  • Abraham Field (1879 - 1968): After the battle ended, Abraham took a wife and began a family. Unlike many of his companions, he managed to avoid the battlefield for the rest of his days, outliving most of them before passing on at the age of 89.
  • Bruno Marsh (1868 - 1929): Bruno was no stranger to sorrow. In 1887, his wife died giving birth to their daughter, who died shortly thereafter. Years later, he remarried, and managed to start a family, only to lose them to the Tharivol clan's mad ambitions. At the urging of Thaddeus Buchanan, Bruno married again, and once more started a family.
  • Rachel Stark (1884 – 1904): During the conflict, Rachel began to fall in love with Henry Carlyle. However, at Thaddeus Buchanan’s suggestion, the two married other people, to improve the odds of replenishing their bloodline. Rachel moved to Scotland where she married Conn McKinnon, a magus interested in his children being part of the bloodline. Together, they had three children: Fearchar, Laise, and Flannagan—the last of which Rachel died giving birth to. (Rachel's Descendants)
  • Bartholomew Tharivol (1900 - 1971): With her husband and his entire family now dead, Grace Tharivol feared that the Blood War's victors might execute her unborn child. Fleeing to Eastern Europe, she was taken in by one of her father-in-law's former proteges. There, Bartholomew was trained in the arcane arts, in the hopes that he might one day restore his family's name.
  • Eldritch White (1873 - 1958): None took Thaddeus Buchanan's charge to repopulate the Aurelii bloodline more seriously than Eldritch White. The once confirmed bachelor married not long after the Blood War ended and proceeded to father no less than ten children--each of whom he indoctrinated in the mystic arts and each of whom he likewise tasked with rejuvenating their family tree. With the passing of Lola Hawpe, Eldritch was elected as the Aurelius and regularly took his descendants with him on his excursions.
The Aurelius
  • Thaddeus Buchanan (1900)
  • Lola Mae Buchanan (1900 - 1926)
  • Eldritch White (1926 - 1958)
  • Sarah Stewart (1958 - 1972)
  • Claude Thornton (1972 - 1986)
  • Stephen White (1986 - Current)
Michuru wrote:Like so many of the sections in this thread, this is a work in progress (that, given my track record, I'll likely neglect terribly). The Aurelius family tree has been a pet project of mine for the last few years. As I put the last few touches on it, I hope to map out the modern descendants of this bloodline. As the mystical elements of this campaign world take on a more central role in the PBP game following the Armada's arrival, expect several other magical sections to be appearing here as time goes by.
NVAE Setting - VP: 5
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