[OOC] Umbra: The Abyssal Connection

[Abstract Proxy]

Thanks!

Masquerading as a doctor seemed like something she would be enjoy and be good at (I figure she rather deep understanding of the anatomy of humans and others given her supernatural talents).

And practicing medicine means easy access to bad times and people suffering to feed from...but also to help/push.

[SporkoBug]

Admittedly I lied to you Etsy, I'm working on the character sheets now and have almost finished them both xD

[Estylwen]

Thanks!

Masquerading as a doctor seemed like something she would be enjoy and be good at (I figure she rather deep understanding of the anatomy of humans and others given her supernatural talents).

And practicing medicine means easy access to bad times and people suffering to feed from...but also to help/push.

@Abstract Proxy

I love it. I can't wait to see her in action when we start the IC.

Admittedly I lied to you Etsy, I'm working on the character sheets now and have almost finished them both xD

@SporkoBug

Oh well that's wonderful news! I look forward to seeing it!

[SporkoBug]

@Estylwen Let me know if I need to change anything!
Added both of my guys. I'm terrible to Wren, which is perfect for this :D
Plus internal struggle for which side he wants to be with!

[Estylwen]

@SporkoBug I love your characters! They're both good to go!

[rabidbacon]

I'm open to the idea. If a player Wild wants to bind up, shoot me a message and we can coordinate.

It wouldn't even have to be a previous binding, could be something brand new from the characters running into each other.

@Herald

I may be interested, and I think my idea for a Wild could work with your character's angle.
Will submit before DMing you to make sure it's all fleshed out first.

Hello! That is entirely up to the player. Wilds are known to have physical forms or ghost-like forms. However, all forms have a physical heart present.

The Wild becomes bound to the human. If they are spectral they will live inside the human. If they are corporeal they will live around the human. They will have a mental tether that binds their souls, allowing them to communicate telepathically. The Wild will feast on the humans emotions, either positive or negative, depending on the type of Wild. And the human will in turn gain powers. These powers can be enhanced if enough suffering happens.

@Estylwen

Thanks for the details. I have a few more questions:
- How big can they get? I was thinking of making a Wild that feeds on fear or anger, and it would be reasonable to assume these emotions are abundant in such a setting, which means they are quite well-fed.
- Is there a set distance between Wild and bound human (kinda like how the Wi-Fi signals weaken and stop working after a certain point)? If this happens, what are the effects (ex: human's Wild-given powers stop working, Wild gets hungrier, etc.)
- Regarding the powers, does it have to be consensual for it to work, or can a Wild give and take away the powers freely? And when bound to one, does it mean it cannot choose another?
- Can a Wild give powers to only one human?
- Can a Wild feed on more than one human's emotions? I feel like the answer here is yes... though I asked just to be sure.
- If Wilds feed on emotions, do they have their own? If so, can they feed on each other?
- How are Wilds born/created? (Or is this a plot point you will reveal later in the story?)
- If the Wilds were brought into this world via accident, what is keeping them from staying in their world / going back through the tear?

[Estylwen]

Thanks for the details. I have a few more questions:
- How big can they get? I was thinking of making a Wild that feeds on fear or anger, and it would be reasonable to assume these emotions are abundant in such a setting, which means they are quite well-fed.
- Is there a set distance between Wild and bound human (kinda like how the Wi-Fi signals weaken and stop working after a certain point)? If this happens, what are the effects (ex: human's Wild-given powers stop working, Wild gets hungrier, etc.)
- Regarding the powers, does it have to be consensual for it to work, or can a Wild give and take away the powers freely? And when bound to one, does it mean it cannot choose another?
- Can a Wild give powers to only one human?
- Can a Wild feed on more than one human's emotions? I feel like the answer here is yes... though I asked just to be sure.
- If Wilds feed on emotions, do they have their own? If so, can they feed on each other?
- How are Wilds born/created? (Or is this a plot point you will reveal later in the story?)
- If the Wilds were brought into this world via accident, what is keeping them from staying in their world / going back through the tear?

