I'd like each of you to flesh this story out.   It's not just a "one-fight and hey we should team up!" deal.   This is a whole story-arc.  Maybe a three or four-issue mini-series.   Please add to it, embellish on it, so we can flesh out the story.   Add NPCs (who was the disgraced ex-cop? how did she get involved?), enemies and allies... whatever you like.


Here's some questions I would really like you to be able to answer:

• Is there someone on the team you trust more than the others?  Why?
• Is there someone on the team you fear more than the others? Why?
• Do you feel that you owe someone on the team or that someone on the team owes you?  Why? What happened?
• Can you add things to the story that point to or suggest an internal conflict for your character?
• Can you use this to introduce a current or future adversary?

Last year, much of the world, saw an actual decline in the involvement of metahumans in world affairs.  While the conflicts in Kashmir and Afghanistan continued, several A-list names just stopped showing up.  At the same time, a new street drug Exalt was starting to make headway.  It seemed to give non-metahumans a chance at gaining metahuman powers.  Usually only temporarily.  For some rare few, the experience became a catalyst to what they've become now...

A disgraced former-cop, Samantha Swan, discovered that a handful of recently-disappeared former vigilantes (some of whom were among the thought-to-have-retired group) were being held captive and harvested for the creation of Exalt.  You five were instrumental in uncovering and eventually bringing down the operation.  Even if it meant taking on members of the Black Lotus Triad and the Malakov Mafiya!

So... how did you get involved?

You've got my permission to make shit up!  We may revise and massage stuff to make it all fit, but I'm not holding you back.  This is your story, after all...

--
Introduced:

• Exalt a street-drug that when taken (how?), might trigger the eruption of metahuman powers and abilities.  For most, it's a short-term effect.  There are one or two, however, for whom it became catalyst to metahumanity.
• Samantha Swan - former cop, ow private-investigator, is publicly credited for discovering the Exalt distribution ring in Seattle.
• Black Lotus Triad - A crime organization in the Seattle area
• Malakov Mafiya - A crime organization in the Seattle area

This message was last edited by the player at 05:51, Sun 27 Mar 2022.

The way I see it, Colossus got involved when he heard about his housemate Naomi going missing one afternoon. As a sensible chap, he proceeded to search all the records and camera logs he could find until he found traces of a car leading to a suspicious building. Once there, he found that Naomi was a captive of the Black Lotus Triad... and the daughter of one of its leader, who had been looking for her ever since she ran away from home. Despite being rubbish in direct action, he insisted on going in anyway, only to run afoul of their Dragon Warriors, EXALT-using thugs who were the triad's primary enforcers. However, they weren't aware of the full extent of Colossus' abilities, and he managed to rescue Naomi and wreck part of their operations, as well as yoink complete records of their transactions for further reference.

Samantha would obviously be the point of contact for the records (because I think she still wants to put them away the right way instead of just putting two in the back of their heads. He could have met up with her during the investigation phase, and then contacted the group otherwise. Colossus also knows a Mafiya associate called Maksim who's on the verge of becoming a proper Vor; but for the Malakov Mafiya the rite of passage is taking and surviving a dose of Exalt, and the doses they use are not very safe...

Yes, I like the idea of superpowered crime syndicates using their own product to empower themselves and give them an edge over the competition. However, it's also made Colossus wonder about something; how did they even get their hands on Exalt in the first place? He suspects it was part of some ultra top secret government program to mass produce metahumans and they were leaked a prototype version of it to field test it, as it were.

Great start.  Let's open it up to others, though, so it's not an entire solo act.

I'd like for someone to team up with Colossus on this.   Can somebody work themselves into this story?  (Yeah, you've got a reference that maybe Swan called the others in...  but why them?)

I like the idea that taking exalt may be a step towards advancement in the criminal underworld(s).  But I also imagine each case is unique and frought with internal politics.  I kinda shy away from broad statements that all potential Vor must do this...  It's certainly a fast-track option.  I imagine that will lead to more problems down the road for them... power == power-hunger.


