Confused? The Hammel FAQ

[Admin!]

This thread is for questions, no matter how frequent. The staff will address any issue we see crop up multiple times, to help prevent the spread of confusion. You may post in this topic with a question.

The Hammel Universe

• Do non-metas know about meta-humans?
  
• In this universe, is the Hammel Institute the only school of its kind? Are there comparable schools elsewhere in the United States or abroad? If so, does Hammel accept transfer students?
  
• What other schools are there?
  
• Why say meta-humans? Why not mutants?
  
• How are metas identified?
  
• Who is the President of the US?
  
• What day/month/year is it at Hammel?

The School

• Does the government know about Hammel?
  
• How old is a new recruit to Hammel?
  
• How are recruits found?
  
• How, exactly, are the students divided into classes?
  
• When do people graduate?
  
• Does my student have to live in the dorms?
  
• What are curfews for students who live on campus?
  
• Can my student have a car?
  
• Can my student have a pet in the dorms?
  

The Town

• Why is Pilot Ridge in Vermont?
  
• Are the citizens of Pilot Ridge aware of the meta-human school?
  
• Does Pilot Ridge have a public school system for non-meta kids?
  

The Site

• Do I have to play a 11-22 year-old?
  
• I asked a question in the cbox, and someone called tonytimeandagain, madsway, Dryope, Cuppycake5, Seanneville, or Trixter23 said I should do something in a certain way. I don't like that idea. What should I do?
  
• So what's the deal with the NPCs?
  
• How do I use the chatbox?
  
• How do I use the rp request box?
  
• How should I format posts?
  

The Application

• Does my character absolutely have to have training at one of the meta schools?
  
• Why are so many applications not accepted on the first try?
  
• Are there currently any caps on character types?
  
• Can my character be a rogue meta-human? Can they have spent time on the run?
  
• What restrictions are there on playbys?
  
• Can I have a character who killed someone?
  
• I was told that my power isn't acceptable. What should I do?
  
• Can I have a power that keeps my character one age/immortal/ageless?
  
• Can I have a power that lets my character travel through time?
  
• Can I have a power that allows my character to talk to spirits/ghosts?
  
• Can I play a vampire? Werewolf? Demon? Angel? God?
  
• Can my character have an abusive and/or tragic past?
  
• Can my character have a lethal illness?
  
• Can my character been the subject of experimentation?
  
• Can my character be a sociopath/super manipulative with the school wrapped around their little finger?
  
• Can my character have a cool or special skill or talent? (An expert in a field, fluency in multiple languages (ASL counts), award-winning talent at a sport or activity)
  

The Other Stuff

• Why does the banner on the purple skin show a different building than the others?
  
• What is up with the gray streak skin?
  
• How do I make a hyperlink like this?
  
• How do I get a rotating signature?
  
• How do I create tabs in my post?
  

[Admin!]

Questions about the Hammel Universe

• Do non-metas know about meta-humans?
  
  Yes. The number of meta-humans in the world has increased to the point that most people no longer deny their existence. However, there is a lot of persecution, as they are seen as dangerous or unnatural. Some communities have been more accepting of metas than others.
  
  
• In this universe, is the Hammel Institute the only school of its kind? Are there comparable schools elsewhere in the United States or abroad? If so, does Hammel accept transfer students?
  
  Hammel is the oldest school of its kind, and the only one in the US. There are other schools overseas, and Hammel will accept transfers. However, many countries are interested in developing meta-human abilities as weapons, and though they don't have the resources for proper training, they are less than willing to let metas come to the United States.
  
  
• What other schools are there?
  
  There are schools in Switzerland, Jordan, Russia, Czech Republic, India, China, and Japan. These are the only other schools for meta-humans. Some have histories that are not yet well developed, and more information will be added at a later time. Areas outside of jurisdictions listed here do not have designated schools where students should attend.
  
  The Swiss school is called Kocher haute école pour les surdoués (Kocher high school for the gifted). It has been in existence since the late 1940s and is a close ally with the Hammel Institute. It has a similar purpose: to protect meta-humans and train them to be something other than weapons. Students from all over Northern and Western Europe attend school there, as well as Australia and from wealthy families in Africa.
  
