Realistic or Modern Beyond Power Lore

[Lavvy]

Beyond Power is a group rp focused on detailed character building, complex relationships, and real, human emotions and problems in a world populated by people with fantastic supernatural abilities. The world is dark, gritty, and corrupt, but that doesn't mean you have to be! In fact, in the city of Ephyra, you can be whatever you want.

So who will you become?

Join the discord server here!

NONE OF THIS THREAD IS REQUIRED READING!
All of the information here is just flavor text, to help deepen the world, its layout, and its history. You may read it if you like, but you won't be missing anything essential to the story or playing a character if you decide to skip any or all of it!​

This setting was heavily inspired by Hero Rising, One Punch, The X-men Universe, and the Incredibles.

 

[Lavvy]

This is not required reading! This information is only here to help you better understand the world and setting!

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Our Story takes place in the City State of Ephyra, and its surrounding zones. The year is 2XXX, and the New U.S. is still a young country, fresh off the heels of a major civil war roughly one hundred years ago that shook the country to its bones. Times are relatively peaceful, on a global scale, but there is a great deal of civil unrest. Despite setbacks due to the Super Civil War, technology is relatively on par with that of our world, thanks to the help of technomancers. The internet is still relatively new, and cyber security is still relatively loose on the whole, and cell phones are incredibly common. The New U.S. is divided into city-state territoties, which are connected by high speed rails. The in-between spaces of these states are populated by lawless vagabonds who will readily rob, kidnap, or murder normal citizens. Many Heroes spend their time defending city-state borders from them, but citizens living in the slums on the borders of the city are most susceptible to attack. These vagabonds will also occasionally attack high speed train lines as well.​

 

[Lavvy]

This is not required reading! This information is only here to help you better understand the world and setting!

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◆ Roughly (150 years ago), people began being born with strange powers. While the earliest documented cases began as long as two hundred years ago, the sudden spike in numbers of these strange births is marked in that time period. Historians refer to this time period as the 'new wave' era, a time when powers were neither well understood nor documented, and no legal protections for such peoples was in place. In the early decades of powers during the New Wave, powered people and their families were subject to discrimination in many forms by the non powered populace who, at that time, still greatly outnumbered the powered.

◆ About 20 years after that point (130 years ago), the governments of the global superpowers at the time all had different forms of dealing with their growing powered populace. While the details varied, most involved some form of powered registration system. In the United States, this system categorized citizens into different 'danger codes.' Those with particularly high danger ratings were subject to being transferred to government run containment facilities, for the safety and peace of mind of its more 'normal' citizens.

◆ (125 years ago) Civil unrest grew exponentially as more and more young adults and teens were incarcerated against their will, and more and more reports came out that those imprisoned were being treated inhumanely, and in some cases even experimented on by the U.S. Government (these claims would later be proven true in released documents). Riots and acts of violence and/or retaliation between powered and non-powered extremist groups became more and more common as fear on both sides grew. A few states began signing basic powered protections into law in hopes of calming the unrest.

◆ (122 years ago) The federal U.S. government adopted more basic powered protections laws at the beginning of the year, but it was too little too late. By the middle of the year, a state of emergency was declared as more and more powered revolts began in the containment facilities, where they had unwittingly banded the most powerful powered civilians together. These escaped powered masses joined with their free compatriots, as well as non-powered allies and families, and began a long, drawn out civil war in the U.S., which would later come to be called The Super Civil War. Similar civil wars would erupt across the globe with varying results. The notable exception was France, which was able to somewhat clunkily transition into a new powered and non-powered alliance in government with minimal bloodshed.

◆ (109 years ago) The Super Civil War lasted for a full 13 years before finally coming to a close with the ultimate destruction of the majority of the United States Governing bodies. Both powered and non-powered civilians came together to slowly begin rebuilding society in the former United states, and officially founded The New United States of All. Or New U.S. for short. But the New U.S. was mostly a concept at that point. Most of the civilization in the old U.S.A. had been destroyed, with major cities having been the targets of incredible powered violence and retribution, as had been the containment facilities. The remaining cities were small and scattered, some half destroyed, and some ringed by militant outposts which, with the ending of the war, had outlived their purposes. Rebuilding would take time, and during that time, the countryside evolved into a lawless wasteland.

