Jinxer

Gifted Tempest

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Gifted Tempest

Gifted Tempest

Co-GM @wolverbells
Ten months have passed since the rumours of 'Gifted' individuals began to circle, first appearing on oft disregarded message boards in disused corners of the internet. Soon those rumours gained traction, more and more joining the ranks of this newest of conspiracy theories as those supposedly exhibiting these strange powers disappeared suddenly and without explanation. More respectable blogs and news sites picked up the story, although with a hefty degree of scepticism, while social media became abuzz with supposed genuine videos while many still put it all down to digital editing skills and the ever impressive array of photographic effects available on mobile phones.

Unusually for such a rumour, however, there was a kernel of truth to some of the tales. Gifted individuals were appearing, albeit at a slow rate and without any discernible pattern and with abilities so weak that many were theorised to be Gifted but never found out. These unusual people disappeared from public life rapidly and, only adding to the swirling miasma of conspiracy theories, several governments began programmes of mandatory genetic testing with the supposed aim of contributing data to the Human Genome Project but without of the earlier transparency.

More stories of the suddenly disappeared began to spread after the testing completed and worried individuals began to shrink away from society, hiding themselves from the pursuing forces that many now acknowledged, unofficially at least, truly existed. Those whose Gifts had manifested in ways that could not be denied even by the most alarmist of minds fled with the knowledge that those who were caught were not seen again snapping at their fleeing heels.

---

Hello and welcome to the Gifted Tempest (a new spin on our frequent favourite: The House of Powers RP).

The short version is that this is a RP based on people gaining powers (science based, if you can call it that, rather than magic based) and governmental bodies looking to chase them down and research, and then exploit, these Gifts.

Characters will be adults, 25+ with established lives (families, friends, careers etc) with no anime or overly unrealistic lifestyles (contrary to popular RP character rosters, the vast majority of people aren't skilled martial artists) and mature themes will run through this RP so only those 18+ may apply. This is not smut 18+, to be clear. Just the much more respectable gore and violence themes. That being said, these characters are adults, relationships and other things happen; be realistic.

The RP will start at the stage when the mandatory genetic testing for 'health research purposes' has gotten into full swing and the rumours of Gifted individuals were largely unbelieved rumours; the initial thrust of the RP from there should be fairly clear from above.

The characters should have powers which are hitherto unknown to them and should somehow reflect their personality/life choices.

I will be updating this and a 0th post with new information as we progress so keep an eye on it. We'll also have a Discord channel to chat in.

Character sheet

Image (no anime/manga, drawn is okay as long as it displays your character realistically)
Name
Age (25 minimum)
Sex
Description (in addition to the image, include clothing preference, tattoos etc).

Power (detail a bit about it, uses you envisage and limitations. Remember it will scale up from being weak to begin with. Include how it conforms to or mirrors their personality or lifestyle).

Brief history (these are real people, adults who will have a past that will probably be relatively mundane but still important to how they act and who they are).

Gifted Tempest

@RumikoOhara

That's perfect. Something a little out of the ordinary that might top her off later when rumours circulate about Gifted people. Of course it might be too late by then... Spoilers.

Gifted Tempest

@RumikoOhara

A great start (when I put the OOC up we'll need a brief history). One minor adjustment though: characters need to be 25 or over, just so they've got a little more life experience behind them.

Gifted Tempest

@Clever Hans A good array of questions!

- I personally like the idea and it would be great if this were the case. More likely is that the power will conform to the character and match their personality rather than reflect their psyche (I know that seems like a minor distinction).

- Single gifts, often with multiple applications though (we're talking powers like Pyrokinesis but this could be creating fire, being resistant to it and being able to regulate one's own temperature better under the one title).

- That's somewhat the reason for the genetic testing. More details to follow during the RP. It is not known (widely) to the public, certainly no official statement has been made even acknowledging their existence as of yet.

