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- File001WELCOME TO HEARTBEAT CITYThe year is 2092.
In the bright, bustling neon metropolis of Heartbeat City, the newborn foal of stability hangs in a delicate balance. It had gone through the unimaginable, after all. Only a rough twenty five years ago had the world changed on a fundamental, biological level. Though the definition of human became blurred, the city remained the world's beacon of renewal and possibility for peace, a never-ending staccato of a heartbeat's rhythm. The Change arrived, in all it's suddenness and brutality. Now, Heartbeat City lives in the spotlight.
The exact date of the Change varies, but all firsthand accounts of the event confirm its truth. Some theorize solar flares, others ponder over acts of god. When the Change hit, someway somehow, a percentage of the population gained abilities beyond their wildest imaginations. Ranging the full spectrum of ages, individuals around the globe manifested powers and abilities only ever imagined in fiction. And its longstanding effects were felt - not only did it change those already alive, but humans continue to be born with the potential for abilities up until this day. The roar of chaos that ensued from that point forward left the Heartbeat City in shambles; its scars still resonate to this day. The dead were mourned and memorials grace the quieter parts, and ever the phoenix rising from the ashes, it has begun a life anew of prosperity and strength. Skyscrapers gleam in the daylight, but the nighttime landscape is bathed in neon, shining just as bright.
Yet, all that glitters is not gold. The picture painted by those living on the ground level, skies choked out by light and smog and flying cars, shows a much different reality. The bright lights and shiny new neighborhoods act as a faΓ§ade; they donβt do much to obscure the blatant hatred against supers, the rampant crime in the midnight streets, and overbearing police presence seemingly everywhere you look. If you know where to go, late in the night, you can find underground fight clubs, speakeasies, and safe havens for the career criminals of the streets. The biggest gang orchestrating this crime network are the Hell Hounds, who have gained a great deal of control and notoriety since the Change.
Above all, Heartbeat City prides itself on the fact that many of the world's most popular superheroes have emerged from its ruins. Wherein the presence of light enters, the darkness must make itself known as well.
The question now is - where do you fit into the chaos, in a city of eight million heartbeats? Our characters will not solely focus on our heroes, after all. Whether you're stuck in the chain of corporate hell, perhaps one of the many worker bees employed under Kedron Corp., or an officer of the law working to protect those that our shiny heroes cannot reach. Or for those with a taste for adrenaline, perhaps a member of the city's most notorious gang, the Hell Hounds. Back alley shop owners, black market dealers in the latest tech, vigilantes prowling the underbelly of the city, fresh faced heroes in training, or villains vying for their pound of flesh, you name it.
Society currently hangs in a precarious balance, uncertain of what lies ahead for the future of powered people. These superheroes assure the public that everything will eventually be alright, but violence and crime runs deep in the roots of the city, and the police's control continues its stranglehold on the powered populace. And what no media outlet seems to be covering is an alarming occurrence as of late - a string of disappearances.File002MISSING & MISSINGWhat is known about the individuals missing?
Truly: nothing.
Tensions in the city are slowly beginning to rise. While the upper echelon of society could care less, its citizens that live in the margins of society are slowly beginning to notice the disappearances. From their local bodega clerk, to the street sweepers, people that occupy their lives that they never noticed before. But those faceless acquaintances are turning into their friends, their loved ones, their children. The only connection is that they were all powered individuals. Even worse, it seems that the local police are doing nothing. And because of this, the pressure between the government and powered citizens is worsening by the day. Not to mention the fact that the largest gang in the city, the Hell Hounds, are beginning to take matters into their own hands.
The most elite of Heartbeat City's prestigious heroes are considered myth - local spottings have become less and less frequent, especially for heroes tasked out to other areas around the world more in need. But the lines of the classes have begun to blur with the mounting chaos. Many claim these heroes were never to protect them in the first place, where have these beacons gone and why are the most vulnerable left to try and protect themselves? What happens when you push a beating heart to the point of bursting?
43%Premise...
- File003The Heroes of Heartbeat CityThe world-famous superheroes of Heartbeat City are servants of the public. They are employees of the city's government and must complete a rigorous training and certification process to officially don the title of a hero. The daily work of a superhero is more complicated than the average citizen would assume; heroes must take into consideration what area of the city they will work in, dealing with collateral damage from altercations, and even paperwork to report the actions they've taken and ensure that they were within their rights to act.
Many heroes work hand in hand with the city's police and detectives, can be involved with investigations, and more. Their work is what is recognized the most, however. They're extremely visible to the public, and the top heroes, such as Xiao Huo Yin, are revered and have celebrity status. It's common to see newer, less popular heroes working other jobs as well, or taking on other gigs to make money. Heroes grace the billboards and advertisements, appear on talk shows, have their own fan blogs and online fandom spaces, and even merchandise.
