Stormfront Refuge

A world where videos of the supernatural go viral every day.

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Latest World Events

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A Contractor made a Move (JHoneyz GMed) 2 days, 17 hours ago. View Move

Breakthrough in Cancer Care: FDA Approves Oncoguard-XL to Protect Patients During Chemotherapy

Breakthrough in Cancer Care: FDA Approves Oncoguard-XL to Protect Patients During Chemotherapy

[Opening shot: News studio, anchor seated at the desk.]

ANCHOR
"Good evening. In what doctors are calling a major leap forward in cancer care, the FDA has officially approved a new drug that could make chemotherapy safer and more tolerable for patients across the country."

[Cut to side screen: 'ONCOGUARD-XL APPROVED' with a soft graphic of a DNA helix and hospital imagery.]

ANCHOR
"The drug, called Oncoguard-XL, acts like a shield for healthy cells, dramatically reducing some of the most painful and dangerous side effects of chemotherapy without weakening its cancer-fighting power."

"For many patients, that could mean fewer infections, fewer hospital stays... and a lot less time spent recovering from the treatment itself."

[Footage rolls: clips of patients walking in hospital hallways, doctors reviewing charts, smiling families.]

ANCHOR
"Developed by Artemis Therapeutics, Oncoguard-XL uses a specially designed iron-glutamate compound to protect healthy tissues from the toxic effects of chemo drugs. Clinical trials showed promising results; patients saw up to a forty percent drop in serious complications like severe mouth sores and life-threatening infections."

"And perhaps most importantly: Oncoguard-XL didn’t interfere with the chemotherapy’s ability to destroy cancer cells."

[Cut back to Anchor at the desk.]

ANCHOR
"For survivors like Elena Ramirez, the drug has been life-changing."

[Roll clip: Elena, smiling softly, speaking.]

ELENA (clip):
"Before Oncoguard, I spent more time in the hospital than at home. After starting it, I could actually live through my treatment — not just survive it."

[Back to Anchor.]

ANCHOR
"The FDA says side effects from Oncoguard-XL were mild for most patients — things like nausea, dizziness, or a metallic taste. Doctors believe the benefits far outweigh the risks."

"Starting this June, the drug will be available nationwide for adult patients undergoing chemotherapy, with pediatric studies already underway."

[Screen shows a hotline number and website for patient assistance programs.]

ANCHOR
"And in a welcome move, Artemis Therapeutics is launching a financial assistance program to help patients afford the medication, especially those without full insurance coverage."

[Pause, warm smile.]

ANCHOR
"Tonight, for thousands of patients and families, this approval marks something more than just a new drug. It’s a new chapter of hope."

[Anchor transitions to the next segment.]

"Still ahead: how local communities are rallying to help veterans access critical mental health care. Stay with us."

Sam Cassius made a Move (PascalsAngel GMed) 4 weeks ago. View Move

Missing and Dead

ABC7 News

"-of this year, 1,400 San Francisco residents are missing, 20,000 in California at large. Many of the case details are sealed to the public, and the odds are likely that most won't be found alive. Our local SFPD has a homicide clearance rate of more than 90%, well above the national average, but lags behind in almost all other departments, including missing persons cases. In 2021, agencies involved in public health, women and family services, law enforcement and legal services reported 165 cases of human trafficking. The numbers are down from the 673 cases reported in 2017, but COVID-19 created barriers to entry for many agencies seeking to uncover, limit, and prosecute cases. Our-"

Latest Journals

1 week, 5 days ago: Alan Samuel Cole wrote a Downtime Journal for Stairway to Nowhere

Paper

Paper dolls.  Shadow puppets. 

Why do I care?

I'm alone in a sea of chatbots.  Feels real but it's all a lie. Everyone I will meet here is just a drawing, a caricature of the person I should be meeting. 

And it's working its way into me. 

People are people. Everyone deserves to make it home.

But not everyone does. I know that better than most. Sometimes home isn't even a place to make it back to. Any port in a storm, till the storm's closing in, and the shadow men are all you've got. 

Why these people?  Why these jobs? is there some lesson to be learned here? Here in the ocean of false friends.  

I got so angry at Gideon when I thought he was throwing himself away. He mentioned another world. I need to know how he came here, and if he's just another shadow on the wall, cast by the fire I dare not turn my face to...

