[Closed] [M/M] [Poly] [Mercenaries] [Super Powers] Soldiers of Fortune

[Dotley]

Introduction

(Written by Ouroboros + Dotley)

There's always a war to be fought. It never really ends. So long as there's at least two people left alive on this earth somebody is going to want someone else dead.

So it goes on.

The beginning of the twentieth century was rocked by conflict after conflict. The first World War was followed by a second; a bomb was unleashed that ushered in a new and terrifying chapter to humanity's history of warfare. That bomb changed everything because it changed people. Children conceived after detonation of the atomic bombings dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were born different. Among these children was the emergence of...powers. What had previously been a fantastical story told around a campfire or a once-in-a-generation miracle of superhuman ability became almost commonplace. The 1960's saw teenagers around the world developing extraordinary abilities. Some were stronger, faster, and tougher. Others found they could talk to animals or feel someone else's emotions. Some of them were even able to control the minds of others or move objects by merely thinking about it.

Not everyone developed powers. Not most people. But by all accounts somewhere between fifteen to twenty percent of the world's population was something more than normal.

They were empowered.

Reactions varied. The Normals regarded the Empowered with fear, curiosity, and avarice. While some Empowered were barred from certain positions in society due to the potential for abuse others were sought out and coveted for their natural powers. Governments, armed forces, and law enforcement academies all around the world began hiring the empowered into their folds en masse. After all, the Empowered made for better soldiers, policemen, and spies compared to the Normals. So long as they could be controlled. It's said that a nation's control over their Empowered doubles as control over all of their populace. Because when you have the people with the powers on your payroll what chance does the average Normal on the street have against them?

For decades the governments of the world have been recruiting, enlisting, and training their Empowered to protect, serve, and obey. It's been inspirational. And profitable too. While some misguided souls tried to emulate the superheroes found in comic books most simply took the change with a more realistic stride. Humanity's ability to normalize even the most momentous or striking changes cannot be overestimated and within a decade it was accepted that humans with powers were part of society. And more Empowered are being born every day. History marched on and overall very little changed.

The same wars were fought. They were just fought with different weapons; in a war the Empowered are considered the greatest weapon there is.

There are plenty of Empowered out there that are more than happy to sell themselves out. So long as they get to set the price. Private military companies are a booming business and the ranks of private military contractors are rife with the Empowered. For every five professional soldiers loyal serving their nation there's a private contractor selling their power and skill set to the highest bidder.

Some Empowered don't care about politics or subscribing to a higher ideal. They don't want to make the world a better place or protect their country.

They just want money.

Call them whatever you want. Mercenaries, guns for hire, or private military contractors. It's all the same in the end so long as they get their pay.

Merriweather International Services

"Service In All Weathers."

Merriweather International Services is a multinational private military company. Its headquarters are located in the United Kingdom, but it has official branch offices around the world. The range of services it offers are varied and specialized. It provides private security, transportation, operational support, weapons consultation, logistics management, risk management, and intelligence gathering to corporate, government, and non-profit clients. Merriweather has active contracts and ongoing operations on every continent except Antarctica. While it may not be the largest or most infamous private military company in the world Merriweather has a well deserved reputation for professionalism and competence.

Merriweather was founded in the late 1970's by a small group of Vietnam war veterans. To this day Merriweather is dedicated to offering Empowered individuals with steady, respectful, and profitable careers while providing its clientele with the best and brightest Empowered employees.

Unusual among private military companies is Merriweather's active discouragement of fraternization between its contractors and local civilian populations. Take no wife with you and leave no baby behind is the unofficial motto of many a Merriman. However this disapproval of fraternization doesn't extend to socialization between its own contractors; Merrimen are notable for their camaraderie, group cohesiveness, and teamwork skills.

Merriweather has a very well deserved reputation for frequent fraternization between its employees.

Powers & Presentations

The powers of the Empowered aren't necessarily comic-book style powers. Humans have physical and mental limitations; the Empowered are still very much human. It takes time and plenty of practice to learn how to manage these changes and integrate them into one's life. Luckily for the Empowered there's drug assistance for those that need it and most Empowered need it at some point in their life.

