ramblingbard

Safe

((Please forgive me for this is my first time creating even an interest thread on this site.))
This is set in a world created by Laurell K Hamilton for her Anita Blake series. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the series, I’m just borrowing the world. Some terms, abilities/attributes, and other things that are being used from the series will be defined so you understand them. That means it is alternative universe to us but humans are still just like humans in our world, so keep it real.

Vampires exist. Were-creatures are real. Magic is not just in fairy tales. This is the real world.
The real world is full of monsters, legends, things of fantasy. Some are endangered, some are extinct, and some even live among us.

The Setting

This is going to take place in Random City, USA. (We can give it a real name if people want, but it doesn't really need to be defined.)

Random City, like many other cities in the US thanks to legalized vampirism, has many vampire owned/employed establishments; it also has a recently started animation company, preternatural catering clubs/establishments, and a preternatural safe haven that doubles as a preternatural Sure, it still is pretty difficult to be a lycanthrope, but it falls right in line with the rest of the country. It's in the Northeast - New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New England area - which, for those of you who are not from the US or are unfamiliar with that environment, means a temperate climate in which you see all four seasons. The winter thaw usually starts in early-mid March, with an average of 55-75 degrees (F) weather in the spring which lasts until about mid-May. At which point, summer takes over and can see temperatures as high as 110 degrees (F) occasionally with droughts or extreme thunderstorms. The drop off from summer to fall can sometimes be rather quick, but fall mimics the spring months temperature wise, growing colder rather than warmer, and in late September to early October, the leaves of the trees begin to change color. Winter thaw sets in usually in mid-November, but the first snow fall could happen anywhere between late October to late December; the temperature rarely exceeds high 40s during the winter, but warm spells reaching as high as the 70s are not unheard of for this region.

The Master of the City oversees all vampire establishments, though The Master does not take profit from any of them except for The Master’s own businesses; The Master merely wants to assure no one is breaking any laws, and has put out a kind request - that has seen brutal punishment when disobeyed - for anyone wishing to open a new business to approach The Master first.

What has been seen as something of a preternatural safe haven exists at the city limits, run by the lycanthrope group - the Blue Rose Pard. It was initially designed as a halfway house for lycanthropes and vampires, but as expanded to cover any and all wayward beings of the preternatural variety - or even normal humans that have simply had too close a brush with the preternatural world and need some protection for a little while.
They will take in any and all that request their help, though lycanthropes that could be part of one of the other groups (at least wolf, rat, and leopard so far) must be willing to acknowledge that being new to the group means they are subordinates to those of the Blue Rose Pard. There are a handful of master vampires here as well, able to lend guidance to younger or weaker wayward vampires. The safe haven is a mansion built to be a fortress, and can completely lock down to protect those within its walls in moments; the Pard will destroy any that mean to hurt those within.
Rumors have it that the Master of the City resides here, though it is unconfirmed.

Because of the difficulty in holding vampires, lycanthropes, or witches in prison pending trial, they are entitled to very little legal process. Once a judge is convinced that a supernatural being has used magic to kill, he or she may issue a warrant of execution without trial. Supernatural beings are executed within 48 hours of conviction of causing death by magic, without delay or appeal.

A number of preternatural actions are illegal or even capital crimes, including:

Vampires using their feeding off a human against their will (with or without hypnosis).

Vampires turning a human into a vampire against their will.

Vampires turning a minor into a vampire.

Lycanthropes intentionally infecting another person, this is always illegal without consent, with consent it varies on a state to state basis. (with consent is okay for the RP)

Witches/preternatural humans using their abilities in a malicious way (such as an animator using a zombie to kill someone, or a witch using charms

Discrimination against lycanthopes is technically illegal in most states but common in practice. In some Western states, bounties are paid for dead lycanthropes (if proved by a postmortem blood test).

There are several anti-vampire/preternatural groups, each of which seeks to restrict vampire rights by legal means, and sometimes violent action against vampires and other supernatural beings, rather than the legal methods preferred by the first two groups.

