Sounds great. I plan to get my personal Black Cat post up tomorrow, and I'll immediately be jumping into a couple plots that will tie-in to the general RP narrative the DMs have planned, as well as require a couple collaborative efforts with some other players.
Which begs the question, how public is Matt's identity as Daredevil?
L E T H A L P R O T E C T O REdward Brock/Venom ♦ Symbiote ♦ Alphabet City, East Village ♦C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:"WE AR BONDED, EDDIE. IN DEATH, ONLY WILL WE PART."Edward 'Eddie' Brock sought religion, as he had always done, for forgiveness before he went through with his plan. After being laid off from the Daily Bugle and realizing his future had been destined for failure, he wandered into Our Lady of Saints Church for a final prayer before intending to commit suicide. Instead, he encountered an alien presence that bonded with him in body and mind, driven by hatred and despair for both Spider-Man and Peter Parker. And what emerged for that church was a revitalized man fueled by venom for the vigilante webhead and his former work rival. For four long years, this relentless campaign swept through the streets of New York City, unleashing a wave of fear and terror that targeted not just him but those he held dear. But the spite was starting to run dry as it was a constant cycle of bitter violence. That was around the time when Carnage arrived.
Carnage was a terrifying creature, the ultimate killer driven by an insatiable bloodlust. Eddie and the symbiote initially planned on neutralizing them to learn about their origins, but they were overwhelmed and witnessed harm coming to Eddie's former fiancée, Anne Weying. Desperate for vengeance, they turned to the web-slinger for assistance in stopping the other symbiote. And in the end, in an act to protect Parker's loved ones, Venom tackled Carnage into a fire that seemingly killed both of them. But that wasn't the case. They found themselves washed up on the shores of Massachusetts. Instead of returning to New York, Eddie and the symbiote embarked on a journey of healing and redefining their future—one rid of the malign and despair that brought them together.
Now, after a decade away, hiding away from the world had become tiresome as the march of time was leaving its mark.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:Venom had always been one of the favorite comic superheroes to read as well as write about. I wanna focus on an older, somewhat mature Venom/Eddie who finally took the time to reflect on his behavior and decided to return home. At the same time, I was sorta inspired by the three-issue run of Venom: On Trial and the six-issue Venom: Lethal Protector. Additionally, I wanna be able to mesh well with Spider-Man, too, thus being older.C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:Anne Weying: Ever since her encounter with Carnage, Anne moved out of New York City in favor of San Francisco to move on with her life from the incident. Eddie tried to rekindle their friendship years, but it was better for them to maintain the distance.
Carl Brock: Somehow, the old bastard was still breathing and living relatively comfortably. Eddie hasn't talked to his father since being told how much of a disgrace he had become after getting laid off. The two haven't met since that night.
Carlton Drake: A billionaire who created the Life Foundation, an organization dedicated to safeguarding its ultra-rich clientele in the event of societal collapse. He is willing to spend much to achieve the ideal security system for himself and his clients.
Roland Treece: Another billionaire who founded Treece International, a construction corporation, and a client and investor of the Life Foundation. His company recently secured a lucrative contract with the city to sweep homeless encampments.
Patricia Tilby: Talented television reporter and investigative journalist made famous for her coverage of gentrification in District X that exclusively targeted the mutated population. Recently, she began investigating the underground homeless community.S A M P L E P O S T:VENOMLIBERTY STATE PARK, JERSEY CITYHOMECOMINGHome stood before them, with the New York City skyline remarkably unchanged from a decade since their departure. The moment Eddie Brock laid eyes on the city, a whirlwind of emotions came flooding in all at once—bittersweet memories previously subdued emerged with vivid intensity. He swallowed it all up and resisted the urge to rip up his ferry ticket on the spot and run back to some hidey-hole where he could quietly fade away from the world. Yet, deep down, he knew he had to carry out the choice he'd made, no matter how idiotic it seemed. But more importantly, there was someone else in his life he couldn't readily ignore.
That cost ten bucks, Eddie. Consider that before you rip it up.
