"Supervillains as a whole don't die. Human nature will ensure that they never will."
THE YEAR IS 2024. Larger than life figures walk the Earth, heroes and villains who battle in elaborate costumes and under legendary names. At least, that’s how things used to be. They say that the days of villains are over, that the war has been won by the heroes. These days, villain groups are far flung and scattered, while superheroes are some of the largest celebrities that society has. The Grand Union, the largest network of villains that the world had ever known, fell in 2010 after pressure from almost every hero organization in the world teaming up during what was known as Operation Falling Tower. The world, they said, would see a new era of peace with the elimination of organized metahuman crime and terror.
Or so they told us. Supervillains didn't die. Some of them went to smaller groups and avoided the attention of the largest heroes, and others went underground. The remnants of the Union, the largest group of supervillains ever created, were in the group that went underground and continued building up their strength for a future return. Their ranks, decimated by deaths and retirements, following Operation Falling Tower. Their strength, dwindling. But their goals? The same thing as ever. Power, in a world where some individuals are naturally poised to seize it.
Replenishing the ranks of the villains is a necessity, to fight back against conventional authorities and superheroes alike. As such, Operation Osiris began in 2023. The goal? Find young metahumans that are approaching their primes, who have criminal records or criminal attitudes, and bring them to a secure location to be shaped into the villains of the future. This location, within the organization, has been referred to as Phoenix Academy because it personifies the entire organization's ability to bounce back from near complete destruction.
This is not a college for those who want to save the world. Or for nice students who have perfect grades and never get into trouble. No, this is one for the outcasts, those who get in trouble for picking fights and winning them, the ones who have a bad record and an even worse attitude. These people are no longer the outcasts, but at Phoenix Academy, they're the majority. And some of them might just have the power to destroy city blocks on a whim. What do you say? Do you think that you can handle life at a college for supervillains?
Left: Grand Union gunship flies over a battlefield during Operation Falling Tower | Middle: Students of Phoenix Academy, in dress uniform | Right: Destruction in the city of London during Operation Falling TowerWelcome To Phoenix Academy
What is this? It's another RP set in a superhero universe that looks at the other side of the battles, the villainous one. It has an academy format, of course, which I decided to go with after having success with Fates and Futures, which lasted for about three months before problems and inactivity caught up to the RP. This RP is built on some of the same things: an immersive world that has a decent amount of lore behind it, one that we'll be thrown right into the middle of because of our position within one of the most important factions in this world.
Don't think of this RP as one thing. There's social elements, action elements, and things should get pretty dramatic at times. We're students, but not the type to sit around in classrooms all day and write papers. Training is a bit more hands on at this academy, and obviously, everyone here is learning to be a career criminal. Things get more interesting when you consider that a vast majority, or possibly all of the students, possess superpowers. Expect a mix of experiences ranging from internal politics within an organization of supervillains, to actual clashes with heroes in the field. Expect to play a part in the return of villains, in a world where the most prominent have already been eliminated by legendary heroes.
Just remember... You are not the biggest fish in the ocean, either within the Union of Villains or outside of it. Become overly ambitious, bite off more than you can chew, or turn against the leadership, and you'll definitely get a lot more trouble than you bargained for. In a world like this, there's no do-overs. Take too many risks when the stakes are the highest, and you'll likely pay for it.The World In 2024
The world here is much different than the one that we know. Yes, there's metahumans, but that's not the only change. There's also some geopolitical shifts that make the world far more tense, something that should come into play in the future for us. There's also a number of factions that you should be aware of. We won't have to deal with all of them, and they don't all need to be memorized, but this is the section to come to if you need to brush up on the lore of the world for the sake of building your characters, making your posts accurate, or other reasons. Below, you'll find information on key subjects about the world of the RP ranging from the global political differences to the main enemy and/or allied factions.Enrollment
If you've read through some of the above and are interested in joining, check out the applications below. However, keep a few things in mind. First, keep balance in mind. The rules aren't too restrictive on this, but your character shouldn't have significantly more strengths than they do drawbacks when it comes to fighting. For example, you can't control fire, lighting, and water, and only have one major weakness despite the large skillset. If your character is more specialized and focuses on doing less things, but doing them well, you don't need to add as many drawbacks as you would for a character that's both powerful and versatile.
Second, keep in mind that your character is not special. None of the characters are, not even characters belonging to the OP. What this means is that the RP will not change because of one character. An enemy will not suddenly forget about how powerful they are just because your character is the one fighting them. Plot armor is not a thing. You won't be saved from certain doom because of your character being special. You also aren't going to win in scenarios where you are vastly outmatched, such as if you decided to start a fight against the academy itself for whatever reason. Granted, you will almost never be put into situations like these unless you put yourself in them. Don't say you weren't warned.
If you're fine with those things, check out the boxes below to apply.