Pursuit of Power

Erasmi Andora

@Raylah

It had been a couple of hours since his talk with Aziza and so the first of her victims for the night was almost certainly dead by now. The girl, although she had many qualities, was especially skilled in the art of death. He had many such subordinates who practised the craft but none were nearly as good as her; that was why she was here, in the centre of it all. The best was required for such a delicate situation.

The palace of Exodus was not unfamiliar to him, the years of blossoming trade between the two kingdoms having required his presence at the royal home several times in the past but its extravagant wealth was still something that both amused and disgusted him. Primfira had its own luxuries and displays of wealth but they were somewhat more refined, still holding some practicality whereas here it seemed as though things were pretty and expensive for that sake alone. It served a purpose, he supposed, but there was too much waste and it frustrated him that such a people were still the most affluent and powerful despite it all.

The hue and cry soon went up, guards pounding the halls toward the disturbance. Erasmi followed, curious, until he was standing on the steps of the palace entrance and even from such a distance he could hear the terrified screams and clamour of a city on the verge of total panic. All this, from just one monster? The Freyjan people had clearly become soft, to be unable to deal with one such intruder. Still, there were plenty of his own people out there, in the city, and he would not sit by why the Exodus soldiers consistently failed to deal with the threat.

He gestured for his guards to follow and loped off into the darkness, the men at his back knowing not to argue with their monarch despite the danger; he had come through much over the years and survived his fair share of battles so they followed him without question. They passed fleeing citizens who parted when they saw the small group of heavily armed soldiers, spearheaded by the tall and fearsome king whose piercing eyes struck through their own aimless fear. The cries of terror and pain became louder as they neared and Erasmi guided the troupe based on those sounds until they stood at the head of a street, corpses littered in near every direction in various states of evisceration.

With surprise he saw a giant Earthican warrior's corpse on the ground, sprawled in the ungainly form of shock defeat on the floor, terror still raw in his glazed eyes. As they neared the king could see that the beast was large, even for its kind, but the amateur response of the Exodus guards were the cause of so much death; they tried to engage it where the monster's claws and teeth could reach them and so died in their dozens. What buffoonery these people possessed!

"Spread out, use bows and javelins. Retreat if it gets close, pull the living back here." His commands were short and understood immediately, his guards encircling the beast from behind the wall of Exodus fodder, pelting it from a safe range while others pulled those who could still be saved back toward the king who formed their rally point. Erasmi had no interest in healing them himself, he was above such a task, but it served a purpose to be seen as in command.

To his surprise a Freyjan woman he recognised from the palace was brought to him, in a state of deep shock although uninjured despite the gore which had splattered her dress. Without armour or weaponry she was lucky to have survived at all and it appeared she utterly unaccustomed to this level of violence, from the withdrawn look in her eyes.

"You are Princess Thyrri, correct? A healer in training, if I recall. There are wounded here who need your help." He swept away from her, not having the time to coddle a civilian on the battlefield, even if they were a royal one. "Don't get close to it, stay back and wear it down!" He roared at one of the greener soldiers in his guard who had edged forwards, spear held halfway down the haft as if he had hoped to kill it with a surprise blow. The man sheepishly retreated, fending the bear off from a distance with the length of his spear.

Despite their attempts, however, the bear did not seem willing to slow down from its injuries any time soon. Erasmi had no desire to lose any of his men to the beast and so he stayed at a safe distance, calling out orders as he paced back and forth, observing the slow flow of battle and ensuring they kept out of its path. Someone more courageous and selfless would need to deal the killing blow although it would almost certainly result in their own death as well.

Gifted Tempest

Gifted Tempest

Co-GM @wolverbells
Ten months have passed since the rumours of 'Gifted' individuals began to circle, first appearing on oft disregarded message boards in disused corners of the internet. Soon those rumours gained traction, more and more joining the ranks of this newest of conspiracy theories as those supposedly exhibiting these strange powers disappeared suddenly and without explanation. More respectable blogs and news sites picked up the story, although with a hefty degree of scepticism, while social media became abuzz with supposed genuine videos while many still put it all down to digital editing skills and the ever impressive array of photographic effects available on mobile phones.