The familiar, powerful growl reverberated within him, providing a sense of much-needed warmth. Admittedly, their relentless presence was jarring at first, their voice always looming, ready to assert itself or chime in with their thoughts all of a sudden. More often than not, it was the burden of negative emotions that fueled their commentary, turning them more bloodthirsty and fierce. It took the brink of death for Eddie to realize how much it had become a problem entirely, and it took years of tumultuous coexistence for him and the symbiote to finally carve out an understanding. Though even after all that, insatiable cravings still lingered, especially for indulgent delights such as double chocolate cake.
We take offense at that inaccurate statement; they rumbled, with a sharp yet playful edge to their tone.
"Noted," Eddie quipped, drawing a baffled glance from a stranger reading a newspaper. He shrugged it off; he was well-acquainted with the quizzical reactions that came his way whenever he spoke aloud in public. At first, it had gnawed at him enough to make the symbiote morph some earphones, just so he could talk openly without being assumed weird. But as time passed and his bond with them deepened, the stares and whispers faded into mere background noise.
Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket, and a notification flashed on the screen: the ferry to Manhattan would arrive at the port in five minutes. Eddied tucked his phone away and took a deep breath, ready to embrace whatever awaited him on the other side. Perhaps, once settled, he'd celebrate the occasion with that double chocolate cake; it seemed fitting, although the mere thought alone made him groan a little for some reason.
You thought of it first, Venom teased.
Detached Gwen from her 'here to recruit you to an interdimensional war' introduction that's usual for her among a few other changes I feel work for the rp. Hope this works as an idea.G H O S T S P I D E R
Gwendolyn Maxine "Gwen" Stacy 🕷 Interdimensional Fugitive / Biochem Student / Musician 🕷 Manhatten / QueensC H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:"How's That Manhunt For Me Going?"With a few years of the superhero life under her belt, this version of Gwen Stacy was just hitting her strider as her dimensions one and only Spider-Woman. She navigated those awkward early years with all the disputes with her friends and family and daring escapades that many versions of Peter Parker also share. For a moment it might look like she'd even finally began to move past the grief and shame of her best friend's death, in her personal life she was several years into college and as the hero Spiderwoman she was truly starting to make a difference. Then everything went wrong. Harry Osborne returned to New York, aligning with both NYPD Captain Frank Castle and the new Kingpin, Matt Murdock, in their shared aim to bring an end to Spider-Woman. New York became a conflict zone of increasingly extreme proportions as the trio expended their great reserves of resources and ambition in their aim, culminating in a plot that began to pull the very fabric of their reality apart. In her efforts to prevent disaster, Gwen Stacy has ended up stranded in another dimension, but with little but hurtful memories to return to and in the interest of protecting her embattled father, Gwen is in little rush to return home, instead lost in the present of this new reality.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:With a more grown up Spider-man present in the game, I thought it would be interesting to play a Spider-Gwen who's also further along in her story than she's usually portrayed both in wider media and her own comics. Rather than a fresh superhero before being thrust into interdimensional threats, her displacement is a result of conflicts directly tied to her journey as Spider-woman. Rather than a High School senior or first year college student, she's made it through half a decade of Spidering, starting to just about get a handle on the usual Spiderperson issues of being chased by the law and balancing her personal life before being displaced. She's not entirely upset about her situation, however, seeing her separation from her friends and family as a neccesary evil to keep them safe from the increasingly hostile reality of her home. The stories I want to tell are the consequences of a well meaning Spider-Gwen unmoored from her reality, yet still wishing to do good, as well as the struggles of living in a reality where you don't legally exist, at least not among the living. I want to deal with the very early process of this, rather than start her mostly on the way to making a new home.C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:Spider-Woman, or Ghost Spider as she will style herself in this new reality, shares the generic abilities of Spider-people, although as with any of those she puts her own spin on her approach. A ballet dancer through high school and a musician beyond that she exhibits a style which is athletic and graceful in a rhythmic sense. Her webshooters and suit are gifts from her dimensions Janet Van Dyne and so provide a few more unique abilities, the formers able to recharge overtime without the need for her to create her own webfluid, and the later able to shift colour at her will, alongside extendable glider wings from beneath her arms when required.
