"But at the same time we can’t help but feel that with all this potential, the city and culture somehow disappoint us."
Welcome to The Black Fall: The Ghosts of LA. An RP that was an experiment of mine that I really want to see through. Basically the RP will have a very heavy player involvement on how it should go and the plot and all that. And I, as the GM, make it happen. I want every character to have their own story arcs and heavy involvement in the RP itself.
Basically, the setting is a world where people are enhanced by crystals that emit strange energy and have been granted superhuman abilities, being dubbed "Deltahumans." These Deltahumans have been exposed to the world at a very early age, and have been quite integrated into the minds of the world as their acts, whether good or bad, often pop up on the news. There are mixed thoughts on Deltahumans, some hate them, some love them, and others are on the fence.
In this particular storyline, it takes place in Los Angeles (as the name implies) except it has been ravaged and ruined by a horrible event known as the "Incident". It was where two Deltahumans on the run were cornered and cause three massive Earthquakes that destroyed a majority of California. In response, Southern California has been deemed an Exclusion Zone, including Los Angeles. Which has trapped millions there for months as the city descends into outright chaos. One gang, known as the Phoenixes, rise from the ashes of the city and become a major player. However, the situation is a lot deeper than one anticipated.
If Superpowers/Superheros/Whatever aren't your fancy, then I suggest just closing the tab and going about your day. If it is, I promise to provide an interesting experience. A deep and complex tale of students, with a very rich and well-developed lore. Above all else; this won't be a standard superhero romp, but a character-centric look at how Superpowers and whatnot would function in real life. No capes, no gimmicks. The RP will be character-driven, and somewhat sandbox-y. I will be providing a storyline, but I'll be giving people free rein on how their characters act within the storyline.
⋗ 1 . 1 | Remember that everybody is here to have fun above all else. We may throw a few flowery jabs at each other, but remember it's all in good fun. The Golden rule is: don't be a dick.
⋗ 1 . 2 | That said, remember that I have the full right to deny anyone access to the RP, and I am not above removing anyone from the RP should they get too unruly. I hope it doesn't come to that, but I'm just putting that out there.
⋗ 1 . 3 | I (And any Co-GMs I may elect) have the final say in all matters - we aren't tyrants, but I will put my foot down. Please make any edits to your character sheet/posts/etc that you were requested to. If you're too unruly, I'll have no choice but to enact 1.2.
⋗ 1 . 4 | I enforce a policy of not informing people of every time they should post (unless their character is in the middle of interactions). If you go inactive without a peep, I'm not going to babysit you. It's a player's responsibility to keep up with the RP.
⋗ 1 . 5 | Please be respectful towards all other players.
⋗ 1 . 6 | Please do not post a "wip" sheet. I find it very irritating when someone posts an incomplete character sheet. If you want me to read over what you have so far, just PM it to me. If you need a place to work on it just private message the sheet to yourself (or write it on one of many platforms).
⋗ 1 . 7 | This RP will strictly be "first come, first serve." Meaning I will not reserve any powers/character roles/etc, and they will go to whoever finishes their character sheet first. If there's a conflict over it, I will decide the outcome.
⋗ 1 . 8 | Character applications will go into the OOC (where we can work things out) until they are accepted. In other words, the character tab is for accepted characters only. Also, do not "reserve" a spot in the Character Tab unless you were given permission to by me.
⋗ 1 . 9 | I am very thorough and critical when judging character sheets. Don't take it as a personal attack, I just have some pretty high (well, unrealistically high) standards.
⋗ 1 . 10 | Try to keep the OOC active as possible. Even chit-chatting about random games is perfectly okay.
⋗ 2 . 1 | No Powergaming, God-Modding, Metagaming, etc, etc... You know, the "don't"'s of Roleplaying. You know the dealio.
⋗ 2 . 2 | Let me say now; the story will be pretty slow-paced at times. I have a job and college, so I won't be able to post constantly. If a slower RP is good for you, then go for it.
⋗ 2 . 3 | I prefer that we keep collaborations to a minimum... just preference because many RPs died/slowed to a halt due to too many collabs.
⋗ 2 . 4 | All I ask for is one post a week. If it's been a week since your last post, your character will be placed into the inactive section until they are written off (Either by death or leaving the city). Once a character is inactive, however, they are officially an NPC and can be used freely by the GMs or the players.
⋗ 2 . 5 | I am not a stickler for post length. I'd rather have a meaningful paragraph, over an essay full of filler.
⋗ 2 . 6 | This RP, at times, will get very dark. I plan for it to be a very mature, and down-to-earth Roleplay. There will be death, drinking, drugs, and tickle fingers.
⋗ 2 . 7 | Character death is a real possibility. By submitting a character, you understand that they have to take responsibility for their actions. They will not be bailed out by me and may get injured or die. I won't jeopardize the story for one character. They can also be killed by other characters. I won't go out of my way to kill off any character - that I like - but I may injure them for the sake of the story.
⋗ 2 . 8 | Romance/Sex/Whatever is allowed in the RP. "Fade to black" is so beaten into your heads by now that there's no point in even repeating it.
⋗ 2 . 9 | To keep things a bit more organized, please say where your post is taking place at the start of your post.
⋗ 2 . 10 | If you're also expecting me to hold your hand every step of the way, then you're going to be disappointed. This is going to be an RP that rewards taking initiative, and starting plotlines of your own. I'll provide a storyline, but I'm not going to be railroading everyone.
⋗ 3 . 1 | I expect some moderate detail when writing your character sheet. Remember, this RP is more grounded in realism, and I want each character to feel like a person. Try to give them a believable past, goals, personality, etc.
⋗ 3 . 2 | If your goal is to basically make the strongest/best character, and try to "win" the Roleplay, let me stop you here and say you won't get far. This is a story, not a place for you to wank your OP self-insert. Nothing says "I'm a bad writer" to me than giving your character the strongest abilities (along with an asston of skills). As I said above, I am very critical, and will not hesitate to ask you to change whatever I dislike about your character sheet.
⋗ 3 . 3 | If your character is a sociopath/psychopath, complete badass, perfect character, edgelord, then they're likely not going to get accepted.
⋗ 3 . 4 | You can create a character of any ethnicity, gender, sexuality, background, etc, within the bounds of realism of course. You can definitely get creative here.
⋗ 3 . 5 | "Magic" does not exist in the setting. This RP will be mainly sci-fi with slight paranormal themes here and there. There will a suspension of disbelief for artistic license but let’s not do anything too drastic, please.
⋗ 3 . 6 | There is no character limit, you can, and are encouraged, to make as many characters as you can handle. Just don't get stupid.
⋗ 3 . 7 | I suggest writing a description of your character's appearance to get everyone in that writing mood. If you must, you can use a picture. Just no anime. The pictures have to be of real people, or realistic art (But, let's shy away from A/B List Celebrities).
⋗ 3 . 8 | When creating a character, try to be diverse. Look at the character sheets and try to fulfill a role that no one has. No one wants a million street fighters, or nice girls. You can be pretty creative within the bounds of the lore.
⋗ 3 . 9 | Now, time for the banned powers. The following powers are banned without negotiation: "Instant death" powers, Mind/Character control, Time powers, Anything with "Omni-" attached to it, Reality Warping, Life-force absorption, Complete-Indestructibility/Absolute-Defense, "Bringing art to life," and Probability Manipulation. I will gladly tell you why they are banned if asked.
⋗ 3 . 10 | The following powers are restricted, but negotiable: Blood Manipulation, Darkness Manipulation, Power Replication, Gravity Manipulation, Power Nullification, Suggestion, and Memory Manipulation. Message me for more details.
⋗ 3 . 11 | Please refrain from tacking skills/powers onto characters. Try to make everything feel natural to your character.
⋗ 3 . 12 | This is optional, but I can choose a power for your character. It'll be a fun little thing for both of us.
Deltahumans (sometimes called Metahumans) are humans that were exposed to the Delta-Point Energy, or a Delta-Crystal, and had undergone a Manifestation Event. These Deltahumans have gained abilities that defy the laws of nature, men with super-strength, children that can control ice, and women that can teleport are the tip of the iceberg. This manifestation event only occurs after a human being has developed a sufficient amount of Delta-Point energy within their body. The rate which this energy develops depends on how much a person is exposed to (Codenamed their Exposure Event) and if a person touches a crystal for a prolonged amount of time their energy will develop at a much faster rate than somebody who was briefly exposed. In a lot of cases, exposure to this energy will not cause a manifestation to occur, but 15% of humans are compatible with the energy and can manifest a power. It's unknown what causes a person to manifest as anyone of any sex, of any gender, is capable of manifesting, it's widely believed to be just chance. After many of them were covered, destroyed, or drained of all of their energy, it's fairly difficult to get exposed to the crystals and most are exposed to it by other Deltahumans. There are two ways to manifest: Naturally, or Under High-Stress. If manifesting naturally, it can take over years for a Deltahuman to manifest their powers. There seems to be a correlation between high-stress situations and the rapid growth of powers as many Deltahumans who manifested.