--
Introduced:

• Naomi - NPC, Colossus housemate, metahuman, powers undefined
• Daughter of a Black Lotus Triad involved with Exalt production, "ran away from home"
• Maksim - possible Malakov Mafiya contact

Back then depending on tie in and approval, I updated Cythi's background ideas with Samantha becoming a love interest of her scientist buddy.

Depending on orientation of Samantha named them Murray or Donna.

Likely for her she felt responsible for helping good and did do some vigilante work at night, potentially working with Samantha on the down low knowing what she could do because of relationship with her science friend.

So how about this for work in especially Naomi being around Cythi's age, Samantha hooks Colossus up with Cythi, meeting her at the super hipster coffee shop where she lays as low as she can (Hard when you have attractive 2....but it is a hipster coffee shop with a large uptick during the day shift for some reason)

This later could have led to Cythi moving in with them as another flat mate.

I'm not committed to gender orientation for former Detective Swan.  Feel free to define it.

Swan used to be a pretty corrupt cop.  Definitely on the take.  As a beat-cop, her philosophy was that she (and others) allowed certain criminals to get off lightly, because their presence prevented or blocked other--much worse--criminals from being involved.  Better the devils you know than the devils you don't.  Her relative moral flexibility is not known to the PCs.

So, pulling on what I recall from "The Shield" and "Persons Interest"...

But then, the promotion to Detective, and Exalt.  And the corruption in SPD goes deeper than just one woman.   I haven't worked out the details of why she was dismissed.   Perhaps, in the way of things, it's only a temporary thing before she gets hired on again.  That seems to happen a fair bit in real life, too.   Police Unions are strong stuff.   She has used Exalt.   It's probably the reason why she was kinda of obsessive about dismantling the operation...

Black Lotus Clan is probably responsible for the actual production of the drug.  But they are kinda considered a bit of a pariah among the Triads...  a small group only.  The Malakova Mafiya, however, has a strong hand in the distribution of narcotics up and down the West Coast.

I defintiely agree that taking Exalt shouldn't be mandatory, especially since in my conception, recreational doses of Exalt are much smaller and safer than the "effective" doses of Exalt, which have a high chance of killing or crippling the people who take it. Plus, like you said, the hierarchy doesn't like people who buck it...

And after looking at the Russian mafia wiki article, calling the Malakovs the "Bratva" (Brotherhood) rather than the "Mafiya" might be better, considering other branches of it are similarly named.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:16, Mon 28 Mar 2022.

Are we good with Cythi's science person and cop getting together?  If so how about this...Sam after trying the drug has someone report her so she would have to take a drug test and of course got dismissed when she popped positive.  This could be some inside guy that needs to be ferreted out.  This led to them reaching out to their friends (Colossus and contacts that are linked) to help 'bring it down'

This brought her back into the good graces of police if she gets rehired showing great initiative and an all is forgiven here is a promotion detective type deal.

Are we good with Cythi's science person and cop getting together?  If so how about this...Sam after trying the drug has someone report her so she would have to take a drug test and of course got dismissed when she popped positive.  This could be some inside guy that needs to be ferreted out.  This led to them reaching out to their friends (Colossus and contacts that are linked) to help 'bring it down'

I'm okay with her hooking up with Cythi's friend.  Do you have a preference for Murray or Donna?

I like the lead-in, but I still want Sam outside the police at game-start.  The corruption in the police department also needs to be an ongoing thing, as it provides me with a tool to justify things like villains escaping, etc....  But that doesn't mean you can't have ferreted out one of the important folks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:58, Tue 29 Mar 2022.

I think I would be amused if the scientist is Donna, still had a crush on Cythi's so that works.

At the start for Sam it would be easy enough for her to stay off the force.  Being cleared could take some time, or even better being cleared and then suing the police force for the setup.  She uses it to fund her Private Investigator or anything else and because vindicated has some good contacts.

Yeah, we'll see where it goes.  Ultimately, she's a NPC, so her story isn't as important as yours.

I will jump in on this tomorrow evening. Been spinning alot of plates the past few days. Now I need to wrap my mind around this.

Same here.

No stress, no hurry.

I may not be perfectly attuned to ideas presented so far but here is my start of an idea for Virginia. If it does not work just point me in a direction.