- Captain Stacy: Now retired, George Stacy is Gwen's father and only parent following the death of her mother. Previously in charge of the taskforce put together to catch Spider-Woman, George was eventually dismissed in favour of Frank Castle. His relationship with Gwen was strained by their differences but close in bond, until in the passing moments of Gwen's time within her own dimension she admitted her identity to her father. She never saw her father again before her final confrontation with Harry, but the fall out of the reveal no doubt contributes to her lack of desire to seek a way home.
- Peter Parker: Her best friend in High School and her greatest failure, during Gwen's early years as Spider-Woman she fought with the Lizard, who turned out to be Peter. The later did not survive and she's carried the guilt with her.
- The Mary Janes: Gwen's band and her longest last friends. Gwen's secret identity and life as Spider-woman created a great deal of conflict between herself and her other bandmates during the later years of High School, but the maturity of the following years lead to a greater degree of balance. While she may miss them, she now sees her absence as a way to protect them from what Harry may be willing to do to hurt her, as he narrowed in on her identity.
- Janet Van Dyne: Retired hero and role model to Spider-Woman, Janet took a chance on a young woman caught between self aggrandisement and doing some real good in the city of New York. The tech required for Gwen to be Spider-woman was Van Dyne make and Janet is the only person back home for Gwen who has any idea of what has happened to both Spider-woman and Gwen Stacy.
- No Way Home: The trio of Harry Osborne, Frank Castle and Matt Murdock united in their desire to rid New York of Spider-woman, for very different reasons. Frank Castle, the obsessed police captain who blamed her for a series of embarrassing failures for the PDNY put aside his differences to unite with the new Kingpin, Frank Castle, who had once hoped to recruit Spider-woman to his cause. The final member, Harry Osborne, spent years away from New York training to take vengeance on the hero he blamed for his best friend's death, combined with the vast resources of OsCorp. Originally a private agreement, this triumvirate eventually became a public force in New York, wielding increasingly large political power to achieve their end. Harry's eventual plan, involving the use of a Super-Collider to punch through to realities where living, and superpowered, Peter Parker's may reside, is the plot which resulted in Gwen being stranded in this reality. Gwen has little idea of what now occurs back home, but the Trio continue to exert influence across that alternate New York.
- Make The Most Of It: Gwen hasn't been in this version of New York to establish her own identity or true rivals, but already the whispers of a new crimefighter herald her presence on the scene. She's starting small, but once she's sure her presence isn't about to cause any sort of dimensional collapse, she's going to come out swinging.
S A M P L E P O S T:“Ow Ow Ow……Hey EmmJay”
It wasn’t every day you had your face bashed up against a scaled up LED version of your best friend’s face, plus a decade or so, while trying to fight a slightly wrong version of one of your longest running enemies. Not every day, but definitely this day.
Gwen only had a moment to give her greetings to the large advertisement of her frontwoman’s face before she was bouncing away from it, propelled by the force of the impact. It was an embarrassing hit, even with spider sense to warn her, she’d been rather distracted by the revelation her roommate of days gone past was apparently now a movie star. Still, radioactive spider enhanced endurance meant that she’d recovered before she struck the ground, pirouetting through the air to land in a crouch.
“Your movements are fluid, a dancer then, that is new.” The voice carried over the sound of the city all around them as a gust of rushing wind brought the Vulture down close by. Not her Vulture, but definitely still ‘a’ Vulture.’
“Yeah well, these glutes didn’t come out of the Spider too.” Gwen snapped back as she was already moving, a handstand spring forward as winged villain landed, launching over his head as he did so. Two strands of webs fired out from his hands, momentary linking the Vulture’s suit by wing tips to ground. The strands held for long enough for her to complete her landing with a kick to the back of the man’s head, sending him sprawling forwards. “I can recommend a work out plan, because even for you, you look like you might need a bit of a health check, Adrian.” It was true enough. ‘Her’ Adrian might have literally had red eyes, but this one looked like he’d aged his whole life all again at once.
The Vulture was quick to recover though, the momentum of their fall turning into their own roll, before launching into the air in a spear tackle towards her. “New, but just as annoying.” He snarled with grim purpose.
“Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint.” She was already aware of the presence of an alternate ‘her’ in an established hero donning the spider motif, Gwen presumed this was what the Vulture referred to as she dove to the side, the motion turning into a forward roll as she spun back onto her feet, just in time to launch another pair of strands to add to her building web binding the Vulture to the ground. It was already beginning to prevent him from lifting off in full, just a little longer and she could probably wrap this up.
