I like your Luther post...
We get it, you have trash taste.
And so do I because I liked it too whoops
[OOC] Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within Page 44
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Simple Unicycle ?
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We get it, you have trash taste.
And so do I because I liked it too whoops
GM
Lord Wraith Actually Three Otters in a Trenchcoat
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4 hrs ago
Apparently, fishing for compliments really does work...
1x Laugh
Simple Unicycle ?
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1 mo ago
Wait, it does?
Uhhhhhh...
MY POSTS SUCK! I CAN'T WRITE GOOD ANYMORE! PLEASE BERATE MY STORYTELLING CAPABILITIES!
Uhhhhhh...
MY POSTS SUCK! I CAN'T WRITE GOOD ANYMORE! PLEASE BERATE MY STORYTELLING CAPABILITIES!
GM
Lord Wraith Actually Three Otters in a Trenchcoat
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Seen
4 hrs ago
Wait, it does?
Uhhhhhh...
MY POSTS SUCK! I CAN'T WRITE GOOD ANYMORE! PLEASE BERATE MY STORYTELLING CAPABILITIES!
That's not true, I really lik-
Damnit! He almost got me.
Simple Unicycle ?
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1 mo ago
Damn, so close.
mickilennial The Elder Fae
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Through a friend's shitposting on facebook:
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Lord Wraith Actually Three Otters in a Trenchcoat
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@Star Lord I'm really glad you were able to make the Iron Man situation work. The scene is unfolding really well and I'm rather enjoying watching the villains stay one step ahead of Wonder Woman. Whoever this 'Aladdin' is, he has been a delight to read and I am looking forward to the rest of his plot being revealed.
@Inkarnate It wasn't as good as Simple's newest Blade post As far as introductory posts go, Lex definitely make an entrance in your latest post. While it's probably not your intention, there's a lot about him that makes me think more of Michael Rosenbaum's iteration from Smallville and that to me at least is great. I can't wait to see Lex and Kara lock horns nor can I wait and see how you play Lex coming out of the Crisis. I feel like there's a lot of playability potential for him coming out of it.
@Ceta de Cloyes Single line of dialogue be damned, the description of the ship's systems alone was great. Plus you managed to get a Green Lantern reference tucked in there, so that's a bonus. I love the way you write, each paragraph is rich with descriptions without going into fluff. I am definitely looking forward to your next post.
@Simple Unicycle I always have to applaud anyone who takes the initiative to write in the first person. In a lot of other RPs I dislike it but here in Absolute and other like games, I find it really works. Your latest post is a great example of that because there's so much personality to Blade's narrative in addition to that projected through his dialogue. The shot at the X-Men/Doom Patrol was also very nicely snuck into your dialogue. Can't wait to see more Blade in the near future.
@Inkarnate It wasn't as good as Simple's newest Blade post As far as introductory posts go, Lex definitely make an entrance in your latest post. While it's probably not your intention, there's a lot about him that makes me think more of Michael Rosenbaum's iteration from Smallville and that to me at least is great. I can't wait to see Lex and Kara lock horns nor can I wait and see how you play Lex coming out of the Crisis. I feel like there's a lot of playability potential for him coming out of it.
@Ceta de Cloyes Single line of dialogue be damned, the description of the ship's systems alone was great. Plus you managed to get a Green Lantern reference tucked in there, so that's a bonus. I love the way you write, each paragraph is rich with descriptions without going into fluff. I am definitely looking forward to your next post.
@Simple Unicycle I always have to applaud anyone who takes the initiative to write in the first person. In a lot of other RPs I dislike it but here in Absolute and other like games, I find it really works. Your latest post is a great example of that because there's so much personality to Blade's narrative in addition to that projected through his dialogue. The shot at the X-Men/Doom Patrol was also very nicely snuck into your dialogue. Can't wait to see more Blade in the near future.
And I think I'm done! Please let me know if anything isn't up to snuff! ^<^
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More to be added
More to be added.
AQUAMAN
Arthur Curry ♦ Surf Instructor ♦ San Diego ♦ Atlantis
C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:
"I'm the bulwark upon which it breaks. "
With his recent victory over the Brine, Orvax Marius’ Atlantean Empire surges forward on a wave of expansionist fervour. The only bulwark standing between Marius’ complete domination of the seas being ever defiant Xebel. Namor, a captain in the Xebelian Home Guard leads a brutal guerrilla campaign amongst the vast shipwreck fields of the Bermuda Triangle that surround the besieged city state. Yet now with the Atlantean Second Navy lead by the Crown Prince himself no longer tied down to efforts against the Brine, it is only a matter of time before Xebel cracks beneath the weight of the Atlantean military.
Even as Orvax’s victory seems to grow more inevitable by the day forces still plot against him. One of those force through fate’s cruel irony comes from Marius’ former spymaster Nuidis Vulko. The ex-spymaster having fled the city under the suspicion that his old friend was getting wise on his treasonous activities. Even since, Vulko has searched the seven seas chasing after whispers of a legend. A fated successor of Atlan said to possess his mastery over the water prophesied to save Atlantis in its greatest time of need. And while Vulko chases after legends and rumors resistance continues to brew in Orvax’s own backyard. As a rebel movement lead by the combined efforts of Orvax’s own bastard daughter Tula and the hotheaded young firebrand known as Garth continues to cause trouble on the Atlantean homefront.
The missing piece to this dramatically unfurling puzzle is an unassuming surf instructor named Arthur. For a brief time the entire world knew about Arthur as the “Dolphin Boy”. Arthur was a scientific curiosity recalled with figures such as Oxana Malaya and Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja, yet while the later two were raised by canids, Arthur was raised by dolphins of all things a fisherman accidentally catching him in his net. Arthur becoming the pet project of a team from the University of California San Diego lead by semi-famous behaviorist Dr. Stephen Shin. The world slowly began to forget about the Dolphin boy, news coverage peaking briefly when Shin's team reported that they successfully managed to reintegrate the child, now a grown man back into society.
