maskormenace | Entries tagged with † sara ryder

March 2021

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WILL YOU HELP SAVE THE WORLD?

Mask or Menace is a panfandom urban 'superhero' genre DWRP game, where heroes, villains, and everyone in between seek to survive and thrive in a world loosely parallel to our own.

maskormods

THE MAJORITY REPORT: JULY 20TH, 2019Bizarre witness testimony of strange sightings continue to boggle local reporters.
The popular conspiracy theory of a MERGING MULTIVERSE has since been gaining traction...

ANIMAL HOUSE: THE REMAKE
As seen in various social media:
It’s a Zoo Out There!

ImPorts run amok at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. From a pokemon trainer trying to run off with one of the zoo’s chickens to pretending to be part of the exhibits themselves, imPorts made quite a spectacle at the most recent Swear-In.

Numerous videos are floating around the web showing several reported incidents and the comments sections are as always on fire.

“See how she just looks around like she did nothing wrong! All these imPorts are the same. They flaunt how they’re above the law at every opportunity. Even their teenagers are getting in on it now!” one comment says on a video of an imPort teen who went to retrieve an avocado from an ostrich exhibit.

“So you’re going to ignore how our own teens ignore the law all the time? Get over yourself. That girl was trying to save the animals from CHOKING!” Another poster fired back before the thread devolved into a mass of conspiracy theories over who threw the fruit to begin with, and whether or not aliens were involved.

One imPort was even found impersonating a snake and is accused of attempting to stage a mass breakout of the reptile house. Despite the attempts of witnesses to identify the imPort, no one has managed to do so. In addition, while several reptiles escaped they were confirmed to have been returned by morning. Handlers noted that several of the reptiles appeared dazed, a junior handler joking that some of them could even be mistaken for being hung over.

All reptiles are being seen by veterinarians to make sure they are healthy before the public is allowed to view them.

In addition to the confirmed reports of chaos caused by imPorts, authorities believe that the theft of the giant isopods at the Insect House exhibit was carried out by at least one of a number of imPort suspects.

“We can’t comment much on the state of the investigation, but there were several suspicious individuals present for long periods of time in the building. Most of those individuals have been confirmed to be imPorts,” says Officer Robert “Bob” Manchester of the local police department.

Regardless of whether or not the investigation ends in arrests, critics are commenting that nothing substantial will be done to the culprits and that imPorts consistently get away with crimes far more serious than stealing crustaceans from the nation’s most famous museum.

OUTSIDER LOOKING IN
As seen on imPort news, gossip pages, social media:
The Porter Cities are no stranger to imPort fans but recently there's been a buzz around fans calling themselves the "Cult of the Outsider". A snippet of an interview with two of them, names obscured:

So what is "the Cult of the Outsider"?
B: Okay, like, first off, it's not a real cult or anything. Just a cute name we came up with. You know, for the hashtag. #CultOfTheOutsider
D: Yeah, we were going to call ourselves the "Fan-Cult" but some podcast's using that one. We're just a fan community.

But why the Outsider? And why "cult"?
D: He's so weird but cool, like, super creepy but in a cute way.
B: He makes me feel like an edgy middleschooler again.
D: Right? And then the cult thing came because there's a rumour he's a god or demon or crypdid something.
B: He wouldn't be the first imPort to be something like that. But no one seems to know much about him, so there's this air of mystery. But has like, cult energy. Put on some robes and meet at midnight deal.

What does he think of you guys?
D: No idea. He doesn't have a Bwitter or anything. No online presence at all.
B: He keeps poofing away when we see him in real life. Forget about talking to him, all we really have are blurry, candid photographs and some footage from the swear-ins.
D: But that's part of the fun. The mystery, the thrill of the chase.
B: At least it keeps us distracted from everything else going on. Maybe he's Death, here to usher in the end of the world.
D: She's joking.
B: I'm joking! Joking.

THAT'S NO MOON(LANDING) AND OTHER CONSPIRACIES
As seen in the local newspapers:
A small group of civilians gathered outside the military base at Cape Canaveral this week, demanding that government officials come out and answer questions about what they called an "absolutely fake" staging of the Death Star's appearance in the sky, involving "probably mirrors or CGI or something," despite the fact that the structure can be seen with the naked eye.