There was a frustration to his movement and actions which suggested more than just her wit getting under his skin, he seemed surprised at the effectiveness of the webbing. Perhaps a different formula, some things would have to be different in this place, no matter how it still looked like her city.
“I don’t know how you know him….but I’ll make you regret this.” The wizened Vulture snapped, lunging out for her once more. This time she slipped under him, two further lashings of web now to his ankles as she did, an incoming trip as she swung out the other end and the Vulture crashed forwards.
“Would you believe me if I said we’re entirely unrelated?”
The muffled sound from beneath the collapsed form of the Vulture certainly sounded like it was closer to a negative.
“Fair enough I suppose…Well…you sit there. I’m sure someone’s noticed this by now.” It would be hard to consider otherwise, Gwen had been swinging around the city, getting her bearings, when the Vulture had struck, possibly confusing her for ‘this place’ counterpart from a distance. A very public mid air crash sending her spiraling into a neon glowing advertisement was hardly a subtle start to a brawl. She didn’t have the best relationship with the PDNY back home, she somewhat doubted her ability to explain her situation to law enforcement here either. “Stay in school, Adrian!” She called out before zipping away, well before the ubiquitous sirens of New Yrok drew closer.
She’d already decided she needed to find a way to rent these Jackpot films.
The only issue was she doubted her credit card was interdimensional.
<Snipped quote by Ezekiel>
While actively doing multiverse plots is well outside the scope of this game, we never explicitly said "no multiverse characters," and from your app it looks like that isn't going to be a main plot focus for Gwen. As long as it's understood that the interdimensional stuff is just how she got here rather than the main thing she's doing, I think it'll pass muster.
Detached Gwen from her 'here to recruit you to an interdimensional war' introduction that's usual for her among a few other changes I feel work for the rp. Hope this works as an idea.G H O S T S P I D E R
Gwendolyn Maxine "Gwen" Stacy 🕷 Interdimensional Fugitive / Biochem Student / Musician 🕷 Manhatten / QueensC H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:"How's That Manhunt For Me Going?"With a few years of the superhero life under her belt, this version of Gwen Stacy was just hitting her strider as her dimensions one and only Spider-Woman. She navigated those awkward early years with all the disputes with her friends and family and daring escapades that many versions of Peter Parker also share. For a moment it might look like she'd even finally began to move past the grief and shame of her best friend's death, in her personal life she was several years into college and as the hero Spiderwoman she was truly starting to make a difference. Then everything went wrong. Harry Osborne returned to New York, aligning with both NYPD Captain Frank Castle and the new Kingpin, Matt Murdock, in their shared aim to bring an end to Spider-Woman. New York became a conflict zone of increasingly extreme proportions as the trio expended their great reserves of resources and ambition in their aim, culminating in a plot that began to pull the very fabric of their reality apart. In her efforts to prevent disaster, Gwen Stacy has ended up stranded in another dimension, but with little but hurtful memories to return to and in the interest of protecting her embattled father, Gwen is in little rush to return home, instead lost in the present of this new reality.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:With a more grown up Spider-man present in the game, I thought it would be interesting to play a Spider-Gwen who's also further along in her story than she's usually portrayed both in wider media and her own comics. Rather than a fresh superhero before being thrust into interdimensional threats, her displacement is a result of conflicts directly tied to her journey as Spider-woman. Rather than a High School senior or first year college student, she's made it through half a decade of Spidering, starting to just about get a handle on the usual Spiderperson issues of being chased by the law and balancing her personal life before being displaced. She's not entirely upset about her situation, however, seeing her separation from her friends and family as a neccesary evil to keep them safe from the increasingly hostile reality of her home. The stories I want to tell are the consequences of a well meaning Spider-Gwen unmoored from her reality, yet still wishing to do good, as well as the struggles of living in a reality where you don't legally exist, at least not among the living. I want to deal with the very early process of this, rather than start her mostly on the way to making a new home.C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:Spider-Woman, or Ghost Spider as she will style herself in this new reality, shares the generic abilities of Spider-people, although as with any of those she puts her own spin on her approach. A ballet dancer through high school and a musician beyond that she exhibits a style which is athletic and graceful in a rhythmic sense. Her webshooters and suit are gifts from her dimensions Janet Van Dyne and so provide a few more unique abilities, the formers able to recharge overtime without the need for her to create her own webfluid, and the later able to shift colour at her will, alongside extendable glider wings from beneath her arms when required.