◆ (100 years ago) The first well-documented case of a 'hero' as we know them today was written in a recovering city which had been mostly destroyed in the Super Civil War. There had been others before her that took similar paths and paved the way for modern heroes, but the story of this hero, Fortitude, became a point of inspiration for other powered people at the time. Fortitude was one of the minority of powered people living in the ruined city of Sea Isle, which had been reduced to little more than a township. With the collapse of governing bodies and a lack of organized law enforcement, the roads around the town became fraught with bandits and ransackers, both powered and non powered alike, who preyed on the chaos and the weak of the time, stealing and killing freely. Fortitude, a powered woman with breath which could freeze over everything in her path for nearly half a mile, stood up to these lawless raiders, and repeatedly drove them away from the settlement as it tried to recover. She defended a mostly non powered populace, despite having been one of the prisoners in the containment facilities of the non powered before the war. She inspired other powered people in Sea Isle to take up arms to defend their non powered companions against raiding parties, and even one particularly vindictive powered raider called Sting, who sought to take out his revenge against all non powered, and never considered the war over (often noted as the first supervillain). Fortitude was praised as a hero, and soon her story spread, and other groups of powered citizens began to take up arms to defend their homes from lawless vagabonds. These people were considered the first generation of superheroes.

◆ (65 years ago) The New U.S. Governments reach slowly spread, but it's advance was impeded at every turn by groups of raiders and extremists who made settlements throughout the new territories. Some simply founded their own communities and declined being absorbed by the New U.S., while others simply became wastes of no mans land where groups of vengeful powered and non powered extremists. Eventually, most of the larger communities did ally themselves and join the New U.S., but a few strong city states remained independent, and large swaths of old highway had become hellscapes for lawless vagabonds, growing in number and strength. Rather than put manpower into reclaiming these territories, the New U.S. instead invested its power into strengthening and rebuilding its allied cities. Most civilians flocked to the new major cities as safe outposts from the wastelands and its raiders. The leaderships of these cities worked together with the government to begin laying groundwork for new infrastructures, rebuilding, and establishing a sense of safety and normalcy for its citizens (the numbered of powered ever growing). In this year, the government also began laying down tracks for a high speed train loop connecting all of its major cities, making travel safe and accessible even through the in-between wastes, which still made other forms of travel dangerous, and susceptible to attack by remaining raider extremists.

◆ (45 years ago) In an attempt to dissuade further raider activity, the government outlawed all vigilante activity. This included individual citizens taking matters into their own hands against those they considered dangerous, or unjust. For those who had grown up in the protective shadow of powered activists like Fortitude, this incited an enraged outcry from many of its citizens, who felt safest with home grown protectors, whom they knew. For several years, alternatives and compromises were tossed back and fourth, before a group was finally established to help regulate a legal form of super vigilantism - The Globally Organized Association of Legal Supers - G.O.A.L.S, which would eventually establish branches overseas as well and regulate superhero rankings worldwide. Some of the remaining original protectors - such as Void - did not agree with the idea of a government regulated system, and felt it too akin to the old registration days, and continued their vigilantism without G.O.A.L.S. licensing, and were eventually branded as villains.

◆ (40 years ago) The borders became more and more safe as the new government stabilized. Heroes registered in the early days of G.O.A.L.S. were pioneers in the field of legal hero work. There was a great deal of chaos and danger involved in the work, with no payoff except that of protecting the city from the wasteland raiders who would still make occasional passes at civilians, and disgruntled extremists within the cities. Most cities were by then city-states, each with slightly varying rules and regulations dictating what was and wasn't acceptable. Early heroes were a scarce breed because of these road blocks, and for a time, new waves of crime began to flourish as people scrabbled to find their place in this new world. Historians refer to this time period as The Golden Age of Heroes. Many 'golden age' heroes were on the forefront of establishing what was expected of 'true' heroes.

◆ (35 years ago) Merchandising and licensing within G.O.A.L.S. helped generate income and stabilize the hero industry, and turned heroes into something like celebrities. The number of new wannabe heroes suddenly boomed, with new recruits all vying to become the new number one hero according to the new G.O.A.L.S. ranking system.

◆ (30 years ago) A Golden Age Hero named Gadget secured the number one ranking, and began solidifying a legacy that would endear him as The Poster Child that all heroes ought to aspire to be.

◆ (28 years ago) The G.O.A.L.S. Ranking system went international, sparking more heroes from all around the globe to strive for greater and greater heights. The Hero Graduates program is established at a new university, The University of Ephrya City.

◆ (26 years ago) The Wasteland Raiders unified as a collective group, of sorts, proclaiming their sovereignty even in terriroties claimed by the New U.S. and causing civil unrest and dispute. The New U.S. Government makes public statements that it will not acknowledge the conglomerate of mercenaries and thieves, and will take drastic action against any who harm its citizens. Tensions between the city state settlements. A junior version of the Ephyra University Heroes program is established throughout smaller schools and colleges, as well as a sister private school in Ephyra, the Elysium School for the Gifted.

