Hammel FAQ

[Sean]

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 only the most stubborn can deny their existence and attribute their powers to a host of other causes - primarily conspiracy theorists. However, there remains discrimination, as some view their powers as dangerous or unnatural; meta-human status is not a protected class under U.S. law. As is the case with all marginalized groups, some communities have been more accepting 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 abroad, and Hammel will accept transfers. However, some countries are interested in developing meta-human abilities for state-sponsored or personal gain, and irrespective of the state of their own research and training facilities, they are more reticent to allow transfers to or from their borders.
  
  
• What other schools are there?
  
  There are schools in Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Switzerland, Jordan, Russia, Czech Republic, India, China, Japan, Nigeria, and Indonesia. 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 and would be worked-out on a case-by-case basis. Of the international schools, the philosophies of the Swiss school, the Japanese school, the Canadian school, and the Mexican school most closely resemble that of Hammel and are considered close allies for exchanges and joint ventures. More information about schools will be posted as the game progresses, as there are occasional exchange student events that might apply.
  
  
• Why say meta-humans? Why not mutants?
  
  Mutant is considered a slur. Meta-human, meta for short, is the accepted term, as it is considered a neutral descriptor.
  
  
• How are meta-humans 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 and will not detect a potential meta-human.
  
  
• Who is the President of the US?
  
  Unfortunately, Donald Trump. There have been no fictional presidents in this universe. Other world leaders and politicians are the same as well, as of the present date. Some local politicians differ in keeping with the game setting.
  
  
• 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 within the same month that they are begun. We do not mandate a timestamp system and thus threads will be assumed on the same day unless a clue is given elsewhere. Each month, you may start a thread that takes place throughout that month.
  
  
• What are the laws and politics regarding meta-humans using their powers publicly?
  
  While it is discouraged, metas are allowed to use their powers publicly, provided they are able to control it and are not using it on someone without their consent. If there is questionable consent or anyone is injured, the meta is pretty much always found at fault.
  
  This is how it works in the US and Canada, at least. Different countries have different degrees of acceptance. It does not change depending on how close one gets to Hammel, but Hammel rules state that students should not use their powers publicly when they're off the grounds. They are allowed and sometimes encouraged to use them on the grounds in accordance with the student handbook powers policy.
  
  Is there a general consensus among religious sects and orders regarding meta-humans?
  
  No, there is no consensus. Different religions, and different sects, within those religions, have taken different views. As such, there are options for exploration IC and through applications. However, the Roman Catholic Church issued an edict in the 1970s regarding meta-humans. Their official stance is that meta-human powers are a blessing from the Lord and that meta-humans should be embraced and accepted. This does not prevent individual parishioners from harboring prejudices or the splinter sects who reject more modern teachings (e.g. Vatican II) from holding contrary views.
  
  
• What is the science behind meta-human manifestation?
  
  Nobody in the Hammel Universe is certain about this process. IC, it is assumed to be genetic because it often runs in families, but there has not been an isolated gene or gene sequences. The science behind powers falls outside of the scope of the game and will not be discovered IC. However, to have meta-human powers manifest, the person must possess both a particular gene sequence as well as certain mutations that manifest within that sequence. If the sequence is not exact, then the person is not a meta-human and is not a carrier. If the sequence exist without the mutations occurring, then they are a carrier. There is no scientific test for these mutations or to determine whether someone might manifest in the future, or whether they are a carrier. Some families have similar powers while others do not; there is no scientific basis preferring one over the other for character creation. We mention this because we do not want characters IC speaking with authority on the subject, although they are welcome to speculate. This is a matter where IC knowledge is less than OOC knowledge.
  
  
• What are the laws governing meta-humans?
  
  Meta-humans are overall subject to the same laws and given the same rights as the broader non-powered population. Exceptions include that it is against the law for a meta-human to use their powers deliberately on another person without consent and that a meta-human is legally responsible for the consequences of their power use, such as property damage from pyrokinesis. And that there are no laws specifically protecting meta-humans from discrimination on the basis of meta-human status (e.g. in employment or healthcare). Although employers can inquire into meta-human status, it is considered bad taste to inquire into specific ability with adults. In Pilot Ridge, no business discrimination against meta-humans. Medical disclosure of both status and power is expected as not all drugs or treatments are approved for all meta-humans. Meta-human status is not considered a disability despite some side effects that might flow from it; however, a meta-human with ADA-recognized disabilities is entitled to reasonable accommodations. Likewise, a meta-human who belongs to another protected class is still protected along that class (e.g. gender, race, religion). There are no government databases of meta-humans and there is no Meta-Human Registration ala the X-Men.
  