  The school in Jordan, Fasl (translating to both season and classroom), is primarily a research school, catering to older students, including many interested students from Hammel and Kocher. Fasl's jurisdiction is over the Middle East and Northern Africa.
  
  The one in Russia, Odarennyĭ Institute, is run by the military. All recruits are expected to serve at least some time, though they are more focused on powerful abilities than bio-luminescence and anatomic separation. It has jurisdiction over the former Soviet Bloc countries, but has seen less recruits in the past two decades, since the iron curtain fell and students have had access to Kocher or Hammel.
  
  Hus Academy, in the Czech Republic, is also a research institution. Most students do not attend there for regular training, and have been trained at another one of the schools instead. During the time when it was under the jurisdiction of the USSR, it was kept as a research institution, and the trainees were instead sent to Odarennyĭ.
  
  The Indian school is Padhaai Guni, and is the most recently established of the meta-human schools. It is run mostly by metas who were trained at Kocher, Hammel, and Fasl, and has only been in existence for the past eleven years.
  
  Yǒufú de rén is the Chinese school, run by the Chinese government. It feeds directly into the military and has its own meta-human research center as well.
  
  The Japanese school is Eisai gakkō, and is another close ally with Hammel. It has a similar method of teaching as Hammel and Kocher, but Eisai gakkō also puts high pressure on students to stay in their research division and test the limits of their abilities.
  
  
• What's M.S.A.D.?
  
  It stands for Meta Supremacy and Domination and is the criminal organization run by Gabriel Underwood. Yes, it is a meta-human supremacy group
  
  
• Why say meta-humans? Why not mutants?
  
  Meta-humans is considered more politically correct.
  
  
• How are metas identified?
  
  Metas are identified by showing their powers, blood tests, or being identified by another meta with an ability that allows them to distinguish other metas. The blood tests show positive for meta-human blood only after manifestation.
  
  
• Who is the President of the US?
  
  Barack Obama. There have been no fictional presidents in this universe. Other world leaders and politicians are the same as well, as of Sept. 19, 2010.
  
  
• What day/month/year is it at Hammel?
  
  Unless explicitly stated otherwise (a Christmas thread starting a bit before Christmas and lasting two weeks) the timeline is identical to our current timeline, and threads happen on the day they begin.

[Admin!]

Questions about the Hammel Institute for Meta-Humans

• Does the government know about Hammel?
  
  Yes. Hammel even receives grant money.
  
  
• How old is a new recruit to Hammel?
  
  Students are recruited to Hammel after their powers manifest, which is after the beginning of puberty. The average new student at Hammel is between 11 and 14, with girls typically arriving a little younger. Characters who manifested younger are not accepted. Very rare are characters who manifest later than 14, and never older than 16. Even rarer is someone who slips through the cracks and is not discovered shortly after their powers manifest. If they feel like anyone's health is in danger, Hammel has the legal ability to detain meta-humans for training.
  
  
• How are recruits found?
  
  Teachers, doctors, and law enforcement officers are given guidelines of what to look for, and many metas are reported that way. Hammel also has a very talented team of recruiters who comb through reports and news articles, looking for signs of meta activity. In addition, there are a few metas scattered across the world who can sense power manifestation, and then report it.
  
  Recruiters arrive at the homes of newly manifest meta-humans depending on the nature of their power and manifestation. Some powers are more difficult to hide than others. Someone who causes any sort of injury or massive property damage will be found within two days. Many other powers are found within a week or two. Some very subtle powers may take longer, but no more than a month. We are no longer accepting characters who were not found shortly after manifestation.
  
  There are some older characters who took longer to find. This is due to the fact that, prior to the Internet and globalization, it was more difficult to find students. With the advent of the Internet and easier and cheaper systems of travel, this is no longer the case. A student will be found shortly after manifestation and they will wind up at Hammel.
  
  
• How, exactly, are the students divided into classes? Age? Skill?
  
  For normal, academic classes, the students are divided like normal, into age groups. Yes, we still teach the basic math and english here, kiddos.
  For their power training, they are divided by skill level. For some, this means they'll advance quickly. For others, they'll be stuck in the lower level classes for a long time. It all depends on how skilled you are at controlling your ability.
  