As the major city in the region, it has recently started its own police task force to investigate preternatural crime; they investigate preternatural crime not just in the city but most of the cities in their county. Like other cities across the country adopting this task force, it is a low status force mostly filled with people who have upset their superiors, and rarely people that volunteer for it. It is mostly humans, though there is a known lycanthrope (closet lycanthropes may also be in the task force) that works in the task force. They are always looking for police officers (or people looking to become police officers) with preternatural abilities or experience (mostly meaning witches, psychics and other humans with preternatural knowledge). This is called the Regional Preternatural Investigation Team, or RPIT (pronounced rip-it) for short.

There are national groups formed within the last two decades in reaction to preternatural creatures getting rights.

Humans Against Vampires: This group is has been actively trying to get the rights for vampires overturn so they go back to being just another hunted preternatural group like before. They seek non-violent means to do so and although against vampires - they will not harm vampires or helpers, but will do things like graffiti and vandalize vampire owned business, homes, and establishments of people catering/friends with them.

Humans First: This group is a more extreme version of Humans Against Vampires, which was started by people who were once part of HAV and felt their methods to be too tame. They will actually attack vampires, their friends, and others as well as hate mail, petition, and more to get vampires rights taken away. They are also adverse to any and all types of preternatural including lycanthropes and psychic/magical humans. If they had their way, only humans and non-preternatural creatures would be left on earth.

Basic Plot
Years ago, young (defined as ages 5 - 16) preternatural beings (mostly lycanthropes and witches/psychics, though some youthful looking, weak vampires) disappeared. After a series of gruesome murders, the disappearances stopped and most of the missing youths returned, a lot of whom went to a safe house following the handful responsible for freeing them.

Now, just over a decade later, the disappearances have started again. Four children (that have been reported) have disappeared in the last four months. The RPIT detectives are without a clue again, but they count themselves lucky that the murders haven’t started. Yet.

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Types of characters to choose from:

Human
Magical/Psychic Human
Lycanthrope (covers any and all were-creatures)

Humans are straight forward so I'm going to skip this. They are real world type people that need realistic stats (like if they have hair coloring that isn't naturally occurring, you need to note their natural hair color as well as the fact that it was dyed the unnatural color - and the same goes for eye colors). As RPIT members, they know about witches/psychics, vampires, lycanthropes, zombies, and many other preternatural creatures; some ignorance is allowed, but basic things (like vampires drink blood and can only enter private places if they are invited in and lycanthropes change into an animal during a full moon) would be known.

Magical/Psychic Humans

There are a variety of degrees of Magical/Psychic Humans. Some are such a minor level psychic that they all they have for an ability is the capability to sense lycanthrope auras.
Others actually are members of magic based religions like Voodoo (sorry I forgot the proper term for it), Wicca, or old world religions passed down through generations.
Others are innately gifted with clairvoyance (ability to see what happened at a location by touching an object that was connected to the actions there), animation (the ability to raise the dead as zombies), and even extremely rare gifts like pyrokinesis (the ability to make fires via thought.)
And still some can catch vibes from the air and are actual psychics that can use various mediums (bones, tarot, runes) to read a person's past, present, and reveal potential outcomes for future actions.
All powers must be realistically portrayed (so please contact me if you want to play a magic/psychic person so we can talk about what powers you want and how they may be portrayed.)

Lycanthropes

This is a term used by everyone to refer to were-creatures, not just werewolves.
Any kind of carnivorous animal can be a were-creature, though it is far more common for there to be werewolves, wererats, and wereleopards. Please check with me before playing a were-creature not one of these types.

Here are some traits:

** Regardless of how powerful a lycanthrope is, the moon still controls them and they must transform at some point the night of a true full moon. The closer to a full moon it gets, the harder it is to control ‘the beast’ when stressed or experiencing strong emotions (such as anger or lust).

