Before the first 'fake' gets activated, I will be asking each member how they feel about their character being a possible enemy. The 'enemy' get activated via keyword, so this won't involve characters working against each other before their activated (unless the character decides to for other reasons). Characters who are fakes have a very high chance of dying, so keep that in mind.
Around the 1930s, advancements in many formal sciences hit a wall of sorts. This was coupled with many governments encouraging further study into biological sciences. Quickly Einsteins of these fields appeared, people who studied and vastly improved our understanding of living things. Chimeras, cloning, Frankenstein-esque monsters; all became reality before too long. The rewards reaped were immense, with blindness curable via injection, and brand new more durable replacement arms being grown every day.
The characters in this RP are a product of these advancements in one way or another. A contest has begun with eighteen participants, seven of which are not who they seem. Each participant is being sponsored by the organization of their origin. The objective of each organization is to acquire financial and political power via a test trial. As the final part of this test trial your goal is simply to out survive the seven false participants. Traps are everywhere, hidden underfoot, or found all too easily. Poisonous gas beckons you into oblivion after a single misstep, and although killing your fellow participants isn't recommended, there's a chance any of them could be the enemy.
Average Life of a Subject
The subjects who have been placed into this contest have had a very dreary life so far. A past that is not under their control, with body and brain often manipulated for a goal they didn't understand. The researchers and scientists working on this individuals are often an inhumane sort, not even using anesthesia. Though some of the subjects are modified humans, some are purely vat grown creatures, that are only human in appearance. Those with more humane scientists may be stronger psychologically but often have less extreme modifications. For the stronger willed, it is more how they respond to the horrors than what they actually experienced, that determines the subjects psychology.
Subjects often try to escape, though their efforts are usually in vain, simply resulting in punishment and further deterrents. If a subject don't escape on their first attempt, then it will probably also be their last attempt. Standard practice is to have subjects require a chemical only available inside their home city. Other measures vary from city to city. This requirement was removed for all 'participants' inside the tournament, letting the subjects eat and drink whatever they find.
The Six Organizations
The six organizations participating in the contest have offered up three participants each. The areas of their studies led to reduced human rights for the various test subjects, so long as they had certain markers or chevrons placed into their DNA. It was argued that, when the testing is done right the test subjects would not experience pain in any human way. Since this was hard to verify, the legislation ended up allowing these human right violations without due process. The organizations are referred to as their home cites and are as follows: Vallade, Orthon, Mithlonde, Tiriande, Lariande, and Erialond.
Vallade: A beacon in a bleak city, with marshlands surrounding it for miles. Trains come and go daily, with a unique horn for each train being heard at least eight times a day. It is a medium sized city, with 34 square miles within city limits. Vallade's facility is overly large, with its foundation often reinforced as various parts of it sink into the landscape. The Vallade facility is the main draw of its town, though various niche markets do exist. Creatures with espionage in mind are a common interest among the scientists who research in this facility.
Orthon: Orthon, the city, was originally a hub station between Vallade and Lariande, with many miles of desert between the two. It sprung around a well, and was found to be a great place to test high endurance subjects as well as strange plant chimeras (A chimera is a mix between two species, often violating the normal rules of fertilization.). Though this isn't their sole export in terms of experiments, the stereotype remains. Orthon is about twenty square miles.
Mithlonde: A city that was built as a result of a large number of mines in the same general area. The mines were linked together for convenience and the exceptionally rich deposits that were threaded through the earth caused more and more infrastructure to be built there, until eventually it became a city. The subject of research in the hastily made buildings are focused around exceptional strength and working with harsh environments, such as those with low oxygen, mixed gasses, and jagged terrain, helping further their mining exploits. Of course other research areas exist, as anything not yet tested could turn out to be real pay-dirt. Though the city is technically bigger than Eiralond, quite substantially so, many areas become unused and abandoned as veins are mined out and the 'city' moves along. There are a few central locations that provide most necessitates, but to find most things you must weave through the extensive tunnels with a knowledge that can only be gained through experience, either your own or that of hired guides.