Virginia's involvement began in Florida. This is where she first began honing her powers, inconspicuously thwarting drugs and crime in that region. As she followed the criminal organizations she discovered her antithesis, Psydney, better known to her as Wendy, was involved. Virginia had only crossed paths with her a few times but each time it had been a disaster. She was a loathsome woman but her mental powers forced people to adore her. And she made Virginia simply want to puke, figuratively. She steered clear of Psydney, but followed her and her cronies up a criminal network into the Northwest region of the country. Virginia was a fairly sneaky fairy after all. She just had to be careful not to overplay her hand too much, lest Psydeny would suspect she was following her and actively search. Once in the Northwest she became acquainted with the Malakov Mafiya. It seemed Psydney was a power player in the group. She used her psychic powers to influence local governments. She could get Mafia people appointed into positions so as to assure their dealings went unnoticed.

This is where Virginia first got noticed by another hero. Once again, Virginia was damn sneaky but the film did not lie. Now and then hero named Colossus was picking up blips on surveillance tech he was tapped into about the city. It was easily explainable as noise or low grade camera footage but it happened one time too often. He began adjusting his equipment parameters to clarify what he was seeing. Turned out to be a fairy, lurking about the very same places he was watching. She seemed to be spying on the same places he was spying. Only Colossus was spying the spy-er. He got great satisfaction out of this. Virgina began to see messages addressed to "the fairy" via technology everywhere. An invitation to meet was offered and thus they met.

@colossus any input on what I put in so far.  If not I am ok changing things up.

I think Cythi will be working in the super hipster 'Ye ole all things bacon and coffee shoppe!'

As Colossus may be going in a different direction, we'll probably introduce another NPC, somewhere somehow to play the part of the information-gatherer / tech guy.  I have ideas for former support-staff for Vigilance... but I'mma hold off for a little bit to see where Colossus gues.

How about this instead then...

Cythi was living in Florida a the time working at the super hipster 'Ye ole all things bacon and coffee shoppe!'  Maybe Virginia was a regular there getting her fixes.

They became friends and eventually Virginia found out about Cythi's background and recommended they move.  Other than Alaska and Hawaii Seattle seemed the best as a hop, skip and teleport and across the border to Canada.

I was even thinking after her uncle and mother died she had a small inheritance and opened a shop in Seattle.

I see no problem with it.

And yay for being independently wealthy.

This is a big picture pitch that will become more specific after input.

Punching Bag was a successful mixed martial arts fighter making money fighting for a legit wrestling association working his way up to champion. One day, his opponent secretly used Exalt as a performance enhancing drug in the fight. PB was getting his butt kicked out of nowhere. He pride wouldn’t let him back down. Whether it was the adrenaline or energy transfer from his opponent’s fists, he’ll never know. But he heard a voice in his head that said,”Never admit defeat.” His muscles then swelled and injuries were slowly beginning to heal. He came back to defeat the Exalt user keeping his championship title, for the moment. Despite testing PB testing negative for Exalt, his title was taken from him and was expelled from the wrestling association for cheating.

The association wouldn’t listen to his pleas that he was innocent and no other association would hire him. Passed off and angry, he asked his manager to find out where people were getting Exalt from to trace it back to the source where he would crush the people responsible for ruining his life.

Oh yeah, Virginia would be all up in that place every morning after 'dawn patrol'. (jogging)

And @PB
Maybe I have noticed you about town doing morning exercise of some kind too. Maybe even seen you at 'Ye ole all things bacon and coffee shoppe!' Did you wax some thugs in the parking lot one day when I looked out the window as I sipped a quatro espresso frappe?

Though I think it is easy for us to come up with meeting one another but how did we all become a team?? Maybe we have all been monitoring Seattle independently but began to catch glimpses of each other in town. Began reading stories of unsung heroes and thinking, mhm I have seen that person myself. Maybe then revealing ourselves a little with a wave and a wink as we witnessed one another's exploits. Even to the point we started getting cutsie when we recognized each other from afar. Say, oh let me trip the person I see Punching Bag chasing. Shouting "double mocha" to Cythi from the crowd! I am not sure what I might blurt out about Mind Daggers....I need a tylenol??

