Blood of Heroes - A 3rd Edition Mutants and Masterminds Campaign Setting
Earth, 2021. An alien race known as the Skree has ruled over the planet for the past 20 years, subjecting the local populace to the sadistic whims of their most brutal reign. True heroes have been all but eradicated during the Skree Invasion of 1999-2001. That or they have fallen prey to the Skree's corruptive influence and mind-altering technology. Those heroes that still survive, do so either in reclusive hiding or by battling one another in gladiator-like fashion as the Skree's amusement. Now after twenty years of servitude, a new breed of heroes are slowly starting to emerge. Fed up with the decadence that now surrounds them and fueled by their own personal desires, these young heroes have decided to try and make a stand for humanity, once and for all.
Does this new breed of heroes have what it takes to rise up against the Skree and take back their homeworld? Are they capable of breaking the shackles of oppression that bind them to a life of unwavering servitude? Time shall tell True Believers, to see whether or not these few elite individuals truly possess...the Blood of Heroes.
Saturday Night. Nothing left to do but laundry. Nathaniel Pilgrim makes his way down the stairs to the laundry room with a basket of dirty whites in hand. The attractive black man then looks around for an empty washer. The rhythmic sounds of dryer rumbles in the nearby distance. Now loading the washer with his clothing, Nathaniel's attention is gradually drawn to the dryer window as its contents spin. Numerous women's thongs and bras tumble about the transparent circle, as do the occasional pair of children's underwear. Some of the children's underwear is white, nearly pristine in color; the rest tattered and stained beyond repair. All in all the entire ordeal is a rather disturbing affair.
Having placed his quarters in the machine, Nathaniel currently waits patiently for the fill cycle to finish so that he might add bleach to his clothes. As he does so the sounds of the door to the laundry room opening are heard, quickly followed up by the sounds of clacking heels upon the stairs. Someone is coming to do their laundry!
Welcome to the game! Feel free to post your description and/or simply take it from here.
You have been living at the Excelsior for nearly four months. You pay your rent, keep to yourself, and lend a hand to those neighbors you can. Life has been pleasantly "neutral" at best so far. You can't quite place anyone in your building with children though, nor anyone that might wear such "sexy" clothing.
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
Actually, I imagine Pilgrim has obtained some notoriety for preaching on the street corner, telling people God wants them to help one another.
Pilgrim wonders about the odd clothes. Maybe someone new has moved in. Maybe someone is visiting. He looks up as he hears someone approaching, feeling a little awkward. Oddly, he feels more comfortable preaching on the corner than interacting with people one-on-one. Maybe it's because the street corner is, in a way, more anonymous--he's just interacting with a crowd. Dealing with the other people in the apartment is a little odd because they all have their own notions of who he is based on his street corner preaching. Some people he gets along very well with, but others keep their distance. He'll always likes to try to strike up a conversation with people. Nothing heavy--he leaves the preaching for the corner. He just wants to find out what's going on in people's lives, if he can help them. He's used his gifts from God to heal a few chronic injuries. Nothing big yet--he's still waiting for God to give him more guidance. And wondering why the hell God had picked him out His messenger. Maybe God would change His mind--in some ways, it would be a relief.
Working street corners is fine. That's the purpose of these Preludes, to try and get a feel for the character. Both of us even!
The clattering of shoes continues and before long, an attractive woman enters the laundry room carrying an empty laundry basket on the side of her hip like a child. The woman's hair is wet and smells like it has just been showered. Her partially exposed body is clad in sheer pantyhose, a pair of black pumps, a tight-fitting black skirt, and partly buttoned blouse of white cotton. The woman's navel and abdomen are exposed as is the lower clasp of her bra. The woman's most enticing looking six-pack is only sinfully accentuated further by a colorful sunburst tattoo around her navel. The slightest hint of stretch-marks are also apparent, clearly indicating that this must be the woman belonging to the clothes in the dryer.
The attractive woman doesn't even notice Nathaniel's presence until she is about 1/3 of the way into the laundry room. Upon which, she immediately lets out a panicked gasp, leaps backwards, and shouts aloud.
"J.M.F.C.S.M.A.Y.S.M!"
The woman then begins to chuckle frantically and looks about embarrassed. "Heh, I'm so sorry," the woman quickly proclaims, her nervousness now taking shape in the form of sporadic laughter and the act of lighting up a cigarette. "Please forgive me. It's just that I didn't even know that you'ze was down here!" Offering Nathaniel a cigarette, the woman continues. "I'm Crystal, over in 1D. All of our dryers were already taken or out of service. I came here to finish up. I swear that I won't be but a jiffy, I promise!"
"J.M.F.C.S.M.A.Y.S.M!"= "Jesus Mutherf- Christ, Sister Mary Almighty You Scared Me!"
Crystal's hair is darker (red-brown) but this is her overall build and appearance
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
Crystal's language doesn't phase Pilgrim at all. He's said much more foul things in his own time.
