12 October, 2003
When the flying car hit me, I realized something important. Dying sucked.
After my death (wait, how can I think?) Things were... blurry. Someone was calling me, but I couldn't understand the words. My mom, I was sure of it. I hope she's okay, but I doubt it. Not in the middle of an attack. Then, darkness.
Next thing I see (feel?) Is the weirdest sight in my life. Dark smoke and lots of shiny shapes. Apparently the afterlife is full of triangles.
Neat. I expected more angels, thought. Looking down, I realised I couldn't see my body. Only smoke in every direction. I wonder...
Ah, I can move. Nice. Moving (drifting?) through the smoke, I noticed one of the light-triangle thing to my left. It was way larger than the others, and I swore there was something moving inside. I was tempted to touch it, but settled on moving. Learn from horror films and don't touch magic boxes. Or books. Or mirrors. Or...
I stopped when I saw a different light. Another Triangle, red unlike the others, and pulsing. Drifting closer, I realised too late that it moved too. I couldn't stop in time before it enveloped me.
Suddenly the world spinned and twisted. Everything was a kaleidoscope of colors, and I felt... different, in a way that I can't describe.
Empty, maybe? Was this supposed to be a Trigger event?
Despite not having a body anymore, I felt the beginning of a migraine. Then I felt my body stretch, then bent in ways it shouldn't be, to the point that the back formed a 90 degree shape and the arms looked like they were jointed in seven different places.
And later I realised I was looking at myself from outside my body. That explained why I didn't feel pain, at least.
Weird. Then, something stood in front of me.
Well, now I know who she is, but back then I could only think of the bastard child of a tree and an octopus, with tentacles instead of branches. She didn't have eyes, there was skin (somehow) instead, but I knew she was looking at me.
After a bit, she said "Go."
And just like that, I was back to the living world. I should have been a smear on the concrete (and I later found out that there was one, under a pickup), but, hey, I just came back to life. It wasn't exactly my first concern.
It was the white screen in front of my face that worried me.
Welcome back [INSERT NAME HERE]!
You have received the ] Shard!
You gained the Perk [I live... Again!]!
You gained the Title [Champion]!
Do you want to see the tutorial? (y/n)
...I won't lie, I stared at it for a good minute. Because, damn, I'm a Cape.
...Shit, I'm a Cape, now. I was going to get conscripted in the Union. I needed help.
Starting tutorial... Tutorial started!
Functions limited until the Tutorial end.
Story Quest Added!
[First steps]
Complete the following objectives:
Step forward;
Step backwards;
Step left;
Step right;
Reward: Tutorial progression, Story progression, 10 XP
I had the feeling the... Game thing was mocking me. I heard a weird PING! sound coming from behind the page, but I ignored it. I stared at the wasteland around me, instead. When I died (wait, I'm a zombie, now?) It was morning.
Now it looks like the sun it's rising, so I've been dead for... what, almost a day. Damn.
The suburbs were a mess: almost all the cars were broken or have been flipped, the houses were full of holes. One got my attention. I remember this place, when I was younger. My mom used to bring me here to visit my uncle. After the divorce with my dad he was the only relative mom was in speaking terms.
A couple of years ago I used to talk to the Clifford's youngest, Beth. We went to the same school and she was nice to me. His dad liked me too: I still remember that time he invited us over to a barbecue and almost burned his own hand. Her mother, Heather, once gave me a monstrosity that was supposed to be a scarf. They were good people.
I looked away from what was left of them, and kept moving.
Story Quest Complete!
[First steps]
Reward: 10 XP!
The suburbs of Burroughs looked like they were hit by an hurricane... or a Critters' attack.
There was a whole topic of this on PolisNet. They were described as enforcers of the Union: born in the aftermath of a Duel, captured, augmented with Tinker weapons and mastered from afar. If they were sent here it meant that there was a Resistance base... and everyone between it was collateral damage.
I called my mom, but she still didn't answer. Where was she? I knew the answer, but I wanted to be wrong.
Story Quest Added!
[Mom!]
Complete objective:
Find your mom;
Reward: 190 XP, Old Photo
A white blur formed in front of me, leading further down the road. I ran as fast as I can, calling my mom. The suburbs were left behind while I sprinted through a road in the middle of nowhere.
There were so many bodies...
But I kept going. An hour later, I found her. I knew she wouldn't have survived.
They killed her. Her shirt was stained red, letting me see the gaping, scorched hole in her chest. Her eyes were open, vacant. Her bag had fallen to her right, in the middle of the road.
When I was five, I used to be sick all the time. Now I'm fine (Kind of, for a revenant) but back then, mom used to take days off from the Dinner just to tend me. She always tried to cheer me up after dad left.
She didn't deserve this.
I felt my eyes water...
[Champion mind] Active!
...and suddenly, the pain was gone. I knew what to do, though.