◆ (23 years ago) Gadget, reigning number one hero for the past several years, is discovered dead in his home of an apparent suicide. His death causes great public outcry, and quickly becomes a beacon to call into question the kinds of pressures and responsibilities put on professional heroes. His death would eventually inspire the implementation of new safety net systems for heroes mental health, as well as mandatory off days for higher ranked heroes.

◆ PRESENT DAY
Today, the New United States of All is stronger than ever, even with the lingering threat of the wasteland raiders gnawing at the borders. There are occasional attacks on the high speed rails between the city states, but they are largely played down by the media. There are more aspiring heroes now than ever before, and there are still a number of extremist cells hiding in plain sight, even in comfortable diverse city states throughout the new U.S.. The ratio of powered to non powered humans to powered has shifted dramatically, with only one in every three people born now being non powered, and that number is dwindling as well.

 

[Lavvy]

CITY OF EPHYRA RUNDOWN

Here you will get detailed explanations of the various districts and places of note within our home - the City of Ephyra!

Ephyra is like the Hollywood of Superheroes. It headquarters the largest G.O.A.L.S. training and licensing center, as well as the University with the most comprehensive and successful Hero Program. However, because of these facts, they have also been made the target of some of the most ferocious anti-powered terrorist attacks. And these attacks, naturally, earned the ire of some very wrathful anti-human organizations. Combine that with an overpopulated city, chock full of underpaid workers and desperate folks pushed below the poverty line while being forced to look up at overpaid heroes put up on pedestals, and you can easily see how Ephyra has become a giant melting pot for conflict. Many young people move to Ephyra hoping to make it big as a hero in a city overflowing with both resources as well as crime, but the streets are more dangerous than most people realize. Many young heroes are sorely injured, broken, outright killed, or mysteriously vanish. Despite the oversaturation of heroes in the city, it's still not the kind of place you want to wander through alone after dark.

Below we will go over Ephyra's various districts, and the major institutions the city has to offer!

More details and locations will be added to this thread as information becomes available.
D I S T R I C T S


▸Uptown District
One of the nicest districts in the city, Uptown is fairly quiet, housing a smattering of privately owned coffee shops, boutiques, shopping districts, and a smattering of lavish townhouses and luxury condominiums. Aside from the little section taken over by the G.O.A.L.S. Headquarters, the district is very slow-paced overall. The roads are kept clean and paved, and there are very regular police and hero patrols. The people who live in the Uptown District are usually somewhat well off, and definitely aren't living to paycheck to paycheck, although many of the people who work in the shopping district are. Uptown is dotted with lovely little parks along their side of the river, and a few of the nicer neighborhoods have authentic gas lamps to illuminate the stone walkways at night. It is the ideal first date neighborhood. It is home to the G.O.A.L.S. North American Headquarters, as well as Elysium School for the Gifted.

G.O.A.L.S. Headquarters​

• The largest G.O.A.L.S. location in the New United States (and all of North America), this cell practically functions as its own little town within the city. While the smaller, easier access buildings are devoted simply to issuing and reinstating licenses, the larger buildings are used to store incredible amounts of data on all of the Heroes throughout the whole country. They also have a smattering of buildings and a gym completely dedicated to testing the physical and mental abilities of heroes seeking to be granted higher-class hero licenses. They also have a few separate training fields and obstacle courses for the hero classes that they offer (to those willing to pay the fee to improve on a professional level). All of this, in addition to the work they do organizing and posting wanted bounties for the government offices, keeping tabs on licensed heros 'strikes', and keeping up communications and policy updates with the rest of G.O.A.L.S. international locations, means that they have an entire block of workers bustling around at any given time of day. Rumor has it that there's even a crazy lab tangled up in there somewhere, where they try to isolate exactly what causes different powers, and how they work. On top of all of that, they also house a Hero Warning System, with a live 24/7 team that brings information in as it's received, assessing it, and relaying important information and threats to all registered heroes via an app on their phone. While it's not of great use to D and C rank heroes (most lower level crimes are handled by the time they reach headquarters) it is frequently used to summon B and A rank heroes to the locations of particularly dangerous criminals or terrorist attacks unfolding.

Elysium School for the Gifted​

• Imagine the polar opposite of Titanus and Kirkmangton High, and you might get close to Elysium. Elysium is an elite private school for the children of wealthy or powerful families to attend. With both boarding and non-boarding options, Elysium works in close conjunction with the U of E and has an extremely well developed curriculum for both powered and non-powered students. There's no fear of any child being overlooked - they take a rigidly set number of students each year in order to maintain the ideal class size. They expect their students to dress, speak, and present for success. Their crisp uniform is very recognizable, but even without it, most teens can tell if a peer is an Elysium kid within moments of meeting them. They have a reputation for being uptight snobs - and successful. In recent years, they've started accepting two to three 'passion project' students - part of a grand political scheme, in all likelihood. They waive the exorbitant tuition fees for a few gifted students from lower income families to give them a chance to prove that they deserve to be an Elysium student. Due to their reputation, and good standing with the U of E, the competition for these few slots is incredibly fierce.