Baseline is the proprietary eponym of the drug that is used worldwide by Empowered to dull the effect of their powers. While it is sometimes forcibly administered it is often voluntarily taken by Empowered adolescents that are still learning to utilize and control their powers. Many Empowered also use it recreationally as when taken in low doses the side effects of baseline are generally considered pleasant. However, there are some Empowered that abuse baseline and develop an addiction to it. Instead of properly learning to control their powers at peak performance they rely on the drug to dim them down to a manageable level.

Normal

Anyone who completes puberty without presenting as an Empowered is regarded as Normal. There are currently no known cases of anyone developing empowered abilities later in life. An Empowered's primary presentation will always develop during adolescence though secondary presentations have been known to present later on in adulthood. Babies, children, teenagers, and adolescents still undergoing puberty are labeled as un-presented.

Watcher

Individuals with enhanced senses (taste, smell, touch, sight, and hearing) are colloquially known as Watchers. The degree of enhancement differs between each individual Watcher. Some may have all their senses enhanced equally while others have only one or two heightened. Some unlucky Watchers may find their sensitive senses enhanced so greatly that it becomes an impediment rather than a blessing. A sense that is too enhanced compared to the others can manifest as a sensory processing disorder, leading to health or social issues.

Protector

One of the hardest presentations to accurately gauge upon manifestation is that of the Protector. Due to the wide variation in its manifestation some Protectors don't realize they've presented until an accident or incident occurs that reveals their presentation. Protectors are tougher than others. It can manifest as the ability to stay awake and functional for long periods of time, resistance to the effects of extreme temperatures, increased endurance and stamina, and the ability to rapidly heal from wounds, injuries, illness, and disease.

Striker

Strikers are fast and Strikers are strong. They're more agile and have better reflexes than others. They can punch harder and jump higher than anyone else. In some cases a Striker's strength can be so great that they can lift up a car with their bare hands. However, without the proper training Strikers are liable to overexert and injury themselves.

Handler

Handlers are empaths. They can sense the emotions of others and are also capable of manipulating them. They can heighten emotions that are already being experienced or dull them down. A handler must always be wary not to confuse the emotions of others with their own. It takes great personal fortitude for a Handler to keep themselves from being influenced by the feelings of those around them.

Controller

Out of all the presentations of the Empowered the Controller is the most feared. A Controller's ultimate weapon and defense is simply their voice - with only a few words they can mentally control another person into doing their bidding. Though this control must be actively maintained. It doesn't last forever. The compulsion of a controller isn't always guaranteed and most Controller's utilize suggestion rather than command to increase their chances of swaying someone into obeying them. Only the most powerful of Controllers can control groups of people; most can only control one person at a time. As they cannot rewrite memories Controllers must be subtle if they don't want their interference to be realized. The compulsions of a Controller must also be physically heard to be effective. A Controller can't control anyone through recordings or over the phone.

Shifter

The Shifter's power is not related to any physical change, but rather in their ability to create mental illusions. It has to be seen. Most shifts are based on an alternation in the appearance of a person or the structure of an object. The scope and duration of a shift differs among shifters. Some changes can last for days while others fade within an hour. The level of detail and accuracy also varies. While all shifters can form visual shifts only a few can accompany it with auditory shifts. A rare few can form kinesthetic shifts. No shift includes scent or taste.

Mover

Movers are able to manipulate and control objects with nothing but their own will and thought. Many movers are even capable of levitating themselves or others in the air, though most movers find it difficult if not impossible to move things that outweigh their personal body weight.

Trainer

Trainers are able to emotionally communicate with and exert influence over animals. The degree of control they can command of an animal is dependent on the creature's intelligence. Trainers could train a dog to follow complex commands, but could only teach a squirrel the most basics of commands.

[Dotley]

What Is This?

This is an interest check for a small group story that follows the lives of a group of men with super powers working as private military contractors. The story will begin on day one of their six month contract of employment with Merriweather International Services.

So have we piqued your interest? Let us know in this thread right here! Got questions? We have answers! Finished character sheets should be PMed to both Dotley and Ouroboros.