"Oh, no problem," Pilgrim says, smiling and intently trying to keep his eyes on the woman's face. He refuses the cigarette, saying, "Thanks but I'm trying to quit." He used to smoke a pack a day, but if he wants to try to set an example to young gang members and the like, part of that has to be not smoking--though he is sorely tempted. He holds out his hand for Crystal to shake. "Folks call me Pilgrim."
Crystal laughs nervously at Nathan's comment about quitting smoking. "Yeah, me too," the woman quips in response, swiftly withdrawing her offer and lighting up one cigarette of her own. "I even managed to quit for an entire week once, last month I think..." Another nervous laugh suddenly erupts from Crystal's mouth as she quickly realizes that poor Nathaniel is just standing there with his hand held out. "Oh my, I'm sorry hon," the woman responds, quickly shaking the man's hand helllo. "Hi there! Uhm, Pilgrim was it? A pleasure to meet you. Now if you don't mind, I'll just get my things over here and leave you be. Heh, I have dinner date with my brother in a couple of hours and still have so much to do before I'm ready!"
The attractive woman then proceeds to open the dryer and see if her clothes are finished drying. Satisfied for the most part, she then proceeds to unload the machine into her basket. Crystal's shirt, being only partially buttoned in the front, slowly rises in the back as she leans forward into the dryer. The nape of the woman's back reveals an elaborate tattoo of two identical infants' heads and shoulders facing one another from opposing sides. Cherub-faced and with wings on their backs, the pictorial image of a Cupid's heart separates the two infants from one another and it would appear that the babies' names are inked beneath each one of their respective pair of shoulders.
From Nathaniel's somewhat indiscriminate view, the two names on Crystal's back seem to form the words "War & Peace."
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
"No problem," says Pilgrim. "It's always nice to meet new people, but if you need to get stuff done, by all means do it." He sees the tattoos on her back and wonders if they have any gang or even occult significance. If she's involved with gangs--well, he's have to find a way to have a word with her. For the moment, as he searches his memory, he just says, "That's some impressive tattooing."
Knowledge--Streetwise and -- Religion checks to see if the tattoos have any significance.
Crystal immediately jerks her head up out of the dryer, ashes from her cigarette falling down upon her load of clean clothes. "S'what!?" the woman then yelps bewilderedly, her hands now dusting off the ashes from a pair of her panties and some of the children's underwear. A moment or two goes by and the woman suddenly realizes what it is that Pilgrim is talking about. She then blushes profusely and responds. "Oh yeah that! Sorry hon...Those are my babies! I mean, you see, I have two boys, Warren and Pierce. I got this tattoo of them when they turned about 9-months old or so, I think. Love em to death I do, simply to death!" The woman goes out of her way to make sure that Pilgrim gets a good look of her tattoo once more before spinning about slowly to reveal the one upon her navel, the woman's mood surprisingly relaxed around the recently met individual. "I..." Crystal then exclaims quite nervously, her throat doing its best to swallow an enormous lump of anxiety, "I should get going now, ya know? I don't want to be late for my dinner with my brother. It was a pleasure to have met you Mr. Pilgrim. You take care now, alright?"
Naw, nothing gang related, just a mom's favorite two things. You do however, notice that the woman seems to be uncomfortable (much like yourself) when amidst the one on one scenario. Luckily, you seem to have made an impression on the young woman. Hope it don't lead to trouble.
Last edited by Eanwulf on Fri Apr 06, 2012 2:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
Pilgrim smiles while Crystal talks about her children, but observes that this woman seems unusually tense and jumpy. He wonders if she's in some sort of trouble. He tells her, "You have a good dinner now. If you ever need a hand with anything, feel free to knock on my door. I'm in apartment 401-A. I can help out with more things than you might think. I've got some ... gifts. And don't take this the wrong way--I'm not propositioning you. I just like to help people who are in need."
Crystal gives Nathan an odd look. It's hard for the man to tell whether or not the woman is downright appalled by or simply doubtful about his offer to lend a helping hand. Either way, the woman quickly gathers up the last of her clothing and makes her way towards the exit. "Sure thing hon," the woman comments as she nudges open the iron screen door with her shoulder, "You have a great night now, ok? Take care!" She then begins to make her way upstairs.
No sooner than Crystal takes a few steps up the stairs then Nathan begins to hear several voices coming from somewhere up above. "Yo man," one voice cries aloud, "I found her! The b-'s over here everyone, c'mon!" Now retreating back into the laundry room, Crystal immediately begins to panic. "Make sure that ho' don't get away!" another voice cries out loud as the heavy sounds of footsteps are heard descending the laundry stairs.
Company's coming!
When Life Hands You Razorblades. You Make A Baseball Bat Covered In Razorblades!
Pilgrim immediately steps forward, telling Crystal, "Get back. I'll protect you from them!" He draws on the power God has given him, shifting the life-giving energies that surround him so that they form a wall with himself and Crystal on one side and the door through which the thugs are coming on the other. He stands there, arms crossed, looking deadly serious as he waits for them to appear.
Erect a Force Construct. I know it's normally difficult to detect, but I can I make it visible if I want, so that it's clear there's something out of the ordinary going on? If so, I picture it as a field of shimmering light. I figure something more visible is more imposing than me just standing there.
