Welcome to Sweet Jazz City, just one facet of a world made a little richer, more colorful, and more interesting by the presence of epithets. Everyone knows the deal, taught in elementary schools the world over: about one in every five people has a word tied to his or her soul from birth. A word from the world's vast, all-encompassing single language that just 'clicks'; a word that feels right, inspirational, and intriguing. Some go their whole lives without finding theirs, and some spend their whole lives trying to find one that doesn't exist, but those that do can develop extraordinary powers derived from their epithets' meaning, with a whole lot of practice and a hearty portion of creativity.
Such cultivation is pretty tough, though. Comparable to mastering a sport or an art, except with nobody else to go on, it's something not that many people do. And most epithets, completely random in nature, seem weak, taking a lot of effort to really pay off. So society really hasn't changed much. There's sometimes friction between those with epithets -inscribed- and those without -mundies- but people still awake, think, work, play, talk, fight, relax, and rest just about the same as one might expect. Still, now and again, extraordinary things happen even to ordinary people.
Otterholt Point is one place where the hard-working citizens of Sweet Jazz City can go to take a load off. Resting on the end of a forested peninsula just barely within official city bounds, its beachside hotel is a reasonably popular getaway for most of the year, although only really crowded in the summer. It's here that one such extraordinary event is about to unfold, bubbling up smack dab in the middle of an assortment of hapless vacationers and resort staff, opportunistic hoodlums, and nefarious assassins. A colorful cast will have to whether the storm, working together or against one another in a mad bid to sink or swim.
About the world of Epithet Erased
This RP's inspired by the animated series produced by Brendan Blaber and his amazing team. It's all about an assortment of quirky characters coming together in cooperation or conflict, using their powers (known as epithets) in a variety of creative ways to confront the challenges before them. However, knowledge of the show is by no means necessary to play and enjoy yourself. Think of this as a down-to-earth superpower RP, with one key difference: epithets.
People are born with epithets in a completely random fashion, having nothing to do with inheritance or circumstance. Those with epithets are known as 'inscribed', and those without are 'mundies', short for 'mundane'. Due to their random nature, some people go their entire lives without realizing what theirs is. They can be any word that encapsulates a concept, from antiquated terms like 'balderdash' to the newest of slang like 'yeet'. Discovery of one's epithet -known as an epiphany- is a 6th sense sort of thing; like having a metal detector in ones brain, beeping more and more as one gets closer, one might find oneself clicking with a certain word, drawn to think about it and its synonyms.
This does lead to false positives, and even is a person figures out how to use an epithet he or she might take a long time to figure out the word itself. For instance, it could be months or years of a dude generating horribly poisonous spit before he realizes his epithet is 'strychnine'. Epithet use can be accidental, or discovered during moments of great stress. Extremely rarely, a person might be able to access the absolute strongest use of an epithet, known as an epitome. Such circumstances are typically the result of desperate, do-or-die situations, but a very lucky, dedicated, and imaginative few can harness epitomes at will.
Once you find out you have an epithet, you can start developing it. The powerset itself relates to whatever concept the word carries for the user, and can vary wildly depending on your character's personality backstory. For someone with a free spirit or a love of planes the epithet Sky might confer flight. Someone terrified of stormy could potentially wield clouds and lightning. Someone who associates the sky with birds might be able to control and even summon them. With training and creativity, what someone's epithet means and what they can do with it can grow a lot, offering new techniques/spells. Even a weak epithet can be made strong with enough practice and imagination; it's all in how you use it. Consider some examples:
A shy girl with low self-esteem and little willpower with the epithet Dumb might have the power to silence. To start with she might just be able to nullify sound in a radius, but Dumb also means simple and low. She could 'dumb down' things like the damage done by attacks or the summons of other inscribed, making them weaker or dumbing them down to nothing. She could also temporarily drop the intelligence of unlucky targets.
A bombastic Banzai Blaster, wanting to come off as cool, might make a lot out of the otherwise-lame epithet Soup. He could hurl hot soup orbs as projectiles, but he could also jet himself around with bursts of soup steam, conjure delicious soup to heal himself and allies, and lay down thick fogs of soup vapor to move about in unseen.
An extremely well-trained savant with the epithet Drowsy can really flex what epithets can do. Of course he could make people sleepy, but he could also summon sheep, manifest others' nightmares, and even manifest his own dreams while asleep.
