owning your okayness

[maskormods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Considering apping into MASK OR MENACE? Want to dip your toes into the setting and get a feel of whether your character will fit into it? Or maybe you're just cruising and want to play around? Then you've come to the right place!

Pick any of the following scenarios below or feel free to make up your own, but don't be afraid to throw yourself at someone else's thread, either!

And remember to have fun!

01. Your memory is still a haze and you might feel frustrated or anxious, or maybe the sight of an underground lab you've just been led from by an escorting soldier with dried blood splatters on the floor stirs something else in you. The soldier apologizes for everything you have to see; a recent attack has left the underground lab in Cape Canaveral in near shambles. Military personnel move past you, focused on the sorely needed reparations and clean-up. You're ushered out quickly and then suddenly, you're enveloped in a faint blue blue light before you find yourself under the bright Floridian sun. Another soldier steps toward you with a smile, directing your attention to a car near a large gate. She mentions she'll be debriefing you soon, handing out a brown folder. You don't see the digital tattoo on your wrist, but it's quickly explained on your way over to the car as you realize there are other confused faces nearby, all holding files of their own.

02. The city of Heropa is worse off than the base in Cape Canaveral. The streets looks as if either a hurricane passed through the city or a small recently made it their personal wrecking grounds. Asking anyone will reveal it's the latter... sort of. None of it was intended. The locals are nice, busy with cleaning up the streets and fixing their shop windows and doors. They normally would love to take pictures with you, Hero, though they are preoccupied with work. Every now and then, however, anyone who is so obviously an imPort will find a local backing away from them nervously, pulling their child back with them before closing a door.

03. De Chima, Virginia, hasn't had the same rotten luck as Heropa. Downtown has closed off some streets for repairs, with parts of the street torn out or shop windows shattered, however people in this big city carry on with their daily lives. Anyone who is quite clearly an imPort may find themselves the center of attention, particularly with young children who rush over to you on their hoverboards. Some of the adults passing through smile and wave at you. Thank you, they say, thank you for stopping that domestic terrorist group. The country owes you. They feel even safer with an elected imPort Ambassador watching over the city.

04. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, has, as always, avoided any major or minor damages. Ask about the Hornets or the recent fights between imPorts and the locals will shrug. Don't get them wrong; they're glad those damn Hornets have been dealt with, but they don't want to discuss politics. Try asking the local imPort Ambassador. What's his name? Ryan? Revan? They don't offer any more information. Naturally for a big city, the people are somewhat aloof in nature. You might even notice the police are just the same, turning their heads the other way when two shady figures exchange fat wads of cash at the street corner. Did the police just drive away in their hovervehicle without bothering to observe what those two were up to? They sure did.

05. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities. It's loud, busy and there's some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement. Anyone who they come to determine an imPort is bombarded with all sorts of offers; job offers, advertising gigs, spokesperson for advocating children stay in school, etc. Anything and everything! You name it. Shops offer discounts for food and clothing, whatever they need. People flock in droves with questions, but they all say the same thing. Thank you for your service to this country, Hero. You saved a lot of lives. Wow, feels great to be a hero, doesn't it?

Comments

[underwforwizard]

Yeah, call me crazy but I'm not about to hand over all my personal information to people who just essentially kidnapped me.

[Even if they already sort of have it.]

Don't suppose you could tell me where I can get the first train ticket back home?

[These people might have good intentions but the fact remains that Harry doesn't want to be here.]

[animated]

You say that like they don't already have it.

[ He read his own file when he got here. It was a little eerie, the way they had his actual age listed and not the one on his driver's license ]

Yeah, about that. They can't send us back.

[underwforwizard]

[For a long quiet moment, Harry just stares at Charlie.]

You want to run that by me again?

[animated]

We're here by accident- or at least that's the story. They don't have a way to send us home.

[underwforwizard]

[There's a sudden flash of hot anger in his eyes and his fist begins to clench. It takes Harry another moment or two to reign it back. This isn't Charlie's fault.]

So...where does a guy go to make a formal complaint.

[Or maybe throw a spell or two...or ten. Whatever gets the point across.]

I have a lot more important things to be doing than playing hero in a place I never heard of.

[animated]

I'm sure we all do.

The way I understand it some... thing has taken over the machine that brought us here. It's bringing people here at random and sends them home at random.

[underwforwizard]

[Harry groans and drags a hand down his face in frustration.]

That's just fan-freaking-tastic. So I'm here because their machine went nuts.

[How is he even going to explain this to the others without sounding insane?]

Can't they just build another one?

[animated]

Don't look at me, I'm no expert on trans-dimensional gateways. Maybe they don't have enough wonderflonium to power another one or something.

[underwforwizard]

Well I could have always grabbed more magic pixie dust from my lab in they hadn't, you know, abducted me.

[The sad thing is that he's not really joking.]

[animated]

Does magic pixie dust open portals? Or, I don't know, help power portal-opening technology?

[underwforwizard]

Who knows? If nothing else I could throw it in someone's face and try convincing them they can fly. That might be good for a laugh.

[Harry rubs his chin thoughtfully.]

I could try opening a rift but I wouldn't have a damn clue where I'd end up.

[animated]

[ Oh, well now that has Charlie's attention ] Opening a rift?

[underwforwizard]

To the Never Never.

[Almost after he says it Harry realizes Charlie won't have a clue what he's talking about.]

Uh, the spirit world, but I don't have a clue whether that's going to even work anymore.

[animated]

Ah, gotcha.

[ And he gives a shrug ] I don't know. Considering we're in an alternate reality, they might have an alternate spirit world, which really wouldn't do you much good.

[underwforwizard]

[Harry sighs and rubs his forehead.]

Which opens a whole new can of worms that I don't even want to get into. I'm not nearly that desperate.

[Yet.]

[animated]

Yeah, maybe you should hold off on tearing holes in reality.

Though can I ask how you tear holes in reality?

[underwforwizard]

[Harry lifts his hands and wiggles his fingers.]

Magic~

[His hands then fall back to his side.]

I'm a wizard.

[animated]

[ Charlie just laughs- for a couple reasons, neither of which are condescension or disbelief ]

Join the club.

Also nice to know I'm not the only one who waggles their fingers when they say "magic".

[underwforwizard]

[Harry grins back at him.]

Are you kidding? That's one of my favorite things about being a wizard.

[animated]

Eh, the other wizards I know are a bit too stuffy for- [ and he waggles his fingers ]

Their loss, though.

[underwforwizard]

I guess after a couple of centuries their sense of humor starts to shrivel up like everything else.

[Harry will probably be long dead before that ever happens to him.]

So you're a wizard too huh?

[animated]

[ That gets a bit of a laugh out of Charlie- all too true ]

Yup. There's not many of us around- quite a few magic users, but you're actually the only other person I've met who uses the term "wizard".

[underwforwizard]

Then what do they call themselves? Sorcerers? Warlocks? The Great Gazoo?

[Harry sincerely hopes it's not the first two. They usually mean lots of trouble.]

[animated]

Uh, haven't run into any of those yet, no. Just people with magic powers.

[ he gives a shrug ] This place is kind of a melting pot of different mythos anyway. Wouldn't surprise me to learn that you and I are two different brands of wizard, even.

[underwforwizard]

I'm definitely a different brand of wizard.

[That's not a boast or a brag. Harry knows he barely fits in with his own people. Most of the old fops in the White Council think he's Darth Vader, or would if they ever bothered watching a movie.]

Have any of you tried using your magical mojo together to get out of this place?