What is the full story of Praetoria?

[Latex]

9 hours ago, Ankylosaur said:

This has been amazing - thanks all for putting this together. I have long toyed with the idea of creating an AE arc involving Praetoria, but frankly never played through Going Rogue and have felt like I have not had a handle on the core story. With so many groups and maps devoted to it, its ripe to do something with. I always enjoy anchoring my arcs to the lore and trying to explore hooks I see int he lore. (E.g.  “Where did the people in the Shadow Shard come from?” = Rularularian, and “Where did the Serpents of Mercy Island come from? = The Serpent Beyond the Horizon.) This gives me a few ideas to explore. I have not yet found a hook into an untold story here - ideas welcomed - but this gives me more to explore and consider so thanks again!

I would love to play this arc!

[Ankylosaur]

So I have been working on an arc idea that includes Praetoria. I came up with (what I think) is an interesting angle, so was researching the Provost Marchand and Number Six arcs to help me make sure I have the details of where Praetoria is today.  I want to use an outdoor Praetorian map to give a sense of place.

 

Unfortunately, the current state of Praetoria seems to pretty much be Hamidon has taken over, everyone is evacuated, and all the Praetorian signature folk are captured or dead. 🙂 Doesn't leave a lot to work with as all the available maps are "everything is normal as can be." 🙂 Am I wrong about this? Is anyone still alive there (other than, say, in New Tokyo or the like).

 

In particular I wanted to use Antimatter's Power Plant - and he seems to have blown himself and it, up - you experience this as a personal story, so its not even an offscreen reference where you can skirt the issue with a "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated!"

 

Realizing all of this makes it hard to justify the TUNNEL network that lets me just pop on over to a Praetoria devoid of rampaging DE with sonic barriers up, a functioning Power Plant, and signature contacts in squares waiting to level you up. Oh the cognitive dissonance. 🙂

Edited July 23, 2020 by Ankylosaur

[Latex]

I've been to Praetoria in-character a few times but I have to do some story weaving to work it into Roleplay. My character is an advanced Clockwork, she invites others on the journey via some sort of Virtual Reality, but like... Ready Player One style VR where it's all very real, allows me to RP there in a normal sense with a few invited friends.

 

There is also such things as time travel, I mean it seems widely used in City of Heroes, even a key point of the games lore. You could maybe craft stories that give deeper insight into 'everyday life' of a Praetorian. I assume the TUNNEL network into Praetoria is a sort of 'time travel', I don't think it's ever explained.

[Ankylosaur]

So - I finished my arc that involves Praetoria: "Policemen Vs. Aliens ID 31353"

 

I came up with a creative way to tell the story over a timeline without time travel so you can see Praetoria before the Hamidon wasteland it has become. The arc has you exploring memories you are remembering that span from the discovery of Praetoria to the final mission that happens after the Number 6 storyline referenced above. To pull that off in arc, each mission progresses in levels and time, as does your main contact - ending with a 50-54 mission. Read more here if interested.

 

Because it also goes a bit beyond the Number Six storyline - it advances the Praetoria story just a hair. Plus it does all this with a Kheldian thread.

 

If anyone gives it a go please let me know if you enjoyed it or see big holes or little refinements or things to improve.

 

Feedback welcome! (And generous star ratings much appreciated - even if you have copious constructive feedback! 🙂 )   

[Takinalis]

In canon, is Preatoria destroyed by the end of it?

[Latex]

22 hours ago, Takinalis said:

In canon, is Preatoria destroyed by the end of it?

Yes, I believe so.

I believe it's Emperor Cole who kills most civilians to feed his power via a nuclear explosion. This is after the Hamidon is absolutely unchained and wreaking havoc on the planet I believe. There are missions where you can go to current Praetoria, I wish I knew the name of those missions or if you can use the map in AE, from what I remember the Hamidon spores can really mess you up, even robotics, it's a wasteland with giant tentacles.

[Darmian]

I'm currently working on two Praetorian AE stories.*  One, concerning the war against magic and the second, simpler, about Chimera's hunt for whoever is sending people to Primal Earth. Both of which are proving difficult due to the visible lack of things like outdoor maps of Imperial City, First Ward and Night Ward in the AE, not to mention having to build specific NPCs that really should be in the AE as well.

 

As for the Resistance?  Every now and then I get the feeling that the Resistance exists only because Cole permits it to.  Regimes of that nature need active enemies to oppose, and the DE isn't really present in Nova to Neutropolis, the most you really hear about is the "disease" that citizens can contract and they have to be sent to the BAF.

 

The disparity between Resistance presence in Praetoria "proper" and the Wards is notable.  Even in the normally Resistance themed markers for a history badge, where in the main areas it's all "Don't drink the Cole Aid", and in the Wards its "Cole might be a power mad egomaniac but he's all that stands between us and the DE".  

 

And while Praetoria fell, it's definitiely not empty or dead!  The latter stories of Last Bastion prove that. (Currently campaigning to have those added as actual Gold side content via Number Six talking to you via the Static and entering via Night Ward portal or possibly the Rift Enclosure in Keyes, because what Goldsider wouldn't stand against Hamidon?)

 

On 1/22/2020 at 1:26 AM, Lazarillo said:

People were burned out of the setting so they just kinda nuked it

Ah.  I've gone back and read as much as I can around this and frankly I think it was the developers burned out on it, NOT players. They didn't finish out the arc properly and got fed up of players demanding that it be done because they wanted to "move forward".  So many cool ideas half realised.  I mean we have the Shining Paths pushed on us with Meredith and Hellewise and they were supposed to be important, but you don't even need to use them! So no, the player base were/are interested, the devs were burned is how I'm calling it.