  
• When do people graduate?
  
  Students graduate when they have consistent control over their powers and are not an accidental threat any more. This is typically between the ages of 17 and 22. People are capable of graduating the high school portion of Hammel, but still remaining at the school to attend training classes. If they are not a danger, they are frequently enrolled in either the community college a few towns away, or the state school about a half an hour away.
  
  
• Does my student have to live in the dorms?
  
  No. Exceptions are made to students over the age of eighteen and capable of supporting themselves in their own apartment in town and to students who live with a parent or guardian close enough to attend school every day.
  
  
• What are curfews for students who live on campus?
  
  Students under the age of 13 are not allowed off-campus at any time without an adult. Students of age 13 and above can go into town after school and on weekends, provided they get a signed pass. On school nights, they must be back on campus by 8 pm, 9:30 pm on weekends. Students over age 15 have a 9 pm weekday curfew, and 11 pm weekend curfew. Exceptions can be made, with written permission from a dorm supervisor. They have previously been made for: weekend sleepovers with friends who live in town with their families and job shifts on weekends.
  
  
• Can my student have a car?
  
  Not on campus. Some students with drivers licenses and a place to keep the car can have cars in Pilot Ridge. There is a small, fenced parking lot that offers some security at a pretty good rate, if you're interested.
  
  
• Can my student have a pet in the dorms?
  
  Yes, but there are some restrictions on this. The pets must be able to be healthily and safely kept in a small terrarium, cage, or tank. That means some fish, hamsters, mice, gerbils, and small reptiles are acceptable.
  

[Admin!]

Questions about Pilot Ridge

• Why is Pilot Ridge in Vermont?
  
  Because Tony and Mads wanted their characters James and Chase to be married, so they picked a state that had recently legalized gay marriage. And Vermont is pretty.
  
  
• ...That's it?
  
  Yeah.
  
  
• Are the citizens of Pilot Ridge aware of the meta-human school?
  
  Depends. Pilot Ridge has a higher-than-average meta-human population, and other metas know about the school. Family of people who attend Hammel and work there would know. But non-meta residents mostly believe it is an elite private school.
  
  
• Does Pilot Ridge have a public school system for non-meta kids?
  
  Yes. There is an elementary school and the high school. Both are fairly small.

[Admin!]

Questions about the Site

• Do I have to play a 11-22 year-old?
  
  If you want to play a student, yes. But there are available teaching positions, as well as other positions in the Institute, and in town.
  
  
• I asked a question in the cbox, and someone called tonytimeandagain, madsway, Dryope, Cuppycake5, Seanneville, or Trixter23 said I should do something in a certain way. I don't like that idea. What should I do?
  
  Talk to them again, and try explaining why you disagree. If they still tell you to do something a particular way, do it. They know what they're talking about.
  
  
• So what's the deal with the NPCs?
  
  Some of them, like the PostSecret account is for public use. Ask any staff member or just about anyone else for the password. This helps protect the privacy of the secret. Others, like the Event! account, are for staff use only. Character NPCs, such as Claude Harris, the Head of Hammel Institute, can be borrowed for threads. PM an admin with the reason why you want the NPC for a thread, and what you will have them do, and the password will be provided.
  
  
• How do I use the Chatbox?
  
  Hammel uses a chatango chatbox, for multiple reasons. It is a free service that we suggest you sign up for, as you not only can post with the same name every time, but you can use chatango to instant message other members of the site privately. We suggest that as soon as you make your account with chatango, go into your settings and make your account unlisted, and your profile only viewable to friends. That way, only people who already know your account name can message you.
  
  
• How do I use the rp request box?
  
  This box is to be used just for finding new people to rp with, and advertising open threads or wanted characters. Please be specific with requests; do not post and ad with "PM me with any ideas for any of my characters." Using UBBC code (The same kind of coding you use in posts.) you can post links. Do not reply to other ads in that box, or Tony will delete your post. Really.
  
  
• How should I format posts?
  
  Posts should be written in third person, past tense.
  