Upon manifesting the Delta-Point Energy will completely flow within a person's being from their skin, all the way to their bones. It is normally invisible to the regular human eye, but when a Deltahuman is straining themselves or using their power a great deal, their energy will show. When a Deltahuman use their power on the outside world, a small amount of the meta-human energy gets projected and focused in that area. Such as a Water-Elemental controlling a cup of water will get some of the energy projected into it, allowing them to manipulate the water inside of it until they cease to control and the energy returns to their body. However, this still leaves the energy in the area and can possibly cause others to manifest who are compatible.
There are four types of Delta-Crystals/Delta-Point Energy that exist in the world: Type-Yellow (for those that have developed physical powers), Type-Red (for those who have gained an ability that pertains to manipulating the environment), Type-Blue (For those who have manifested a mental ability of some kind), Type-Green (for those who can alter the properties of other powers), and Type-White (those that have powers that don't fit the other categories). Depending on what kind of energy somebody is exposed to will dictate which type of power a Deltahuman will develop. From either gaining the ability to manipulate the earth when exposed to red energy, read minds with Blue energy and so on. However, it's possible for these categories to blend together as it's also possible to get exposed to multiple different types of energy and will end up with a power that spans multiple categories. This is a rare type of Deltahuman but these kinds of Deltahumans are known as Type-Chromatic.
There is such a thing as powers being hereditary, but it is very rare within the Deltahuman communities. When Deltahumans have children, that child has a 95% higher chance to manifest an ability than anybody else. This is because, when a child is in the womb, the child is bathed with the energy and will grow and develop a similar power to their parents. However, the child will always take after the mother power-wise as they will be exposed to maternal energy more than paternal energy. This is why, if only one parent is a Deltahuman, it's far more likely that the child will manifest if the mother possesses the powers. Even if the power is hereditary, the power will be different in certain ways, as nobody has the same one power. If the parents of a Deltahuman are different types, there is a higher chance that the child will end up being a Type-Chromatic. Deltahumans have a very particular effect attached to them: the Black Fall Effect. This has two main effects on the Deltahuman population: firstly, all Deltahumans are subconsciously attracted to each other whether they want to or not. So subtly that it's next to impossible to even notice. It causes the shyest people to head out and interact or draws Deltahuman to one location. The more Deltahumans that are around, the more intense this "flocking" effect will get.
Deltahumans have an interesting relationship with the Delta-Crystals, as when in contact with a Delta-Crystal, a Deltahuman receives a boost to their power as long as they remain in contact. This boost depends on which type of crystal a Deltahuman is holding - as if they are a Type-Red holding a Type-Yellow, it'd be an incredibly minor boost to their ability. However, if the crystals are compatible, it'd be an insane upgrade to their powers. With one Deltahuman being capable of doing city-changing feats while in contact with a crystal. Though, it will be an insane strain on the Deltahuman and will increase their risk for ashing.
However, while powers are truly incredible, they come at a price, powers have a toll on the body and mind. Excessive and unrestrained use would cause what could be described as physical overexertion, and the Deltahuman body gets strained from overuse. Pushing powers beyond their limits in high-stress situations cause even worse problems, and at it's most extreme, it may cause an effect known as "Ashing". This is basically an extremely deadly ailment where a Deltahuman self-destructs, and their powers shut off, and all their cells will die at an alarmingly fast rate. Their cells will literally drop off their body like specs of ash, and this process will continue until there is absolutely nothing left of a Deltahuman. This state is extremely deadly, and there's a mere 4% chance of survival - Even if an ashing victim does survive, there are some permanent physical damage (Amputation, Brain damage, loss of powers, etc, etc - Are a few to note) so it's considered a fate worse than death. Ashing is what Deltahumans truly fear, as any Deltahuman can ash if they are not careful.
It's possible for regular humans to ash if exposed to large amounts of Delta-Point Energy, and they are among the few that don't or can't manifest a power. This will largely occur if a person is in prolonged contact with the Delta-Point energy as it would take a large amount of energy for this to be possible. However, this can occur with the smallest amount of Delta-Point energy, and anyone who's not capable of manifesting can die from ashing.
There's also a second, more horrific side effect of Deltahumans that requires a section of its own.
Through the study of the crystals and the Delta-Point energy, there has been technology developed from them. They were noted to be a very potent energy source, and the energy can be harnessed in different ways. Most notably, by studying the energy, many organizations have created devices that can detect the energy within people and the crystals in the wild. Of course, these devices are considered to be a huge violation of privacy and are rarely employed. Then there are the simple Suppressant-Collars which are metal devices made to be wrapped around somebody's neck that completely disables the usage of activation powers - for those whose powers are permanent changes, they have no effect on them. On the more insidious side, a shady organization has figured out means to give people powers: Serums. These serums are full of a glowing green liquid that infuses a person's body with the Deltahuman energy and after the process is complete, they'll gain a superpower that corresponds with the color of the energy. These serums are usually sold to the highest bidder but are only capable of being purchased by those with a hefty chunk of change, but some people are just given the serums. It's unknown where these serums are coming from, or who are making them, but authorities are doing their best to find out.
In the summers of 1963, there was a sudden and abrupt meteor shower that wrought havoc over the skies of Earth, spreading bizarre crystals across the world wherever their debris made landfall. These crystals were infused with strange radiation that would "infect" living beings that either came in contact with the crystals themselves or were in proximity and got infected with the crystal's energy. This gave rise to the "First Generation" of Deltahumans as the first of few individuals with such abilities found their place in the world. While this first generation proved to be relative unknowns, rumors or bogeymen to all but a handful of informed figures, their presence in the world would gradually increase over the coming decades, eventually causing mass hysteria as rumors were proven true and sightings impossible to cover up. By the 1980s, this had led to waves of rioting, protests and even mass displays of religious fervor as the public digested the knowledge of their existence in various ways. Eventually, the governments of the world attempted to manage their Deltahuman populations through regulation and incorporation into newly established government agencies, but even so great unrest had and still continues to persist even to the modern-day. This manifestation of Deltahumans would eventually be known as the Delta-Storm and many theorize that it has happened before, and could happen again. After Delta-Storm, almost all the crystals were taken into government custody, but a few remained at large and it is theorized that they're growing in number.
♦ TYPES OF DELTAHUMANS ♦
♦ TYPE-YELLOW ♦
Nicknamed "Super-Systems", Type-Yellow Deltahumans have been infected with the yellow form of the Delta-Point Energy. These Deltahumans have abilities that affect the bodies of either themselves or people around them via highly specific reality warping. Type-Yellow Deltahumans are easily the most diverse, and most common type of Deltahuman out there, with a good half of all Deltahumans being some type of Type-Yellow. There are two main types; Personal and Impersonal. Personal Type-Yellow's ability is only on a personal level, and their power changes their biology or allows them to, and they are the more common type. Impersonal Type-Yellows are the opposite; their power allows them to alter the bodies of other people, and they are somewhat less common. They can range from transformations to enhanced physical abilities, healing and regeneration, flight, and so forth.
♦ TYPE-RED ♦
Known as "Elementals", the Type-Red crystals grant Deltahumans the ability to control matter, most of the time a specific element. Type-Reds are the second most common type of Deltahuman out there, but those of this type usually have the most versatile and potential out of any kind of Deltahuman. Many of them are fairly straightforward; they have the ability to control and/or create a specific type of element. Usually, it's one, but there are a few that can control many different elements that are either related. However, it's rare, but it's possible when a child is the product of two Type-Red that they would get the ability to use both of the elements. While many Type-Reds are straightforward, there are many that have more complex and unique forms of manipulation. Type-Reds are fairly diverse as it is likely one type red out there for each type of matter there is. Type-Reds can manipulate fire, water, earth, air, electricity, light, sound, and so forth.
