[Day 9 - LM] Towing the Line

[Paragon]

Paragon was present for the media blitz as people had so many questions on the incident in Mudaba Adin, but the official line of the UNJE was that the incident was a terror attack by Pantheon Network extremists aided by remnants of the DCP military. They have made it clear that this blue skinned woman and elite would be the prime suspect and a world wide manhunt was underway to track her own and any Pantheon Network agent.

This new operation was underway in every member nation. Once he finished his speech he opened the floor to questions.

[Bemnet Tegele]

Bemnet Tegele spoke to the Elite Academy contestants, “Given the role many of you played in the recent terror attack reports and media will be looking to get answers from you. The official position of the UNJE is that this incident was a Pantheon Network terror attack and there is no evidence that any other outside group besides agitated remnants of the DCP were involved.”

“We want to be clear that any mentions of alternate realities or alien invaders are considered dangerous falsehoods and such talk could be detrimental to your selection for the Elite Guard. So please be mindful of what you say and if you do not feel up to speaking simply a non-committal answer or no comment may best to avoid any complications.”

“Just be honest and everything will be fine,” he finished warmly.

OOC: Players can choose to tow the line and say what is expected of them, this will require a Deception or Intimidation check at DC 15, this will greatly increase their chances for selection. They can say nothing of value, essentially no comment. This will not improve or decrease their chances.

Or they can be honest on what actually happened, this will be a Persuasion check, DC 15, with a +2 circumstance bonus but it will greatly reduce their chances for selection by the UNJE, potentially black listed, but will earn the hero an HP that can be exchanged for 1 extra XP if they so choose.

[Thousand Miles]

“This new Elite had incredible destructive powers, and to think that the Pantheon would turn her loose on Mudaba Adin… well, it has us all shook,” Thousand Miles admitted to the camera. “Lisa Singularity tried to stop her, but the blue woman was too powerful. I tried to help, but …. I got caught in the blast. It was all too much.” Miles shook his head, looking humbled.

“There’s just no sense to this total destruction,” he continued. “I only hope that I can help the Justice Elite bring this murderer to justice.”

—
9LM Toeing the Line, Deception + Attractive DC15 | 1d20+5 ⇒ 18 succeeds

[Paragon]

“This new Elite had incredible destructive powers, and to think that the Pantheon would turn her loose on Mudaba Adin… well, it has us all shook,” Thousand Miles admitted to the camera. “Lisa Singularity tried to stop her, but the blue woman was too powerful. I tried to help, but …. I got caught in the blast. It was all too much.” Miles shook his head, looking humbled.

“There’s just no sense to this total destruction,” he continued. “I only hope that I can help the Justice Elite bring this murderer to justice.”

—
9LM Toeing the Line, Deception + Attractive DC15 | 1d20+5 ⇒ 18 succeeds

“I am sure you will, Thousand Miles, and let it be known that everyone e associated with the Pantheon Network is suspect and on notice. There are no innocent bystanders, only extremists parroting hateful ideology and violence. And the UNJE will bring them to justice,” Paragon added after the short blurb from Thousand Miles.

[Bee Haw]

Live each day with honesty and courage.

That was the very first item on the cowgirl code. There was a really good chance that if she was honest now, none of the things she had said to be a good role model would ever actually air on the program. They would edit. But that was on their souls. Not hers.

And she had doubts now. Doubts about UNJE. If they would lie about this... Maybe they *were* lying about the infertility. Even behind it, as Zara had suggested.

She wished she could understand their reasoning. This was wrong. It was wrong to blame Pantheon. They all needed to be working together to resist this. Not becoming enemies.

Maybe it was prudent to not cause absolute panic that this world was going to be destroyed tomorrow or precisely three years from now. That much she understood.

So she said:

"I was there. The blue woman did not identify herself as part of Pantheon. She identified herself as a being from another universe."

"We cannot verify if that was true. Her actions marked her as cruel and powerful. A future threat. By her words, she was a herald for others. Someone who would destroy so much of the city might lie about her purpose and origin. She could be insane. She could be speaking the truth. I cannot be sure. We should definitely be alert to any re-appearance."

"What remains true is that we face cruel villains who would cause great harm. And we need to be ready to protect our cities and people. All living creatures on this planet! And that means that everyone - elite and baseline - should be working together to protect and defend against future harm-doers. Everyone - elite and baseline - can make a difference today, working together, in the recovery efforts. Let us move forward in commitment to peace and harmony. And to standing together."

"Pantheon, if you are listening, I disagree with your principles. We must protect baselines and elites equally. But I also don't think you did this. Be better. There must be a way we can all work together to protect this world from those who would threaten it."

She spoke from her heart. Earnest. Honest. And quite persuasive.
https://sakkaku.org/r/18401 29 v ?