Unusually for such a rumour, however, there was a kernel of truth to some of the tales. Gifted individuals were appearing, albeit at a slow rate and without any discernible pattern and with abilities so weak that many were theorised to be Gifted but never found out. These unusual people disappeared from public life rapidly and, only adding to the swirling miasma of conspiracy theories, several governments began programmes of mandatory genetic testing with the supposed aim of contributing data to the Human Genome Project but without of the earlier transparency.

More stories of the suddenly disappeared began to spread after the testing completed and worried individuals began to shrink away from society, hiding themselves from the pursuing forces that many now acknowledged, unofficially at least, truly existed. Those whose Gifts had manifested in ways that could not be denied even by the most alarmist of minds fled with the knowledge that those who were caught were not seen again snapping at their fleeing heels.

---

Hello and welcome to the Gifted Tempest (a new spin on our frequent favourite: The House of Powers RP).

The short version is that this is a RP based on people gaining powers (science based, if you can call it that, rather than magic based) and governmental bodies looking to chase them down and research, and then exploit, these Gifts.

Characters will be adults, 25+ with established lives (families, friends, careers etc) with no anime or overly unrealistic lifestyles (contrary to popular RP character rosters, the vast majority of people aren't skilled martial artists) and mature themes will run through this RP so only those 18+ may apply. This is not smut 18+, to be clear. Just the much more respectable gore and violence themes. That being said, these characters are adults, relationships and other things happen, be realistic.

The RP will start at the stage when the mandatory genetic testing for 'health research purposes' has gotten into full swing and the rumours of Gifted individuals were largely unrelieved rumours; the initial thrust of the RP from there should be fairly clear from above.

Interest/advice/input is very much welcome. We'll be aiming to start soon, once there is sufficient interest.

A Truly Gifted World (Perpetually Seeking!)

Julius 'Jules' Ragnarson
The Erubescan Citadel

Boredom was a frequent and troublesome visitor to Julius' world, only ever one step behind his most recent task and harrying him onwards. His drive had slowed ever since his amibition, or rather that which he had inherited from his father, had been realised and it had become a daily task to fend off the depressing slowness of life and to seek new challenges.

That was largely why he had agreed to attend this meeting, to raise funding supposedly. His initial interest had been borne out of a lack of more attention grabbing activities but he was becoming more intrigued by the goal of this project as time went by. Would this be something with which he could stave off his own lack of direction? It would be a largely unfamiliar discipline, he was sure, but as with most such academics he would not struggle for long.

"We should accompany you in, young-" He rolled his eyes, tapping the marbled floor twice with his cane.

"No, you should not Harold. You may take your band of enthusiastic young men back now, it has been over twelve years since the attack. I should hope that your nerve has recovered by now." He waved away further complaints from the now wizened leader of his family's guards, a man who had served his father faithfully for decades and whom Julius has known his entire life. "I am quite sure that SPECTRE will be capable of protecting me, should the need arise. Take the day off, old friend. Perhaps entertain my old father, he is need of a good company from a trusted friend." Harold winced, an acknowledgement of the state of his former employer, but he nodded reluctantly and led the team of men away leaving Julius alone to enter the Citadel proper.

He wandered leisurely, already a little behind time but these meetings had a tendency to start late as it were; late attendance was always planned for. His feet took him in the right direction, a map of the hallways of the Citadel fresher in his mind than they were in any database, until he stood outside the open doors to the meeting hall. As expected, his tardiness would not be an impediment to his understanding of the subject; indeed, it did not appear that they had begun.

