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.