Daisychain Paradox Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dcparadoxmods) wrote2018-02-24 09:35 pm
dcparadoxmods) wrote2018-02-24 09:35 pm
Apps
Apps will open on April 10th.
Apps will remain open, except for when there is a game-encompassing mod plot (which will happen fairly infrequently).
Unfortunately, at this time, OCs cannot be apped. This includes tabletop characters, characters from fan-made spinoffs, and canon OCs.
Up to three versions of any given character will be accepted. This includes canon AUs and CRAUs. For example, you could have Zelda from Ocarina of Time, Zelda from Breath of the Wild, and Zelda from Breath of the Wild with memories from her time in Fade Rift. No more than one CRAU of any character will be allowed. Different canon points on the same timeline do not count as different versions of a character. What-if or fanon AUs are not accepted.
Characters with very little canon will be decided at the discretion of the mods based on the strength of the app. Generally, though, minor characters with small storylines are more likely to be accepted than minor characters with less than a minute of screen time, as the latter can essentially be an OC depending on player interpretation.
Most importantly, your character needs to be someone that CFP-DNR would have recruited and would have accepted said recruitment. Put some thought into how and why your character would become involved and function and what missions they would be best at. (To this end, most outwardly villainous characters would be difficult to app and play, as the government would have a hard time trusting them outside of extreme duress. Doctor Director Leonard Church might be actively recruited, and you might be able to get away with a Prince Lotor here, but nobody’s going to recruit the Joker. Additionally, the government will be hesitant to recruit a teenager but may do so based on their powers and/or skill set; they will absolutely not recruit a small child.)
Post your app in a comment below with the subject line “Application: [Character’s Name] | [Character’s Canon].” All apps will be screened when posted and will be unscreened upon acceptance. Revisions will not be unscreened unless they are later accepted, and denials will not be unscreened.
Please feel free to contact the mods if you have any questions pertaining to your app.
APPLICATION
Player name:
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk):
What other characters do you play?
Character name:
Canon:
OU or CRAU?
Canon point:
History: Please feel free to provide a link to your character’s wiki page or other linked history. For characters with very little canon, please write out a history fleshing out your character’s part in the story. For CRAU characters, please note at what point your character diverged from canon and what development they experienced.
Personality: Tell us what makes your character tick. Include internal motivations as well as external actions. (Please keep this section under 1000 words.)
Why did the CFP recruit them? CFP-DNR came to your character for a reason - tell us why. This is the place to talk about your character’s powers or special skills. Be sure to give the mods a good scope of what they’re capable of. Powered characters will come in with their full powers within reason; if your character is incredibly overpowered (think Gohan, Destroyer of Worlds) or has a power that could break the game (dimension hopping of their own, etc), then they may find their powers diminished or disabled. Use your best discretion and contact the mods if you have any questions; the mods may ask for revisions if we feel your character is too powerful for the setting.
Equipment: What is your character bringing with them? This can be their standard equipment; anything they would reasonably have on them. This cannot include overly large weaponry, vehicles, or live animals, with two exceptions: if the live animals are the reason your character was recruited (e.g. Pokemon trainers) or an integral part of your character’s abilities (e.g. Caleb and Frumpkin from Critical Role).
Samples: One of your samples should be written out and should be at least 100 words. You have the option of providing a link to a previous game for the other sample; said thread needs to be from within the past 3 months and needs to have at least 5 comments from your character.
Network Sample:
Prose Sample:
Apps will remain open, except for when there is a game-encompassing mod plot (which will happen fairly infrequently).
Unfortunately, at this time, OCs cannot be apped. This includes tabletop characters, characters from fan-made spinoffs, and canon OCs.
- Malleable protagonists - protagonists from Skyrim and Pokemon, for example - do not count under Canon OCs and instead fall under the “very little canon” rule.
- The exception to tabletop characters is largely-known tabletop games, i.e. Critical Role, The Adventure Zone, Friends At the Table, etc. Essentially, you cannot play your own tabletop character - tabletop characters must be from canons widely accessible to the public.
Up to three versions of any given character will be accepted. This includes canon AUs and CRAUs. For example, you could have Zelda from Ocarina of Time, Zelda from Breath of the Wild, and Zelda from Breath of the Wild with memories from her time in Fade Rift. No more than one CRAU of any character will be allowed. Different canon points on the same timeline do not count as different versions of a character. What-if or fanon AUs are not accepted.
Characters with very little canon will be decided at the discretion of the mods based on the strength of the app. Generally, though, minor characters with small storylines are more likely to be accepted than minor characters with less than a minute of screen time, as the latter can essentially be an OC depending on player interpretation.
Most importantly, your character needs to be someone that CFP-DNR would have recruited and would have accepted said recruitment. Put some thought into how and why your character would become involved and function and what missions they would be best at. (To this end, most outwardly villainous characters would be difficult to app and play, as the government would have a hard time trusting them outside of extreme duress. Doctor Director Leonard Church might be actively recruited, and you might be able to get away with a Prince Lotor here, but nobody’s going to recruit the Joker. Additionally, the government will be hesitant to recruit a teenager but may do so based on their powers and/or skill set; they will absolutely not recruit a small child.)
Post your app in a comment below with the subject line “Application: [Character’s Name] | [Character’s Canon].” All apps will be screened when posted and will be unscreened upon acceptance. Revisions will not be unscreened unless they are later accepted, and denials will not be unscreened.
Please feel free to contact the mods if you have any questions pertaining to your app.
APPLICATION
Player name:
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk):
What other characters do you play?
Character name:
Canon:
OU or CRAU?
Canon point:
History: Please feel free to provide a link to your character’s wiki page or other linked history. For characters with very little canon, please write out a history fleshing out your character’s part in the story. For CRAU characters, please note at what point your character diverged from canon and what development they experienced.
Personality: Tell us what makes your character tick. Include internal motivations as well as external actions. (Please keep this section under 1000 words.)
Why did the CFP recruit them? CFP-DNR came to your character for a reason - tell us why. This is the place to talk about your character’s powers or special skills. Be sure to give the mods a good scope of what they’re capable of. Powered characters will come in with their full powers within reason; if your character is incredibly overpowered (think Gohan, Destroyer of Worlds) or has a power that could break the game (dimension hopping of their own, etc), then they may find their powers diminished or disabled. Use your best discretion and contact the mods if you have any questions; the mods may ask for revisions if we feel your character is too powerful for the setting.
Equipment: What is your character bringing with them? This can be their standard equipment; anything they would reasonably have on them. This cannot include overly large weaponry, vehicles, or live animals, with two exceptions: if the live animals are the reason your character was recruited (e.g. Pokemon trainers) or an integral part of your character’s abilities (e.g. Caleb and Frumpkin from Critical Role).
Samples: One of your samples should be written out and should be at least 100 words. You have the option of providing a link to a previous game for the other sample; said thread needs to be from within the past 3 months and needs to have at least 5 comments from your character.
Network Sample:
Prose Sample:
Application: Jack Spicer | Xiaolin Showdown
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk):
What other characters do you play? -
Character name: Jack Spicer
Canon: Xiaolin Showdown
OU or CRAU? OU
Canon point: The end of the series
History:
Jack Spicer, self-styled evil boy genius, is the son of wealthy American businesspeople living and working in China. His parents are almost never home, leaving Jack largely unsupervised. Their absence and affluence are apparently so great that Jack can get the house partially destroyed all the time without drawing notice.
Jack's parents either don't know he's trying to take over the world, or just don't take him seriously. Either way, Jack has been using his pocket money to bankroll lots and lots of robotics research in the basement for years. Unfortunately for him, he's good at building robots, but terrible at actual villainy.
The first real breakthrough he had was a couple of years ago when his dad sent him an antique puzzle box for his birthday. When Jack solved it, it released the spirit of a Heylin (evil) witch called Wuya. Wuya had been stuck in the puzzle box for 1500 years, and was eager to continue her quest to collect a series of ancient magical artifacts called the Shen Gong Wu so she could take over the world. Unfortunately for her, she had no body to handle them, and she had competition from a group of teenaged Xiaolin (good) monks in training.
Wuya recruited Jack for his nice, corporeal thumbs, and Jack became her (extremely disappointing) evil protegé. Jack fought for her in Xiaolin Showdowns, magical reality-warping contests initiated whenever multiple people tried to claim a Shen Gong Wu. Jack usually lost, but it was still a great time to be him. He had regular contact with people his age! And a mentor! Sort of! All of these people hated him, but!
Things came to a head for the first time when Wuya managed to trick one of the young Xiaolin monks (Raimundo) into joining her and helping her restore her physical form. She plunged the world into darkness, and didn't need Jack anymore. Jack realized that he'd never have a chance at world domination with Wuya in charge, so he teamed up with the monks to stop her. Using a time machine that Jack built and an electricity-generating Shen Gong Wu to power it, they sent one monk into the past to recover another puzzle box to contain Wuya.