 

*Ended up not doing a War on Magic arc (yet) as rather fiddly and the maps aren't there. Have two trilogies, one Loyalist and one Resistance, set just at the end of Neutropolis and before you take the Rift/go to First Ward, so levels 20 - 24)

Edited July 18, 2021 by Darmian

[Darmian]

On 7/23/2020 at 1:34 PM, Ankylosaur said:

Realizing all of this makes it hard to justify the TUNNEL network that lets me just pop on over to a Praetoria devoid of rampaging DE with sonic barriers up, a functioning Power Plant, and signature contacts in squares waiting to level you up. Oh the cognitive dissonance.

You're going to have to just go with a "Time Tunnel" effect (anyone remember that TV show?) and have them either set in the past or thrown back, if you want to use those areas. (Which you kind of did in #31353 Policemen vs. Aliens - Heroic - 45-54.)

[Darmian]

Throughout the Praetorian zones there are little incongruities.  In reality I think they are the equivalent of not thinking things through or seeing a wristwatch on a character in Ben Hur, HOWEVER, storywise they throw up ideas and theories.  Here's one. There's a small airfield in Neutropolis across from the reactors, mainly small aircraft, and plenty of Syndicate guys around.  So far so mobs with cash dealing and so on.  BUT...where are they flying to or from?  And how?  The area is surrounded by the Sonic barriers.  Over the barriers?  If they can fly over how do the barriers stop DE things getting in?

Things to ponder.

 

[Panthonca7034]

I would like to add the following:

 

There are A VAST AMOUNT of Geographical Areas NEVER EVER mentioned in the Number Six Arc, and many folks automatically fall under the impression that Hamidon decimated ALL of Praetorian Earth... Since they are not mentioned at all IT IS UNSAFE to surmise that "EVERY SINGLE" Geographical location was wiped out by the devouring earth. Hamidon is not all-powerful, and the Night Ward Arc with Lamashtu proved that there are MUCH MORE powerful entities than Hamidon, it also proved that Night Ward's Darkness could have somehow enveloped certain Regions of the world.

 

NOTHING is ever mentioned about Praetorian Earth's World War II Events, European Campaigns and Pacific Campaigns, ALL OF THAT was left out creating plot holes, including the south pole.

 

What happened to Praetoria's 5th Column and or Fascists?! (nothing is ever mentioned) What about the Eastern front?! All we are left with is that Nukes were used during the Korean War, and  THAT is where the timeline starts diverging between Primal and Praetorian Earth (OR DOES IT? Maybe events in history happened A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY to begin with!)

 

That's the BEAUTY about Praetorian Earth! Not much was developed, and nothing was done to fill in the gaps. I am a firm believer that WHATEVER IS NOT MENTIONED in Number Six's Arc has SURVIVED, and that large pockets of survivors probably exist because either they were enveloped of the Darkness of Night Ward (or maybe a dark magical entity capable of counteracting the hamidon) or maybe several regions developed potent enough defenses that they were able to keep the Hamidon at bay.

 

I'm NOT going to mention which Geographical locations were not mentioned (or are missing), I'm sure more than enough folks can sort out which ones were and weren't mentioned. I also believe that since certain regions weren't mentioned, then it IS SAFE to surmise that Hamidon was unable to COMPLETELY wipe out all of civilization, therefore a significant portion of Praetorian Earth CAN be salvaged and recoverable.

 

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by Panthonca7034
Typo

[DoctorBorris]

Its probably fair to assume people in the main city are even still alive. Hami hasn't been invading that long and they are much more organized then First Ward.

 

First Ward has its problems, but Hami isn't the biggest, or even the main one. Clearly people can survive and even thrive while fighting Hami and Cole did a pretty good job arming up his city vs the chaos there.

 

Of course things are bad, and may be sliding towards finality, but just because we see some arcs where the weak flee for their lives doesn't mean that there isn't victory in other parts of the city, just listening to the refugees might not give the full picture. It would be like asking the Resistance for their opinion on Cole.

[Darmian]

On 12/17/2020 at 5:53 AM, DoctorBorris said:

Its probably fair to assume people in the main city are even still alive. Hami hasn't been invading that long and they are much more organized then First Ward.

 

First Ward has its problems, but Hami isn't the biggest, or even the main one. Clearly people can survive and even thrive while fighting Hami and Cole did a pretty good job arming up his city vs the chaos there.

 

Of course things are bad, and may be sliding towards finality, but just because we see some arcs where the weak flee for their lives doesn't mean that there isn't victory in other parts of the city, just listening to the refugees might not give the full picture. It would be like asking the Resistance for their opinion on Cole.

I've been popping up here and there like the mole in Whack-a-Mole, spouting off that Number Six's Last Bastion arc be opened up to Goldsiders who reach Incarnate levels.  Others have suggested that needs an in between addition explaining how those Goldsiders got to be Incarnates, and that's doable too with a short arc/mission set. The point being that Last Bastion proves that there are survivors free of the Tellurian Plague, ordinary citizens and members of the IDF, Powers Division and Resistance, still fighting on against Hamidon in an attempt to reclaim their world.