**Lycanthropes can assume at least three forms - full animal, hybrid, and full human. The "hybrid" form is bipedal with animal characteristics (think "wolf-man" though with whatever your beast is.)

**Changing between forms takes a great deal of energy; most lycanthropes must feed immediately after changing to animal form and collapse into a comatose state for several hours after returning to human form. Stronger lycanthropes do not need to feed immediately or collapse, but are extremely tired.

**Lycanthropes who spend too much time in animal form may not be able to shift back completely. As a result, some of the lycanthropes have fangs or voices or eyes resembling their animal form, even when in human shape.

**Lycanthropes' bodily fluids are contagious, but only when the lycanthrope is in an animal or hybrid state. The most common way is to be the survivor of a lycanthrope attack; being bit or scratched by a lycanthrope in hybrid form is also a way to contract the disease. Not all lycanthropes were victims; some wanted to become lycanthropes or were ‘given the privilege’ of becoming one. Lycanthropy can be also be passed along by getting a bad batch of lycanthrope vaccine.

**Not all lycanthropes are highly contagious. Werewolves, rats, hyenas, and leopards are more contagious than others like weretigers and werebears; some groups - like weretigers - are selective of who becomes a weretiger, and thus does everything they can to prevent possible infection of humans.

**Because the change to full beast form is so violent, most cannot go full term with their pregnancy. Very few are hereditary lycanthropes (such as weredogs and weretigers) who know how to deal with the pull of the moon to prevent them from losing the pregnancy. Werewolves, rats, hyenas, and leopards definitely do not know this secret and can only be lycanthropes from being infected.

All Lycanthropes have the following:

• Super Speed: Lycanthropes are extremely fast and can run faster than the human eye can see. They can equal or even outrun vampires in their speed, depending on their age.


• Super Strength: Lycanthropes' strength appears to depend somewhat on their actual size and somewhat on their level of supernatural power. Their strength is on par with vampires and they are fully able to fight off and even overpower them. Their strength is lesser in their human form, though they are still far stronger than humans (lifting heavy objects like cars is nothing even in human form.)


• Super Endurance: Lycanthropes can recover from almost any wound other than those caused by silver weapons at an accelerated rate (serious injuries healed in hours).They can even regrow lost limbs and critical bodly parts, such as regenerating an entire arm, or recover from having the throat literally torn out (if that is the only injury.) Other lycanthropes injuring them can slow this process down, but not as much as silver does.


• Super Senses: Lycanthropes have extremely acute senses, even in human form. Some can "smell" emotions or lies. Sometimes, a human being anxious changes the smell of the person and perhaps that is what the lycanthropes smell.


• Silver Allergy: Lycanthropes are allergic to silver and feel physical pain from even skin contact, although some seem to enjoy silver jewelry (i.e. masochists.) Silver weapons/bullets cause major injury that makes them heal at a rate similar to a human with the same injury.


• Called by Vampires: Lycanthropes can be "called" (summoned by a telepathic force) and commanded by a master vampire with the ability to call animals of their species (say a master can call rats - a wererat can be summoned). Strong alpahs can resist a vampire's call, or even interfere with the call, preventing the vampire from calling other lycanthropes or animals.


• Aura: All lycanthropes have an aura that allows others to know how powerful an individual is, or just that this individual is more than human. This aura is generally only something other lycanthropes can feel - with scents that help lycanthropes know what type of lycanthrope another person is (something that can be distinguished - or even psych humans that can sense auras.

Some shapeshifters reach "alpha" status, a power level similar to that of a master vampire that allows them to get high in their group as well as protect those less powerful within their group.
Powerful alpahs in their group can be resistant to the call of a vampire/prevent a vampire from calling lycanthropes of his/her kind. If you are the leader, you are assumed to be able to do this, but please put it in your profile anyways for those that are posting them for me.

Alpha lycanthropes may display some of the following traits:

Resist transforming– they can control their beast better than most, able to resist the call of the moon longer than any other lycanthrope.