- Captain Stacy: Now retired, George Stacy is Gwen's father and only parent following the death of her mother. Previously in charge of the taskforce put together to catch Spider-Woman, George was eventually dismissed in favour of Frank Castle. His relationship with Gwen was strained by their differences but close in bond, until in the passing moments of Gwen's time within her own dimension she admitted her identity to her father. She never saw her father again before her final confrontation with Harry, but the fall out of the reveal no doubt contributes to her lack of desire to seek a way home.
- Peter Parker: Her best friend in High School and her greatest failure, during Gwen's early years as Spider-Woman she fought with the Lizard, who turned out to be Peter. The later did not survive and she's carried the guilt with her.
- The Mary Janes: Gwen's band and her longest last friends. Gwen's secret identity and life as Spider-woman created a great deal of conflict between herself and her other bandmates during the later years of High School, but the maturity of the following years lead to a greater degree of balance. While she may miss them, she now sees her absence as a way to protect them from what Harry may be willing to do to hurt her, as he narrowed in on her identity.
- Janet Van Dyne: Retired hero and role model to Spider-Woman, Janet took a chance on a young woman caught between self aggrandisement and doing some real good in the city of New York. The tech required for Gwen to be Spider-woman was Van Dyne make and Janet is the only person back home for Gwen who has any idea of what has happened to both Spider-woman and Gwen Stacy.
- No Way Home: The trio of Harry Osborne, Frank Castle and Matt Murdock united in their desire to rid New York of Spider-woman, for very different reasons. Frank Castle, the obsessed police captain who blamed her for a series of embarrassing failures for the PDNY put aside his differences to unite with the new Kingpin, Frank Castle, who had once hoped to recruit Spider-woman to his cause. The final member, Harry Osborne, spent years away from New York training to take vengeance on the hero he blamed for his best friend's death, combined with the vast resources of OsCorp. Originally a private agreement, this triumvirate eventually became a public force in New York, wielding increasingly large political power to achieve their end. Harry's eventual plan, involving the use of a Super-Collider to punch through to realities where living, and superpowered, Peter Parker's may reside, is the plot which resulted in Gwen being stranded in this reality. Gwen has little idea of what now occurs back home, but the Trio continue to exert influence across that alternate New York.
- Make The Most Of It: Gwen hasn't been in this version of New York to establish her own identity or true rivals, but already the whispers of a new crimefighter herald her presence on the scene. She's starting small, but once she's sure her presence isn't about to cause any sort of dimensional collapse, she's going to come out swinging.
S A M P L E P O S T:“Ow Ow Ow……Hey EmmJay”
It wasn’t every day you had your face bashed up against a scaled up LED version of your best friend’s face, plus a decade or so, while trying to fight a slightly wrong version of one of your longest running enemies. Not every day, but definitely this day.
Gwen only had a moment to give her greetings to the large advertisement of her frontwoman’s face before she was bouncing away from it, propelled by the force of the impact. It was an embarrassing hit, even with spider sense to warn her, she’d been rather distracted by the revelation her roommate of days gone past was apparently now a movie star. Still, radioactive spider enhanced endurance meant that she’d recovered before she struck the ground, pirouetting through the air to land in a crouch.
“Your movements are fluid, a dancer then, that is new.” The voice carried over the sound of the city all around them as a gust of rushing wind brought the Vulture down close by. Not her Vulture, but definitely still ‘a’ Vulture.’
“Yeah well, these glutes didn’t come out of the Spider too.” Gwen snapped back as she was already moving, a handstand spring forward as winged villain landed, launching over his head as he did so. Two strands of webs fired out from his hands, momentary linking the Vulture’s suit by wing tips to ground. The strands held for long enough for her to complete her landing with a kick to the back of the man’s head, sending him sprawling forwards. “I can recommend a work out plan, because even for you, you look like you might need a bit of a health check, Adrian.” It was true enough. ‘Her’ Adrian might have literally had red eyes, but this one looked like he’d aged his whole life all again at once.
