Imbued

SerasStreams

Overview

Imbued
Los Angeles, modern day. Across the city, in dreams, a voice asks The Question; "If you could have a superpower, what would you choose?" Days pass, and people from all walks of life begin to display unique abilities. Most use their newfound superpowers for selfish desires. But, a handful decide to try and make the world a better place.

History

In the modern day life goes on as it always has. You wake up, go to work or school, come home, and try to live your life as best you can. But what happens when you suddenly are different; among a thousand individuals in a city of almost 4 million people? What would you do with those powers that you come into control over? Many people would help themselves - maybe they would help others...but the world would forever be different when a tiny fraction of its population gained powers only dreamt up in comic books and movies. This is what happens during the events that would be known as "The Awakening" by those who survived.
One may ask "What is the history of this alternate Earth?" Consider this story a "what if" scenario. What if regular, everyday people suddenly gained superpowers? Out of the blue, granted by some mysterious Entity? Furthermore, what if this has been happening since the dawn of humanity?
(Spoiler for Lore) The Entity is a being known as an Arch God; a deity who controls an entire world and has fostered its growth since the dawn of creation, during The Prime Urge, what we humans call The Big Bang. Throughout the past of Earth, The Entity has Imbued people with tremendous powers. Never more than a few thousand. As a hands-off type of deity, The Entity would rather empower its creations with the ability to solve their own problems. This led to what we in the modern day know as the various gods of religions. Zeus? Just an Imbued with lightning powers that built a group of other superpowered entities around him and ruled Ancient Greece. Odin? A planner and plotter who united several clans under his rule and guile, again, Imbued. The Jade Emperor? A bureaucrat who was able to keep his nation bound together. Every single deity is simply a person from the past who was turned into a myth and legend because of their powers. There have been no Imbued for thousands of years - until now.

Setting

Modern day. The primary story takes place in Los Angeles, but has the ability to spread across the entire world, and, if the story continues, even to worlds and galaxies beyond our world.

Characters

Rory Winters (Radiance) [Protagonist - Hero]

The superhero that would be known as Radiance was a gamer, nerd, and college student who was studying space at The University of Southern California, where he met his long-time girlfriend, Treya Jordan. Rory is one of those who was asked The Question by The Entity. Being a long-time player of a popular MMORPG, he asked: "To be a beacon of light to others, bring hope to their hearts, and punish those who do evil." The Entity gave him powers reminiscent of paladins, priests, and other divine-inspired magic and martial characters from the media he and his significant other consumed daily.

Marshal Thrimond (Crimson King) [Antagonist - Villain]

Top of his class at his law school, Marshal grew up on the streets after his parents abandoned him. He dragged himself up to where he is by his own sweat, blood, and tears. Then, he was diagnosed with blood cancer, and given weeks to live. When asked The Question, he replied, "I want to live. I want to get all this bad blood out and be strong again." Now, he has control not only over his blood, but the blood of others. He has decided to use his newfound power to become a puppetmaster over others, taking what he feels the world owes him.

Juarez Citro (Full Metal Gangster) [Supporting - Villain]

The man who would come to be known as Full Metal Gangster was a leading member of a prominent gang. He was asked The Question, and responded with "I want to be unbreakable and unstoppable." The Entity gave him the ability to turn his body into any metal he chose, along with super strength, speed, stamina, and regeneration. He has become a crime lord unlike any other and sees himself as the rightful ruler of Los Angeles. His entire motivation, however, comes from a place of cultural pride - as the city was originally his ancestor's before the United States took it from his home country. He wants to take it back for his people.

Nathan Martinez (Stormbringer) [Supporting - Hero]

An amateur boxer who was in and out of prison during his youth, having worked in Juarez Citro's gang for many years. He has since turned his life around and was on track to become the next Muhammad Ali. The Entity asked him The Question, and he replied, "I want to be fast as lightning and hit just as hard." Now, as the hero Stormbringer, he acts as a vigilante and fights against his prior gang; all whilst trying to keep his boxing career on track. He is unlike the other heroes mentioned thus far, for he has gone public with his identity.

Park Boxer (Firestarter) [Supporting - Villain]

Mr. Boxer is a psychopath. An escapee from a mental institution who committed countless acts of arson both in the United States and in swathes of jungles and forests across the world as a for-profit burner. When asked The Question, he replied, "I want to see it all burn." Using his new found power over flame, he has gone on a crime spree and devoted himself to a nihilistic pursuit...burn the world down to ashes and dance among the embers.

Beverly Pride (Petal Dancer) [Supporting - Hero]

Beverly grew up in Los Angeles and was the child of conservationists. She traveled the world with her parents, attending various protests to try and save the planet. When her parents grew too old to continue to travel, she chose to set up a charity fund and try to ignite conservation efforts. When asked The Question, she replied, "I want to see the world green again, and stop climate change." Now as a superhero, she controls plants and vegetation with a plan to fix the problems mankind caused for itself.