Partially shapeshifting - The ability of shapeshifting hands into claws, or even "cosmetic" shapeshifting - shifting bones or flesh simply to alter appearance.

Force Transformation - The ability to force other lycanthrope of their type to change form.

Share Power - Some shapeshifters can share their power with others by allowing them to feed on the shapeshifter's blood.

Heal Others - The power to heal others, whether it be forcing energy into that person, feeding them your blood, etc.

Hold a vampire’s gaze - The ability to look a vampire in the eye without falling under their power.

Command animals – Some lycanthropes appear able to command animals of their species. (For example, wererats can command rats).

Suppress Aura - Significantly powerful lycanthropes with enough control over their beast can learn to manipulate the aura level they put out - making them appear weaker, or even removing the aura all together. This helps cause other lycanthropes to underestimate them, or even allow them to be around psychic humans without detection.

If you do not have a group (i.e. are not a wolf, leopard, or rat) or do not wish to be a part of your animal group, you may seek refuge in the Blue Rose Pard which is lead by primarily were-tigers, though there are a smattering of other lycanthrope type alphas in the Pard. (The leader is a weretiger, her left and right hands are a weretiger and werewolf respectively, and the lieutenant immediately underneath them is a wererat.) If you are a weretiger, you must be part of the Blue Rose Pard.

Any new comer to any group starts off as a petitioner under the care of one of the alphas (a sponsor). Eventually, they become members and must work their way up the chain of dominance either by fights or people acknowledging their dominance over them as protectors.

Only one or two lycanthropes will be accepted for this particular RP - and I would recommend they be alphas as alphas can fully suppress their aura if they wish to be in the closet. I will be playing a lycanthrope that is out of the closet *which is how she ended up in RPIT* but you do not have to.

A few last things before I give the character sheets...

*MUST READ*

RP Rules

1) Try your best to use proper grammar, spelling, and words. Sense/since, the there/their/they're, too/to/two, then/than, and so on should be used properly. This is Advanced after all.

2) All posts must be at least 3 paragraphs long and have relevance - i.e. develop a character, give insight, move the plot, allow for other characters to react.

3) If you are unfamiliar with the universe and/or are unsure how to do something, you are more than welcome to ask something in the OOC or PM me.

4) Only one character per person. I will give it at least a week for people to get their sheets together and approved. If we have at least 5 people (myself included) then I will start and further acceptance will be closed. If we do not have at least 5 people (myself included) by then, the wait will remain open until such a time as we do have 5 accepted characters (my own included).

5) No unnecessary coding. Using italics for thought is one thing. Considering there is no color for coding, using bold and/or brackets/other indicators of different type of speech can be hard for some (i.e. myself) to read/disjointing for the RP.

6) If you wish to play something other than a were-leopard, wolf, or rat, please contact me. (This got lost from the transfer from my coding verification in PM form to here. Sorry.) Some creatures have other complications while others are just more strict on the in take. The in depth knowledge will help particularly with hereditary lycanthropes.

I read every sheet and may request alterations, explanations, or things to be removed from the sheet to bring it into line with the universe before a sheet will be approved. (This is a universe I know very well even though it is not my own and I'm kind of anal about minutia when it comes to borrowing someone else's universe.)

You are always welcome to contact me with questions or wish to discuss things before making a sheet if you are having trouble or want more information before making a character.

We will all be playing characters that are part of RPIT, or consultants for RPIT, for this RP, as the plot is centered around investigation. If you wish to play a consultant instead of a police officer/detective, please discuss it with me prior to sending in a sheet.

Not all races have the same sheet. Please use the proper sheet.

Some information about vampires that characters could know

• They can be killed by decapitation, or a stake through the heart/shot through the heart with a silver buckshot. Other forms of extreme physical trauma to the head, heart, or even their entire body has the chance of killing them as well. Guns have very little effect on them unless loaded with silver ammo.


• Sunlight, natural or synthetic, burns their undead flesh.