The Vulture was quick to recover though, the momentum of their fall turning into their own roll, before launching into the air in a spear tackle towards her. “New, but just as annoying.” He snarled with grim purpose.
“Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint.” She was already aware of the presence of an alternate ‘her’ in an established hero donning the spider motif, Gwen presumed this was what the Vulture referred to as she dove to the side, the motion turning into a forward roll as she spun back onto her feet, just in time to launch another pair of strands to add to her building web binding the Vulture to the ground. It was already beginning to prevent him from lifting off in full, just a little longer and she could probably wrap this up.
There was a frustration to his movement and actions which suggested more than just her wit getting under his skin, he seemed surprised at the effectiveness of the webbing. Perhaps a different formula, some things would have to be different in this place, no matter how it still looked like her city.
“I don’t know how you know him….but I’ll make you regret this.” The wizened Vulture snapped, lunging out for her once more. This time she slipped under him, two further lashings of web now to his ankles as she did, an incoming trip as she swung out the other end and the Vulture crashed forwards.
“Would you believe me if I said we’re entirely unrelated?”
The muffled sound from beneath the collapsed form of the Vulture certainly sounded like it was closer to a negative.
“Fair enough I suppose…Well…you sit there. I’m sure someone’s noticed this by now.” It would be hard to consider otherwise, Gwen had been swinging around the city, getting her bearings, when the Vulture had struck, possibly confusing her for ‘this place’ counterpart from a distance. A very public mid air crash sending her spiraling into a neon glowing advertisement was hardly a subtle start to a brawl. She didn’t have the best relationship with the PDNY back home, she somewhat doubted her ability to explain her situation to law enforcement here either. “Stay in school, Adrian!” She called out before zipping away, well before the ubiquitous sirens of New Yrok drew closer.
She’d already decided she needed to find a way to rent these Jackpot films.
The only issue was she doubted her credit card was interdimensional.
<Snipped quote by Ezekiel>
It's been 24 Hours, and the GMs have discussed it. Ghost Spider is APPROVED.
Now to get to work on actually posting.
I hope to have Hawkeye roll up to the fire in Brooklyn by tomorrow — I'm currently recovering from an illness that really took the wind out of me, but I'm eager to get started once I've rested up. Just swinging in with an update so no one thinks I'm dead!
I R O N F I S TDaniel Thomas "Danny" Rand ♦ CEO, Rand International; Owner, Thunder Dojo ♦ Manhattan ♦ Heroes for Hire, Inc.C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:"Yeah, yeah, Hydra is legion. But when was the last time you faced a dragon?"Born into immense wealth, Danny Rand's life was forever changed when accompanying his parents on a private flight to China. Wendell Rand, billionaire tycoon and Danny's father, was betrayed by his business partner, Harold Meachum, whom Wendell had been secretly investigating; Meachum arranged for the plane to crash over the Himalayas, hoping to eliminate the threat in an apparent accident. Danny and his mother, Heather, survived the crash, but were soon set upon by brutal cold and ravenous wolves. Heather was killed, and Danny would have perished as well -- save for the intervention of two monks, who rescued the 10 year-old boy.
The monks brought Danny to K'un-Lun, an extradimensional city accessible by Earth only once every 10 years. There, the orphan was taken in by the mystical city's Grand Master, Lei Kung the Thunderer, and trained in the martial arts. Danny focused all his pain into his training, eventually rising to become K'un-L'un's most fearless warrior and earning the right to face the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying. Upon defeating the dragon, Danny plunged his hands into a brazier containing Shou-Lao's heart and gained the power of the Iron Fist.
When the portal to Earth finally returned, Danny departed K'un-Lun for New York. There, as Danny, he inherited his rightful place at Rand-Meachum, and as Iron Fist, continued his father's investigation -- eventually uncovering Meachum's connection to a criminal organization known as the Hand. Meachum was assassinated before he could be brought to justice, a crime for which Iron Fist was framed. This brought Danny afoul of one Luke Cage; after proving Danny's innocence, the two teamed up to take down the bad guys, forming the basis of a lifelong friendship.
