"We're just here to help -- honest!"

[FenrisUlf]

Firstly be warned, this one is kind of long.

 

One day your PC heroes are asked to investigate something very strange. An opaque force field has appeared over an inhabited area; probably a relatively isolated one, a small town rather than a suburb or urban neighborhood. It should also be very badly run down. Think like an Appalachian coal patch or the like. Or at least it was. The once barren area outside the dome now looks as lush as the Garden of Eden.

 

At any rate, the authorities tell you that no radio or other contact has been made with anyone within the shielded area from the moment it came down. They did send some troops in, or maybe someone sneaked in, but they haven't come back.

 

When the heroes (presumably) go to investigate they find a reception committee waiting for them outside the field. They are obviously alien and nonhuman, but they seem peaceful, even friendly when the heroes arrive. They come off as quite nonchalant about the field ("We're living here now, and we weren't completely sure how you'd react to us."). When asked about the missing people, they point to some of the aliens, who are indistinguishable from the others, and say, "There they are!" Questioning them proves that they are indeed the missing people, or at least have perfect copies of all their memories, and they are very friendly and cheerful about the whole thing.

 

The aliens are also pretty tough (as much as the heroes). They will defend themselves if pushed but refuse to kill, and it should also be pointed out that their leader is probably on the power level of a major villain.

 

Further questioning reveals that all the missing people have been changed, that they're all delighted with the change, and that they hope "Everyone else can join us! Because it's so wonderful in here..."

 

If they ask, the PCs will NOT be allowed inside the force field under any circumstances. Any questions about their society should make it sound like utter paradise. Indeed, some of it might come off as slightly creepy for the pure sappy joy everyone seems to feel. The transformed people in particular are just so happy to be transformed and part of a new society.

 

Oh yes, the aliens nonchalantly say that Earth is their home now, and having heard about all your world's troubles from their new friends, they want to save you all via transformation and absorption into their society. Oh, and everyone who doesn't accept transformation willingly will be forcibly changed "for their own good" when they "cleanse" the planet... which will also expunge every sign of human history, science, art, and culture. When? Oh, a month or so. But when it's done you'll be living in a joyous paradise.

 

Doesn't that make you happy?

 

Okay... what do your heroes do?

[hfergus]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

All: Force is force. They said it themselves, the change will be forced. Force will be met with force when needed. Olorin would council patience and preperation. Most of my other charaters would too. Except maybe Futurian. And even he might.

 

All first would try to talke the aliens out of it. _ Although Black Tiger would hate it. He's not much of a talker. Volt or Olorin would do it best.

 

Given time, Olorin can change the people back.

 

If the change is tech oriented, Futurian can change the people back, and will do so. "Hey! It's just . I can fix it by ."

[Badger]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

Badger- Regardless of the sanity of the action. Probably immediately attack. Hope, he either overpowers them or he himself gets killed by them. Whichever is the result is a better fate to him. He will be a slave to no one (and you can argue the point, but mind control/brainwash does = slavery to him). (of course, if his team can hold him back maybe the aliens can learn their ideals are "evil" ala the Talosians learning about humans attitudes in The Cage). Regardless death is a preferable option.

 

Frosty Bob-roughly the same, though with less deep philosophical ideals.

[FenrisUlf]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

Olorin, Badger, thanks for responding. And thanks too for the responses. These really DO sound like more realistic human responses than the ones shown in the original work.

 

Badger- Regardless of the sanity of the action. Probably immediately attack. Hope, he either overpowers them or he himself gets killed by them. Whichever is the result is a better fate to him. He will be a slave to no one (and you can argue the point, but mind control/brainwash does = slavery to him). (of course, if his team can hold him back maybe the aliens can learn their ideals are "evil" ala the Talosians learning about humans attitudes in The Cage). Regardless death is a preferable option.

 

Frosty Bob-roughly the same, though with less deep philosophical ideals.

 

The bit about mind control -- yeah, that was one of my bigger problems with the story too. And yes 1000% on what you say Badger would do.

