Happy Quackcember!
It's a new month again and time to announce the winner of the collaborative fan-fiction for November.
Once again, it was nice to see active collaborative fan-fiction. One thread in particular deserves mention:
Madam Marvelous: Chapter Four 'Thankful for Nothing'
Congratulations!
Keep up with the awesome stories!
Note: Participants of other non-winning threads who made outstanding contributions will also receive rewards.
Reminder: Those who still want to contribute individual (non-collaborative) stories will continue to receive Reality Writer reward cards for their effort, and outstanding contributions may be featured on the blog and home page in-game. Furthermore, various types of fan-fiction contests will be organized from time-to-time, so look out for announcements on the Heroes Rising Players page.
Yours Quackily,
SQ
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Collaborative Fan-Fiction Best of November
Wanted: Research Assistants
Applications will be taken via Messenger to Trace Evans or Angela Volden. Applicants must have their own gear with copious amounts of options that span the gambit of gear based powers.
Saturday, November 27, 2021
Will Winter's Song or Fall's Lament herald the start of December?
With the celebration of Thanksgiving, where families come together with love and gratitude in their hearts, what is more perfect than rampant commercialism the very next day.
Heroes, BADGE brings you the Black Friday Ballad!!!
Despite common belief, being a hero isn't cheap. Very few heroes can actually turn lead into gold, squeeze clumps of coal into diamonds, or inherit vast sums of cash stored inside mansions with multi-talented butlers. Most have day jobs, families, and more expenses than the average 9-5 job can handle. The dry-cleaning bill alone is enough to bankrupt many small countries. So, to help the Joe Plumber heroes out there, this weekend is dedicated to supplying you with... a discount.
Special trainers were brought in for the heroes for part of the day on Friday, allowing them to improve their abilities by either gaining some new powers or improving the effectiveness of powers the hero already possessed.
Also on Friday, heroes were invited to participate in an event that marked the turning of fall into winter. Bright autumn colors shifting into the pristine white which marks the end of another year. After a pair of days to qualify for entry into the competition, the heroes will fight in two teams for dominance (and a healthy boost to their powers) during 4 rounds of battle. Only the top challengers in each division will earn the honor of being favored above all others and earn highly sought after rewards for their efforts.
Early on, predictions were high for Team Winter's Song to take the tournament. Commemorative Power Cards were made available for sale to collectors for each team. Only 1,000 of each card has been made available for purchase, and the Winter's Song Power Card had sold like hotcakes. Fall's Lament showed some movement in support of that team, but even at the start of Round 2, Winter's Song has outsold Fall's Lament by nearly 300 cards.
As numbers are coming in, the fight for control is much closer than expected, and Fall's Lament is showing a 100 point lead. Will this prove to be an upset for Tug of War fans or just a lucky start?
Division 6: 59 Division 5: 36
Division 4: 61 Division 3: 44
Division 2: 38 Division 1: 41
After each full round, the value of each challenge doubles and the number of contestants drops as the lowest scoring quarter of participants in the division are eliminated.
The Hanzo Ninja Clan School Of Anything Goes Martial Arts - Lesson 2
Before we start today's lesson, I would like to apologize about the tardiness of this 2nd installment. Please expect future installments to take just as long, or sporadically at best. This is because I really just don't have the time to write much these days. However, I will try to continue to help you understand how the game works, as I am able.
A + AC + D + B ( A + AC + D )....................
B: Skill Points Multiplier.
C: Gear Multiplier.
D: Gear Stat Addition.
Let's say you have 50% Skill Points Multiplier in Attack and Defense, and 100% in Movement.
Let's also say you have 1000 points from cards in each Attack and Defense, and 2000 points from cards in Movement.
1000 + 1000C + 0 + 0.50 ( 1000 + 1000C + 0 )
or
1000 + 0.5 ( 1000 ) = 1500 Attack and Defense
2000 + ( 2000 x 0 ) + 0 + 1.00 ( 2000 +( 2000 x 0 ) + 0 )
or
2000 + 1.00 ( 2000 ) = 4000 Movement
Superior Block + 20%
Super Move + 10%
1000 + ( 1000 x 0.20 ) + 0 + 0.50 ( 1000 + ( 1000 x 0.20 + 0 )
or
1000 + 200 + 0.50 ( 1000 + 200 )
further simplified
1200 + 0.50 ( 1200 )
or just
1200 + 600 = 1800 as your new Defense score.
2000 + ( 2000 x 0.10 ) + 0 + 1.00 ( 2000 + ( 2000 x 0.10 ) + 0 )
or
2000 + 200 + 1.00 ( 2000 + 200 ) = 4400 as your new Movement score.
MOVE + 1650
EXCELLENT TECH DAMAGE + 7
or
2000 + 200 + 1650 + 1.00 ( 2000 + 200 + 1650 ) = 7700
Att: 1500
Def: 1800
Mov: 7700
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Be a Fan-Fiction Reality Writer!!!
ID#26130
Hi. I hope you have enjoyed some of the stories about my exploits as a hero in the world of Heroes Rising. I've fought in a couple League Wars, been a part of some Tug of War events, Trick-or-treated around the neighborhood, and taken part of a few super-battles against Big Bads. While doing all this is part of the hero experience, I'd like to point out that there are other options out there as well for you.
If you venture to the Community Tab on the main page, you will find a link to the Fiction Forum. On this page, you can share your own stories, either as an individual or in a collaborative piece. This option might not be everyone's cup of tea, but there are some substantial benefits to taking part in the activity that I would like to make everyone aware of.
First, as an individual, each qualifying post of a paragraph or two is worth two Reality Writer Power Cards. Each of these Power Cards is worth 10MP resale. If over the course of one month you add content to an ongoing thread or story of 20 different, meaningful entries, you will earn tradeable value of 200MP. That is enough for a triple spin on Nova's Mystery shuffle.