  

Questions about Meta-Human History and Progress:

• When did meta-humans begin coming forward as a whole to demand rights and attention in society?
  
  Although the Hammel Institute was founded in 1932, it has been a slow, steady grind towards recognition and acceptance. The distribution of meta-humans appears to be random, and the total population is quite small; this, coupled with how a trained meta-human can blend into broader non-powered society made it easier for a long time to pass as baseline rather than demand rights and acceptance as a meta-human.It was only during the mid-1960s, during the same tumuluous push for Civil Rights, followed by women’s liberation, gay liberation, and other social movements that visibility and acceptance became broader goals.
  
  
• When were the first reports of meta-humans?
  

    There were no reports of meta-humans prior to 1900, although there has been some speculation about whether certain     historical figures might have been meta.

Questions about the Hammel Institute for Meta-Humans

• Does the government know about Hammel?
  
  Yes. Although the Hammel Institute is a private institution, it has special dispensation to recruit students anywhere within U.S. jurisdiction, and receives grant money to assist in operating expenses.
  
  
• 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. It is not unusual for girls to manifest a bit earlier on average than boys do. With the advent of the Internet, it is essentially unheard of for someone to slips through the cracks and is not discovered shortly after their powers manifest.Hammel has the legal authority to detain a meta-human for training if they believe that someone’s health is in danger, or that the meta-human in question presents a risk to society.
  
  
• How are students found?
  
  New students are found through a variety of methods. First, authority figures such as teachers, law enforcement, and medical providers are given guidelines on what to look for as well as Hammel’s contact information. Second, Hammel has a team of dedicated recruiters who are atuned to news articles and reports in search of signs of meta-human activity. Third, there are some meta-humans who have the ability to sense either the existence of other meta-humans or (NPCs) who can sense manifestation and report it to Hammel. Last, as it is not uncommon for powers to run in families, older relatives report their younger ones who manifest, to ease them through what might have been a more abrupt experience in their day.
  
  Recruiters then arrive at the homes of newly manifested 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 not currently 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 are the students divided into classes?
  
  For normal, academic classes, the students are divided according to age groups, with certain allowances made for exceptional skill or remedial need.
  
  For their power training, students are divided by skill level. This means that they might advance quickly or require additional training, based entirely on how well they can control their ability, how quickly they master skills, and how debilitating their side effects are.
  
  
• When do students 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, with the majority of students graduating at 18 unless they were recruited on the later end of the spectrum. 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 Hammel as a day school. Home schooling, however, is not allowed. For additional dorm policies, please consult the Dorm Policies and Student Handbook thread.
  
  
• What are the religious accommodations for students?
  
  The Hammel Institute makes some religious accommodations. Any student can opt out of dissection in science class in favor of alternative assignments. There are spaces available for voluntary prayer and school and transportation can be arranged to places of worship on a case-by-case basis, but there is not the designated church bus on Sunday mornings. Parents who prefer their children reside in single-gender housing may do so. Students may request excused absences for religious observance if school is in session during important holidays like Yom Kippur. However, students cannot opt out of all science classes due to belief in Young Earth Creationism, nor can they bypass the annual senior year sexual education lecture. The cafeteria is equipped to handle all manner of dietary restrictions, including vegetarian options, kosher and halal options, fish on Fridays, and being open after sundown or before sunrise during Ramadan. There may be special holiday menus as well.
  
  
• Are the citizens of Pilot Ridge aware of the meta-human school?
  
  They are largely aware. Although the Hammel Institute does not advertise themselves as a meta-human school, and they behave as any other elite private school when supporting their alumni, it would be nearly impossible to conceal their true nature in a town the size of Pilot Ridge. Particularly with the number of alumni or family members who reside in the town and the propensity for power slips and incidents that occur on campus. However, if you would like to play a conspiracy theorist in deep denial about the existence of the meta-human school, we encourage this as a character type.
  
  
• Does Pilot Ridge have a public school system for non-powered children?
  
  Yes. There is an elementary school which is broken into two campuses and services children kindergarten through eighth grade, in addition to the local high school. Both are relatively small, given the size of Pilot Ridge and the number of Hammel students as a percentage of the population.
  
  
• What are the official custody rights and laws that pertain to the Hammel Institute? E.g. are orphans wards of the state or wards of the school? Similarly, is there parental notification when a student is taken into the school? Is parental permission required?
  