♦ TYPE-BLUE ♦
Labelled "Cerebral", the Type-Blue crystals were fairly uncommon and thus not a lot of Deltahumans out there are Type-Blues. However, the few that fall under this category are among the most feared, as Type-Blues are Deltahumans that have a mental ability of some kind. A majority of Type-Blues have some type of mind reading or telekinesis, but some have abilities such as clairvoyance, foresight, and so on. They are easily the opposite of Type-Yellows as their powers are the least diverse, with a few exceptions. Type-Blues are feared because a majority of them have an ability that gathers information, and that's considered a huge breach of privacy. However, there's a type that's even worse; those that have been nicknamed "Domination-Types." These Domination types have the ability to exert their will on other lifeforms in some way, from controlling animals to possibly mind and emotional control. The direct ability to control the human mind is incredibly rare, but not unheard of. Very few of them directly affect the environment except telekinetics, but there are some capable of weaponizing their mental power, and so forth. Powers that fall under Type-Blue would be Telekinesis, Telepathy, Retro and Precognition, Astral Projection, Mind Control, Enhanced Intelligence, etc.
♦ TYPE-GREEN ♦
Nicknamed "Power" types out of all of the Deltahuman Types, you'd be hardpressed to come across a Type-Green as they are the second rarest type of Deltahuman out there. Their abilities allow them to directly interact with the abilities of others or otherwise are a limited control of the Delta-Point energy itself. These Deltahumans are easily the least predictable and are the most situational. Their abilities require coming in contact with another Deltahuman, either direct or indirect, and otherwise a majority of them are powerless. However, there are very rare instances where a Power-Type has the ability to grant others with superpowers. Type-Greens are the most sought after by relevant groups - and have the largest targets on them with only Type-Blues being second. It's very rare, but some Type-Greens have the ability to give normal people powers. Abilities that fall under Type-Green are power charging, negating, replication, and other abilities that revolve around the manipulation of superpowers.
♦ TYPE-WHITE ♦
The white Delta-Point Crystals are a mystery and are rarely sighted, but Type-White Deltahumans are those that have abilities that do not fit into the above category. They are nicknamed "Wild-card" types, as they have the strangest and most abstract of all abilities, and some of which have control over time and space itself. Because of this, it's very difficult to classify them and very few Deltahumans out there are Type-Whites.
♦ TYPE-CHROMATIC ♦
Chromatic, or "Hybrid" types are the rare result when a Deltahuman is exposed to two (or possibly more) different types of Delta-Point energy and are a very rare phenomenon. These Deltahumans will manifest with a blend of the two types or will have one different power of each type. For an example of the former; a pyrokinetic may have flames that can burn the mind. For an example of the latter; a Tiger Deltahuman may be able to produce lightning. It's completely random what kind of end result these Deltahumans will produce, and difficult to classify. It's more likely to produce a Type-Chromatic when a Deltahuman child is the product of two different Deltahumans. These are the strangest type of Deltahumans as there isn't a Delta-Crystal that directly creates them. However, Chromatic types are capable of gaining strength from two different types of Delta-Crystals and gives them a distinct advantage of other types.
♦ CHIMERAIZATION ♦
Next to ashing there's a rare but extremely dangerous effect caused by the crystals. There's a chance that a Delta-crystal will merge with a biological organism that it comes in contact with. The result will end in a metamorphosis that'll create a horrific being known as a Chimera. Any being Deltahuman or not can undergo Chimeraization and become any number of freakish mutations. From animals to humans, to even plants. Chimeras take any number of appearances depending on what type of being they are, a person can go from humanoid to a four-legged monster or something even more incoherent. What's consistent among Chimeras is that their bodies will be covered in Delta-crystals and the longer they survive the more crystals they'll grow and further away from their original form they'll get. It's unknown what'll happen after an extended period of time because most Chimeras are killed or expire naturally before they progress. Chimeras all have powers that are extremely powerful but unstable; being that has no powers will get one and Deltahumans will get a drastically more powerful and jailbroken version of their existing powers. However, what's strange is that a Deltahuman-Chimera may get new powers that were related to their existing abilities, or possibly be another version of their existing abilities. Psychologically Chimeras vary, humans may completely lose all cognitive functions while some may retain their personalities and free will. However, all Chimeras are driven to attack other Deltahumans along with collecting more crystals and adding it to their body (Along with gaining new powers).
Despite all of this, the process of Chimeraization is exceedingly rare, and it's only a 1 in a million chance of becoming a Chimera after transforming. Metahumans are seemingly more susceptible to becoming a Chimera, as any Metahuman that undergoes the condition to manifest an ability (I.E a traumatic or high-stress event) while in close proximity to a Delta-Crystal can undergo Chimeraization. However, any organism that comes in contact with a Delta-Crystal has a chance to Chimeraize upon contact.
What's strange is that during natural disasters or other such events the amount of Chimerization increases.
The City of Angels has many names. You've seen it all before on TV and movies with all of its cliches. Hollywood, The Skyline, Washed Up Actors and Sunny Beaches. All of it has a strange air of normal except not. Eccentric is the right word for it. Each of its neighborhoods carries a special culture and air about it that's unique to it. You can go anywhere in the world but yet... you'll never find another Los Angeles, or the people in it. The most populous city in California and the second-most populous in the United States. Los Angeles is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of Southern California. The city was known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic diversity, the entertainment industry, and its sprawling metropolis. Was, as in it was all of these things. All before the incident that occurred that triggered the massive series of earthquakes that ravaged Southern California. Now, LA is considered to be the heart of the California Exclusion Zone and all hell has broken loose in the once peaceful city. LA has been almost completely destroyed with buildings that have been collapsed, dead bodies littering the streets and lawlessness taking over as it's difficult to leave the city due to the exclusion zone.
Now, LA is a hot war zone between the various gangs and factions that have staked a claim to the city. All have their own cultures, doctrines, and goals, however only one will rule over all of LA. With civilians in between the chaos as the military attempts to evacuate civilians once a month.
♦ ORGANIZATIONS IN LOS ANGELES ♦
♦ THE PHOENIXES ♦
The small gang that the story follows. Mainly comprised of survivors and other people that the Incident has displaced that have decided to stick together for the sake of protection. However, they will rise in the ranks of LA soon enough.
♦ FAMA ♦
The Federal Agency of Metahuman Affairs (Shortened to FAMA) is the Deltahuman regulation agency that is responsible for the regulation of Deltahumans after the rebranding of RAVEN/DOVE. Formed in 2003, they are an organization that is split into four departments; Deltahuman Welfare, Public Affairs, Research, and Security. The first organization is more of a social services group that promotes the well-being, the physical and mental health of Deltahumans. Welfare keeps track of all Deltahumans that are registered and constantly gives support to these Deltahumans so they aren't roped into a gang or become a super criminal. Public Affairs is more about dealing with Deltahuman social issues and attempting to change the public perception of them for the best. The Research department solely focuses on trying to figure out how these Deltahumans tick and developing new technology and methods to handle rogue Deltahumans. Security is the largest department and the one tasked with the detainment of Deltahumans who abuse their powers. FAMA is volunteer-based, long as people meet a certain set of requirements, they can apply to join the Agency. However, they are fairly strict with their recruitment and primarily hire those with the required experience, though there have been exceptions made. FAMA consists of both regular humans and Deltahumans, as the latter are considered valuable assets in the never-ending battle against hostile Deltahumans. The organization is considered to be a paramilitary organization as agents are given special training on how to handle various Deltahuman threats, and how to handle certain situations that are Deltahuman related. Field Agents of FAMA wear heavy armor that is resistant to most forms of Deltahuman abilities and is heavily armed with top of the line firearms and other equipment (Nullification collars, taser darts, containment foam). The Agency has an outpost in every major city and they are in fact designated from a one to hundred number depending on the size of the city (e.g. New York City is 1, Los Angeles is 3, and so on) and each outpost has a Director who oversees all operations within the city. Smaller towns have agents delegated from the closest major outpost. On the west and east coast, there is a national headquarters where a majority of operations are run out of.
There was, originally, a major FAMA presence in LA but after the Incident FAMA supports the National Guard and Police in keeping the peace in Los Angeles.