Tiriande: Tiriande is a city that rests in a fertile valley, a large river running down from the mountains through it. This allowed the area to produce massive amounts of crops as well as be a beautiful tourist attraction due to the variety of genetically modified plants. Every shade imaginable, and some that weren't, grew on various petals and leaves in the strangest shapes and sizes. Those who experiment in the Tiriande usually focus on flashy and surprisingly lethal enhancements. A flower that has bladed petals, a fruit that releases a flesh melting gas when bit into, and courtesans with poisoned kisses are all samples of the terrors that come out of this city.
Lariande: A city far removed, Lariande is known for its chimera experiments. The specialty chimeras of Lariande have always been attempts at human flight. When the various facilities are working together well, Larande is used as in a similar way to Mithlonde, being able to test subjects who need to operate in low oxygen conditions. Lariande was taken by the government in the 1890's from native tribes, which is still considered a dick move. Erialond and Lariande are considered sister cities, despite the distance between the two, and Lariande's tiny 8 square mile size.
Erialond: When an engineer asks the question "What are the limits of where human civilization can settle?" A reasonable answer is Erialond. A city built on the water, wasting plenty of taxpayer money in the process. Though it is very self sufficient, it still gets supplies from the various cities through either having boats deliver them or by docking at said cities. It is very large, spanning around 40 square miles, and it's local research facility was one of its main funding sources. Erialonde is referred to as Lariande's twin for their similarities when it comes to chimera research, with these two facilities producing more advancements in this knowledge base than all other facilities combined. Naturally Erialond is focused on mutations that can apply to the water, though this is a rule with plenty of exceptions.
You can choose to PM your character sheets to me, or post them in the OOC. The character limit is two, but I might raise it before the RP starts. Be aware that characters can AND will die. Interactions with other characters should be reasonable, don't bring OOC grudges into IC. As a more general point, don't use your knowledge to influence your characters decision. I can understand if it's difficult, but with more severe cases I will step in. If you want to help prevent metagaming, you can PM your modifications section and I will approve it privately, though I expect any visible modifications to be noted in the appearance section.
Name: First, and Last
Age: 12-19
Gender: Most Lenient Category
Appearance: Paragraph describing the character, picture optional.
History: No length requirement, just make sure you include enough details for your characters background not to be a Mary Sue esque enigma. Note the characters organization, for GM convenience, though I will not force you to choose an organization that specializes in your characters modifications. I don't want to limit you in character creation if all slots of an organization are taken.
Personality: Just a sentence or two to give an overall idea of the character, no need to write an essay.
Modifications: The bio-engineering that your character has. Make this decision with the give and take system in mind. You're strong, maybe clumsy and need to eat tons of calories. You're smart, perhaps you need time to rest or suffer major headaches. This can include internal weapons, extra limbs, etc.
Weapons: Limitations are steampunk era items(flintlocks) and however much you can carry on your person, normal physics apply. These are separate from body modification based weapons.
Skills: Abilities you have that aren't specifically granted to you by your modifications. Ability to use weapons, throw things, run fast, etc.
Misc: Anything not covered previously. Delete if not used.
[b]Name:[/b] First, and Last
[b]Age:[/b] 12-19
[b]Gender:[/b] Most Lenient Category
[b]Appearance:[/b] Paragraph describing the character, picture optional.
[b]History:[/b] No length requirement, just make sure you include enough details for your characters background not to be a Mary Sue esque enigma. Note the characters organization, for GM convenience, though I will not force you to choose an organization that specializes in your characters modifications. I don't want to limit you in character creation if all slots of an organization are taken.
[b]Personality:[/b] Just a sentence or two to give an overall idea of the character, no need to write an essay.