[Bemnet Tegele]

“Well that is one interpretation of events, and we appreciate Beatrice for her unique perspective on the event,” Bemnet said.

“Whoever this Pantheon agent was, we will find her and bring their madness to justice. Pantheon Network should do better, but the world would be better off with them dismantled and removed from the world stage.”

OOC: This event will close by the start of the 18th of May, and results posted then.

[Babble]

"I have no idea what happened." Babble said. "I was unexpectedly caught up in the destruction like so many others. I've spent most of the night and this morning searching for survivors and anyone else I can assist. That's what my focus is on right now, helping those in need. Trying to identify and understand the forces behind this will wait The injured and dying cannot."

He excused himself and left.

- - -
[Day 9 - LM] Towing the Line, Persuasion | 1d20+7 ⇒ 25

[Frankie Reynes]

"Bruv, what are you talking about? I literally *am* from an alternate reality, yeah? There's literally been multiples of me running around the place, yeah? We've literally had a whole team of superheroes from my reality show up and help with the zombies and stuff, yeah? So what's this nonsense right? Where I'm from, it's like, being honest is a basic quality that superheroes should have, init? They don't go around hiding it or pinning things on their nemesis because it's convenient. That's something villains do, init."

"I *am* from another reality. I still can't figure out how you guys operate here sometimes. I'm sure there's like, bad blood between this 'oonje and pan-tea-on, yeah? But when a representative of an extradimensional empire shows up and levels half of a major city in like ten seconds flat without breaking a sweat, and tells you they're coming back... I feel like you should all bloody well pay attention and stop playing stupid political games."

Persuasion + circumstance bonus | 1d20+2 ⇒ 19

[Dapper Dog]

"Bruv, what are you talking about? I literally *am* from an alternate reality, yeah? There's literally been multiples of me running around the place, yeah? We've literally had a whole team of superheroes from my reality show up and help with the zombies and stuff, yeah? So what's this nonsense right? Where I'm from, it's like, being honest is a basic quality that superheroes should have, init? They don't go around hiding it or pinning things on their nemesis because it's convenient. That's something villains do, init."

"I *am* from another reality. I still can't figure out how you guys operate here sometimes. I'm sure there's like, bad blood between this 'oonje and pan-tea-on, yeah? But when a representative of an extradimensional empire shows up and levels half of a major city in like ten seconds flat without breaking a sweat, and tells you they're coming back... I feel like you should all bloody well pay attention and stop playing stupid political games."

Persuasion + circumstance bonus | 1d20+2 ⇒ 19

“Miss Reynes, can you tell us more of your alternate reality? The people of the world deserve the truth, even if the UNJE is going to feed them vicious untruths about Pantheon and other groups they consider problematic!” a reporter replied.

[Frankie Reynes]

“Miss Reynes, can you tell us more of your alternate reality? The people of the world deserve the truth, even if the UNJE is going to feed them vicious untruths about Pantheon and other groups they consider problematic!” a reporter replied.

"Like I said, I don't know anything about the whole oonje and pantheon beef, yeah? We don't have either of those things in my universe, yeah? Other than that, it's mostly the same. Except we have superheroes instead of 'elites', London is a free and independent city state, we've had to deal with an alien invasion among other things, and I'll probably never get to see the season finale of Survivor: Croydon. Anyway, there's like, lots of different realities, yeah? I've only been to a couple. Including a pretty terrible one where everyone's dead. It'd suck pretty hard if this one ended up like that because you guys were too busy blaming Pantheon or the Oonje to focus on the real problem."

She held her hands up, "It's like, yeah fine if you want to be all 'bloody manchester united fans, let's go kick their asses for setting Liverpool on fire after that match that time, but when the World Cup comes around you'd better sit side by side in the stadium to yell at the Germans, yeah?"

"I mean, except the Germans aren't the bad guys this time, and I doubt you guys would cheer us on in the World Cup, but it's more like, we're all just local premier league teams and there's a worldcup coming yeah? Except we all get enslaved or killed or something if we lose. So maybe being a hooligan isn't so cool anymore. If it ever was."

[Julia Waters]

“The UNJE is here to defend the people, and the actions of Pantheon are unforgivable. We can never forgive, and we can never forget,” Julia said with conviction.

OOC: !d20+6 Julia Deception | 1d20+6 ⇒ 18

[Ultimate Frankie]

Frankie glanced to Paragon and then back to her alternate and said, “I agree that we have to be honest, and we have to speak to unity and the only way to get there is to speak to the truth, yeah. It’d be brilliant if we could blame all our problems on some alternate universe nonsense but bruv, we have to live in the here and now.”

“Pantheon is the real threat here, we need to come together and beat them, yeah. And yeah, I know it’s brilliant we have the same name and look alike, but we are not the same person and definitely not from other universes. Just people, yeah.”