A few more notes: given their random nature, epithets can be both blessings and curses. All take training and creative application to excel with, but some are easier than others—you can see how 'Fiery' might be easier to cultivate than 'Grumble', for instance. All epithets take stamina to use, essentially operating on a mana pool. Some epithets actively harm those who possess them, like 'Fragile' giving someone the power to make things easier to break but also making herself break easier, thereby making her life constantly painful. Highly-developed epithets affect their holders' appearance irrevocably, though not to an extreme degree. Epithets are not informed by the individual's history or personality whatsoever, but they will almost certainly inform the individual's story.
Banzai Blasters - an infamous criminal organization in Sweet Jazz that runs on a pyramid scheme. It has seven ranks, in descending order: Baron, Senpai, Valedictorian, Associate Justice, Vice Principal, Captain, and Blaster. Each has authority over the lower ranks, a portion of their dues, and higher ranks confer greater customization privileges for the organization's characteristic yellow uniform, including capes, gloves, and whatnot. To become a Blaster one must pay 49.99 a month plus tax, but everyone gets some of the money paid in dues by people they recruit. Blasters, who make up the vast majority of the organization, are mostly harmless, committing small-time crimes, and are typically made up of the dissatisfied members of society, typically youngsters or outcasts, seeking to belong and also get back at the system. Those with brains and ability tend to move up in the organization, but infighting is encouraged for ranking up.
Bliss Ocean - a terrorist organization run by mundies, for mundies. They oppose epithets and their usage, holding that the world is better off without them. To that end they suppress and sabotage inscribed, usually the high-profile, even going as far as to eliminate ones that really stand out. They are not opposed to using inscribed to this end. The organization is highly mysterious and deals with its operators secretively.
Police - members of the police force are some of the only people permitted free reign to use their epithets in public, although there's a long certification process involved, including background and psychiatric checks. Inscribed police officers are typically both very well-paid and highly respected owing to the power they bring in service to the common welfare, and those who are skilled with their epithets from a young age are typically channeled toward a police academy. Because of the number and strength of inscribed police officers versus the typically poorly-trained and weaker inscribed criminals, inscribed crime remains much lower than one might think.
Expectations
For this RP, there would be some expectations concerning participation. I would ask that players not apply at all if they don't intend to stick with it for the long haul. If you decides after joining that you can't or don't want to continue, I would appreciate notification rather than just disappearance. It's just common courtesy not to get people's hopes up or leave them hanging. There wouldn't be any posting requirement, but I plan to update at least once a week, and it will be using my Reaction Prompt system. If a character is put in a situation necessitating a response, especially in terms of combat, and you don't post one or get a continuation, the results will play out as if your character just didn't do anything, which can range from other characters just thinking yours is weird to getting a free hit from an attacker.
I also ask my players to be straightforward in their dealings. If you have any questions, concerns, or grievances, please bring them up. I'm open to feedback and requests, and do my best to support my players.
Character Sheet
Imaginative character designs, both appearance and personality wise, are encouraged. Basically anything goes, in a sort of anime-ish way. Colorful hair, uniquely-shaped irises, sharp teeth, you name it. You'll be able to adopt any sort of role in the setting, with whatever motivation, which can put you in conflict with other player characters. You could be a mostly-harmless Banzai Blaster mook, out with the buds on a weekend vacation but ready to suit up and start looting once the crap hits the fan. You could be a headhunter from Bliss Ocean trying to take down a prominent Epithet user visiting the resort, a bodyguard for that inscribed, a police officer just trying to keep people safe, or hey, just a kid in the wrong place at the wrong time doing your best to stay out of the crossfire.
In the spirit of the show, and of using creativity to make the most of the hand dealt to you, applicants will be given a selection of up to five randomly-generated words to choose from for your epithet. Just ask and I'll kit you out. If you're just miserable with your selection, I have a limited backup solution you can inquire about. Of course, this thread's also the perfect place to bounce ideas around!