♦ THE BANSHEES ♦
The Los Angeles chapter of the Banshees is certainly one of the more esoteric gangs that inhabit the city. Originating in San Bernardino, the Banshees could be considered a violent offshoot of the goth and neo-pagan subcultures that inspired their founders. Members dress in all black from head to toe and pale their faces and darken underneath their eyes (through the application of makeup if necessary). Like their namesake the Banshees have adopted a unique screech/wail that fulfills a variety of purposes such as acting a greeting or warning; a non-member performing this screech is equivalent to a layperson wearing gang colors...a beatdown of the offender is sure to ensue. The Banshees are not strictly a female exclusive gang, but those not identifying as female (known colloquially as 'Fringers') only exist on the periphery of the organization as they are not permitted to partake in group rituals or recite initiation vows. Potential Members known as 'Seekers' are subject to an intense initiation where they are expected to cut ties with their past selves. Those who are eventually initiated take the title of 'Sister' and are given a new name by the High Priestess of the Chapter. The Los Angeles chapter makes its headquarters in the dilapidated Evergreen Cemetery.
♦ THE BOYZ ♦
A gang of outcasts and freaks that the city didn't want, forming their own gang. The Boyz are a gang of drug dealers and other petty criminals that have a pretty large presence in LA. They are not racist in their recruitment as they have people from all races in their ranks and their leader wants outcasts, whatever they are. Their gang is primarily comprised of crazy drug addicts but some teenagers and other folks have taken to their philosophy and joined their gang. Their gang symbol is a smiley face a big toothy grin and the eyes crossed out with Xs. The Boys modus operandi is to get rich by selling drugs and become the biggest force in the city for the downtrodden. Their leader is Joy-Boy, a Deltahuman with an unknown ability, and he maintains a loose leadership through his three generals (or "Dragons" as he calls them). He asserts that every member of the Boyz proves themselves before they may join, and once they are an official and trusted member they get a mask of their own creation - usually a smiley face. They were a pretty small-time gang/fad until the incident and they were able to expand by adding more desperate people to their ranks. The Boyz now have a large chunk of the city under their control and it's getting larger with more Deltahumans joining their ranks.
♦ CHILDREN OF THE IRON CROSS ♦
A gang of white supremacists that have unified in their hatred and desire to eliminate non-whites. While they assert that they're a gang, they have many similarities to a cult. Their objective is the ethnic cleansing of LA and eventually America. They indoctrinate the young minds of their members to believe in their cause. Their membership is massive, as they are a movement that spans outside of LA - with many being forced to join them for safety. Because of this a lot of their membership comes from out of the city. Many of their members look the part - they're covered in tattoos, shaved heads, and jackets with patches of Nazi symbols. Membership includes committing a sufficient enough hate-crime for the Iron Cross to consider them dedicated enough. They commit various crimes around LA, from murder to theft to drug dealing. Their leadership includes one person on top that leads a group of lieutenants and everyone else on the bottom. The Iron Cross has a few Deltahumans in their rank with their leader being suspected of
♦ Hyenas Outlaw MC ♦
The outlaw group dates back to the mid-fifties as a Veterans riding group but after the introduction of Deltas in the 60s, their leadership changed drastically. Over time the group incorporated Deltas and regular meat bags including female riders as they traveled America as Nomads. The group is linked to various gruesome murders along the isolated highway strips of the mid-west & west coast. They are known for their signature "Hyena" like a laugh, more so a sign of warning or a battle cry commonly displayed by the group. They live without law and are the 1% of society, attempts by FAMA to curb and stop the group have failed and law enforcement dare to even step near them. Before the fall of L.A., a roaming more chaotic group of Hyenas led by Diesel Punchkill entered L.A. and slaughtered the resident L.A. Gang "The Regulators" but before they could finish up L.A. shit itself. Now surrounded by a fallen city and anarchy, they simply thrive as they look and hunt for something more than just their next kill.
♦ THE PURE ♦
After the incident the civilian population of the city has been on the rise against the Delta-Human populations. In their eyes; it was Deltahumans that caused all of this wickedness and mayhem in the city. So they've bunched together to protect themselves from the Deltahumans and to punish any strays that may step out of line. The Pure is armed with whatever weapons they can get their hands on (given that this is California, firearms are hard to come across).
♦ REAPER ♦
Nemesis of the FAMA organization and a lot more, REAPER is a strange and heavily armed paramilitary terrorist group. They are lead by the mysterious Abel, a massive man who is feared globally as he has killed dozens of politicians, researchers, millionaires and beyond. He is incredibly difficult to kill as he is seeming a Metahuman that is insanely strong and durable. Assisted by a strange portal technology, REAPER gets right where they need to go and then they vanish without a trace. Each member of REAPER is clad in black armor that covers them from head to toe, helmets that distort their voice, and are heavily armed. In the event that one of them dies (or is about to die), they are equipped with a strange chemical that dissolves their body down to the DNA and leaves no trace. Because of this, it's incredibly difficult to identify members of REAPER and trace where they came from. However, several REAPERS are Metahumans, with the elite members of the group being all Metahuman shock troopers. It's difficult to pinpoint where REAPER will target as they are responsible for hundreds of assassinations, kidnappings, and other terrorist attacks globally.
After the incident REAPER has been taking an interest in LA... REAPER agents from all over have been seen in LA and have been bartering with the many gangs. Selling crystals and power granting serums.
Yoko, while small as hell, carries one impressive ass aura around herself. She's around four-nine but she makes up for it by having one hell of a bite and a bark. She constantly gives off the aura of resting bitch face and makes herself hard to approach as possible. One probably wouldn't approach her anyway given her horrendous body odor and the fact that she's very unladylike. Now to get to the meat: yes, Yoko is East-Asian, pureblooded Japanese. Her skin is a golden yellowish tone, her eyes are slanted, and her hair is pretty straight (and also a black color). Back onto her traits; yes, Yoko is a tomboy and a humongous one. Her black hair is cut short into a pseudo-pixie cut, she usually wears dresses or anything, and she's very well built. Seriously, she goes to the gym and works out in her spare time so she's very very cut. Her attire covers up her body well given that she usually wears clothes a few sizes too big... and is very unfashionable. Though, she hides a bust of around 38H behind all of her heavy clothing, except no butt.
⫸ P S Y C H O L O G Y ⫷
"Oi!"
▼ | PERSONALITY : |
Confident but also an enormous pain in the ass. Due to years of living out in a rural place with no one around her but a bunch of men and boys... her personality matches it. Yoko is a loud, rude, outspoken young girl that isn't afraid to mince words. That's because of the way she is, she's innately impatient. She wants to get to the point and has no time dancing around subjects. Unfortunately, this can earn her the ire of the people around her and unfortunately for them: she doesn't give a shit. She's very passionate and kind, however, and interactions with her will show that, despite her confidence, she is very humble. She likes and breathes self-improvement and loves her family no matter what.
▼ | SKILLS : |
Bōjutsu A skill her grandfather taught her as he was a master at the staff. Not exactly something that Yoko can use in a fight, but it's something she's passionate about.
Cook Yoko was taught by her mom how to cook and she also works as a cook in her family restaurant.
Trilingual Yoko is fluent in Japanese (naturally), English, and French, due to attending an international school.
▼ | BACK STORY : |
Yoko was born in very rural Japan. It was a very strange place, but it was at home. It was a special kind of rustic that Yoko pines for, but moving on. The Hatanaka family was a simple one: there was a wife, a husband, a daughter, and a son. Yoko was the daughter. Given that it was rural Japan, technology and other stuff were a rare commodity so she went playing outside along with her brother, Goro. Goro and Yoko were two of the closet friends out there! They had all sorts of fun, but death struck the Hatanaka family when their mother died of cancer. That was the first major change in their life which lead her to be super close with her older brother. He was into sports and working out, so Yoko joined him and also had a heavy presence of her grandfather in her life. So... in other words: Yoko didn't have a whole lot of ladies in her life. Which lead to her taking after the men in her life - not that was a bad thing but it was rather unusual.
Yoko went to a normal school out in their small town - but eventually, their father and grandfather had other bigger ideas. They felt like Yoko and Goro wouldn't get the education they wanted out in the sticks, so her father arranged for her to attend an international school. The Bordeaux International School in France. Once they were both of age they were shipped there. France was definitely a change of pace but Yoko learned excellent skills there, and she also picked up on English and French while in the international school.
However, she met her best friend there... the first female friend she ever had: Nakamura Aiko. The two were quite alike... both were Japanese tomboys that were shunted to France. Except, Aiko was from Los Angeles and Yoko was from Japan. Despite that minor difference Yoko and Aiko became the two best of friends and they shared their common interests. They both graduated school and went home... which for Yoko ended up being Los Angeles, which was where their friendship continued.