  We neither encourage nor discourage the use of templates when posting, but we discourage changing the size and color of the default text in the text of actual posts. We chose our default text so it would have a high contrast against the background, and there are people with varying degrees of eyesight difficulties here. Out of respect for them, leave the default for rp text.

[Admin!]

Questions about Character Creation/Applications

• Does every character absolutely have to have training at one of the meta schools?
  
  If they have a power: Yes. There will be few, very few characters who may be accepted without it, but you must PM staff prior to applying with an explanation. Staff reserves the right to deny this.
  
  If they do not have a power: No. Duh.
  
  
• Why are so many applications not accepted on the first try?
  
  Hammel does not have a book series, television show, movie, or comic book series to refer back to. Though it is similar aspects to the TV show Heroes and reminiscent of X-Men, it was created by people who knew next-to-nothing of the canon of either. The staff and writers of Hammel are creating the Hammel Canon every day. Reading this FAQ and the Information on Powers section should give you some idea of how it works, but often things come up that we've never thought of before, so then we have to make sudden judgements about how the world works. Also, as we go on and the Hammelverse gets more extensive, we change things to make a more unified vision. We've retconned powers out of existance (ghost communication) and we've toned-down what is acceptable in powers in general. We don't expect anyone to know everything about the Hammelverse, particularly newcomers, and so we do our best not to attach stigma to applications not being accepted right away. There just isn't a codified frame-of-reference to point to and say, "Well, it worked like that in the book."
  
  
• Are there currently any caps on character types?
  
  There are not; all usergroups and demographics of characters are open. However, if you would like to make an Operation Patriot character, please PM Tony for more information. It is not a restricted group, but there is some plot information not on the board-at-large yet.
  
  
• Can my character be a meta-human who is not a student or alumni of a meta school? Can they have spent some time on the run from the schools?
  
  No. Maybe, but it would be a very short time. The Hammel recruiters are very, very good at what they do. They are experts. If your character's power manifests in such a way that they end up in the hospital, Hammel will be there by the next day. If they do something that makes the news, Hammel will be there by the end of the week. In almost all other areas, two weeks at most before they show up. If they are telekinetic, telepathic, capable of manipulating anything, or do anything else that effects the world/people around them, Hammel will find them. The end.
  
  The only exception to this is when characters have a power that has no outward physical signs, they don't mention (or don't notice) the change, and the side-effects get mistaken for something else happening. There has been a total of two acceptances where a power was undetected for years, and that's because the character didn't notice the change. It was also prior to the internet or digital communications, and recruiting was a lot more difficult back then.
  
  
• What restrictions are there on playbys?
  
  Playbys must be of people over the age of 13. If you want someone who looks younger, you can use younger pictures of older playbys. This rule is in place because of the questionable legality of manipulating photos of minors. Also, all playbys must be professional actors/models/singers/band members. Basically, if you can find a professional photoshoot of them, you're good. Again, this is because of the questionable legality of taking personal pictures that someone put online, then manipulating them.
  
  
• Can I have a character who killed someone?
  
  Probably not. PM an admin about it prior to applying. It depends on how, why, and the effects of doing so on your character. If your character is a student, the answer will most likely be no, unless you come up with a very good reason.
  
  
• I was told that my power isn't acceptable. What should I do?
  
  Choose another, or adapt the power as per the admins' direction.
  
  
• Can I have a power that keeps my character one age /immortal /ageless?
  
  No, all characters at Hammel age at the normal rate.
  
  
• Can I have a power that lets my character travel through time?
  
  No, time manipulation only allows for the linear passage of time. Allowing characters to jump around in time is a bit too broken for this universe.
  
  
• Can I have a power that allows my character to talk to spirits/ghosts?
  
  No. Though this was previously allowed at Hammel, it was decided that the established existence of spirits and ghosts does not work in the Hammel universe.
  
  
• Can I play a vampire? Werewolf? Demon? Angel? God?
  
  No. All characters are to be either human or metahuman. The powers are not mystical, nor divine.
  
  
• Can my character have an abusive and/or tragic past?
  