  Orphans are considered wards of the state, and Hammel retains the same in loco parentis relationship with them that it has with all current students. Parent consent is not required but there is mandatory notification. Most parents do consent when they learn of their child’s manifestation and the existence of Hammel, but if they refused, Hammel has authorization, and could produce a court order, requiring that the child in question return to Vermont with them.
  
  
• What is the Hammel break schedule?
  
  The Hammel Institute is a year-round school. As such, the break periods are shorter and more frequent than at typical public schools. They utilize a trimester schedule/quarter schedule. There is one week off in the mid-winter around February, another two weeks off in the spring, a month off during the summer, and three weeks in the winter, starting slightly before Christmas. There are also a handful of long weekends and other shorter break periods around major holidays - Martin Luther King Day, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, and other state, local, and federal holidays.
  
  Additionally, students are allowed to request excused absences for family crises, family events, college visits, health-related matters, and religious observance.
  
  Students recruited during breaks are typically allowed to wait for school to resume before they are brought to Hamel. However, if their power is considered particularly dangerous, their family disowns them upon revelation, or they are in some manner of legal trouble, then they will be brought in early.
  
  
• Is the Hammel Institute a private school? Do students pay tuition? If not, how is the school funded?
  
  Hammel is a private institution with a Board of Directors/Trustees (all NPC) and a large endowment. It is primarily funded through private donations, but it receives additional grants from the U.S. government despite its otherwise private status. The government has taken a largely hands-off approach to the Hammel Institute. Those who know about it generally view it positively, protecting young metas and preparing them to integrate with the larger population once their powers are under control.
  
  
• Can my student character have a job?
  
  The age of employment in Vermont is 14, and students can work for up to three hours on school days and longer (in accordance with child labor law restrictions) on weekends. The Hammel Institute provides transportation to and from work if a student is employed and their employer will not provide transportation. Additionally, some students take jobs at the school, such as library assistants or tutoring other students in a subject in which they excel.
  
  
• Beyond the technology policy in the student handbook, what are the rules regarding technology on campus?
  
  Electronics are allowed on campus, but cell phones must be turned off during class time, and students are subject to individual rules set by teachers for laptop usage in their classrooms. The school provides wireless Internet in some areas on campus in addition to internet access in the dorms, and a computer lab in the school proper for students without personal computers.
  
  There are technopaths on the Security team who are trained to recognize hacking and other trouble being caused by Hammel students with technology. Students found causing trouble will be punished. All outgoing transmissions from Hammel are monitored by a combination of NPC technopaths and enhanced computer technology capable of recognizing information that could lead to a threat to the school. They stop the transmission, flag it, and send a message to the originating person informing them that the message is considered a security violation. There is no override for students, and for the purposes of the game, no student, due to their power or their unrelated computer skills, is able to get around this system or hack into the school’s mainframe.
  
  
• Do the Hammel sports team compete at the town, county, state, and/or national level?
  
  All Hammel sports and activities are intramural to protect the students against accusations of unfair advantage. As a result, it is unlikely that a Hammel student will receive an athletics scholarship to college. Similarly, any meta-human with an ability that might assist them in performance is barred from professional sports or from Olympic trials and participation. There have been occasional unsuccessful lawsuits to overturn these rules.
  
  
• Is the Hammel Institute ADA-compliant?
  
  The Hammel Institute is fully ADA-compliant. It is fully wheelchair-accessible and has braille signs on all of the doors. Braille textbooks and talk-to-text programs are available as needed. There are teachers assistants available for any students who require them, including ASL interpreters. The school is also accessible for assistance animals, including seeing-eye-dogs. Assistance animals are classified not as pets but as medical equipment and thus are given special dispensation for the pet policy. The infirmary is equipped to assist with dispensing medication, and the cafeteria has a list of students who require specialized diets, including allergies.
  
  
• Is the Hammel Institute accessible for non-English speakers?
  
  There are ESL classes available and interpreters in-residence for some of the most common second-languages. The school does keep Spanish textbooks on-hand to assist with the project. Additionally, omnilinguistic meta-human staff are called upon to assist as needed.
  
  
• What options are there for Drivers Ed?
  
  Because most of the students at Hammel are not residents of the state of Vermont, the school does not offer Driver's Ed. Students who live in Vermont or are over the age of 18 may go through the necessary steps to obtain a license in the community. Students who received some sort of driver's education course prior to recruitment may continue their pursuit in the community as well. Regardless, in accordance with the student handbook, students are not allowed to keep cars on campus.
  