Through their combined efforts (and despite Jack trying to rejoin Wuya for a little bit after she captured them) they managed to seal Wuya away again. Jack parted ways with the monks on confusingly almost-friendly terms, but was eager to go back to being enemies. But... you know. Maybe they could all go get ice cream sometime? His treat? That could be cool? (They never did.)
Another villain found and released Wuya again, but that partnership didn't last and she eventually patched things up with Jack. Jack and Wuya continued their alliance until an even more powerful Heylin evildoer named Chase Young started to get involved. Jack idolized Chase as one of his evil heroes and eagerly sought his attention, but Chase had no patience for Jack's nonsense and mostly ignored him. Wuya was quite taken with Chase, and ended up ditching Jack for him. Chase was about as thrilled with her as he was with Jack.
Jack was left to do his own scheming, and it has gone poorly. He's tried to recruit other villains to work for him and had that fall through. He's been used as a pawn by Chase and Wuya in their power games multiple times, getting both physically and emotionally hurt. (And yet he still clings to them, and they're easily the most important adults in his life.) He's not considered a major threat unless he gets lucky these days. But hey, at least there's never a dull moment?
There have been two important incidents for Jack's character since winding up on his own. The first was when Chase Young offered Jack a chance to become his apprentice (as part of a scheme). Jack, of course, failed. Then he went home and got kicked out of his own house by his robot doppelganger he'd built. Completely defeated, he went and plunked himself down at the doorstep of the Xiaolin temple to languish in his failure and wait for the inevitable beatdown.
Instead, the youngest monk (Omi) took pity on him and decided to try to adopt him onto the side of good. Jack was surprised, but he accepted. The other monks were hard on Jack, and he spent a day doing all of their chores. That night, another young villain attacked the temple to take its Shen Gong Wu and Jack helped repel her. However, his resolve to be good broke when he found an opportunity to take the Wu himself. When Omi tracked him down, they held a Xiaolin Showdown game of Truth or Lies.
During the showdown, Jack tried to claim that he had only joined the monks to backstab them later (a lie, he'd been sincere and only quit due to fear of failure) and that he wasn't pursuing evil to make himself feel less worthless (also a lie). Meanwhile, Omi truthfully told Jack that he really had believed in him, and the betrayal had been a genuine disappointment. Jack lost the game and, though a little rattled, returned to his life of crime. The events of that showdown provide a straight canonical explanation of Jack's motives.
The second important incident was the time Chase Young's main scheme finally played out: he tricked Omi into join the Heylin side. Chase did this by trapping Omi's mentor in another dimension called the Ying-Yang world. Omi used a Shen Gong Wu called the Ying Yo-Yo to rescue him, but didn't know that it would affect the balance of his chi. When he returned from the Ying-Yang World, the yo-yo left his good chi behind. Without its influence, he immediately joined Chase Young.
Jack was extremely jealous of Omi for becoming Chase's apprentice, but he still took Chase's side when the other monks showed up. He chased them into the Ying-Yang world when they went to recover Omi's good chi. The monks used the Ying Yo-Yo and Yang Yo-Yo together so that none of their chi would be left behind, but Jack was carrying the Reversing Mirror (which reverses the effects of other Shen Gong Wu magic). When he followed them back out of the Ying-Yang world, it was without his bad chi.
With all the bad taken out of him, "Good Jack" was overwhelmingly friendly and selfless. The monks decided he was even more annoying than regular Jack, but he still proved instrumental to their success. A monster from the Ying-Yang world had pursued them through the portal, and it came to steal the monks' chi, both good and bad. They were left in a mindless state. Good Jack decided to lure the creature back into the Ying-Yang world and rescue the monks' chi, even though he knew that (because he only had one of the yo-yos) he would reverse alignments again when he returned. Good Jack was sad to know he wouldn't miss being good, but saving the monks (and the world) was more important. He made a plan with the monks' dragon friend and, when he came back with the chi, the dragon caught him in a Shen Gong Wu trap. Jack didn't escape from it until after the monks had saved the day. Jack immediately went back to his scheming, but now with evidence (to his endless disgust) that he really does have a lot of good in him. Ugh.
Things have been pretty normal for Jack lately, or at least as normal as they can be when he's regularly getting in magical kung fu showdowns for the fate of the world. Most recently, he lost all the Shen Gong Wu he has except the Monkey Staff and he's still licking his wounds from that. This was where Jack was at the end of the series, and as far as he's concerned? It's fine. He'll get them back, one of these days. Evil never gives up!
...But man, he sure has been at this for several years with very little to show for it. And he sure is getting older.
Personality:
Jack is a real piece of work, as one might expect from a guy who wants to conquer the world. He's meanspirited, petty, selfish, and the proud cultivator of each of those traits. Unsurprisingly, the closest thing he has to friends are the martial artists who hand his ass to him on a regular basis. Because Jack is used to being ignored, though, bad attention is better than no attention at all and he will cheerfully latch on to anything he can get.
While he might have friends if he actually tried being nice to people, Jack is dedicated to being a bad person. He blusters theatrically about what he does, trying to maintain his brand as the rising prince of darkness. Despite his best efforts, though, his world's superstar villains (Jack's heroes) consider him little more than a sniveling worm, and that kind of stings. Someone else might get discouraged and quit, but it's outright stated in canon that the reason Jack pursues world domination is to combat his feelings of worthlessness. It's a hell of a motivator. Being good sounds scary and difficult and he's sure he'd fail, so he has to keep trying with the evil thing even though he knows (and sometimes admits) he's more of a loser than a cool evil badass. Jack wants, more than anything else, to be acknowledged, taken seriously, and respected. He believes that being a great villain is the only way he's going to get to have those things.
Really, Jack's a lonely young man with poor social skills who just keeps digging his hole deeper. It doesn't help that he's no good at hiding his emotions at all, and can only keep up an act for a short time (and usually while he's feeling good about himself). The honesty of Jack's feelings can almost be endearing at times. He's genuinely and ecstatically enthusiastic about the things that make him happy, he's extremely proud when he does something right, he cries easily when he's upset, and he's forever filled with this vibrating desire to be noticed and maybe (dare he wish for it) liked, but mostly? It means all the nasty, petty, and unpleasant feelings in Jack just leak everywhere when things go wrong for him. Things go wrong for Jack a lot, and that shit's not cute.
Despite how unpleasant he can be, and despite how unpleasant Jack wants to be, he's not as rotten to the core as he claims. Irritating? Sure. Spoiled? Yes. Selfish? Definitely. But it's hard to argue he doesn't have a capacity for decency, giving, and nobility of spirit in there somewhere when it's been proven through magical misadventure. Jack doesn't exercise these things and furiously denies altruistic impulses when they come to him, but he can't just make them stop existing. (Even though he really, really wants to.)
Things are sort of in flux for Jack at the moment. He's starting to realize that something very scary and important is happening to him: Jack Spicer is growing up. He has styled himself an "evil boy genius" for years, but now? It won't be too long before that moniker doesn't fit anymore. Jack has all the anxiety of any other kid figuring out what they want to do, even though his current choice of career is a really bizarre one with absolutely terrible role models. And despite his insistence he's sure of where he's going, he really isn't confident about his future.
This is a critical point in Jack's life, and one where other people have the potential to make a huge impact on where he ends up.
Why did the CFP recruit them?
Jack has many faults, but he's a legitimately gifted roboticist and programmer. The things he builds do work, from fighting drones to realistic androids to vehicles to a time machine (even if the last one needed more power than he could actually generate). Jack complains a lot, but he's actually pretty resilient and is accustomed to winding up in dangerous situations. Every time he gets knocked down (physically or emotionally) Jack usually bounces back with just as much bombast and dramatic flair as before, ready to take on the next bout of dire nonsense. He can fight, but he's not a match for anyone with actual training and his wheelhouse is building things that will do it for him (...Or relying way too much on the Monkey Staff).
Admittedly, Jack isn't ideal. He styles himself as a supervillain, and he's a minor. Still, Jack has proven he can play ball with the good guys and help keep the world from being screwed up. If CFP-DNR sniffs around his universe, other villains do trash him online (he's a bit of a meme, honestly) and the stories make it pretty apparent that while he does have certain skills, he's mostly ignorable when nobody smart is directing him. He's also not a particularly young minor and will likely hit his 18th birthday during the game. As for his behavior: having other people treat his skills as valuable will do a lot to mollify him, and it helps that he has nothing to gain by doublecross. Jack is annoying, but he's a person who can be managed and will back down at a reprimand. His most idolized people also treat him like garbage all the time, and anything even slightly more decent would win his loyalty.
He's not someone you want spearheading a mission where he has to keep an act for extended periods, but he makes an excellent gadgets/lab/hacker guy and a solid support if you can deal with having to glare at him from time to time.
(But hey, if he doesn't fit the tone and vision of the game, I really do understand.)