  Maybe. This goes on a case-by-case basis, as child abuse, rape, mental illness, addiction, and the many other things that unfortunately happen are sensitive issues. We're not banning characters with unpleasent histories. However, if you wish to tackle a serious subject like that, you need to prove in your application that you can handle it with respect and that you have done your research.
  
  Yes, we take this seriously.
  
  
• Can my character have a lethal illness?
  
  Maybe. See above answer.
  
  
• Can my character have been the subject of experimentation?
  
  If your character is from the US, Canada, or the UK, absolutely not. That is why the schools were created. If they are from other places, probably not. It depends on the application.
  
  
• Can my character be a sociopath/super manipulative with the school wrapped around their little finger?
  
  No. In 2010, the now defunct terrorist group M.S.A.D., led by a former student who was a sociopath/super manipulative person with the school mostly wrapped around his little finger when he was a student attacked Hammel and kidnapped students. In 2011, M.S.A.D. kidnapped a staff member and a student, resulting in a rescue operation and the Headmaster stepping down. The current Headmistress was brought in as a direct result of this situation, and similar characters no longer have the same amount of freedom that they would IC had these events not happen. Administrative and mental health staff specifically look for students who display these traits, and power dynamics are disrupted. As a result, characters cannot fully be this type in play, and such personalities on their own (separate from power dynamics and power types) are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  
  
• Can my character have a cool or special skill or talent? (An expert in a field, fluency in multiple languages (ASL counts), award-winning talent at a sport or activity)
  
  Yes. In theory. Go by this test: Does it make sense for my character to have this skill? Is this level of skill unusual for someone my character's age/situation/background? Does it add something other than making my character more special/cool? Is my character "a natural" at it, or did it take years of work and practice to reach this level? If the answers are: Yes, No, Yes, and Years of Work, then you should be good. If not, proceed with caution.

[Admin!]

Questions about anything else

• Why does the banner on the purple skin show a different building than the others?
  
  The red brick building on most of the banners is the main classroom building. The other one is one wing of the dorms.
  
  
• Did Tony make a mistake when making that banner?
  
  No. He just didn't think so many people would care that it's a different building. Seriously, people, how many times am I going to hear about that?
  
  
• What is up with the gray streak skin?
  It works for some people. It doesn't work for others. I can't re-upload the images because my backup took a long fall off of a short desk. If it doesn't work for you, please just change the skin.
  
  
• How do I create a hyperlink in text like this?
  
  Use the following code:
  
  [url=url for link here]link text here.[/url]
  
  
• How do I get a rotating signature?
  
  Create an account on this website and follow the instructions there for making a randomizer. Then add the url they give you to your signature and viola! Rotating signature!
  
  
  • How do I create tabs in my post?
    

You use the following code (but take out the asterisks):


[*PTabbedContent]

[PTab=Tab 1 stuff] blah blah blah [/PTab]

[PTab=Tab 2 stuff] blah2 blah2 blah2 [/PTab]

[PTab=Tab 3 stuff] blah3 blah3 blah3 [/PTab]

[*/PTabbedContent]

The tabs do NOT show up in the preview, so if you look in the preview and only see the code and not the final product don't panic. 

[Admin!]

1. What, if any, extracurriculars does Hammel offer? Band, orchestra, musicals, team sports, cheer-leading? And if they don't offer any, would Hammel students be allowed to audition or try out at the local public schools for any clubs or activities they wanted to participate in? (When I was in high school that was allowed, but I don't know if that is a widespread practice or not, or if the student's meta status would impact their ability to join sports teams, for instance. I can certainly see non-metas claiming they had an unfair advantage.)

Hammel offers the following co-ed, intramural sports teams: Track, Soccer, Basketball, Softball, Swimming. Periodically, teachers or officials volunteer to coach other sports, including Fencing and Tennis. There is a Drama Club, run by the drama instructor, a Choir, Band, and Dance Team.

There are also various other clubs.

2. How accessible is Hammel to students with disabilities? Are there wheel chair ramps, for instance? Are there signs in braille on the doors? Teacher's assistants who could sign lessons to deaf students?

Hammel is fully wheelchair accessible and has braille signs on doors. There are teachers assistants for students who require them, and the school is also accessible for assistance animals, including seeing eye dogs.