▸Midtown District
The heart of the city, and where most of the 'action' happens. Most people live and work in the Midtown area, which holds a dense concentration of apartments, office buildings, and name brand shopping malls, peppered with food carts and restaurants throughout. It is a crowded neighborhood and, with the exception of the University sub-district, can be rather rough once the sun goes down. Despite how the name might sound, Midtown is actually the largest district, taking up a large girth in the middle of the city. It boats a rather nice park that stretches along the middle of the riverside, sporting several picnic benches, shady trees, and the occasional swing set. An oasis during the day, but a very unsafe place at night. The rest of Midtown is loaded with strange, twisting backalleys. One might lead you to the coolest little hole-in-the-wall karaoke bar or local coffee place, while the other might lead you into an illegal cock fight or group of tweaking gangsters. So mind your step. But in all honesty, it's a fairly safe district, as long as you do all of your wandering during the daylight hours. This is also where the High Speed Train line, which connects all of the New U.S. city-states, cuts through. This district hosts the University of Ephyra campus, Kirkmangton High, the Perses Mental Institution, and City Hall.

University of Ephyra Campus​

• The University of Ephyra is a very old, incredibly well-established school, with roots dating back to many years before the emergence of the very first powered people. While it was once known primarily for its advanced space and science programs - which are still very noteworthy, mind you - these days the University is famous for something else; It's Hero Training courses. The U of E was one of the first establishments after the war to devote resources specifically to training students to use their powers effectively, and for the greater good. As the years progressed, they left basic power education to primary and highschools, and focused more on advanced power training. Today, they offer an expanse of courses, from Powered Rights, Heroic History, Powered Law, and Ordained Hero Training. The U of E brags of having the highest percentage of Hero-centric graduates to actually obtain lasting careers in their field, and so everyone who wants to pursue hero work professionally (and can afford it) ends up applying. But their Hero Program is incredibly strict, and only takes the best of the best. While they do offer occasional scholarships for the program, they are notoriously difficult to obtain.

Kirkmangton High​

• The primary high school in Ephyra, Kirkmangton is a public school that, like most, is overcrowded, underfunded, and understaffed. Like most high schools these days, they have a set of special courses for powered students who, new to their powers, need guidance in how to properly utilize and control them. But they are still a mixed school, and so do their best to focus on the education of their non-powered student populace as well. However some institutions say that this is disadvantageous, and that the non-powered students receive less attention and support than their powered classmates. In order to combat this idea, their sister school, Titanus, was founded, and their most troublesome powered students are sent there. But, for the most part, Kirkmangton High operates just like any other inner city highschool - poorly.

Perses Mental Institution​

• A mental health ward and detainment facility, Perses houses many criminally insane powered people, keeping them safe and sedated, away from the general population. They also take care of those whose abilities had drastic effects on their psyche once they manifested, and other mentally unstable powered people. The building itself is a large, foreboding structure, with thick, reinforced walls and bulletproof plexiglass windows, bolted shut. On record, they treat their charges well enough. But there are rumors that the one who runs the facility has been seen having dealings with the Leader of the Anti-Powered terrorist cell.

▸Downtown District
Downtown is one of the rougher places to be in the city. Many of the working class and impoverished families end up stuck here, where the pay is ridiculously low, but hey, so is the rent. It creates a vacuum that is difficult to escape from. Downtown is usually a mess, either from neglect, recent crime, or - usually - from whatever most recent newbie hero broke something. Downtown is a popular stomping ground for D-Class heroes trying to strike it big, since the crime rate is higher than in Midtown or Uptown, but not QUITE so bad as the Slums. Because of this, and being a low priority for city repair crews, Downtown is often littered with broken light poles, shattered concrete, and crater-ridden asphalt from the last 'big standoff' between a hero wannabe and the latest powered menace. Most downtowners work outside of the district if they can. Downtown is home to the Bellham Federal Correctional Facility, Titanus School for the Troubled Powered Youth, and the Turnaround Institute.

