Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zen_Pollo" data-source="post: 826644" data-attributes="member: 11404">Issue #1, 1st Installment First Day – A Hero Campaign Issue# 1: First day at school -- First InstallmentScene:  Not a single cloud softens the glare of the early morning Texas sun as it radiates upon the brown, crisp grass of the school formerly known as TMI.  Despite the care of its gardeners, little grass grows here during the summer and stretches of dirt mark areas where people cut across the lawn on their way to class.  A crowd fills the parking lot of the school.  Throngs of children, piles of luggage, and sobbing parents form a contrast to the stiff presence of uniformed guards and military-fatigued instructors.  The instructors stand out as much for their brown wide-brimmed hats as for the crisp and authoritative manner in which they direct the aspiring young students towards the dormitories.  However, one group stands out even more – a television crew…“This is Patricia Palencia reporting live for Fox News 9,” says a Hispanic woman wearing a yellow skirt suit.  “Here, at what was once known as the Texas Military Institute, we are recording a moment of history.  The campus where General Douglas Macarthur once roamed is now known as the Institute for Paranormal Youth.  For a look at how this transformation occurred, let us review event of the last fourteen years…”“Beginning in the year 2001, certain children being born began to exhibit strange, yet inexplicable, powers.  For years, their mysterious gifts defied explanation.  Some people called their abilities miracles while others called them supernatural.  Yet, once man, Dr. Melvin Friendsly, discovered the truth behind phenomena.  In fact, we have Dr. Friendsly here with us today.  Doctor, how would you characterize your discovery?“Well, Patricia,” says a speckled man with mousy brown hair and a large nose, “I first studied Paul Phenomenoplis, the first confirmed mutant, in 2007 when his parents brought him to me after objects in his room began flying about inexplicably.  By this time, many other scientists and doctors had attempted to explain the phenomena by looking for some sort of unique expression within the mutant’s genetic code which was different than in the rest of us.”“Kind of like the genetic differences between having black hair and brown hair,” pipes in Palencia.“Exactly, Patricia,” continues the Doctor, “However, their flaw was not in the methods they used, but in their paradigm of thought.  What they needed was not to find some elusive chromosome but rather, to understand why mutants can do these amazing things in the first place.”Palencia furrows her brow.    “Okay, let’s give an example,” says Friendsly as he gestures to a short kid standing nearby.“This is young Max Delwind,” introduces Friendsly.  “He is a true multipath, though he has some strange mental block I haven’t yet deciphered,” mutters Dr. F.“Anyways, Max, I want you to lift that trash can over there,” says the Doctor pointing to a dumpster nearby.  ********** Character Portfolio – Max Delwind A .JPEG of Max playing his PS2 when he was a youngster still serves as his mother’s wallpaper on her computer at work.A set of divorce papers is on file at the Bexar County Courthouse between Martha Delwind and Donald Delwind citing irreconcilable differences.  Martha gains custody of 6-year-old Max.  Donald moves out of state.A video of Max at his ten-year birthday party shows him blowing out the candles of his chocolate cake.  His mother gifts him a t-shirt with the words “Momma’s Little Angel” printed on the front.The t-shirt is torn and discarded after the tenth time Max gets beat up at school for wearing it. After the shirt is thrown away, Martha dresses Max in a nice pair of slacks, a sweater, and some penny loafers, thus ensuring no girl will ever speak to Max again.Max rolls a d20, and it comes up a “1”.  Frowning, he stares intently at the die until it rolls over and lands on “20”.    Max gloats, “Threatened! Ahh yeah, who’s the b**** now!”  “Dammit, Max, quit cheating!” cries his buddy.**********Max steps aside and begins to matter a strange incantation and make twiddling motions with his fingers.  After a moment of concentration, a bead of sweat begins to trickle down his face.  Slowly, the dumpster lifts off the ground until it reaches shoulder height.“Very good, Max,” says the Doctor, “You may set it down, now.”  With a grunt of effort, Max slowly lowers the dumpster.  “Man, I’ve never been able to do that before, I’ll have to write that one in my spellbook,” grins Max.“That’s amazing,” gasps Palencia, “How can he do that?”“Contrary to what my young friend believes,” sighs Dr. F as he rolls his eyes, “it is not magic; It’s Physics!”“You see, Patricia, one must ask how our young companion can lift such a heavy weight.  According to the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy, Matter and Energy can neither be created nor destroyed.  In order for such an event to transpire, Energy must have come from somewhere.”“And that’s the Dark Energy you discovered?” queries Palencia.“Indeed!” exclaims the Doctor.  “During the latter part of the Twentieth Century, Physicists around the globe discovered that all the Matter in the known Universe accounted for only 5% of the total force of gravity in the Universe.  Moreover, Astrophysicists discovered some mysterious force was pushing all the Galaxies in the Universe apart.  These twin phenomena were called Dark Matter and Dark Energy, respectively.”“Huh?” Dr. F sighs, “Suffice it to say, that everything we can observe with our five senses accounts for only 5% of the total Universe.”“Wow!”“Wow, indeed, young Patricia,” continues the Dr., “And this is how mutants are able to do what they do – by subconsciously channeling Dark Energy”“So, how come I can’t ‘Channel’ Dark Energy?” ponders Palencia.“Ah, good question,” says the Doctor, “The other scientists studying the phenomena had one thing right, there is a difference in the genetic make up of mutants.  However, the difference is not in that portion of their chemical DNA that is apprehensible to our five senses.  The difference lies in that portion of matter which is IMPERCEPTABLE to our five senses!”“You mean that Mutants have Dark Matter in their DNA?” asks Palencia.“Not exactly, what I mean is that all Matter in the Universe has qualities, besides sheer mass, which are imperceptible to our five senses, yet are noticeable via their phenomenological effects on gravity—In other words, ALL MATTER IS DARK MATTER!  This includes the Matter that comprises our genetic code.”“Okay…” mutters a confused-looking reporter.“What the Good Doctor is trying to say, Mrs. Palencia,” interjects a handsome middle-aged man wearing a well-tailored suit, “Is that in a mutant’s DNA, there are portions of their genetic code which use the ‘Dark’ qualities of Matter to control the flow of Dark Energy in the world around us.”“Of course!  And you must be Evers Carlton, the newly appointed Dean of this Institution,” says a relieved Palencia.“Eureka,” grumbles the Doctor dejectedly.“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you and to be a part of this great school,” smiles Evers.“Tell me, Mr. Carlton,” Patricia says, back in her depth, “How is it that the former institution known as TMI, came to be the new Institute for Paranormal Youth?”“Certainly, Mrs. Palencia,” says Evers smoothly, “As you may know many churches were swept up in the scandal surrounding the Catholic Church near the turn of the millennium – the Episcopal Church was no exception.  After settling several lawsuits regarding allegations of child abuse, the Episcopal Church had to reorganize under Chapter 11 bankruptcy rules.  Coupled with the recession in the United States economy and declining enrollment at the school, the Church elders decided to put the school up for auction.”“And that’s where Uncle Sam came in?” asks the reporter.“Yes, the Federal government had already enacted legislation in 2013 authorizing President Wolfowitz to start a national center for the training and study of the mutant phenomena.  With this school up for sale near the beginning of the 2014 fiscal year, it just made more sense to renovate this campus, than to build a new one!”“And what a renovation it was, Carlton,” grins Palencia, “What changes have been made over the past year to the campus?”“Well, Patricia,” pontificates Carlton, “We’ve added 18 new dormitories and quadrupled the capacity of the other facilities.  That, coupled with a tenfold increase in staff size, has enabled the school to meet our students needs for the 2015 school year…”**********Carlton and the Patricia Palencia ramble on for some time as buses unload what appears to be an unending stream of students and luggage.  Our heroes’ journey is about to begin.  And sooner than they think!Next installment:  After School Challenge!</blockquote>

Verification