A couple of us could see one of the others fighting somebody and jumped in to help. Maybe hung out for a bit afterwards and teaming up every so often. Over time, the acquaintances start running into other pairings and decide to give it a go as a full team.

That depends,

Are you fully onboard with moving with Cythi from Florida to Seattle.  If so cool beans

Now to the team so far if Virginia is cool with that tied part to background then perhaps after Virginia saw PB take down some people "We follow to make sure he is hot some evil doer.  Come upon him in a battle over his head and step in to help?  Actually go one step further.  It is a drug bust on 'the drug which name if forgotten' and through a comedy of events the three of them start fighting before they realize the true bad guys.



I will have to do a bit of alter as Cythi's science friend might also be the reason for the move.  Maybe getting a grant and had to move to seattle.

We all need to be in Seattle for some reason or other. I have been tracking an arch nemesis which has brought me to the area. Psydney...a mind power user. Involved with the Malakov Mafiya. Leaving it for the story teller to flesh her out.

All good I will keep Cythi in Seattle instead of what I suggested in an earlier post of tying Viriginia and Cythi back then.

I am good with the hanging in her coffee shoppe.

Then I don't need to alter anything from the original idea at all.

Also @Marie were you going to add anything?

TO ALL
Trying to restart our back story efforts here. Not trying to dictate one.

Being a functioning team from the start was one of the preambles of the game. We need to create our own canon. Gamemaster told us to! He will edit and guide as needed.

Lets refresh what we know.



Location Setting: Seattle

Exalt a street-drug that when taken (how?), might trigger the eruption of metahuman powers and abilities.  For most, it's a short-term effect.  There are one or two, however, for whom it became catalyst to metahumanity.
Samantha Swan - former cop,private-investigator, is publicly credited for discovering the Exalt distribution ring in Seattle.
Black Lotus Triad - A crime organization in the Seattle area
Malakov Mafiya - A crime organization in the Seattle area
Psydney- npc antagonist with mental powers and is connected with the Malakov Mafiya. Travels from coast to coast on her nefarious schemes.

Naomi - NPC, Colossus housemate, metahuman, powers undefined and a Daughter of a Black Lotus Triad involved with Exalt production, "ran away from home"
Maksim - possible Malakov Mafiya contact for Colossus

Cythi-teleporter barista owner in Seattle who escaped a cult
Virginia-former theme park worker with magic dust who has shadowed her nemesis Psydney from Florida to the Seattle area.
Marie-mentalist who struggles with perceived guilt of her father's death
Gagamba-inheritance included spider hair!! Question is, did the government tax her for it?
This message was last edited by the player at 01:38, Fri 08 Apr 2022.

Punching Bag- disgraced former MMA fighter turned vigilante

Punching bag used his money from his wrestling career to create his own headquarters after becoming a vigilante like the bat cave. HQ is managed by his former wrestling manager.

Cythi's science friend Donna who is in relationship with Samantha Swan.

On a plus note if the base does not have living quarters I am thinking the coffee shoppe will be at bottom and either some apartments upstairs or one apartment.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:36, Fri 08 Apr 2022.

Well, no one knows Marie struggles with that. What is known is that Marie struggles with the strength of her powers and the tie they have to her emotions.

Samantha Swan is likely Marie's direct tie to the group, being a cop, considering Marie's arrest. Perhaps Swan had some connections somewhere still and managed to pull Marie into the group.

It makes sense to me that Samantha might've brought Marie on-board precisely because of a publicly accessible criminal history.  Sam wanted to use her as an informant, trying to get Marie to pull information on the suppliers.

Marie, however, came in contact with Psydney.  And since the two have similar powers (well, both in the psychic field, anyway), Marie started to feel that she wasn't 100% hidden...

Then when Samantha went missing...

well, you tell me.  What happened?

Round robin meta-game talk!

WEll if it is not too far out, If Cythi has coffee shoppe with small apartment building above, maybe Samantha and Donna rent one, and there is a one bedroom for Marie as a place to live and potentially a job.

This background thing could be handy.

I could see this. She'd not want to be a burden on her mother anymore, and want to prove to her mother that she can in fact fix her life, that she wants to do right.