Bellham Federal Correctional Facility​

• A powered-level security prison, and one bursting at the seams, Bellham is home to most of Ephyras powered criminal population. Despite its name, it is - like most 'correctional facilities' - mostly just a holding cell with a revolving door. As soon as a prisoner is out, they are back in again. Because of the difficulty and expense of running a facility to contain powered individuals, Bellham hosts both male and female inmates, albeit rigorously separated from one another. The complex is comprised of two major 'wings' united by a central yard, in which the male and female inmates are rotated. The walls are high and barbed, and every wall, fence, and gate is made of a tamper-proof, power-proof material. Many brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and cousins live out their lives here. Most powered people in the lower and middle classes of the city have at least one relative detained.

Titanus School for the Troubled Powered Youth​

• Titanus was founded in response to fears that focusing on powered students learning to control their powers would overshadow the needs of non-powered students. Running on a military style school plan, Titanus is the kind of place that teens talk about in low, hushed tones. That's the place where you don't want to end up. An institutionalized boarding school, its students are practically prisoners. While basic education is still provided, the overwhelming focus is put on students learning to control their powers. Students are usually sent to Titanus if they have particularly dangerous, powerful, or difficult to control abilities, and not necessarily based on behavior. However, to most, it still seems like a punishment, and because of its reputation, it is often used as such. And since, technically, they can't refuse student transfers for being non-powered, they have on occasion had a few unlucky non-powered sods sent into their ranks as well.

Turnaround Institute​

• Located in a less-than-hospitable downtown neighborhood, the Turnaround Institute is a nonprofit organization that has been picking up steam in recent years. It is an experimental foray years in the making. The head of the Institute pleaded with city officials for years to allow it, and finally received a plot of land and a few permissions to open up the citys first - the countrys first - supervillain rehabilitation centre. 'Supervillain' being the laymans term for 'powered criminal.' Before now, sentenced powereds had little to no hope of reintegrating into society. an overwhelming 93% of powered offenders ended up back in prison - something that the founder hopes to change. Now, thanks to a generous donation from a mysterious benefactor, they are up and running and finally starting to produce some of their success stories. However, the Turnaround Institute is still on very thin ice. Just one major meltdown from a dangerous powered individual could shut them down and cut short any chances for other institutions like theirs forever. Because of this, they have to be extremely careful about who they choose to try and rehabilitate - much to the heads chagrin.

▸The Residential District
The Residential district is exactly what it sounds like. Sitting on the border between Downtown and Midtown, the residential district is a thick belt of clustered apartment buildings, flanked by outcroppings of working-class suburbs. In general, it is a quiet, dull neighborhood, but it is rather vulnerable to petty crimes and assaults.

▸The Slums
The Slums are a sad, dangerous, wild place. Ringed around the downtown district, the Slums are technically a kind of lawless in-between that neither the city nor the state wants to claim responsibility for. They have been in a precarious legal state for years, teetering between receiving aide from the city and being left to their own devices. Many (if not most) of the homes here lack power, or even running water in some cases. They are usually ramshackle assembleys of tin roofing and drywall all stacked and leaning against one another, with the occasional off wheel-less trailer on cinderblocks thrown in for good measure. Half of the time, the garbage trucks don't come, so most trash is burned by local pyrokinetics. Slummers do share an odd sort of kinship with one another, a unity brought about by poverty and struggle. However it is an incredibly dangerous place to be. There are routine power struggles between local budding 'supervillain' gangs, as well as violent anti-powered extremists. Because of it's lack of proper government involvement, many powered criminals make their bases here, where they know the government won't be assed to search, and the neighbors know well enough to keep their mouths shut. If you aren't a slummer, it's dangerous to go there no matter what time of day it is. It is also the most prone to attacks from the Outlander Bandits which still plague swaths of land in between the city states.

▸The Kokytos River & Parks
The Kokytos River runs down the length of the city, right through the middle. It runs all the way from Uptown, carrying all debris down to the Slums. There are parks dotting it on all sides, and each one tends to reflect its district. The Uptown River parks are polished, with stone benches and low stone walls covered in tended ivy. The Midtown parks tend to be well-trod and a little busy, but maintained. Downtown parks are rough, sketchy places at best. And the Slums... don't really have parks anymore. Just clusters of outdoor camping tents and little tin structures by the water to salvage usable material and food from the riverside.

 

[Lavvy]

Villain Bounty Levels
When crimes are committed, criminals can earn a star rating based on the level of threat as well as the bounty to be earned for turning them in. Usually, licensed heroes are recommended to seek out bounties that better match their current license / skill level. These are the star-rating bounty levels:

★ Grey Star Levels
Grey Star bounties are for local crimes, sometimes national but often refer more to city-state-level offenses. Capturing and turning in criminals with these bounties will earn heroes certain rewards.