Now, some people may say that they have not good at telling stories. I doubt that. I have a feeling that more people out there are talented storytellers with interesting characters, but they are afraid of being judged. Let me rest your mind about that. The Fiction Forum has been a very friendly, fun environment for me. Some of my stories are goofy. Some of them a bit more serious. They are there for people to read or not read, but I hope some people read and enjoy what I've put out there. What I've never gotten is any flack or heckling for my posts. Only rewards and a few occasional compliments.
If you are a free player, participating in the Fiction Forum might be a way to help build a better selection of Gear or Power Cards for use during events.
Another benefit of the Fiction Forum is that members of the Sentinel Team read all of the entries posted, and if a submission is good enough, it may be published on the main game page in the Sentinel Window as well as shared on the These City Streets blog page for Heroes Rising. If a story is relevant to the game in a meaningful way, such as a story about how your character interacts with a supervillain with snappy banter during a raid, what they do to help succeed during League Wars, or an adventure during a special holiday event, it can earn up to 460MP worth of cards if approved to be featured.
Not only does this share your creative insight into your character with other players, bringing your hero to life in the reader's eyes, but it is a substantial reward that can be used to spin or purchase greater quantities of cards during special promotions, like Boost Sales or during Tug of War events.
As a league, this is a great opportunity to team up and improve all members who take the time to participate.
Bring your character to life beyond the digital screen of your device. Tell their origin story. Let us know who their arch-nemesis might be. Describe how they defeat the villain who knows their secret identity or what to use to debilitate/weaken your hero's powers while they fight. Or tell us something new we have never seen on the page before as readers.
I can tell you that I've made quite a few purchases with the redeemable MP Power Cards I've collected from sharing my stories. The effort has made me a better hero and can do the same for you.
Keep your eye out for additional contests out there as well, both for writing and for creative art efforts. A small tip here for you all, writing stories or participating in art coloring events earns rewards WITHOUT any experience gains. Just saying.
I look forward to seeing more of you sharing your stories and letting us get to know about your heroic adventures in the Fiction Forum. If you would like to collaborate on any stories, contact me as well. I'd love to be your sidekick.
Madam Marvelous
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Twist of Fate (Final) by Crossroads (Halloween Fan-Fiction)
Chase, missing an arm and looking much sadder than the Chase that Allyson knew, fingered a piece of grey stone she kept on a chain around her neck. “Sir, that is an all-or-nothing kind of plan. You aren’t known for adopting all-or-nothing solutions. Check that, it’s a nothing-or-nothing plan. Either she they win and she destroys the Earth or we win and we destroy the Earth.”
“You’re right, Chase, of course,” answered Nova. “But this planet is already dead. Our remaining scientists have assured me that Lady Quark has drained the planet of so much energy that the core has now cooled past the point of any hope of recovery. In a few years, the magnetosphere will weaken to the point that we will no longer be protected from cosmic rays or solar winds. At that point, the first solar flare , regardless of how weak, would destroy all remaining life on this planet.”
“If we act now, we can get the remaining population of the planet and at least save enough of the human race to successfully colonize a habitable planet.”
“So that’s why you let the off-world heroes leave without a fight!” Hot Wings exclaimed. “They are scouting out planets for us!”
“As I said, I believe in a Plan B, C, D, E, etc....”
“I was going to ask how you were going to get the coordinates of a black hole, but obviously you’ve thought of that,” stated Alysia.
“Yes, the closest black hole to Earth is Sagittarius A, at the center of our galaxy. And one of our friends gave me the coordinates of the event horizon.”
“Sir,I appreciate the confidence you have in my abilities,” Alysia demurred. “But I don’t think I have near enough the range to reach the center of a galaxy with a portal!”
“You never know until you try, Crossroads,” Nova stated sternly. ”However, you won’t have to portal that far. Some of our friends have setup a series of star gates from just outside the orbit of Jupiter all the way to the event horizon. If we could connect a portal from her to the star gate, we should be able get this to work.”
“What do you want me to do, Commander?” Allyson asked.
“Miss Robicheaux, we have no right to ask for your help. You are not from this universe. You should just go home and keep yourself safe.
“With all due respect, Commander, you know I won’t do that.” Allyson stated firmly.
“I know, but I had to say it anyway. If you would like to stay to help, our first priority is getting all survivors off this planet. Sadly it won’t take long. There are enough ships waiting beyond Jupiter to handle the refugees.” Nova pressed a switch on his command gauntlet and several view screens around the briefing room activated, momentarily displaying the image of several large colony ships in space, the showing the bridge of at least eight different ships.
“We’re ready to start the evacuation, Commander Nova,” announced one of the ship commanders on the screens.
“Thank you, Captain Ortiza. Standby. We are sending and advance team to lock in the locations of the holding decks.”
“Acknowledged. Standing by.”
“Can you portal to those ships, Alysia? Allyson?” Nova asked.
“Can you have them display the holding areas we will be putting the refugees in?” Allyson asked.
“Captains, please switch display to the holding areas.” Immediately the view screens showed large empty spaces, large enough that they could hold thousands of people without being too crowded.
Allyson and Alysia looked at each other then looked at the screens. Then they both disappeared. Everyone’s eyes shot to the screens where they saw either Allyson or Alysia appear briefly then pop out and appear on another screen. They were back in the conference room in under 30 seconds.
Alysia smiled and said, “No problem, Commander.”
________________________________________
It took almost two days to evacuate the planet. just over ten million survivors from a population that was approaching eight billion. They heroes worked non-stop, directing the people where to go, on planet and on ship. Alysia and Allyson maintained their portals almost the entire time, alternating who slept while the other one held all eight portals open at one time. It was exhausting, rewarding, and heartbreaking all at the same time.
During this time, Lady Quark was observed by satellite. They were creating something, but it was impossible to make out what it was because they apparently knew they were being observed and obscured the sky above where they worked. What worried everyone was that they made no move to stop what the heroes were doing, even though they must have been aware of it.
