The Big Hope

The Big Hope is both the nickname given to Inspiration City, the core location of the setting, but also the lie that is underlying the setting itself. The Big Hope is always right around the corner, surely to arrive soon. It's the green grass on the other side of the fence, the assurance that the troubles you are currently experiencing will be gone and soon forgotten.   The Big Hope is what you've been promised in order to be placated.   Super-Powered beings exist, and they have as far back as the Second World War, though, they aren't always the most popular of characters. There's a common belief that there would be considerably less Super Villainy if there we less Super Heroes, but discussions of this nature often get tied up in a chicken and egg scenario, and then descend into nothingness as the discussing parties get distracted by something bright and shiny instead of looking too deeply into causality.   Of course, things weren't always this dreary: the 1980's brought about the best Hero relations to date. Mass Media and movie tie-ins increased both public awareness of Heroes and Villains, but with expert script doctors, PR flacks, and corporate money behind it all, the public craved them some Heroes.   That was, of course, before the first real consequences. Oh sure, Villains stole and murdered, and even threatened to blow up the planet, but everyone knew the Doomsday Plots were just extortion with no real meat to it. No, the first real consequences, or so everyone believes, was the plague colloquially known as The Black Blood - an infection that terrorized a populace who were ill-equipped to stop it, and would turn their favor to anyone who could save them.   That was ten years ago, but it's just as true today: Someone will surely save us, and we'll do anything for that savior. At least, that's the Hope.