Re: Oldschool Gifted
There aren't really any limits, I guess, except that I think I'd prefer if we keep it rather simple. One gift per player, I suppose. Fire, water, talking to animals, shapeshifting, transparency, mind-reading, possession... the sky's the limit. But remember that the humans have found ways to counter just about anything. I suppose it's time for me to post a more detailed version of my plot...
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After several strenuous years of experimentation, the human race created what they now call "Gifted"; creatures of immense power, that can do things that no ordinary man could accomplish. There are those that can call fire to their aid with a few simple gestures, others that can swim underwater for long stretches of time or drown others with only the water vapors in the air around them. Still others possess darker abilities, such as mind-reading, or possession. Of course, once the doctors that created these new abilities in humans realized what they'd done, they lost control of their subjects, and were soon killed as the Gifteds escaped the research lab that no government agency had funded, or even knew about.
For several decades, the Gifteds ran amok, hiding in the human world, or hiding from it entirely. For those that still appeared human, life was rather easy, so long as they didn't lose control. For those that were "born" with wings, or scales, life was a little harder, as they had to find new and inventive ways of hiding their strangeness from those that would run in fear of those different from themselves. Those that found themselves blending in with society gradually created more Gifteds, through natural reproduction, until there were Gifteds ranging in age from infants to old men and women who had seen the beginning of their race. Now, the Gifteds live in fear of discovery, for a few fanatical agents of their kind had exposed them, and led to what is known as the Mutant Trials.
The group of men and women who sought to expose Gifteds for what they believe they were, superior to the human race, and derserving of recognition instead of hiding in plain sight, called themselves the Freedom Fliers, and were eventually gunned down by human military groups, who then turned their attention to the public. Mandatory registration was enforced like never before, and all residents of the world were forced to undergo inspections, to ensure they were human. Those that failed the test were thrown into prisons, designed to counterwhatever "weirdness" was found in the individual, each holding cell designed to keep its occupant alive and comfortable, but held in check nonetheless. These people were not only experiemented on further, but were then deemed to be inferior to the human race, holding true to their thick headed assumptions about their place in the universe; they forced Gifteds into chains, and sold them for Credits as every day workers to the general public, for steep prices. Mind-reading and possession skills, the ability to make any object or person invisible, shapeshifters whom could turn into animals much more dangerous than an ordinary housecat... the list continues.
The humans have found ways to counteract any power they had come across in a Gifted individual, mostly in the form of tattoos on the Gifted's body, with a matching pendant worn around the master's neck, or in some other piece of jewelry. The bearer of the pendant holds the ability to speak a phrase in an ancient language to kill the bearer of the tattoo, though many only use this should their life depend on it. With man's capacity to both create and destroy, it's no wonder they've discovered new ways to exploit their slaves, coming up with new command phrases to control Gifteds with. Should the pendant break, the Gifted individual is free, until the authorities capture him, and create another pendant to match the tattoo he or she bears.
In the year 2301, the sale of Gifteds is a common practice, and widely accepted. However, it's no surprise that those with the most dangerous or desireable powers have gotten into the hands of those that would use them to their advantage. Mafia leaders, aristocrats, gamblers, and other unsavory clientele routinely take part in underground auctions to buy such items of high value. The Golden Wing, a bar in the middle of an uptown strip, is often the hub of activity for such auctions.
The bartender, Grace, runs the auctions, usually having a clipboard with descriptions of her lots for sale, and giving them to clients from whom she receives the password of the week. Once they find the lot they are seeking, they participate in a silent auction, giving Grace their bid, and their phone number for contact.
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Not really sure where to go with it from there, but we can hammer out a few more details from there. What do you all think?