Finally, the portals were almost all closed. Only one remained open in China. Most of the population were already onboard the ships, but there were a few stragglers being herded towards the last portal. Suddenly, there was a blue/red flash and Lady Quark was there.
Hot Wings immediately launched himself at them. He moved faster than the human eye could follow. A streak of yellow-white flame. He slammed into Lady Quark and was immediately flung backwards by the force of the impact. Lady Quark didn’t budge at all. Several other heroes lined up to attack Lady Quark, knowing this might be their final battle.
Lady Quark eyed the assembled heroes calmly and then spoke in a voice eerily reminiscent of the Wicked Witch of the West, “Get them, my pretties!”
And from behind Lady Quark, came a dark tidal wave of horror. Thousands upon thousands of horrible death threatened to crash into the heroes protecting the refugees. In only ones or twos they might have been called cute, or at least strange. But the numbers they came in made it absolutely terrifying. A horde of blue/red ducks waddled surprisingly quickly towards the heroes. The heroes were horrified and nonplussed, and that hesitation almost cost them their lives. These cute little ducks were armed with razor sharp toothed beaks and clawed webbed feet.
The heroes unleashed their own tidal wave of destruction upon that ravening horde just before being overrun. Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Lightning, Radiation, and Magic slammed into the front line of the Duckmageddon, blasting the entire front ranks away. But the ducks kept coming first one hero, ‡ Florida Man ‡, fell, his screams of rage and resistance horribly drowned out by the gentle quacking of an uncounted number of ducks that tore him apart.
The heroes began giving ground, backing up slowly towards the evacuation point, just waiting for the word that all civilians were safe. Another hero fell to the quacking mob, then another, and another. Still the heroes held on, until...
“Now!” Nova commanded.
A wave of earth threw the mass of ducks back for a moment, and in that moment, every single here dropped through a portal that was opened up right under their feet. The heroes disappeared in an instant. For a long moment, there was nothing between the evacuation staging area and the mass of ducks and the ducks surged forward towards the portal.
Suddenly a shadow blocked the weak sunlight for a moment and then the massive unfettered form of Miðgarðsormr slammed into the ground, crushing a thousand ducks at once. The other ducks swarmed the massive Serpent of Midgard, but were mostly ineffectual because his scales were too tough for the ducks’ teeth and claws to penetrate. Miðgarðsormr struck mighty blows left and right demolishing the quacking horde. But still they kept coming.
But something different was happening now, they began to pile up, on atop the other. Soon it was a pyramid of ducks that began to rival Miðgarðsormr in size. Then they started to change shape and melt together. Soon there was a single massive red/blue duck facing the great serpent. And it was pissed.
The battle between these two titans raged back and forth for several minutes without clear indication of who had an advantage. Until a second gigantic duck appeared. And then a third. A fourth. Miðgarðsormr was quickly swarmed under by a dozen giant ducks. Not all those ducks survived, but Miðgarðsormr didn’t return with the rest of the heroes when the evacuation site was shut down. No one knows what happened to him.
Nova, watching the satellite feed of the battle from the lead colony ship, gave the order. “Open the gates, open the portal."
Alysia and Allyson joined their powers to maintain the portal as a dozen star gates between them and the center of the galaxy were opened. The pressures of the gravity forces at work against their portals was tremendously overwhelming, but the two portal masters kept on.
And down on the former Planet Earth, a small portal appeared, the size of a standard closet door, but behind that door was the most powerful force in the universe. Lady Quark had a moment to realize what was happening in front of them. A moment in which they returned to lucidity and reflected upon what they had done.
As the forces of the black hole began to tear the planet apart and draw it and Lady Quark into the portal and the finality beyond, Lady Quark smiled and said, “Do you have any idea how much power there is inside a black hole, Nova? Don’t think this is the end. Quack!”
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
United Heroes Food Program has served up a heaping helping of heroism to start the holiday season
By Chaz Hamilton
#22349
In an new event for our heroes to confront, a hefty donation was made by Dev Nick Shapiro to the Bed and Bread Club in Detroit, Michigan. Each member of a participating league earned a special Heroism Power Card for every 20 full meal kits the league assembled during the multi-day event.
Here is Nick's comment made earlier on the Facebook Heroes Rising Players Page.
"Well done heroes!
I'll be sending $165.92 to Bed and Bread today. Every penny was earned through your gameplay.
And thanks to everyone who donated directly! If you messaged Dan, you have your cards already.
Happy Thanksgiving!" - Nick Shapiro
4148 meal kits were collected in total. Some players also stepped up and made personal contributions of $20 to the Bed and Bread Club and were given a commemorative Power Card, True Heroism. For those who may still be interested in contributing, you can use this link to make a donation.
Bed and Bread Club Donation Page
Contact Dan Peyton, either in game as "Gar" or on Facebook with your conformation number for your own copy of this Power Card.
Whether your hero searched for potatoes in New Amsterdam Missions, collected Green Beans while Patrolling in Neo Utopia, or anywhere else errant food items might have been discoverable, this event opened a new avenue for growth in the Heroes Rising community. Multiple leagues collected over a hundred meal kits as a team. It goes to show what a bit of dedication, effort, and cooperation can achieve when the mind behind a hero is put to task. And while some leagues made sizable gains hunting for food, even the leagues that had smaller numbers still added to the total in the end.
This is what we call in the newspaper business a "Win/Win"!
Take that, Commander Gamma and Judge Alpha. Our heroes fart in your general direction.
Monday, November 22, 2021
Twist of Fate (Part 3) by Crossroads [Halloween Fan-Fiction]
“Who?“ A voice answered in that space. “Crossroads? From where? I don’t recognize you...” The voice replied cautiously.
“I am Allyson,” she replied, adding all the “flavor” of her home universe to her name. “And I need your help.”
“Allyson, I am Alysia,” the voice responded with her own universe’s “flavor.” “I am in no position to help anyone right now. My universe is on the brink of destruction and it all we can do to stave off the end.”