 

 

Stop being dramatic.

 

 2 weeks, 5 days ago: Valentin Reznik wrote a Downtime Journal for It's Cleanup Day!

Who is this in the mirror?

The first Slasher’s blood felt like justice. The Contract’s payouts just feel like… numbers. Have I stopped caring? The Contract’s Harbingers upgraded me greatly since it began. My fists crack concrete. My skin stops bullets. But last night, I woke up and my teeth were bleeding black. Is this what she went through before she disappeared? Or is this unique to me? Maybe this is why she sought her grandfather's medical company and his aid? I found her old coat in a pawn shop. Left it there. She’d hate what I’ve become. Sure, it wasn't literally hers, somehow I could smell the difference, but it was the same style, same brand, even the same size. I know I'm nowhere near Darien Connecticut where she lives now, if she exists in this new world at all, but the resemblance was otherwise uncanny. That last Contract, it's left me wondering just who I've become, and how far it will go...

 2 weeks, 5 days ago: Valentin Reznik wrote a Downtime Journal for Maikendo

I still can't beat that first challenge!

I've been playing that game again, it's easier with friends. Maybe I'll get another controller, invite someone to play with me, but who? What am I saying? If Laurence and Chrissy visit, Laurence would play all day! I should have them visit, or take the console and go visit them! I bet Kitt could beat the mouse's test in her sleep!

That damn rabbit is impossible, getting up that tree before it is Herculean in it's difficulty. I can dodge the eels and get the golden fish. I can defend the mouse until she beats the test on her own. But getting up that tree before the rabbit... it's so frustrating!

I dreamt about her again, this time was different though. Dreamt I was back in Maikendo. The NPCs begged me to stay. One had her voice. When I woke up, my console was on. Title screen said: ‘PLAYER 2 JOINING SOON.’

 
3 weeks ago: Sage wrote a Downtime Journal for It's Cleanup Day!

Parks and Rec

I've been learning so much, but I have no time. I thought I'd have some, but then I got terribly sick. That's taken care of now, but I still have no time. I can find time for a relaxing bath or a swim, but those aren't as relaxing as they used to be. Maybe I should try a hobby, when I find time.

 

Speaking of time, I need to call Alan more, staying alone like he does can't be good for his mental health. But, he knows about time. I mean, a lot about time. Sure, I know about some time things by now, but maybe he knows how I can find more time to just LIVE.

 

So, I went on a talk show recently. I know I use the name Sage for professional work and contracts, but I did this appearance under my real name to explain about the park and the recent death in the family. At least they let me hide my face "to keep my private life private."

 

People want to know when it's re-opening, and I want to re-open, but I don't think that will happen. If I'm going to use my skills outside of movies and television, maybe I need to open my own park. I did tell them that I'm considering a new park. I'd need investors I can trust, but still maintain the controlling share of things.

 

I have lawyers on that, they kinda came with the estate but I'm the one paying them now. I did ask them to look into Tabatha Van Sterling and Aiden Mercer, I just want a bit of what the public knows about them before I talk to either about this idea.

 

If it happens, Grayson gets a free lifetime pass. And maybe I can find time for myself too.

 3 weeks ago: Sage wrote a Downtime Journal for The Hour is Close at Hand

Network

I guess I have to get used to allies needing healing, I met Chad again when he got hurt after we'd parted ways. I really didn't have time to find out what happened or chat, I need to call him some time so we can keep in touch. Anyhow, at least I'm properly starting to network. With Chad and Alan and hopefully more soon, we can trade notes and help each other out. I almost regret turning Mercer down for the cybernetics, but I really don't feel right having artificial material inside me. I need  to tell him so.

 

What does any of that have to do with anything? Well, the networking part. Having taken charge of the estate, there's a lot more than just moving things, redecorating, and meeting her staff. I need to network with people who can do the moving and redecorating, and her staff, but also with society at large. I can't hide from the press forever, they want to know more about our family. I don't know how much I can avoid telling them. Our wealth coming from Klondike gold is public record, but I've never heard anyone bring it up. Yet.

 

I really hate it, but I need to schedule some talk shows, go to some major parties, and make ties with the mundane world. I expect I'll take too much time planning it all out, like I do with everything.