"It's just a stunt to distract us from the truth," said one protestor, who declined to give his name or elaborate on what he believed the truth to be. "You'll see. The moon is totally still there. This is a publicity stunt."

EGADS AEGIS!
As seen on international news, emergency broadcast channels, posted online through official Aegis Force Bwitter:
PRESS RELEASE FROM AEGIS FORCE: The astronomical phenomena that has replaced the Moon in Earth's sky has been confirmed as being a structure known as the DEATH STAR, known to several imPorts as a super-weapon in their home universe. All attempts to contact the Moon Base have failed, and at this time it appears that Earth's Moon has been completely replaced by this structure.

Initial reconnaissance by imPorts confirms the station is unmanned except for numerous hostile security droids. Space-capable imPorts are carrying out ongoing exploration of the structure, which should not be approached by any natives due to the extreme risk involved. It is possible that the Death Star poses a threat to Earth, but this is still being evaluated. It is theorized that the appearance of the Death Star is linked to the same 'dimensional destabilization' effect that has produced cryptids and other paranormal phenomena this year.

Aegis Force urges all citizens to remain calm and alert during this uncertain time. ImPort heroes and their government allies are hard at work investigating this situation. Further information will be released as it becomes available.

DEATH OF A STARSMAN
As seen on every available media outlet:
Following a press conference at the White House, the U.S. government issued a press release regarding the recent appearance of the orbital structure. Although it is colloquially known to some imPorts as the "Death Star," the president stressed that satellite data and early reports from imPorts who traveled there do not indicate any immediate danger to Earth.

The President issued thanks to the proactive imPorts who showed the exact patriotism this month's swear-in celebrated by taking the initiative to scout out the structure. The government asks that all imPorts who have or intend to visit the Death Star meet with officials from the Department of Defense for debriefings and to plan further, more formal explorations.

After the press conference, the president departed to New York City, where a contingent of the United Nations is gathering to discuss international responses to the sudden appearance of the structure.

JUST ANOTHER POKEMONDAY
As seen gone viral on Bwitter, Bluetube, and various gossip blogs:
While everyone else was wondering where the moon went, imPorts Nikolai and newcomer Archer- or Apollo Akagawa, as he's since corrected- were having a not-so-touching reunion at the end of the Swear-In. It's claimed Nikolai ran away from home as a child and hasn’t met with Apollo since. That isn’t to say the man hasn’t been keeping an eye on his charge though, and that’s where a great deal of the strife originated.

While various sources on BlueTube have the full conversation uploaded (some with commentary), Apollo’s comments after the verbal fight paint a picture of a family shattered by a father’s absence and a beleaguered guardian who made an error in judgement in raising an angry child. Apollo asked for witnesses to be patient with Nikolai, saying the boy has felt alone for quite some time and that any misbehaviour is from a misguided youth.

Nikolai himself has counterclaimed Archer's comments via Bwitter and BlueTube, stating that at age 11 his father very much just up and left, much the same with Archer. Also that Apollo is a Stupid name. But mostly that he was just abandoned by his father and those he considered parental figures and that Archie stepped up to the role of guardian here long before Archer arrived.

Naturally, the comment sections are rife with heated arguments as to which name Archer should be referred to (including Arcpollo or ArchPollo), theories as to what this means for family life in a world with pokemon, where Nikolai's mother was in all of this, and one commenter even asked if this means Archer is Nikolai's father. That comment earned a big fat NO from Nikolai himself. Some fans are also claiming Nikolai, known for rough treatment of his pokemon animals, did in fact steal 'Oda', but Nikolai has counterclaimed that, stating he very much came by his feraligatr legally.

BRAVE NEW WORLDS
As seen on international and local news:
Evidence of microbial life in the clouds above, a new species of blackbirds with faces that split open to mimic a fleshy flower -- presumably to attract bugs. No beak, just a reddish mouth flap that peels back. These strange, otherworldly creatures have been sighted infrequently over the summer and have finally been documented by leading biologists.