“I know, Alysia, I know. Somehow I crossed into your universe and ended up on the BADGE Space Station. I found the recording Nova left. What I don’t know is what has happened since that message was recorded and what I can do to help.”
“Standby, Allyson,” Alysia replied and went silent.
Allyson waited a few minutes, the complete silence and darkened corners of the room making her jumpy. Allyson decided to activate the viewing screen and see what the planet lloked like from orbit. That image of the white-blue marble always cheered her up. The view screen came alive and it’s harsh light threw shadows from the work stations and defunct robots across the room. Rubbing her eyes from the sudden glare, Allyson could see that the planet was laid out before her, but something was wrong. Where she expected to see city lights dotting the continents all she could see was darkness. She remembered what Nova had said about the world’s power supply and was saddened to see it visually.
Allyson gave a huge sigh and reached to turn of the viewer when a suddenly a hand fell onto her shoulder. Allyson jumped, screamed, and dimensional-skipped across the room, her heart pounding in her chest. Immediately taking up a defensive stance, hand out and ready to deliver a blast ofenergy at her attacker.
Standing by the command console was a petite, Asian-American woman in a superhero outfit very close in design to the one that Allyson normally wore – a red and black jumpsuit with a utility belt.
“Whoops! Sorry, Allyson! I didn’t mean to startle you like that. I’m Alysia, glad to meet you!”
“Oh ...hi....,” stammered Allyson, her hand on her chest trying to slow her heart rate and breathing down.
“Listen, I would love to chat with you here, but we need to get out of here before Lady Quark finds us. Believe you me, you don’t want that to happen. So saying Alysia dim-skipped over to Allyson, put her hand on her shoulder and dim-skipped to somewhere else. Before they left the station, Allyson caught a quick glimpse of a pair of glowing red eye looking at them from the darkened doorway of the commander center.
Well, not a pair. There were three glowing red eyes watching them as they disappeared.
________________________________________
Allyson fell to her knees as they materialized in a small unfurnished room.
“Sorry about the rough ride,” Alysia apologized. ”I had to skip us all around the world as fast as I could to make sure they couldn’t follow us.”
“They? Lady Quark?”
“Yeah, they almost caught us. I could see their eyes as we skipped, so I took a lot of detours on the way here.”
“Where is here?” asked Allyson.
“Just a little way station on the way to our final stop,” Alysia snickered.
“What’s so funny...ahhhhhhhh!”
The floor suddenly dropped away and the two Crossroads fell down a shaft. The bottom of the shaft of was gently curved and it shunted the falling heroes into a tube with a sufficient declination that they continued to slide downwards, eventually ending up in a well-appointed capsule. The capsule had comfortable seats which the heroes took after untangling themselves from their arrival. Allyson grumbled about the chute, but Alysia just smiled gleefully.
“Again, sorry, but your expression was hilarious!”
“Whatever. Where to now?”
“Nova apparently has little safe houses that no one else knows anything about throughout the entire world. He’s kind of paranoid,” Alysia answered.
“And you should be too, Alysia! Hasn’t recent event taught you that?” Nova’s voice said from a speaker overhead.
“You’re right, sir. But you’ve had these little hidey-holes long before you ever formed BADGE.”
“My life has taught me to always have a Plan B. I reasoned that if a Plan B was needed, then I should also prepare a Plan C, D E, F and so on. It has served me well over the centuries,” Nova replied sagely. “On to business. Allyson? May I call you Allyson?”
“Um, yes sir!”
“Thank you. Allyson, as things stand right now,. we aren’t going to win. I hate to be so blunt, but sugar coating it isn’t going to change it. BADGE doesn’t exist anymore. Our Leagues and headquarters have all been overran and destroyed. We lost about 90% of all our meta-humans. Of the super-powered extra-terrestrials we had, some were killed and the others decided to leave and go home, or at least elsewhere in the universe.”
“We can’t save the Earth, but, hopefully, we can save the rest of the universe.”
“How, sir?” Allyson asked as the capsule slid to a halt and the doors opened.
“Come with me and I’ll show you,” Nova said from the capsule doors.
________________________________________
Continued...Saturday, November 20, 2021
UHFP Fan-Fiction: Fighting Hunger isn't for Wimps!!
by Madam Marvelous
ID #26130
Despite the trouble going on in my own New Amsterdam neighborhood, I found myself working with the Star Force league as we tried to gather food items for the people displaced by recent disasters across the planet. Everyone kept talking about how the problem was bigger than just one hero or league could combat. The need for all to work together in order to even make a dent in the hardship displaced citizens were suffering was clear as could be.
"So, we are looking for donations across the region," Starmaster, founder of the Star Force said. His blue and black costume shifted in dark hues as a bright starfield glistened on the techno-mesh fabric. Over his heart, a bright blue star shone, reminding me of a badge worn by a town sheriff in one of those old western movies. His face was hidden by a blank mask with a blue strip across where his eyes would be, but even those features were hard to make out beneath the cowl of his cloak that swayed in the gentle breeze. "BADGE heroes are going door to door in every neighborhood asking for donations, so in order to make sure we don't overlap, we've been given designated territories. There is a lot of world out there, so I don't see any issues staying out of other heroes way, but we don't want people to think we are being demanding or forceful in our requests for aid."
"So in other words, we need to smile and use our 'please' and 'thank you' voices," Wyldfyre said.
"Actually, you and Lykos are going to be going out to the nature preserve and doing some hunting. We've checked with the field agents from the Department of Natural Resources and they report that there is an overabundance of wild turkeys in the region. You and Lykos are in charge of capturing as many of them as you can and getting them to this point." Starmaster used his BADGE communicator to create a holographic map floating in the air. Several large poultry transports were parked in a lot beside a wide field of tall grasses.
"WWHHHAATT!? Why me?" Wyldfyre exclaimed with puzzlement as he glared at Lykos. "Why him?"