• Silver generally causes wounds that heal with approximately the same speed as humans and will leave scars and burns, and thus head or heart shots may be fatal.


• Holy water in like acid to their flesh.


• Vampires are repulsed by garlic and it will weaken them if they come into physical contact with it, they will try to avoid it as much as possible.


• Religious symbols of any faith can repel and even physically harm vampires providing the person carrying such a symbol is a true believer; a Jew carrying a cross or a Christian wielding a mezzuzah would have no effect.


• They cannot enter a person's home without an invitation. That invitation can be revoked, and if the vampire is within the residence at the time they will be forced from it by an invisible force.


• Vampires have super human strength and speed which makes them extremely dangerous. They also should never be looked directly in the eye, least they control your mind.


• Unless killed, vampires can live forever.

Sheets!
*Note: anything in (parenthesis) should be deleted and replaced with your information.*

Lycanthrope

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
Type of Lycanthrope: (are you a leopard? rat? wolf? etc. It will be assumed you are part of that particular animal type's local group unless you contact me about Blue Rose Pard)
Are you an alpha? (yes/no)
If yes - what alpha abilities do you have? (Pick up to 5 from list above in lycanthrope information hider)
How did you become a lycanthrope? (Survivor of an attack? asked to get changed? took the bad batch of vaccine?)
Are you in the closet about being a lycanthrope? (yes/no)
Physical Description: Human form - (Including a picture is fine, but all photos must be accompanied by at least a full paragraph description. Remember, if you spend a lot of time in animal form, you will have some physical characteristics in human form.)
Animal form - (like are you a grey wolf, or black wolf, a snow leopard, a cloud leopard, etc.)
Biggest Fear:
Greatest Accomplishment:
Any strange eccentricities? (like carrying an exact amount of change, or must open/close something 3 times before and after use. List all that apply)
Any Bad Habits? (Bites nails, chews on writing utensil while thinking. List all that apply)
Brief History: (At least 1-2 full paragraphs that sum up the character. You don't have to give your full life story, but at least give me highlights that made your character the way he/she is today.)

Humans

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
Do you dislike/fear/would rather not associate with preternatural creatures? (yes/no)
What is your stance on vampires being legal citizens and having rights? (please use 1-7 sentences.)
Are you currently or have you ever been a member of Humans First, Humans against Vampires, or League of Human Voters? (yes/no) If not, have you ever considered joining? (yes/no)
Physical Description: (Remember, normal humans are restricted to normal physical traits. If you have wonky colored eyes or hair, note how that is accomplished, as in contacts or dye job and what your original coloration is. Using a picture is okay, but please use at least one full paragraph to describe.)
Biggest Fear:
Greatest Accomplishment:
Any strange eccentricities? (like carrying an exact amount of change, or must open/close something 3 times before and after use. List all that apply)
Any Bad Habits? (Bites nails, chews on writing utensil while thinking. List all that apply)
Brief History: (At least 1-2 full paragraphs that sum up the character. You don't have to give your full life story, but at least give me highlights that made your character the way he/she is today.)

Magical Humans

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
What kind of magical/psychic ability do you have?
Do you use it as part of your job? (if no, do you practice it regularly?)
Have you been trained to properly use your magic/psychic ability? If yes, how much training do you have?
Do you dislike/fear/would rather not associate with other types of preternatural beings? (as in non-humans - yes/no)
Are you, or have you ever been, a member of Humans Against Vampires or League of Human Voters? (yes/no) If no, have you ever considered joining? (yes/no)
Have you, or anyone you know, been the victim of a preternatural creature attack? (yes/no) If yes, who was attacked (yourself or the relation of the person to you) and what was the outcome of the attack?
What is your stance on vampires being legal citizens and having rights? (1-7 sentences, please)
Physical Description: (Again, humans are restricted to normal physical traits. If you have wonky colored eyes or hair, note how that is accomplished, as in contacts or dye job and what your original coloration is. Using a picture is okay, but please use at least a full paragraph to describe.)
Biggest Fear:
Greatest Accomplishment:
Any strange eccentricities? (like carrying an exact amount of change, or must open/close something 3 times before and after use. List all that apply)
Any Bad Habits? (Bites nails, chews on writing utensil while thinking. List all that apply)
Brief History: (At least 1-2 full paragraphs that sum up the character. You don't have to give your full life story, but at least give me highlights that made your character the way he/she is today.)