They lived on completely separate ends of the city but they would still make time for each other. Yoko went to University in LA while also working at a Japanese restaurant her aunt worked at. However, there was an incident that changed everything for Yoko, Aiko, and Goro. Yoko finally met Aiko's family and after some chatting, she realized that there was some bad blood between the Hatanakas and the Nakamura's (Or at least that's what Aiko told her). They forbade Yoko from ever seeing Aiko again and never to come near them. However, Yoko had nary a clue as to why... nor a plan to follow the Nakamura's wishes because screw them.
The two talked however they could and eventually they met in person. That was where things fell apart... Aiko made a confession to Yoko that shook up their entire dynamic. Things didn't go as planned and Aiko underwent an explosive Manifestation-Event... which in term also caused Goro and Yoko to manifest their powers as well. Except, Goro was injured during the chaos and ended up in a coma - while Aiko fled into the night being chased by FAMA. She got away but Yoko vowed to get Aiko to pay for her actions... in blood if she has to. Thus has been tracking Aiko down... except for the fact that her power is a pain in the tits. In fact, she wondered how in the hell she became a Deltahuman in the first place? Unless Goro or Aiko were exposed to the energies she had no clue because she never even seen a crystal.
Nonetheless, Yoko has been searching for Aiko... except until the incident occurred and LA got destroyed. Now her new goals are survival at any cost and trying to protect her family in the chaos. Maybe finding that bitch Aiko.
▼ | PERSONAL ARC : |
Yoko's arc could involve Aiko and the antics that she's up to at the moment. It could also involve her family as well and her brother in a coma.
⫸ P O W E R I N F O R M A T I O N ⫷
"Oh boy, this would be fun if I didn't end up naked every time I use it."
▼ | POWER CLASSIFICATION : |
Chromatic (Yellow & Red)
▼ | POWER DESCRIPTION : | Wyvern-Transformation.
Yoko was exposed to both the type-yellow and type-red energies and she is thus a chromatic-type Metahuman. She is, primarily a type-yellow with her ability allowing her to transform into a completely different form. Yoko doesn't have control over this ability, but when her emotions are elevated, or sometimes at complete random, she will trigger a transformation into a powerful two-winged, two-legged dragon-like creature. This isn't an instant transformation, it's a gradual transformation that means that she'll change over time. She'll start a wyvern no bigger than herself and she could get enormous, the largest size that Yoko has reached was the body of a minivan and wings that are thirty-feet long. This means that the longer that Yoko is transformed, the more powerful that she'll become. Her skin will be covered in durable scales that make it tough for blades to slice her and can only be impaled with significant force, and her bones will become a lot more durable. Naturally, Yoko will be capable of flight the second that she develops wings with massively strong wings, and the rest of her body will be incredibly strong being able to toss people around with ease with raw bestial strength. Yoko will get the ability of a super sense of smell... like a snake she can taste the air for scents and use that to track her targets. Her hearing will also increase to the point where she can hear a needle drop. Yoko will be one powerhouse on the battlefield if she gets to that point.
Minor-Pyrokinesis.
If I were to divide Yoko's power into percentages, her wyvern ability is 85% of her ability, with pyrokinesis being the remaining 15%. Yoko, even in human form, is capable of producing flames, though while human her flames are incredibly weak being able to create a baseball-sized fireball at most. However when Yoko transforms her ability to produce flames scales with her wyvern form (and it changes to mere firebreathing). She'll be able to fire a jet of flames like a flamethrower and be able to shoot massive fireballs that'll scorch people on contact. Her body, in wyvern form, is a lot more resistant to fire than her human form.
▼ | WEAKNESSES : |
As stated before it's not exactly an ability that Yoko has control over. When she gets a bit too stressed or emotional, she'll trigger a transformation. This can be inconvenient depending on what she's doing and she could transform into her wyvern form at an inconvenient time. Now, as for the transformation itself: it ain't a pleasant one. To put it bluntly: It fucking hurts. Imagine some external force forcing your skeleton to adjust to that of a dragon? It'll sting like a bitch and Yoko will be bleeding a ton. Now as for the Wyvern form itself, it starts weak but gets stronger and it'd probably be easier to just kill Yoko when she first transforms because she'll be weakened. As it gets bigger she well; gets bigger. She becomes a bigger and harder target to shoot along with her speed going down. Along with the fact that her mental processes will slow down and become more bestial. She'll go off instinct and less of sense the further into the transformation she is and will have a harder time controlling herself. If her transformation is emotional enough; then she'll end up being a mindless beast. Now, in her wyvern form, she'll reach a point where she's more or less immune to fire. Only in her wyvern form, however. In her human form, she's still vulnerable to it like everyone else and will try not to use her pyrokinesis. In her wyvern form, her vision will gradually decrease the stronger she gets until she has no choice but to rely on her hearing and sense of smell. Unfortunately, that can play against her with extreme sensory attacks. If she's incapacitated or she calms down she'll revert to human form, unconscious. And naked. That'd suck too.
⫸ O T H E R ⫷
"Aiko, I don't know if you can hear me but I'm going to get you for this."
Can chromatic types be created via long term crystal exposure? And is it possible for abilities to change appearance aesthetically (outside of Type-Yellow)? Like how Jean Grey's eyes change and she gets lines on her face, but it doesn't affect how her power is used.
Can chromatic types be created via long term crystal exposure? And is it possible for abilities to change appearance aesthetically (outside of Type-Yellow)? Like how Jean Grey's eyes change and she gets lines on her face, but it doesn't affect how her power is used.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean by long term exposure but any type of exposure to two types of energy can create a chromatic. But definitely yes to other question.
"You're definitely getting the wrong idea; I'm just biding my time and I'm out. There's somewhere that's calling for me, and it sure as hell ain't here."
▼ | BIRTH NAME : |
Jack Ethan Stauber.
▼ | ALSO KNOWN AS: |
Neutron
▼ | GENDER : |
Male
▼ | AGE : |
27
⫸ A P P E A R A N C E ⫷
"Tell you what; if you get me a cigarette I'll tell you everything you want to hear."
▼ | P H Y S I C AL S T A T S : |
▸ HEIGHT : | 170 ▸ WEIGHT : | 5'8ft ▸ ETHNICITY : | A mishmash of every part of Europe. ▸ HAIR COLOR : | Brown ▸ EYE COLOR : | Green
▼ | PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION : |
Jack thinks of himself as a smooth pretty boy, and he acts like it, too. Usually, he has a coy smile on his face as he projects confidence with every step. Though, he usually keeps a cool and casual demeanor around himself that he always constantly contradicts by acting loud, excitable, and flippant. Jack is concerned with keeping up appearances and the one image that he wants to project is the "edgy guy" aura. Jack Stauber takes a lot of pride in his appearance and would have a fit if there was one scuff-mark on his outfit. Which is why you'd probably see him brushing off his outfit (or carrying alcohol wipes to clean off stains on his outfit). So, Jack builds wise is a pretty skinny kid, mildly athletic and has somewhat toned legs and arms from all the exercise he inadvertently ends up getting from his "extracurricular activities". Jack isn't exactly super tall, in fact, he's under the male average by about two inches, not that most people would notice it unless they compared him to somebody taller.
Jack's a mess of different kinds of European countries, his father said that he came from a line of Irish immigrants and mixed from there, and his mother came from Ukraine. Jack doesn't think too hard about it and just says that he's white. He's got relatively healthy skin, just that it's covered in a variety of scars from his old criminal days. From scars, he got from his gadgets literally exploding in his hands, to scars from misjudging a jump and falling. He has green eyes and not so striking brown hair he keeps combed upwards but wild looking.
⫸ P S Y C H O L O G Y ⫷
"I'm not going to end up the sore one here, at least not again."
▼ | PERSONALITY : |
Jack is definitely a contentious one. He's not exactly an easy person to get along with and that's just by his nature. He's cocky, takes nothing seriously, always has something to say, and is sarcastic as all hell. After one conversation with the sleaze most people want to punch him in the face - but a lot of people end up going through it with it and punching his teeth out. Jack Stauber is defined by his inability to take anything seriously and even though he's in the middle of the worst disaster in the world; he sees it as a means to an end. He wants revenge against his old boss and working with a bunch of chicks is "means to an end" those are means he digs. Jack is definitely a lady's man and he loves to hang around with and flirt with women - but it's all superficial. Jack isn't the type that likes long walks on the beach and wants a marriage - no he just wants to bury his bone and move onto the next one. If a girl doesn't return his feelings and drops their panties then they're no good to him. Jack Stauber is very easily impressed and also likes to show off... but what a lot of people find weird is that he's a huge neat freak. Everything in his workshop has to be neat and proper or he'll freak and if someone messes him up he'll flip. Though, deep down, Jack is really fucking pissed off because his old crew betrayed himf.
