In an ancient underground safehold, which was old when the known world was young, there was a large Adamant-glass tube, sizable enough to exceed 3 men in height... and preserve the ancient consciousness within.
There once was a man named Chejop Kejak. He is dead now, and has been for a considerable amount of time. But before his death, an effort was made to preserve his wisdom by storing his memories and personality into a sorcerously-carved crystal. This crystal then was stored in the Adamant case, and only periodically awakened in order to preserve its lifespan AND the personality's stability. Normally, his consciousness would only be awoken every thousand years to observe how the Earth has fared in the meantime, except in cases of emergency.
This, unfortunately, was one of those times.
An alarm blared out throughout the base, with green warning lights signifying the degree of problem present. As the image of the dead Sidereal appeared inside of the glass case, hastily awoken to meet the sudden need, he observed as his robotic assistant scurried back and forth between monitors observing the state of Gaia. All-Lasting Perfectly Harmonious Automaton had been his companion these many eons, yet he had never observed the entity as being so worried until now.
"Harmonious, what is the emergency?" were his first words in centuries.
"Aye-yi-yi! It's awful sir, some of the Infernal Exaltations have escaped!"
Immediately, his thoughts turned to the worst-case scenario. "How many precisely
have escaped?"
"Six of them, sir, we've got enough for a full circle that are now Exalting people!" Not the absolute worst case scenario, which would have been EVERY Infernal Exaltation escaping their prisons, but terrible enough that it required swift action. "What are we going to do?!" the robot fussed some more.
"How many Dragon-Blooded still live on Gaia's surface, Harmonious?" If he could nudge together some of the families into a Wyld Hunt of sorts, and they organized quickly enough, they MIGHT be able to take down the nascent Celestials and perhaps-
"Um, numbers have gone down rapidly over the centuries, sir," his assistant replied. "As is, there's maybe 500 or so still alive?" And with how scattered the families were around the Earth... no, it seemed the least drastic solution wasn't going to work here. They needed more power, and FAST. Which left...
"Harmonious, open the Seal of Stars. It is time that some of my Sidereal brethren roam the earth once more," Kejak commanded.
To the assistant's credit, they didn't question his decision. This certainly qualified as a disaster scenario worthy enough of their second emergency plan. The first of course being the coordination of the existing Dragon-Blooded, and the third being the remote unsealing of the Black Vault (which could also be opened manually at the site, in case communication between himself and the families guarding it became impossible.) As for the second plan's details...
A door opened which Harmonious walked through, revealing 5 boxes and 5 uniforms, each in the color of a Maiden. Inside each box was a Sidereal Exaltation, one for each Caste, to be opened only when dealing with minor
world-ending threats, as oxymoronic as that phrase was. Whoever was found worthy of the Exaltation when it was let loose would be brought to this base, given the details of the situation and an offer of working as a team. Always an offer, not a demand, for the Exalted do not take well to being ordered to give up their personal lives, and he would rather have half a Circle of willing Sidereals under his command than a full Circle of aggrieved individuals. That was the biggest risk of this plan, that he had no true control over what the Exalted individuals could do with their suddenly much longer lives (especially since this Circle of Exaltations had a quirk of only choosing adolescents as their new hosts). Should they accept, then they would be given the corresponding uniform, a bodysuit made of silk and starmetal threads, access to the facility, as well as... well, the less said about that enormous machine, the better.
With the plan enacted, each box was opened, revealing a bright glow which faded as its invisible contents escaped for the first time in eons. They would go to their new hosts in the hopes that they would prove sufficiently heroic enough to stop the Infernal threat. They went out into a World of Darkness, and sought out teenagers with DESTINY in order to become
POWER RANGERS: SIDEREAL FORCE
Starring:
The (Digital) Ghost of Chejop Kejak as Zordon!
The All-Lasting Perfectly Harmonious Automaton as Alpha-5!
And, most importantly of all, five teenagers with attitude DESTINY as our team!
Five teenagers in a US city (though Kejak's base was nowhere near there, this is just a quirk of the Exaltations) will soon be obtaining divine power from the stars and, if they choose to accept it, a mission. A mission to defeat evil, to right the wrongs inflicted on the world and reestablish the proper order of Fate in this forsaken land. That they might have to do so while studying for Tuesday's math exam is just an unfortunate reality of their situation.
For each Sidereal Caste, you will be picking 1 out of 3 character options which will serve as that character's origin. Each origin is intentionally designed to be gender-neutral, not overtly better than the others and align with the Resplendent Destinies of that Caste. For their stats,
their best attributes will be in their Focus area, and their worst in their Flaw area, though of course this can be improved over time.