@rabidbacon

For sure!
1. Most Wilds are human size or the size of a one-story building, maybe a little bigger.

2. I'd say 100 feet is about the distance they ought to stay within before Wilds and their human begin to feel a tugging on their hearts that gets more and more painful the further away they are.

3. It doesn't have to be consensual, a lot of Wilds simply start haunting humans and the humans have no say in the matter. A wild can be bound to only one other human, and once they are bound, they cannot without their powers. Everything is linked, the powers, how they are telepathically connected, everything. A binding can be undone, but it takes a lot of time, effort, and can sometimes be painful.

4. Wilds are split into positive emotion feeders and negative emotion feeders. They typically satiate themselves on one or the other.

5. This will be revealed later in the story. All Wilds know how they were drained from their home in the Perishing Event, where a tear threw them into our world.

6. When they came through the tear into our world, the 'amniotic fluid', what we call the Abyss Energy drained from their world and interspersed into ours, causing all the plants to decay and dust to wreak havoc. Without this 'fluid', their world is like a popped water balloon, and is uninhabitable. Our world is habitable because the fluid still lives in the air, albeit at a much less dense rate.

Does that answer your questions alright?

[Qia]

I'll get my sheet in by tomorrow :)

[Estylwen]

I'll get my sheet in by tomorrow :)

@Qia

Sounds awesome, thanks for the heads up!

[Estylwen]

Vin Maul

Vin Maul

35 | Human | He/him | Lawless, Leader of the Bears

Abyssal Connection: None

---

Description: Vin had a tough life, constantly scraping by to live another day. He felt into gang life, and quickly rose in the ranks. He became so proficient at his job due to his cunning and ruthlessness, that even the boss began to fear his unpredictableness.

It was around this time that Vin took some of the men he worked with and ditched his old gang, forming his own called the Bears. Named after a rare and powerful beast not often seen in the Dust, him and the Bears began taking names. They cut out hearts from weaker Wilds, doing trades with Umbra Corp. Umbra Corp began hiring them as bounty hunters, sent to track down specific targets like Ghost Corp officials. However, they lead by their desires, and aren't opposed to going against Umbra Corp for quick gains.

The Bears are outfitted with abyssal energy pistols and daggers. Vin himself has an abyssal energy rifle, and he's quite the good shot.

[SporkoBug]

I'm guessing we'll have a posting schedule for this one too?

[Estylwen]

I'm guessing we'll have a posting schedule for this one too?

@SporkoBug

Nope, it's a free-for-all posting spree. Post when you can, and I will make intermittent posts throughout.

[rabidbacon]

Bacon

Mercy

Age: ?? | Wild | Gender: Male | Faction & Title: The Wilds - the Devourer | Height: 25 feet | Weight: 8,500 pounds

Abyssal Connection: Natural Subjugation

Draconic Vitality

With concentration, Mercy's hide becomes nigh impenetrable, save for close blasts from high-powered weapons, due to a unique molecular structure that can be rearranged at will. However, the density of this hide as well as the heft of his size also means that Mercy moves at a limited speed during this state. Outside of it, the hardness can compare to thick animal hide, and he can move at an agile speed, akin to a gigantic bear. Also, given his size, stealth is often not an option.

Infernal Blood

Mercy's blood runs at a high temperature, akin to molten lava. Where it falls, it can start fires, and when splattered, it can cause burn damage. Of course, it would be unwise to use this as a main tactic, as Mercy can still bleed out. This is mostly a defensive feature.

(Locked) The Void Stares Back

Can regurgitate all the despair, anger and fear he has consumed to freeze all human targets within a certain area and cause them to lose most mental faculties, shutting them down and disabling rational action. This is a limited ability, as it means Mercy loses the emotions he has fed on and is weakened for quite some time.