★ Grey One Star Level - Minor offenders, criminals who use threats of powers or weapons to rob or assault the populace. Most unlicensed vigilantes also fall into this ranking. Grey one-star bounties do not offer a monetary reward for capture, but they will still boost your hero score.
★★ Grey Two Star Level - Dangerous repeat offenders who not only threaten people with powers and weapons, but have actively harmed, assaulted, and terrorized other citizens. Usually this is on a personal level, or involved in thefts and robberies. Grey Two-star Bounties do not offer monetary rewards, but will boost your hero score.
★★★ - Grey Three Star Level - Armed and Powered villains who have made active threats against members of the population or city council members, and carried out planned assaults and attacks resulting in injury and property damage. Grey Three-star bounties will occasionally offer a monetary reward for capture, usually if their assaults have resulted in bodily injury. These monetary rewards are usually little more than a couple hundred dollars at most.
★★★★ - Grey Four Star Level - Local terrorists, this level includes criminals who have made planned and organized attacks against the public or council members resulting in injury or death. There are usually moderate monetary rewards for capturing a Grey Four-star bounty. It is not recommended for D-class heroes to pursue.
★★★★★ - Grey Five Star Level - The highest local rating, Grey Five-star bounties are usually dangerous criminals who have committed several attacks resulting in death. There is always a solid monetary reward given for Grey five-stars, however it is not recommended that heroes lower than C-class try to pursue or engage.​

★ Black Star Levels
Grey Star bounties are for National and International crimes. These criminals are a league above grey-star levels, and usually should not be engaged by anyone lower than a C-class license, at the VERY least. Usually these bounties are better suited to B and A-class heroes. All Black Star bounties carry a solid monetary reward.

★ Black One Star Level - Black One-stars are usually criminals who have multiple grey level offenses in multiple cities or countries. Their offenses are usually violent, however, and their tendency for escape has clearly made them a wily target.
★★ Black Two Star Level - These criminals are usually those who have carried out violent, organized, mass attacks against small groups of people, usually in public. Generally violent members of extremist terrorist cells (but not usually the leaders), these criminals are not only violent, but experienced.
★★★ - Black Three Star Level - Leaders of extremist cells and organized crime rings, it is recommended that no one below B-class tries to engage with Black Three-star criminals. These people are not only violent and experienced, but usually tactical and conniving as well, often willing to employ trickery and traps. These criminals are often responsible for dozens of deaths, and should not be taken lightly.
★★★★ - Black Four Star Level - Threats on at LEAST a national level, but is usually international. These villains have caused mass destruction on at least a city-wide level, often killing indiscriminately and causing untold amounts of property and monetary damage. These criminals are extremely dangerous, and should never be approached by anyone below B-class. Ideally, only A-Class heroes should engage, or several B-class heroes teamed up. The monetary rewards for these bounties are incredibly substantial.
★★★★★ - Black Five Star Level - The most dangerous (public) level, these villains pose an immediate international threat. They have decimated multiple cities, created mass hostage situations, and have likely already destroyed other heroes coming after them. Even A-class heroes should engage with extreme prejudice, and never confront these people alone. Bringing down one of these villains not only carries an immense monetary reward, but usually merits you a medal or two from the president and copious parties.

★ The Red Star
The red star is a symbol used by G.O.A.L.S. high-ranks, and is not a known public ranking. Red Star rankings signal problems and threats on a planetary scale. Usually, S-Class heroes are quietly dispensed to try and end the problem before global panic can ensue.

 

[Lavvy]

F A M O U S V I L L A I N S
Villains who are currently at large will have their bounty rating posted next to them)

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Fleshrot​

The villain famously responsible for the death of the non-powered hero, Haywire, Fleshrot was one of the most nefarious criminals of the past decade. His reign of terror was only finally put to a stop roughly ten years ago. With the power to control the death or reproduction of living cells, he could rot away the flesh of anyone he touched. To this day, no one knows exactly why he started his rampage of destruction, but he was cruel and merciless in his wake. His origins also remain a mystery, as is how he was let off with a life sentence instead of an execution. But he was, and he still resides in The Bellham Federal Correctional Facility as one of their high-security prisoners. He has still been accredited with the deaths of several inmates.​

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Puppet / Spider​

Puppet was a horrific, rare case of a beloved hero going turncoat. He had a peculiar power to hypnotize people with his words. Once he had someone under his control, he could make them do anything he wanted, as well as peer into their minds. He fought against a stigma in his youth, with people fearing his power. However, he struggled and persevered, becoming a professional hero and doing a great deal of good. He was able to deescalate violent situations and end conflict without causing collateral damage. For years, he was a handsome, charming, popular hero. He became well-loved, a fan favorite. But things slowly began to change. He became increasingly reclusive, and after a lengthy secret investigation, it came to light that he had been manipulating a vast web of powerful political figures and law enforcement officers. He went on the run, evading capture and doing a very brief stint as a supervillain under a different name - Spider. But Spider was short lived, once a talented aspiring hero - who happened to be deaf - managed to take him down and muzzle him. He has lived in the Bellham Federal Correctional Facility ever since. Oddly, there have been two assassination attempts on him since he has been in. He is largely kept in isolation, in a soundproof cell.​