[Orion]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

Silhouette would read minds (alien and former human) to see what really happened, and to try and determine just how much the human minds were affected. Using this knowledge, she'd start planning how to kick them off the planet.

 

Everyone else would either immediately start working on kicking them off the planet, or would head off to help those that could do this. I can't imagine any that would go along with it. If they changed and said they would only take volunteers, no matter how wacky the change, about half would wander off and totally ignore the aliens - no worse than any other cult out there.

[phoenix240]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

Out of curiosity, what was this inspired by?

[Christopher]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

Personally I consider this Transformation as just a SFX for Mind Controll. It's no matter if it's mentons way or done by rewiring your brain/dna (or making a duplicate with your memories).

And their entire culture just strikes me as very similar to V'hans approach of "it is for your own good".

 

Landslide - She would really try to persuade them, but failing that stopping them is priority. She wouldn't try going head on alone, she would first gather superheroic forces strong enough to have a chance. This includes first finding out exactly how many people where in that town (so how many are we up against at least).

She would also not value that "one month" part to much - I mean would you say "hey, we transform/brainwash every living being tomorrow" (inviting them to drop some serious bombs on you, including a-bombs) or would you say "one month"? So rather go in with a half force, than wait for to long and hope the others get there in time if they need a bust out/need to occupy the enemy on two fronts.

And if all else fails, better have a connection to the military. A-bombs are still an option and even a radiated area and a few dead heroes are better than a brainwashed humanity. But definitely the last option of the last options.

[FenrisUlf]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

Out of curiosity' date=' what was this inspired by?[/quote']

 

A series of stories called "The Conversion Bureau" on Equestria Daily (I know, I'm sorry). Some were well done, some seem like nothing more than a place for the author to brag about their misanthropy.

 

But the basic idea, "alien beings/nonhumans offer to save humans at the price of all human culture, history, technology by transforming them into another species" sounded to me like a very cool idea if handled properly.

[Gent]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

Keeneye would attack the aliens.

Iron Crusader would build a device that will shut down the force field.

Varn would go looking for the Borg Queen. Why? Because he thinks that life is like Star Trek, and these aliens remind him of the Borg. He comes from another dimension, and is not very knowledgeable about ours.

[Clonus]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

A series of stories called "The Conversion Bureau" on Equestria Daily (I know' date=' I'm sorry). Some were well done, some seem like nothing more than a place for the author to brag about their misanthropy.[/quote']

 

I screeched to a halt when the story claimed that the convertee immediately lost his desire for fame upon becoming a pony-thing. Has this guy ever watched any episode featuring Rarity or Rainbow Dash? Much less Trixie? The ponies aren't very violent but they have a thorough capacity to be snobs, glory hounds, liars and just plain mean-spirited.

 

 

But the basic idea, "alien beings/nonhumans offer to save humans at the price of all human culture, history, technology by transforming them into another species" sounded to me like a very cool idea if handled properly.

 

Riptide would engage them on the ethical level and try to persuade them that stealing people's identity without their consent is wrong. He'd try to negotiate them using their terraforming abilities on the more damaged part of the world and accepting only volunteers.

 

Hellfire would think about it and then convert unless it was after her marriage. In which case she'd follow her husband's choice. But she'd suggest to him that they both convert.

[FenrisUlf]

Re: "We're just here to help -- honest!"

 

I screeched to a halt when the story claimed that the convertee immediately lost his desire for fame upon becoming a pony-thing. Has this guy ever watched any episode featuring Rarity or Rainbow Dash? Much less Trixie? The ponies aren't very violent but they have a thorough capacity to be snobs, glory hounds, liars and just plain mean-spirited.

 

 

Yeah, that's one of the (many, many) problems I have with the story and its shared universe. The ponies are somewhat ethically and morally better than humans, or maybe just less violent as you say, but they are not incarnate angels.

 

And another "thank you" to everyone responding here.