Equipment:
Jack's backpack is a personal flight device he calls a helibot. When activated, a rotor pops up and out of each shoulder.
He has one Shen Gong Wu in his possession: the Monkey Staff. When activated, the staff gives its user enhanced strength and agility in addition to monkey features (sharp canines, a prehensile tail, grasping toes, fur) that become more and more pronounced with time. The downside is that the longer the staff is active, the more monkey-like the user's thoughts become. This can leave a person in an almost completely animal state if they go for too long (about a day) and they have to let go of it to start coming around.
It's possible he could lose it during a home trip (because he's still actively fighting with the monk kids over those) and he might even end up with something else, but I'd only really be interested in using the other Shen Gong Wu as plot fodder. If I have a cool idea, I'll write it up as a player plot and make sure that 1) it's super clear what they can and can't do 2) they end up back in Jack's world and out of the way when we're done with them. (Probably in more responsible hands than his.)
Samples: One of your samples should be written out and should be at least 100 words. You have the option of providing a link to a previous game for the other sample; said thread needs to be from within the past 3 months and needs to have at least 5 comments from your character.
Network Sample: Link
Prose Sample:
There's a scrape and a thump from behind the access panel, releasing a shower of paint chips and rust. Another, more certain thump, and the thing pops open. The scrawny, somewhat besmudged shape of Jack reemerges, flashlight between his teeth. He spits it back into his hand.
"Alright, it's not completely fried," he says. That's a surprise, but he's okay with being wrong this time. "I can fix it. That's the good news."
Jack rests a forearm in a weathered groove of the machine's housing and leans on it, still squinting down at the mess inside.
"The bad news is? I need time. We're talking at least a day here. I'm a genius, but I don't do miracles."
It is, unfortunately, the most confident statement he's made on this whole mission.
"Until then, we're stuck."
This is going to be great. Excellent. Fantastic.
Accepted
Then head to the contact list and provide your info. Please let the mods know if you have any questions, and welcome to the nexus!
A note: Given his villainous past/identity, Jack can ICly consider himself on probation. The NPCs will be keeping a closer eye on him than they would most other recruits, and they will make that very clear to him from the get-go. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or if you'd like to discuss it.
Re: Accepted
Application: Ziva David | NCIS
Player name: Shannon
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk): penguinknitter
What other characters do you play? N/A
Character name: Ziva David
Canon: NCIS
OU or CRAU? OU
Canon point: Return to Israel; Before Tony’s Visit
History: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziva_David
Personality: Ziva, at first, comes across as a very cold woman. But this is due to her Mossad training. To her, trusting someone is bad because you begin to let your guard down around them after that. But after making it past that wall, people begin to see that Ziva’s a good person, even though she’s cold. She’ll tease her friends, and is willing to help them to the point of risking her life for someone, especially her teammates in NCIS. She’s fairly serious, being forced to grow up so quickly when she was living in Israel, during her training for Mossad, and other of her life’s circumstances. (What do you expect from the daughter of the head of Mossad, growing up in a country in conflict.) But even then, if someone makes it past her walls, she’s funny, and a fun person to be around. And she’s not afraid of men, never has been, never will be. She grew up around them, trained with them, and works with them every day. She tends to think in survival techniques, always worried about making it to the next day, although now as a naturalized citizen of the United States, there’s a little less worrying going on. There have also been times where Gibbs has pulled her off cases because he was worried about the suspect, not Ziva.
She has no problems with getting physical with someone, or fighting in any form. When she’s introduced, the story ends with her killing her half brother to protect Gibbs. You become her friend, you earn her protection.
Why did the CFP recruit them? Most of the fandom calls Ziva a ninja. Why? Because she’s trained in multiple forms of fighting, from guns, to knives, to martial arts, even paperclips. She was trained as a Mossad agent, and while they don’t provide details on what this entails, you can see what she can do on the job, or off. She arrived in NCIS as a Mossad assassin, charged to keep an eye on her brother Ari, but ended up killing him in the end. She can speak ten different languages, seven of them fluently, three of them only the basics. She has no qualms over ‘fighting to the death’, as shown by the fact that she’s willing to kill family members, and can kill without much guilt. She walks almost silently, being able to sneak up on most people, including most of the NCIS agents she works with. She’s not afraid of using whatever advantage she can find to get herself into situation she wants to be in, and out of those she doesn’t want to be in anymore.
Equipment: Because she had returned to Israel and is no longer an NCIS agent, Ziva doesn’t have any gear at the moment. Unless the CFP gives her something when she does arrive, she’ll survive with hand to hand or anything she can fine.
Samples:
Network Sample:
For something that looks just like a watch from home, this is an interesting piece of technology. I am sure McGee would have a field day, if he happened to show up here and get his hands on one.
As for me, my name is Ziva David. I was recruited from a planet called Earth. I have experience working with various governmental agencies… including everything you would think is involved with that. (A grin) You can probably imagine what that would entail.
If anyone knows of a place to get a decent side arm, I would appreciate it. When I left my former organization, I had to surrender those I carried on a daily basis.
I… look forward to working with all of you.
Prose Sample:
Well, she hadn’t been expecting that. Sitting at her farmhouse taking a moment to enjoy the sunrise when military men had appeared and approached her. Sure, she didn’t have her normal sidearm, but she was ready to defend herself if needed.
After they introduced themselves, she realized they really weren’t threats like she thought. They’d come to recruit her to do something… she didn’t believe, but at the same time, she wasn’t doing anything… important. And, they promised she would be able to return home if she wanted.
So, she packed a few trinkets and went with them, finding herself in some sort of underground HQ. Given an apartment, she left her trinkets there before going to explore. It seemed there was plenty to see, and she wanted to know the lay of the land.
Besides, there were others she should meet, right? She couldn’t be the only one.
Accepted
Then head to the contact list and provide your info. Please let the mods know if you have any questions, and welcome to the nexus!
Re: Accepted
Application: Agent North Dakota and Theta | Red vs Blue
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk):
What other characters do you play? n/a
Character name: Agent North Dakota (Nathan Reilly)
Canon: Red vs Blue
OU or CRAU? OU
Canon point: Moments before his death
History: link to wiki
Personality: Despite being a character who is literally introduced to canon as a corpse, and has a limited amount of screen time in the two seasons that cover the period where he was alive, Agent North Dakota has managed to leave a lasting impression as the kind of character who is calm, patient, and just generally a good guy. The kind of guy that you might want as a big brother.
One of the key words used in canon to describe North is nurturing and that is a very good word for him. He's the caretaker of the freelancers, generally the one to check on people and make sure they're alright. Most of his attention is focused on his younger twin sister, Agent South Dakota, who he is very close to. The two of them are seen regularly working together as a team, often putting themselves in harms way to look after the other. South is very much a loose canon compared to North, and so he is the one that often reigns her back in. The two of them have a very strong bond and work well together, though North is also seen as a team player regardless. This nurturing aspect makes him a prime candidate for the AI Theta, with whom he is partnered. As a more childlike AI, Theta was very shy and it was hoped that North would be able to bring the AI out of his shell and unlock his potential.
At the same time, North isn't afraid to have a little fun, and is seen to have a good relationship with Agent York and Agent Washington, though he and the former were known to tease the latter. (In the recent book published by Roosterteeth, it was revealed that North and York would often provide Wash with conflicting directions to the mythical sauna on board the Mother of Invention). He also has a sarcastic streak to him, snarking during battle and wondering aloud as to why he is friends with Wash and York. He's also shown to be willing to take risks, even on the battlefield.
There are times, however, when his nurturing and caring nature become too much, and can shift into being condescending and overbearing. This is particularly evident in his relationship with South, as he tries to step in and control, for lack of a better term, her more abrasive actions, typically by talking to her and acting as if he knows best. He also takes his responsibilities very seriously and to the point of self-harm, as he is reluctant to pull Theta out of his head in order to get some sleep, the AI being too scared to be away from North, leaving him to wander the halls to calm the AI down.
He does also have doubts and worries, particularly in whether or not he's doing the right thing, and if Project Freelancer is doing the good they believe to be doing. Once presented with the truth however, he does act against the Project, and his sister, by supporting Agent Texas with her break-in to rescue the Alpha AI. Despite this, he does remain with the Project following that event, and up to the point where he is killed.
Ultimately, while he can be over-bearing, North is the kind of character who cares about his friends and doing the right thing. Befriend him, and you'll have someone who will watch your back.
Theta: Theta is the fragment that represents the Alpha’s trust, and is very childlike in nature. When he is first introduced, he is seen hiding behind North’s leg, unwilling to come out and meet Washington and York. He only does so with encouragement. Despite embodying trust, it is something that Theta is very slow to do. He is instead shy, and rather anxious about pretty much everything. He attaches on to North very quickly, relying on the freelancer to look after and nurture him. This is also displayed in Theta's unwillingness to shut down when other agents want to talk to him, or be pulled from North's consciousness. He is also not very good with conflict, unsure of how to react to South Dakota's animosity towards him.