 

Imagine the Magisterium remodelled to include the devastation from the iTrial, and once you hit level 50 that's the only version you can access without going through ouro? Though I imagine the Underground would be mostly intact since those were originally nuclear bunkers anyway.  First Ward would be a good template for this.

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Darmian

[DoctorBorris]

Even Marauder using some old pick up trucks and vim n' vigor managed to fight Hami for years out in the Great Plains, I'm sure an organized military in giant robot suits can do better.

[Kallisti]

Maybe that might have been expanded upon given enough resources and would have made for interesting possibilities beyond the Battalion plotline that was to come.

[TheMoncrief]

Note that Emperor Cole was correct in that Primal Earth is an existential threat to Praetoria. Primal Earth has the Hamidon contained and has plans in the works that we know are effective to defeat it - we defeat it pretty much every time it respawns. That leaves two possibilities. First, that Primal Hamidon is just as powerful as Praetorian Hamidon, and Primal Earth's heroes will eventually come and defeat Praetorian Hamidon because it's horribly dangerous even if it isn't actually unstoppable, which will remove Emperor Cole's whole justification for seizing absolute power. Second, that Praetorian Hamidon is significantly stronger than Primal Hamidon, in which case Primal Earth's heroes will eventually come and attack Praetorian Hamidon, fail, and irrevocably break the agreement Emperor Cole has in place that allows Praetoria to continue to exist. Either way, Emperor Cole loses, unless he can subdue Primal Earth before it happens.

[Panthonca7034]

On 12/23/2020 at 11:29 AM, TheMoncrief said:

 unless he can subdue Primal Earth before it happens.

He tried... TWICE I might add, and both times he failed miserably... And the gigantic Avatar of Hamidon couldn't handle the sheer number of incarnates... Neither Cole nor Hamidon are immortal, hard to eliminate? Yes, but not Immortal, hell, EVEN LORD RECLUSE isn't immortal and doesn't want to test the limits of his vulnerability.... Lest he ends up like Praetorian Richter...

Edited February 19, 2021 by Panthonca7034

[TwoDee]

Hey so

 

Super late to this thread, but I'm the Lead of the <New Praetorians Initiative> supergroup, where we have regular internal debates about the timeline, and as best as we could reckon, you can separate Praetorian history into four phases: Pre-Cole, President Cole, Chairman Cole, and Emperor Cole.  It is worth noting, however, that these periods seem to overlap in ways that frequently are not the best thought out, and indeed I don't think that the original developers ever intended Going Rogue's vision of Praetoria (or for that matter the more truncated, pre-Going-Rogue version) to be trackable.  For instance, if you work backwards from the '30th anniversary of the Praetorian Empire' line in Going Rogue (2010), it conflicts with the date of 1995 given for the Founding of First Ward on a plaque there, which in turn conflicts with Tilman's age, which would have to be much younger than her Primal equivalent since she's described as too young to serve in the Praetorian Wars, except if we assume the Empire was founded in 1980 then Keyes and Berry would both be teenagers so how could they be Praetors unless they were older than-

 

Etc, etc.  My point is that I think we've - and I'm referring both to the NPI and the greater City of Heroes community, here - put more thought into the Praetoria timeline than the devs ever did, so the following events are given only the broadest dates, and even those dates are kind of wibbly-wobbly.

 