They also each have 3 Abilities which they start out much better at, but rest assured, they can advance quickly in ALL of their Caste Abilities, the ones listed for each origin are just what they start out as great in. Finally, each origin has a second Caste's charms which they treat as Favored. All Castes have equal representation in this fashion.
My recommendation here is to focus on the character ideas you want to see here, rather than any mechanics they might have. You are choosing the types of characters and stories you want to see in this tale, picking an archetype you don't like just because they have skills you think are necessary is not a good idea here.
In the next part, we'll get more into the nitty-gritty like whose the team's leader, each member's names, gender, powers, etc, but for now,
choose 1 character type per Color. For each color, I will list their Caste Abilities and an explanation so you know what these words mean.
The Chosen of Journeys (Yellow Ranger):
Caste Abilities: Animal Ken (caring and training animals), Athletics (physical fitness), Drive (using vehicles), Empathy (understanding and manipulating emotions), Firearms (guns!), Politics (movers, shakers, and how to do so), Streetwise (street smarts and criminal knowledge), Survival (surviving in less comfortable areas)
The Chosen of Mercury, also known as the Chosen of Journeys, held the responsibility of maintaining the destinies of transportation and those who travel in old Creation. They were the ones who prompted others to either leave their homes, or stick to the familiar if necessary. As the Yellow Ranger, it will likely be their job to organize emergency responses, figure out how to reach their enemies and, if it becomes necessary, pilot the team's secret weapon. If they become the team's leader, then there will be a large focus on threats in other layers of reality and away from home.
[][Yellow] Farmer's Child
- Focus: Physical
- Flaw: Mental
- Skilled Abilities: Animal Ken, Drive, Survival
- Favored Charms: Serenity
- On the farm, everyone works, no exceptions. This child has ever since they were little fed the animals, sown the fields and helped in the harvest. Yet the demands of farm life are tough, and sometimes school seems pointless when they KNOW what they'll be doing for the rest of their lives. When they take the Second Breath, what happens to that damn predestination? Will they finally be forced to strive for something greater?
[][Yellow] Military Brat
- Focus: Mental
- Flaw: Social
- Skilled Abilities: Athletics, Firearms, Politics
- Favored Charms: Battles
- They've been to 8 different schools in the last 10 years. They've never had a place they could truly call "home," not ever, thanks to their military parent(s). As such, they have little in the way of friends, and it's only their natural genius which has allowed them to survive in the changing school environments. Once they become a Ranger, will their parents need to move the family away from their newfound comrades, or will they stubbornly stay no matter what happens?
[][Yellow] Street Kid
- Focus: Social
- Flaw: Physical
- Skilled Abilities: Empathy, Streetwise, Survival
- Favored Charms: Secrets
- They don't go to school, or do those normal teenage things. They've been on the streets, either willingly or unwillingly, for most of their life. Either as an urchin, or as a gang member, the streets are the only home they've known for a while now. Malnutrition has shrunken their frame, but they've developed quite a silver tongue in order to survive as long as they have. Perhaps their Exaltation can fix the former, and enhance the latter.
The Chosen of Serenity (Blue Ranger):
Caste Abilities: Awareness (sensing spirits and the unseen), Crafts (less modern craftsmanship, like carpentry), Empathy (understanding and manipulating emotions), Etiquette (how to be polite to others), Expression (oration, poetry and persuasion), Law (what are the rules?), Leadership (directing and coordinating others), Performance (the arts)
The Chosen of Venus, also known as the Chosen of Serenity, were in charge of Creation's relationships both good and bad. Sometimes Destiny required that two young adults fell in love, and sometimes a long-term business partnership had to fall through for things to prosper. As the Blue Ranger, they will likely be in charge of maintaining the group's bonds even when not chosen as the leader, and will often serve as a "face" for the group's activities to outsiders. If they ARE assigned as the leader, then their efforts will focus on the day-to-day relationships of people in the city.
[][Blue] Pastor's Kid
- Focus: Social
- Flaw: Physical
- Skilled Abilities: Empathy, Etiquette, Law
- Favored Charms: Journeys
- As the child of a person of (assumed) morality, the expectation of living up to religious standards falls upon this person hard. Whether they genuinely believe in the same faith as their father, or whether they conceal their true feelings under a squeaky clean image, none can tell. Of course, that same appearance of virtue might come under scrutiny if word of the individual's activities as a Ranger were to be exposed, and they've never been in a fight besides.