However, Theta's childlike nature makes him a rather endearing character. He is seen fiddling with a holographic skateboard, and creating holographic fireworks that he can show North. Once out of his shell, Theta comes across as eager and happy to help those that he cares about complete their missions. And despite his anxiety, it's shown that he and North make a good team.
Why did the CFP recruit them? As a soldier, North is equipped with a fairly useful skill set. He can follow orders, works well with others, and improvise if a plan goes off the rails. He's good in combat, and an effective sniper.
North also comes equipped with his armour, which has the enhancement of creating a domed energy shield, which is effective at keeping things in as it is out. It is powered by his AI, Theta, who also increases North's combat effectiveness, acting as a second pair of eyes.
Also, if forced to chose between life and death, life is honestly preferable.
Equipment: His armour, described as Mjolnir-lite (ala the Halo franchise), equipped with the dome shield enhancement.
One sniper rifle
One pistol
Theta
Samples:
Network Sample:
[There's something of a mumbled conversation at first, like two voices talking before North addresses the camera. He's still got his armour on, and there's a small hologram in similar armour, red and blue, hovering near him, almost seeming to hide behind his helmet. He sounds a little shaky when he starts talking, but gains confidence throughout.]
Guess this is an introduction of sorts, so, uh, Agent North Dakota, reporting for duty.
Somehow.
And the little guy is Theta. He's...shy.
We look forward to working with everyone. Though...I don't suppose anyone's seen a South Dakota around, have they? Similar armour to mine? Loud? You'd know her if you saw her.
We're real worried about her
Yeah, we are.
---
[Theta has taken over the network for a bit while North is asleep. He's created some little hologram butterflies that he runs through a loop a few times before seeming to finally decide on something.]
Uh....are there any other AI here? I like being with North but I'm kind of, lonely.
I miss my siblings.
Prose Sample: The past couple of hours had been very weird, North reflected.
He'd thought he was going to die. Was almost certain he had. That was generally the way things ended when you went up against Maine. He wasn't necessarily one to pull his punches.
He wasn't one to attack his allies though, either. Maine knew his friends from his enemies, and that's what had made the whole situation confusing. North had been expecting an ally, and instead he'd received a knife to the gut. He swore he could remember the feeling, but dwelling on it upset Theta and, honestly, upset him as well so he tried not to think about it. He'd let Theta's rambling and buzzing take over.
North also didn't expect that on his deathbed, he'd be recruited to a secret organization. He's not sure how aware of the conversation he'd been, mostly relying on Theta for simple details. But if he had to choose between dying and not dying, well, that was easy. He still had a lot to accomplish as far as he was concerned, and while he wasn't sure that shady organizations were the best for him, he could deal with the consequences. At the very least, it would make for a much for interesting afterlife.
"You okay with this, Theta?"
The AI appears in a flash on his shoulder.
"I am if you are, North. I don't like thinking about what could have happened."
"Me to, buddy. Me to."
A silence passed between them before North spoke again.
"And I was thinking...maybe, somehow, if we don't find South here. We could get back to that point, and save her. Maybe stop Maine as well. Figure out what went wrong."
"Yeah! That would be good!" Theta said, brightening, and then dimming quickly. "Sorry. You should probably sleep."
"You're right. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."
Accepted
Then head to the contact list and provide your info. Please let the mods know if you have any questions, and welcome to the nexus!
no subject
Application: Sirius Black | Harry Potter
Player name: Mandy
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk): tyriangalley
What other characters do you play? None
Character name: Sirius Black
Canon: Harry Potter
OU or CRAU? OU
Canon point: Shortly after he is wrongfully imprisoned for the death of Peter Pettigrew. (So he’d be around 21-22.)
History: http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Sirius_Black
Personality: Sirius is not your typical member of the Black family. First of all, he was sorted into Gryffindor, so there’s one problem. The thing about Gryffindors is that they are generally smart people, but have a tendency to do completely idiotic and sometimes amazing things in the name of friendship. This is certainly the case for Sirius, who also happens to be one of the first Gryffindors in his family in a very long time. He is one of the best friends you could ever have, if he’s decided he likes you. (Alright, so he might have a bit of a superiority complex, but you would too if you were the heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black.) Regardless, he IS a Gryffindor, with all that ‘daring, nerve, and chivalry’ nonsense that comes with it.
Firstly, Sirius is quite an intelligent little jerk. He would have to be, to have helped make the Marauders map before he was even done with school; and to have become an unregistered Animagus when he was fifteen years old. He also managed to enchant two-way mirrors to share with his friends (primarily James) when they were in different detentions. He is quick to pick up on things and can generally always find a creative way out of something. (Which is useful, when you are as much of a prankster as he and his friends tend to be.) He does well in classes, particularly Transfiguration; but tends to become easily bored and so fixates on ….more interesting things to do. Like pranks, mostly.
As stated, Sirius tends to be a bit of an asshole. He was raised in a very rich pureblood family, and as a consequence is rather used to getting the good things in life and feeling like he’s --well, above the law. He’s not as bad as he USED to be, hanging around Remus and James for the better part of nine years has done him some good; but he still has an appreciation for the finer things and isn’t shy about getting them when he can. He is very used to things happening as he pleases and when he pleases, and doesn’t like taking no for an answer. Doing stupid, reckless, possibly death-defying things are events that happen on a day that ends in y. Rules are a bit of a foreign concept for him, breaking them is loads more fun than following along with everyone else. He has little respect for authority; unless someone has shown him good reason that they deserve respect they won’t get any.
Bad tempers tend to run in the Black family. As we can see in Order of the Phoenix, Sirius’ mother doesn’t tend to shy away from insults and pretty much verbally abusing her eldest son. He shoulders it off most of the time, but he can be just as vicious as his mother when he’s in the mood for it. For the most part, Sirius tends to be very even-keeled, unless you hurt or insult someone he considers family.
To be honest, Sirius has had to take his family where he can find them, since his actual one is kind of horrible. (Aside from Regulus, some of the time, and also Andromeda.) He never exactly fit in with the rest of the Blacks, and so the family he found at Hogwarts was the one he actually cared about. He’s felt like the odd man out a few times too many in his childhood; and so has a bit of a soft spot for those generally considered the weird or quiet ones. When Sirius loves, he loves through good and bad and that’s not going to change, unless someone does something particularly awful. Once his loyalty is earned, it’s not going anywhere. He loves deeply and will do anything for those he cares about, even if it means doing dull things like being patient and not insulting everyone he happens to dislike and somewhat behaving. In addition to GIVING love, he also likes -- well, receiving it, and (usually) not in a dirty way. He is unashamedly an attention whore, and quite likes being the over-dramatic center of attention whenever possible. Sure, it might get him in trouble most of the time; but at least he’s not being ignored!
Despite all the temper problems, tendency to be severely annoying, and still lingering spoilt-child issues, Sirius is pretty much the best friend anyone could ask for. He loves and protects his friends like they are his family; because they pretty much are. He trusts them through thick and thin, and is assured that they would do the same for him. He is generous and kind to those he deems worthy of respect and considers A Good Sort; though he does have his own tendencies of being a bullying ass to -- those who are also being asses of some sort.
Why did the CFP recruit them? At this point in his life, Sirius is a fully-fledged Hogwarts graduate, with all the magical knowledge that comes with. He’s rather skilled in defense against the Dark Arts, considering he’s been fighting a war for the past few years. Had things gone differently, he would likely have worked in the ministry or tried to become an Auror. He’s also got more than the usual wizard’s knowledge of the Dark Arts, coming from a prominent pureblood family. He is also very good with wandless magic, charms, and transfiguration, being an Animagus with the form of a large black dog. Sirius is a bit more of a mechanically-minded tinkerer than a ‘normal’ pureblood as well, as he owns (or owned) his own motorcycle.
Equipment: Wand, presumably, though at his canon-point he wouldn’t have it on him. If there’s a wizarding-world equivalent in this verse maybe he could scrounge one up somehow. Or ask Remus to buy him one.
Samples:
Network Sample: [There’s a haggard young man staring at the communicator, looking baffled. He’s good-looking, though a bit too thin to be healthy and he clearly hasn’t shaved in a while.] Hallo? [He clears his throat some and frowns, trying again. It’s hard to get used to talking civilly with people again, so there’s a slight pause.] So. People can hear me on this, yeah? Bit like the Floo network, except with weird electronic bits? [He clearly doesn’t care that most people won’t understand that, whoever does is someone he’s likely to know already anyhow.]
Well, if you can hear me out there; hello, assorted lot. You can call me Snuffles for now.
Prose Sample: https://medietas-logs.dreamwidth.org/291131.html?thread=16229947#cmt16229947
Revisions Requested
A note re: equipment: the nexus dimension in this game is without magic, and CFP-DNR wouldn't allow Sirius to remove a wand from a dimension not his own, as that would just exacerbate the very issue they're all there to fix. If another Harry Potter character apps in, you're more than welcome to communicate with them beforehand and arrange them bringing Sirius a wand; until/unless that happens, Sirius will probably be wandless.