The Entity [Supporting]

A powerful being that comes to be known as an Arch God who has kept watch over and guided Earth's development. It is responsible for empowering the current generation of Imbued in an attempt to help humanity fix the problems it has created for itself. Its motives are unknown, save that it wants its creations to make it through this stage of The Great Filter, to achieve their true capabilities.

Archangel - Curator [Supporting]

A Curator is an interdimensional being that The Entity sends to advise and give support to any Imbued. Some Imbued spurn their advice, whilst others embrace it. Curators can speak to each other instantaneously, and share a 'pocket dimension' called Sanctuary. Archangel was given the first pick of his assignment and chose Rory Winters to advise. Previously responsible for advising Ishtar, Loki, Gilgamesh, and Ametarasu in the past; he wants to try and guide Rory into fixing the world.

Treya Jordan [Supporting]

Rory's significant other who also attends USC. She dreams of working at NASA, and in her limited free time runs a very successful video game guild that streams online. After learning of what happened to her boyfriend, she helped him create a costume and continues to attend her classes. She is Rory's emotional rock and helps him to navigate the tricky questions of morality that come with being a superhero.

Detective Matthews [Supporting]

The point-of-contact for the various Imbued that identify as superheroes. He acts as an intermediary between them and the city of Los Angeles, to ensure that the law is being followed, well, as closely as it can be under these new circumstances.

Fred Lark [Supporting]

An Imbued who, when asked The Question, responded with "I want to be the most successful agent ever." As an already top-tier talent agent, producer, and media personality, his new powers did nothing but add to his repertoire. He reaches out to Radiance and other superheroes to offer to be their representative...as well as make them and himself a tidy profit. Not to mention keeping their public image in the right light, booking events and movie deals, press releases...he is quite the busy man.

Plot Lines

All Imbued

Every single Imbued has to learn how their powers work, what they can and cannot do, and how to best go about using their newfound abilities for either their own gain or in aiding others.

Rory Winters

How to be a hero and deal with the real-life consequences that come from being a superpowered individual who is worshipped as a new god for his ability to heal others and smite the wicked.
His coming to terms with the role he can play in making the world a better place, whilst balancing his own interests and passions.
The strain put on a relationship when a person knows they will outlive their partner.
Working alongside other heroes to help defeat their own villain counterparts.
Using his powers to effectively control others in order to fix the world.
The morality of manipulating the faith of others to ensure that the morality of mankind doesn't fall astray because of the influence of bad people in already established religion.

Marshal Thrimond

Coming to grips with the ethics that he was taught rigorously to uphold, versus the ability to manipulate others to his whims and make his own morality.
Dealing with a 'holier than thou' superhero [Rory Winters] that seeks to impose righteous justice upon every villain in the world.
Supporting other villains who can destabilize Los Angeles even further so that he can cement his own power further, and become puppet master to stronger and more politically-connected people.

Juarez Citro

Keeping control of his gang and punishing rival leaders.
Attacking and taking over control of Los Angeles' undercity and criminal networks.
Rebuilding relations with the cartels south of the border.
Attempting to take over Los Angeles and make it into an independent city-state under his control.
Dealing with [Nathan Martinez] who constantly is a thorn in his side due to his knowledge of how the gangs operate.

Nathan Martinez

Dealing with the public knowing his identity, and how to keep the career that he loves and is passionate about on track.
Fighting against [Juarez Citro]'s gang takeover.
Grappling with his own issues of being a 'lone wolf' and learning to accept help from others [Rory Winters].

Park Boxer

Dealing with schizophrenia and various voices telling him to do horrible, unspeakable things.
The emotional fallout and consequences that come with performing vile acts of arson.
Attempting to find a cure for his mental illness which at times he embraces as an escape from the world's troubles.

Beverly Pride

Tracking down and trying to stop [Park Boxer] from continuing his burning spree.
Traveling across the world to try and re-seed the planet, only to meet opposition from greedy corporations who want to use her powers for their own means.
Fighting those in power who are controlled by dark-money interests in order to try and save the planet.
Reconciling her world views with those of other heroes [Rory Winters] to try and come to terms with other ways of fixing the world.

SerasStreams

As my profile says, I am a novelist who is inspired by games told through TTRPGs around the table. I don't just log the events the character participates in via composition books (of which I have dozens): I also write stories that expand upon them. I only use my character (which is already original content from my brain), and what occurred in the game as a 'template' that I then build upon and make new, interesting plot lines out of.

Upon request by the LiveTale team, I can provide the 56,000-word first draft of a novel titled Imbued - Radiance. I took an extended break from this writing project, and after doing this LiveTale submission, I realize that I need to include other storylines about these other interesting Imbued, rather than just focusing on the primary character.

Lynx316

@SerasStreams I have to say you and I seem very like minded I almost submitted my own hero world for the contest but felt to test the water with Meta-breeds instead but I've always had this dream of one day making a ttrpg system for superheroes that everyone could use and then use those stories they played and incorporating it all into a massive comic book world that other could read and also be a part of love this Idea