"In the lower atmosphere, there are these sudden and new kinds of toads. They float. In the lower atmosphere," said Doctor Petra Ward, head biologist of the Manhattan Institute of Evolutionary Science. "We're calling them zeppelinoids. We think they make hydrogen out of water, a reversal of osmosis in a sense, and store the hydrogen in their throats and... then they float."

These zeppelinoids have been migrating down the Eastern US coasts.

"These specimens are not of this world," said Ward.

Speculation has erupted in the conspiracy communities. The multiverses are slipping into each other, and the apocalypse is coming, a narrative pushed heavily in more recent weeks. Some point to OTO involvement, some resurrect the name Peter Narga -- a former philanthropist who had always been interested in imPorts and their parallel universes.

"Curious," wrote Bwitter handle SPXNGIII. "How Peter means Rock. Narga. Rok. Ragnarok."

Conspiracy theories are running rampant, and Bwitter has hardly seen a heyday as bright as this for such thought experiments.

CODE SWITCH
The Homeland Security Advisory System has moved from RADIANT to THE HOLY GHOST. See you on the other side.

WANT TO SUBMIT TO THE MAJORITY REPORT?
The Majority Report comes out the 10th and 20th of every month, but will be taking a hiatus FOR AUGUST 2019. You may find details and submit here. The cut-off time is 12:01 AM PST on the 9th and the 19th for the corresponding dates.

mortalweapon

[ The camera feed opens to a dark, spacious room — the living area of what seems to be a luxury apartment, illuminated only by the gentle blue glow emitted by the female-shaped machine sitting on the floor. She looks a little out of place. Surely that isn't her home. But she's using it anyway, a few cables of her hair twisting and draping over the expensive furniture to an outlet in the wall. ]

I have decided to engage with the Network directly today.
My Network scanning protocols have observed the arrival of several new ImPorts of note.
And I thought it might entertain me while I perform my routine systems maintenance.

A standard introduction, for the newly inducted:
My name is Danger.
I am a sentient codestruct of Shi'ar origins designed by Professor Charles Xavier.

[ It's almost eerie, how still she is. Her mouth, seemingly made of malleable metal, is the only thing that moves. The sound that comes from it is cool and smooth. Modulated. ]

These questions are relevant to my current research:
What qualities permit categorization of an entity as a "person?"
What qualities exclude an entity from that same designation?
How can personhood be proved?

Your participation is acknowledged and appreciated.

beautifullies

[ Claire may be from America, and she may be from the 20th century, but 1957 certainly didn't have devices that let you send your image to people in real time, or send words to a screen. Computers were only for NASA, which had large buildings to store them.

She's a little behind.

And so there's a woman squinting at the screen until she realizes she is actually recording and sits up straighter. ]

There. If I'm doing this correctly, I suppose I'll hear from someone. At least, I think I will. My name is Claire Fraser, newly...imported.

[ At least she's givingg her own last name correctly these days. There are some she introduced herself to as Mrs. Randall. That was before her ~~preferred~~ husband dropped in. ]

I was wondering how easy or difficult it might be to change professions? For my husband, primarily, he--

[ How to put this delicately. ]

'Renaissance Fair actor' isn't quite in his wheelhouse. He doesn't even realize what that is. The 18th century wasn't exactly looking to begin recreating the past just yet. [ Even for her it's a very new concept. ] In any case, he does enjoy working with his hands and with horses. I like to think I know my husband, so if you have any ideas for employment, I would be grateful, even if it's simply to guide me toward a better source.

[ She pauses, eying the information she's written for prospects she already has in mind to follow up on before looking back toward the device. ]

If anyone works at the hospital, I'd like a word too, please. I enjoy working in medicine, and my assignment did get that correct. I would prefer not to work overnight shifts, but I wasn't sure if I'm there because there's an urgent need for it, or if there's another facility that could better fit a daytime schedule.

[ Claire has no idea how to end this and fumbles until she actually stops transmitting. She's trying. ]

viciousmaukery

Is it just—a common thing around here, to live weeks at a time in one day?

