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maskormods) wrote2013-12-23 08:09 pm
[ARCHIVED] HISTORY
These pages are being preserved for reference but are no longer active and will not be updated. Please visit modormenace for all current game information!
In the world of Mask or Menace, much of history occurred as it did in the real world with one particularly significant exception, and its associated ramifications: the Cold War never truly ended. For decades, the US and the still extant USSR existed in a state of tension. This eventually led to a period of constant surveillance, repression, and censorship in the 1980s that gave rise to the first age of the hero.
In 1986, the first imPorts arrived, and it was an imPort who brought attention to the state of heavy government surveillance. Collaboration between other imPorts, the native superhero population and an insurgent sect of the military and government — the predecessors to the government that currently sponsors imPorts — restored America to something that truly could be called "the Land of the Free", with no draft and no police state. This was coupled with an extreme rise in patriotism and a general shift of the culture to highlight pro-America, anti-communist themes.
Decades later, after taking part in events both heroic and tragic, the surviving original imPorts were sent back to their home universes. In 2014, however, the Porter began drawing in new imPorts outside of the government's control... and continues to do so to this day, marking each arrival as an instant celebrity and the object of public fascination, for good or for ill.
The modern Cold War heated up for a time after the second generation of imPorts began to arrive. In early 2014, the being known as Lachesis pulled a group of them in from a dying universe, after which time new imPorts arrived via the Porter with regularity. For over two years, conflict between the the US and the USSR increased, stirred by the presence of imPorts and what their impact could be on both countries. Propaganda was on the rise, and this period of tension was punctuated by several particularly serious incidents:
July 2014: Three Soviet spies sabotaged a space shuttle launch. ImPorts worked collectively to regain control of the shuttle and save it from disaster, but security measures increased across the country, and the US began asking neutral countries for support.
October 2014: Bombs went off in simultaneous attacks on the US and in Soviet-allied country Bulgaria, prompting international tensions to spread even as imPOrts assisted with both disasters.
January 2016: The USSR declared war on the US and began a coup in America's imPort cities. ImPorts and American troops worked together to end the occupation and recover the Soviet AI LACKEY, which played a critical role in the conflict.
Although full-scale war seemed inevitable at this point, by early 2017 the combined efforts of politicians, diplomats and imPorts had succeeded in lowering tensions to the point that Cold War conflict is no longer a regular topic on the news... but there is no guarantee that this state of affairs will persist forever.
Whether they want to put on a cape and take up the mantle of Hero or just live their lives, today's imPorts live in a world that is no less tumultuous without the looming threat of war. Some of the major issues the community as a whole has dealt with in recent months include:
Otherworld Technologies Organization (OTO)
This corporate entity was founded by defectors from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and is dedicated to developing cutting-edge technology — no matter what. It has acted as an antagonist to imPorts, but its connections to numerus international corporations and other organizations has kept it squarely in the dubiously moral but fully legal realm to date.
Native Metahumans
In late 2016, SIM Tony Stark's efforts created approximately 200 native metahumans in an accident — or, depending who you ask, an "accident." These super-powered individuals lack the star power of imPort celebrities, but have proved just as capable of using their newfound abilities for heroism or villainy.
The Space Race
With the Cold War less of a concern, the US government's focus and ambition have turned to the stars. After the mission to Mars and building the moon base, the US has begun pushing its space program, much to the concern of the certain countries. A base on the moon serves as a peaceful site for international research, but some wonder whether old conflicts will arise in this new frontier.
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