"The two of you have the best skillset for this task. Or would you rather go with me and Infinite Tempest as we go to help dig up potatoes? A local farmer donated his entire field for us to cultivate for the people in need," Starmaster said as he telekinetically lifted a shovel into the air and moved it closer to his teammate. "Lykos has experience with wild animals and you should be able to use your elemental abilities to create smoke to drive them where BADGE will pick them up."
"I thought I was a hero, not a Turkey Herder." Wyldfyre grabbed the shovel out of the air and threw it back at Starmaster. "You have fun picking potatoes."
"Actually, you dig up potatoes--" Starmaster began.
"DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?" Wyldfyre turned and headed toward one of the Star Force shuttles. "Come on Lykos. Nobody says we have to do this sober."
Lykos shrugged and followed after Wyldfyre. "I'm happy about the mission. I haven't had much time to practice my turkey calls. My 'tom calling for his mate' gobble nearly won me first place at the Missouri State Fair a few years back."
Chained Angel stifled a laugh as Lykos chased after Wyldfyre. "That isn't going to end well."
"If Wyldfyre ends up roasting a few turkeys by mistake, what's it going to hurt?" Starmaster shrugged. Even though his voice was modulated by some technology in his costume, I could still hear him chuckling at the thought. "Now, I need you, Astra, and Madam Marvelous to handle going door to door. We're looking for any canned goods that you can collect."
"Do we need to just go to people's homes?" Astra asked. "We could also check with businesses and other vendors. I could talk to The Sword of Gerraxia. She has connections with a whole bunch of food producers."
"That's right," Prysmatica chimed in, nodding in agreement. She was dressed as usual in her elegant, multi-colored finery. "The Keebler Family. They may be able to help with producing some of the baked goods we need."
"Good thinking, Astra," Starmaster said. "Whatever sources you feel might be willing to help. I trust you three to be smart about who and how you ask."
"As opposed to Wyldfyre?" Astra giggled. "He's sort of dating my adopted mom, so I understand your reluctance to have him as the 'face' of this operation."
"You didn't hear me say that," Starmaster said stoically, but it was clear he was still amused. "Catalyst is going to be working on the pumpkin pies. He's been in contact with several molecular gastronomists at the university who say they can help make a delicious pie with a long shelf-life."
I stepped forward and cleared my throat. "Why did you ask for me to join you from the Star Force Junior League?"
Starmaster, Chained Angel, and Astra exchanged glances. Finally, Astra raised her hand bashfully. "I asked them if you could join us. I thought it would be fun to work with you in a less... threatening situation."
"We've also been hearing good things about you and wanted to have the chance to work with you. Several leagues have consolidated their efforts to maximize efficiency for this project. There are a lot of mouths to feed," Starmaster said. "Plus, as this is a non-combat mission, we can add you to our roster without needing to fear for your safety."
"But I'm just a shapeshifter," I said. "I can't do anything you all can't do better or faster."
"Thoughts like that are a big part of the problem. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, that you can't do anything better or you can't do enough to make a significant difference." Chained Angel stepped to my side and placed a hand on my shoulder. "This mission isn't about you. No one person can solve this alone, so we have to work together, each doing whatever it is we can. Nothing more, nothing less. It is what we can contribute as a community that is going to make the difference."
"And all the leagues coming together and making an effort will make a difference. I just got a report from BADGE and we've created almost 2,500 meal kits for displaced citizens, but that isn't enough by a long shot." Starmaster adjusted his holographic emitter and displayed the current count. "WMD has done great so far, but leagues like the 5th Precinct: Omniversal Traffic Cops, 666-Burning $ky, and Colony 51 are working very hard as well. I have faith we can bring our efforts up to match, especially with your help."
I thought for a second. What could I add to the efforts of my new companions? "Well, my mo--,"I caught myself before I said mom fully, "--my most helpful idea is to talk to some contacts I might have with local greenhouses. There might be something they could contribute."
"Great idea," Chained Angel said. "It still surprises me that WMD: Black Order has been doing so much. They are sort of known for being a bit rough around the edges with Midgardsormr and Skelanimal always causing some kind of trouble. Same with Villains Inc and a few other dark horse leagues."
"Midgardsormr has always been nice to me," I said, wanting to defend my friend.
"Even in the deepest darkness, there is still some light to be found," Starmaster said. "You don't have to be perfect to be good. Some of the hardest, toughest people out there have the biggest hearts."
I had to agree with that observation. Looking around, I noticed another member of the Star Force league practicing with swords built into his suit of armor. "You haven't said what Silver Paladin's part is in all of this. Where is he going to be helping?"
"Who do you think is going to be cutting all the pies?" Astra said with a bright smile. "He'll be working with Catalyst."
"I think we all know what we have to do," Starmaster lifted into the air with Infinite Tempest by his side. "Star Force, let's get busy. We have a lot to do if we want to be sure everyone who needs help gets it."
I raised my hand as he left, having one final question. "Starmaster. Do you have any idea what Strange Quark is doing over there?"
Everyone turned their heads to spot Strange Quark vaulting into the air repeatedly in front of the UHFP building.
Starmaster shook his head. "It's better just to wonder. If you want to ask him, feel free, but I'm sure that no matter what, his reply would be--"
In unison, we all completed Starmaster's sentence. "StRaNgE!"
Twist of Fate (part 2) by Crossroads [Halloween Fan-Fiction]
I finally made my way through the station to the Command Center. Her I finally found equipment that was actually operating. Lighting was limited to the emergency lighting and many of the lights on the command consoles were red or dark, but there a few stations that were green and operating. I had figured as much since there was obviously life support, gravity, and propulsion (keeping the station in orbit). All non-essential systems like lifts, robotics, infirmary, galley, lighting, etc. were offline. I found one computer station that appeared to be operational.
Moving the defunct robot out of the way, I tried to access the computer. I wasn’t sure what I could do since I wasn’t part of the BADGE command echelon, but I should have at least basic system access. As soon as the authorization credentials were entered and accepted the main monitor on the wall came to life. Commander Nova, looking angry and tired, sporting several wounds and a bloody lip stared at me for a moment and then began speaking.