Name:
Age:
Appearance: (Image, description, or both. If you use an image, it always helps to add extra details a single snapshot doesn't encapsulate)
Personality: (The dazzling array of traits, quirks, affinities, and so forth that make your character unique. Make someone compelling, someone that you'd like to play and will have fun doing so)
Background: (Your character's history. Doesn't have to be exhaustive, but be sure to touch on formative events)
Motivation: (Why your character is at the scenario event. This will be what drives your character forward through it)
Assets: (Where your character shines, in terms of physical ability, skills, and personality traits)
Flaws: (Where your character falls short, in terms of physical ability, skills, and personality traits. You must have at least as many as you have Assets)
Epithet: (If applicable)
(A list of capabilities conferred by your character's epithet. The first will probably be its 'base use', the first and most fundamental application of the epithet stemming from your character's original conception of it, but other spells/techniques, including special tricks and even secret/ultimate moves, can follow. Feel free to name them! Not every character will be highly capable with his or her epithet, but those who are often expand to other meanings of the word.
Name: Noelle Merveille Age: 36
Appearance:
Standing at five-foot-six and weighing an amount she doesn't particularly want anyone to know about, Noelle is a mostly-ordinary, fairly-attractive woman. Her long, somewhat spiky hair is a rich ruddy brown that shines red in good light, and behind a pair of black-rimmed rectangular glasses are a pair of big blue eyes. She favors simple and elegant clothing of the kind that doesn't hug her too tightly, and simple golden loops for jewelry. Most of the time she can be found wearing a pleasant smile, too.
Personality: Sunny as the day is long, Noelle is the very picture of cheer and warmth. Thoughtful and compassionate, she's got enough love in her heart for just about everyone around her, and while not the most outgoing is always happy to make life better for other people. She enjoys cooking and is a big eater herself. That said, the pleasant glow of her spirit radiates from a brilliant fire, and she's not at all a pushover. Highly competitive, somewhat short-tempered, fairly pragmatic, and more than a little proud, she's a force to be reckoned with when push comes to shove. She makes no bones about wanting others to be the best they can be and to treat their fellow men with the same consideration she typically dons, and thusly can sometimes be strict, nagging, and irritating. Overall, however, she's a sweet woman who's at her happiest bringing happiness to others.
Background: From an early age Noelle's big heart made her stand out among others. Sweet and kind, but with a fiery competitive streak, she grew up with a lot of friends and more than a few rivals. During high school and college she was at her sporting peak, and it was in her freshman year that she discovered her epithet in a stroke of luck. After her epiphany Noelle's passion only continued to burn brighter, propelling her beyond state competitions to regional and even national events, especially the dedicated inscribed league. Her energy and spirit carried her on despite any losses or setbacks, up until the point at which a terrible accident brought her blooming tennis career to a screeching halt. Forced to rest, heal, and take things slowly, she softened up, especially after graduating and marrying her long-time boyfriend Heath Pieler.
Ultimately, Noelle forsook the world of sports and became a teacher instead, while Heath became a television salesman. She worked with children up until the point she and Heath had their own: a boy and a girl they named Chester and Lucy. Chester ended up taking after his father in his love of acting and performing, and when his son was ten Heath managed to convince his agency to recommend Chester for a part as a child actor in an upcoming hero movie with epithets -a subject seldom addressed in cinema- as a major plot point. Chester got the part, and Noelle supported him every step of the way before and during filming. When the filming finally wrapped up the lead actor, the famous Lydia Forthing, celebrated by sending most of the crew on an all-expenses-paid vacation to Otterholt Point.
Motivation: Noelle's motivation is simply to enjoy a vacation with her family, and failing that, at least ensure that no harm comes to them
Assets:
Big Heart – Noelle's nature makes her easy to get along with and difficult for others to think poorly of her. She can make friends, avoid suspicion, and calm conflicts fairly easily. In times of trouble, she can often count on the support of those around her.
Sudden Fire – Being nice doesn't mean being a wimp. Noelle can be strict and forceful if necessary, and is both willing to and pretty good at exerting herself physically, thanks to her time spent training both her body and her epithet.
Smart Cookie – While she might not flaunt it, Noelle is no slouch in the brains department. She's got a lot of common sense, a good deal of practical knowledge, and a fair amount of intuition when it comes to other people, especially kids.
Flaws:
No Great Shakes – while she has undeniable physical ability and can fight well enough when necessary, Noelle is not a trained fighter and never groomed her epithet for combat. As such, she relies on what power she has in desperate situations and can be outclassed by anyone with real training.