[b]Modifications:[/b] The bio-engineering that your character has. Make this decision with the give and take system in mind. You're strong, maybe clumsy and need to eat tons of calories. You're smart, perhaps you need time to rest or suffer major headaches. This can include internal weapons, extra limbs, etc.
[b]Weapons:[/b] Limitation are steampunk era items(flintlocks) and however much you can carry, separate from body modification based weapons.
[b]Skills:[/b] Abilities you have that aren't specifically granted to you by your modifications. Ability to use weapons, throw things, run fast, etc.
[b]Misc:[/b] Anything not covered previously. Delete if not used.
I want to have a discord available for the RP because I feel like it leads to better interactions between individual players and the GM's. I will almost always be available to respond to questions asked within less than twenty four hours when contacted on Discord. Plus Discord channels can be great place to shoot the shit with people who enjoy the same kind of writing you do. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Glad to have you aboard. I'll have a character sheet up today that people can use as reference, after that if you have questions about anything feel free to contact Solo or me for help.
@Zoey White that completely depends on the character, though most characters will only look as different as their modifications make them (ie a character with hidden blades bulging under their skin). Characters who have experienced lots of combat will have new skin grafted on to replace the damaged area. If the individuals who preformed the surgery didn't care for aesthetics, then varying shades of skin are likely.
Appearance: Jarvan is massive for a 18 year old, standing at approximately 6 feet and 6 inches with a frame to match. He's a bit large even for his height with muscles that are painfully well defined. His skin is very dark and clear of practically any blemishes. Jarvan has short scruffy brown hair and equally boring brown eyes. He generally wears loose-fitting clothing that shrouds his general shape, though it certainly doesn't hide the fact that's he's a giant.
History: Jarvan comes from Mithlonde. Initially the enhancements he was equipped were designed for barely sentient brutes used in excavations. However it was not a far reach to apply these same enhancements for participation in the Patchwork Potpourri. Of course the subject would have to be slightly more intelligent which could result in more deviation. The project began.
Jarvan was a little more handcrafted for the contest, his enhancements slightly different and his mentality allowed to develop. Under the strictest control of course, his initial disposition could not be controlled but how it developed could be much more easily. Luckily for his overseers Jarvan was naturally complaint and the fabricated backstory about him doing this to protect his family, little sister and all.
It was swallowed hook, line, and sinker, surprising everyone. Jarvan took to his training and the painful enhancements with energy. Of course the process of hardening his skin and rerouting the way his lungs work, in addition to giving him an inhuman amount of strength caused a catastrophic amount of pain, even with the admittedly limited drugs he was given.
Still he persevered making things easy for his creators. However he making things easy for those working him did not they made it easy on him. They were unused to having such a complaint subject. They didn't like it. Still it wasn't worth taking away the illusion entirely, so instead they pushed him. Pointless sessions just to cause him pain. Nothing to eat for days when he already needed more food than a normal person. Impossible training scenarios he was doomed to fail at.
Jarvan was stoic however, accepting that these things were required. A wise man would call him stupid and they'd be right. This led to him being very well prepared, as there was no need to deal with the troublesome resistance and rebellion that usually accompanies the subjects entered into the contest. The additional torture was just that, but one could say that it too, help prepared him for what was to come.
Personality: Jarvan looks the part of a brute and it isn't too far off. He's no genius, seeking the easiest way to take care of a problem in the shortest time. This can occasionally lead to unexpected innovation but more often it leads to a painfully obvious decision making process. He can appreciate the value of others and naturally aims to win the contest, whether it be through his own strength or others.
Modifications: Jarvan was designed with strength in mind and has several enhancements that compliment this. Perhaps one of the most peculiar is that he has 'breathing holes' in various points on his body that help him regulate oxygen. These also can filter gasses and prevent them from affecting him, as long as he is aware of the gas. Naturally he's strong, but that modification is relatively minor. Jarvan's skin on the other hand has been slightly modified, it's durability is akin to toughened leather, resisting harm.