[][Blue] Poetry Club President
- Focus: Mental
- Flaw: Social
- Skilled Abilities: Expression, Leadership, Performance
- Favored Charms: Secrets
- They found their first love not in people, but in books. The words on a page spoke of countless worlds and characters, and ever since then they have done their best to bring out their own imagination in their work. Not just that, they NEED to show others just how wonderful poetry and literature can be, how amazing it can feel to create your own art! And if this dedication to the craft means that socially they're a bit of a weirdo, whatever. They didn't need other people anyway, and Exaltation has only provided more inspiration, not less.
[][Blue] Indebted
- Focus: Physical
- Flaw: Mental
- Skilled Abilities: Awareness, Crafts, Empathy
- Favored Charms: Endings
- It's always risky to owe a debt to someone, and outright dangerous to owe a debt to the wrong people. Guess which one this person has? Whether the one they owe is a drug dealer that got them addicted, a blackmailer that has ALL the dirt on them, or a creature of the night that made them a thrall, they have little to no control of their before Exaltation. Afterwards, getting free will be their number one goal, and hey, those skills they've been working on to get free will help with that. At the very least, they have the tools on hand now to resolve all of their issues, it's just finding which is the right tool for the job.
The Chosen of Battles (Red Ranger):
Caste Abilities: Athletics (physical fitness), Brawl (unarmed combat), Expression (oration, poetry and persuasion), Firearms (guns!), Intimidation (how to be the scariest one in the room), Leadership (directing and coordinating others), Melee (fighting with close-range weapons), Technology (making and repairing modern equipment)
The Chosen of Mars, also known as the Chosen of Battles, were assigned to instigate, resolve and watch over conflict. This included physical confrontations, to political debates, to tense negotiations. As the Red Ranger, they will likely be the rock on which their teammates tie themselves to, protecting the injured and stepping in where the others are weak. As the team leader, they will devote the team's time to martial arts practice and planning for upcoming operations.
[][Red] ROTC Cadet
- Focus: Mental
- Flaw: Social
- Skilled Abilities: Athletics, Firearms, Intimidation
- Favored Charms: Endings
- Whether it be because of genuine patriotism, or the need to appeal to their parents, this child is part of their school's youth military program. It's not guaranteed that they're next step in life is joining the armed forces, but they don't want to disappoint their commanding officer, now do they? Because of this, they are well-suited to conflicts and have access to weaponry they otherwise shouldn't have. Yet, what matters more? Their loyalty to their nation, or to their team members?
[][Red] Sports Team Captain
- Focus: Physical
- Flaw: Mental
- Skilled Abilities: Athletics, Brawl, Leadership
- Favored Charms: Journeys
- They're the star of the show. Thanks to them, attendance at the school's games has skyrocketed, and there's whispers of them one day going pro. That's a lot of pressure, but luckily for them, there's an easy way to solve it: Be stronger. Faster. Better than their opponents. They're not unused to physical confrontation or commanding others, which will help as a Ranger in fights, but they might not be as reliable off the battlefield.
[][Red] Student Reporter
- Focus: Social
- Flaw: Physical
- Skilled Abilities: Expression, Melee, Technology
- Favored Charms: Secrets
- Despite what some say, real reporters don't just uncover dry facts, they find issues in society and highlight them so that they can get FIXED. This individual is experienced in trying to get to the root of the issue so that it doesn't metastasize into something worse. Of course, uncovering the truth can be dangerous, and if someone asks whether they have a tiny camera hidden in their bag, or a knife in their pocket for protection… Well, of course they don't, you silly billy!
The Chosen of Secrets (Green Ranger):
Caste Abilities: Academics (the humanities and liberal arts), Computer (programming and navigation), Investigation (good ol' sleuthing), Larceny (the criminal's tools of the trade), Occult (knowledge of the supernatural), Stealth (remaining hidden), Streetwise (street smarts and criminal knowledge), Subterfuge (pure and simple lying)
The Chosen of Jupiter, also known as the Chosen of Secrets, held the responsibility of safeguarding Creation's most dangerous mysteries. It was their duty to uncover new information, hide away that which was harmful and spread that which was necessary. As the Green Ranger, they will likely be the team's spymaster, and will often conduct solo operations to gather more information on their targets. As the leader, it will be their job to Know the Things the others shouldn't, bearing the onus of any harmful information so that others might not suffer.
[][Green] Class Clown
- Focus: Social
- Flaw: Mental
- Skilled Abilities: Larceny, Stealth, Subterfuge
- Favored Charms: Serenity
- Humor can be the best shield at times. Have some flaw about you that you don't like? Make it a joke, and laugh alongside everyone else instead of everyone laughing AT you. This person knows this concept well, and has made such a joke of themselves (and occasionally others) that no one looks deeper at their true self. Whatever that true self may be… they don't like, and want to hide it deep beneath a mask of comedy as much as possible. Luckily for them, Sidereals are well-suited to this.