Revisions
True, it might take him some time to get acclimated to talking normally with people again --but new people were much better options than his insane family. Definitely an improvement on the dementors. He might as well try to get used to things around here; and prepare for what might happen should he meet anyone from home.
and re: the note, I'm fine with that!
Re: Accepted!
Then head to the contact list and provide your info. Feel free to join the game Discord server; the link is on the contact list. Please let the mods know if you have any questions, and welcome to the nexus!
Re: Accepted!
Application: Brook | One Piece (part one b/c I broke character limit like a doofus)
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk): PMing this account is fine.
What other characters do you play? None.
Character name: Brook
Canon: One Piece
OU or CRAU? OU
Canon point: Very early in the two-year timeskip, a couple of days after confronting the crowd and beginning to play music in his cage at the freak show. He hasn't been discovered/gotten a record deal
or changed his wardrobe and required new iconsyet.History
I'll spare you trying to read the whole wiki: Long ago, in a sea called the West Blue, there was a boisterous crew of music-loving seafarers known as the Rumbar Pirates, led by Captain "Calico" Yorki. Brook was first mate in those days, a man who'd once dutifully served a kingdom now dutifully serving among outlaws at sea. The Rumbar Pirates had all manner of adventures, as pirates tend to do, and then one day they happened upon a little lonely baby whale they named Laboon. Laboon loved music, as they did, and he followed their ship everywhere it went. But something in the hearts of pirates cannot be satisfied forever by the waters of their home sea; the greatest sea of all, the Grand Line that circled the world, beckoned all brave souls to pass the point of no return.(The Grand Line had many names. One was "the Pirates' Graveyard.")
When the time finally came the Rumbar Pirates tried to leave Laboon behind in the West Blue, but the stubbornly loyal little whale would not be dissuaded and went tumbling into the Grand Line after them. Because the path ahead was no place for a child, even a whale child, they finally convinced Laboon to wait in the care of the lighthouse-keeper, and when they had finished their adventure and gone all the way around the world they would complete the circle. They would come back to the lighthouse, and Laboon would sing with them again. It would only take two years, perhaps three. Laboon would be big and strong by then, and they could all go anywhere they wanted. Just wait for us.
It would not be two years. It would not be three. The Grand Line was a place where the very laws of nature and sense soon fell apart; the climate itself and almost everything in the entire ecosystem was out for blood. Within two years of entering the Grand Line the captain and half the crew were laid low by a terrible illness, with no choice left but to quarantine themselves in the contaminated ship and limp, defeated, towards an uncertain fate. Brook assumed command of the remaining men, and they got themselves a new ship, and they carried on for the sake of those that couldn't anymore. They had adventures again, as pirates do. But two years after entering the Grand Line, just shy of halfway around the world from where it all began, those Rumbar Pirates that remained encountered a terrible enemy in a dark stretch of ocean called the Florian Triangle.
The men that still lived after the battle were, all of them, dying. And there in the lonely fog they regretted that they would die there, in that dark place, and never make it back to Laboon. Then Brook told them to sing. He had, after all, once eaten a Devil Fruit, and if such things were truly possible he would return from death and carry the recording of their last song onward for them. Without fail. And so they laughed in the end, and sang the song they and their lost friends and little Laboon had all loved most, and died.
Three years after the Rumbar Pirates entered the Grand Line, one year after the last song ended, one of the weathered skeletons sprawled on that ship took a breath. He got up. And, alone in the fog, on a battered and drifting ship he lacked the means to repair, Brook began to gather up the bodies in silence and gently put them away to sleep.
Ten years after the Rumbar Pirates entered the Grand Line, Brook was laughing at things that weren't funny and talking to people that weren't there. The line between dreams and reality blurred. When he played music and sang, it was only the recorded voices of dead men that played and sang with him. Again, and again, and again.
Forty-five years after the Rumbar Pirates entered the Grand Line, his aimlessly drifting ship was discovered by an absolutely enormous island-ship steered by far more frightening things than himself, hunting for victims in the fog. The island's master was a thief of shadows, and he cut Brook's shadow away and used it to make another minion for himself with the withered corpse of a warrior named Ryuma. Brook escaped back onto the island before they could set him drifting again, and hunted down Ryuma to take his shadow back - for without it, he had less hope for the future than ever, because the light he so missed would kill him. He wreaked havoc across the island until he found Ryuma; he did not take his shadow back. After their brutal duel Ryuma sent him crawling back to his own ship, wounded and disgraced, wishing he could finally allow himself to die.
Fifty years after the Rumbar Pirates entered the Grand Line, a younger ship and a younger crew sailed into the fog and heard an eerie voice echoing across the silent sea. They found a very old and very badly worn ship still drifting in the dark, and the living bones of a weird, desperate man, who only half remembered how to behave in the company of others, watching them from the railing. Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, immediately wanted to keep him, but as much as Brook longed to stay among people and see the sun again he could only say no. Out in the world without a shadow, the sun would strike him dead.
Luffy offered to help take the shadow back. Brook pleaded with them all to run while they could; he would somehow find a way on his own. They didn't run. A great deal of chaos followed, scrambling and fighting on that monstrous island in the fog, until the shadow-thief's power was broken and all the victims freed. In the quiet time after, Luffy told Brook he still wanted a musician for his crew and also something else: the Straw Hat Pirates had met Laboon. The whale still lived, still waiting at the lighthouse. It was not for nothing.
Though Brook had no eyes anymore, he wept.
Too short a time after that - perhaps a week, but not more than two - the Straw Hats, like the Rumbar Pirates decades before them, were overwhelmed by terrible enemies. The only thing that spared them all from certain death was one particular enemy's status as a double agent: Bartholomew Kuma, the Tyrant, used his power to scatter them across great distances, shattering the crew as ordered but sparing their lives.
Brook flew through the air for three days and three nights before landing on Namakura Island, crashing down directly in the middle of a ceremony by desperately poor people attempting to conjure up Satan himself to deliver them from their enemies. The terrifying figure that appeared before them was of course not really Satan, but he helped them just the same. He wrote a song that made their spirits confident and strong, hoping to teach them to stand up for themselves, to try, even if he ended up having to join them and do most of the fighting in the end.
The people of Namakura celebrated afterwards, but Brook's thoughts were elsewhere. He'd found a newspaper, and while they were separated his new (and after all, very young) captain had suffered the death of his brother. Brook only wanted to go back to him, but that wouldn't happen just yet. The enemies of Namakura broke their word and turned on him the moment they were freed, capturing him and taking him back to their country to be enslaved as a profitable freak show exhibit.
He sat in a cage as people screamed in horror and disgust, his empty eye sockets staring down at the latest newspaper. It held a coded message from Luffy, instructing them all to meet up again in two years' time. They were hard orders to receive, but the crew did need to become much stronger if they had any hope of further progress. Brook had once waited longer for the sake of people he loved, and endured worse, and so he stood up in his cage and said So this is a freakshow, is it? Go on then, do your worst!
Though he was by himself, he was not alone.
Personality? Tell us what makes your character tick. Include internal motivations as well as external actions. (Please keep this section under 1000 words.)
"Every single day was filled with pain. To be honest, I couldn't see a ray of light. But you know, Luffy-san...I...I...I'm glad to be alive!"
"Of course you are!"
One Piece is one of those canons that swings wildly from silly characters and zany comedy routines to drama, horror and sadness, and Brook cranks up both halves of that equation particularly high. He is a ridiculously oversized and overenthusiastic comedy skeleton with fabulous hair and a lot of feelings that trembles nervously when it comes to things like curses, ghosts, the dark, and talking skeletons. He regularly says bizarre things in the most intensely polite way, goes about social situations as wrongly as possible, obliviously overshares about his love of panties and trashy novels, has a little difficulty controlling THE VOLUME OF HIS VOICE, and makes unending jokes about the fact that he is, did you notice, a skeleton, sir! And the jokes are so, so bad.
Brook is also a very old man who once died a slow and painful death; he comforted those around him as he'd always done, but, in his own last moment, he was alone. He has held the skulls of friends in his hands, and spent almost five decades (the greater portion of his life) in constant physical, psychological and emotional pain - starving, consumed by grief, slowly losing his mind, abandoned in superstitious terror by the few passing ships that briefly saw him - an ordeal he survived more out of his sense of duty to those he loved than any real hope that his situation would ever get better if he kept on living. He is a gentle, emotionally sensitive extrovert who emerged from long solitary confinement as a physically off-putting and socially awkward monster, entirely aware that he might end up as lonely outside the fog as in it. He is a man who knows exactly how creepy and gross a talking skeleton is, is hurt by it, and yet finds it in himself to go out there and be eagerly friendly to the world just the same. If some people scream and reject him
and put him in a cage, so be it: whatever anyone else says or does, he knows he has a place to go back to and that he is never really alone after all.In short, the punchline to the real skull joke is that being reduced to a skeleton isn't actually very funny but he keeps laughing anyway.
