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Stark Transcendent (Iron Man/Marvel Quest)

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Everybody knew your name, your reputation. They'd known since you first...
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Prologue 1 - The Bleeding
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    • Roarian

    Roarian

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    Everybody knew your name, your reputation. They'd known since you first stepped out of your father's shadow, a bright star even compared to his brilliance. You were the child of a genius, and a genius in your own right, and that came with certain - expectations. But even through your misgivings, you took to the capriciousness of that fame, used it and molded it for your benefit.

    You were Anthony 'Tony' Stark, billionaire arms-dealer and CEO of Stark Industries; the brain behind one of the largest high-tech companies in the world and a visionary by almost anyone's definition. People around you saw what they expected from such a person - an utterly confident, unwavering smart-ass that didn't back down from anything. You even convinced yourself of all that.

    The media said that power corrupted, but if that were the case, corruption wasn't such a bad deal. The world lay at your fingertips, hung on your every word, and you felt utterly invincible.

    You really should have waited for the other shoe to drop. This latest trip to Afghanistan was supposed to involve a routine demonstration of your wares, and a little visit to the troops. Mostly, you'd just joked with Rhodey and spent some quality time with the flight attendants - life was good. Too good, as it turned out.

    It was funny that only while you lay dying on the desert sand, surrounded by the burning carcasses of Jeeps and soldiers alike, you finally realized how empty your death would be out here, how very few your mourners. You were an arms dealer, a merchant of death, and you'd been killed by your own weapons. It was a demonstration of irony so banal that you should have seen it coming by a mile.

    It was then, delirious and bleeding out, that something flashed in front of your eyes - or behind them, perhaps, something more. A vision of wire and flesh, of potential unrealized, the shiver of machine code against the pulse of a heart. The momentary clarity spoke of possible futures, potential destinies that unfolded and refolded before you could take them all in. Were these your last minute regrets, then, your life flashing before your eyes? You almost rolled your eyes at how cliché that thought was.

    Before you could grasp the meaning of the sensation, though, the world faded to white, and only a single image stayed with you.

    [ ] A gleaming metal figure, arms raised in triumph. Ultron
    [ ] A golden city engulfed in clouds, and a terrible sound. Inhumanity
    [ ] The flickering of an all-encompassing star-field, beckoning. Guardians of the Galaxy
    [ ] The song of a thousand lonely minds, united as one. The Technarchy / Phalanx
    [ ] A creature of flame, wings outstretched to engulf the world. The Phoenix Force
    [ ] Your own body, lifeless but smiling, cradled in someone's arms. Death


    Notes : This is not a crossover - but those familiar with Marvel will probably recognize at least some of the imagery. I am using some elements from the movies, but I'm pretty familiar with the comics and am taking most of my cues from there. Using information from the movies without skepticism is liable to get you in trouble. Write-ins are encouraged as long as they're reasonable (even here at the start.) Reason is quite stretchy in the marvel-verse, so have at it.
     
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    • Index
  • Threadmarks
    • "Let the future tell the truth, and evaluate each one according to his work and accomplishments. The present is theirs; the future, for which I have really worked, is mine." — Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)

    Index:

    Prologue

    Prologue 1 - The Bleeding
    Prologue 2 - That Damned Cave
    Prologue 3 - Necessities of Life
    Prologue 4 - The Fourth Solution
    Prologue 5 - Lighting the Pyre
    Prologue Results
    Interlude - Deadpool

    Makeshift Hero

    Chapter 1 - There's no Place like Home
    Chapter 2 - Blood in the Water
    Chapter 3 - Come Along Now, Potts
    Chapter 4 - Reed Richards is an Asshole
    Chapter 5 - That Spidey Sense
    Chapter 6 - Dip into the Pool
    Chapter 7 - Patterns of Behavior
    Chapter 8 - Aftermath
    Arc 1 Results
    Interlude - Obadiah