• Timeline 'diverges' in some zany early ways regarding Kheldians never showing up, possibly different Circle/magical history, etc
• Nemesis dies an ordinary toymaker.
• First major timeline divergence in the immediate aftermath of WWI: Marcus Cole murders Stefan Richter and takes both of their shares of Incarnate Power, as indicated by Cole being able to fuel his own powers with mass death, destruction and evil.  'Absorbing' Richter also explains the massive power differential between the Emperor Cole we fight and the Statesman encountered in several missions.
• Second major timeline divergence: Dr. Hamidon Pasilima is born almost a century earlier than his Primal counterpart, and presumably gets infected with the Will of the Earth around the time of World War II instead of the Rikti War.  This version of Hamidon is also implied to be an Incarnate.
• World War II progresses largely as normal but sees greater proliferation of nuclear weapons.  Heroes and villains sign up, like they did on Primal Earth.
• At Douglas MacArthur's urging, the Korean War goes nuclear.  Scores of heroes are caught in the blasts and die, including (it is presumed) Cole, who actually goes into hiding in the Australian Outback - presumably abandoning his wife in the process!
  • A limited nuclear reprisal obliterates the West Coast of the United States and much of Russia.
  • Douglas MacArthur was President in 1952, but his victory lap after 'winning' the Korean War in nuclear hellfire is cut short as the Devouring Earth begin to assail American cities.
• Cole comes back to America after MacArthur orders a nuclear strike on Shroud City, Rhode Island, his hometown and the equivalent of Primal Earth's Paragon City.  We know definitively that this is The Year 1955.  We know the First Hamidon War must have started in 1955, because Cole goes into hiding for 'years' after the end of the Korean War (1953), and the next Presidential Election Year, which will become pertinent, is 1956
  • Cole battles against the US government until the context is presented to him: the Devoured have already overrun the city, and will hit critical mass and exterminate the remaining human life.  The atom bomb is a mercy kill.
  • President Douglas MacArthur is killed when the Devoured overrun Washington DC, and his Cabinet put Marcus Cole up as their successor candidate.
• Marcus Cole sweeps the 1956 United States Presidential Elections with 98% of respondents voting for him.  This begins the President Cole phase, with Cole as a wartime President fighting the Hamidon Wars.
• We don't have a lot of material about the President Cole phase.  We can reasonably assume that it went for 8 years, as the 22nd Amendment would have been ratified on Praetorian Earth (not enough deviations to the timeline in WWII), but there's no way a superhuman being with 98% of the vote is losing his second term.
  • During this period, we see material that describes America as the nation best-prepared for the Hamidon Wars, since it has the critical mass of the world's superheroes and a superpowered President.  However, America isn't necessarily doing super great either, with Utah and Colorado being reduced to post-apocalyptic badlands (Specifically, Cole's Super Corps have scoured America clean of the Devoured within 'a year's time' of 'bitter, grisly work,' putting the First Hamidon War [for America, anyway], at 1955-1957)
  • However, the rest of the world does much worse, described as fighting a 'losing battle' against the Devoured with refugees flooding America's borders, and several nations choose nuclear suicide over being added to the ranks of the Devouring Earth, with 'dozens and dozens' of nuclear exchanges rendering the planet into a near-unlivable hell-ball.  This will echo, later.
• After his Presidential terms (so presumably circa ~1964), and with the Hamidon Wars getting worse and worse for the world outside of America, Cole nationalizes the United Nations, addresses the nations of the world, and calls for the abolishment of national militaries and the absorption of all resources into a dictatorial one-world government on a permanent war footing.  Cole does not volunteer to be Dictator - in fact, he refuses - but is guilted into the role shortly thereafter.  Or, possibly, this was all a show and he knew he would be the leader from the very beginning.  This begins the Chairman Cole era.
• Chairman Cole expands America's Super Corps to encompass a draft of all metahumans worldwide for immediate military service, equivocal to Might For Right on Primal Earth.  In light of the pan-national rebrand, the Super Corps are renamed to the Praetorian Guard and the individual superheroes/supervillains, Praetors.
  • Both Raymond (Anti-Matter) Keyes and Steven (Neuron) Berry sign on with the Praetorian Guard in their youth (Berry only when the war is winding down), but the only way this makes sense in the timeline is if (1) their military records are fabricated or (2) they're both 5 years older than their Primal equivalents.
• The Praetorian Guard follow a brutal slash-and-burn reclamation policy equivalent to what the Super Corps did in America, but worldwide.  During this period, normal human soldiers are deployed in doomed positions to buy the Praetors time to do the important work, and die horribly in droves, as indicated in the Resistance Warden arcs
• Sometime in the 70-80s, Hamidon manifests as a city-sized Kaiju in South America and begins gradually eating his way up towards the former United States.
  • When Hamidon crosses into Mexico, they nuke themselves in a desperate bid to save the world, to no effect.
  • Cole fights the Kaiju alone, with neither able to harm the other
  • Cole strikes a decisive blow after calling on 'reserves of power he didn't know he had' - as indicated in the Magisterum Trial, this was him using the human death and misery caused by the Hamidon's attacks and Mexico's self-nuke to empower himself with Stefan Richter's Incarnate power.
• THE BIG LIE happens, the most enduring in Praetoria.
  • Cole and the Hamidon lock 'in psychic battle' - they actually don't, they're just talking.
  • Cole's supreme willpower defeats the Hamidon - he actually doesn't, they just reach an accord and leave negotiations
  • Hamidon Pasilima 'dies' - he actually doesn't, he just dispels the Kaiju avatar and returns to his inchaote form beneath the surface of the Earth.
  • Unbeknownst to all, Cole agrees to enforce order on and limit the spread of Humanity across Primal Earth, rebuilding the Earth as an ecofascist dictatorship.  In return, the Hamidon will spare Humanity.
• THE PRAETORIAN EMPIRE is founded.  The date given for this is '30 years before' City of Heroes: Going Rogue, ergo 1980, but there are several indications this is a lie, least of which the plaques in First Ward, which still call Cole 'Chairman' and refer to him as actively fighting the Hamidon Wars as late as 1995.  So, Praetoria is between 30 and 15 years old, though it was probably a gradual transformation closer to the '30 years' side of things, given that nobody seems to remember the United States of America except people over ~40 during Goldside content.