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The Plague Doctor​

One of the most famous villains, she was held in the Perses Mental Institution from the time of his capture until her death roughly ten years ago. A mentally disturbed woman with an unsettling command of insects and microscopic parasites, she actually conquered a small city before eventually being driven out by Invictus. Everywhere she went she caused plague and decay, her swarms of locus, spiders, and biting insects withering away everything in her path. She developed a small following of cult-like devotees who worshipped her. A few managed to be rehabilitated after her capture, and went on to live normal lives. Even with Invictus able to withstand her, he could not stop her and her organization by himself. He had to team up with Gadget, as well as a few other heroes, to stop her network of influence and finally capture her. It was discovered that she had been mentally scarred by the civil wars she'd lived through in her childhood, and she was transferred to Perses following an insanity plea. She lived to a rather old age in spite of this.​

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Bolt​

Bolt was an incredibly greedy woman, with a gift for equally incredible speed. She robbed people blind before they even knew what hit them. But on top of this, she was an incredibly clever schemer. She thwarted even the most well thought out traps that heroes and law enforcement set for her. Modern hero historians theorize that she may have, in fact, been a literal genius. But she was always pushing her own limits. She ended up causing her own demise while fleeing from a particularly persistent hero when she misjudged a turn and went skidding across the water and into the support beam of a bridge... at 450mph. Prior to her death, and even after, she maintained a decent fanclub. She would regularly taunt law enforcement on camera and make shoutouts to these groups, and seemed to enjoy the attention.​

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Smolder​

Smolder was one of a smattering of early 'vendetta villain' cases. Specifically, supervillains who took up a life of destruction specifically for revenge against a hero who they perceive has wronged them. In Smolders case, she was spurned by her once boyfriend, and didn't take kindly to it. Rather than be shamed by him, she took up the name of Smolder and began causing blatant destruction in Terminus' name in order to draw him out. She actually got pretty good at it, and for a while she teamed up with several other Vendetta Villains in order to exact their revenge. Eventually, Terminus put a stop to it, and Smolder spent several years in prison before eventually being released. She gave up being a vendetta villain, although she never really forgave Terminus. She kept the name Smolder and became a fairly successful country singer. Most of her songs are angry threats about a cheating boyfriend, but her albums sell very well with angsty young women. Smolder is credited with spearheading the rise of the Vendetta Villain culture, which is fairly predominant today.​

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Void​

The Call of the Void, or just Void for short, is actually a more obscure name than the rest. He initially emerged as one of the very first early unlicensed vigilantes, immediately after the war in the chaos that followed. In those times, people were still split into scrambling factions, and everyone was vulnerable to desperate and frightened neighbors. Void became a protector for several struggling townships, and during the formative years that followed, he served as a role model and inspiration to many who would later go on to become famous heroes themselves. However, once the dust settled and G.O.A.L.S. was founded to help organize and streamline hero work, Void refused. He would not get a permit or submit to their rules and regulations. He continued doing vigilante work even when the new government established it as illegal. Even when they came after him. But he always used restraint. As a gravity manipulator, he could easily crush those who came after him into dust, but he rarely killed in spite of this. Still, his justice was indiscriminate, and his ideals did not line up with the new governments. They hunted him, and his attacks became less and less frequent, until they finally stopped completely. No one nows exactly what happened to him. But Hero historians and old world hero fans have theories aplenty about this mysterious early vigilante.​

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The Vegg Heads (★★★★★)​

A relatively new gang of eco-terrorists, founded by the leader, the villain formerly known as Ken the Fruit Veneor (who now calls himself Frootboi). Frootboi has the power to turn anything into fruit. ...anything. His two right hand henchmen are Leafyboi (who has the ability to make plants grow incredibly fast) and Brute, who has a cleaver. Brute "makes meat." Frootboi started out as a sudden upstart, turning discarded objects and trash into fresh, edible fruit and distributing it freely to those in need. However, it turns out that capitalist governments don't like it when you give out food for free. After refusing to cease and desist, and causing several public disturbances, he and the following he accumulated turned to full on eco-terrorism, liberating animals from breeding facilities, factories, and pet stores. He is wanted for theft, destruction of property, obstruction of justice, and disturbing the peace. He started out as a grey one star villain, but after multiple accounts of suspected murder (via turning people into fruit) He is currently at large with a grey five star rating.​

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[Lavvy]

F A M O U S H E R O E S


Terminus
One of the top ten heroes in the nation, Terminus was a greatly loved, all-american hero. With superhuman strength and durability, Terminus was a pillar of unwavering strength with a massive fan base. He has been retired for several years now, and remains out of the public eye despite numerous calls for his return to the industry. He has remained largely out of the public eye since he retired, but his impeccable reputation and overwhelming presence keep him the subject of many books, analyses, and discussions about the great classic heroes of the early industry. Some modern opposition to legal vigilantism use Terminus as an example of excessive force, however the hero was acquitted in all cases it was brought against him - to the chagrin of some.