    External & Internal Affairs

    Chapter 9 - Fruits of Thy Labor
    Chapter 10 - Friends and Surprises
    Chapter 11 - Harbor Day
    Chapter 12 - The White Heat
    Chapter 13 - Drive Away Home
    Interludes - Best Buds, Patterns, Paranoia
    Chapter 14 - Bigger, Better Things
    Chapter 15 - Stark Future
    Chapter 16 - Trailing Thoughts
    Chapter 17 - New Ground
    Arc 2 Results
    Interlude - JARVIS
    Interlude - Peter Parker
    Interlude - ???
    Interlude - Tony Stark & Press

    Race Into Space

    Chapter 18 - Brass Tacks
    Interlude - Tony & ?
    Chapter 19 - Preflight Checklist
    Chapter 20 - Countdown
    Interlude - ???
    Chapter 21 - Departure
    Chapter 22 - Error On Board
    Chapter 23 - Escalation
    Chapter 24 - Tumbling
    Chapter 25 - Crashtastic
    Vote Results
    Arc 3 Results
    Interlude - Peter Parker
    Interlude - Peter Parker & Cecilia Reyes

    Terra Infirma

    Chapter 26.1 - Picking Up the Pieces
    Chapter 26.2 - Precipice / Hypotheses
    Chapter 26.3 - An Uneventful Week
    Chapter 27.1 - Clint Barton/Hawkeye
    Chapter 27.2 - Tony Stark (Pepper & Press)
    Chapter 27.3 - Tony Stark (Pepper & Press)
    Interlude - JARVIS & Peter Parker
    Interlude - The Shocker
    Chapter 28.1 - Last Minute
    Chapter 28.2 - Armour Like Tenfold Shields
    Chapter 28.3 - Teeth Like Swords, Claws Like Spears
    Chapter 28.4 - Tail Like a Thunderbolt, Breath Like Death

    Guest Contributions & Omakes

    See Threadmarks.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Character Summary
  • Threadmarks
    • Name : Anthony 'Tony' Stark


    Default Tech :
    Standard : 2
    JARVIS Upgrade : 1
    Stark Transcendent Company : 1

    Free Tech :
    General : 2
    AI : 2
    Space : 1
    Energy : 0

    Tech Tree : Here

    Fates : Secret Invasion (1)

    Death (5)
    The Phoenix Force (6)
    Inhumanity (2)

    Possessions :

    Company Phone.
    The formula for Solution 4, 'Pyre' -     An efficient and volatile nerve agent that works against Mammals.
    Safe Miniature Arc Reactor. (Poor Quality)(With overload function, for a big boom.)
    Mother of all Cattle-prods.
    Hidden Micro-repulsor. (As Civilian)
    Tight-weave bulletproof vest with embedded ceramic plates.     (Currently with Peter.)

    Invested Tech :

    Energy : 6
    Arc Reactor Mk1
    Arc Reactor Safe Mode
    Arc Reactor Failsafe Device
    Arc Custom Industrial Model
    Mass Power Generation
    Arc Reactor Mk2

    Weapons : 3
    Repulsor Mk1
    Mach 1 Speed Boost
    Repulsor Mk2
    External Boost - Orbital

    Armor : 3
    Exoskeleton Mk1
    General Resistance
    Triple Steel Layers
    Gold-Titanium Alloy
    Weapon Slots

    AI : 3
    AI-Controlled UI
    ?
    ?

    Computers : 1
    Main Computer Upgrade

    Spaceflight : 1
    Spacecraft (Small)

    Favor :

    Organizations:

    NASA (0) : National aerospace agency.
    S.H.I.E.L.D. (2) : A shadowy spy-organization that seems uncannily suspicious.
    Stark Industries Board of Directors (5) : Keep them happy - or lose control of the company!
    Stark Industries Military Contracts (5) : As long as you supply high-quality products, they're fine.
    Stark Transcendent - Private Space Contacts (3)
    The Press (10)     : Keep them happy, and they help you out with your missteps.