  • Shalice Tilman is deputized as a Praetor in the first year of the Praetorian Empire (whenever that is) even though she was too young to serve in the Hamidon Wars (which in turn makes her decades younger than her Primal equivalent).  She is instrumental to the transition from 'temporary' chairmanship to permanent Imperator, as her prodigious, mutant psychic powers and her lock-tight control of world media allow her to rapidly streamline the message.
    • As part of her work as Praetor, Tilman absorbs and homogenizes all world mental health services into the Seer Network, which is not so much a treatment plan as a system that turns the mentally ill into test subjects and psionic people into a surveillance and thoughtcrime-prevention apparatus.
  • Raymond Keyes develops 'clean' nuclear power sources and radiation-scrubbing technology while Steven Berry cures all diseases (including the Tellurian Plague, though that part is a lie).  The two of them begin to reverse the effects of global thermonuclear war, though how much they know that the Hamidon is actually helping them along here is up in the air.
  • The efforts of human soldiers are completely erased from history, and the commonly-accepted narrative becomes that the Praetors saved the world singlehandedly, with no help from ordinary people.  Cole's ecofascist dictatorship takes the shape of a benevolent metahuman-supremacist nanny state, with ordinary humans viewed as powerless rubes who must be caged and protected for their own good.
  • Some Praetors begin to go off-message and are quietly purged by Praetor Sinclair.  Eventually 'some Praetors' becomes 'most Praetors,' with the original Praetorian Guard of 'hundreds and hundreds' reduced to five, and the remainder erased from history.
  • Rather than be given Praetor titles, newly-drafted metahumans are placed into Powers Division, a subordinate unit of superheroes/villains whose job it is to police dissent and make metahumans look good compared to the purely-human PPD, thereby validating the principles that Praetoria is founded upon.
• Imperial City and Neutropolis are built over the ruins of a settlement somewhere in the Southeastern United States or Mexico, likely in Louisiana or the Florida Keys (referred to in First Ward plaques as the 'Eastern Bloc').  This is a gradual process of updating and bulldozing, and there are still architectural holdovers from the original city still visible in Neutropolis.
  • Collectively, they are referred to as 'Praetoria City' and refugees are encouraged to settle there.
• First Ward is founded in approx. 1995, though it was likely 'in prototype' for a while given that Cole is still referred to as Chairman, not Emperor, in the plaques there.  Likewise, the Mayhem's Prodigal badge describes it as 'A Tyrant's Dream' predating the Empire, so it's likely that Cole was already planning a coup and wanted to have the city 'ready to unveil' by the time the Empire came about.
  • First Ward is supposed to be the first truly 'Praetorian' city as-distinct from prewar cities nationalized into the Praetorian Empire.  It is constructed using the newest technology and features largely new architecture, with the notable exception of the Mother of Mercy Psychiatric Hospital, which hides the global HQ for the Seer Network.
  • The city goes up practically overnight, as Keyes debuts the first generation of Clockwork, which are pneumatic models that do not move or think under human-like logic.
  • Keyes deploys the Sonic Fences, a deterrent mechanism intended to keep the population in and Hamidon out.
  • For unknown reasons given the secret Accord, Hamidon decides that he doesn't like Keyes' face, and another giant Kaiju erupts from the ground beneath the Westerman Building, the prototype for the Magisterum.
  • Thousands are absorbed in the first wave of Devoured attacks, and Keyes panics, overcharging the Sonic Fences to face inward and liquifying the district - killing the Hamidon Kaiju and the human beings alike.
  • Cole is understandably furious, and demotes Keyes from Praetor of Science, allowing Berry to take his place.  This makes Keyes the only Ex-Praetor we know of who is still allowed to exist unmolested in Praetorian society, without being removed from history.
  • All of Keyes' work is given over to Berry, with Neuron improving the Clockwork (with humanlike thought patterns, synthetic muscles, and beta-titanium 'skin') and "improving" the sonic fences.  Surely the Hamidon can't break through a second time!
• Approximately contemporaneous to this time, Cole begins to cull the world's various Magical groups such as the Cabal and the Carnival, citing their unwillingness to bend the knee to the Cole Regime in service of ridiculous abstracts like 'cosmic balance' and 'the fate of the multiverse.'  The decimated Legacy Chain throw in their lot with the Carnival, and the Midnighters split, with some joining the Carnival and the others fleeing into the Netherworld to escape Cole's wrath.  This proves to be a terrible mistake.
• Nova Praetoria is founded as the 'first planned city' of Praetoria, and First Ward is swept entirely under the rug.
  • First Ward is converted into a training ground/live fire zone for Cole's military, with political dissidents shipped there to disappear.
  • Although officially its existence is denied, people kind of seem to 'know the score,' as indicated by dialogue with civilians in Imperial City who describe not wanting to be sent to the First Ward.
• City of Heroes: Going Rogue begins in 2010, at the supposed 30th but possibly 15th anniversary of the Praetorian Empire.  In rough order:
  1. Maria Jenkins' arc happens.
  2. The events of the Tip Missions happen, specifically as relates to Maelstrom and Desdemona.
  3. The events of Twinshot's arc happen
  4. Responsibility, Power, Warden and Crusader happen
  5. Tina MacIntyre's arc happens, set between the end of Goldside content and the beginning of the Praetorian War.
  6. The Praetorian War begins when TinMage iTrial happens.
  7. BAF iTrial happens.
  8. Lambda Sector iTrial happens.
  9. Admiral Sutter TF happens.
  10. Keyes Reactor iTrial happens.
  11. First Ward (20-30) happens
      1. Concurrently with First Ward, the Underground iTrial happens.
  12. Night Ward (30-35) happens
      1. Concurrently with Night Ward, the TPN Campus iTrial happens.
  13. Dark Astoria happens, before the formal end of the Praetorian War, but Dominatrix defects to help the Primals.
  14. Belladonna Vetrano's arc happens.  Praetoria begins to collapse from the inside.
  15. Minds of Mayhem iTrial happens.  Praetoria is falling apart.
  16. Magisterum iTrial happens.  In an echo both of the destruction of Shroud City and of the nuclear suicides of several nations during the Hamidon Wars, Cole nukes Praetoria City, killing millions of his own citizens.
  17. Praetoria entirely falls, and refugees begin flocking through the former invasion portals into Paragon.
  18. The Major's arc happens.
  19. Provost Marchand and Mr. G's arcs happen contemporaneously to each other.  The New Praetorians are founded as several Praetorian supervillains escape containment.
  20. Number Six's arc happens.