He can output incredible power and speed but even with his advanced ability to utilize oxygen his runs out of steam very quickly and requires large amounts of calories to recharge. In addition he carries five pills that can briefly recharge his system, allowing him to go at full power for a few seconds, though the rebound is severe. Taking one will render him practically immobile, taking two will render him unconscious for several hours and require even more calories than normal to regain full capability. Taking three will surely kill him.
Weapons: Jarvan carries a monstrous bardiche as tall as he is. The blade appears to be made of some sort of steel while the stave portion looks as through it's some kind of hardened wood.
Skills: Jarvan is monstrously strong and fast, very aware of his capabilities and his limits. His abilities in the physical realm are practically unmatched, he can judge most opponents prowess at a glance. Use of his weapon is second nature, he knows it's abilities as well as his own limbs. Beyond that... Not much. Jarvan has no advanced ability to analyze a situation, deal with traps beyond his own advantages, or sustained mobility. His strength however is fragile and he generally acts in short bursts to deal with situation. In drawn-out situations, endurance challenges, or problems Jarvan can't brute force through, he will likely fail.
Appearance: Durk is covered from head to two in fourth degree burns, as he was a test subject for treatment of burn victims(or so he believes). He wears a metal gas mask which is hooked up to a pack on his back, helping him to breathe. He goes shirtless and wears black pants with the number DH-66 stamped on it and has the same numbers embedded into the front of his mask.
History: Durk was born near Erialond and was opted into the program so his family could receive a steady income for giving their child up. There he was a lab rat who was tested to figure out treatments for severe burns, He believed, While in actuality he was used to harden pain tolerance. He has developed a habit of trying to sneak around and be ratish. He is extremely proud of his contribution to helping burn victims(And is kinda losing it) He has little memory of his past family. He was offered new skin to cover his severe burns but kept it as a reminder of the good he's done.
Personality: Durk can be nice if you can get past his rather cruel appearance He can turn on you in an instant if he believes it is right. He is very motivated and stubborn in his methods. He is very zealous in his belief in the good his modifications and tests have impacted upon society
Modifications: He is incredibly resistant to hot Tempatures and his skin is incredibly durable, even though it is burnt extremely. He has blades replacing the tips of his fingers which were burnt off. He can breathe extremely well underwater due to an Modification but he has a hard time breathing above land due to that. He has gone numerous numbing operations and has very little nerve usage, very rarely feeling pain.
Weapons: Said knives are his main weapons. They are very sharp and he is skillful in though uses.
Skills: Durk is very knowledgable of veins and pressure points as he was subjected to such information while being experimentated on. He is very agile even though his burns would suggest otherwise. He can become very detached from reality when fighting. Not realizing how much damage he is really inflicting. He can very rarely feel pain due to his burns. P. S who's gonna be the fakes?
@Jaded I think Durk is pretty interesting, he'll fit right in. Before that, however, I do want to hammer out some details. I may not have made it clear in the first post, but the biological sciences have advanced very considerably compared to our current understanding. Burn victims, with the right amount of money, can basically get a brand new, better body that's almost impossible to tell is lab grown. That part of his history will have to change a bit, but I understand if it was originally an aesthetic choice. If you want to keep him looking as-is, there's a couple paths you can take (that I can think of, at least). You could have his body burned so that he doesn't feel as much pain, though there are other ways to go about that, you could note that the doctors also did it to make him a bit more unstable. Maybe the doctors who worked on him didn't bother to fix burn damage left by an earlier incident for lack of funding. There's a lot of possibilities there.
As far as his modifications, I feel like you should make him a bit more powerful. Durable and dangerous he may be, but there's going to be some tough enemies he needs to face down regardless. I don't want you to be wanting in the balance department. The skills section is supposed to cover general "things this character is good at" mostly leaning towards the combat, and social side as those are most relevant. Durk's personality is fine, I really don't mind that section being short.
