Overview
"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough."
Time travel. It's not a new concept, in this world. We've had demons of a faraway future come back to haunt us in an attempt to change their own present by steering the course of the world. Presidents ascend, people die, and villains are toppled, drastically altering the future as we know it. As far as we know, they were successful, which means… maybe they knew what they were doing after all. And there are some of those that aren't interested in changing the future — they would prefer to change the present, and to do this, they must go back.
In Volume XI, we embark on a storyline entitled "Butterflies", which is a tale of time travel told from a different angle. Rather than exploring the potential of the future, we'd like to give players an opportunity to explore the past.
Starting September, we’ll be introducing a storyline that will allow you to interact with the past by RPing past selves or relevant ancestors, characters that will be subject to victimisation when a group led by Samuel Sullivan of supposedly villainous intentions are sent back to change the course of history. They may do this through murder, or trying to steer the course of your life in some significant way that would alter your present entirely – and maybe everyone else’s present too.
It’s up to the characters on the grid to go back in time and meet these confrontations head on with the help of Hiro Nakamura and the mysterious postcognitive, Rhys Bluthner, and a little help from a certain precognitive as well in the recruitment area of things.
We will also definitely need a few heroes to help construct the individual forays into history that create the over arcing story, so please consider whether you would like to be approached IC in some way (willingly or not…) to be sent back to protect the space-time continuum. Your character will be tasked in protecting (perhaps unlikely) past-self characters, and so there is opportunity to explore the backstory of acquaintances, lovers, enemies – whoever the case may be – as well as confront the enemy as directly or indirectly as you like.
If you would like to RP a younger version of your character for a given story, send your PCs back to help, or maybe even side with the time-changers, then this is an opportunity to consider what you might like to do, collaborate with others, or express your interest and brainstorm with staffers/storytellers about the kind of arcs you’re interested in pursuing.
Considering some of the complexities of the storyline, I will be compiling an FAQ over the rest of August, so feel free to @mail Brooklyn questions you have – I can answer directly or collate them for a more permanent reference.
Mechanics
For an example of an instance where someone goes back in time to skew the results of a historical event, and is then thwarted by a hero, you can take a look at the log entitled Dogfight as a very condensed version of this. Wiley Schnook is sent back in time to try and guarantee one Nathan Petrelli's outcome in a fight with the other, and Hiro Nakamura goes back to restore the status quo and rescue the victim.
This format has a lot of variation available and can stretch to multiple scenes or be contained in a single scene, depending on your preferences. The straight up murder->rescue formula is completely acceptable, but there is a lot of room to move if you want to explore something more intricate and tailored to your background.
A tip to consider: time is a malleable concept. Your character could spend a couple of weeks back in history, but maybe you only RP it for a few days, and maybe they're only "disappeared" from the present for that same few days. As long as you take into consideration that you won't be abandoned in time for a ridiculously long period, which would do more harm than good, you can still consider yourself to have a lot of room to work with.
To broadcast your interest and maybe find some heroes, victims or villains to interact with, check out this forum link and maybe assist people with their notions too while you're perusing.
Participation
I don't know if I am applicable/relevant/cool enough to be attacked by villainous time travelers/rescue past victims/hunt down anyone. 8(a
You are.
And we have means of finding you, so don't worry how unlikely you might feel.
I want to play my past self! How do I get involved?
Firstly, if you have not already done so, consider exactly what period of time you want to play your past self. What do you want to explore? Get an idea in your head about the kind of thing you might like to RP against the backdrop of your own character's background, as ultimately, this plot is hinged around the exploration of character.
Consider, now, who is meeting this character. Are there other PCs on the grid you'd like to interact with? From there, consider approaching the player of those who might go back to rescue you, or if you feel shy about it, you can skip this and approach staff, and we can run some interference. This isn't compulsory either — just helpful!
A note: don't worry about messing things up in terms of introducing a PC to your character whom they might remember come 2010, and such historical conflicts. There's an IC clean up crew for that. Alternatively, if you would like to retroactive in that kind of knowledge and have your character remember, that's okay too — as long as it works and doesn't retcon all canon entirely. So really, any PC can go back and meet you — a friend, a stranger, or an enemy.
Once you know what character you want to RP, when, and (maybe) with who, send a +request with these details, including who else is involved and if you've signed it off with them. We'll be collating these for reference as we go. Also give us an image for a young-self icon, if you like!
Additionally, if you have ideas, specific or vague, about how a villain might be trolling you (to change something or to just flat out murderkill you), definitely include this.
I want to play a hero! How do I get involved?
Yaaay. Easy peasy— Japanesey. >.> Simply send a +request and/or alert staff that you'd like to go back, and we'll make a note of it to approach you IC. Also, feel free to mention if you are keen to go back to whomever needs rescuing, or if you are only wanting to rescue a particular character who is volunteering as a past-self.
I want to play a villain! How do I get involved?
I love you. Send a +request or page Brooklyn, @mail Brooklyn, send up smoke signals to Brooklyn, and we'll do some business. It should be noted that you will play with unexpected people, but you can also choose specific targets if that's why you're signing up — everything is negotiable.
There will also be the option of NPCing your own villains for a given story, and we can look at that on a case by case basis.
I want to be involved but I have no idea what I want to do, or how to do it.
Not an impossible situation, as we have ideas of our own that we will need PCs for. Let me know of your interest and we can come up with something! Alternatively, go see this forum board to brainstorm and get some ideas flowing if you haven't already.
Other questions?
Send a @mail to Brooklyn and one day she might even reply.