Accepted Character List:
Tala Warren - Detective in RPIT
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Safe

Well, technically witches and 'magically gifted humans' are classified the same in this universe. And since pixies and any other type of Fae are not native to North America - no, you wouldn't be able to play a pixie.

I'll be putting up the OOC soon (got wrapped up in some other stuff last night) and the list of playable character races will be with it.

Snowed In

Yeah, I'm definitely confused.

Snowed In

At first, Harper was disappointed she had been ditched just because a little snow. When she was younger, she remembered tons of storms that started off as flurries and it ended up just being flurries. Sure, her friend probably assumed the worst just because of those stupid warnings, but sometimes the weather service got it wrong. Unfortunately for Harper, though - she didn't have a ride home until her oldest brother could swing by and pick her up. That wouldn't be for a few hours, but then again she didn't have other plans. With the play coming up, the staging still needed work so she had decided to head into the auditorium's back stage and do at least a bit of painting.

Her phone resided in her backpack, left to wait for her on a chair in the front row of the auditorium; anything worth stealing she had left in her locker, or had in a pocket, so she wasn't worried about not having it nearby. Ear buds sat in her ears to give her some background music. Even if the battery ran out, she had a charger in her locker and knew where most of the outlets were in the stage area and several of the class rooms. Usually, she would be listening to her techno playlist, but today she felt like singing. If she couldn't run lines, then she figured she might as well work on her vocals. The playlist of musicals she already knew by heart played on shuffle. Even though she sang softly, in the otherwise quiet of the backstage, her voice carried.

It wasn't until she stood to take a look at her paint job that she realized how long she had been working. Her back protested and knees cramped from the crouched posture she had taken to do detailing along the bottom of the set piece. Wiping her brow and stretching lightly, she let out a sigh and looked at her Ipod to switch playlists. Her brows rose and mouth gaped a little. "Well no wonder why I'm achy." Two and a half hours of detailing work could put a kink in anyone's back, clearly if her's was. It was obviously time for her to check her phone for any calls or messages from Victor.

The music clicked off, and she pulled the ear buds out of her ears. Wrapping the device up in the wire, she cut around the curtain and trotted down the steps leading off the stage. She hadn't even realized anyone else was in the auditorium, mostly because she hadn't even been thinking there would be. It took her two seconds to replace her Ipod with her smartphone. Turning it on and entering the code, she saw a notice pop up of multiple missed messages. Her lips pursed to the side slightly as she looked through them.

Three messages from her father - suggesting she take the bus home, then requesting her to find a ride, and the last one telling her that he hoped she was somewhere safe for the night. "Safe for the night," she questioned softly to herself. Her brows furrowed. What was that supposed to mean? She flipped open her phone and typed out a message. When it sent, she immediately got the 'message could not be sent' alert. She had service everywhere in the school, so that could only be one thing - no cell towers. "Son of a - " She stopped short of actually swearing with a sigh.

Snowed In

I second that Lowkey. I'm just now getting back to a keyboard.

Snowed In

I'm away from my keys - and Beebee2121 is as well. We may be a bit for posting. Sorry.

Snowed in

Sorry, I was out of the house.

Snowed in

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/170/7/a/d473_by_miobi-d7n04e1.jpg

Snowed in

Oh, sorry about not responding regarding Odie - but Harper would love to be friends with him.

Also, Harper's in choir too. Maybe it's easier to say who isn't... ;-D

Snowed in

Okay. I didn't think it would so I hadn't put it in aside from landing the lead for it. But I will definitely update my sheet.