Yet Arthur's tale is much more complex than mere scientific curiosity. Arthur's full name is Arthur Curry, his father was Tom Curry the keeper of the Amnesty Bay Lighthouse, his mother Atlanna the Queen of Atlantis and Orvax's wife. The pair meeting when Atlanna saved Tom's life when he slipped on the rocks slick with seafoam that surrounded the lighthouse. Yet their idyllic life was shattered soon after Arthur was born. Atlanna had originally came to Amnesty Bay as a runaway having abandoned her kingly husband at the altar. Orvax's hunters had after many months managed to track the missing Atlanna down. In the resulting conflict Tom was killed and Atlanna recaptured by Orvax's forces but not before she was able to send young Arthur into the nurturing arms of the sea to live another day.
Even as Orvax’s victory seems to grow more inevitable by the day forces still plot against him. One of those force through fate’s cruel irony comes from Marius’ former spymaster Nuidis Vulko. The ex-spymaster having fled the city under the suspicion that his old friend was getting wise on his treasonous activities. Even since, Vulko has searched the seven seas chasing after whispers of a legend. A fated successor of Atlan said to possess his mastery over the water prophesied to save Atlantis in its greatest time of need. And while Vulko chases after legends and rumors resistance continues to brew in Orvax’s own backyard. As a rebel movement lead by the combined efforts of Orvax’s own bastard daughter Tula and the hotheaded young firebrand known as Garth continues to cause trouble on the Atlantean homefront.
The missing piece to this dramatically unfurling puzzle is an unassuming surf instructor named Arthur. For a brief time the entire world knew about Arthur as the “Dolphin Boy”. Arthur was a scientific curiosity recalled with figures such as Oxana Malaya and Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja, yet while the later two were raised by canids, Arthur was raised by dolphins of all things a fisherman accidentally catching him in his net. Arthur becoming the pet project of a team from the University of California San Diego lead by semi-famous behaviorist Dr. Stephen Shin. The world slowly began to forget about the Dolphin boy, news coverage peaking briefly when Shin's team reported that they successfully managed to reintegrate the child, now a grown man back into society.
Yet Arthur's tale is much more complex than mere scientific curiosity. Arthur's full name is Arthur Curry, his father was Tom Curry the keeper of the Amnesty Bay Lighthouse, his mother Atlanna the Queen of Atlantis and Orvax's wife. The pair meeting when Atlanna saved Tom's life when he slipped on the rocks slick with seafoam that surrounded the lighthouse. Yet their idyllic life was shattered soon after Arthur was born. Atlanna had originally came to Amnesty Bay as a runaway having abandoned her kingly husband at the altar. Orvax's hunters had after many months managed to track the missing Atlanna down. In the resulting conflict Tom was killed and Atlanna recaptured by Orvax's forces but not before she was able to send young Arthur into the nurturing arms of the sea to live another day.
C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:
I have been replaying Dark Souls 3 recently and because of that I've sort of been consumed by the idea of cycles. There are smaller cycles such as the heroic cycle that centers around Arthur as the next inheritor of the Clear. The idea of King In The Mountain that comes and goes as the kingdom needs them. Yet my primary focus will instead be on the much larger and in my opinion more interesting cycle of Atlantian politics and its relationship to violence. The question then being are we inherently condemned to such cycles or is there a possibility of breaking them.
This version of Arthur then exists to help approach these questions. His backstory is a synthesis of several interpretation of the typical gambit of Aquaman origins. The first immediate twist is that rather than Tom having raised Arthur, he was at least partially raised by dolphins. This being a reversal of the more traditional narrative were Tom raises a baby that was initially being cared for by dolphins. Arthur as a result is more rough around the edges. His starting point closer to the barbarian-style hero that he became in Peter David’s run. Part of the story then being tampering this wildside into someone willing and able to lead a kingdom.
For my first season my aim is to focus primarily upon Atlantean affairs. The idea being introducing Arthur to this underwater world and have him start to make inroads with the rebels lead by Tula and Garth. Eventually the rebels will win a major battle in the Xebel Campaign with Arthur’s assistance. This giving the rebel faction more legitimacy and an established base of operation from which they could reach out to forces on the land for help. Helping create an avenue for Arthur to enter into the wider world Absolute Comics
This version of Arthur then exists to help approach these questions. His backstory is a synthesis of several interpretation of the typical gambit of Aquaman origins. The first immediate twist is that rather than Tom having raised Arthur, he was at least partially raised by dolphins. This being a reversal of the more traditional narrative were Tom raises a baby that was initially being cared for by dolphins. Arthur as a result is more rough around the edges. His starting point closer to the barbarian-style hero that he became in Peter David’s run. Part of the story then being tampering this wildside into someone willing and able to lead a kingdom.
For my first season my aim is to focus primarily upon Atlantean affairs. The idea being introducing Arthur to this underwater world and have him start to make inroads with the rebels lead by Tula and Garth. Eventually the rebels will win a major battle in the Xebel Campaign with Arthur’s assistance. This giving the rebel faction more legitimacy and an established base of operation from which they could reach out to forces on the land for help. Helping create an avenue for Arthur to enter into the wider world Absolute Comics
C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:
Doctor Stephen Shin:
The leader of the team that found Arthur and reintegrated him into human society. A kind of father figure to Arthur and still heavily invented in his development as Arthur’s mysterious case still remains at the center of his research.
Erika Watson:
Arthur’s on and off again paramour. (They are currently on an off period) Erika is currently an office in the San Diego Police Department.
Nuidis Vulko
King Marius’ former spymaster partly responsible for organizing the realpolitik that allowed him to assume supremacy. Having now switched side joining up with the rebels, Vulko is now on a search for Atlan’s successor who has believes might just be the key to winning the war.