Goal:
To destroy Umbra Corp and help the Wild King gain more territory.
Understand the humans and their unending strife.

Personality:
Mercy only wants to feed. More grounds means more to feed upon. There is little else that he is bothered with.
He takes some interest in how humans fight amongst themselves, as well as with his own kind, but those that catch his interest are often only rewarded by a gruesome end, rent by his claws and crushed in his massive jaws. He feeds on both the negative emotions and the bodies of humans.

History:
Mercy has no memories of others like himself, though he was not always as large as he is now. He grew large in the City of Ehlm, for those that dared to enter and pick its fruits were almost always full of fear. One day, he eventually grew big enough to try killing one, and though he nearly died on account of the strange, ingenious weapons they had, he won and he devoured the human. It was a taste he would never forget, and from then on, he became one of the more aggressive Wilds, feeding on all that he could.

It was odd, how many of them seemed to ask for mercy, before death, and before long, he decided that it was equivalent to what the humans called names.

There is a spark of curiosity growing within the great beast, however, about his prey. But it is one that he is reluctant to entertain. After all, playing with one's food is a waste of time.

Inventory:
N/A

[Estylwen]

Bacon

Mercy

Age: ?? | Wild | Gender: Male | Faction & Title: The Wilds - the Devourer | Height: 25 feet | Weight: 8,500 pounds

Abyssal Connection: None

Draconic Vitality

With concentration, Mercy's hide becomes nigh impenetrable, save for close blasts from high-powered weapons, due to a unique molecular structure that can be rearranged at will. However, the density of this hide as well as the heft of his size also means that Mercy moves at a limited speed during this state. Outside of it, the hardness can compare to thick animal hide, and he can move at an agile speed, akin to a gigantic bear. Also, given his size, stealth is often not an option.

Infernal Blood

Mercy's blood runs at a high temperature, akin to molten lava. Where it falls, it can start fires, and when splattered, it can cause burn damage. Of course, it would be unwise to use this as a main tactic, as Mercy can still bleed out. This is mostly a defensive feature.

(Locked) The Void Stares Back

Can regurgitate all the despair, anger and fear he has consumed to freeze all human targets within a certain area and cause them to lose most mental faculties, shutting them down and disabling rational action. This is a limited ability, as it means Mercy loses the emotions he has fed on and is weakened for quite some time.

Goal:
To destroy Umbra Corp and help the Wild King gain more territory.
Understand the humans and their unending strife.

Personality:
Mercy only wants to feed. More grounds means more to feed upon. There is little else that he is bothered with.
He takes some interest in how humans fight amongst themselves, as well as with his own kind, but those that catch his interest are often only rewarded by a gruesome end, rent by his claws and crushed in his massive jaws. He feeds on both the negative emotions and the bodies of humans.

History:
Mercy has no memories of others like himself, though he was not always as large as he is now. He grew large in the City of Ehlm, for those that dared to enter and pick its fruits were almost always full of fear. One day, he eventually grew big enough to try killing one, and though he nearly died on account of the strange, ingenious weapons they had, he won and he devoured the human. It was a taste he would never forget, and from then on, he became one of the more aggressive Wilds, feeding on all that he could.

It was odd, how many of them seemed to ask for mercy, before death, and before long, he decided that it was equivalent to what the humans called names.

There is a spark of curiosity growing within the great beast, however, about his prey. But it is one that he is reluctant to entertain. After all, playing with one's food is a waste of time.

Inventory:
N/A

@rabidbacon

Looks great! There's only two things I want to clarify. His hide, I imagine it would be immune to regular bullets, but not to Abyssal Energy bullets?

How is his skin temperature?

Also, the abyssal connection would read 'Natural Subjugation' instead of 'None'.

[rabidbacon]

<Snipped quote by rabidbacon>

Looks great! There's only two things I want to clarify. His hide, I imagine it would be immune to regular bullets, but not to Abyssal Energy bullets?