Achilles Knee – even now, roughly a decade and a half after her sporting heyday got cut off thanks to an injury, her knee remains a weak spot. She favors it ever-so-slightly but still-perceptibly when moving, and if this weak spot is taken advantage of, she's more or less down for the count.
Soft – Noelle's sporting days are long behind her, and while she exercises a few times a week, she's nowhere near as fit as she once was. Plus, she did have two kids. Add to that her inexperience with real combat and she both burns through her stamina pretty quickly and can't really adapt on the fly.
Specs – without her glasses, she can't see very well.
Epithet: Train
Locomotion – a charging move Noelle can use to launch forward, faster and stronger than normal. Charging depletes stamina constantly, is difficult to control, and while charging it's very difficult to turn.
All Aboard – while in use, Noelle can use Locomotion to move without any extra strain or penalty to speed or power while carrying someone, or even multiple people. However, this status also increases stamina consumption.
Steam Engine – by eating flammable material, Noelle can heat up, increasing her speed and power and giving her attacks fire damage. Such food also restores stamina, though the less-edible stuff tends to give the most. Noelle can heat up a great deal this way, making her a lot more capable, but like eating lots of spicy food it gets more painful and difficult to bear the hotter she gets. At higher levels, her skin turns red and emits steam, and her hair becomes fiery.
Steam Whistle – Noelle's whistle when tapping into her epithet sounds like a train whistle, and is much louder and more piercing than normal. It's even louder and stronger if she's got steam, and whistling when steamed up cools her down in the process.
A popular hotel resort by the sea. Can be counted on to draw visitors from near and far. Features two hotel buildings, three restaurants (the largest being a buffet open for all three meals and the other two being dinner-focused), an outdoor pool, a gym, a handful of bars, a bow range, a tennis court, a basketball court, and more.
Join the Discord Please make your Discord nickname your RPGuild handle
While not using her Epithet Penny actually tends to dress down, favoring long skirts and overly comfy looking sweaters. This non-ostentatious manner, however, is seemingly incompatible with her Epithet and her outfit is replaced whenever she draws her sword.
Personality: A scholarly sort at heart, Penny prefers snuggling up with a good book over basically any form of human interaction. This behavior has convinced her parents that she is a "smart kid," and as they have pushed her more and more to succeed her intelligence has sharpened from her constant efforts to get whatever club, after school activity, or contest they enter her in done quickly as possible (one way or the other) so she can go back to doing things she was actually interested in. This has led to her being very goal oriented, but left her with a distinct lack of respect for authority, the spirit of the rules, or any form of pageantry.
Despite her constant sour expression there is a good heart buried in there that's most apparent when she's managed to grasp a quiet moment in her claws. As could be expected she takes real issue with people that try to control or interfere in other peoples lives and she has a soft spot for people that have been obviously screwed over or are trying against impossible odds.
Background: Penny was a regular girl. At least, she tried to be in between all the classes and training she was pushed into. Her father and mother had always sensed something special in her, but even they weren't prepared for how exactly that would manifest.
One miserable raining day while Penny was waiting for the bus to cram school a hand slowly rose up from the depths of a nearby puddle. Clutched in its grip was a magnificent sword, with a shining blade and a hilt of gold beset with jewels. Penny stared at it, transfixed by its beauty. She had had a niggling little suspicion that there was something more to her for a while but this was basically confirmation. She put her foot on the crossguard and slowly pushed it back into the puddle.
The next day at breakfast the hand and its sword rose again out of her cereal. She took her spoon and shoved it back down before her mother and father could see.
Later that night the hand insistently shoved the sword up while she was in the bath. She screamed, grabbed the sword, and started beating at the hand with it. While she only succeeded in destroying the tub her parents were thrilled to discover something their little girl had been hiding from them; she obviously was one of the lucky people born with an Epithet, and after some soul searching and experimentation it seemed to be a pretty good one. This only intensified their already high expectations, which was exactly what Penny had wanted to avoid.
Motivation: Penny has convinced her parents to send her to Otterholt Point to take part in the annual sand-castle contest under the logic that it would help refine her Kingly skills, but in reality she just wants to enjoy three days of peace and leisure.
Assets:
Sword Training: It turns out that hitting thing with a real ass god damn sword is super cathartic when you have a lot of pent up emotions, so her bi-weekly training sessions with Sensei Quixote are actually some of the only extracurriculars she reliably attends.