She'd also feel that working with the team would be the best way to find the person that helped her get on this track.

I don't want Samantha living there, yet, anyway.   I want her and Donna to be in the not-yet-living together stage... mainly because I'm considering a possible progression for Sam and it will work better for me.

What do you think of this location?
https://www.google.ca/maps/pla...63562!4d-122.3156256

It's real close to Seattle University, a couple of hospitals, some arts areas... prime customer!  And "Arcaro's Boxing" could easily be renamed as something that focuses on MMA... allowing a potential tie-in for Punching Bag.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:45, Fri 08 Apr 2022.

All good, Donna can live there if they wish.

That location looks just about right although big enough Cythi might have to bump her wealth up a level.  Although maybe not.  Still she has 2 points left right now.

It need not be full ownership...

If she's the business-owner, then there's probably a lease and loans involved.  Plus, if there are apartments above, then she's also got that as an income... might be enough to pay off the mortgage.  I'm not sure we need to clearly define it.  It's enough to leave her as "owner" if you want it.  And that is enough for bad guys who've done their research to maybe use it against her.

Please note that when I talk like that, it's not a promise that I'll use it.  I just want avenues of vulnerability for the characters.

That considering background is way over her head.  So maybe inherited it all and will take the appropriate bump up in wealth which makes sense for something that size.

To it being a vulnerability of the character I was actually thinking on that too and am fine it being that but was also tempted to see if one of two possibilities could be takent

1)  She and or the group saved the child/niece/wife/someone without knowing who it was from the drug and because of that they declared the building safe ground.

2)One of her tenants is one of the leaders of a group of badguys (Mafia, etc...)

3)The ground is neutral ground for both hero and vilian (ala tricks bar in Lost Girl) although this one would probably be a no.

But if not it will be suffice to say she owns the building, it has insurance (including super hero damage which probably is way more and might be why only 1 wealth benefit)

Punching Bag could certainly run the Gym nearby as the owner and trains other MMA fighters since he isn’t allowed to compete anymore. Living vicariously and all that. Another thing could be having a secret Fight Club in the basement. The gym could have an underground tunnel to the base along with tunnels underneath the coffee shop/apartments.

If you use google maps the building is huge so either he could have a separate gym or one in the building although I like the tunel thing as well!

Punching Bag's involvement with the gym does lend us a nice, convenient public-facing excuse to hang out and be around each other.  Given that I want to keep this heavily episodic, it's easier if you've all got excuses to be around each other a lot.

I'm getting a feeling that Cythi has a prediliction for taking in strays.  It fits with the naivete of her upbringing.  However, it would also mean that she is vulnerable to being conned and scammed.  Some people are always looking for a hand-up or hand-out.  So, it helps to have folks like Marie and Punching Bag around who are probably a bit more cynical.

I'm okay with secret fight club.   In fact, mixed with Cythi's "soft heart", this could lay the groundwork for a sort of metahuman co-operative community.  And that would play beautifully into my long-term plans... But, of course, it's too early to go there quite yet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:46, Sat 09 Apr 2022.

Marie can be a bit creepy at times though. Nothing like an emotionless, or trying to be emotionless, older teen (18/19) around who doesn't display emotion. Of course she doesn't do it more out of fear of what those emotions will do because of her powers, more than because of the emotions themselves. That's why she seems so cynical.

Punching Bag, I'd love three things from you here:

• Give me Punching Bag's civilian Name--or at least the name Cythi, Marie, Angel and Virginia call you...
• Name the Gym
• Name your former manager who now maintains the base...

Your former manager also happens to be quite adept at the Treatment skill, so is often the guy who patches up the MMA fighters who get injured in the ring, sends them to the hospital, etc...

--

So, Samantha was a disgraced cop, working as a private investigator.  Involved with Cythi's friend Donna, Samantha's disappearance and lack of contact got Donna worried.  Worried enough to ask Cythi for help.

On more than one occasion in the recent past, Samantha has turned up at Punching Bag's gym.  His manservant has patched her up more than once.