As a long-ago high ranking member of an unspecified kingdom's military he retains all sorts of formal, almost foppish mannerisms, steadfast notions of honor and duty, a very proper way of speaking and one hell of an Authority Voice. He has a pirate's adventurous free spirit, song repertoire, and willingness to get loud and wild and stupid at parties and in general. Though rescued from the Florian Triangle his mind will always be a little strange; his thoughts still go down peculiar paths, his laughter is still too sudden and loud and occasionally poorly-timed, he still carries on one-sided conversations, and he doesn't sleep well when by himself in dark, silent places. He is someone who, offered help by the Straw Hat Pirates after five decades of suffering, said I could not ask you to die for me when we've just met, but he was himself immediately ready to aid them in their battles and then basically take a bullet for them less than two weeks later. He is the kindly 'demon' of Namakura Island, who encouraged the people to be brave and hopeful and stand up for themselves against the enemies that troubled them, and the caged monster of the Tehna Gehna Kingdom that ultimately cared more for thoughts of his young captain's troubles and the needs of his crew than the disgusted screams of the crowd. And at the end of these two (in-canon) years he will very easily cast aside fame and the love and devotion of millions to go running right back where he belongs.
There you have it: "Dead Bones" Brook, a lively fellow with a warm heart and a happy grin, utterly delighted to make your acquaintance.
Although, of course, he died, and he has no heart, and a skeleton's grin is eternal.
Skull joke!
Re: Application: Brook | One Piece (part two)
There is no denying that, even with the aid of holograms, Brook is a liability at best when it comes to missions that require quietly blending in with society and avoiding any diplomatic fumbles. But as troublesome as he can be in some situations, he is incredibly effective in others and will only get more effective with time.
His speed (which can reach "not even a blur of movement" in short bursts), light weight and nimbleness grant him tremendous horizontal and vertical mobility, and the particulars of his skeletal state result in a body that doesn't bleed or grow weaker over time when injured, and that can't suffer "flesh wounds" at all. In an emergency situation he can go without food or water indefinitely, though it isn't fun, and owing to the fact that he has no body heat to lose he can scamper about unaffected in freezing temperatures. Poison that isn't inhaled or ingested is useless. He can cause grievous bodily harm so quickly that the human eye can't tell he moved at all, or disorient/disable groups of targets via his music powers without leaving a single bruise or scratch. And those same music powers can inspire courage and positivity just as easily as cause chaos. (That said, he is unquestionably a precision instrument, lacking in raw destructive power. If an enemy is without physical or tactical/situational weak points he can leverage, he rapidly runs out of options for direct action. He tends to be very "hilariously swift and devastating victory" or "is having serious problems" with little in between.)
So while his mission partners should probably handle all the delicate socializing, Brook is extraordinary in the role of mobility, utility/support, stealthy infiltration/scouting and crowd control. Perhaps more importantly, behind his eccentricity and bouts of foolishness there is a surprisingly intelligent, cunning, and patient mind that remains quite capable of gathering information and devising and executing plans on his own, even carrying them out subtly...sometimes. He is also about as kindhearted and altruistic as a pirate with literally no heart can be, and looking past the fact that he doesn't quite remember how to interact with other people he has a powerful sense of honor and integrity; he may be a weird man, but he can be trusted to keep his word, repay his debts, and to never act out of maliciousness or (unfeigned) treachery.
In addition to blending in and delicate diplomatic scenarios where the first impression is the only impression you get, Brook's other primary weakness is one shared by everyone who eats a Devil Fruit: submersion in standing water. This isn't something he'll try to keep secret; it's common knowledge in his home setting and he'd certainly prefer any mission partners know they'll need to drag him to the surface if something unavoidable happens.
(As Brook is taken from the start of a two-year training timeskip, besides generally strengthening his music over time he has the possibility of unlocking entirely new abilities in the future. I will contact the mod/s to discuss this further if a good situation arises.)
Equipment:
-His cane-sword
-His violin (This is where I should mention that Oda makes almost no real effort to to show Brook carrying instruments before he needs them and even less effort to have any explanation make sense. Brook has casually whipped out an entire guitar from his coat that's bigger than his torso. Please don't ask me to explain this. I'm just going to say that since he was playing his violin in a scene on Sabaody Archipelago and still has it after the timeskip, it was on his person when Kuma smacked him. And we can just never question that ever.)
-A piece of Rayleigh's Vivre Card which will do absolutely nothing outside his home setting.
-And, of course, one seashell hidden inside his head.
Samples:
Network Sample: [VOICE]
[The voice sounds small and distant at first and the volume cuts in and out as it goes, almost as though the speaker is someone who doesn't entirely understand technology and is carelessly gesturing with both his hands in his excitement.]
Hullo! Good morning! Ah, I don't know if I did it...perhaps I ought to have asked a few more questions about how to use this clever little thing properly, or else better remembered the answers, but there is ever so much to take in and I can be such an awful scatterbrain- [He suddenly and quite uncontrollably cackles.]
But let's do be serious now. [The only one rambling and fooling around was him.] My name is Brook! How do you do! I suppose we shall all be working together for a time; I'm looking forward to it very much! [The sound gets bad here, but he might have added 'though I have no eyes' before he started laughing again. Did he say that? Maybe you just misheard.]
Also, if you would be so kind, please recommend your favorite songs and singers! It's for professional reasons; I am a musician myself, and it has recently come to my attention that I am terribly old-fashioned. This seems like a lovely opportunity to catch up, what with recorded music apparently being a good deal easier to come by these days and everyone hailing from so many far-off places. If we can get our hands on it, I'll listen gladly!
All right, well! Thank you! Good morning!
Prose Sample: "You really do take us for fools," said the little man outside the bars, his face shrewd and unsympathetic in the moonlight.
"Not at all, sir!" said the man inside the bars, who was not so little - and whose face was neither shrewd nor anything else, for he had none, only two empty sockets and a grin that never faltered. "I only thought it a small thing to ask of you, and after all, I have been profitable these last few days and never troubled you for a bit of it."
"Ha! You wouldn't get any if you did ask. We caught you fair and square, and caged birds don't get a cut."
"True," Brook said, idly stretching his long legs out before him. "But I should think it an awful shame if I missed my cane so terribly that I became too downhearted to sing. Ah! Though I have no heart regardless..."
The little man rolled his eyes.
"...but even so, lazy bones are not profitable bones, are they? I might be mistaken for a doll again. Only a bit of sleight of hand and stage magic. And all because we quarreled over something that is already mine, and costs you nothing to give me."
"I say it might cost me a lot, giving a thing like you a weapon."
Brook laughed, high and loud and sudden. "Shall I pick the lock with a fencing sword, sir? Saw through the bars? Now that is a gut buster of a joke, and here I am without any guts at all! I'll gladly surrender it before anyone opens my cage, if you like. But I have had that blade a long time, and I should very much like to have it back."
The little man's eyes narrowed, considering. Brook tapped the sides of his shoes together once, twice, and waited.
"I guess having a sword didn't save you from being caged in the first place, did it? But one trick from you - even one - and you'll be real sorry. You'll be sorry for a long time."
"Certainly, sir."
The little man left. Brook grinned. Brook was always grinning. He hummed to himself, watched the moon, counted a few stars. The little man returned, and one double-elbowed arm pushed a seemingly unremarkable cane between the bars before jerking back out of reach like one wary of a snake. It was not so quick that Brook couldn't have caught him, if he'd had a mind to do so.
"Tomorrow, you sing."
"Certainly, sir," he said again, and the little man left, and did not return.
The skeleton, left now to his own devices, took up the cane in his long fingers and twisted just so until the handle slid free and the blade - nearly as much a part of him as his own limbs - caught the moonlight. "Hullo again, old friend. It does my heart good to see that our hosts haven't mistreated you."
The old blade offered no opinion on the matter of his little joke. Well, he was used to it. He sheathed it and lay the cane across his lap, and reached over to tug his equally old violin case close against his hip, and leaned back against the bars of his cage with a yawn.
He closed the eyes he didn't have.
Later, when the cage bars at his back vanished and he fell backwards with a quiet clatter, he opened them again - not to cold bars and moonlight, but to a room filled with peculiar machines and serious-looking people in suits. Brook grinned, as ever, and picked himself up, and picked his belongings up, and held up his cane.
"Thank you! I've got it, and I'm quite ready now. Ready to work my fingers to the bone!" He laughed again, loud and wild.
"We're gonna regret this," someone muttered, and not a one of the serious-looking faces in suits looked ready to admit it was them.
Accepted
Then head to the contact list and provide your info. Feel free to join the game Discord server; the link is on the contact list. Please let the mods know if you have any questions, and welcome to the nexus!