Garth
One of the co-leaders of the rebel forces. Garth is a young overconfident firebrand that was initially driven to the cause because of simple revenge. His father having been an officer in the Atlantean Navy that opposed Marius’ rise to power and was killed for his ideas.
Tula
King Marius’ bastard daughter born through an affair with one of the Queen’s handmaidens. Tula along with Garth leads the rebel forces. While Garth is the leader on the ground Tula is the strategic brains of the operation.
Mera, Princess of Xebel
The Princess of Xebel and current liaison between the Xeblian forces and the rebels. Her father, King Nereus is an ardant Xebellian nationalists who refused to bow to King Marius’ rule leading to the brutal war that everyone has been swallowed into.
Namor
Orphaned at birth, Namor was taken in by King Nereus family and raised as one of his own. Having grown up with her, Namor is a close friend and confidant of Princess Mera. Namor now servers as a captain in the Xebelian Home Guard and currently leads the brutal guerrilla campaign against King Marius’ forces.
Dolphin
A strange and mute young girl that was saved at sea and given miraculous powers by the water spirit known as Qwsp , Dolphin is Queen Atlanna’s most trusted handmaiden and serves as the Queen’s messenger between her and the rebel forces.
Atlanna, Queen of Atlantis
Queen of Atlantis, mother to both Orm and Arthur, and direct ancestor to the great Atlan himself. King Marius’ forced her to marry him to give legitimacy to his coup d'etat. Despite her marriage Atlanna still tries her best to aide the rebel forces.
More to be added
Orvax Marius, King of Atlantis
Orvax began his career as a famed admiral in the Atlantean Navy. Of noble-birth being able to trace his bloodlines back to a tributary branch on the family tree of King Atlan’s brother Orin. Orvax saw Queen Atlanna’s rule as troubling seeing her as too kind to the Atlantean tributary states such as Xebel. Riding a wave of nationalist fervor starting amongst his allies in the military, Orvax seized the Throne and sought to reclaim “rightful” Atlantean land.
Orm Marius, High Prince of Atlantis
Orm is in many ways the perfect son. As cruel and cunning as he is handsome. What drives Orm forward is the challenge, what he might call interesting opposition. He is a solider much like his father before him and a better soldier at that. As a result, much of his sense of identity and self-worth are wrapped around being a handsome fighter, fantastic skills, cutting wit and stunningly expensive equipment that it severely hampers his empathy for anybody who he does not see as worthy.
Llyra, The Spymaster
Llyra is Marius’ spymaster replacing Vulko. A cunning and shrewd women. Loyalties mean little to Llyra who instead would rather work for whomever she sees as the winning side.
Krang, The King’s Fist
Commander of the Atlantean First Navy, Krang is a warmonger that had long served as Marius’ second in command during his military days. Now Krang serves as the commander of Marius’ conquests currently leading the siege of Xebel along with his trusted bodyguard, the abomination known as Orka.
More to be added.
S A M P L E P O S T:
Location: Pat's Diner - San Diego
Sample Post: Eggs & Conversation
Interaction(s): None
Previously: None
Doctor Stephen Shin peered anxiously through the diner window at the dark grey clouds gathering on the horizon. For the third time since sitting down, he opened his briefcase to check that he had brought his umbrella. He sighed flipping the digital page on the newspaper that he was reading on his iPad. Another opinion piece about New York’s Man-Spider.
The click-clack of heels against tile announced his waitress’ return. The woman held a large tray aloft as she navigated the maze of booths and tables, the large mass of auburn hair gathered on her head swayed from side to side with each step. Drinks continued to disappear from the tray and by the time she reached Shin a single cup remained. Smiling she placed the white mug down.
“Your tea darlin’”
He grabbed a small plastic pod of milk kept from a bowl on the table and poured its contents into his cup. Shin couldn't drink tea straight in fact he didn't even particularly like tea, but with age, he had lost his ability to stomach coffee and needed another way to please his caffeine addiction. Satisfied, he tentatively took the warm cup in his hands and took a long sip. The entrance's automatic chime made Shin look up and let loose a sigh mixed with relief and agitation.
Arthur stood at the entrance surveying the room. His long blond hair pulled back into a messy ponytail paired with an equally large beard that while maintaining its shape appeared to be in the early stages of being overgrown. He wore an oversized black sweatshirt that proclaimed “I ❤️ SAN DIEGO” and a pair of ripped white boardshorts. Arthur’s spotlight gaze froze on Shin’s table and his face brightened with recognition. As he made large strides over towards him, Shin couldn’t help but shrink in his seat.
“Doctor Shin!” Arthur bellowed his voice filling the air. He plopped himself down on the bench across from the Doctor, a wide smile on his face. He rested his large elbows on the table causing the table to pitch towards him as Shin scramble to pick up his tea before it slid away from him.
“You are twenty minutes late Arthur!” Shin nearly shouted as he snatched up his tea.
“It wasn’t my fault this time!” Arthur protested, and Shin could only raise an eyebrow at him in disbelief. “I’m telling the truth! This girl, that I was with last night hadn’t woken up yet, and I didn’t want to disturb her rest.”
“A girl?” Shin questioned taking a longer sip of his tea. And we thought he was going to have problems acclimating...
“She was at the Mission Beach Boardwalk last night and lost her purse. I returned it to her and well...”
“Enough Arthur,” Shin insisted nearly spitting out his tea “I have little interest in hearing about your sexual escapades.”
“You’re the one that asked!”
The two sat in silence for a long afterward. In many ways, Arthur was like the son that Shin had never had the time to have. He’d seen the boy grow through the decades helping shape him from a feral beast into a productive member of society. Despite his own paternal instincts, he knew that Arthur did not feel the same way. When their relationship was in better states, such as now, he saw him at best as only a friend, somebody to swap stories of your triumphs in the bedroom and beyond with. The silence was interrupted with the click-clack heels of the waitress returned, summoned back into existence to attend to her new customer.