[][Green] Straight A Student
- Focus: Mental
- Flaw: Physical
- Skilled Abilities: Academics, Computer, Investigation
- Favored Charms: Battles
- The perfect candidate for valedictorian and scholarships, this individual has done their utmost best to excel in whatever classwork is given to them. Anything less is impossible, not because it can't happen… but because of the pressure they feel to MAKE it not happen. Underneath their placid exterior is a nervous wreck trying to cram as much information as necessary to solve the current assignment, and throwing them into physical confrontations even as an Exalt might make that stress explode exponentially.
[][Green] Supernatural Relation
- Focus: Physical
- Flaw: Social
- Skilled Abilities: Occult, Streetwise, Subterfuge
- Favored Charms: Endings
- This individual is a bit unique compared to their peers due to one reason: The supernatural wasn't a mystery to them before they Exalted, they already knew someone who was a part of it. Whether that be werewolf family members, a vampire girlfriend or the like, this person knows that the supernatural exists (albeit not the full extent of it) and can provide connections to one of those groups for their team. Of course, those same connections could very well turn to bias and conflicts of interest.
The Chosen of Endings (Violet Ranger):
Caste Abilities: Alertness (sensing the material world), Athletics (physical fitness), Brawl (unarmed combat), Firearms (guns!), Finance (money and how to make it), Law (what are the rules?), Medicine (healing the body and soul), Science (mathematics and the sciences)
The Chosen of Saturn, also known as the Chosen of Endings, were assigned the most depressing job of all the Sidereals: Ensuring the proper ends of all things. From seeing a specific lady die from violence, ending a rampant illness, bringing down a corrupt organization, theirs was the executioner's lot. As the Violet Ranger, they will be the one assigned to counteract threats of an undead nature, as well any other threats long past their designated time. As the leader, they have the heavy burden of finishing the job, no matter what it takes and what happens afterwards, so that others can have a brighter tomorrow.
[][Violet] Teen Parent
- Focus: Physical
- Flaw: Social
- Skilled Abilities: Alertness, Athletics, Finance
- Favored Charms: Serenity
- Love makes fools of all of us, teenagers even more so. Due to some… irresponsibility on this person's part, they brought a child into the world and now are doing their best to take care of a tiny human being. On the plus side, their parents aren't mad enough to not help them with this effort financially, and they themselves will fight all the fiercer to protect the world their child now lives in. On the negative, well… their school-life balance was already shot, adding Ranger duties on top of that is going to be a source of stress.
[][Violet] Ill Child
- Focus: Mental
- Flaw: Physical
- Skilled Abilities: Firearms, Medicine, Science
- Favored Charms: Journeys
- Ever since they were young, this individual has had to deal with a chronic illness which has left them bedridden more often than not. Cancer? An autoimmune disease? A genetic disorder? Who knows! The Doctors can barely understand it themselves. Because of this, they're ability to socialize is low, but they've picked up quite a lot of medical terminology during their stay. And though their newly Exalt physiology does not seem to cure this illness of theirs, it DOES seem to be helping enough for them to slowly rejoin the rest of society.
[][Violet] Essential Worker
- Focus: Social
- Flaw: Mental
- Skilled Abilities: Brawl, Finance, Law
- Favored Charms: Battles
- This individual, due to their family's financial straits, is currently working as many hours as they can to support those they love. Because of this, they have little free time, their grades are in the gutter and Ranger duties won't help there. Yet, they already have a source of income, and aren't ashamed of how their retail work has given them just the skills they need to uncover discrepancies and kick ass. Buyer beware, because this kid hasn't got a single fuck in stock left.
The Vote will END on December 13th at 12:00 PM PST. It may end earlier if necessary.
For this vote, do NOT put your votes into a plan. You may perform approval voting for this stage of the quest.
Author's Note: Good lord, what am I doing, I have so many other quests already AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-
Anyway, blame bejammin2000 on SB for this idea, his Power Rangers campaign that I'm a part of is what led to this mess.
For this quest, we'll be using the revised version of Exalted vs. the World of Darkness, since that's what I'm most used to using, and it makes bringing in WoD critters much easier than if I used Essence. If you're wondering whether there will be more things brought in from the Power Rangers side besides the uniforms and basic concept, well... just you wait.
Feel free to vote, there is of course no moratorium for this part.