Julius entered, nodding a polite greeting to two men he recognised as the Lords Durmont and Santora although they had little reason to know who he was, their paths not as of yet crossing. Other faces he had seen before, in the news or in passing he recognised but they not personally familiar to him. He smiled warmly, introducing himself individually as he made his way around the room in search of a suitable seat. He soon approached the alchemist who looked to be leading the meeting and names flashed through his head before the right one settled, although he did not recall a time they had actually met.

"Ah, Cordelia. A pleasure to meet you at last. I've been following some of your work, fascinating, I must say. I look forward to hearing what you have to present to us today." He finally took a seat, an appropriate number of chairs away from the two young lords, and rested his hands atop his stick while waiting for the meeting to begin.

It was such an odd assortment of individuals... whatever the young alchemist had planned it would surely be sufficient to keep him entertained for a time.

A Truly Gifted World (Perpetually Seeking!)

Grand Chancellor Julius Ragnarson

Julius 'Jules' Ragnarson

(From the Dominic Deegan comic, well worth a read...)

Age: 28
Gender: Male
Loyalty: Erubescian Grand Chancellor

Gift: Sound Manipulation
Julius can hear conversations in a place normally out of earshot with clarity, can accentuate/minimise sound he himself makes although he is not completely immune to the effects e.g. silencing his movements would mess with his natural movement as his brain could not understand the oddity, enhancing sound overly much could temporarily deafen himself as much as it incapacitates others.



Description
Julius is a young man and his face, studiously clean shaven and free of any marks or scars from illness, clearly shows his age. At first glance his resting expression is one of mild, open and innocent amusement; a welcoming face if ever there was one and invites those he converses with to open up and lower their guard. Julius' chestnut hair is thick and looks tightly controlled although there are hints as to its rebellious nature, the way his fringe pushes forwards and hangs on either side of his face speaks of a long battle for control resulting in a truce: the fringe may stay but is parted to the sides. He is what is described as boyishly handsome - his features never quite losing their youthful nature.

Most days Julius' attire is casual: suit trousers with a short-sleeved shirt and what could almost pass for a homespun jumper over the top and a long, trailing scarf wrapped around his neck. When the time calls for it he will pull out his suit and will be as respectable as the occasion demands it but he is not one to overdress on his everyday life; being underestimated is Julius' key weapon and his homely clothes and kind expression are tools in his arsenal to this end.

At all times he wears spectacles perched low on his nose and carries a walking stick, usually a plain wooden one he has crafted himself but has a more fashionable design of black wood and crystal to match his suit when attending formal events. His limp, to take weight off of his right leg, is barely noticeable and does not restrict him, it barely dents his speed when running and Julius may overplay his old injury to further his appearance of weakness at times.

Personality
Although his kind facade is a fundamental part of Julius' political strategy it is not entirely false; his first instinct is to reach out to others but his second, and stronger, nature is to control his actions tightly to further his aims and protect himself. He is highly intellectual and intelligent, a quick wit who enjoys successful endeavours in the world of intrigue but not out of malice, merely a sense of victory. He has no time for those he deems useless and, most of all, revels in the company of kindred spirits with whom he can discuss deeply philosophy and other academic pursuits. His key personality flaw is snobbery when it comes to academia and looks down on those he believes to be dim-witted.

Skills

Intellectual - Julius is well read and intelligent. For some this is a virtue of their upbringing and, to some extent, Julius' own intellect will come down to his relatively wealthy background. It is certainly true that his vociferous appetite for the acquisition of learning was enabled by the extensive access to books and research made available to him by his father's library. However, it would be shortsighted to label him as merely a well-read academic. His mind works faster than most others, his wide knowledge despite his age employed creatively and precisely with that focused intellect and he is wise when it comes to people unlike others with this same quality, the two traits combining into a deadly and flexible method of thought.

Silver-tongued - His quick wit extends to his tongue and Julius can talk his way out and through nearly any confrontation, emerging not only unscathed but often in the good favours of a former aggressor. His amiable nature is in part to aid this although he has steely side when pushed and this juxtaposition can often unnerve others enough for him to manipulate their own way of thinking to swing around and match his own. His young age makes those more experienced in the art underestimate him and allows him to win them over.