“What do you want sweetie?” The waitress asked as she produced her pad and pencil.
“Well, I assume you are off the menu?” Arthur asked with a sly smile.
“Honey, I have kids your age” The Waitress fired back shaking her head but smiling, nonetheless.
“Has not stopped me before” Arthur started with a smile.“Though if I can’t have you, a cup of orange juice and scrambled eggs suits me fine.”
“One glass of OJ and some eggs coming straight up.” The women sounded back with a wink as she scribbled the order down on her pad and walked away. The click-clack of her heels fading into the clattering cutlery and hushed mid-morning conversations of the other patrons.
“Are you finished?” Questioned Shin as he looked up from his iPad,
“What?!”
The waitress returned a few minutes later with the orange juice and eggs. Arthur was upon his meal the moment that it was set on the table. Shin’s team had managed to teach him how to use a fork and knife, but they never found a way to tamper the way which he enthusiastically and viciously tore at any food that was given to him. It seemed like two Arthur’s doled in and out of reality in front of Shin in real time. The boy that he had found and the man that he had become.
He would be hard pressed to imagine that the little boy that his team found all those years ago would become the broad-shouldered giant that sat across from him. Last time they performed a physical on him they found his cardiovascular health and muscle density were on par if not exceeding the levels of most Olympic athletes. It reminded him of a talk given by Charles Xavier about his fabled ‘X-Gene’ at a conference at Stanford. But this wasn’t just a singular gene, Arthur’s entire DNA was slightly off in several areas. The team still wasn’t done analyzing the results yet, but it was almost as Arthur wasn't even fully human.
“How have things been going Arthur?” Shin asked his voice taking on a more professional demeanor as he pressed a button to start a recording app on his iPad.
“Oh you know,” Arthur started between mouthfuls of eggs.“Still too early in the season for most people to wanna get into the water so business isn't exactly booming. Though I do get that stipend from the state as part of your research, so I'm not worried.”
“That’s good to hear,” Shin responded making a note before continuing “and are you happy?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? I get to wake up every day with the sand between my toes and breath in the ocean air. That’s a pretty enviable life if you ask me.”
“And are you satisfied with your current life?”
“....”
The silence that followed surprised Shin. The broad shoulders that Shin himself was examining a few moments ago seemed to sag beneath a colossal and unseen weight. Arthur’s gaze turned away from him looking up towards the dark skies above. His seemed focused on an unseen spot amongst the storm front. He tapped his fingers against the table in small rhythmic pulses with no set time interval between them.
“I guess...” He took a long sip of orange juice “I guess I’ve been feeling a pull recently.”
“A pull?” Shin asked unable to suppress the intrigue and excitement in his voice.
“Towards the ocean,” Arthur explained like it was obvious “like I’m missing something.”
“And you feel that the ocean has that something?” Shin suggested
“Well,” Arthur thought about it “the one thing I do know is... Whatever the hell it is, I’m not going to find it on land.”
A flash of lightning danced across the sky followed closely by the boom of thunder. The rain came soon afterward. It fell large, heavy, and unrelenting the last struggling breaths of a tropical cyclone that had died at sea. Shin looked out at the window and then down back at his briefcase. Finishing the last of his tea, he rose to his feet.
“I hate to cut this month’s meeting short Arthur,” The doctor spoke as he rose to his feet “but I should really get going before the weather gets any worse.”
“It’s fine,” Arthur replied.“I should be heading back to the beach anyway.”
Arthur rose from his side of the booth, the table jerking back into proper alignment as the weight of his arms vanished. Next, to the rail-thin and aging shin, Arthur seemed impossibly large. He reached a hand out towards the Doctor who took it in a firm handshake. As soon as the hands made contact, Arthur pulled the Doctor into a hug slapping a hand across his back. When he released the doctor Arthur was now smiling his pensive expression gone.
“Try not to melt doctor.”
Doctor Shin shook his head but smiled none the less. He moved towards the diner’s door freezing to produce his umbrella. As he unfurled the umbrella ready bracing himself for the journey back to his car, he turned his head over his shoulder. “And you stay out of the water today! It’s dangerous even for you.”
Arthur grinned as he watched the old man disappear into the rain.
“A little rain never scared me.”
The click-clack of heels against tile announced his waitress’ return. The woman held a large tray aloft as she navigated the maze of booths and tables, the large mass of auburn hair gathered on her head swayed from side to side with each step. Drinks continued to disappear from the tray and by the time she reached Shin a single cup remained. Smiling she placed the white mug down.
“Your tea darlin’”
He grabbed a small plastic pod of milk kept from a bowl on the table and poured its contents into his cup. Shin couldn't drink tea straight in fact he didn't even particularly like tea, but with age, he had lost his ability to stomach coffee and needed another way to please his caffeine addiction. Satisfied, he tentatively took the warm cup in his hands and took a long sip. The entrance's automatic chime made Shin look up and let loose a sigh mixed with relief and agitation.
Arthur stood at the entrance surveying the room. His long blond hair pulled back into a messy ponytail paired with an equally large beard that while maintaining its shape appeared to be in the early stages of being overgrown. He wore an oversized black sweatshirt that proclaimed “I ❤️ SAN DIEGO” and a pair of ripped white boardshorts. Arthur’s spotlight gaze froze on Shin’s table and his face brightened with recognition. As he made large strides over towards him, Shin couldn’t help but shrink in his seat.
“Doctor Shin!” Arthur bellowed his voice filling the air. He plopped himself down on the bench across from the Doctor, a wide smile on his face. He rested his large elbows on the table causing the table to pitch towards him as Shin scramble to pick up his tea before it slid away from him.
“You are twenty minutes late Arthur!” Shin nearly shouted as he snatched up his tea.