Edited February 21, 2021 by TwoDee
Sutter repositioned

[TemporalVileTerror]

@Piecemeal or which ever other Dev(s) are going to be tackling lore-oriented content should definitely take a look at that impressive write-up, @TwoDee.  Kudos.

[TwoDee]

Thank you!  Though a Guildie actually just pointed out that I have the timing on Sutter wrong, since it assumes that Power Suppression has been disabled and Berry's counterattack neutralized.  I've linked this thread in our channel, so I'm sure more little adjustments will be forthcoming.

[TemporalVileTerror]

Excellent to hear!  Community efforts often yield better results in things like that, after all.  Thank you, @TwoDee.

[twozerofoxtrot]

On 12/7/2020 at 2:10 AM, Darmian said:

There's a small airfield in Neutropolis across from the reactors, mainly small aircraft, and plenty of Syndicate guys around.  So far so mobs with cash dealing and so on.  BUT...where are they flying to or from?  And how?

The Airlift Badge strongly implies that Praetoria (the city) supplies other intercontinental locations. Without further explanation of the political relationships (outposts? vassal states?) to these other places, we're left with only guesses and material ripe for artistic development.

 

On 12/7/2020 at 2:10 AM, Darmian said:

If they can fly over how do the barriers stop DE things getting in?

My guess was always that Hamidon was abiding to the agreement with Cole. Why the Hamidon attack on First Ward even happened I'll never understand but then again First Ward is a bit of a mess anyhow. Some of my favorite writing in the game, but certainly a bit of a mess. Also, I think the clockwork help burn away spores with their flamethrowers? I could have sworn I've seen NPC flavor dialog suggesting this. Or I'm confusing it with Nausicaa.

 

8 hours ago, TemporalVileTerror said:

Kudos.

TwoDee is a treasure. He was hugely instrumental in helping orient me to Praetoria back in the summer 2019. I stopped playing well short of sundown, so I had a lot of lore ground to cover and he was like a literary Sherpa. I've also never seen him make anything short of an insightful comment, in general.

 

8 hours ago, TwoDee said:

...the timing on Sutter wrong, since it assumes that Power Suppression has been disabled and Berry's counterattack neutralized.

An easy mistake to make, since if you roll a character at level 1 and play through the content, you basically help stop the Praetorian invasion in reverse order; Sutter before TinPex.

I don't know if there is a good solution to this? I guess we could make completion of both Tin Mage II and Apex a requirement for unlocking Sutter, but I doubt that would make players very happy.

Edited February 22, 2021 by twozerofoxtrot
Proof read something five times, still miss a word. That's life.

[Darmian]

2 hours ago, twozerofoxtrot said:

The Airlift Badge strongly implies that Praetoria (the city) supplies other intercontinental locations. Without further explanation of the political relationships (outposts? vassal states?) to these other places, we're left with only guesses and material ripe for artistic development.

Oh it does, and I actually allowed for that. The in game asset doesn't match the text though. Those planes may be fast but they're not carrying a lot of supplies.  We DO see a downed plane under the water in First Ward, but since I can't see an airfield in First Ward it may have been going further afield.  Where IS Last Bastion anyway?

 

As for Sutter and TinPex?  I really like that the final stages of the war don't mirror a levelling process for a character.  In a "real" supers world of course lower level guys would be doing stuff before, alongside and after the Superman-alikes.  It does need a bit more signposting as to when it all happens though.

[huang3721]

I interviewed a few citizens. Some point me to an interesting or important place. Others give me funny and sometimes weird retort. Usually, each citizen has a set of 10-11 answers. Some sets are similar, so I group them to save space. I think I'll post their answer here.

 

There's a useful IPC location just down the street in Imperial City. I store all my valuables there!
I report all suspicious activity to my local Precinct.
I love Studio 55. It's a great place to rest and enjoy some music.
Those Resistance posting their filth all over the town! Disgusting!
I wonder what those numbers mean on those Clockwork vendors.
The Lounge is a great place for loyal Praetorians to gather.
I love the Trading House. It's a great place to buy and sell!
I heard about some chamber leading to another dimension. Poppycock!
There are several access tunnels to something underground, but I d never go down there!
I've always wondered what's inside that lovely building in the Magisterium.

 

You don't talk about First Ward. Not Around anybody important.
First Ward? Oh, we don't talk about First Ward.
First Ward is Emperor Cole's Dirty Secret, but you didn't hear it from me.
Oh, First Ward? Wasn't that lost with that massive Devouring Earth attack?
I heard people still inhibit First Ward. Could you believe it?
Neutropolis may look a little dirty, but it's solid and nothing a new coat of paint won't fix.
There's a tunnel running under the whole city to keep everything running smoothly.
I read the tunnels under the city started out as a nuclear shelter. Good thing we don't have to worry about that anymore.
The tunnels are pretty dangerous, authorized personnel only indeed.
With The Resistance down there, the PPD can't guarantee the safety of citizens in the Underground.

 

I'm going to move to Nova Praetoria as soon as my option vests.
I heard that Night Ward is a magical reflection of First Ward with ties to the netherworld.
If I want good food, I come to Imperial City. It's as simple as that.
Imperial City is THE place to come for great entertainment. I love it here!
Did you see that episode of Elf Cop last night? It was awesome!
I just visited the CDEC. Feel so [beat] educated.
I found this ancient artifact and put it up for auction on the Trading House. I wonder how much it would sell.
Studio 55? It is THE hangout. I'm definitely going there tomorrow night!
I'm so glad the Imperial Bank installed those ATMs in the lobby. They are so much convenient than standing in line. 
People Park is such a relaxing place. I wish I lived a bit closer to it. 