Important Info

• All Who Apply May Not Be Accepted: This isn't a first come first served story. Character sheets may be declined if the proposed character doesn't mesh well the game's setting and themes.
• Ladies/Lieges/Legates/Lords Are All Welcome: The gender of the character you play doesn't need to match whatever you are in the real world. That's irrelevant. "Cross-gender" writing and writers are more than welcome here.
• Board Category: Extreme. Definitely extreme due to the inherently violent and dangerous nature of mercenary work.
• Polyamory Friendly: Players are encouraged to write characters that are polyamorous and write character relationships that are non-monogamous. Do all characters need to fall in love and/or sleep with each other? Of course not. But a delightfully messy and wonderfully complicated web of polyamory is ideally the aim of the game when it comes to pairings.
• Smut VS Plot: This isn't just a thinly veiled excuse for rampant paramilitary themed smut. Be ready for plenty of plot advancement and character development! How much "action" your character gets in regards to their romantic pursuits or sex life is entirely player dependent.

Character Creation

• Players are limited to a maximum of two characters. If you want to just stick with one that's fine. If you want to run two right from the beginning that's fine too. Or if you want to start with one and bring on a second character later in the story that's also fine!
• No characters under the age of thirty will be accepted due to the need for characters to be seasoned professionals. They should have a military service record or prior involvement in law enforcement. Previous employment within a private military company is also acceptable. Everyone should have already received their baptism by fire long before the game begins.
• On the sliding scale of morality characters should sit somewhere on the grey end of things. The work of private military contractors is legally dubious and characters are likely to find themselves in ethically questionable situations.
• Create a character that you're excited to write! It's fine if multiple characters share a similar trait or there's an overlap in professional expertise. If we end up with a lot of former marines it just means we're going to hear a lot of "rah" said around the dinner table. If there's multiple explosives technicians we'll send the characters on plenty of missions where things go boom.
• Empowered presentations are encouraged, but not required. Just be aware that a Normal character will have to work twice as hard to be seen as useful and may struggle to prove themselves just as competent as their empowered coworkers. And they're probably in for some harder hazing.
• Characters may identify as any orientation under the rainbow, but since the story focuses on an all-male group of private military contractors that means any romantic interests and sexual romps are inherently M/M in nature. If your dude isn't at least occasionally into other dudes than this probably isn't the game for you.

Code Select Expand

[float=left][img height=300 padding=5][/img][/float][font=georgia][b]Name[/b]: The character's full legal name.
[b]Nicknames[/b]: Any nicknames, pet-names, etc that the character has.
[b]Aliases[/b]: Any aliases or other assumed names the character has used.

[b]Age[/b]: How old are they?
[b]Date of Birth[/b]: The month and day of their birth.
[b]Bloodtype[/b]: What's their bloodtype?
[b]Country of Origin[/b]: Where your character was born.
[b]Current Citizenship[/b]: List all citizenships that your character legally possesses.

[b]Height[/b]: How tall are they?
[b]Hair[/b]: Color? Length? Style?
[b]Eyes[/b]: Color? Shape?
[b]Body Type[/b]: Describe their weight, proportions, build, etc.
[b]Distinguishing Features[/b]: Anything that makes them unique. Piercings or tattoos? Scars? A large nose, freckles, or pencil thin eyebrows? Anything of immediate notice goes here.

[b]Primary Presentation[/b]: What is their primary presentation? If the character is Empowered this should be the presentation that first emerged during puberty.
[b]Secondary Presentation[/b]: Occasionally an Empowered will present powers outside of their initial and primary presentation. If this applies to your character list it here. Normals should just mark this section as N/a.
[b]Power Analysis[/b]: Analyse your character's powers here. How skilled are they? What training have they received? Are there any areas of particular strength or weakness? Normals should mark this section as N/a.

[b]Education[/b]: Did they ever graduate high school? Attend university? List any degrees or certificates here.
[b]Employment History[/b]: Your character's relevant work history.
[b]Special Skills[/b]: This is what your character knows how to do best. All mercenaries know how to point a gun and shoot something dead. So what else does your character know how to do?
[b]Languages[/b]: Any and all languages that your character speaks and/or reads.

[b]Hobbies & Interests[/b]: What does your character enjoy? What do they do in their free time?

[b]Motivation[/b]: Why did your character sign their contract with Merriweather?
[b]Personality[/b]: Your character's personality. Provide at least a paragraph describing it. Try to think of positive, neutral, and negative traits to round them out.

[b]Relationship Status[/b]: Single? Divorced? In A Relationship? It's Complicated? Describe it here.
[b]Sexuality[/b]: Write about your character's sexual nature in as much or as little detail as you like. You can describe their sexual orientation, role preferences, their kinks, their turn offs, etc.