Mythology Buff: By far her greatest area of interest. If there's an only myth, fairy tail, ghost story, or urban legend Penny is likely to have heard it before.
Determination: Penny believes that you can solve any problem by applying enough thought or bodies to it. If you don't succeed one way, you come at it from another direction. You never just give up.
Flaws:
Just A Kid: No matter how much she's studied Penny is still a child. She's not as smart as she thinks she is, and she doesn't have much worldly experience.
Abrasive: Penny hasn't had much of a social life, and hasn't mastered social cues. This is compounded by her grumpy disposition.
Four-eyes: Penny wears glasses. She needs them to see.
Epithet: Royal
Excalibur, the Holy Sword of the Promised King: Penny can draw a magic sword from any body of liquid. This sword is sized for her, very light, beautifully crafted, and deadly sharp. It acts as a conduit through which all her powers flow, transforming her from a simple girl into a King. When she isn't holding the sword, all her other abilities deactivate. If broken it must be returned to the water so as to be repaired. No basis for a system of government
Peasant Serf: The backbone of any monarchy, Penny can summon forth Peasant Serfs. Peasant Serfs are diminutive, gnomes like creatures about a fourth of Penny's size, either covered in or made of mud, and armed with various farmers tools. Though their combat prowess is negligible at best they are nonetheless hard and fast workers when assigned manual labor tasks such as digging ditches, sowing fields, building and fortifying shelter, and other such things provided they have sufficient materials. Their awareness and vocabulary are extremely limited, and Penny can only manage to summon a team of five at one time.
Knights of the Kitchen Table: Where would any King be without her loyalcavalcade of knights? Though only slightly larger and more intelligent than the Peasant Serfs, these are far more sturdy and ready to throw themselves into battle to protect the King. Though they can fight alone their combat prowess is heightened should Penny fight alongside them. Knights take more stamina to manifest than Peasant Serfs. As such she can only manage two at any one time.
Mark has been told a lot recently that he resembles an actor from a show he doesn't watch but he doesn't care. It's not like he tries to look like him. He just knows how to make himself look good. With his hair perfected and his outfits usually combining flannel, denim, and/or leather, he can't help when people mistake him for... What was his name again?
Personality: Mark isn't afraid to put a guy in his place, whether that guy is being a douche, being abusive to his girl, or being a criminal. In actual fights, Mark uses his speed to stay ahead of the attacker and grapple them in an armbar, triangle lock, or his signature wind-knocker.
When he's not being a rough-and-tumble badass, Mark likes to spend his time reading. He has many interesting adventure books to catch up on. He'll read in just about every place and position he can.
If you were to catch him on the street, he'd greet you with a nod and a small wave, despite your looks or status. Except for children. Mark has always had a soft spot for the youngest generation, usually making them laugh, or at least stop crying, before going on his way. He's often advised the youngsters to help them out in sticky situations.
Background: Mark grew up as the oldest of 4. With a brother 3 years younger and twin sisters 6 years younger, Mark was always told he'd have to help out. His mom was in a bad condition after the twins' births and constantly getting worse. After fighting for a year, her body gave out. At only 7 years old, Mark had to start growing up. His father was constantly working, meaning they were raised more by their grandparents.
His mom's moms were very loving and tended to spoil the 4 of them. His father's parents were a bit more strict but no less loving. On their dad's day off, he would play with them and take care of them as much as he could.
When Mark was 13, he got in an argument with a friend about words and ended up accidentally activating his epithet. Instantly, he went from shouting in his friend's face to screaming at the back of his head. Needless to say, the argument ended as the boys started talking about the new epithet. They worked together to figure out what the word was and how it could be used.
Over the next 8 years, Mark trained as hard as he could to expand his abilities and become better with his epithet. With the help of his best friend, Mark was able to get a rather impressive skillset that he used daily for making life easier and for helping others.
Motivation: Mark's motivation is his family, friends, and the protection of the innocent. He often spends his days off and time after work walking the streets in search of a crime to prevent or stop.
Assets: Mark may not be the strongest guy in the fight but, even without his epithet, he's rather fast. While not insanely fast, like his favorite comic book heroes, he did train himself to be able to beat the fastest member of the school's track team in a normal foot race. He also has incredible balance and agility, practiced mainly for his skateboard and roller blades, which he has partially transferred into parkour.