 

You can't beat Imperial City for the fantastic business district.
Oh, if you are visiting Imperial City, you simply must travel to People Park. It's lovely.
They've delayed renovations in the Neutropolis again. I bet it was sabotage.
I just love the Magisterium. I've never been inside Emperor Cole's building, but I hear it's remarkable.
The Magisterium is where it all happens. This is where all the political decisions are made. Can you feel the electriCity?
Magisterium, just the sound of it on the tongue gives me the shivers.
Nova Praetroia is the most important part of Praetoria. This is where all the big decisions happen.
I love Nova Praetoria, it's got the best of everything, and I'm nice and safe right near the police headquarter!
I've lived here all of my life, and except for a few irritants, Nova Praetoria is a lovely and safe city!
You can't beat Imperial City for great food.

 

Do you think Riptide was always a fish?
I heard aria might be making a deal to be on the cover of a fashion magazine.
I remember when Stern was a regular human, he's made so many sacrifices to help our city.
I hope Zane takes down Reese one day.
I saw warrant guest star yesterday on blue and gold.
Have you seen the new concept car that Gravtech lab is working on? I can't wait! I'm saving up for it! 
Sometimes I go down to the CMF just watch the Clockworks.
I just bought a new smartphone from Syfotine. It's much better than the older version.
I love Nova Praetoria. It's the think tank of Praetoria.
I am glad Praetor White is here to defend us from Scott and his lunatics.
I'm looking forward to the next induction ceremony for Powers Division.

 

Night Ward? What is that?
I heard that Night Ward is infested with magical and dead things. If I even believed it existed.
Do you know what I think of when I think of Night ward? The Netherworld. But you didn't hear it from me!
Night Ward? Fairy tales! That's all it is. I'd not believe a word of it.
I heard that Night Ward has ties to the netherworld. I don't even know how you'd get there!
If you value your health, you don't go past Neutropolis. First Ward and beyond is unwise.
That psychiatric facility in First Ward I've heard of it bad things. Very bad things.
Mother of Mercy Psychiatric Hospital? I am sure "mercy" has nothing to do with it there.
Oh, bad things happen at that hospital, I heard.
I heard about Carnival of lights shadow paths, but I've never seen them.

 

My sister said she saw Hamidon out there in the forest trying to get in. I'm so glad we have Emperor Cole to defend us all.
And then it threw a tree - like a penny!
Whoah! Did you see that? I thought I saw something!
I had a lovely garden once before the decontamination happened. But the new one is just as good.
I hear Senator Rodriquez introduced a bill to curb illegal farming. We can't be too careful when it comes to Hamidon spores.
The other day I saw a member of Powers Division take on ten Destroyers.
It really makes you wonder why people like the Destroyers would try to take down everything Cole has done for us.
The tattoo that Destroyer had [beat] it looked like a military unit insignia. But that [beat] nahh.
If the drug the Destroyers all take is orange, why does it turn them red?
I saw a Destroyer bust through a solid stone wall once. It screamed "Oh Yeah!" before a team of Powers Division took it down.

 

The Clockwork would seem friendly if I could understand what they're saying.
I really want to upgrade to the New Home Companion from Neuron Technologies. I hear they can clean, cook, and take care of the kids.
Those new Type 40 Clockwork are pretty incredible. I saw one vaporize a monster that crawled out of the Underground.
The Clockworks are so helpful. I can't wait until they come out with robot orphans.
They aren't really speaking to us. Those Clockworks just thinking out loud I heard someone say.
Nightstar is so knowledgeable. Emperor Cole must be so proud.[n]
I hear that Bobcat is quite a character.
IVy! oh! I get it now!
She is very capable, but sometimes I wonder if Praetor Duncan is a good role model for our city's daughters.
I feel so safe with the Clockwork around. They are here to keep us from hurting ourselves, after all.

 

I heard that the Destroyers are innocent civilians, corrupted by The Resistance. I wouldn't be surprised.
Those Seers just babble. Why would they do that?
I thought for a minute I recognized that Seer, but it was just my imagination, I'm sure.
The Seer sure has a nice [beat] um [beat] why am I suddenly speaking out loud?
You know, you cant trust organized crimes. Those Syndicate hoodlums should be sent off to the BAF!
Why is it? When Emperor Cole tries to make everything so good, those thugs like the Syndicate would try and mess it all up?
The Syndicate? Street thugs in leather jackets. I'd spit on them if it wasn't illegal to litter.
Why can't the Seers root out the Syndicate once and for all? I'd support that.
I heard the Syndicate is really in charge of The Resistance. Can you believe it?
I drink a bottle of Enriche whenever I get nervous about Destroyers. It makes me feel all better.

 

How smart you look in that costume, friend.
All is well in Praetoria. Emperor Cole sees to it.
Emperor Cole is a good man. He has saved us from many threats. We are in his debt.
If you have a moment, you should visit Tiberian Bluff. It overlooks the city and is quite peaceful.
You seem smarter than most. You must drink Enriche!
I like you.
Whatever it is, it can't be that bad.
The climate here is perfect. Always.
A glorious day upon you, friend.
May you have a thousand sunshiney days, my friend.