How is his skin temperature?

Also, the abyssal connection would read 'Natural Subjugation' instead of 'None'.

@Estylwen

Thanks!

1. Yes.
2. I imagine that the skin keeps the heat inside, but when he's wounded, the parts around the wounds get pretty hot.
3. Noted, will edit!

[Qia]

The original image I used for her is gone, but I suppose it's not the end of the world since some time has passed right?

A8-130-G1B-88

A

mid 20s (she's not sure) | Human | Female | Umbra Corp, Test Subject | 5’4 | 130 lbs

Abyssal Connection: Forced Subjugation

#1 Hemorrhage

She can cause a person's nose or ears to bleed, causing discomfort and mild disorientation. This ability has a short range and requires a direct line of sight.

#2 Blood Sense

She can sense nearby living creatures' location and general health status by "feeling" their blood flow. This ability has a limited range and does not provide specific details about the creatures.

(Locked) #3 Blood Puppetry

She can control the movements of a target by manipulating their blood flow. This ability requires intense concentration and has a limited duration. It also causes significant strain on her, leading to fatigue and potential nosebleeds.

---

Goal: A’s primary goal is to regain control over her life and protect her fellow test subjects. She is determined to uncover the truth behind their imprisonment and experimentation, and to seek justice for the wrongs done to them. Ultimately, she aims to dismantle the organization that has manipulated and violated them, ensuring that no one else suffers the same fate.

Additionally, A is driven by a personal quest to recover her lost memories. She hopes that by piecing together her past, she can understand the full extent of her abilities and the reasons behind her selection as a test subject. This journey of self-discovery is crucial for her to find closure and reclaim her identity.

Personality: A is resilient and resourceful, with an unyielding determination to overcome any obstacle. Despite the trauma and suffering she has endured, she remains fiercely protective of her friends and allies. Her past experiences have made her wary and distrustful of authority figures, but they have also instilled in her a deep sense of empathy for those who are oppressed or mistreated.

A is driven by a strong moral compass and a desire for justice, often putting herself at risk to help others. She struggles with the temptation to give in to the darkness within her, but her resolve to fight for a better future keeps her grounded. Her cautious and strategic nature often puts her at odds with those who prefer more direct or ruthless methods, but she remains steadfast in her beliefs.

A’s quest to recover her lost memories adds a layer of vulnerability to her otherwise strong exterior. She is haunted by the fragments of her past, which fuel her determination to uncover the truth and reclaim her identity. This journey of self-discovery is crucial for her to find closure and to understand the full extent of her abilities.

History: A woke with others who were the same as her, fellow test subjects. During her time at the facility with them, she recovered a few of her memories. She remembered being mercilessly bullied as a child, with tormentors often resorting to physical violence. One harrowing memory involved being shoved into a wall, resulting in a severe nosebleed and a broken nose. Another memory was of a car accident as a teenager, causing the death of her best friend. She vividly remembered the blood pooling on the asphalt and the feeling of helplessness as she watched her friend succumb to their injuries.

Left with more questions than answers, A now travels with the remaining members of this group to the city of Ehlm in an attempt to kill the Wild King.

Inventory: Umbra Corp Skin Suit: A sleek, dark suit designed for agility and protection.

Hematic Rebreather Mask: A specialized piece of equipment designed to enhance A’s blood-bending abilities while providing essential respiratory support.

Utility Belt: Equipped with various tools, including a small knife, lockpicks, and a compact flashlight.

Medical Kit: Contains first aid supplies, including bandages, antiseptic wipes, and a few vials of blood coagulant for emergency use.

Ration Bars and Water Bottles: Essential for sustenance during long missions.

Communication Device: A compact, encrypted radio for secure communication with her team.

Notebook and Pen: For jotting down observations, plans, and any recovered memories.

[Estylwen]

Thanks!