Finally your question: I was going to announce it once the IC started, but I might as well now. The fakes are going to be a pool, which I will pick from randomly. Before the first fake goes aggro, I will message all members and ask them how they feel about their character being a fake. This will be between me and the individual player, so no one accidentally or purposefully meta games.
@eklispe if you have any concerns with the character, please chime in~
Nah you pretty much covered it. If you want a point of reference try looking at my character for the modifications and skills section. While Jarvan is on the higher-end of the power-scale regarding players, you should be able to get a general gist of what is expected. Normally having a weaker character wouldn't be too much of a problem but this RP is highly conflict centered so anybody who's on the weaker department will likely have more difficulty interacting with everything and that wouldn't be as much fun for anyone. Not to say you can't have a more mind based character, but your character also isn't that either.
@Jaded It is better, and if you wanted to leave the modifications and skills section as-is I would be fine with that. I'd still like you to correct the history section, but I doubt you forgot. After you fix that, you should be good to go, I'll check that once it's corrected and you can move him to the CS tab. If any other members post a character from Erialond I might suggest you iron out the two character's relationship in the first IC post, or maybe change the "history" section to reflect their relationship (whatever that may be). Subjects are normally exposed to each other before the contest begins, after all.
@SantosGabriel77 Good to see you're working on your character. However I have a few things to point out, keep in mind that since your CS is a bit of a WIP, it might sound a bit extensive. To start off this review of your character, I wanted to highlight a piece of information for you:
You can choose to PM your character sheets to me, or post them in the OOC.
This does not mean the character tab. So, if you wouldn’t mind, your first step to editing your character will be to remove it from the character tab, and choose one of the two methods mentioned to send it to us. To do this click the edit button and replace with a dash, period, or whatever you like. Then, once your character is edited, (and approved) you can edit that post again and place your character back inside it.
Moving on to the character itself.
To start off, simply put, you’re not using the appearance section for what it’s meant for. Keep in mind that barely a paragraph is not really enough to describe a character. Think about Jon. What does his hair look like? How long is it? Is it clean? Dirty? Thick? Thin? Does he have any special features? Scars? Tattoos? Piercings? What color are his eyes? Is he tall? Short? Stocky? Lanky? How do his Rhinoceros traits affect his appearance? Is his double layered skin noticeable? If it is, what does it look like?
Moving on to the history section. So, first of all, we would like you to remove the rhinoceros DNA merging from the history all together. In Potpurri that would be done before he was even born, making him a test tube baby so to speak. Some other things you should think about are: Did he have a family? How did his family treat him? How did he treat his family? How did the scientists who experimented on him treat him? How did he react to the treatment? What was he trained in? Fighting? Speaking? Did he have to relearn everything after the experimentation? If he forgot parts of his life, how does that affect him? What exactly did his memory loss take away? What was the intent of his modification? What purpose did the scientists want him to serve? I understand that the way you wrote his history was a way of removing the need to consider these things but history is a very helpful section for the GM's to look at.
For the personality section the first thing we want to touch on, is length. We did say that it didn’t have to be too long, but a sentence is still too short. At the very least two sentences or more are necessary to accurately explain who your character is. He’s stubborn and violent, but what else is he? How does he react to friendship? How does he feel about people in general? How does he deal with people he doesn't know? How does he deal with people he does know? Does he have a sense of humor? What kind? Morbid? Goofy? What makes him angry? What makes him sad? How does he deal with being sad/hurt? How does he react to affection? You don't necessarily need all these things, but they would help us get a better general feel for the character.
So, we’re going to combine his skill and modification sections for ease of explanation. We would like you to explain in more detail how his modification actually works. It gives him double layered skin, and a thick elbow, but what does that actually mean? Does it affect his durability? Can he take more blows than an average person? What does his elbow do? Why is it only one of his elbows? Is he heavier than he looks? Why can he run so fast? Was he taught that? Or, did his modification make it possible?
Lastly for the weapon section, this seems like a strange choice, but alright.
