blasto, meet official opinions on self-replicating minions

[peterxy]

The PRT catches wind of a strange increase in disappeared domestic animals in the downtown area. Given that the people who live there are the rich and powerful, this is clearly a problem that needs to be investigated and solved immediately. The PRT, of course, agrees that this is of utmost importance, and not just because of precedent about mass abductions of pets, of course not, why would you think that, they are so very worried about Fido, even Scion recognizes the merits of rescuing lost pets.

(Lorica's asked to maybe keep a few more eyes there than she has been.)

Comments

[mxglam]

"Hmm, yeah, fair enough. Let's go with mental, to keep things interesting. It's the fear, the anticipation that's the worst part. So, powers are related to trigger events. Physical trauma, physical power; mental trauma, mental power. Trumps tend to have trigger events related to other parahumans, tinkers tend to be working on long-term projects, masters tend to feel isolated, etc. So, let's see if we can come up with a power for that trigger event. Anyone has any suggestions?"

[alicornucopia]

Several hands.

[mxglam]

They pick one at random.

[alicornucopia]

"Con...trolling traffic lights?" says the kid, seeming to realize halfway through the first word that this is a dumb power.

[mxglam]

"That's promising! Shaker powers tend to come from more abstract environmental threats, so this would pit her," they gesture at the girl who suggested the car crash, "against the world, blaming the circumstances of traffic for the crash. Anyone want to expand and generalize on that, or perhaps suggest an alternative?"

[alicornucopia]

Nobody is quite sure what Glam means.

[mxglam]

"Powers seem to depend on what your trigger event was like to you and on who you are, in a way, not just on what actually happened. There's, of course, a lot of speculation, especially because us parahumans tend to like our masks," they say, tapping the glass of theirs. "Controlling traffic lights isn't exactly a power in itself, since powers tend to be much more general than parahumans let on or believe they are. What kind of power could have controlling traffic lights as a subpart? Controlling electronics, perhaps? Controlling the flow of information, controlling light..." they trail off invitingly.

[alicornucopia]

"Getting stuff out of your way," somebody calls out.

[mxglam]

"Ooh, that sounds potentially interesting, can you elaborate?"

[alicornucopia]

"Like traffic lights and locked doors and - stuff."

[mxglam]

"The perfect lockpick, nothing can stand in her way, not even people! If she goes somewhere, the person will find themself suddenly diverted for some reason they can't quite remember; locks unlock, barriers dissolve, nothing stands in her way. But there's a catch!"

[alicornucopia]

The audience blinks.

[mxglam]

"There's always a catch," they say, shrugging a bit helplessly. "So. She has to concentrate, actively, in order to not use her power. Otherwise it's always on, clicking locks and giving people she crosses paths with the strangest feeling of déjà vu."

[alicornucopia]

"Whoa like what if she sleepwalked," mutters somebody softly to her neighbor.

[mxglam]

"So she triggers, this mysterious little organ inside her brain called corona pollentia, bafflingly identical in functionality if not in size and location to an equivalent one in the brains of every other parahuman, is activated, and she has powers." They look directly at her, still sitting cross-legged in the air. "What do you do? Do you hide your powers? Do you join the Protectorate? Do you strike solo as an independent hero, or perhaps a rogue? Maybe, even, a villain?"

[alicornucopia]

"Um, I don't know," she says. "You made them kind of hard to hide."

[mxglam]

"Which is incentive to join the Protectorate! After all, they can help cover any slip-ups. Or, perhaps, go into a life of villaining, unable to keep a secret identity for any extended length of time. Being a rogue, out with your power, could be a possibility, but there's quite a risk from people who would like to use you - a bit like the way tinkers are treated. That's not fair, but we don't really choose our powers when we trigger, and we're often dealt similarly unfair hands. Parahumans who look like they have no weaknesses are certainly hiding them, and fighting other parahumans is as much an exercise in information-gathering as in tactical and technical skills."

[alicornucopia]

"Didn't you use to be a rogue?" somebody calls out.

The audience seems to be more interested in the answer to this question than most of the preceding events.

[mxglam]

"More of an unregistered independent hero, but yes."

[alicornucopia]

"Why'd you stop?"

[mxglam]

"Honestly, being unregistered and independent's not really worth it. There's stigma, heroes and villains don't like you much, you don't really get anything out of it - I used to have a part-time job, now I have a fairly generous allowance. I could've merc'd it but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't work out, not to mention that it's technically illegal." Shrug. "Now I got the weight of the Protectorate behind me, all their resources, and my fa- emoji is in posters and T-shirts, making daring poses." They stand up and look into the distance in a superman pose.

[alicornucopia]

"How come you weren't a Ward to start with then?"

[mxglam]

"'Cause there are a few drawbacks - having to patrol according to strict schedules and having someone else in charge of my image being some of the chief ones - and I was weighing them too heavily. I guess I could say I was scared of, sorta, losing freedom, in a way?"

[alicornucopia]

"Did you?"

[mxglam]

"Well, yeah, naturally, I do have to patrol, and my image does have to go through PR and Branding, but if I didn't think the tradeoff was worth it I wouldn't be floating here, talking to you."