    Super People:

    Ben Grimm (-1) : Reed Richards' unlikely schooltime buddy. (Somehow.) Now a big rock monster.
    Clint Barton / Hawkeye (2) : Arrow-shooty SHIELD agent. Preposterously accurate.
    Cyclops (0) : Mutant team leader with the ability to launch concussive force from his eyes.
    Deadpool (3) : Trigger-happy mercenary with identity issues and a grudge.
    Henry 'Hank' McCoy (3) : Hairy blue mutant and expert in genetics.
    Herman 'Shocker' Schultz (3) : Ex-con genius who favors vibronic technologies.
    Howard Stark AI (10) : A specter in the computer...
    James 'Rhodey' Rhodes / War Machine (10) : Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, military chief liaison. Arguably your best friend. Armed with awesome toys.
    JARVIS (10) : An AI that you made, with an understandable affinity for you. Also, wit.
    Johnny Storm / Human Torch (4) : Susan Richards' brother, able to fly & launch fire projectiles.
    Madame Masque (-2) : Masked assassin with unknown goals or motivations.
    Northstar (1) : Flying Mutant with the ability to manipulate a corrosive type of light.
    Peter Parker / Spider-Man (10) : Photographer and reporter for the Daily Bugle, part-time superhero.
    Reed Richards (-6) : Former educational rival, of sorts, and unambiguously a genius (even if he is scatterbrained.) Can stretch his body in all sorts of weird ways.
    Rogue (1) : Flying Mutant with power absorption abilities, and an atrocious accent.
    Storm (1) : Flying Mutant with the ability to control the weather at a large scale.
    Susan 'Sue' Richards (2) : Reed Richards' wife. Can turn invisible and create force-fields.

    Normal People:

    Bambina 'Bambi' Arbogast (4) : Your administrator at ST.
    Harold 'Happy' Hogan (3) : Your driver.
    Henry 'Hank' Pym (5) : Genius in the field of miniaturization.
    Ho Yinsen (0) : Doctor/Engineer you saved from the Ten Rings terrorist group.
    Nick Fury (3) : The no-nonsense director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
    Obadiah 'Obi' Stane (5) : Your mentor, your father's friend and co-worker.
    Phil Coulson (3) : Representative of S.H.I.E.L.D.
    Virginia 'Pepper' Potts (10) : Your long-time assistant.

    Perks :

    Ruthless : You have shown a willingness to employ excessive force when dealing with your enemies, which allows you some much harsher ways of dealing with them. Can backfire, however, when allies find out. Additional choices when fights ensue, bigger penalties. (Lost this as of Arc 2.)

    Careful : You avoided the press initially, and treated them casually on your next appearance, showing that when necessary you can handle some subtlety. This will help make consequences of future choices less ambiguous. Count on more transparent hints in future choices. (Lost this as of Arc 3)

    Guilty : You have used tactics that would be seen as objectionable under the law, and must safeguard that the truth does not come out to the wrong people. This makes it harder to make genuine allies, though acting in good faith can eliminate this. +2 favor turns to +1 favor when you're lying to someone to get favor. (Lost this as of Arc 4)

    Aspiring Transcendent : You've started your own company, and that lends you new opportunities, and new limitations. Although you can't just grab whatever SI might have laying around without people noticing or caring, you have a whole new group of minions to lord over - or employees, whichever. More neat science is always good!

    Science Major : You spoke to at least two scientists during the conference (even if you didn't know it.) This gets you a free additional tech and boosts your favor with scientists and engineers in the future.

    Sun-Branded : You've seen beyond the rim of the world, into the heart of something far more powerful than you could have imagined. It's changed you, and you're not sure how much...

    Fatal Familiar : Death is no longer a stranger. Even though your heart beats in your chest, and your breath still moves, you moved across a line that you really think you shouldn't have.

    Inhuman Attention : Something is watching you, and you are not sure exactly what. You have gained the attentions of things beyond your understanding, but whether or not this is a good thing is something to wait and see.

    Flying Higher : You rose above the heavens into the darkness of space itself, in a rocket of your own design. You have proven to yourself and others that humans need not be earthbound for much longer. You may receive additional favor with individuals and organizations with similar goals (except Reed Richards, obviously.)