▼ | SKILLS : |
Criminal Knowledge ⫻ Whether or not FAMA likes it, Jack is a crook. He's been initiated into a criminal organization and he knows a lot of different things. From being sneaky, knowing how to pick locks, being agile enough to climb a fence with a heavy weight on his back, and most of all he has a very keen instinct. These skills bleed into how Jack thinks and interacts with other people regardless of whether or not he's aware of it.
Aim ⫻ Given that Jack's power allows him to create a variety of different guns, he needs to know how to shoot straight to make good of any of it. After hours of practice and whatnot, he learned to actually shoot straight and can actually shoot pretty well. He's no army sniper... more of a redneck that shoots a lot of cans.
Improvisation ⫻ While things like "long-term planning" go completely over his head, Jack fond of winging it. He's great at coming up with things on the fly.
▼ | BACK STORY : |
Jack was born in Tampa Florida lived in the poorer neighborhoods and since their father's job was annihilated by a Delta-Human the best he could end up with was a warehouse somewhere. They lived in a trailer park and that wasn't the least comfortable place to live in, and a lot of the time was spent with his parents arguing. To pass the time, Jack found his grandfather's old guitar and learned how to use it. It was crucial in drowning out the infuriating sounds of his parents constantly fighting. However, things took a turn that Jack wasn't expecting when his father was killed in a robbery gone wrong.
The family was shocked and did everything they could to cope with the situation. His mother fell into a pit of depression and became a heavy drinker, while the rest of the siblings fell to their vices. Jack, on the other hand, was exposed to the Delta-Point energy (Specifically Blue and Green energies) and the sheer grief of his father's death forced his power to develop and spontaneously manifest. He didn't notice that he had power at first, but he started getting these "ideas" in his head about stuff he can build. He ignored it, but then he experimented, he didn't know how he got this knowledge but he built the simplest invention that came to mind: a lamp. It didn't work at first before he had to charge it with his Metahuman energy and then it functioned. Jack realized the possibilities were endless. However, with the death of his father, that meant the breadwinner was gone, and since mommy was an alcoholic she was spending what little money they had. So that meant it came down to the rest of the Stauber siblings to keep a roof over their head... while also trying to stay in school and commit to other endeavors.
Jack himself contributed, but the best he could accomplish was getting a part-time job at a local fast-food restaurant. He did a bit of everything; cooking, cashiering, cleaning, and felt like he could become a manager. However, it just wasn't enough money, from a mixture of very shitty pay and a lack of hours he could only kind of contribution. The rest of his siblings weren't doing any better (some were doing worse) and they were only able to keep their house because Jack took drastic measures. He started creating trinkets and tools and began to sell them to gangs, the highest bidder, and managed to get a bit of money. However due to how they were inherently designed they were worthless to the average person. All it ended up doing was putting a target on his back as many gangs wanted their money back.
... So Jack went to even more drastic measures. After months of planning and creating tools out of whatever he could, he made a disguise for himself and robbed his own job. After all, he knows a lot about the place and it'd be the easiest to rob. He came out of the ordeal with a few hundred dollars which were a boon that the Stauber household desperately needed - and best of all, he could pay back some of the gangs. However, they needed more money and the gangs wanted their money, so Jack kind of made a habit out of the endeavor. At night, he put on the costume and would go around robbing businesses from convenience stores to restaurants, he even engaged in a little bit of house invasion. As he stopped going to school, he put hundreds, if not thousands of dollars towards the family's bills - they stopped wondering where he was getting all this money from after a while. The money started piling up and Jack managed to pay off the gangs, so that kept them off his back. He, however, realized that he would have to go even bigger if he was going to keep the money flowing for his family. There were only so many times he could rob the same two places before they caught on, and they would have even less to steal the second time. He had more money to buy gadgets, so he could afford it.
He started stealing from bigger businesses, and he wasn't going for money anymore. Oh no, Jack was going for whatever he could sell on the streets because in his eyes it was still money. The many police organizations in the city were starting to catch on, and eventually, they laid out a trap for Jack that he walked right into. He was surrounded by police officers, caught and went peacefully. He was shoved into the back of a police cruiser and it drove off, and he realized that it was the end for him... before the "police officer" that was driving transformed into a woman that smiled at him, telling him words that stuck with him to this very day:
"You're a smart cookie, kid, but you should have stayed in the kiddie pool."
The woman introduced herself as Megan Jervious, and said that she was following Jack, hoping that she would get to him before the police would. They beat her to the punch but she pulled the rug from under them. They abandoned the police cruiser and then she introduced them to a group of Deltahuman thieves that she was assembling, and wanted Jack in their ranks. He didn't know what to think, but she promised him money, gear, and more if she joined him... and just to sweeten the deal she gave him a huge sum of money right up front. That was all Jack needed to join them. They didn't even have a name, as Megan wasn't fond of such names so they simply referred to themselves as "The Group". However what she was fond of was covering her tracks, and thus she advised that they keep their distance from each other and strictly know each other by codenames. Jack himself settled on Neutron after Megan telling him that Jimmy Neutron going to fly. They had no headquarters, and where ever there was a mission they would just meet up somewhere - organized by Megan via text message.
At first, he thought that it'd be difficult being on a team with technopaths, but their powers worked well together, Jack and Gear made many amazing tools. The Group was responsible for a lot of different heists from robbing gangs, stealing from shipping boats to even robbing banks. Long as Jack got a cut, he was down for it. He helped whenever necessary, but they largely kept him out of the way reasoning that he was too young and impulsive to play with the big boys. His devices were instrumental to half of these heists going well, but he also played a part when they didn't. Over time, Jack noticed that they were going after specific groups - mainly businesses and groups under the ISD. It wasn't something he thought too hard about, he just wanted the money as he was finally able to leave his shitty day job behind and kept a roof over his family's head. Over time he was able to accumulate a huge selection of gadgets as he built them with what little free time and money that he had available and it shows.
The Group was known for their speed; they went in from places nobody expects, his them hard and vanishes without a trace while everyone figured out just what in the hell happened. However, after one mission he was approached by a member of the group named Flashbang who formally introduced herself to him by finally taking off her mask;a teenaged girl around Jack's age. She told him her name was Emily G. Reed, a girl that had a bone to pick with a lot of people. Jack feeling confident, revealed himself as well, and the two started talking about a lot of different things. About their past, their goals, and most importantly of all; who's going to come out on top and who's going to be the sore one. Emily told Jack that Megan was hiding something and there was something bigger going on here than just stealing stuff, Jack agreed. After all, she was having the group steal confidential research and evidence of under the table dealing - he felt like she knew something that she wasn't sharing with the group.
Because of this mutual suspicion, they both chose to do some "side-jobs" independent of the group. She heard of a deal between some gang and somebody else that was selling one of the last few Delta-Crystals out there. They both, naturally, crashed it and managed to cause a huge ruckus and snatch the crystals from underneath everyone's noses. Emily and Jack were torn on what to actually do with them - as the crystal painted such a target on their back than trying to sell it would have been completely suicidal. Jack wanted to split the crystals against Emily's wishes, eventually, they conceded and then Jack left with half the crystal. Now, this crystal was the thing that Jack really needed to make his inventions great. He broke the crystal into pieces and then used those shards to fuel his inventions before he came up with his magnum opus: TBFLG (The Big Fucking Laser Gun).
This was something that he showed off during an overnight bank heist - powered by the crystal the beam completely annihilated the vault door... and everything inside of it. Megan was furious at Jack but the spectacle of the vault being destroyed more than made up for all the money they lost. She was also curious as to how the kid got his hands on a Delta-Crystal and was even angrier for them getting one and not telling her. It was no skin off his back, he went home that night and took a rest; he figured that he would take the day off and save up his energy for the next mission. FAMA raided the house in the middle of the night and then they attacked him with such speed and precision that by the time he awoke he was cuffed, collared, and thrown into a van. He was taken to FAMA headquarters where they explained that they had received an "anonymous tip" and followed through on it (which Jack thought was total bullshit). They confiscated his gadgets, his phone, his gear... but they didn't find a Delta Crystal, which he thought was impossible because if they got his gear, then they got at the crystal. Above all else the feds wanted to know who was organizing The Group, so he told them what they wanted to hear; it was Megan Jervious organizing them and he had no idea who the others were - they thought that was total bullshit because Megan Jervious doesn't exist.