“It wasn’t my fault this time!” Arthur protested, and Shin could only raise an eyebrow at him in disbelief. “I’m telling the truth! This girl, that I was with last night hadn’t woken up yet, and I didn’t want to disturb her rest.”
“A girl?” Shin questioned taking a longer sip of his tea. And we thought he was going to have problems acclimating...
“She was at the Mission Beach Boardwalk last night and lost her purse. I returned it to her and well...”
“Enough Arthur,” Shin insisted nearly spitting out his tea “I have little interest in hearing about your sexual escapades.”
“You’re the one that asked!”
The two sat in silence for a long afterward. In many ways, Arthur was like the son that Shin had never had the time to have. He’d seen the boy grow through the decades helping shape him from a feral beast into a productive member of society. Despite his own paternal instincts, he knew that Arthur did not feel the same way. When their relationship was in better states, such as now, he saw him at best as only a friend, somebody to swap stories of your triumphs in the bedroom and beyond with. The silence was interrupted with the click-clack heels of the waitress returned, summoned back into existence to attend to her new customer.
“What do you want sweetie?” The waitress asked as she produced her pad and pencil.
“Well, I assume you are off the menu?” Arthur asked with a sly smile.
“Honey, I have kids your age” The Waitress fired back shaking her head but smiling, nonetheless.
“Has not stopped me before” Arthur started with a smile.“Though if I can’t have you, a cup of orange juice and scrambled eggs suits me fine.”
“One glass of OJ and some eggs coming straight up.” The women sounded back with a wink as she scribbled the order down on her pad and walked away. The click-clack of her heels fading into the clattering cutlery and hushed mid-morning conversations of the other patrons.
“Are you finished?” Questioned Shin as he looked up from his iPad,
“What?!”
The waitress returned a few minutes later with the orange juice and eggs. Arthur was upon his meal the moment that it was set on the table. Shin’s team had managed to teach him how to use a fork and knife, but they never found a way to tamper the way which he enthusiastically and viciously tore at any food that was given to him. It seemed like two Arthur’s doled in and out of reality in front of Shin in real time. The boy that he had found and the man that he had become.
He would be hard pressed to imagine that the little boy that his team found all those years ago would become the broad-shouldered giant that sat across from him. Last time they performed a physical on him they found his cardiovascular health and muscle density were on par if not exceeding the levels of most Olympic athletes. It reminded him of a talk given by Charles Xavier about his fabled ‘X-Gene’ at a conference at Stanford. But this wasn’t just a singular gene, Arthur’s entire DNA was slightly off in several areas. The team still wasn’t done analyzing the results yet, but it was almost as Arthur wasn't even fully human.
“How have things been going Arthur?” Shin asked his voice taking on a more professional demeanor as he pressed a button to start a recording app on his iPad.
“Oh you know,” Arthur started between mouthfuls of eggs.“Still too early in the season for most people to wanna get into the water so business isn't exactly booming. Though I do get that stipend from the state as part of your research, so I'm not worried.”
“That’s good to hear,” Shin responded making a note before continuing “and are you happy?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? I get to wake up every day with the sand between my toes and breath in the ocean air. That’s a pretty enviable life if you ask me.”
“And are you satisfied with your current life?”
“....”
The silence that followed surprised Shin. The broad shoulders that Shin himself was examining a few moments ago seemed to sag beneath a colossal and unseen weight. Arthur’s gaze turned away from him looking up towards the dark skies above. His seemed focused on an unseen spot amongst the storm front. He tapped his fingers against the table in small rhythmic pulses with no set time interval between them.
“I guess...” He took a long sip of orange juice “I guess I’ve been feeling a pull recently.”
“A pull?” Shin asked unable to suppress the intrigue and excitement in his voice.
“Towards the ocean,” Arthur explained like it was obvious “like I’m missing something.”
“And you feel that the ocean has that something?” Shin suggested
“Well,” Arthur thought about it “the one thing I do know is... Whatever the hell it is, I’m not going to find it on land.”
A flash of lightning danced across the sky followed closely by the boom of thunder. The rain came soon afterward. It fell large, heavy, and unrelenting the last struggling breaths of a tropical cyclone that had died at sea. Shin looked out at the window and then down back at his briefcase. Finishing the last of his tea, he rose to his feet.
“I hate to cut this month’s meeting short Arthur,” The doctor spoke as he rose to his feet “but I should really get going before the weather gets any worse.”
“It’s fine,” Arthur replied.“I should be heading back to the beach anyway.”
Arthur rose from his side of the booth, the table jerking back into proper alignment as the weight of his arms vanished. Next, to the rail-thin and aging shin, Arthur seemed impossibly large. He reached a hand out towards the Doctor who took it in a firm handshake. As soon as the hands made contact, Arthur pulled the Doctor into a hug slapping a hand across his back. When he released the doctor Arthur was now smiling his pensive expression gone.
“Try not to melt doctor.”
Doctor Shin shook his head but smiled none the less. He moved towards the diner’s door freezing to produce his umbrella. As he unfurled the umbrella ready bracing himself for the journey back to his car, he turned his head over his shoulder. “And you stay out of the water today! It’s dangerous even for you.”
Arthur grinned as he watched the old man disappear into the rain.
“A little rain never scared me.”
P O S T C A T L O G:
N/A
Y'all still looking? I've yet to know who I want to try out as other than some shoddy spider-gwen knockoff, but y'all already have a web slinger so I'm now reliving my childhood to see who I want to try out.
GM
Lord Wraith Actually Three Otters in a Trenchcoat
Member
Seen
4 hrs ago
Y'all still looking? I've yet to know who I want to try out as other than some shoddy spider-gwen knockoff, but y'all already have a web slinger so I'm now reliving my childhood to see who I want to try out.
We're still accepting applications yes, just keep in mind only applications for canon characters are being accepted. While you're allowed a certain degree of reimaging, the character should still be recognizable so a 'knockoff' wouldn't be considered but an alternate take would be.