 3 weeks, 1 day ago: Gideon Vipponah wrote a Downtime Journal for Stairway to Nowhere

I must defend myself better.

If I learned anything from this most recent Contract, it's that I need to be better able to defend myself. I am laughably vulnerable for such dangerous missions. 

That being said, the spirits saw fit to answer me by granting me a much tougher pelt in my animal forms, and the ability to continue speaking with and commanding the animals' spirits even when my physical form assumes their spiritual embodiments. Truly, these bounties will aid me greatly in the future, of that I am certain. However, to protect my human body, I have also seen fit to buy Kevlar armored clothing in the style of my normal hiking clothes. It's not much, but it is a good first step. That being said, I must soon take steps to take the best defense in these dangerous Contracts. I cannot continue to behave as a pacifist if I am going to survive, much less continue to score victories.

 3 weeks, 6 days ago: Okiyama Oda wrote a Contract Journal for 'til Death Do Us...

Blue Cheese Sauce on my Fries??

One of the greatest things about cheese is that it goes really well with lots of different things. We’ll all have our own views on what the finest cheese-based culinary combos are – for me though, one of the greatest is that simple takeaway pleasure of cheesy Fries! It never fails to hit the spot…

Indeed, from my experience, the grated cheese scooped from a plastic container by the person serving you in the takeaway and dumped onto your freshly-fried tatos (lol) is usually the blandest of all the cheeses. Yes, mild Cheddar – the Coldplay of the cheese world… But are we about to see the boat pushed out a bit more in terms of which types of cheeses are paired with our chips? A brand new chips’n’cheese combination that’s now available that I really think could catch on:  namely, fries with blue cheese sauce!

Fountain Blue Restaurant's Truffle Fries Recipe | Recipes.net Oh yeah Baby!
Crispy fries, flaky salt, oregano, maybe some good, good chilli salts as well; that's gonna be so good when paired with a medium-rare steak with a bone marrow infused garlic butter- oh you know it's gonna be a grand ol' time.
"Oh My!" Steak Sauce
Where am I gonna get it, you ask? Oh well- you can get it in Ventura County's Ttilby's Steakhouse. Mm hmm HM! You eat al these good good meals with a tall glass of made in-house honey-lemon soda, you are never finding any restaurant nearby that would make you feel the very same love this place feels. The wait staff? Kind. The Prices? A little out there, but who cares about a little splurge.

 

 1 month ago: Aiden Mercer wrote a Downtime Journal for "Beautymark"

Addendum A: "Improved Neural Link"

I'm writing this one out I got more time.. Anyways I upgraded my designs of the Neural Link and have actually made it workable. I already installed it in my head and it seems to be working out, although it is rather prone to damage if hit.. which might be a problem. 

The design itself is rather simple having a 'port' of sorts to connect to computers and other electronics through cables. The important part is the stimulation of the brain which keeps adrenalin pumping for a short time which allows the body to move better.. don't know about the drawbacks yet needs more time to use it. 

Other than that this month has been quite wondering when that fish guy is going to show up.. I need to get him to pay for my water bill. This motherfucker is constantly using my water when he shows up.. this is becoming a problem.

Latest Completed Contracts

29 Contracts have been run in this Playgroup

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Illuminated Earth

Illuminated Earth is a twisted reflection of the modern world where the advent of smartphones and the internet confirmed the existence of the supernatural instead of disproving it. Here, witch hunts have merit. Billionaires and Senators employ paranormal advisors and bodyguards, and everyone knows. Charlatans become pop culture icons, and each revelation inspires a new cult. The world is changing. The secret societies that pull humanity's strings scramble to adapt.

Now's a good time to move up.

House Rules

Contractors from Stormfront Refuge Are portable, and may play in Contracts in other Playgroups.
Stormfront Refuge grants 6 Experience points to GMs who achieve the Golden Ratio.
  • Citizenship: Active Players are expected to GM Contracts from time to time. If you have played as a Contractor in your most recent six Contracts, you are barred from playing in The Illumination again until you GM.
  • Supernatural Powers: All non-mastery, non-concealed Powers must be obviously supernatural when activated or grant a mutation that marks the wielder as supernatural or bizarre if discovered.

Full Setting Description

They named that time The Illumination, and it was by the flash of a camera phone.