1. Yes.
2. I imagine that the skin keeps the heat inside, but when he's wounded, the parts around the wounds get pretty hot.
3. Noted, will edit!

@rabidbacon

Great! Feel free to add them to the CS tab. :)

The original image I used for her is gone, but I suppose it's not the end of the world since some time has passed right?

A8-130-G1B-88

A

mid 20s (she's not sure) | Human | Female | Umbra Corp, Test Subject | 5’4 | 130 lbs

Abyssal Connection: Forced Subjugation

#1 Hemorrhage

She can cause a person's nose or ears to bleed, causing discomfort and mild disorientation. This ability has a short range and requires a direct line of sight.

#2 Blood Sense

She can sense nearby living creatures' location and general health status by "feeling" their blood flow. This ability has a limited range and does not provide specific details about the creatures.

(Locked) #3 Blood Puppetry

She can control the movements of a target by manipulating their blood flow. This ability requires intense concentration and has a limited duration. It also causes significant strain on her, leading to fatigue and potential nosebleeds.

---

Goal: A’s primary goal is to regain control over her life and protect her fellow test subjects. She is determined to uncover the truth behind their imprisonment and experimentation, and to seek justice for the wrongs done to them. Ultimately, she aims to dismantle the organization that has manipulated and violated them, ensuring that no one else suffers the same fate.

Additionally, A is driven by a personal quest to recover her lost memories. She hopes that by piecing together her past, she can understand the full extent of her abilities and the reasons behind her selection as a test subject. This journey of self-discovery is crucial for her to find closure and reclaim her identity.

Personality: A is resilient and resourceful, with an unyielding determination to overcome any obstacle. Despite the trauma and suffering she has endured, she remains fiercely protective of her friends and allies. Her past experiences have made her wary and distrustful of authority figures, but they have also instilled in her a deep sense of empathy for those who are oppressed or mistreated.

A is driven by a strong moral compass and a desire for justice, often putting herself at risk to help others. She struggles with the temptation to give in to the darkness within her, but her resolve to fight for a better future keeps her grounded. Her cautious and strategic nature often puts her at odds with those who prefer more direct or ruthless methods, but she remains steadfast in her beliefs.

A’s quest to recover her lost memories adds a layer of vulnerability to her otherwise strong exterior. She is haunted by the fragments of her past, which fuel her determination to uncover the truth and reclaim her identity. This journey of self-discovery is crucial for her to find closure and to understand the full extent of her abilities.

History: A woke with others who were the same as her, fellow test subjects. During her time at the facility with them, she recovered a few of her memories. She remembered being mercilessly bullied as a child, with tormentors often resorting to physical violence. One harrowing memory involved being shoved into a wall, resulting in a severe nosebleed and a broken nose. Another memory was of a car accident as a teenager, causing the death of her best friend. She vividly remembered the blood pooling on the asphalt and the feeling of helplessness as she watched her friend succumb to their injuries.

Left with more questions than answers, A now travels with the remaining members of this group to the city of Ehlm in an attempt to kill the Wild King.

Inventory: Umbra Corp Skin Suit: A sleek, dark suit designed for agility and protection.

Hematic Rebreather Mask: A specialized piece of equipment designed to enhance A’s blood-bending abilities while providing essential respiratory support.

Utility Belt: Equipped with various tools, including a small knife, lockpicks, and a compact flashlight.

Medical Kit: Contains first aid supplies, including bandages, antiseptic wipes, and a few vials of blood coagulant for emergency use.

Ration Bars and Water Bottles: Essential for sustenance during long missions.

Communication Device: A compact, encrypted radio for secure communication with her team.

Notebook and Pen: For jotting down observations, plans, and any recovered memories.

@Qia

Yep, that's absolutely fine. She looks great, thanks for re-making her. Feel free to add her to the CS tab!

