Animorphs
We can't tell you who we are. Or where we live. It's too risky, and we've got to be careful. Really careful. So we don't trust anyone. Because if they find us...
Well, we just won't let them find us.
The thing you've got to know is that everyone is in really big trouble.
Yeah.
Even you.
Plot
One night, five teenagers discover that parasitic aliens, called Yeerks, are secretly infiltrating Earth by taking over people's minds and bodies. They encounter an alien who is on their side, an Andalite named Elfangor, who, before dying from injuries sustained when his spaceship crashed, gives them the power to morph into any animal they have touched. Joined by Elfangor's younger sibling and unable to trust almost anyone else, they begin a violent and secretive guerrilla war against the invading Yeerks to save the Earth.
During the course of the series, the six teenagers grow from fun-loving kids into an elite team of paramilitary troops, attacking the Yeerk invasion force wherever it is discovered. Along the way, they find allies that they never expected, enemies that prove more dangerous (and, in some cases, bizarre) than the Yeerks themselves could ever be, travel to alien worlds, and confront their own inner conflicts. Month after month of pressure begins to take its toll, and the kids are irrevocably changed from the innocent suburban youths they once were.
The series heavily deconstructed the "Team of Teenagers with Attitude" concept, turning what could have been a Saturday morning cartoon into an oft-grim portrayal of child soldiers. The six protagonists sometimes have to confront the morality of their actions and push against the lines they are not willing to cross, and sometimes end up crossing them because there is no other choice. This roleplay will be similar in this regard, the characters will grow, mature, and change based on their experiences with The Yeerk Invasion, as well as growing up and juggling the rest of their young adult lives.
OOC Stuff
There will be five available roles and six characters, each loosely corresponding to a role in the books. Although each character will fill out an archetypal role, they don't have to be a cliche. For example, The Nerd doesn't have to be a Marvel expert who ends his sentences with a hit from an asthma inhaler -- He may apply his concentration and strategic skills to football, and be the school team's quarterback. The roles can be more broad and overlapping than you'd expect.
Other than that, I'd like to mention the first part of the Interest Check title, that I'd like to see this to become a long-term roleplay. Like in the books, I want to see how the characters grow and mature from the beginning to the end of the story. I don't know about a posting rotation or schedule since everything is still a conceptual rough draft, but I'd like for us to all talk on a Skype groupchat (kinda my preference but i'll let you guys decide) or an online chatroom. As cold as it sounds, don't apply if you're not down with commitment. On the plus side, we might all become homies!
Another concept I'd like to try with are One-Offs. Essentially, if you ever have a lorebuilding idea or bit of background on your character, or even want to show experiences your character has that aren't seen from the perspective of the narrative, you post them under a hider. There are a lot of solo moments in the original series (Tobias' Falcon-Angst, Marco's Mom-Subplot, Jake's PTSD, Rachel's Alligator Allergy) that flesh out the characters that we wouldn't be able to convey in the traditional group role play without slowing down the plot, so this is my solution. Tell me what you think about it, I'll add some more details later.
Going with the Five-Man-Band trope, we have six roles to fill out.
Roles
The Leader- Whether they like it or not, this character is the type of person who people naturally gravitate to in times of crisis. Their ability to keep a clear head under pressure and naturally strong leadership abilities are their best strengths, and characters will naturally fall in behind them when the going gets rough.
Ex: Animorph's Jake, Star Wars' Luke Skywalker, X-men's Cyclops
The Lancer- Where the leader is calm and in control, their lancer is often rash and impulsive. They can be the leader's best friend or worst rival, but the lancer is the second-in-command, first and foremost. Though their unpredictability can sometimes make them difficult to work with, their ability to think outside of the box and their extreme loyalty make them an asset to the team.
Ex: Animorph's Marco, Star Wars' Han Solo, X-men's Wolverine
The Big Guy- While not necessarily the largest member of the team, physically, he's definitely the most aggressive. He could hold his own in a fight even before gaining the ability to morph. He's almost always in favor of doing things in the most direct, preferably physical way possible. This trait may put him at odds with the rest of the team. (Taken by me. Fight me about it.)
Ex: Animorph's Rachel, Star Wars' Chewbacca, X-men's Colussus
The Smart Guy- An extremely intelligent character who prefers to think things through before jumping into them. Exact area(s) of expertise are up to the player, but this should generally be the more logical character in the group. They generally prefers peace; or at least, not getting their ass kicked unnecessarily. Snarkiness requested but not required.
Ex: Animorph's Tobias, Star Wars' R2D2/C3P0, X-men's Beast/Professor Xavier
The Heart- The more emotional/artsy character, and the group's moral compass. They are the first one to speak up whenever it seems the group is going too far past that line that separates good from evil. This character has an excellent understanding of how people tick, and while they usually uses this gift for good, to help keep the group cohesive and take care of members emotionally and whatnot, they are also an excellent manipulator, and the best morpher of the group.
Ex: Animorph's Cassie, Star Wars' Princess Leia, X-men's Storm/Kitty Pryde
The Alien- A young member of the same race who grants the group their morphing powers. They'll be with Elfangor as he dies, and then with the group, probably hiding on someone's property. They'll give background on the secret invaders and their motives, while being very cryptic about their own people. Characteristics include arrogance and a complete lack of knowledge regarding human culture. This is also the one role I'd prefer to be played by someone who's read the series, or is at least fairly familiar with it.
Ex: Animorph's Ax, Star Wars' Most of the cast, X-men's Are you even reading these?
With that, I'll get to lorebuilding later, which is mostly just terminology used in The Animorphs series, and a map for our town. Any takers?