 

The finest scientific minds work here. I can't imagine being anywhere else.
I want to be where technology is. Neutropolis is it. That's why I am here.
Sure it's a bit grimy around here [beat], but there is no fake veneer either.
If you stand in the center of a dust devil and speak your wish aloud [beat], you'll get a mouthful of dust.
Don't ever cut the red wire!
Always cut the red wire.
Did you see that green-haired girl run by?
Sure, Nova is beautiful. But, where's the science? Precisely, right here.
All these hexagons make me think of bees. Scientist bees.
I heard that Night Ward is a magical reflection of First Ward with ties to the netherworld.

 

($, /, @, !, and -  means different group. A line with multiple symbol means multiple group has it.)

$You ever see a Clockwork talk like a normal person? Creepy.
$I saw a clockwork cleaning the wall the other day when it spontaneously combusted. It must have been sabotage.
$Those [beat] things! [beat] Those ghouls! They are horrific! I wouldn't doubt they are the product of some nefarious Resistance plan!
$Those monsters in the tunnels [beat] only The Resistance would create such evil things!
$Don't go into the tunnels! It's not safe there anymore, not with those monsters.
$I wonder what those bracelets on those [beat] ghouls [beat] are for?
$Honest people have nothing to fear from the ghouls. They never leave the Underground.
$Ghouls can't speak. Don't be ridiculous; They are animals.
$Dont those PPD officers look just so smart in their uniforms?
$I fully support our Praetorian Police Department! They keep me safe![n]
/Emperor Cole is an amazing man. How could Resistance not see it?
/The Resistance just does not understand the pure brilliance that is Emperor Cole. They are so evil.
/If The Resistance would just stop and look at all the amazing things Emperor Cole has done for this place, they'd stop what they are doing this minute.
/I just feel so much more calm when I wander past a Seer. They make my day.
/Do you think those Seers actually see anything under that visor?
/Why do the PPD officers fight the Powers Division? Why can't they just work together?
/I saw five PPD teleport in to take down this Resistance monster that was about to rob someone. I feel so safe with them around.
/My nephew wants to pretend he is part of the PPD. Do you know if they sell toy gloves like the ones they use?
/I've heard things about a group of people who fight against Emperor Cole. Are they suicidal?
/I've heard about The Resistance. they are responsible for every evil thing that has ever happened here!

 

@Everyday, I am grateful for Emperor Cole and his senators. Are you?
@Thanks for all the hard work you put into keeping us safe.
@!-You look like a discerning person.
@-The Resistance is a ridiculous farce. You are not one of them, are you?
@-Emperor Cole knows how to deal with people who aren't loyal. Do you know what I mean? I think you do.
@-I think I've seen you before on TPN.
@-It's good to know that Praetoria has people like you to defend us from Scott and his madmen.
@-Hey! You are part of Powers Division, right?
-Have you ever seen a clockwork dance? Incredible!
-There's a restaurant down the street I go to sometimes. The service is amazing.
-What? What? What is this? One person goes in; another comes out!
-Why would I watch TPN Live? I can get the broadcast on-demand on my computer whenever.
@Spare some change, Sir? [beat] cheapskate.
@Long live Emperor Cole!
!Neutron Tower is amazing. I love that twisty sculpture in front of it
!Don't go into the Underground, or you might get grabbed by Ghoulies.
!All the animals come out at night [beat] someday a real rain will come down and wash all the real scum from the street
!You will not find the going easy, they said. Nor the climate hospitable. For your kind are frowned upon.
!You makin' some kind of joke?
!You'd think all this heavy machinery would make more noise
!No smog, no pollution to speak of, clean water and air [beat] You wouldn't recognize this place from 50 years ago.
!There sure is a lot of activity in Lambda Sector these days. Maybe they are gearing up against The Resistance.
!I could go into the Underground and head over to First Ward, but why would I? I'm staying in Neutropolis.

 

-@Loyal Tea & Coffee has the best brew in town!
-@Did they ever reestablish communication with the moon base after the Hamidon attack?
-@I just love the work they do at the CDEC. I think it's the music.
-Oh, I never get too close to the perimeter shield. That is in place for our security!
-I've heard things about the perimeter shield. I've never been too close, though. It's dangerous, even for us.
-Sometimes, I see a glow in the night. I wonder what it is?
-You can see Cole Tower light up at night. What a wonder!
-I love how those Clockworks help keep this city clean. So considerate.
-Verna Arcola is the real sweetheart. Her program at the CDEC taught me all about invention.
-I used the ride the CTA every day, but I've found walking is really is good exercise.
/Some days, I feel like all is not right. I can not shake it.
/I'm feeling a little dehydrated. I think I need some Enriche.
/You should listen to PR. It's so informative!
/@I need to get some more Enriche. I'm fresh out.
/@I just has a horrible crick in my back. I'm feeling much better now.
/@but the spectacularly bespectacled spectacle suspects that expectorating - even circumspectly - would be impolite.
/@All the other guys snuck into the office room, closed the door, and started cheering for no apparent reason.
/@What day is it?
/@What? Er, [beat] I mean yes, How can I help you?
/@Id play golf, but putting green in The Imperial City is always busy. 

 

[Darmian]

I'm just going to cross post this here.  I started it but @Aberrant and @huang3721 have done all the actual work!

 

 

 

[Latex]

10 hours ago, huang3721 said:

I interviewed a few citizens. Some point me to an interesting or important place. Others give me funny and sometimes weird retort. Usually, each citizen has a set of 10-11 answers. Some sets are similar, so I group them to save space. I think I'll post their answer here.

 

<snip>

 

I am absorbing this juicy Clockwork lore, I'm all over that!