“If you are watching this, then we either haven’t returned to the station yet or won’t be returning at all. I have mobilized all meta-humans and powerful beings on the planet to aid in this fight. That includes those criminals housed in Purgatory and elsewhere. The situation is the darkest that I can ever recall in all my years. Most of the world’s military was disabled overnight. Planetary communications have been disrupted to the extent that coordination between countries is virtually impossible and even using the BADGE Communication network is becoming unreliable.”
“I leave this recording in the hopes that it serves as a warning to any who may find it. The Earth is lost. We are fighting, but I have no hope of victory. The best I can hope for is the mutual destruction of our foe. He is powerful beyond belief and that power has twisted him. He was once one of my most trusted lieutenants and a friend. I mourn the loss of that friend, but that which remains is evil and must be destroyed.”
There followed a brief history of what had happened. The first thing I learned was that I was not in my own dimension, which was a relief, and that this all started almost a year ago, during the search for the Ruby Shards. It appears that up until that point in time, the histories of my home dimension and this dimension were identical, but something caused those histories to diverge.
During the collection of the Ruby Shards, the hero known as Strange Quark was found to be the receptacle for the power and being of Lady Phoenix. Krampus had him captured and tried to extract Lady Phoenix from Quark and transfer her into the reconstituted ruby. In Crossroads’ universe, the energy was then transferred to Chase who took on the form and power of Lady Phoenix. The heroes eventually defeated Lady Phoenix and Krampus, saving Chase and the other Mythics at the same time.
However, in this universe something went wrong. Instead of the energy being drawn out of Quark, it attached itself to him, melded with his own strange multi-dimensional powers. The result was a being part Strange Quark and part Lady Phoenix and wholly insane as the two personalities vied for dominance. Lady Quark, as they called themselves, then went on a rampage.
The first victim was Krampus. He tried to help Lady Phoenix separate from Quark, but instead was absorbed into the matrix, quite by accident. His power adding to the whole, but his soul was devoured and destroyed. He was only the first of the Mythics to fall to this new being. All the Mythics tried to rescue their Lady. All were absorbed. What existed now was a terrifying creature with an insane hunger for power and a warped sense of humor.
“Lady Quark is unrelenting,” Nova continued. “They have absorbed all types of energy to feed their hunger. The power grids of most of the countries on the planet have been drained and rendered inert. Nuclear, solar, geothermal...all forms of energy or stores have been drained. There are only a few pockets of “normalcy” left. I believe they only exist because Lady Quark is leaving them for a “snack” later on. They aren’t going anywhere so they can get to them whenever they feel like it.”
“I have compiled a list of heroes who have already sacrificed themselves in the battle against Lady Quark.” At this statement, a list of names began scrolling across the screen, “They aren’t all BADGE operatives, some are villains, and some are just regular people who took a stand. Nevertheless, every single one of them is a hero worthy of honor and respect. Without their sacrifice, we would not have lasted this long.”
As Allyson scanned the list of fallen, her heart clenched and her eyes teared up as she saw the names of many friends and colleagues. Agent Justin, Agent Leslie, The Wizard, Shadow Walker, The ShitShow, Kid Chaos, Macaia’s Daughter, Azure Archangel, Zen, Timebender.... The list went on and on. She didn’t see some of the big heroes like Hot Wings or Miðgarðsormr, so maybe there was hope yet. She looked very carefully and did not see another name on that list. Crossroads.
Allyson decided to try to do something she never tried before. Something she was afraid to do when she first realized she was in a different universe. She was going to contact this universe’s version of herself. Looking with herself, Allyson began calling for herself, but applying the “flavor” of this universe. The “flavor’ is the defining element of this universe. When speaking to any of her dimensional counterparts, their name and essence carried this “flavor” to differentiate them from counterparts from other universes. Allyson recognized the “flavor” of her home universe and could tell that the “flavor” that this universe carried was slightly different
Friday, November 19, 2021
Heroes, There is Work to be Done!!!
ID#22349 and ID#12205
This Thanksgiving season, you can find our heroes challenged with a new obstacle. Typically, they serve us in the protection field, fighting off super-villains and threats to the world. Currently, they work diligently to help those displaced or negatively impaired by recent world events, such as the attack by the Giant Robot in Las Vegas, the tantrum thrown by Arx in Hollywood, and invasion of the Augments as they assaulted Washington, D.C.
I personally can't imagine which would be a more difficult struggle. While facing an adversary in battle, there is the constant threat of personal injury or death, but that is a risk our heroes have already accepted. Rescuing suffering families, including children, puts our heroes face to face with victims. How do you apologize sufficiently to a child who lost their most beloved pet while you fought near their home? Are their words to appease a business owner who lost their livelihood as one of your leaguemates crashed through their doors?
According to numbers collected by the Easter Bunny (yes, he is in charge of accounting for this endeavor) 21,848 citizens have been saved by the efforts of all our heroes. To date, 1799 meal kits have been completed to feed those rescued. If the bulk of those rescued are going to have anything to celebrate, much more food is going to need to be collected.
Here is some advice I've gathered to aid in those efforts:
1) Food, such as Turkeys, Potatoes, Green Beans, Pumpkin Pie, and Rolls, can be found during patrols and occasionally on missions. Those items can also be found while engaging in battles with others. While you fight an opponent, somehow mysterious fairies drop various items from the sky while battling. I suppose that in a world where people can shoot lasers from their eyes, nothing should surprise us anymore.
2) IboShin gu (ID: 12205) of ♦ COLONY 5¹♦ has been working tirelessly to collect as much as possible. Here is some advice from him:
"A combination. Missions mostly using the chocolate con and other energy boosts and refills. Missions are a surety if you play them, NA gets taters, Planet X gets turkeys, Invasion gets green beans, all battles give some of each. Patrols give mostly pumpkin pie and bread rolls. Don't be afraid to gain some xp, if every league member participates each member would only have to put 20-30-40 kits together to keep down the xp gain."3) This is a league event, so working together is to everyone's benefit. It has been announced that there is a boon being granted for each league completing a set of 20 meal kits, and that reward is called Heroism.