Re: Accepted
Application: The Doctor (8) | Doctor Who
Accepted
Then head to the contact list and provide your info. Please let the mods know if you have any questions, and welcome to the nexus!
Re: Accepted
Application: Agent Washington | Red vs Blue (CRAU)
Player name: Kia
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk): Kiaxet
What other characters do you play? None yet
Character name: Agent Washington
Canon: Red vs Blue
OU or CRAU? CRAU: The Legion
Canon point: End of Season 13/just before season 15; end of the Legion
History: He carried the plot for three seasons and was heavily involved in five more.
At the end of around Season 13 - smack in the middle of the final battle on Chorus - he wound up pulled into the dimension of the Legion of Superheroes. A sentient dimension called Chronoblivion was hell bent on destroying all of reality, and an entity called the Time Trapper was pulling people from multiple other dimensions in order to help the Legion fight Chronoblivion. Wash joined the Legion, embarking on missions across multiple worlds to try to stop Chronoblivion’s heralds from paving the way for the apocalypse and keep the galaxy from imploding on itself anyway, because sometimes people and circumstances can just be dicks even without the impending end of existence. (Ask him about the time a villain from the future and a supergenius child caused a multi-planet robot zombie apocalypse. That was all sorts of fun.)
Despite suffering losses, by the time Chronoblivion itself shows up for the final showdown, the Legion is more than prepared to battle it head on. Wash himself helped take out the last of Chronoblivion’s heralds and journeyed into the center of the sentient dimension, where an act of will from the entire Legion erased Chronoblivion from existence, ending that threat for good.
Before the Time Trapper returned the displaced Legion recruits to their home dimension, he gave them the means to return to the Legion’s dimension at will. Wash then returned to the final battle on Chorus, helped extract the Reds and Blues from Hargrove’s ship, and the rest is history. Now that he’s a few weeks into what will be a 10-month vacation, he’s started taking the opportunity to visit the Legion and help out on missions as needed - after all, he has a boyfriend and a cat there, and he’d like to see the both of them.
So when CFP-DNR shows up to recruit him for more dimension-saving missions...well, saying yes is kind of a no-brainer, isn’t it.
Personality: The easiest way to describe Wash is that he has a gooey, dorky, relatively happy core enclosed by several deep layers of scarring, emotional trauma, and massive trust issues. He started off as a trusting, eager-to-please team rookie; many years, one severe mental breakdown, and multiple betrayals (several of which he committed) later, he's much more of a cynic. Outwardly and upon first meeting, he's very mission-oriented, only interested in getting the job done and lacking much patience for delays or incompetence. He's shown that he does have the capacity to do some pretty terrible things (killing a former teammate comes to mind) when he hits bottom or gets desperate.
However, a little further down, past the scar tissue and the reflexive mental defenses, Wash can actually be a pretty good guy. If he does accept someone as a partner or teammate, he will work with them and take care of them, going so far as to go against direct orders in order to keep a partner alive. He still has the capacity for compassion and empathy; it just takes him a bit to warm up to anyone. He can also be a bit of a dork, and he still has a sense of humor, though it has a much more sarcastic bent to it now than it did before.
Basically, life has screwed Wash over pretty hard, and for a good long while he went through life pushing people away and expecting it to happen again - it's only with a little work and a lot of patience that he got past that mentality enough to work with other people.
After spending a few months with the Reds and Blues, Wash has mellowed a bit - which is to say, he’s just as uptight as ever, but much more patient about it. He has to be - the Blood Gulch crew really didn’t leave him an option, and they sure aren’t changing anytime soon. Essentially, Wash has calmed down a good deal about his past and its ramifications, even if he is still dealing with them to some extent. He’s always known how to care about people, but now he’s less reserved about actually showing that he cares about them, and he takes people on as partners and teammates much more easily.
While he started verging on Team Dad territory with the Blood Gulch crew, he gets there fully after his time with the Legion. He’s learned to mellow out and relax when situations aren’t life-or-death dire, and training a group of teenagers in hand-to-hand combat has taught him a different flavor of patience. Helping rehabilitate Locus taught him empathy and mercy in a way he hadn’t really known it before - because how often do you run into a “there but for the grace go I” situation and get the opportunity to fix it? - and working with a consistently reliable and effective team - one he didn’t have to lead, and one in which he was not the most competent member - taught him to rely on his teammates and ask for help when he needs it.
He’ll always be a little broken inside, and he’ll always be torn up about that, but he’s come a very long way since his initial breakdown.
Why did the CFP recruit them?
Wash is a trained space marine and has served in (and survived) two genocidal wars. Most of his abilities are a result of that military training.
- Combat: Wash is skilled in armed and unarmed combat. This includes ranged weaponry such as rifles and pistols, knife fighting (both in close combat and throwing), and hand to hand combat. Essentially, he's accustomed to fighting things that are bigger, stronger, and/or meaner than him, and he's come out of all of those fights alive if not victorious.
- Lock picking: he has experience with holographic locks, though he's also able to pick physical locks (outdated as they are in his time). He's not the best out there, but he's definitely proficient.
- Eidetic memory: Wash's brain has essentially been rewired by a malfunctioning AI. It gave him an eidetic memory: he's able to recall just about anything he experiences in perfect detail.
- Survivability: It's not really an ability, but Wash has an uncanny knack for surviving everything that's thrown at him, including getting hit by armored vehicles, getting shot in the back, landing in an active minefield, collapsing a stone tunnel on top of himself, and three spaceship crashes, one of which involved said spaceship crashing directly on top of him.
- Leadership: Much as he’d rather someone else take over the task, Wash is a damn good leader when he needs to be. He’s not perfect, but after years with the Reds and Blues, he’s especially good at herding cats, especially in tough situations. He can competently take point during most any mission.
- Strategy and Improvisation: Wash is an experienced strategist, because you can’t lead a team through a war without becoming one. Given that no battle plan survives contact with the enemy, he’s also a solid improvisor, able to think on his feet and use his surroundings to his advantage. (He’ll insist he hates improvising, despite the fact that he’s good at it.)
- Minor Superpowers: As a side effect of his time with the Legion, Wash has picked up a few minor superpowers. He has a moderate healing factor (nothing Wolverine level, but enough to ensure that a broken arm won’t still be broken tomorrow) and power nullification (he can nullify other superpowers within a 10 ft radius of him for two minutes, with a 15 minute recharge time afterwards).
Equipment:
1 set of power armor
1 battle rifle and spare clip
1 pistol and spare clip
1 combat knife
Samples:
Network Sample: [The audio clicks on, and there’s a quiet sigh.]
You know, I’m starting to think I pissed off a god in a past life or something. I’ve spent the past year stopping a war that was actually a genocide in disguise and then helping save the known universe from a sentient dimension that wanted to eat all of existence, and now I’m back on dimension-saving duty again, this time one at a time instead of all at once.
Though how is there not an “all at once” solution? How complicated is this?
Anyway. I’m not sure if this is vengeance or karma or what, but… [He trails off into a sigh.] It never ends, does it.
[Not that he’d have turned down the recruitment anyway; like hell is he going to let an apocalypse happen just because he didn’t want his vacation interrupted. Priorities.]
Prose Sample: In which Space Cthulu attempts to convince Wash that he has no friends, and his friends are having none of that.
Accepted
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Application: Tekhartha Zenyatta | Overwatch (Legion CRAU)
Plurk handle (or other contact if no plurk):
What other characters do you play? n/a
Character name: Tekhartha Zenyatta
Canon: Overwatch
OU or CRAU? CRAU Legion
Canon point: post "Alive" short, post "Dragons" short, pre-Doomfist's escape from prison, a short period of time after Legion Endgame
History: Zenyatta's hero information on the official Overwatch website Headcanon marked by italics.
The Omnica Corporation created Omniums, automated factories that built advance robots known as omnics. These factories were able to self improve on past designs without outside input. The Omniums were supposed to be shut down forever when the Omnica Corporation was closed due to fraud. However, some reactivated and begun making military omnics. These along with highly advanced AI known as God Programs brought human and omnic into a war known as the Omnic Crisis. This war lasted around 10 years, and reasons for the war remains unknown. The peacekeeping force known as Overwatch were instrumental in ending the Omnic Crisis. After, relationships between human and omnic ranged from mutual respect to outright violence. In some areas of the world, omnics were thought to have the same rights and autonomy as humans. In others, omnics were thought to be property and made to serve humans, and still in others, omnics were public enemy #1 to be destroyed on sight.
Zenyatta was created after the Omnic Crisis. His model type suggests that he was built with human interaction and service in mind. His place of origin is unknown, but he eventually made his way to the mountains of Nepal. There the Shambali Monastery resided, home to a religion and religious group established by omnics. The Shambali believed that omnics have a soul and that human and omnic are one within the Iris. Tekhartha Mondatta was the Shambali leader.