I will make them pay.
I don't know how, but I will.
Story Quest Complete!
[Mom!]
Reward: 190 XP, Old photo!
Level Up!
You reached Level 2!
You gained 5 STAT points!
Story Quest Added!
[Know thyself]
Complete the following objectives:
Check STAT;
Allocate STAT points;
Reward: 50 XP, Menu Access, Tutorial progression
With a flash of red light, an old photo appeared in my hand. It depicted me, mom and dad during our trip in Vancouver. Those were the best days of my life.
I couldn't find anything to bury her, so I just closed her eyes. There wasn't anything else to do, so I left. Burroughs was a little dot behind me, now.
Victor Larue
Champion
LV 2 XP 100/200
HP 90/90
SP 110/110
STR 9
DEX 10
AGI 11
INT 11
WIS 10
CHA 12
ADM 14
STAT points: 5
PERK points: 0
I kept moving further down the road, towards Wrexham. I had a lot to think about.
Story Quest Added!
[It's a long way to the top]
Complete the following objectives:
Reach Level 5;
Defeat 10 Enemies;
Reach 20 in One STAT;
Survive Two weeks;
Reward: PERK access, 1 PERK point, 1200 XP, Tutorial progression
Quest Added!
[...And justice for all]
Complete the following objectives:
Stop the Union;
Kill *;
Destroy *.
Bonus objectives:
Acquire [?] Blueprint;
Defeat *;
Defeat *;
Destroy [?] AI.
Reward: [?, [?,10 STAT points, 5 PERK points, 15000 XP for each Bonus Objective completed, Personal Satisfaction
If my Phone is not wrong, Wrexham is an hour away from where I was. I never saw it, but i knew it was big enough to have scanners roaming the city, looking for anyone who triggered. There were theories on PolisNet about what the Union did to the Parahumans.
Some believe they were brainwashed, others thought they got forced to work for the government as spec ops soldiers. Few were seen again.
What everyone agrees about is that they don't have age restrictions.
No one forgot the Nellis Shootout.
Which is why is such a risk entering there. I have scavenged whatever I could from some broken cars, and tomorrow I'll buy what I needed. Oh, and this screens showed up.
[Tire Iron] acquired!
Damage: 5STR
Damage Type: Kinetic
Speed: Medium
Durability: 12/25
Debuff:
[Ruined: Decrease MAX Durability by 50%
[Bloodied: While held, decrease CHA by 1
I hope the bloodstains will be bistaken for rust. Thankfully, it fits in the backpack just fine.
Tapping the screen, I then saw the other things i've acquired.
[Baseball hat] acquired!
Durability: 10/20
[Hoodie] acquired!
Durability: 23/30
[Windbreaker] acquired!
Durability: 46/50
[Leather Backpack] acquired!
Durability: 35/100
[Medical Spray] acquired!
Recover 15% HP
Decrease [Bleeding] Debuff by 1
At the edge of the city, I stopped and checked my STAT.
Victor Larue
Champion
LV 2 XP 100/200
HP 90/90
SP 110/110
STR 9
DEX 10
AGI 11
INT 11
WIS 11
CHA 12
ADM 14
STAT points: 5
PERK points: 0
I previously checked the screen, and it turned out I gained 1 WIS.
Stupid smartass game thingy.
Well, I may need the STR. I'm not sure what ADM is, though. Still, I distributed my STAT points. I was too weak pyshically, so I hoped that my CHA could help me instead.
Or at least I'll let me bullshit my way out in a fight. I hoped i won't anger a Cape the first day in town.
Victor Larue
Champion
LV 2 XP 100/200
HP 110/110
SP 110/110
STR 11
DEX 11
AGI 11
INT 11
WIS 11
CHA 14
ADM 14
STAT points: 0
PERK points: 0
Ok, so STR affect my HP and INT my MP- wait, SP? Ugh, I hoped there was manual for all of this.
Story Quest Complete!
[Know thyself]
Reward: 50 XP, Menu Access, Tutorial Progression
Story Quest Added!
[Know thyself better!]
Complete the following objectives:
Check Inventory;
Check Journal;
Check Codex;
Reward: 50 XP, 1 STAT point, Skill Access, Tutorial progression
Nice.
So, how it's supposed to work? Menu? Ok, maybe vocal commands will do. "Menu." Yet another screen opened on my face.
Main Menu
Inventory
Journal
Codex
Skills
STAT
PERK
PolisNet
Everything was greyed out except Inventory, STAT, Journal, Codex and PolisNet- Wait, how...
I pressed PolisNet and another screen came up. One that I did recognise.
Welcome back to Polis Network, Vick89!
You are viewing: Cape Forum New US San Francisco
Order by: Most relevant
Topic Limit: 20
Topic: La Resistance!