For some reason reading this I see that Samantha did not come to Cythi for healing because she does not trust having her molecules scattered and reformed and thusly has never teleported with her.  Especially if Donna explained the principle to her.

Okay, if we go with the Apartents, coffee-shop & Gym, then let's do this:

Rather than Nora's Woods, let's put the base under the building.  So, a sub-basement kinda deal.

The coffee-shop & Gym in the same building/block gives us a nice easy pretext for how Cythi & Punching Bag came to know each other.

And if it were somehow guided by Carter Wilson (former battlesuit hero Vigil), that would dovetail nicely.  Perhaps Carter Wilson is actually the owner of the building.   You both have a lease--but this is all really so that Wilson can facilitate access to the base.  He's trying to build the next team to watch over Seattle...

This allows me to use him and Radiance as regular NPCs, and they can sort of "watch over things" if/when you're out of town...

Cythi, I was kinda modeling it more on Daredevil, in that she didn't want to get Cythi involved in the stuff she was investigating.    Whatever-his-name-is, PB's manservant, had kept her secret.  Right up until Donna started getting frantic...

But, to be fair, yeah, I can see Samantha being scared shitless about the idea of teleporting.   Kinda like how some people feel about skydiving.  OOC, I noticed that none of you had invested in the Treatment skill.  So, it seemed logical that that would fall on whats-his-name.  Or Samantha.

Is Cythi very open about her abilities?
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:13, Sat 09 Apr 2022.

Yes I think she would be very open.  I was trying to think if she was one of those that went with a secret identities and I don't think she would be.  I think she would be very open with abilities.

It was one of the things I think I suggested whereas the group saved someone from the drug (name escaping at the moment) and because of that no matter what the building was off limits.

I was actually thinking that it was one of the first people Cythi ever helped arrest and because of this had their pattern.  When they got release they got hooked or even while in prison got hooked.

Also I would prefer she owned it especially if she takes in strays.  If that won't work all is good.

(Oh on one of latest Cythi does have treatment skill.  But not sure you saw the query about expertise instead.  But will let you read that when you have time.)

OK. The got some computer time, but a typhoon is likely to hit nearby this weekend, so my internet may be a bit spotty. Should be nothing major where I am, but lots of rain isn't good for my reception.

That's said, Gagamba got her powers from a magic spider Spirit, that a criminal organization called the Spider Society considers their property. She came to Seattle to get away from them, only to find that the local Triads had ties to the Society, and cousin Portia has followed to recover what is hers.

I could see Angel (Gagamba's real name) knowing Punching Bag from training at his gym, as recent events have convinced her that she needs to learn how to defend herself. While she tries to hide it, PB would likely have noticed she is considerably stronger and tougher than she looks. Maybe he thought she was using Exalt, and after an obligatory confrontation, he learned the truth and he recruited her into his anti-Exalt crusade?

Holy crap, I totally missed that last post.   A side-effect of occasionally checking in on different platforms is that the new message flag sometimes doesn't display!

I like the tie-ins.  Thank-you so much!

What I want right now from you folks is a run-down of what "normal" is for you.  Meaning, who lives where, what's their relationships with each other like? (You're not strangers, though you don't need to be close confidants).  Based on what's out there, do you have any particular trust or distrust of another PC?

Also...  As a vigilante, you are a public figure, whether you want it or not.  Virginia has some amount of deniability in that regard.  And eventually, you'll get a name for the team and all that.

Right now, I want to know just how active you are doing the vigilante thing?  And, if quite active, what's the focus?  I'm assuming Exalt is going to be a primary focus--cause it seems to provide a lot of nice fertile ground.  But this doesn't have to be your character's primary focus...

All of these things... they may be added to your character as Complications, because I want excuses to throw hero-points at you as often as I can.  I want you to feel like you can do all the things they allow you to do with relative impunity!

Coming from a heavy background with Fate games, I equate Hero-Points to Fate Points, and feel that hero points are woefully under-used!

Angel Atabelo has a comfortable house in the Little Manila neighborhood of Seattle, where she does charity work and attends college part time (needs skills, badly). She (probably) has a closer relationship with Punching Bag (he probably knows her secret ID), and more of a working relationship with the others.