[Lexisheeps]

@Estylwen I'm waiting for your updated remarks on religion in the world, before I further my cs along. I have the basics of what I want in my character, but I don't want it muddled with inconsistencies. There's no rush, of course. I'm just letting you know. <3

[illirica]

Ivy Tenebra

Ivy Tenebra

26 | Human | Female | Ghost Resistance - Engineer | 5'6" | 133 lbs

Abyssal Connection: None

Goal: To bring down Umbra Corporation entirely. No innocents. No survivors.

Personality: She will do whatever it takes to get things done. She has already done worse.

History:

"It's okay. It's okay. I love you. I'm right here. I love you so much. You're everything, you know that. I'll be here the whole time. And when we're done, you're going to be so strong."

Ivy grew up on the streets. She never knew her father, but that wasn't too unusual. She helped out, where she could. The first few years were all right, really. It wasn't a good life, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. She was eight when her little sister was born, and that was when things changed.

Her mother hadn't wanted another baby, and didn't want anything to do with her - she didn't even name the little girl. Ivy took over raising her, not knowing what else to do, and her mother turned to drugs and drinking. She was always kind to her oldest child, the one she had wanted. The younger, not so much.

Still, she did what she could. Mostly, she did what was asked of her, because how could she not? She remembered who her mother had been, when times had been good. If she was good enough, responsible enough, obedient enough, maybe those times would come back. It wasn't the baby's fault. Ivy couldn't help but love her. She called her Lily, because she ought to be called something.

As she got older, Ivy started looking for a way out. She wanted to help people, and make the world a better place so that people didn't have to grow up in poverty. Abyssal technology had so much potential, and Ivy thought that if she could work on that, she might be able to find ways to improve life for everyone. She studied as much as she could, and at the age of 20, she accepted a position with Umbra Corporation.

She brought her little sister with her, thinking that Lily had suffered enough.

Umbra Corporation had other ideas about that.

After her sister's death five years later, Ivy left Umbra Corporation and joined the Ghost Resistance with the singular goal of using what she has learned to bring down Umbra, once and for all.

She is primarily an Abyssal Engineer, focusing on Abyssal Technology and making it work, as well as repairing old systems and developing new ones. She is capable of using most of the systems she designs, but prefers to let others do the fighting unless absolutely necessary. The Resistance doesn't have nearly as much technology as Umbra did, but Ivy is willing to do what she needs to.

Inventory:

Athame Tuner - A specialized blade, used specifically for attuning the Abyssal energies within technological devices and binding those energies into new devices.

Abyssal Capacitors - A pair of bracers worn on Ivy's forearms, they are capable of drawing in and storing Abyssal energies. Ivy can discharge them directionally at will in an energy burst. Usually she discharges them into the technology she is working on, but in a pinch she can offload Abyssal energy directly into an opponent, with generally horrifying results.

Here's what I've come up with - please let me know if there's anything that I should adjust; I'm always happy to make edits.

[Estylwen]

@Lexisheeps Sorry for the wait, here it is!

Religion

The Perishing Event caused a lot of people to return back to the Benefactor, a deity known as a force of goodness in the world. When good things happen, or when something goes in your favour, people often chalk it up to the Benefactor.

The texts say that the Perishing Event was a last sign, and that these are the last days of the world before the Quiet Rapture. Where the good will be saved. Anyone remaining will be left to suffer alone in a dying universe.

So, most Benefactor-fearing folk are trying to be one of the ones that are taken in the Quiet Rapture, which many believe to be soon. They pray, they do good deeds, and try to make good in a dying world.

Unfortunately, even more believe they are the exception to the rule. That they will be saved no matter what evil they bring forward. This is the mentality of most of the corrupt Lawless.

There are those who worship the Abyss and the Perishing Event. However, these are on-the-fringe worshippers, cultists, and are considered heretics by mainstream religion.

Let me know if you need more details!

@illirica There's not a thing I would change, I love the concept of an engineer, and the concept of how Abyssal Energy is converted and used. Feel free to place them in the CS tab when you have a moment!