<Snipped quote by KiwiTime>
We're still accepting applications yes, just keep in mind only applications for canon characters are being accepted. While you're allowed a certain degree of reimaging, the character should still be recognizable so a 'knockoff' wouldn't be considered but an alternate take would be.
Oh I understand that, just messing around with my choice of words. I'm not gonna try and go full on OC on y'all. If I was, I'd post my own Interest Check
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Lord Wraith Actually Three Otters in a Trenchcoat
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Oh I understand that, just messing around with my choice of words. I'm not gonna try and go full on OC on y'all. If I was, I'd post my own Interest Check
No worries, just figured I'd be clear just in case. Had a few cases of people applying as OCs so better to make sure you're aware up front then let you waste time on a CS I can't accept. Glad to see this was not the case.
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@Inkarnate@Lord Wraith Do we have a solid location for Metropolis? I've been assuming Delaware but I've also heard everywhere from Jersey to Massachusetts.
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Lord Wraith Actually Three Otters in a Trenchcoat
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@Inkarnate@Lord Wraith Do we have a solid location for Metropolis? I've been assuming Delaware but I've also heard everywhere from Jersey to Massachusetts.
Gotham is New Jersey, Metropolis is Delaware.
Ceta de Cloyes Roziphontes
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Danke !
webboysurf Live, Laugh, Love
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Modified to remove Punisher-related content, at Co-Gm's request
”Forgive me father… for I have sinned. I have had to do the Lord’s work in culling those who violate his laws. My hands are stained red with the blood of sinners, father. I know that God wills it, but doing what the Lord requires is so difficult, father. I beg for his forgiveness.”
The confessionals were cramped, and a thin screen divided the two small chambers so that neither individual could get a good look at the other. The confessor hadn’t even bothered to remove his gear, still wearing a ballistic vest with camouflage military fatigues and a sidearm strapped to his belt. On the other side of the screen, the priest simply nodded his head slowly as he pondered his next move. After a deep breath, the priest’s words lacked any hint of emotion. ”You are not forgiven.”
The confessor tilted his head slightly as he saw movement on the other side of the screen. ”I don’t think this is how confessi-“
Before he could even finish his statement, two gunshots rang out in the entirety of the church. The confessor slumped over in his confessional, while a red-haired man dressed in priestly garb kicked the door of his confessional open and began opening fire on the militia that had gathered inside the Church. The vigilante soldiers barely had time to react as the priest fired with expert aim, bullets piercing the skulls of various soldiers before they could even clutch at their own weapons. The priest briskly approached the stone altar as he fired, ducking behind it just as the seven militia men left standing had turned the safeties off their automatic rifles and began firing.
The priest quickly stripped off his outer robe, revealing a ballistic vest decked out with magazines and grenades over the traditional black button up shirt and white collar. Roy reloaded his two sidearms as the sounds of gunfire and bullets penetrating the altar behind him pierced his ear drums. He had grown accustomed to the noise at this point, though it was never a sound that he had grown to enjoy. After a few moments, Roy smiled as he heard the familiar sound of empty clips. He sprung back up, and fired six shots. Six of the seven remaining hostiles fell to the ground dead. The final one simply drew his own sidearms quickly and pointed them at Roy.
This last man standing was dressed slightly differently from his fellow soldiers. Unlike the, he wore a white mask that was designed to resemble a cross between a dog and a hockey mask. He had more firearms on his person, along with a machete and a metal baseball bat. The two men kept their guns trained on each other, refusing to even turn their gazes away or blink. After what felt like a small eternity, Roy’s target spoke. ”You walk into our territory, dress yourself up like a priest, shoot my boys and you think you can just kill me and walk out of here? You must be a whole new breed of stupid, boy.”
Roy gave a small smile as he slowly inched around the altar to get closer, his guns always locked in his target’s direction. ”Stupid, not really. Borderline psychotic and pissed off to no end, absolutely. You see, you killed someone I cared about more than life itself, Jack Wheeler. So I’m going to put you and your little group of Watchdogs down like the animals you are.”
Time seemed to move in slow motion as Roy’s grip on his sidearms loosened. He let them go and reached his hands towards his vest, managing to clutch on to two grenades with pins hooked on to his clothing. As he yanked on the explosives, he instinctively ducked to his right. He gave two quick tosses of the grenades just as he felt the first bullet impact against the ballistic vest over his left pectoral. Another protected hit was felt against his gut, and then another in his leg. Roy didn’t have much time to process the pain as he managed to nimbly catch the gun he had dropped in mid-air with his left hand. With an aim that seemed almost inhuman, Roy tracked one of the grenades with the sidearm’s barrel until it got within a few feet of the Wild Dog. A single pull of the trigger, and time returned back to normal.
The combined explosion of both grenades sent a shockwave of force and shrapnel ripping through the pews of the rural church. Roy felt wood splinter into exposed parts of his skin as he was sent rolling backwards towards the altar again, coughing and wheezing. The pain was excruciating as he fought back waves of nausea and a splitting headache to try and focus his vision on his former opponent. Roy saw a mangled body writhing in pain in the center of the church, and began approaching the injured target while hobbling along on his feet. Around the edges of the impact area, flames from the incendiary grenade’s detonation began to light on the pews of the rural church.
The Wild Dog’s mask had been blown open in part, revealing the terrified eyes of a man who seemed to be about Roy’s age. The terrorist was breathing ragged breaths, trying to gurgle out some words through his blood-filled mouth that Roy couldn’t comprehend. The vigilante had little room for empathy as he lowered the barrel of his firearm towards his target’s now-exposed forehead, gritting his teeth in both anger and an effort to cope with his pain. ”This is for Toni, you son of a bitch.” One final gunshot rang out from the Church, and Roy’s work was done.