Gagamba has local support in her vigilantism in Little Manila, but her relationship with the police is... complicated. They consider her to be a lackey of someone high in the Triad leadership. She is active, but does her best to keep out of the public eye as much as possible.

Virginia scored a top floor apartment at Epic Condominiums just West down the street from PB's gym. (Does it have a name yet?) It is on the South East corner over looking what is essentially an alley and the back end of a store. With the inclusion of trees below the balcony, it is an easy place to slip in and out of in fairy form without being seen. She will stay in the hero lair often enough once that is all set up. She uses the condo though for privacy and maintaining a credible deception of her presence.

Seattle has a fairly high crime rate spread pretty much all about the main city. It is easy to find crime if you are looking.

http://www.seattle.gov/police/...data/crime-dashboard

Virginia has been active but has kept a low profile. If too many stories of a fairy begin to fly around, Psydney may become aware of her presence. It would not cause her to flee the city but out of her own self pride she does not want Psydney to know she is there. She is vainly hoping to some day catch Psydney in a trap! Therefore most of her actions have involved her size and sneakiness, perching on many a gang member's window sill at night listening. She is piecing together the-who goes-where and does-what of it all. She has resisted taking direct action against the Mafiya to this point.

However she has not avoided common street crimes at night. Muggings, rape, violence? Nothing takes the wind out of an assailant like a little reverse gravity and a drop from fifteen feet in the air. And when you are above them in the dark, they never know what hit them.

Her relations are 'professional' at this point.
She listens closely to what Gagamba says as she has insight into the Triad. She expects this may help her understand how the Mafiya works as well.

Virginia wants to like Marie but knowing she has encountered Psydney, she is cautious, paranoid even that on some level Marie is a brain washed double agent out to get her!! Paranoid! If Marie displays moods, it probably feeds these thoughts even more. She is suss! (in character only)

Punching Bag seems genuine at face value to Virginia. She likes that. She has also caught him the act of vigilanteing about the city and likes to watch his fighting method, on occasion bumping the bad guy back into play for him or watching his back. He does not need her help, she just discretely cheers him on.

Cythi is probably Virginia's kind of nutty and they get along swimmingly.

Virginia picks up extra money with the Seattle Artists Agency. She has made herself available as a hire for product promotions at conventions in the Seattle area. This would entail her taking about a two hour crash course on a business's offerings. After which she would stand around looking pretty next to a company nerd while nerds from other companies are walking around making purchasing decisions. It beats real work.

Punching Bag’s Gym is called Headstrong with the base underneath. His former wrestling manager who now manages his gym goes by Mr. Giovani or Stitches as he regularly patches up fighters who get hurt.

With Gagamba most likely beating most of the fighters at Headstrong, it would be likely that Punching Bag challenged her personally to a match since he is on the lookout to have a decent rival. After a few rounds of wrestling he got her in a close clinch and whispered that he knows about her being a meta and that he could help her if she wanted it. If/When she accepts, he would show her the base.

Average day:
Headstrong is open Sunday-Saturday 11am-7pm
Punching Bag and Stitches get Breakfast/Brunch at the local cafe (Where I believe Cythi works) always leaving a good tip and pleasant conversation with her if she’s not particularly busy. Nothing romantic or creepy just finds her easy to talk to. Then it’s to Headstrong where Stitches manage the staff and PB walks the floor interacting with the customers and fighters. Sometimes he even gives free personal training to those he finds promising like Gagamba. Virginia is often asked if she would like to join him for lunch to discuss local news and anything interesting going on. After closing down the gym and having dinner, PB goes out on patrols within a four block radius of his gym. Most of the time, he’s just wearing gray sweatpants, black tennis shoes, and a gray hoodie with a bandanna that is pulled up over his face when he finds a perpetrator. The crooks are badly beaten up and tossed outside his territory being told to never come back.

What would Marie’s connection with PB be?
This message was last edited by the player at 21:36, Sat 23 Apr 2022.

Wouldn't it be more fun and comic-booky if he had followed her from the gym and gotten into an "I know you're using Exalt!" brawl?

Yeah you make a good point. That way they could cut loose without damaging his gym.