Assign each member a zone of influence. Lower level characters can complete missions in New Amsterdam or Planet X. More energetic heroes could search in Purgatory Penitentiary or other zones. Rather than overwhelming one location and getting a bunch of one item, the scattered option will help a league complete food baskets faster.
4)Don't forget to feed yourself and your friends.
If every hero participates, there are perks to being smart about how you go about it. Work hard and smart heroes, and you will end up with something to be thankful for.
And part of gratitude is paying it forward. If you have the ability to make a donation to the organization linked on the Heroes Rising UHFP tab, the Bed and Bread Club of Michigan (or any organization in your local community that helps those in need), please do so. It isn't always easy to help others, but if you have ever been in need of help yourself, you know what a difference
a helping hand can make.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!! Gobble-Gobble.
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Heroes helping Heroes
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Twist of Fate (part 1) by Crossroads [Halloween Fan-Fiction]
It was a dark and stormy night. Really. Weather reports forecasted a 70% chance of thunderstorms in the New Orleans area tonight and through the morning. Luckily, it wasn’t actually raining at the moment, but the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive with the looming storm. Cars speeding down the streets threw up huge fantails of water as they went through puddles.
Dodging the water splashed up by cars as I made my way to my vehicle wasn’t necessary for me. I just created portals on each side of me that the water passed through. That kept me nice and dry...mostly. My feet and ankles, as well as my hair, did get wet because its hard to catch all the water when its moving, you’re moving, and you’re trying to keep the portals moving at the optimum angles to catch the water. Still, mostly dry is good!
I got into my car, a little VW Beetle, that I really loved driving. Ironically, I really have no need of a car. I can go anywhere in the world I want in an instant. Heck, I can even go into other dimensions! Well, theoretically, I can. I haven’t really explored that aspect of my power, yet. But nothing beats the soothing feel of driving on a country road with the top down and the wind streaming through your hair. However, with the weather tonight, the top is up and the A/C is blowing, trying to reduce the humidity the approaching storm is bringing.
Suddenly, time slows down and I feel a tingling along my skin and down my spine. The car suddenly loses power and coasts to a halt, the radio and lights dying simultaneously. The darkness of the night is shattered by a glaring blue-white glow as the air begins to ionize around my from what I assume is an imminent lightning strike. My reaction speed allows me to process this all in a moment and I create a portal to divert the strike harmlessly back into the ground 100 meters away. But it is a moment that I don’t have.
As I form the portals, in the split-second before the portals actually connect, the lightning bolt hits and shatters my precious car. Thinking I was safe from the strike because I was going to divert it, my personal protection were very low. I was in my work clothes, a white blouse and black slacks, with my super-suit on underneath but powered down and offering only basic protection from physical threats like knives and bullets, not energy attacks, like lightning bolts. Pain courses through me as I try to complete the portal and ground out the electricity.
The portals connect and the pain begins to lesson as the electricity stops flowing through my body and bleeds into the ground. But the so does my level of consciousness. I feel myself begin to blacking out and I try to dimension-skip myself to the infirmary on the BADGE Space Station. I feel myself change locations but I cannot tell where I am because I am unable to see. The lightning strike, the sudden brightness, has rendered me blind. The location feels familiar to my remaining senses, having been a frequent occupant of the infirmary after many League Wars and RAIDS. Further speculation on my location will have to wait as unconsciousness reaches up and drags me into dark waters.
________________________________________
Pain is the first thing I know when I awaken. My nerves are still on fire from that lightning strike. I don’t know how long I have been out, but it must not have been too long, otherwise, the infirmary robots would have put me in a bed, informed the medical staff, and begun basic first aid – including giving me a pain killer and some burn ointment! Since I can still feel I’m on the floor and I’m still hurting, I must have been out for only a few minutes. Opening my eyes, I see nothing. It’s still black as night. Either I’m blind or the lights are out, but if the lights were out, there should be emergency lighting and even lights from equipment. But there is nothing.
I feel around me in the darkness and my hand brushes a table leg. I use that to pull me up into a more-or-less standing position. Risking magnifying the headache I already have, I use my Firey power to create a ball of flame to give some light to see by. The flame glares brightly against the darkness, pushing it away and revealing that I am, in fact, in the Infirmary. Or what used to be an infirmary.
Equipment is shattered and scattered everywhere, glass, bottles, vials, syringes, bandages, and other detritus cover most of the floor. What isn’t covered is the smears of dried blood, as if something was either dragged through a puddle of blood, or was bloody mess when they were dragged away. Either way, this is not the sight I hoped would greet me.
________________________________________
Saturday, November 13, 2021
Halloween Costume Events: A Review
The month of October featured 3 different Halloween Costume Events.
The contest consisted of taking a photo of oneself dressed like their toons.
Now that we are in the 2nd week of November the contest has a bit of a twist.
All players level 40 and above may purchase Special Halloween Costume Attack Cards at the store. The cards features the photos of the contest entries, and animation is the photo of the card flying across the battle screen.
Here is my Drift card.
https://www.heroesrisinggame.com/game/replay_battle.game?history=9850200
Another Halloween costume event was the Cereal Box mask photos. We were given a warning that the event may happen randomly sometime the next day and the window of opportunity to post your photo would be about 30 minutes. I had my cereal mask photo ready, problem was trying to be online to enter the event at a random time, had to keep checking every hour or so, & almost missed it, thankfully was able to enter, here is my Cereal mask photo.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/232301183620548/posts/1860288737488443
And another costume event was the Toilet Paper mummy photos, this was a surprise event that only happened for about 30 minutes without warning, so players would have had to be online reading the message in the game or the facebook post from the Heroes Rising Players group. Some of the entries were humorous, and you can view those at https://www.facebook.com/groups/232301183620548/posts/1853494951501155
From your unfriendly neighborhood Drifter!