 

The year was 2004. Until that point the Earth was as we had always known her. We filled her cruel vastness with legends, superstitions, and rumors. Warlocks, monsters, and gods lurked on the edge of the collective consciousness, always a possibility but never more. We lacked evidence. That evidence came as humanity filled its pockets with technology equipped to capture and transmit.

 

An iPhone found on High School senior Nate Klienman’s mangled corpse held a video of his girlfriend’s bone-snapping transformation into a monstrous wolf creature. A Brazilian widow documented a series of conversations with the misty figure of her late husband. A Chinese fishing boat caught a mermaid in a net and put it on display in the Beijing aquarium.

 

Each week brought a new revelation that we were not alone. Superstitions reversed their slow death overnight. Salem held their first witch trial in a century. The jury rendered a verdict of “guilty on all charges” and sentenced Maxibelle Horux to death. A week after her lethal injection, half the jury died from a tainted batch of flu vaccine. A fearful, populist movement arose to rid humanity of the creatures lurking in its ranks. Suspects are forcibly subjected to bizarre tests of their humanity, and the results are often open to interpretation. A mob’s justice is swift.

 

Yet the paranormal is not merely relegated to a persecuted class. Where some see monsters, some see sentience, and others see opportunity. If a vampire can sustain themselves on cloned blood and work the graveyard shift, why not legalize and tax? Politicians and Aristocrats employ odd-looking individuals as "advisors" or "protection." Entertainment magazines publish revelations every week about which celebrities shed their human skins at home. Charlatans of all stripes, from palmistry mediums to televangelists, have flourished despite the risks. The treatment of the paranormal varies from place to place, person to person.

 

Long have cabals, cults, and secret societies thrived in the shadows. Their roots run deeply through humanity’s oldest systems of power. Machinations are challenged, and sleeping dangers awaken. The world is changing, forcing long-dormant powers into desperate action. And it is in the midst of this great period of change that The Powers That Be have once again turned their attention to the blue marble. For the first time in two hundred years, Harbingers approach worthy individuals with an offer they won't refuse.

The Games have returned, and a new generation of Contractors are being forged.

World Events

A Contractor made a Move (JHoneyz GMed) 2 days, 17 hours ago. View Move

Breakthrough in Cancer Care: FDA Approves Oncoguard-XL to Protect Patients During Chemotherapy

Breakthrough in Cancer Care: FDA Approves Oncoguard-XL to Protect Patients During Chemotherapy

[Opening shot: News studio, anchor seated at the desk.]

ANCHOR
"Good evening. In what doctors are calling a major leap forward in cancer care, the FDA has officially approved a new drug that could make chemotherapy safer and more tolerable for patients across the country."

[Cut to side screen: 'ONCOGUARD-XL APPROVED' with a soft graphic of a DNA helix and hospital imagery.]

ANCHOR
"The drug, called Oncoguard-XL, acts like a shield for healthy cells, dramatically reducing some of the most painful and dangerous side effects of chemotherapy without weakening its cancer-fighting power."

"For many patients, that could mean fewer infections, fewer hospital stays... and a lot less time spent recovering from the treatment itself."

[Footage rolls: clips of patients walking in hospital hallways, doctors reviewing charts, smiling families.]

ANCHOR
"Developed by Artemis Therapeutics, Oncoguard-XL uses a specially designed iron-glutamate compound to protect healthy tissues from the toxic effects of chemo drugs. Clinical trials showed promising results; patients saw up to a forty percent drop in serious complications like severe mouth sores and life-threatening infections."

"And perhaps most importantly: Oncoguard-XL didn’t interfere with the chemotherapy’s ability to destroy cancer cells."

[Cut back to Anchor at the desk.]

ANCHOR
"For survivors like Elena Ramirez, the drug has been life-changing."

[Roll clip: Elena, smiling softly, speaking.]

ELENA (clip):
"Before Oncoguard, I spent more time in the hospital than at home. After starting it, I could actually live through my treatment — not just survive it."

[Back to Anchor.]

ANCHOR
"The FDA says side effects from Oncoguard-XL were mild for most patients — things like nausea, dizziness, or a metallic taste. Doctors believe the benefits far outweigh the risks."

"Starting this June, the drug will be available nationwide for adult patients undergoing chemotherapy, with pediatric studies already underway."