Touching on this now that I've had a chance, I could see the fact that Marie completely suppresses her emotions and moods as another means to drive that paranoia some too. lol

That's good stuff. Whatever you do, Virginia may imagine something devious about it. hahahaha

As suggested by Cythi, Marie lives in one of the apartments up above the shops. She's likely 'friends' with Cythi to a point if Cythi wants. She probably maintains a distance from Virginia because of her own (Marie's) ties to Psydney and not wanting to hurt Psydney and the fact that that could also cause her own emotions to go off considering how she may or may not feel about Psydney.



Marie is known publicly as Mind Dagger because of the incident with the police that led to her arrest. She sees this as a chance at redemption, and is therefore going into this venture full boar. That said she is also afraid of her powers, and the ties of her emotions to her powers so many times she is not going at full power. Cythi likely knows this.



Hheerrroooo-pppoooiinnnttttsssss!

I tossed this at Jait, but it could be something that Virginia even suspects in all her paranoia.

But basically Marie has a unwritten complication that she would essentially fall for the first person that her powers barely affect or do not affect. So when he proposed the Psydney relationship to me, I tossed that at him too.

Just watch out arguing with someone who's powers are linked directly to their emotions. ;)

Cythi is friends with EVERYONE!  And Control was right Cythi would take in so many strays.  I half debated one of the areas being dedicated to actually taking stray kitty's or something akin.

MEOW! lol

Makes me wonder how Cythi feels about the emotionless Marie. Hmm...  I bet she woulda made her take in a stray kitty to help with her emotions! lol

Emotional support kitteh!

Several in the kitty kafe!

Okay, I got the mechanics figured out, now I need to figure out her backstory. What are the general elements I need to plan on?  What city are we in?

My plan is that she makes her living by teaching gymnastics, is that something easy to incorporate?  Although that can change if it doesn't work with group.

In reply to Ace (msg # 62):

Seattle. And considering Punching Bag owns the local gym, I think we can fit that in. :-)

kewl,  I thought that was mainly a fighting gym?  But if he has room for kids gymnastics classes...woot! :D

If you want a separate property although PB's gym is probably the best, Cythi owns a building with multiple bays.

I am good with being in Punch's gym, I would prefer she is a teacher and not owner of a gym. :)

I haven't looked at the build first-stab yet.  That's probably gonna be tomorrow or Sunday.

If PB is looking for a profit motive and a community-engagement motive, then an open, multi-use space would fit the bill. Gymnastics,  dovetails real nicely with wrestling training, after all.   But I can also see yoga and  some of the more vigorous fitness programs.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:58, Sat 25 June 2022.

PB could certainly expand for renting out gym space for entrepreneurs wanting to do personal training or teaching. Particularly if he knows the person to be a meta. Give them a safe space to be themselves and on the down low build that community up. The gym also has direct access to a tunnel that leads to the group base. Stitches is the middle aged manager of the gym that takes care of PB’s business affairs.

In reply to Punching Bag (msg # 68):

Excellent PB. :)  I can start thinking about her history.

does PB keeps his meta status on the down low?

For the most part yeah. Although I’m sure some people know a meta is around his gym as he does patrols within a three block radius keeping his streets clean. If he does run into a meta, he tries to figure them out and connect with them.

Edit: After Stitches runs a background check on them of course lol
This message was last edited by the player at 21:05, Sun 26 June 2022.

Okay, I don't see Cameron as being financially able to fund running a gymnastics gym.  So her Aunt Alexis Diaz is the one working with Stitch and PB to setup a gymnastics gym.  Alexis Diaz made it to the Olympics when she was a teenager as a secondary.  She has spoken up in the past for equal rights for all.

Does she sound like someone PB would work with?

Yep. Consider her hired by PB as a personal trainer in gymnastics to gym members if she wants.

In reply to Punching Bag (msg # 72):

Cool.  I am imagining that she also runs classes for kids up to teenagers.  And that there is a separate room setup for the gymnastics since that has a lot of equipment to go with it.


Oh, and Alexis would send Cameron to PB for martial arts training and someone who might be able to help Cameron handle her anger.

Sounds good.