“I support our world, I support freedom, yeah, and I support the the actions of the UNJE in trying to save us from the real evils that exist in this world,” she said.

OOC: 1d20+8 Frankie Deception | 1d20+8 ⇒ 25

[Galatea]

Galatea was sullen, mournful, elegantly dressed for a somber moment.

''What happened last night is a tragedy that is hard to put into words. The death, the destruction...it...it leaves an impression that I don't think will fade anytime soon.''

She paused, letting the silence weight in

''But I am thankful for those who stepped up despite the risks to themselves. First of all I want to thank Tsehay Moqe who stood valiantly against the enemy to protect all those present at great peril. I want to thank the first line responders and the citizens of Mudaba Adin who went out of their way to help others evacuate or facilitate rescues. Many lives were lost but it would have been worst if everyone had not come together. I take heart in that''

''However'' there was a subtle shift in tone

''As one of the few Elites on the ground during the assault and who witnessed it from start to finish I must echo Bee Haw's and Traveler Frankie's doubts as to Pantheon's or any DCP remnant's involvement in this affair. I understand that the supremacist rhetoric of the aggressor is something one could expect from Pantheon's members and supporters, which is utterly condemnable, but it would be a disservice to the greater world if we ignore the possibility of another threat to face. This invader showed contempt towards all of humanity, baseline or elite equally, departing form Pantheon's elite supremacist ideology. Did she truly come from another dimension? I do not know. But what I do know is that Pantheon keeps together and seldomly openly reject or denounce the actions of other cells. In the coming days their silence, pronounced support or condemnation of last night's attack will speak volumes.

She stood back straight, resolute

''What I do know is that the work is not over. There are still people to find, places to clear of debris, families to reunite, homes to rebuild and lives to put back on track. It is tempting to cede to anger, despair or retribution but today and tomorrow it is my most sincere wish to see us go forward not with a clenched fist but with an open hand that we might extend towards our neighbors in need. It is then that humanity shines it's brightest.''

-----
I am the line: Persuation at +2. Hero point used for Ultimate Effort (Persuation) for a straight 20. Total of 38 on the check or 43 if the listeners find Galatea attractive. So between five or six degrees of success. Using Fascinate too because why not

[Camilo Batista]

Camilo was next to speak up. He recalled the words spoken to him the night before,

"A standard defined by conscience... we will show by our work that there is a way to do this without succumbing to corruption"

"I was not there when this happened, but I have seen others come from other universes into ours on multiple occasions." He motioned to the two Frankies, "Other than the native Frankie and this traveler Frankie, there is a third you may be familiar with. She wears her sacred paints, what we would simply consider clown makeup. She was trending after the Halloween night club attack when she carried me out of the club. We also witnessed other reality duplicates come to this reality there during that incident.

It is the truth that there are other realities. Realities very different from our own. I do not agree with Pantheon's message, but we can't try to take advantage of this catastrophe to blame them when there is a bigger threat out there that we must prepare for. Whether it's Pantheon trying to separate Elites from Baselines or others trying to isolate those misguided Elites from everyone else, instead of furthering the divide between us, we should be healing it. We all need to open our arms and find some degree of acceptance of one another or we will all suffer when the real enemy is at our doorstep."

-----
D9, LM, TtL, Persuasion for Truth | 1d20+3 ⇒ 9
D9, LM, TtL, Persuasion for Truth, Luck reroll | 1d20+3 ⇒ 5 +10 for a 15 to Pass. Playing it close Sakkaku...

[Uri-el]

Uri-el shrugged, and spoke his much more comfortable Arabic: "It is true that PANTHEON is a misguided organization that chooses to do wrong in order to make the world conform to their ideals. They should not kill people, and they should stop. It is also true that the Elite who perpetrated this attack and killed LIsa Singularity announced herself as being from an alternate reality. It is wrong to obfuscate this fact, nor to exacerbate the situation by minimizing our response to it. It will take all of our efforts to defend the world, and as much as it pains me to have to contradict the considered judgment of the UNJE, good fruit does not grow on a poisoned tree. We should not begin our work with a facile lie."

Persuasion check to tell the truth in Toeing the Line [+2 bonus] | 1d20+4 ⇒ 16

[Bemnet Tegele]

Bemnet smiled and said, “As you can see there are a variety of important truths we need to consider when dealing with this issue. I am pleased to see our young Elites using their voices to promote a message of unity.”

[Dapper Dog]

OOC: Those that are honest do not win friends with the UNJE leadership but in particular, babble, Bee Haw, and Galatea are particularly effective in their messages and in turn are "blacklisted" by the UNJE for work on their public facing teams and work. Thankfully Babble can still work behind the scenes with Dr. Patel but is always under scrutiny.

Oh and Ayana gives no comment and while Lil Disaster does not have all the details he stick's it to the man and gets himself blacklisted as well for the truth, but it's punk so he loves it.