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Evolutions/Mutations (River Powers)
The Evolved (or Mutants, depending on which side of the fence you're sitting on) come in a variety of flavors, from advanced abilities to a new special power or a drastic change in appearance. You are free to include any evolution you like in your application, as long as it doesn't make your character too strong or can influence or change the universe as we know it. For example, immortality and invulnerability are not allowed. Please use your best judgement.
Drifters (fandom characters and non-native OCs) are always effected by the river upon arrival. Any newly Evolved character (all Drifters or a native that chooses to go for a swim in the river) will need to suffer some trial and error to figure out what change has occurred, assuming it's not obvious (e.g. green skin). Significant emotional events are often a great time to have an Evolution manifest itself for the first time. All new Evolutions will, of course, take work to hone. Activating them on command requires a good deal of physical/emotional/mental control. Depending on how you decide the power works it will take significant practice to use these abilities effectively.
Here are a few guidelines for common types of Evolutions you might want to use/follow:
Shapeshifters
All shapeshifters have two forms, a large and a small form, and both can only be animals found on Earth. For example, your character may have the ability to become a hedgehog and a snow leopard. These shifts are often initially triggered by emotional feelings and may be discovered in short order or with a large amount of time in between. Clothes and other objects do not shift along with the character. While in animal form the character will experience some of the instincts of that creature and will find their behavior affected. Changing is also a painful process as skeleton, muscles, and skin rearranges to accommodate the new form. As characters practice they will become more skilled at controlling when they change, the degree of instinct they feel while changed, and the pain associated with the change will lessen. While there's no restriction on the animal forms you chose, we do like to keep a nice variety in game. Check the Taken Characters Page to see what forms are currently in play.
Elementals
Elementals have control of a basic element (fire, water, air, etc.) or some other force of nature (light, plants, and so forth). While they can't initially conjure their element out of thin air, they can strengthen and use it where it does occur. Applications of this power are varied and depend on the source. For example, a fire elemental may be able to heat his body with little effort but practice regularly to conjure flame, and even longer to be able to create large fires or melt metal. The character gifted with plants will always have the best window box on the street, but it would take some diligence to make flowers bloom on command.
Psionics
Psionics refers to the practice, study, or psychic ability of using the mind to induce paranormal phenomena. Examples of this includes empathy, telepathy, telekinesis, and psychometry. At the start, it may take some type of trigger for characters to realize they have this ability. In time they will be able to hone it to their desires like any of the other talents. For example, with practice, an empathic character may be able to not just feel the emotions of those around them, but actually force their will upon others and cause the emotions of one to many around them to feel elation, inexplicable anger, or deep sorrow. Characters who already have something under this umbrella may pick up an additional psionic skill.
Other possible powers...
- eidetic memory
- infrared or x-ray vision
- armor-like epidermis
- laser eyes!
- superhuman senses, speed, strength, etc
- self-healing/resurrection
- flying
- invisibility
- force projection
- neutralizing certain powers of others
- disease, fire, etc immunity
- always having exact change
- talking with animals
Really, most things your heart desires can be worked out. For more inspiration, check out this great offsite link to the Superpower Wiki!
Drifters (fandom characters and non-native OCs) are always effected by the river upon arrival. Any newly Evolved character (all Drifters or a native that chooses to go for a swim in the river) will need to suffer some trial and error to figure out what change has occurred, assuming it's not obvious (e.g. green skin). Significant emotional events are often a great time to have an Evolution manifest itself for the first time. All new Evolutions will, of course, take work to hone. Activating them on command requires a good deal of physical/emotional/mental control. Depending on how you decide the power works it will take significant practice to use these abilities effectively.
Here are a few guidelines for common types of Evolutions you might want to use/follow:
Shapeshifters
All shapeshifters have two forms, a large and a small form, and both can only be animals found on Earth. For example, your character may have the ability to become a hedgehog and a snow leopard. These shifts are often initially triggered by emotional feelings and may be discovered in short order or with a large amount of time in between. Clothes and other objects do not shift along with the character. While in animal form the character will experience some of the instincts of that creature and will find their behavior affected. Changing is also a painful process as skeleton, muscles, and skin rearranges to accommodate the new form. As characters practice they will become more skilled at controlling when they change, the degree of instinct they feel while changed, and the pain associated with the change will lessen. While there's no restriction on the animal forms you chose, we do like to keep a nice variety in game. Check the Taken Characters Page to see what forms are currently in play.
Elementals
Elementals have control of a basic element (fire, water, air, etc.) or some other force of nature (light, plants, and so forth). While they can't initially conjure their element out of thin air, they can strengthen and use it where it does occur. Applications of this power are varied and depend on the source. For example, a fire elemental may be able to heat his body with little effort but practice regularly to conjure flame, and even longer to be able to create large fires or melt metal. The character gifted with plants will always have the best window box on the street, but it would take some diligence to make flowers bloom on command.
Psionics
Psionics refers to the practice, study, or psychic ability of using the mind to induce paranormal phenomena. Examples of this includes empathy, telepathy, telekinesis, and psychometry. At the start, it may take some type of trigger for characters to realize they have this ability. In time they will be able to hone it to their desires like any of the other talents. For example, with practice, an empathic character may be able to not just feel the emotions of those around them, but actually force their will upon others and cause the emotions of one to many around them to feel elation, inexplicable anger, or deep sorrow. Characters who already have something under this umbrella may pick up an additional psionic skill.
Other possible powers...
- eidetic memory
- infrared or x-ray vision
- armor-like epidermis
- laser eyes!
- superhuman senses, speed, strength, etc
- self-healing/resurrection
- flying
- invisibility
- force projection
- neutralizing certain powers of others
- disease, fire, etc immunity
- always having exact change
- talking with animals
Really, most things your heart desires can be worked out. For more inspiration, check out this great offsite link to the Superpower Wiki!