JConnor (Moderator): Hi guys, I've heard from the Militia some troubling news. Two days ago, they released Critters in Burroughs, a town north of here. Does anyone know anything?
There were other post published, but I ignored it. I had other things to do. I logged off PolisNet and checked my Inventory. There was my phone (somehow it survived), energy drinks, water and candy bars, along with everything else I had put in the backpack.
[Candy bars] acquired!
Recover 3 HP
[Energy drinks] acquired!
Recover 3 SP
The Codex was disappointing, though.
Welcome to the Codex!
Complete Tutorial to unlock!
[Factions]
[Contacts]
[Bestiary]
[Items]
[Tutorial]
Well, the journal was useful, at least.
Welcome to the Journal!
[Story Quests]
[Know thyself better!: Complete!
[It's a long way to the top: Active
[Quests]
[...And justice for all: Active
[*] Quests: LOCKED
Story Quest Complete!
[Know thyself better!]
Reward: 50 XP, 1 STAT point, Skill Access, Tutorial progression
Level Up! You reached Level 3!
You Gained 5 STAT points!
Story Quest Added!
[I know Kung Fu]
Complete Objective: Access Skills
Reward: 1 STAT point, Skills access, Active Skill [Scan]
Finally! I pressed Skills and I was greeted by an almost empty screen.
[Active Skills]
[Passive Skills]
[* Shard] LV 1 AP 0/0
Gives you access to the Passive Skills [Champion Body, [Champion mind, [Mimic]
Can be upgraded with ]
Complete the Quest ] to unlock description.
[Champion Body] LV1 AP 0/0
Your body can't be mutilated and your perception of pain is dulled, as long as you have HP.
You can learn and use pyshical-based skills.
Can be upgraded with ]
[Champion Mind] LV1 AP 0/0
Psychological Trauma and stress are dulled.
Can lessen (Mental) damage.
You can learn and use mental-based skills.
Can be upgraded with ]
[Mimic] LV1 AP 0/50
With enough practice and ADM, gain the ability to learn enemy Skills.
Requires [Scan] and the usage of the Skill during combat.
Story Quest Complete!
[I know Kung Fu]
Reward: 1 STAT point, Skills access, Active Skill [Scan]
[Scan] LV1 AP 0/10
Active Skill: 5 SP/use
This Skill let's you analyze character's HP and SP, along with the active [Shard]
Wow, that was useful. Wait, Shard? Ah whatever, I'll look at it later.
Wrexham was almost empty in the early morning; the only people around were joggers and shopkeepers. Which was perfect: few people around meant that it was unlikely to scanners to show up. Thankfully the drones had the flaw to scan only large groups.
Walking around the streets, I saw an opened clothes shop, which was what I wanted. Once inside, I bought a green sweater, a black jacket, boots and a neckwarmer.
[Sweater] acquired!
Durability: 40/40
Buff:
[Warm: Resist Low (Freezing) Damage.
[Winter Jacket] acquired!
Durability: 90/90
Buff:
[Warm: Resist Low (Freezing) Damage
[Thick: Resist Low (Kinetic) Damage
Winter was getting close and so far my power didn't come with an heater. Volume, luckily, wasn't a problem. I could probably put a car on my inventory and weight the same.
I think. I really hoped this power have a manual.
Still, being outed already would be a problem I don't want to dealt with, so I had to go through multiple shops. A normal kid can't just buy an entire wardrobe and keep it on his back.
However, It was after buying non perishable food (I didn't know if my power could keep things fresh, after all) that I spotted a drone.
Made by four rotors on all sides, and a large, Tinker camera in the center, it had the job to examine the presence of a Corona Pollentia in the human brain.
And it was just in the middle of the street, coming straight towards me.
Passing through was too risky and running away would be even worse.
The drones recorded everything, so I put my hood up and walked in its opposite direction. I turned left at the first street I could find, towards a dead end. I crouched behind a dumpster and let it move past me.
That was where I met Mira for the first time.
New Codex Entry!
The Nellis Shootout (3/1/1992)
Nellis, a town in Nevada counting less than a thousand inhabitants, became somewhat known as a safe haven for every Parahuman unwilling to join the Union.
Up until they were attacked by the combined force of the PCU (Coming Soon!) and the Union Enforcers (Coming Soon!). A massive force, formed by more than a thousand Critters and thirty Enforcers, hit the town with the objective to capture/kill all opposing them, i.e. everyone in town.
The results were more than five hundred civilians involved in the crossfire, which resulted in their deaths, and the killing of the great majority of the Capes in town. One of the survivors of the attack, known as Heimwerker (Coming Soon!), founded the actual Resistance against the Union.
Victor Larue
Champion
LV 3
XP 100/200
HP 110/110
SP 110/110
STR 11
DEX 11
AGI 11
INT 11
WIS 11
CHA 14
ADM 14
STAT points: 7
PERK points: 0