3. Somewhat related, how accessible is Hammel to students who don't speak English? I would assume that students whose parents were immigrants would still be required to attend, so are there ESL classes available? Would they take the same classes as the English speaking students only with a translator available?

There are ESL classes available, and translators for some languages, though Eli usually steps in if they don't have anyone else.

4. Does Hammel have jurisdiction over meta-human children living on reservations or would that be considered a violation of tribal sovereignty?

Hammel does have jurisdiction, but they have worked out individual arrangements with all of the reservations they have worked with in the past.

5. I am not up on boarding school policies, so forgive me if this should be obvious, but if a student required serious medical treatment would Hammel cover it or would the student still be considered a dependent of their parent and thus require the parent/guardian's insurance for coverage?

Students are still covered under their parents' insurance, though Hammel offers assistance to families that need it.

6. Also, to what extent is parental permission required for school activities? For instance, if a class was going to watch a controversial video would parental objections be allowed or does the school completely take over guardianship of its students and override natural parental rights over how to raise their children?

Answer pending, I need to talk it over with Mads.

7. If a parent were adamant about home schooling their child how would Hammel handle that? Say, the parent agreed to have a powers trainer come and train their child to control their ability because they recognized the importance of this, but still wanted to exercise their parental right to educate their child as they saw fit?

Families within a distance capable of bringing a student to Hammel for training may opt to homeschool the student in other subjects. The rest of this answer is pending my discussion with Mads.

8. How does Hammel handle student religion? Would they allow for religious objections to certain types of classes? Say, would a Muslim student taking the science lab would be allowed to dissect something that wasn't a pig? Is the cafeteria equipped to handle different religious dietary restrictions and are there places of worship that would be easily accessible even for students who are too young to drive?

There is some allowances for religious objections. Any student can opt out of a dissection in favor of alternate assignments. There are spaces available for prayer within the school, and transportation can be arranged to places of worship on a case-by-case basis.

The cafeteria is equipped to handle dietary restrictions of various kinds, including religious. That includes vegetarian options, kosher or halal options for when the main options do not already meet the restrictions, and being open after sundown during Ramadan.

[Admin!]

Nov 18, 2010 15:07:01 GMT -5 Julie Warrick said:

If a potential student is known to have a criminal record or certain psychological illnesses/tendencies that could endanger other members of Hammel, would they still be permitted, or would they be turned down?

Yes, they would be admitted to Hammel, but with specific restrictions. Ultimately, the goal of the Institute is the safety of everyone, and metas are safer when trained.

[Admin!]

Jan 22, 2011 7:47:43 GMT -5 @meghanmix said:

What is the process of hiring trainers on the staff? Can a former student become a trainer?

Trainers need to have gone through a training certification program run by the school. Though powers that effect how others use their powers (ex: Power Regulation or Mimicry, Mind Control) are useful, they are not required. Applicants for a training position also receive thorough background checks. Experience or training in education or physical training or therapy is ideal.

Yes, former students of Hammel are the most common trainers. We have had trainers who themselves went to other Meta schools, but most are Hammel Alums.

[Admin!]

Feb 2, 2011 10:23:53 GMT -5 Mason McQueen said:

First, aside from meta-human staff with the ability to suppress another meta’s powers, does Hammel have power dampeners or any mechanical stuff that might inhibit a meta (may it be a student, staff or just a random local) from using his/her powers? In any case, have they been made and manufactured in the Hammel-verse already? If so, is it possible for them to be used in non-life threatening situations, like say an exam (to prevent technopaths and telepaths from cheating, possibly)?

Nope, they don't exist in the Hammel Universe.

Feb 2, 2011 10:23:53 GMT -5 Mason McQueen said:

And on an unrelated note, does Hammel experience and declare ‘snow days’ (even if most of its students are within its walls and the few who are not live only a bit of a drive away)?

They only declare snow days when enough teachers can't get in to hold classes.

[Admin!]

Feb 27, 2011 14:20:33 GMT -5 Joshua Bernstein said:

So now that we have this nifty new archival system I would like to know how you plan on keeping up with which threads are wrapped. Should we PM you when we end a thread? Are you going to start an Archival thread for us to post to when we're done? Or are you going to keep track yourself?