  
• What is The Talk?
  
  The Talk is the annual sexual education lecture provided by Dr. Sean Neville. It is mandatory for all rising seniors as a graduation requirement, but it is open to any enrolled student who is age thirteen or older. In addition to covering the basics over a period of a couple of hours, there is a question and answer session
  
  

Questions about Character Creation/Applications

• Must I play an 11-21 year-old?
  
  These are the available age ranges for students at Hammel. However, you can play an older or younger character if you wish to play a local or a staff member. Characters younger than 11 cannot have manifested if they are meta, and thus will not know whether they are meta, but they can manifest later through IC events.
  
  
• Must my student character be a new recruit to the school?
  
  No. New characters are not limited to joining the school when the player joins the site. Although we adore new recruits, we encourage players to create characters who have been at the school for years, and who belong to any grade that makes sense for their age and experience, up to and including this year's crop of graduating seniors.
  
  
• Must every character receive training at one of the meta-human schools?
  
  If they have a power: Yes. There might be few, very few characters who may be accepted without it, but you must PM staff prior to applying with an explanation and this largely applies to older characters whose manifestation and teenage years predate the advent of the Internet. Staff reserves the right to deny this.
  
  If they do not have a power: No. Depending on their age, they might have been oblivious to the nature of Hammel, or the existence of special schools, until moving to Pilot Ridge.
  
  
• Are there currently any caps on character types?
  
  There are not; all usergroups and demographics of characters are open. We prefer the carrot to the stick, which is encouraging needed characters rather than capping ones that we have in abundance.
  
  
• 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?
  
  For the first, no. In this universe, all meta-humans must have attended one of the meta schools somewhere in the world. For the second, most likely not. If they are old enough to have manifested before the advent of the Internet, then it might have been possible, with the caveat that they eventually attended. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and still requires that the power in question show no outward physical signs allowing for the side effects to be mistaken for something else. As an aside, we are not accepting characters whose psychic powers resulted in commitment to a psychiatric facility ala Legion.
  
  
• Can I have a character who killed someone?
  
  Probably not. PM the 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. If your character is an adult who was in the military, then this is possible.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• Can my character have a lethal illness?
  
  Maybe. See above answer.
  
  
• Can my character have been the subject of experimentation?
  
  Characters are not subject to experimentation on the basis of meta-human status. The only experimentation allowed is if they voluntarily signed up for a drug trial pertaining to an unrelated medical matter.
  
  
• Can my character have a cool or special skill or talent? (E.g. 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 fine. If not, proceed with caution.
  
  
• May we tweak applications after they have been accepted?
  
  As your character ages, you may adjust their age, and if they graduate, you may include that they are no longer a student. Other tweaks must receive staff approval prior to implementation.
  
  
  Questions about Recruitment, Transfers, and Hiring:
  
  
• If an untrained meta-human was undocumented, would Hammel recruit them or be obligated to report them and/or their family to ICE?
  
  Hammel would recruit the student and then assist in applying for visas for themselves and their families. Hammel has jurisdiction over all residents of the United States, not merely those with citizenship or other immigration status. As a side note, Pilot Ridge is a sanctuary city as of January 2019.
  
  
• Does the Hammel Institute have jurisdiction over meta-human children with tribal affiliation?
  
  The Hammel Institute has worked out individual arrangements with all of the Sovereign Nations for jurisdiction over enrolled members and affiliated family members, applying to those who live on reservations and sovereign territory and those who do not.
  
  
• Can a student from one of the other meta-human schools apply for transfer to Hammel? How long would the application process take before determination and/or approval? Do breaks and training rules apply equally to exchange students?
  
  First, yes, and this has happened many times. Applications take at least a month to process, typically closer to four months, which would bring the student into the next semester. Once an exchange student enters Hammel, they become indistinguishable from U.S. students, and all rules and privileges apply to them equally.
  
  
• What is the process of hiring trainers on the staff? Can a former student become a trainer?
  
  Trainers must have a college degree and a teaching certificate valid in Vermont. Additionally, they must go through a training certification program run by the school. Though powers that effect how others use their powers (ex: Power Augmentation, Power Mimicry, or Mind Control) are useful, they are not required. Applicants for a training position also receive thorough background checks. Additional work experience is ideal but not required.Former students of Hammel are the most common trainers. We have had trainers who themselves went to other Meta schools, but most are Hammel Alumni.
  