The rest, as they say, is history. Iron Fist and Luke Cage co-founded Heroes for Hire, Inc. Rand-Meachum was renamed Rand International and, under Danny's direction, began taking a more philosophical bent. Danny also used his wealth to establish the Thunder Dojo in Harlem, providing a safe haven for underserved communities. To this day, Danny continues to use both his identities to improve the lives of as many people as he can -- one punch at a time, when necessary.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've always enjoyed the duality of Iron Fist. He's a billionaire, but he does all his crime-fighting down on the street, often in the poorest neighborhoods of NYC. Besides the titular Iron Fist, his powers are relatively mundane, yet he also has a foot in the world of the weird and the mystical. He has honed his body and mind to an intense degree, and he's still sometimes an airhead. I like playing with the "man of two worlds" aspect of the character, while never losing sight of the grounded roots that make him a perfect fit for this story.
Beyond that, Danny is a wealth of interpersonal dynamics. There is, of course, his famous friendship with Luke Cage, a buddy cop dynamic that any writer would kill to write. There's the quasi-rivalry with the sundry martial artists of the Marvel Universe -- your Shang-Chis, Daredevils, and the like. There's his complicated history with on-again, off-again partner and fellow professional butt-kicker, Misty Knight. The list goes on and on. Danny's affability and proximity to the heroes of New York makes him an easy and entertaining insert into any team-up, which is something I certainly hope to do a lot of.C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:Chi Manipulation: Danny has acute control over his body's natural energy, which itself was augmented by the spirit of Shou-Lao. This allows Danny to achieve several supernatural effects, most notably:
- The Iron Fist: Danny's fist becomes as strong and impervious as iron, allowing him to strike with superhuman force.
- Healing: Danny's chi can be focused inward or outward to heal himself or others.
- Superhuman Senses: Danny increases his awareness, sharpening all his senses.
Martial Arts Mastery: Danny has spent most of his life studying the various martial arts of both K'un-Lun and Earth. He is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. This includes both hand-to-hand combat and weapon mastery.
Peak Human Physicality: The combination of Danny's training and his mastery of chi has allowed him to attain peak performance in human strength, speed, agility, and stamina - bordering on the superhuman.
Skilled Acrobat: Danny is capable of the highest difficulty acrobatic and gymnastic feats, a trait he uses frequently to evade incoming attacks.
Limited Energy Absorption: Using his chi, Danny can sometimes absorb - and even redirect - external sources of energy, like fire, electricity, and magnetism.
- Luke Cage: The original Hero for Hire. Danny's longtime friend and business partner(-in-crime[fighting]). Luke and Danny bring different perspectives, and if they don't always see eye-to-eye, they'll always be in each other's corner.
- Misty Knight: Ex-NYPD officer turned bionically enhanced private investigator and Danny's on-again, off-again romantic partner. Currently separated after a false pregnancy drove a wedge between the couple.
- Jeryn Hogarth: Danny's personal attorney and the day-to-day manager of Rand International. Also manages the legal business of Heroes for Hire, Inc. if, at times, grudgingly.
- Colleen Wing: A world-class martial artist and samurai who became one of Danny's earliest allies upon his return to New York. Later joined forces with Misty Knight, both of whom frequently collaborate with Heroes for Hire.
- Jessica Jones: The best friend's missus. Danny and Jessica sometimes find themselves at odds, particularly on account of their conflicting personalities, but in the end, their shared love for Luke always wins out.
- Black Cat: The newest Hero for Hire, a former thief who turned a new leaf. Danny and Felicia may not know each other well - except by reputation - but he sees in her the opportunity to put his faith in someone.
- Steel Serpent: The son of Lei Kung, Davos was Danny's biggest rival in K'un-Lun. When Danny was granted permission to face Shou-Lao, a jealous Davos took it on himself to challenge the Undying first - and failed. Cast out, the Steel Serpent seeks vengeance on the man who stole his perceived birthright.
- The Hand: An ancient order of evil ninjas who are heavily involved in organized crime around the world. Harold Meachum was involved with the Hand before his death (which they also orchestrated), and they have been implicated in the murder of Danny's parents.
- Master Khan: A dread sorcerer with connections to K'un-Lun, Master Khan has harried Iron Fist and Heroes for Hire from the shadows, often sending magically-enhanced foot soldiers and assassins after them.