Roy Harper slowly hobbled out of the Church’s open front doors, ripping off the ballistic vest after stuffing the sidearm into the back of his pants. He tossed the vest into the back of a partially-rusted pick-up truck lazily parked along a gravel parking section near the Church’s entrance. The vigilante lazily opened the unlocked door and hoisted himself up into the truck’s driver’s seat. The truck’s keys had graciously been left in the ignition, providing Roy the opportunity to start the truck and begin peeling away from the now burning church.
C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L
A R S E N A L
R O Y H A R P E R ♦ M I L L I O N A I R E / V I G I L A N T E
S T A R C I T Y / V A R I O U S, U S A ♦ I N D E P E N D E N T
S T A R C I T Y / V A R I O U S, U S A ♦ I N D E P E N D E N T
C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:
"I was building military grade weaponry before I got my first erection, asshat."
What happens when you put the stress of trying to save a city or even the world on a child? You inevitably get a washed up addict forced into service in SHIELD after getting sober. Roy Harper used to be a sign that even teenagers could take a stand against evil, but now is a reminder of the costs involved. His current goals are now to settle personal scores and try to reclaim his own legacy.
This Roy Harper has taken on the name “Arsenal” after rejecting his former sidekick persona of “Speedy.” He is a technical genius and a loose canon, using his work as a vigilante to exorcise his personal demons. His origin story is meant to remain somewhat ambiguous (for good reason). At the same time, Roy Harper’s story is somewhat connected to that of SHIELD’s Initiative Program, as mentioned in Captain America’s first volume. In terms of what to expect, Roy never backs down from a fight or challenge and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. That being said, he is typically clever enough to formulate a solution to any problem, be it physically or through an improvised plan of attack.
This Roy Harper has taken on the name “Arsenal” after rejecting his former sidekick persona of “Speedy.” He is a technical genius and a loose canon, using his work as a vigilante to exorcise his personal demons. His origin story is meant to remain somewhat ambiguous (for good reason). At the same time, Roy Harper’s story is somewhat connected to that of SHIELD’s Initiative Program, as mentioned in Captain America’s first volume. In terms of what to expect, Roy never backs down from a fight or challenge and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. That being said, he is typically clever enough to formulate a solution to any problem, be it physically or through an improvised plan of attack.
C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:
Roy’s story will look to complicate the nature of vigilantism and teenage sidekicks. It will highlight both the romanticized notions of the “golden age” of heroes through extended flashback sequences, while also addressing the harsher realities of modern comics. As for Roy’s motivations, he will be primarily focused on dealing with personal grudges from his past while trying to understand what role he has in a world that doesn’t like or accept him. Roy’s first arc will involve a personal search of self-discovery in his attempt to retire from the vigilante lifestyle permanently, before realizing that he can never escape from who he is and who he was.
C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:
Roy Harper: Originally the sidekick Speedy for Oliver Queen’s vigilante alter-ego The Green Arrow, Roy is now an honorably discharged SHIELD agent battling his former addictions to alcohol and opioids. He still has millions of dollars at his disposal from when Q-Core (a subsidiary of Queen Industries) bought out his stock shares. Roy now operates under the alias “Arsenal” due to his vast array of weaponry and gear.
Supporting Cast:
Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow): A former mentor of Roy and occasional informant for the vigilante.
Grace Choi: A half-Amazonian biker roaming the country. Joins Roy on his personal quest for vengeance.
Mia Dearden: A fellow orphan and kid from the streets who gets in over her head and turns to the vigilante for assistance.
Antonia Monetti (Deceased): A mutant with the powers of energy projection and manipulation assassinated while visiting family in New Jersey. Once had an intimate relationship with Roy, and served alongside him in the Initiative Program.
Agent Phil Coulson: Responsible for “Asset Attainment” within SHIELD and one of the lead agents working on Director Mace’s Initiative Program. Acted as Roy’s former supervisor, and recruited the vigilante as a chance to help him “Do the Right Thing.”
Oliver Queen [Missing]: The former foster father of Roy Harper, and former vigilante known as The Green Arrow. Formerly the CEO of Queen Industries. Disappeared mysteriously months ago after a reported fight between Merlyn and the Green Arrow.
Supporting Cast:
Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow): A former mentor of Roy and occasional informant for the vigilante.
Grace Choi: A half-Amazonian biker roaming the country. Joins Roy on his personal quest for vengeance.
Mia Dearden: A fellow orphan and kid from the streets who gets in over her head and turns to the vigilante for assistance.
Antonia Monetti (Deceased): A mutant with the powers of energy projection and manipulation assassinated while visiting family in New Jersey. Once had an intimate relationship with Roy, and served alongside him in the Initiative Program.
Agent Phil Coulson: Responsible for “Asset Attainment” within SHIELD and one of the lead agents working on Director Mace’s Initiative Program. Acted as Roy’s former supervisor, and recruited the vigilante as a chance to help him “Do the Right Thing.”
Oliver Queen [Missing]: The former foster father of Roy Harper, and former vigilante known as The Green Arrow. Formerly the CEO of Queen Industries. Disappeared mysteriously months ago after a reported fight between Merlyn and the Green Arrow.
The Serpent Society
Jack Wheeler (Wild Dog) [Deceased]
Constantine Drakon
Jade Nguyen (Cheshire)
David Drayson (Slingshot)
Malcolm Merlyn (Merlyn)
The Dark Archer
Simon Lacroix (Komodo)
Werner Zytle (Count Vertigo)
Red Dart
Crossfire
Jack Wheeler (Wild Dog) [Deceased]
Constantine Drakon
Jade Nguyen (Cheshire)
David Drayson (Slingshot)
Malcolm Merlyn (Merlyn)
The Dark Archer
Simon Lacroix (Komodo)
Werner Zytle (Count Vertigo)
Red Dart
Crossfire
S A M P L E P O S T:
Christ the Redeemer Church, Granville, Kansas - Present Day
Issue 1.01.01: Take me to Church
Interaction(s): None
Previously: None
”Forgive me father… for I have sinned. I have had to do the Lord’s work in culling those who violate his laws. My hands are stained red with the blood of sinners, father. I know that God wills it, but doing what the Lord requires is so difficult, father. I beg for his forgiveness.”