Aspiring heroes must attend Audax Corde Academy in order to obtain this certification. To obtain hero certification, attending Audax Corde spans two years and students train rigorously the entire time theyβre enrolled; honing their unique abilities to reduce accidents, developing disaster relief, criminal apprehension, and hostage negotiation skills, and communication with the public and the press. Each yearβs graduating class is always small, but they are world-class, capable, qualified defenders of the public. It's common as well for new graduates to complete their first year of duty outside of the city as well, offering their services to the entire world.
Audax Corde Academy does charge tuition for all who decide to enroll. That being said, partial or full scholarships are sometimes awarded to individuals who the faculty deem are exceptionally deserving and worthy. Historically, they have only been awarded to those who have had "exceptional life circumstances."
Currently, heroes are viewed favorably in the public's eye. They're a hot discussion topic, the subject of many fandoms, and you can't take a step in Heartbeat City without hearing about them one way or another. They're the peacekeepers of the city, keeping the streets safe from danger and harm. Not every hero takes on the biggest, baddest villains. Many are loved for the little things; helping local investigations, preventing burglaries, keeping schools safe.
However, this sentiment is not shared by every citizen. Aside from career criminals, such as members of the Hell Hounds, there is constant commentary and critiques about damage left behind by hero work. Whether it be hurt civilians, damage to public infrastructure, or scandals arising, there's plenty of rumors circling around.File004What Was The Change?The Change was a worldwide phenomenon that occurred approximately twenty-five years ago, where nearly 1% of the population began to develop superpowers. This was an event truly witnessed and experienced by everyone. Whether it destroyed their homes, prompted them to run into hiding, or changed them permanently, it threw everything into chaos, with an extreme spike in terrorism, crime, assault, murder, and deaths. Many people developed abilities that they could not control, and either hurt and killed themselves or others. Because of the insane spike, the worldβs police forced and governments scrambled to gain control. The duration of the chaos varies region by region, and in the United States it can be said that a harsh military effort was made to enforce the law. Martial law fell into effect for many years following the Change, and disaster recovery efforts were made to help rebuild many major cities. The Change marked the new existence of superpowers into the world, and anybody alive after the Change now has the potential to develop superpowers. Any babies born during or after the Change also have the potential to develop powers now. An important factor is that not everybody is simply born with superpowers, but can develop them at any point in their lives. It is to note that many powered individuals develop their powers throughout early puberty, or even childhood.
Heartbeat City was nearly burned to the ground by the time things slowed down, and like a phoenix, it began anew. Many homeless shelters and camps popped up as the city slowly rebuilt itself, with new governmental positions put into place, and systems of identification and labeling of superhumans arose as well. Twelve years ago began the Census. The United States government implemented the Census with claims that it's intent is to record each type of superpower that had been seen. It is conducted each year and keeps a record of people who were either born with abilities, or developed abilities after the Change. Of course, there are some people who dodge the census, bribe census takers, or otherwise avoid it as to not be labeled. Purposefully avoiding the Census in any way is against the law, and violators can face jail time.65%Lore...
- File005a word from our sponsorWelcome and thanks for checking this out! I know there was a lot to read, so props to you for getting this far. My name's Venus and I will be running this show, alongside my amazing co-gms @erzulie and @celadon.. This roleplay, as you can probably already tell, has a big variety of influences. Neon noir (and neo-noir) has been a huge inspiration, as well as Cyberpunk 2077, Bladerunner 2049, and some superhero movies and comics, such as Marvel, DC, and even My Hero Academia. If you've seen this before, don't fret! This roleplay idea was something I did a while back and had multiple iterations of, but for some damn reason this idea just won't leave my brain alone. So here we are, scratching that itch. Anyways, please feel free to ask me any questions, and let me know if you're interested after reading the rules below!File006Rules and regulations
- Follow all RPN rules, of course. Be aware that this roleplay will include descriptions and themes of: violence, murder, classism, dystopia. You must be 18+ to join.
- Literacy is a must. No one-liner replies will be allowed. I'm not super strict on this rule, but I'd love to see engaging and detailed multi-paragraph replies, making this a literate/advanced roleplay.
- With that in mind, please be able to post at least once a week. I understand life can be crazy, but try and be active, and have fun!
- This roleplay will be application based! This is not first come first served, which means I will be reading each character sheet and considering which characters will fit best in the RP. This is a huge wacky setting which means tons of potential for really creative characters. I'm looking for around 8-12 people to join.
- Please be aware there will be a Discord server for this RP for easy OOC chatting and plotting! I love being able to discuss character relationships and plot arcs with others, and having a server is the easiest way for this. There will be an on-site OOC thread during the application process in the meantime.
83%Rules...
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