Educated - It is not just in the academics that Julius has form when it comes to knowledge. His ability to learn from anything he reads, hears or sees just the once is formidable and he has a wide array of combat styles he can employ and some of these he even has experience with, practicing his favourites to make up for the minor slowness his injured leg provides.

Weaknesses

Injured right leg - As a young boy Julius' leg was nearly crushed in an 'accident' that nearly took his life. Whether the attempt was aimed at him directly or missed his father is both unclear and also irrelevant, such events are to be expected in the upper echelons. As a result he has been left with a permanent limp and a mild weakness in his lower leg, the knee having never fully recovered. Day to day he can easily manage, with some small discomfort, a normal life although he supports himself with a walking stick to lessen the pain. Extended exercise can cause him severe pain, even with a brace, and he is slower than he might have been had he never been injured.

Snobbery - Try as he might Julius has a tendency to underestimate those he deems less clever than himself. While he acknowledges the rarity of his own intellect and is aware of his own weakness it is not something he can fully control or account for and often this oversight will come back to haunt him. It is not in his nature to openly mock people for the advantage he holds over them in this regard but may accidentally cause some slight embarrassment to others with his words.

Sound Manipulation - He is not in total control of his Gift and can accidentally eavesdrop on others. Normally this would not be a problem for the fact that it is mildly distracting, like trying to listen to two separate conversations at once. He has become used to the experience but it is not a constant phenomenon which can lead him to act oddly to those around him before realising it is his Gift acting up. He is also not immune to the effects of his own Gift when he actively employs it, the employing of sound amplification or nullification also affecting himself so it would be possible for him to rupture his own eardrums while trying to incapacitate another.

Brief History
Born to an affluent father of the Chancellor echelon and a mother whose parents were amongst the lofty heights of the Lordship classes, Julius wanted for very little as a young boy. He was the only child, his mother unable to conceive after his own birth and often sickly after the experience before a premature death when he was reaching his early teens. As such his parents, and grandparents, showered him with gifts and attention, if not affection, and he received a highly sought after education.

His father was keen for the family to advance, especially after gaining a rare connection to such a high class family through his wife, and focused his ambition on Julius after his own efforts failed. This drive, and Julius' own ambitions, had him excelling in most anything he turned his hand to from almost the moment he could walk. Every moment was spent in the library, exercising, learning from his betters and Julius loved the lifestyle; to this day his adoration of learning new things has not faded.

An assassination attempt, presumably aimed his father, was foiled shortly after his mother's death but Julius narrowly avoided the aftermath when a careering vehicle collided with him and crushed his leg. After rehabilitation he functions normally but still suffers from bouts of pain and a constant ache in his right knee. After this Julius' father became paranoid and drew back from public life, inadvertently thrusting his young son out into the world of politics and intrigue.

When many might have failed, Julius thrived on his new responsibilities. He made a name for himself as someone who got things done and done well and even legally. By his early twenties he had enough connections to rise above his father's old rank, achieving that long held ambition they had shared although not in the way his parents had envisaged.

Now, he toys with the idea of further advancement although not for any real desire for power or wealth. He is bored and, his boyhood ambition largely achieved, is in search of a new dream; one that will challenge but in as comfortable and least dangerous manner as possible.

Other
Julius is a great lover of old fashioned board games, especially chess and more complex ones such as Risk. He prefers physical pieces to more modern, digital equivalents although he is no less proficient in the latter; the sensation of touch and the personal connection are simply more interactive and amiable to his sensibilities.
He also likes music although has no ability to play an instrument, from a lack of trying for the most part, and has tremendous respect for those skilled in the art regardless of style or genre.

A Truly Gifted World (Perpetually Seeking!)

@EchoicChamber

My thanks! I shall move it over the to the Characters tab and peruse the IC before I post.