While being transported to a prison for Deltahumans in southern California shit hit the fan and Jack was one of the few people that managed to escape. Now he got himself a change of clothes and decided that... he was gonna have some fun here in LA.
▼ | PERSONAL ARC : |
Jack definitely has some unfinished business with The Group. He has a high suspicion that they sold him out and it's hard to blame him. If any member of The Group moves into town; well, he'd shove his laser rifle directly up their ass. Either he'd take it up with Megan or Emily G. Reed, but the past always has a habit of catching up with him. However his old boss knows some stuff.
⫸ P O W E R I N F O R M A T I O N ⫷
"I just need a new jetpack."
▼ | POWER CLASSIFICATION : |
Type Green.
▼ | POWER DESCRIPTION : | Delta-Based Technological Constructs.
Upon manifesting Jack gained the ability to create incredible technology that uses the Delta-Pont energy (and crystals) as fuel. This is difficult to explain as he just has the ability to create pieces of technology well beyond his educational or knowledge would allow. He's honestly confused as to how to make this crap, he just knows! After seeing other Metahumans in action he just gets "ideas" in his head, and he replicates it to the best of his ability. These devices are limited to energy-based constructions along the lines of said laser guns, force-fields, jet-packs, etc - however, his specialty dictates that it has to be powered by the Delta-Point energy. He usually uses his own Delta-Point energy as he specifically designs his gadgets to absorb the Delta-Energy of whoever is holding it. However, if he gets his hand on a Delta-Crystal the device would functionally be overclocked with so much power that it may explode. He'd have to specially design a device to use the Delta-Crystals. He can repurpose seemingly any other piece of technology and repurpose it in this manner and create tools to protect himself and his allies. He usually sticks with the good old laser gun, because you can't go wrong with lasers! He's not sure what's the limit on stuff he can create - though he seemingly gets ideas from observing other Deltahumans, and he can't explain it but calls this effect "inspiration". As a majority of his laser weaponry was gotten from observing a friend of his in The Group. Other Deltahumans can donate a bit of their energy to fuel his devices if they choose to.
Upon getting arrested by FAMA a majority of his tools were confiscated (and used as evidence against him), so most of his powerful weaponry is sitting in a locker in Florida. However, he made new stuff
■ Laser Rifle.
Called "Ol' Reliable" by Jack, it's easily his staple weaponry. It's a laser rifle that's around the length of an assault rifle and is constructed out of a microwave, a car, and a PlayStation. It fires high-heat laser beams that incinerate anything it comes in contact with if he wants to and the weapon is fully automatic like an assault rifle. He can choose wether it shoots a solid concussive round or a hot one. It can fire for a minute straight before overheating, and since it uses Jack's Delta-Energy there's no need to reload. He can with the turn of a dial adjust the intensity of the rifle (aka. how hard it hits) and change from hurting feeling like a pinch to a paintball gun to getting hit by a baseball full force. From a light burn to needing some serious medical attention.
■ The Shield.
The second most important tool in Jack's arsenal (and the one thing that they didn't make him change). It's a device that runs up the majority of his right arm - and at will, he can charge it with his Delta-Point energy and create a large rectangle barrier that covers him. This barrier has helped him survive situations that he normally wouldn't have. Jack states that it can take quite a bit of gunfire or about one punch from a super-strong Deltahuman before going down.
■ Force-Field Grenades.
Back in his old days in The Group, there were plenty of situations where he needed to protect allies, but he either wasn't there or couldn't there. A lightbulb went off in his head and he created a series of orbs that he charges with his Delta-Point energy and deploys into a barrier that lasts a short time before disappearing. He doesn't recall how strong they are off the top of his head, but he remembers one taking a couple of shots from pistols and another... slowing down a rampaging Type-Yellow for about two seconds.
■ Jet Boots.
There's one thing that Jack fucking loves; it's his jet boots. He puts these suckers on and he can fly like Starlord! They're boots that shoot fire to the point where he can fly in the air, and he has devised a way to activate them without clasping down and pressing the buttons.
▼ | LIMITS : |
Jack is limited to technology powered by the Delta-Point energy, and if a design isn't powered by it then it simply will not work. This may not seem like a huge limit but it largely limits him to electronics or energy-based devices. Now, Jack's ability could be amazingly versatile and probably could be the strongest among all the Deltahuman. However, it's limited hard by a variety of different factors. For starters, he needs time and resources to build his devices and that makes it impossible for him to even create things on the fly. Thus, he needs to prepare... which could go wrong as he has a habit of horribly misinterpreting situations. In order to make the really advanced gadgets he's going to need high-end stuff and after the Incident that shit's hard to come by. Jack's power needs fuel of course, and that comes from himself a majority of the time since he doesn't have anymore Delta Crystals. His body only has a limited amount of Delta-Point energy that he can use up before it's empty and he has to wait to replenish it. It should be fine if his power usage is kept limited, but if he goes further beyond that he's going to be in trouble. The mere act of draining his Deltapoint energy drains his stamina so he'll eventually be wearing down.
▼ | WEAKNESSES : |
Using his gadgets offensive is a double-edged sword. On one hand, he'll cause damage but on the other hand the Delta-Point energy will (if they're a Metahuman) boost the power of the opponent. So the longer the fight goes on, the most powerful his foe will get, and they'll have a lower chance of ashing. Jack's technological feats aren't exactly expertly put together - they're put together on the fly with what he has on hand. Which means they aren't exactly the most durable in the world, in fact even regular people could probably easily break them. Or if they don't break by themselves - his gadgets are very prone to overheating and then they'll probably end up inoperable over time. Or they'll explode in his hands, which sometimes happens. In addition, he's extra-prone to ashing if he draws on Delta-Energy faster than it can be replenished.
⫸ O T H E R ⫷
"Hey, sometimes you just get roped into a supervillain group and steal stuff. Shit happens, shit could happen to anybody."
▸ HEIGHT : | 5’5” ▸ WEIGHT : | 108 ▸ ETHNICITY : | Korean ▸ HAIR COLOR : | Naturally, black - currently, pink. ▸ EYE COLOR : | Dark brown, almost black.
▼ | PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION : |
Hana puts a lot of care in her appearance. While she admits a likely contributing factor to this behaviour is her own vanity, she places part of the blame on the influence of South Korean culture, having spent three years there in her youth. Beauty is a highly valued currency in that country - being beautiful equated to success. After learning this growing up, Hana placed a lot of value in maintaining a good image in public. Her morning routine wouldn’t be complete without a skincare routine, an application of makeup, and a hairstyle of some kind.
Hana’s biggest pride is her skin. She sports a milky complexion, free of blemishes, though two moles dot her face - one under her eye, another on the opposing cheek. Hundreds of dollars had been invested in skincare for its upkeep, and it seemed to be doing the trick. More was spent on Hana’s round, slightly down-turned eyes, to surgically correct the uneven eyelids she was born with. Plastic surgery was as common in Los Angeles as in South Korea, the two places she grew up in. As a result, it was never a difficult decision to go through with it.
At 5’5”, Hana is average height, though on the taller end by asian standards. She’s rather slim, a weight she maintains by trying trending crash diets every now and then despite being aware of how unhealthy they are. Her long pink hair, slightly dry and frizzy from the chemical processing, grazes the middle of her back. She has a medium-sized tattoo of peonies that wraps around her upper right arm.
▼ | ATTIRE : |
Hana’s fashion has two moods, and occasionally, they mix. The more favoured half of her closet has a monochromatic palette - mostly black fabrics, with some variety of greys sprinkled in. Her darker clothes are mostly in a streetwear style, with some professional attire included as well. In contrast, the remainder of Hana’s closet displays a girly aesthetic. This part of her closet is dominated by white, beige, and pale pink fabrics, with ruffles and lace to boot.
⫸ P S Y C H O L O G Y ⫷
"I wish everything would just return to normal."
▼ | PERSONALITY TRAITS : |
On the surface, Hana is cheerful and animated, with a dimpled smile on her face on most days. She appears extroverted and friendly, and makes an effort to be kind to people. Though Hana believes she’s a good person, a small part of her is aware that her kindness is not completely altruistic - she has a deep-rooted desire for others to like her. Hana is selfish, though she isn’t self-aware enough to notice, or prefers not to admit it, and ultimately acts for her own benefit before anything else. This trait surfaces in subtle ways; for example, she probably wouldn’t take sides in a conflict between two friends, even if one was more in the wrong, to avoid being antagonised by the other. In another scenario, Hana might ask how someone’s day went with the intention that they’d reflect the question back to her.