The confessionals were cramped, and a thin screen divided the two small chambers so that neither individual could get a good look at the other. The confessor hadn’t even bothered to remove his gear, still wearing a ballistic vest with camouflage military fatigues and a sidearm strapped to his belt. On the other side of the screen, the priest simply nodded his head slowly as he pondered his next move. After a deep breath, the priest’s words lacked any hint of emotion. ”You are not forgiven.”
The confessor tilted his head slightly as he saw movement on the other side of the screen. ”I don’t think this is how confessi-“
Before he could even finish his statement, two gunshots rang out in the entirety of the church. The confessor slumped over in his confessional, while a red-haired man dressed in priestly garb kicked the door of his confessional open and began opening fire on the militia that had gathered inside the Church. The vigilante soldiers barely had time to react as the priest fired with expert aim, bullets piercing the skulls of various soldiers before they could even clutch at their own weapons. The priest briskly approached the stone altar as he fired, ducking behind it just as the seven militia men left standing had turned the safeties off their automatic rifles and began firing.
The priest quickly stripped off his outer robe, revealing a ballistic vest decked out with magazines and grenades over the traditional black button up shirt and white collar. Roy reloaded his two sidearms as the sounds of gunfire and bullets penetrating the altar behind him pierced his ear drums. He had grown accustomed to the noise at this point, though it was never a sound that he had grown to enjoy. After a few moments, Roy smiled as he heard the familiar sound of empty clips. He sprung back up, and fired six shots. Six of the seven remaining hostiles fell to the ground dead. The final one simply drew his own sidearms quickly and pointed them at Roy.
This last man standing was dressed slightly differently from his fellow soldiers. Unlike the, he wore a white mask that was designed to resemble a cross between a dog and a hockey mask. He had more firearms on his person, along with a machete and a metal baseball bat. The two men kept their guns trained on each other, refusing to even turn their gazes away or blink. After what felt like a small eternity, Roy’s target spoke. ”You walk into our territory, dress yourself up like a priest, shoot my boys and you think you can just kill me and walk out of here? You must be a whole new breed of stupid, boy.”
Roy gave a small smile as he slowly inched around the altar to get closer, his guns always locked in his target’s direction. ”Stupid, not really. Borderline psychotic and pissed off to no end, absolutely. You see, you killed someone I cared about more than life itself, Jack Wheeler. So I’m going to put you and your little group of Watchdogs down like the animals you are.”
Time seemed to move in slow motion as Roy’s grip on his sidearms loosened. He let them go and reached his hands towards his vest, managing to clutch on to two grenades with pins hooked on to his clothing. As he yanked on the explosives, he instinctively ducked to his right. He gave two quick tosses of the grenades just as he felt the first bullet impact against the ballistic vest over his left pectoral. Another protected hit was felt against his gut, and then another in his leg. Roy didn’t have much time to process the pain as he managed to nimbly catch the gun he had dropped in mid-air with his left hand. With an aim that seemed almost inhuman, Roy tracked one of the grenades with the sidearm’s barrel until it got within a few feet of the Wild Dog. A single pull of the trigger, and time returned back to normal.
The combined explosion of both grenades sent a shockwave of force and shrapnel ripping through the pews of the rural church. Roy felt wood splinter into exposed parts of his skin as he was sent rolling backwards towards the altar again, coughing and wheezing. The pain was excruciating as he fought back waves of nausea and a splitting headache to try and focus his vision on his former opponent. Roy saw a mangled body writhing in pain in the center of the church, and began approaching the injured target while hobbling along on his feet. Around the edges of the impact area, flames from the incendiary grenade’s detonation began to light on the pews of the rural church.
The Wild Dog’s mask had been blown open in part, revealing the terrified eyes of a man who seemed to be about Roy’s age. The terrorist was breathing ragged breaths, trying to gurgle out some words through his blood-filled mouth that Roy couldn’t comprehend. The vigilante had little room for empathy as he lowered the barrel of his firearm towards his target’s now-exposed forehead, gritting his teeth in both anger and an effort to cope with his pain. ”This is for Toni, you son of a bitch.” One final gunshot rang out from the Church, and Roy’s work was done.
Roy Harper slowly hobbled out of the Church’s open front doors, ripping off the ballistic vest after stuffing the sidearm into the back of his pants. He tossed the vest into the back of a partially-rusted pick-up truck lazily parked along a gravel parking section near the Church’s entrance. The vigilante lazily opened the unlocked door and hoisted himself up into the truck’s driver’s seat. The truck’s keys had graciously been left in the ignition, providing Roy the opportunity to start the truck and begin peeling away from the now burning church.
P O S T C A T L O G:
Coming Soon.
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Lord Wraith Actually Three Otters in a Trenchcoat
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And the award for best quip goes to...
"I was building military grade weaponry before I got my first erection, asshat."
Dammit, I was just in the middle of writing up an earlier Oliver Queen Green Arrow app too. Why is it that every time I try to make a character it gets derailed....
webboysurf Live, Laugh, Love
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5 hrs ago
Dammit, I was just in the middle of writing up an earlier Oliver Queen Green Arrow app too. Why is it that every time I try to make a character it gets derailed....
Sorry mate, I've been working on apping for Roy since the RP was kicked off but ended up going with my Cap idea instead to start things off. I could remove any ties to Oliver in my current plans, but that would also complicate things and Roy's story sort of requires an older and more experienced Green Arrow.
There's a lot of Arrow Family left, if you still want to take up residence in Star City or Seattle as the Green or Red Arrow.
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