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DC Occult This is a word of heroes and villains, of capes and cowls, where the men and women on both sides stand as shining examples of one thing or another. I'm sure you're familiar with it - you may have even been here before. But a world so bright casts deep shadows indeed, and in those shadows, there is another unto itself. This is a world of myths and monsters, magic and wonder. But it is also filled with many terrible things, and is in possession of scant few protectors in comparison to the world in the light. Of course, that's not to say it's all bad. There are wonders to be seen, adventures to be had, and there yet remain some who are willing to stand up and do the right thing out of the goodness of their hearts - or for the right price out of the goodness of your pocket. Magic itself is similar. It is great and powerful, capable of just about anything in one way or another and depending on which mystical road you walk, but one thing always remains consistent throughout every form of magic. It always has a price. Just keep that in mind. But here, to get you started I'll give you 1000 CP, free of charge. ​ ​ Location There are a great many places and a great many times, and a few of both where there are neither. You may freely choose any published era of DC comics to start in (barring New 52 and beyond), and may choose one of the starting locations from below. Hey, I know I said you'd have to start paying for stuff, but I'm feeling generous. Don't get used to it. Gotham: Make no mistake: this is a city of sin and evil. Despite the attempts of a certain man ​ with a certain fashion sense, the city is crawling with all sorts of thugs and villains. And because of that, it's become a nexus of dark magic and all the things that come with it. Or perhaps it's the other way around; you can never really be sure. Gemworld: A mystical dimension, separate but connected to earth. Millennia ago, a sorcerer ​ led a group of mages and other magical beings who wanted to escape from persecution on earth, and they settled onto Gemworld. For several millennia, the world was controlled by the Lords of Chaos, but it is currently controlled by Princess Amethyst, the half-human daughter of a Lord of Order. Within Gemworld, she is near-supreme, and has been known to fend off beings as powerful as the Spectre - challenging her rule is not recommended. Faerie: A land of stories and fairy tales that are somewhat darker than the ones you may have ​ heard as a kid. Faerie is primarily home to, well, fairies. They're not usually hostile... immediately at least, but they operate on different rules and moral principles than humans do. A little friendly advice? Don’t accept any gifts or bargains and pay very close attention to the exact wording of everything that leaves their lips. If you start here, you have a small stone that can open a one-way portal to earth and then disintegrate. Age and Gender Keep your gender or change it for free. Weirder things happen here. You can be any age between 16 and 60. Source Now, what's your story and the source of your abilities? (You may freely choose to be a drop-in, making the Source count only for discounts.) And, if you so choose, you may select a history that corresponds with your Source, though this is entirely optional. A History will provide you with additional boons… for a price, of course. Empowered: You weren't born with your power, but have been imbued with power by some higher being or force. Maybe you're blessed by the gods, or by the Lords of Chaos or Order to act as one of their various agents, or maybe you even made a deal with a literal devil. Whatever the case, the power is now yours to do with as you see fit. Or rather, they can't strip it from you, but if you misuse it they may get a little upset. Natural: Born with power in your hands and magic in your blood, the choice to walk this path was never really your own, for your skills and power grew almost unbidden. Where others scraped and scrounged for every shred of magic they could find, the first word out of your mouth was a spell. Half-Blood: You're the offspring of a human and one of the various magical beings in the world. Maybe you're half demon, half fae, a demigod, or something even weirder. Whatever the case, you've likely got a bunch of power in at least one area relating to your parent. However, there's a very good chance your parent isn't the likeable sort, and you're probably lucky if they forget your birthday. Dabbler: You barely have an ounce of mystic talent, but you somehow got drawn into the dangerous world of magic and have been fighting ever since. Whether that's fighting for power, to survive, or to save people is up to you, but what is certain is that while you don't have much innate talent for magic you're a very clever, very lucky, bastard. And you've managed to pick up a little bit of knowledge about all kinds of things that you've blended together into a style all your own. But you'd better be careful, some day your sins will catch up to and you'll run face-first into something that can't be outsmarted or out-lucked. History You may take a History related to the Source of your abilities. Histories give you benefits such as a free perk or skills, but also introduce one of two complications listed in that History. You do not have to take a History. Imported companions may also choose to take a History if desired. Empowered Downstairs Deal: You were born with a thirst in your heart. Maybe this thirst was for fame and fortune. Maybe it was a burning desire to be a hero. Whatever the case, you eventually found yourself face-to-face with a most polite demon who offered you great riches and powers beyond your kin… in exchange for a small fee, of course. ● + Gain discount on any one perk outside of the Empowered tree and gain an additional discount on one Empowered perk. You also have gained the equivalent to 10 million USD out of the deal. ● - Your contract runs out in 6 years, 6 months, and 6 days (the demon was a traditionalist). When this happens, your benefactor will be sending someone to collect. At first it’ll be small fries, but if you evade them enough times they will send Rhyming Demons; peers to Etrigan and minor nobles of Hell. ● - Or, if you prefer, you were a member of the demon’s cult. A trusted mortal agent empowered to do its bidding. If you continue to serve faithfully you’ll have no problems with the demon. But if you disobey, it will immediately begin sending other demons to reclaim the power that was gifted to you. Enchanted: You came into contact with a powerful magical entity of some sort, which tried to ​ possess you and use your body as a vessel. This failed and resulted in the entity being trapped inside of your soul, granting you access to its not inconsiderable power. ● + Receive Real Magic, Back To The Basics and Mark of the Beast for free. You also gain all the knowledge that the being possessed, granting you innate mastery of the power you now wield. ● - The being isn’t taking this lying down, and will try to escape at inopportune moments, which will be annoying at best and troublesome or even dangerous at worst.Take Inner Demons for no point gain. The entity in your mind will sometimes also attempt to wrest control from you when you sleep. ● - Or, if you prefer, your magical abilities are locked away inside of a transformation. You may transform at-will, but may not spend more than half your time transformed. The exact form you take is a hybrid between your default form and that of the being inside you, although where on the scale is up to you so long as it’s at least 25% other. ​ ​ Guardian of Life: You are an elemental embodiment of one type of life, perhaps chosen by ​ animal or plant life to suit its purposes. You are empowered by it to act as its champion and defender. ● + Take Avatar for free. You already have mastery of your powers. ● - You’re required to act on behalf of the force that empowered you and defend it when it is threatened (it will be threatened time and time again by very powerful forces.) You’re also trapped in an inhuman form appropriate for the force you champion. ● - Or, if you prefer, you do not have the full connection at the start of the jump, being more like Poison Ivy or Beast Boy than Swamp Thing or Animal Man in their primes. You can earn your full status as an Avatar however, by doing things to help your respective elemental nature, such as putting a lasting stop to overbearing deforestation, or ensuring as many animals as possible are treated humanely.

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