- Crane Mother: The ruler of K'un-Zi, a rival city to K'un-Lun. Crane Mother has an eternal vendetta against that city and their Immortal Weapon ever since the previous Iron Fist killed her son.
- Sabretooth: Though better known for his lifelong rivalry with the Wolverine, Victor Creed was one of the first supervillains Danny ever faced, and the years haven't cooled that animosity - with Danny still bearing the scars to prove it.
- The Golden Tigers: Led by the warrior known as Chaka, this street-level gang with connections to the Triads has long harried Chinatown, putting them firmly on Danny's radar.
S A M P L E P O S T:The executive assistant leads me through the bullpen of Xianhai Global, making smalltalk in an accented voice. I nod along, agreeing that the weather has been very nice and confirming that I've spent a great amount of time in Chinatown, but all the while, I'm taking stock of what I see. Xianhai’s offices are first-rate, if sparsely decorated and even less populated; only one in ten workstations is manned, even now in the middle of the day.
“How recently did you say this branch opened?” I ask, trying to betray nothing with my tone.
“Only last month,” the assistant confirms, “but we are confident we'll be at full strength soon.” She turns on a heel, smiling at me as she motions to an open door on our right. “This way, please, Mr. Rand.”
I step past her into a spacious conference room, sunlight flooding through the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the far wall. Much to my surprise, I'm the first to arrive. I find myself smirking; I never beat Jeri to these things.
“Would you care for some refreshment, Mr. Rand?” the assistant asks.
Unbuttoning my jacket as I cross the room, I reply, “A sparkling water would be great, if you have it.” If there's one thing I know about these pre-merger meetings, there's an awful lot of talking involved – even for me. I stride to the windows and take in the view. From this high up, New York looks pristine. It's only once you're down on the ground that you see the city as it really is.
The assistant returns a few moments later with a glass, and I accept it graciously. “My bosses will be with you shortly,” she says with a bow before exiting. I take a sip of my water and grimace immediately; I wasn't expecting it to be flavored, and it's bitter as all get out. Setting the glass down, I turn back to the windows.
When next I check my watch, several minutes have passed, and Jeri is officially late. Odd. Jeri is never late. I take out my phone and dial him up. “Hey, Jer,” I begin loudly before thinking to lower my voice, “are you on your way?”
There's a pause at the other end of the line. “On my way to what?”
I frown. “The meeting with Xianhai Global.”
“With who?” he asks, sounding as confused as I feel. “Danny, I'm looking at my calendar, and there's no meeting right now. What did you say the company's name was again?”
“Xianhai,” I repeat, furrowing my brow. “The meeting invite came from your account just last night. It said that–”
The door clicks, and a pair of masked and hooded figures walks in. They're soon followed by a second pair… and another… and another… and another. Spreading out at the far end of the conference table, they all assume a fighting stance. Ninjas. Why is it always ninjas?
“You know what, Jer? That's my mistake. I'll call you back.” Slipping the phone back into my pocket, I begin slowly removing my jacket. No sense in ruining perfectly good Armani. I also loosen my tie, for good measure. “Alright, fellas, you've got my attention. Now…” I clench my fist… and nothing happens. Well, that's not good. My eyes dart to the glass of water. Bitter, indeed. I should've identified the herb right away. I can only grin. “Fair enough,” I concede. I roll up both sleeves and crouch into my own stance. “The old-fashioned way, then.”
Also, just to be clear in case people are unsure on this: if you are responding to an event, you and whoever else show up have full control over what happens. The GMs aren't going to do back and forth posts, we will only post again for the event at the end when it's time to wrap it up (if dragging on), or to give a recap of sorts through in-universe sources.
The idea is that we set the scene, and you guys carry it out. The post is written in a way to set the tone and to give a sense of how bad guys might operate, and from there we trust you to continue it. We'll only step in if we feel it's necessary.
So, don't feel like you need to wait for responses from us. If you want, you can ask here if other players are planning on entering the event so you know if you're free to continue or not. But, overall, you guys get to direct the narrative, and the GMs will incorporate what happens, including any negative repercussions, into the overall story.
We want events to flow smoothly and productively.
