The First Wave

Lore & Background

Retrospective analysis suggests a correlation between this initial surge and the eventual emergence of the Endbringer threat. While the shards arrived simultaneously across the globe, their activation varied based on host compatibility. This era set the metaphysical stage for all subsequent conflicts, as the first generation of capes laid the groundwork for the power dynamics that would define the war against Scion and the Endbringers decades later.

In Their Own Story

The rain in Boston tasted metallic that night, a strange tang in the air that hadn't been there before. A teenager stood on the roof of an abandoned warehouse, hands trembling as sparks danced between his fingertips without cause. There were no news reports yet, no PRT agents to explain why gravity felt lighter or why shadows whispered when he wasn't looking. He was one of the first to wake up in a world that hadn't prepared for him.

Reader's Guide

The metaphysical rules governing this period reveal that powers are not innate but granted by external entities known as Shards. These fragments arrived on Earth Bet long before their hosts activated, lying dormant until specific conditions were met. Later revelations indicate that the initial wave of shards was part of a larger experiment or colonization effort involving Scion and his kin. The activation of these powers was not random but followed complex algorithms designed to test human potential against existential threats like the Endbringers. Understanding this era clarifies why early capes often lacked support systems; the infrastructure for parahuman society had to be built from scratch as the world adjusted to a new reality that would eventually lead to the apocalypse.

Did You Know?

• The first known Endbringer attack occurred over a decade after powers began appearing en masse.
• Early capes often went unregistered until the formation of the Protectorate and PRT.
• Shards arrived on Earth Bet simultaneously, but activation times varied by host.