  
• Does the Hammel Institute hire non-powered staff members? Or do they only hire meta-humans?
  
  Although there is some preference for alumni or other meta-humans who wish to give back to the education system, the Hammel Institute is an equal opportunity employer. Most jobs are open to meta-human and non-powered applicants, with the exception of a few positions that require meta-human status. Those restricted jobs are marked on the available position list and consist of the Side Effects Specialist, the Recruitment Department, the Head of Housing, the tech-team of the Security Department, and all powers trainers. Additionally, the Headmaster/Headmistress is always selected by the Board of Trustees and is meta-human.
  
  All other positions, including all subjects teachers, the librarian, the medical personnel, additional security guards and housing monitors, the cafeteria and maintenance staff, the in-house attorney and accounting departments, and the office staff, are open to non-powered people.
  
  
  Questions about Specific Powers:
  
  
• How does power suppression work?
  
  Power suppression is an ability that allows for the temporary suppression of other meta-human abilities. Power suppressors can suppress one another, depending on who uses their power first and the relative strength of the suppressors. When a meta-human's power is suppressed, so is any current active use of their power. As such, a shifter currently in their alternative form will revert back to their natural one, a pyrokinetic who is using fire will have the fire snuffed out, and a teleporter will appear wherever they were. Powers suppressed will always return to typical levels as the suppression wears off.
  
  
• Apart from meta-humans with power suppression or power augmentation abilities, is there any technology or process that might dampen a meta-human’s powers?
  
  There exists no power dampening technology, nor serum or gene manipulation, in the Hammel Universe. Nor is any under development.At Hammel, a student whose powers are out of control or causing them difficulty can have them temporarily suppressed by a power suppressor, but all additional workarounds involve proper training and good, old-fashioned compromise and problem-solving.
  
  
• How do Gestalt Pairs work?
  
  There are no cases of Gestalt Pairs that involve more than two individuals/bodies prior to integration, hence the "pair" designation. Gestalt Pairs must be siblings - it is rare to have a gestalt pair who is not comprised of identical twins and practically unheard of to be neither identical nor fraternal twins. For the purposes of IC, the pairs must either be twins (identical or fraternal) or otherwise two parts of a multiple birth. When a Gestalt Pair is manifested, if one dies than the other dies as well; this applies both to fully-synchronized pairs and those who have only recently manifested. If half of a pair dies prior to manifestation, then the other half simply would not manifest at all and would live blissfully unaware that they might have been meta-human. They would still carry the gene sequences. As part of the synchronization process, identities and personalities begin to blend in cases of co-dominant pairs, or else one persona will subsume the other - this includes gender identity, sexual orientation, and habits. Dysphoria is not uncommon for mixed-gender pairs or mixed-orientation pairs. However, as it varies from pair to pair, the specifics are left to the player. Under the law, a crime against one member of a pair is considered a crime against the other as well, just as an act committed by one is an act committed by the other. Despite this, they are each expected to file individual tax returns and maintain separate Social Security numbers and identity documents. Gestalt Pairs are allowed to marry the same person. OOC, gestalt pairs who are identical twins may use the same face claim for both, and these are the only characters who may (and must) be played from the same character account (e.g. Jack and Jill Gestalt) rather than two accounts, one for each; this applies to fully synchronized pairs as well as recent manifestations.
  
  
• What are the rules governing sensory input and powers that rely upon it?
  
  A meta-human who lacks the sense (e.g. hearing, sight) necessary for a power to affect them (e.g. hypnotic suggestion or illusions) are unaffected and in most cases would not notice.Someone with meta-enhanced sight, hearing, or perception can see/hear/perceive that illusions are illusions. Someone with enhanced perception is often able to notice they are being hypnotized or mind-controlled, but unless they have mental defenses (and most don't) they cannot resist. Likewise, someone with an enhanced sense of smell might be able to detect pheromones as pheromones but would still succumb to their influence; in fact, they might be hyper-sensitive.
  
  
• Can my character have pixie wings without hallucinogenic dust?
  
  Yes, but then it is simply a form of winged flight and is marked as such.
  
  
  Miscellaneous Questions
  
  
• 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. The same can be done for your avatar.
  
  
• Where are the site templates?
  
  For the sake of simplicity, and to accommodate members with visual impairments or those with slower internet connections, we do not use post templates for IC posts.
  
  
• How do I create a hyperlink in text like this?
  
  Use the following code:
  

[url=url for link here]link text here.[/url]