[Screen shows a hotline number and website for patient assistance programs.]

ANCHOR
"And in a welcome move, Artemis Therapeutics is launching a financial assistance program to help patients afford the medication, especially those without full insurance coverage."

[Pause, warm smile.]

ANCHOR
"Tonight, for thousands of patients and families, this approval marks something more than just a new drug. It’s a new chapter of hope."

[Anchor transitions to the next segment.]

"Still ahead: how local communities are rallying to help veterans access critical mental health care. Stay with us."

Sam Cassius made a Move (PascalsAngel GMed) 4 weeks ago. View Move

Missing and Dead

ABC7 News

"-of this year, 1,400 San Francisco residents are missing, 20,000 in California at large. Many of the case details are sealed to the public, and the odds are likely that most won't be found alive. Our local SFPD has a homicide clearance rate of more than 90%, well above the national average, but lags behind in almost all other departments, including missing persons cases. In 2021, agencies involved in public health, women and family services, law enforcement and legal services reported 165 cases of human trafficking. The numbers are down from the 673 cases reported in 2017, but COVID-19 created barriers to entry for many agencies seeking to uncover, limit, and prosecute cases. Our-"

A Contractor made a Move (JHoneyz GMed) 4 weeks ago. View Move

13 Shot Dead in Nemo's!

13 Shot Dead in Nemo's, Detroit!

News anchors sit in chairs as the camera pans them into view, "Breaking news! Thirteen people found dead in Nemo's bar in Detroit. Obtained recently by Jeremiah Vallucci right in the heart of Detroit, he and his family were shot in gang rivalry from what is to be assumed as a turf war. Speculations suggest that this was caused by a rival group against the 'Remnants of the Detroit Partnership', the Uptown Crew, a forthcoming gang. Further reports mention that people have been seen going in and out of the bar before the event, shown on camera here..." Pictures and recordings are shown on screen, with five people going in and out in about thirty minutes, and another man going in and out in three.

A Contractor made a Move (JHoneyz GMed) 4 weeks ago. View Move

Adoption Jumps to 3.5 Years on the List!

Adoption Wait Jumps to 3.5 Years Until Processing!

A man walks into frame in a clean beige suit, sitting down with a stack of papers, rustling them in order before speaking, "Goooooooood morning World! Recent news has started spreading across the Middle East and Asia, primarily talking about adoption! Right in the heart of India, New Delhi shows statistics saying that across 4,500 adoptions, with the highest being 11 years, ELEVEN YEARS, most adoptive parents have said that it has been a challenge to get said child; claiming to take from two to three and a half years to have the adoption processed and approved. This should not be happening folks. While processing is important, there is no excuse for over a year, let alone three! And that's what I got on Asia for today! Now lets go look at South America..."

Allison Cooper made a Move (PascalsAngel GMed) 1 month ago. View Move

Broadway Bees!

"The honey bees at the top of the tallest hotel in America, Courtyard and Residence Inn Central Park at 1717 Broadway in New York, were recently visited by the first graders of Neighborhood Charter School. They learned about local history and the bees, but also about declining bee populations around the world. Commercial beekeepers in the U.S. reported losses of up to 62% of their colonies heading into this year. Without bees, plants that only they can pollinate will die out, devastating habitats, animal food chains, and eventually causing the failures of our own food supply chains. Though the future of bees in America may look bleak-"

Chad Thunder made a Move (PascalsAngel GMed) 1 month ago. View Move

Tragedy on the Coast

"Jeremy Henrickson, graduate of San Francisco State University, was been found at Ocean Beach earlier this Tuesday. He leaves behind a loving family, Martha and Callum Henrickson, and took the opportunity to address the depressed young adults of San Francisco. They'll be on at 8 to share their story and promote SFSP, San Francisco Suicide Prevention."

"Jeremy is remembered fondly by his coworkers at Titan Dynamics, who describe him as a fun loving spirit and joyful presence. Almost five thousand people died from drowning each year between 2020 and 2023, but a local security camera caught Jeremy walking into the ocean Monday evening. The footage is disturbing, but has already circulated in small online circles-"

Posted by Snow, 3 months, 2 weeks ago. Permalink

WOOOOW!

100th Game on a NEWBIE!!!!!

My first GM in the game.

View all World Events