Haywire
Haywire was a wildly popular hero, as one of the very first successful non-powered hero. With equipment supplied by his technomancer sister, his career served as a springboard for a string of non-powered heroes to come after him, using technomancy as their basis. Sadly, Haywires career was somewhat short lived. Only a year after breaking into the top ten, he was brutally slain by a notorious supervillain called Fleshrot. Haywires death irritated rising tensions between powered and non-powered citizens.

Impact
Impact was the number one ranked hero (nationally) for several long years. She broke into the hero scene fairly young, showing an incredible aptitude for it. She sparked controversy initially, because of her incredibly destructive power. She was able to manipulate and compress energy to be unleashed in explosive bursts. Her early forays left a trail of destruction behind her, and sparked a great deal of early reformation revolving around public responsibility, what the city could account for, and what insurance could cover. To her credit, as her career advanced, she gained greater and greater control over her power, and eventually became one of the heroes with the least amount of collateral damage. She is often referenced in hero study programs as the perfect example of learning from your mistakes and improving, even on a professional level. Impacts late career went into a spiral after a string of personal problems derailed her. She retired early and vanished completely.

Gadget
Everyone knows the name Gadget. As the very first international rank #1 hero, Gadget was considered by many to be the ideal hero. He was a quiet man, well-composed, with an honorable disposition and a firm sense of fair play. He was an ability mimic, able to learn and replicate almost anything after seeing it only once or twice, be it fighting techniques, or utilizing different technologies and gear. He acquired an incredible array of different weapons, gadgets, traps and tricks to confront any enemy. This, combined with his inhuman durability, made him an incredibly wily opponent. But what really made him formidable was his dedication to his training and service. No call was too unimportant or insignificant. Gadget would help a girl get her kitten out of a tree as he would stop a lava villain from drowning the city in ash. He became a pillar for heroes and civilians alike, quickly rising to the greatest international hero, leading teams of powerful supers in great and epic battles against crazed villains and corrupt regimes. Gadgets greatest weakness, however, was that he couldn't say no. He would always respond to a call, even if he could have pushed it off on other. Even when it was for minor problems, or diplomacy issues that he was never meant to handle. Even after years of never being able to slow down, or take a break, or not be on guard for trouble every second of every day. Later, those who had been close to him would confess to having seen the signs of stress. But even they were blindsighted when Gadget quietly failed to turn up at a function he'd agreed to attend to. When they found him in his flat, he was already long gone. Gadgets case was the first that really forced people to take notice of the immense strain that professional heroes were put under, and the need to give them protections and privacies. And most importantly, breaks. Because of him, G.O.A.L.S. enforces mandatory vacation days for Class C and above heroes each year. Despite his tragic end, even Gadgets death served to better things for those after him, and he is still widely regarded as the greatest hero of all time.

Behemoth
Behemoth is exactly as she sounds - an incredibly tall, burly woman with near indestructibility, stony skin, and four arms. Almost nothing could damage her thick hide. Behemoth barreled through walls, weapons, and enemies alike. Despite her popularity as one of the nations top ten, she was a notoriously shy hero, almost never doing interviews. She was very popular among female fans as well as bodybuilders, but retired after the birth of her daughter. In her retirement, she eventually published an incredible autobiography that detailed the grit and grime of trying to rank up in the hero industry. While it landed her in some rather hot water with G.O.A.L.S. and sparked one or two defamation lawsuits, the controversy eventually settled down. While a few still hold grudges against her over some of the allegations made in the book, she has been able to live a relatively peaceful life in retirement ever since.

Invictus
Invictus was another one of the international top ten back in the early days, around the same time as Gadget. This was before there were international regulations on use of excessive, or lethal, force. While many criticized Invictus for his brutality, many praised him for his no-nonsense approach to crime, often incinerating them. Eventually, regulations were passed that prevented similar patterns in later heroes, but this wasn't until after Invictus retired. He still serves as an icon for those who support the 'zero-tolerance' approach to supervillains. He was known for his distinct red horns and pitch black eyes.​

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