    Armor :


    Resources:

    SF Tech research list by avatar11792
    WIP Tech Tree
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • [X] A creature of flame, wings outstretched to engulf the world.

    Phoenix Option I guess? No idea whether Phoenix is good or bad, but it's Phoenix, and that's what matters.
     
    Roarian said:
    It's the Phoenix. I dunno many ways to spin that to where it's good news for the, well, planet. :p
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    Admittedly, my Marvel lore is fairly spotty nowadays, but wasn't the whole reason the Shard in Jean threw a fit because Xavier prevented it from actually learning anything about being nice? (In at least one continuity anyway) Also, if we are getting the Phoenix boost then that'd be fantastic, rather than it being, for example, the Big Boss selection. Probably not too great for Earth's survival knowing SB and Stark, but fantastic nonetheless! :D
     
    Mgunh1 said:
    Phoenix baby. It burns away what doesn't work. This, in the xmen tv show at least, included anti-mutant groups - it actively attacked one such group that became militant and used cloned Emma Frosts (known as the Cookoos) in an attempt to locate and wipe out all the mutants.
    Basically, it is the living embodiment of evolution - I'm foreseeing some transhumanisim here.
    ... Or not. I could be completely off track for what the GM is planning.
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    Given the title, and the main character being the test pilot for the future, not to mention my other writings... yeah, this one was pretty predictable. That said, there's several possible roads towards this sort of thing, and the first choice doesn't fundamentally lock out all alternatives - let's not be that hasty!

    In the comics, the almighty status quo prevents Stark from ever really embodying his ideas, except in AUs or oneshots. Here, there is no status quo.
    XelianEmperor said:
    Would you reveal the meaning of the chioces?
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    Ah, c'mon, that'd take the fun out of it. Already several people are banking on the phoenix being a power-up for stark, and that's just one of the six! Knowing that one big bad is accounted for, certainly the first one should click into place now? :p
     
    Roarian said:
    Ah, c'mon, that'd take the fun out of it. Already several people are banking on the phoenix being a power-up for stark, and that's just one of the six! Knowing that one big bad is accounted for, certainly the first one should click into place now? :p
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    I'm not banking it on being a power-up! I'm just banking on the Phoenix being awesome as only a giant Fire Bird can be. :)
     
    Keeper of Storms said:
    I'm not banking it on being a power-up! I'm just banking on the Phoenix being awesome as only a giant Fire Bird can be. :)
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    Right, that's fair. Honestly, I don't think Stark needs any sort of power-up - given some of the shit he's done in canon with what he has, it seems his primary limitation is author fiat, much like Reed Richards. And I, thankfully, don't own a Fiat.
     
    Liam-don said:
    I'm not sure Stark needs any kind of power up if he's freed from executive meddling, but here's a guess at the option anyway.


    [ ] A gleaming metal figure, arms raised in triumph. Ultron ✓
    [ ] A golden city engulfed in clouds, and a terrible sound. Iron Fist
    [ ] The flickering of an all-encompassing star-field, beckoning. Captain Universe
    [ ] The song of a thousand lonely minds, united as one. The Mutant Collective
    [ ] A creature of flame, wings outstretched to engulf the world. The Phoenix Force ✓
    [ ] Your own body, lifeless but smiling, cradled in someone's arms. Death ✓
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    You're halfway there - not bad! Also, I already indicated it's not a power-up.

    P.S. I'm wondering how long I should wait before tallying votes, since I haven't done a quest before myself. Probably somewhere in the next few hours though.
     
    skaro said:
    [X] A golden city engulfed in clouds, and a terrible sound.

    Imagine we can have Thor in Tony body.:p
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    You're actually off the mark with it being the Asgardians... Actually, I thought the sound thing would've tipped people off. XD
     
    [X] Your own body, lifeless but smiling, cradled in someone's arms.

    If he's smiling, perhaps it's a sign of a life well lived.
     
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