ID:10821
Friday, November 12, 2021
In The Room with Captain Courageous
Captain Courageous - "My favorite superpower? It's a tie between super strength and super speed."
Chaz: "I can only imagine what having either of those abilities would be like. Have you had much opportunity to use your gifts on this world? Where do you prefer to look for trouble as a hero?"
Captain Courageous - "I love New Amsterdam chili. Its delicious."
Captain Courageous - "I'm only here in this universe until the legion is fully defeated, then I'm going back to my earth."
Chaz: "As pleased as I would be for you to find your way home, defeating Legion is still a long-off goal for our heroes to meet. Every citizen of this world prays that our heroes will not give up on succeeding at that task."
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
The KOTM Challenges: Theft and Revenge!!!
#26130
KOTM events are a big draw for heroes to participate in. Fifteen people who enter a battle in a division will win something, and who doesn't like to win. I know I do, but it isn't always easy to be one of those lucky souls who walks away with a prize.
Tonight, I found discovered something that tastes even better than winning. Vengeance. Taking the cake is nice, but when you get to smash and grind that frosting-covered morsel into someone's face and shout, "Take that!!!" as you capture it out from underneath them, well, that's a special kind of delicious.
Especially after someone has done the same exact thing to you.
There are a few things you have to understand to get the true drift of my tale. During KOTM events there are all sorts of different battles. An average match, where you go toe to toe with your opponent. Duels, which is kind of like fighting with a hand tied behind your back. Brawls are similar, but the rope isn't tied quite as tightly, and then Chronos. Those are the fights nobody really likes because they take forever and if you aren't there from the get-go, you probably aren't going to win.
I try to compete in as many of these as I possibly can, and for my level score and division, I do alright. I'm a bit more powerful than those in Division 6 most of the time, so being in Division 5 has been where most of my matches have been lately. Divisions are always shifting. You can't count on being in the top bracket of participants every time, as the bar that determines who can get in rises and falls, but if you pay attention, it isn't hard to calculate where the sweet spot might be.
Currently, in Division 5, it is somewhere between being ranked as Level 21-30. If you are above 21, you might find yourself forced up into Division 4. There are a bunch of better equipped and solidly trained combatants that will clean your clock if you go up against them, sort of like a Flyweight weight going up against a Bantamweight. A skilled enough Flyweight might occasionally win, but the odds are in the higher combatant's favor.
With any fight, the prize is a big consideration for how hard I'm willing to fight. Standard KOTM challenges offer decent rewards, but winning the gold prize can actually be somewhat detrimental to a combatant as it forces them up into the next highest division for the next few matches. This is important because if you go up in division when a primo, top-notch prize is offered, a fighter has less of a chance of winning because you're caught in the upper division.
I hate to admit it, but you want to succeed, sometimes you need hold back so you don't lose out on your best opportunities. I typically don't go all out in a KOTM fight unless it is one sponsored by one of the Avatars. Those fights are better worth going for the gold.
This all leads into my story. I was fighting a few days ago in a KOTM fight titled Physical Euphemism (Don't ask me, I don't know why they pick the names they do) and held the top rank for much of my time there. Unfortunately, I got complacent and wasn't paying attention at the right time and some joker named Flame of War of the Bomb Squad came in and robbed me of a tournament challenge I'd held top position within for most of the day. Flame of War won MY Gold and I walked out with a Bronze. It sucked, but it was my own fault for not keeping my head in the game. Live and learn, right?
The next tournament was a Mental Contest, sponsored by the Avatar of the Mind. I joined the KOTM event, realizing that I most likely wasn't going to capture the gold for this event either. The level cap was higher, allowing combatants ranked up to level 40 fight in Division 5. Quickly, NOMAD of SUFFERING stepped in and took the top position. I swung at him a few times, testing myself against him with my abilities and tactics. Those SUFFERING league members are pretty strong competitors. Losing to him repeatedly, I doubted my chances but still paid attention to what was going on.
Eventually, I saw that Flame of War stole the top rank from NOMAD. He was doing to NOMAD what he just did to me last KOTM event. I decided turnabout was fair play. I bided my time and watched more intently. NOMAD eventually recaptured the lead rank and I feared my chance was lost yet again.
Then, in the final minutes of the KOTM event, while the clock was ticking down to the final moments, I saw that Flame of War made his move and once again retook the top spot. What did I have to lose? Nothing. I challenged Flame of War, and he defeated my. I rethought my approach, varying my gear output to better counter his build. I stepped up once again and went for the fences.
And I WON!!!
The final moments ticked away. I watched and waited for a new challenge to come in and dethrone me from my precarious perch. With effort, Flame of War could defeat me and NOMAD could flex once and send me back to the lower tier. But no challenge was issued. No rematch asked for. And as the bell rang out, I had secured my Gold victory, earning a boon from the Avatar of the Mind out from the waiting hands of two skilled opponents.
And getting that win was GLORIOUS!!! I'd recaptured a bit of my lost faith in myself, stolen by the Flame of War when he took my spot in the Physical challenge. I wanted to take my new prize and wave it in his face, shouting "Ha-Ha-Ha-ha-ha." Not the most ladylike thing to do but sometimes you just feel what you feel.
Then, after winning the Mental Contest event, I stepped to the screen to see what new offering might be announced. We had just been offered two Avatar challenges, so I expected a standard event. My jaw dropped open as I could only whisper to myself "That's just FUBAR!"
Of the Avatar KOTM events, Supernatural and Elemental challenges are the rarest and highly sought after. Wouldn't you just know that the next challenge offered, that I would now fight in Division 4, would be an Elemental Constable??? I would have been in prime position for that event had I remained in Division 5, being at the maximum level rating allowed.
Two steps forward and one step back. Story of my life.