Zenyatta was young in every sense of the word, just learning about having a sense of self and being alive. His curious nature often brought along with it mischief, like climbing and getting stuck in trees or muddying his robes. Mondatta had his hands full with Zenyatta's antics. Zenyatta looked up to Mondatta more than just a master but as an older brother figure. From Mondatta came a love of music and his name. The two were close.
Mondatta carved and gave Zenyatta his first orb to focus his omnic energy. Zenyatta learned how to hover one orb. Then he tried carving his own orb. Then he learned to levitate two orbs. Then three... Then nine.... Zenyatta threw himself into his studies and training until Zenyatta discovered how to channel his energy through his body and hover like the statues outside the sanctum. (Much to everyone's surprise.) He started to experiment with his new powers, no longer just learning, but thinking for his own. Zenyatta also achieved the ability to Transcend by channeling the Iris and using its power to heal. He became a master within the Shambali.
As time passed, Zenyatta begun to disagree with Mondatta's methods. He wanted to connect people on a personal level as a way to heal the wounds brought by the Omnic Crisis and from omnic racism. Mondatta spoke on a grander scale and had become a bit of a celebrity through his speeches and visits. Zenyatta also believed that sometimes fighting in self defense is necessary when words fail. The two had a debate, watched by others, and it had turned heated. (Or has heated as two monks of peace and harmony could get.) They respected each other, but neither budged. Zenyatta decided to leave the Shambali Monastery to pursue his own path, and he did not leave on completely good terms as he worried about if he would be welcome back.
At some point, Zenyatta came across Genji Shimada, a man who had undergone a lot of physical and mental trauma. He helped Genji turn from an angry, destructive man to one who had found inner peace. It is unknown when this occurred, before or after leaving the Shambali, but Genji calls Zenyatta his master. In the comic, Reflections, Zenyatta is shown with Genji in a snowy area, likely Nepal by the architecture shown, during Christmas.
He never got the chance to make amends with Mondatta. Mondatta was assassinated in King's Row by a Talon agent named Widowmaker while he was giving a speech. It's a regret and pain he carries with him and hasn't fully dealt with. Still, he continues on in the memory of his brother's and his wish, to help bring human and omnic together in peace.
During his time with the Legion, Zenyatta faced the aftermath of a robot uprising, helped support other Legionnaires on the field, broke people out of their own mental prisons, got kidnapped, then cloned, and saved the galaxy from Chronoblivion. It was a lot in a short period of time, and towards the end, he didn't have time to reflect and fully process everything that had happened.
Zenyatta went back to the Shambali monastery to recover and to set up a small memorial. However, Zenyatta was not content to stay in the monastery forever, and when the CFP contacted him, Zenyatta prepared for another adventure.
Personality: At first glance, Zenyatta appears as the robotic version of a wisened monk who lives atop a mountain at peace with everyone and everything. He has numerous words of wisdom to offer. His feet don't touch the ground. He has spiritual powers at his fingertips. His name even has "zen" in it.
However, that is only a part of Zenyatta. Zenyatta has his own ideas on how to mend the rift between humans and omnics. Interpersonal relations are the way to do it, and he leaves the Shambali Monastery (not on the best of terms his voice lines suggest) to follow his own path.
He doesn't talk and preach; that's what Mondatta does (did). Zenyatta wants to relate to people one on one, be the change instead of only talking about equality. He motivates individuals, cheers on their accomplishments, but he also allows them to learn from their own mistakes. Their triumphs are their own; he merely gives them a little help. (He couldn't be more proud of Genji and all of his growth.) Zenyatta can also be very stubborn and persistent if he sees someone needing help but rejecting it. (Also see Genji.) It has gotten him into trouble before.
He is curious, open to learning and seeing new things. Fascinated in Oasis, he wonders if science alone can bring enlightenment. He wants to see the sights of Genji's hometown. Zenyatta has a youthful feel to him seen when giving himself a fistbump, mimicking sticking out his tongue in a taunt, and joking around. Defeating certain characters provides veiled taunts within advice, helpful but not purely for the sake of it.
While violence is something he'd like to avoid, Zenyatta is not afraid to fight. The line that Genji says in his Heroes of the Storm video, "Balance and harmony are not easily obtained. They must be fought for," sounds straight out of Zenyatta's philosophy. The life Zenyatta lives isn't easy. He's marked with scrapes and oxidation all over his body. His clothes are in tatters; his Shambali robe can barely serve as a lap blanket now. He has figured out how to use his mala to protect others by using is as a weapon. Omnics are still treated poorly, and more than likely, the wear and tear on his body are the result of omnic racism rather than the toils of travel.
And despite his tranquil nature, he still has doubts and fears. He wonders if the Shambali would welcomed him back. His call outs for snipers are much more emotional than when he does call outs for turrets. He grieves for and misses Mondatta. Zenyatta's harmony outshines his discord, but it is there. He acknowledges that discord internally, but he puts others' state of mind first. He focuses on them instead of himself.
This aspect of Zenyatta really came into play during his time with the Legion. He entered after the Legion was recovering from a robotic uprising and virus that turned people into robots. It lead to Zenyatta to being even more concerned over others' mental states even if it caused him to feel lonely and separated.
He also said that he would rather be dead than compromised in a way that would force him to hurt others against his will. Zenyatta saw that determination come to fruition when he was cloned, body and mind. The clone, later known as Reggatta, was "programmed" to carry out an assassination and had a degrading body. Just as he would have, Reggatta sought agency over his own life by deciding to end it before he killed anyone. Zenyatta aided him. This left Zenyatta grieving another brother who he barely got to know and shaken at being the one to do the deed.
Time back home has helped him restore balance to his soul, but he feels less confident in his actions and reasoning. It's nothing that will hold him back when saving another. However, it does tarnish that wisened monk image and increases his youthful feel. Sometimes he doesn't know what should be done, and though he still has trouble asking for help, he is better at realizing when something is completely beyond him.
Why did the CFP recruit them? The CFP-DNR learned of the Legion and their work to protect the multi-verse from Chronoblivion's certain destruction. Legion employed heroes from various worlds and universes, so in a way the CFP shares similarity that with them. Zenyatta was a Legionnaire and showed a desire to protect people. He also has powers that allows him to be a great support person on the field. All in all, he's not bad to have on a team, and being mechanical instead of mechanic could be handy as well.
Zenyatta's powers- Omnic energy channeling: Zen channels energy through his orbs and his body, allowing him to levitate himself and his orbs (along with small objects), has practical and spiritual uses, gives him some empathic senses, a connection to the Iris (a spiritual entity/place in the Shambali belief)
- Orb of Harmony: allows Zenyatta to heal a single person over time as long as they are within his sight and proximity
- Orb of Discord: increases the amount of damage a target takes, target must be sentient and within his sight and distance
- Orbs of Destruction: spheres of destructive energy used as an attack, recharging his orbs requires focus and channeling more energy into them
- Transcendence: greater healing in a circular area round him, can heal multiple people at once, he gains invincibility, six golden arms, and greater movement speed, he cannot use his Orbs of Harmony, Discord, or Destruction while Transcended
- diplomacy: better one on one (on a personal level) than in large groups
- language acquisition: able to learn quickly/download language packs
- reading QR codes: related to the Omnic language
- awesome harmony/discord dancing
strange inability to juggleEquipment: Zenyatta doesn't bring much with him: just his nine orbs (which he uses for both meditation and attacking) and his Legionnaire flight ring (which allows him flight separate from his hovering).
Samples:
Network Sample:
[ Zenyatta takes a deep breath before addressing his new teammates. His orbs rotate once around him. ]
Greetings everyone. My name is Tekhartha Zenyatta. You may call me Zenyatta.
I am an omnic from a planet called Earth, more specifically high in the mountains of Nepal where the Shambali Monastery resides. If you know of it and omnics, I would like to speak with you as we may come from the same world. However, I suspect many may not. It was the case when I became part of the Legion.
[ He laughs, and his orbs jingle merrily. ]
Hm, now that I think of it, I never did choose a hero name.
Prose Sample: Zen on the test drive meme (one comment short from Zenyatta)
Zenyatta bows his head at the small stone pillar sitting in the corner of a snowy garden. The pillar is simple in design, smooth sides with little in the way of decoration beyond some letters carved in Omnicode. A set of nine orbs and a bloodied badge rest at the base. With his hand, Zenyatta sweeps away some snow and places some incense, a candle, and some red flowers.
"It is not much, but even this is too much knowing both of you." He lights the candle and watches how the light and shadows flicker on the pillar. "However, you deserve something more than a mission report to prove you lived."
He hovers off the ground with his deed finished. The snow will blanket the tiny memorial by nightfall if the winds do not do so sooner, but Zenyatta knows that Reggatta and Rico-Two are within the Iris and not here.
"Brother Zenyatta?" one of the nuns speaks from behind him. "There is someone here who wishes to speak to you."
The reverence he had earlier disappears as he responds with a light, "Then I should not keep them waiting."
Accepted
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Re: Accepted