[Guess who got Ported out then pulled back in yesterday? If you guessed Molly, you’d be right! And he looks a little off-put by this whole thing—he’s shuffling his cards restlessly, and the coat he’s wearing isn’t quite as brightly, wildly sequined as his usual display. Considering this is Molly, it’s still an obvious eyesore, especially in the middle of a hipster café in Nonah.]

I knew it was gonna be weird, leaving and then coming back and remembering all of [and he waves a hand at his surroundings,] this, but knowing’s different from first-hand experience. So now I’m curious: how’d it go for the rest of you? Leaving this place, seeing all the people you missed, and then coming back here and having all those other memories just dumped back onto your lap.

[It’s weird and a teeny bit terrifying. After all: what if, what if, something in that whole process were to go wrong, and Molly were to remember whoever he had been before the grave?

Another shuffle. He pulls a card at random and sighs, before shuffling it back into his deck. Eagle-eyed viewers might be able to see the front side of the card, though: a man hanging upside-down.]

And, sort of tangentially related, I s’pose: In about—two more months? I’ll have been here a whole year. That’s the longest I’ve ever stayed in one place. [He’s been here longer than he’s been a part of the Mighty Nein by now. It’s strange how he misses them, still, even though he just came back from seeing them. Maybe the one thing he misses more than the Nein is being able to pull up stakes and just—go.] How do you manage not to go stir-crazy?

adamantlyardent

The hour is late and prime for introspection of a somber nature. Perhaps some of you awake will be keen on entertaining a question or two in that vein to pass the hours. I may yet be too young and naive to even presume to ask, but then...no one is being forced to answer me, either.

I assume many among us found themselves here in the midst of or proceeding important events -- the sort of which may be quite excruciating or merely troublesome to be interrupted. Yet for most, the days come and go -- many, many sunrises and sunsets, idle hours and chaotic seconds aplenty.

At what point did you give up on the dreams deferred by your untimely arrival in this realm? Or, if you still cling true to them, what is your breaking point? Do you know how long you're willing to cling to that which you cannot return to of your own will?

Perhaps it's the other way around, though: Those who had no hope which to speak of then...when did you begin to hold and pursue dreams in this world? Have you even begun?

choosetruth

[Georgia’s done her research. She’s gotten her exclusive interview. Now, she’s written her article out and she’s ready to publish. Since it’s so specifically pertinent to imPorts, and since her readership is still relatively small, she crossposts it to the network.]

There have been unusual creatures appearing all over the world lately, starting with the appearance of the lake creature dubbed “Tessie.” These “cryptids,” as they’re commonly known, have universally been diagnosed with a disease that can only be cured by application of the same nanites that are injected into all imPorts without their consent on arrival. ImPorts have been working to round up these creatures. Once caught, they can either hand the cryptid over to the government or sell them to an anonymous donor.

[This part is old news, Georgia knows, but it’s important to provide the context. Not everyone keeps up with the news as thoroughly as she does.]

The anonymous donor has been very reclusive, but they are known to have ties to the “Otherworld Technologies Organization,” or OTO. In light of the OTO’s known anti-imPort sentiments, the donor agreed to an interview by phone to provide more information about them and their plans to better allow imPorts to make up their minds about selling cryptids to them.

The donor, who has chosen to remain anonymous because “Bad things have been known to happen to people imPorts take an interest in”, is financing their collection and research through generational wealth. Before Tessie’s appearance, they were already on the look out for “unique items of interest,” or more specifically, items from imPort worlds and hero memorabilia. They seem genuinely interested in maintaining the well-being of the cryptids they’ve collected, though they refused to comment on any other goals they have for their research.

As for their relationship to the OTO, they claimed to be willing to work with any researcher in the matter. “The government moves too slowly to be of real use in this matter.” They would not confirm whether or not that included imPort scientists, only stating that it would depend on the imPort. They were also unwilling to provide a tour of their lab.

According to them, they can only speculate at the OTO’s motivations, but they find the advancement of science “interesting” and see the OTO as forwarding those goals. Recently, the OTO has illegally experimented on cryptids to create hybrid weaponized creatures, as detailed in the most recent Majority Report. I’ve reached out to the donor for comment, but I have yet to receive a response.