Every few months, we'll go through and archive threads that have reached conclusions or have not been updated in 30 days. Each cleanup will be accompanied by a mass PM, so those with trackers can update their links. I promise that it will be less than 11 months between cleanups.

Feb 27, 2011 15:42:30 GMT -5 Cobalt Weaver said:

I have a question! Several, in fact! What are the official custody laws/rights as they pertain to Hammel? That is to say, for orphans, are they wards of the state, or are they wards of Hammel? Also: what are the requirements of taking a student to Hammel in reference to their parents? I'm sure their consent, while preferred, is not required, but is there at least mandatory notification? Thanks!

Orphans are considered wards of the state. (James and Chase have to deal with Vermont social services with their fostering of Niko, not the Hammel administration.)

No, parental consent is not required, but there is mandatory notification. For more information, see the imminent shitstorm that is coming from Jessica Pruitte's parents.

[Admin!]

Feb 27, 2011 17:19:36 GMT -5 Cobalt Weaver said:

Also: when was Hammel founded, and when did metahumans start coming forward as a whole and start demanding rights and/or some kind of attention in society? Like, was it a great movement, or did it just happen bit by bit? Thanks again xD

Hammel was founded in 1932. There were no reports of metas prior to 1900, though there has been speculation about whether historical figures might have been metas.

As for rights and attention, it's been a slow, steady grind. Since the number of metas is so small, their distribution seemingly random, and the ability of a (trained) meta to blend with human society, for a long time it was considered easier for them to attempt to integrate, unnoticed. There have only been steps towards meta rights since the mid-sixties.

[Admin!]

Mar 3, 2011 0:47:29 GMT -5 Joshua Bernstein said:

1. If an untrained meta were in the country illegally would Hammel recruit them or be obligated to report them to ICE? Same question in regards to student's families (about reporting them, not recruiting them.)

Technically, Hammel is supposed to report the families, but they tend to recruit the students and then figure out a way for the families to get visas.

Mar 3, 2011 0:47:29 GMT -5 Joshua Bernstein said:

2. What happens to meta abilities as metas age? Do they gradually lose the ability or do they lose control over their ability or does it vary from person to person? Can metas live in the same assisted living facilities as non-metas or do they have their own special facilities designed to deal with meta-related aging problems? Would power suppressors be particularly sought after for dealing with metas losing control over their abilities due to mental degeneration or would there be some other way of dealing with this?

It depends on the meta. In general, physical powers are slowly lost, and psychic powers go through a short period of no control, followed by fairly rapid loss. Some metas are able to be housed with non-metas at that point, but yes, power suppressors, or at least people with strong mental sheilds are often needed in facilities that house metas who no longer have control.

Mar 3, 2011 0:47:29 GMT -5 Joshua Bernstein said:

3. It is well documented within the Hammel-verse that metas can also have physical disabilities, but can the meta gene manifest if a person has a mental disability? For instance, if a person had the meta gene and also had, say, Autism or Downs Syndrome, would it be possible for them to have meta abilities and if so would the types of abilities be limited or not? Would perfect recall be possible, since one wouldn't have to understand what was being recalled, for example.

Yes it is possible, but for the purposes of this roleplay, the abilities are limited to physical and non-psychic mental abilities.

[Admin!]

Mar 21, 2011 10:25:40 GMT -5 Mason McQueen said:

Hammel does have winter, spring and summer breaks right? When do they usually occur? And for how long? And if a student is recruited within those days, would they be forced to stay in the dorms? Or could they stay with their families for a while, at least until the new school term comes in session (for summer break recruits, I mean)? Please and thank you.

Hammel is a year-round school, so the breaks are shorter, and more frequent. There are two weeks off in the spring, two weeks off at the beginning of summer, another two in late summer, and three weeks in winter, starting a little before Christmas. There are also a handful of long weekends scattered in, and students are allowed to request excused days for family crises, family events, and college visits.

Students recruited during breaks are usually allowed to wait, but if their power is considered particularly dangerous, their family disowns them, or they are in some kind of legal trouble, they will be brought in.