Flaws: Mark can be very lazy when he doesn't want to do something. He knows he's a procrastinator and tries to counter it with alarms to get him mobile again but that doesn't always work. His least favorite thing about himself is his ADHD, which he tries his best to act against. On top of all that, he doesn't eat healthy, as he's trying to gain weight. People have told him they want his metabolism. He always tells them they don't really want his, they want one just a bit slower so they're in a healthy weight range, not underweight.
Epithet: Stride Quick Stride: Able to step to random places around the battlefield. Long Stride: Able to "teleport" to anywhere he can see (max 1 mile) with a single step. This ability must be charged. The longer it's charged, the further he can stride. Heavy Stride: Can create a 1-foot diameter crater where he stomps. Take in Stride: When concentrating, he only takes half as much damage as normal when hit. Air Stride: While in the air, he can slow his speed to half.
Actually, I'll join after all! Was thinking about it, and now I got an idea that won't let go. Just need to find a decent faceclaim... I'm awful at those
@Gentlemanvaultboy That character looks amazing! I really like the interpretation of the epithet, and what her powerset says about her conception of the word. I'd say you've made a perfect fit for this world. Just one thing: the name of the resort is Otterholt Point, rather than Otter Creek.
@Rockin Strings, not bad so far. Still, there are a couple aspects to the power that could be ironed out. Running fast involves a whole bunch of strides, so instead of just having super speed, you might make Quick Stride a sort of flash step instead, allowing him to quickly dash from one point to another in a short distance. A mile+ teleport for Long Stride is a little out there, especially 5 miles to a place he can't see or has a straight line to. I'd be fine with Long Stride requiring a charge time to be able to 'step' to anywhere he can see under a mile. That's still a pretty darn strong ability, but not a broken one.
@TruthHurts22 Are you quite sure about this? This roller-coaster ride doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. If you like, you can make your character just to get your idea out, and we/I can tell you what we/I think without it actually going into the RP.
I don't even know how I made that mistake considering its a beach.
*edit*
It's because otters live in rivers in my head. Fixed.
To add on here, if anyone is having trouble finding character art I have a huge collections so I can probably help if you tell me what you're looking for.
@Rockin Strings, not bad so far. Still, there are a couple of aspects to the power that could be ironed out. Running fast involves a whole bunch of strides, so instead of just having super speed, you might make Quick Stride a sort of flash step instead, allowing him to quickly dash from one point to another in a short distance. A mile+ teleport for Long Stride is a little out there, especially 5 miles to a place he can't see or has a straight line to. I'd be fine with Long Stride requiring a charge time to be able to 'step' to anywhere he can see under a mile. That's still a pretty darn strong ability, but not a broken one.
For Quick Stride, I was thinking something closer to "his strides are quicker" which is how I tried to explain it. I can see the flash-step thing being better in a battle, which is more of what I was thinking for Long Stride. Speaking of Long Stride, I can see it working better as a charge, but the places he knows well, such as his home, his job, stuff like that, seem like they'd have a longer distance since he knows exactly where they are and can basically "portal" to them easier.
In summary - Quick Stride was more for mobility, Long Stride for battle and quick retreat if necessary, and limiters can definitely be added to all the abilities to keep him from being too strong.
Sometimes I peruse art to try and find an inspiration for a character, but other times I think of the character first and no art suits it, so I rely on description alone.
Tentative interest, toss me some words wordfather
Here you are:
-Clipboard -Dryth -Tingly -Pluviometry -Sketch
@Rockin Strings I personally think it'd be more sensible to have Quick Stride by the short-distance mobility / battle option of a flash step (not a teleport, just a really quick one-dimensional movement to a target point) and Long Stride for utility, with the charge-up time making it difficult to use in a fight. 'Stride' doesn't really associate with 'teleport', and if your character could instantly go anywhere in one mile (let alone five miles) that he knows well, around corners and through walls and countless other obstacles, there could be almost no stakes to anything that happens to him. He could always instantly retreat from any danger, take things permanently beyond the reach of others, contact authorities and get them involved, and so on. I would recommend Long Stride being this: Mark pours energy into his leg muscles, and once sufficiently charged, he can take a single long step to any point of ground he can see that's less than a mile away.