Underneath the smiles and enthusiasm, Hana is emotional, to say the least. She’s easily angered if something doesn’t go her way, though she’s in no way vengeful. Her habit is to internalize the conflicts in her life and bottle it up, which ends up affecting her overall mood. She generally doesn’t outwardly display internal distress, but when she’s upset, she becomes more distant and apathetic towards other people.
▼ | SKILLS : |
Bilingual: Having grown up in two different countries, Hana can speak English and Korean.
Finance: As a finance major, Hana knows her way around a spreadsheet - well, to the extent of any other university student.
Personal Care: It’s a skill completely useless to the Deltahuman-related crisis in LA right now, but Hana knows her way around skincare, makeup, and taking care of her appearance.
Anti-Chef: If you ask Hana to cook something, she can somehow inexplicably make food taste bad, and leave a mess behind while doing so.
▼ | BACK STORY : |
(very mundane, civilian backstory up ahead)
Hana was born in Los Angeles, to two immigrant parents. They had migrated to the states for work, after some convincing from relatives who had moved there some years before them. Though they struggled initially learning English, Hana’s parents eventually settled down and decided to have children once their finances were more stable. After some effort, Hana was born. Three years later, the Kims’ gave birth to her younger sister, Yoona.
For a while, Hana’s childhood was normal. She grew up on Disney movies and sugary cereal, attended a local elementary school, and felt like becoming a princess when she grew up. Sure, she was a little spoiled, even though her family was in no means living in the lap of luxury. Evidence of her lavish childhood could easily be seen in her bedroom - its walls were painted pink, and a fairytale-esque canopy hovered above her bed, covered in stuffed animals. Yoona’s bedroom was styled in a similar fashion. Their rooms were the envy of her friends at school, a fact Hana took pride in.
When Hana was seven years old, her parents had a divorce. It was messy, from what she can remember. The roar of her parents’ arguments shook the house at night, and oftentimes, one of them would leave the house and not return for days. There was a lot of confusion in this chapter of Hana’s life, and she found that a lot more responsibility was being placed on her shoulders. Chores were being neglected, and home cooked meals were replaced with twenty dollar bills for takeout or pizza. Hana became a little more independent during this time, albeit much more temperamental.
Hana and her sister were split up once their parents finalized the divorce. Hana stayed with mom, and Yoona stayed with dad, and they swapped places every weekend, for a time. Their lives were a lot different now - the dreamlike, pink-themed bedroom was sold along with the home they grew up in, and Hana’s parents could no longer support giving her whatever she wanted. Learning to be rejected from time to time took its toll on Hana - she threw a lot of temper tantrums before realizing being angry wasn’t getting her anywhere. At some point, her dad decided to return to South Korea, taking Yoona with him, since she was young and likely more able to adapt to a new culture. The distance had created a physical and emotional rift between the siblings, and they haven’t been close since.
From age eleven to fourteen, Hana lived in South Korea as well. Her parents, though antagonistic toward each other, found value in having their children learn about their roots. However, as an insecure preteen, Hana felt discarded - first by her father who moved away, and now by her mother who shipped her halfway across the world, to an unfamiliar place. This is perhaps the origin of Hana’s self-serving personality now, and why she feels a need for attention.
Hana used social media and a string of terrible relationships to get the attention she sought so deeply. In high school, she began to amass a small following on Instagram - not enough to generate an income, but companies sent her free stuff to review every now and then. Needless to say, she became a little obsessive over her page’s statistics and numbers, and felt validated when her posts received an increasing amount of likes. You can say she had a similar attitude towards relationships in her high school years - she quickly fell for anyone who showered her with affection.
Hana discovered her powers unwittingly one day, in a fight an ex. He was a Deltahuman with a simple ability - he could manipulate the temperature of things he touched to drop and frost over. Occasionally, however, he used his ability on Hana, when they’d argue, when he’d get angry at her, or disagreed with something she did. Eventually, Hana had enough of her limbs freezing and wanted it to stop - and somehow, it did, for a moment, much to her ex’s confusion. She could feel that she was the cause - maybe it was the feeling of Delta-Point Energy flowing through her. As far as she knew, up until that moment, she wasn’t a Deltahuman. It occured to Hana that she was likely exposed to type-green energy as a child, and the power manifested over time.
Hana kept her ability a secret as much as she could, and figured out the extent of what she could do on her own, or with a trusted friend. She didn’t see much value in using her powers - they didn’t seem to have any useful purpose, and exposing herself as a Deltahuman could only invite negativity. Public opinion about Deltahumans was mixed, and Hana didn’t want it to tarnish the crafted appearance she presented of herself on social media. By all means, Hana lived her life like a regular human. She attended UCLA for their finance program, and was close to finishing her degree before shit hit the fan.
▼ | PERSONAL ARC : |
Hana’s arc will likely be personal development for the most part. With everything that’s happened, Hana is mostly confused and listless, now that her rather mundane plans of graduating college and finding a job have been thrown off-track. She wants to figure out what she wants to do.
⫸ P O W E R I N F O R M A T I O N ⫷
"Really? Of all the superpowers I could’ve had, I get this?!"
▼ | POWER CLASSIFICATION : |
Type-Green
▼ | POWER DESCRIPTION : |
Hana’s power is simple, and doesn’t have too many uses. When she touches another Deltahuman with the intention to use her ability, she can nullify their powers for the time that she remains in physical contact with them, and the effect gradually wears off once contact is lost. So, for example, someone with fire manipulation abilities may find that they can only conjure a small flame equivalent to a lighter immediately after Hana lets go of them, and then a baseball-sized flame ten minutes later. From Hana’s own experimentation, the debuff effect seems to last about half an hour on average, before the affected Deltahuman regains their full strength. This ability also works on physical transformations, meaning it can force a transformed superhuman to their untransformed state, and cause a delay until they can transform again. In Hana’s opinion, the debuffing aftereffect is the only silver lining to her ability.
▼ | LIMITS : |
Hana must remain in physical contact for the nullification ability to take effect, after which is a delay of about half an hour before the affected Deltahuman is able to regain full power. Upon Hana coming in contact with someone, it takes about 1-2 seconds for the nullification to kick in. Her ability does not work on permanent transformations.
▼ | WEAKNESSES : |
While Hana’s ability is a potential inconvenience for many, she’s rather bitter that the invention of Suppressant-Collars have essentially rendered her abilities redundant. There isn’t much use for her to use her powers when a manufactured item can essentially do the same thing, packaged in a portable, wearable form.
The biggest limitation of Hana’s power is that she has to be in physical contact with someone for it to take effect. One look at Hana, and most people would chuckle at how laughably easy it would be to run away from her. She isn’t the most physically fit of Deltahumans, or humans in general, and staying away from her nullifying touch is a walk in the park. What seems to be more effective, in Hana’s experience, is using it on people who are unaware of her abilities. Half of the time, people don’t connect Hana’s playful pat on the back as the reason why they’ve temporarily lost their abilities.
⫸ O T H E R ⫷
"I hear Delta-crystals are basically a power up... Maybe if I get my hands on one, my power will be a little less useless."
@Pink Khione She seems a little blase about being abused. lol
My only stipulation about power negation is that it shouldn't be able to reverse permanent transformations.
I kinda glossed over it yeah lol
What would be considered a permanent transformation, if you have any examples? I'm assuming Yoko's wyvern ability is not permanent since she can morph, but would a power like someone who can fly because they have wings be considered permanent?
What would be considered a permanent transformation, if you have any examples? I'm assuming Yoko's wyvern ability is not permanent since she can morph, but would a power like someone who can fly because they have wings be considered permanent?
So if the power like causes someone to grow wings they can't retract then that's yeah a permanent transform. There was one character I had that was basically half-frog and she couldn't transform back so yeah that'd be a permanent transformation. I'm just adding that stipulation because we had a lot of those characters and there's a bunch of logistics and bickering that result from it so I figured it'd be easier to just say she can't force them to change back (that sounds like a completely separate power!).
So if the power like causes someone to grow wings they can't retract then that's yeah a permanent transform. There was one character I had that was basically half-frog and she couldn't transform back so yeah that'd be a permanent transformation. I'm just adding that stipulation because we had a lot of those characters and there's a bunch of logistics and bickering that result from it so I figured it'd be easier to just say she can't force them to change back (that sounds like a completely separate power!).
This makes a lot of sense. Thank you for clarifying! I will add that as a limitation.