[If she were home, this is where she’d end. But this isn’t home, and blogging hasn’t grown and established itself in the same ways. She still believes keeping fact and opinion strictly separated, but instead of a full op-ed, she elects to add a short paragraph at the end of the article, making sure to clearly denote where fact ends and opinion begins.]

I won’t tell you who to trust or what to do. My job is to provide the facts and let you interpret them as you will. If you want my opinion, the donor’s answers were evasive and vague. I would have known if they lied, but there’s a lot you can say without lying that isn’t quite telling the truth. They’re hiding something, and until I know what, they won’t have my trust. But that’s opinion, informed by the facts and my own personal biases. Draw your own conclusions.

h2no

[archie decided, for this video, that he'll frame it in something that's relatively calming-- for himself, mostly, it's a stressful topic, but he's intensely curious as to the thoughts of other imports. he's sitting at the end of a jetty, his wailmer floating along next to the wood. he has a hand on her as he speaks into the camera, idly rubbing her blubbery skin.]

Yo. So, ah, I guess this ain't really gonna do anything other than confuse me more, but... I gotta know! With the imPorts from my own world, I've come to find out about several branchin' timelines within my own universe. Like... the ones here, but-- it's mostly just one major event that's different, so I was just wonderin'--

[he's cut off suddenly. wailmer groans and he stops, looking to her with clear concern in his face. he looks about to reach out and cut out the video to try again later, but he's interrupted. wailmer has started glowing, in the glow of evolution that only a few people present would even recognise.]

Shit! Wailmer, go out further! You'll take out the jetty! [she whines a little panicky as she continues glowing and archie immediately dives into the water to help her away, then...

she starts growing. massively, exponentially. archie disappears off camera, seeing as he'd balanced it on part of the jetty and wailmer's size has suddenly gone way past the camera resolution. the glow stops after a few seconds and there's just... blue. blue that's moving until a big eye focuses on the camera and what can be seen of a big goofy grin from the giant pokémon.]

WAIIIILOOOORRRRRD!! [she cries out, clearly quite overjoyed at her new form, raising her head slightly and crashing it down in the water enough to create a huge wave that covers the comm camera in water. there's the sound of a thud and a grunt as archie clambers off her dome and back onto the jetty, which evidently survived it.]

Well... that didn't go how I expected. [he says, wiping the water off.] Hold that thought, aye? Guess I'll be out in the ocean with Wailord for a couple days...

eloquentness

[ The feed opens up to Iris sitting in an office, specifically one of those with a gorgeous view of downtown De Chima behind her. She waves, ]

Hey everyone. It's been a while. If you don't know me, I'm Iris - and well?

[ she grins, holding up today's edition of De Chima Citizen, with the headlines of 'NEW OWNERSHIP' and 'NEW MANAGING EDITOR' right up in bold print, ]

I'm the new managing editor of the De Chima Citizen!! It's such an honor, especially as it's one of De Chima's oldest and grandest newspapers! [ she can't help a little squeal, ] If you have a story to share, or you want to contribute, or even join our staff in this time of transition, you can always shoot me a line. Here, email, Bwitter DM's... I use it all.

If you want to subscribe to our paper in print or digital format, I'll be attaching a couple of handy links. Don't forget to use the promo code "in with the new"! Um, beyond that... [ she sets the paper aside, ] I want to say thank you, especially to those who've helped me out these past couple of years. I know I've been really busy, so.

To those who've helped, to those that just want a grand tour, and maybe to those that just want to know what's going on - the Citizen's doors are open. Just tell them at the front door you're with me.

problematical

[ River's voice is slightly wandering, but thoughtful. ]

A hero is an imperfect idea, full of good intentions and bad decisions, too many questions and not enough answers. Good people, bad people, it only depends on what side you're on. But I can tell which is which, I've always been able to. There are people here that aren't as good as they say they are, but also those who aren't as bad at they think.

No one really knows who they are. No one wants to.

[ There's a pause. ]

This place seems good for finding out who they are. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

MASK OR MENACE

NETWORK COMMUNITY

Entries tagged with † sara ryder | pathfinder

March 2021

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WILL YOU HELP SAVE THE WORLD?

THE MAJORITY REPORT: JULY 20TH, 2019

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