[b]Developed Relationships[/b]: Use this space in the future to keep track of the connections your character establishes with other characters.[/font]

[center][spoiler=Additional Images][center]Feel free to include any additional images of your character here.[/center][/spoiler][/center]
[center][font=georgia][b]Player Name[/b]:
[b]Face Claim[/b]:[/font][/center]

[Dotley]

OOC Links
Chat & Plot
Squad Roster

[Dotley]

Thread set up complete!  :-)

[Orange Marmalade]

Oh this looks interesting! And your types have a very 'Push' feel if you've seen the movie - I like it. Color me interested!

[Cerevan]

/plants motherfucking flag

[Orange Marmalade]

/plants motherfucking flag

Heynow, it's M/M, where's the dilffucking flags? :)

[Dotley]

Oh this looks interesting! And your types have a very 'Push' feel if you've seen the movie - I like it. Color me interested!

Hiya! Slightly inspired by it, but definitely not a fandom game  :-)

/plants motherfucking flag

Heyo Cere! <3

[Orange Marmalade]

Hiya! Slightly inspired by it, but definitely not a fandom game  :-)

Oh yeah definitely seems to be its own thing - It was most just the categories reminded me of it, which I really like. I always thought the types of names they kind of came up with is pretty close to the sorts of labels that'd really pop up if powers started showing up :)

[Dotley]

Oh yeah definitely seems to be its own thing - It was most just the categories reminded me of it, which I really like. I always thought the types of names they kind of came up with is pretty close to the sorts of labels that'd really pop up if powers started showing up :)

Right? I loved that too. I like the quite literal tone to the power labels. Controllers control people, movers move things, etc.

Let me know if you have questions about the game or would like to hash out any character ideas  :-)

[Lockepick]

Posting interest! Sheet will likely not be done until after the weekend though.

[BitterSweet]

Haha ... you know my thoughts on the matter.  8-)

I'll try and finish up my character and send him in in the next few days.  May work on a second as well.

[Ouroboros]

Oh yay! So glad we have interest for this. :D

[Dotley]

Yay! Looking forward to seeing what characters everyone comes up with.

[Dotley]

Since we've had questions about the character limit: each player will be allowed two characters. If you want to just stick with one that's fine. If you want to run two right from the beginning that's fine too. Or if you want to start with one and bring on a second character later in the story that's also fine.

[Orange Marmalade]

Got started on my dude tonight, will finish him up tomorrow most likely :)

[BitterSweet]

First in!

Approved and ready for action! (and action!   ;)  )  I'll add some more photos over time.

Anyone looking for:

• dude for casual hook-up!  He's your guy!
• random dude you cheated on in a bar ... only to go to work and discover you (and your actual boyfriend) will be working with him for the next six months?  He's also your guy!
• like weird travel videos/cooking/foods?  Might have seen his vlog!
• Worked in highly corrupt/low legality countries as a cop?  Might have seen his face amid the gangs/organizations you were fighting!
• dealt with Doc's sans Frontiers?  Might have known him from there!

Name: Victor Raphael Marchand
Nicknames: Usually called Vic, sometimes Cock Junkie.
Aliases: Rafel March (false passport), Victor Mallory (another false passport)

Age: Early thirties
Date of Birth: Dec 8
Bloodtype: 0-
Country of Origin: France (but born in Lebanon).
Current Citizenship: French.  Under Victor: US

Height: 6’
Hair: Brown, well kept, loose, medium length - generally swept back, sometimes tied in a ‘man bun’.  Often has a close cropped beard, or scruffy goatee.
Eyes: Very dark brown, often mistaken for black, sometimes described as soulful.
Body Type: Tall, slender, and graceful.  He keeps fit, neat and tidy.
Distinguishing Features: Ridiculously good looking, with elegant features that don’t suit the stereotypes of ‘merc’ at all, he’s been sent to ‘make nice’ with the locals based on those looks more than once.  He has a languid grace that makes watching him do simple things like reloading his gun a pleasure to watch.  Vic had defensive scars on his forearms and hands from an attack in his adolescence.

Primary Presentation: Mover.
Secondary Presentation: A touch of Watcher, mainly in his kinesthetic senses - that grace and hand-eye coordination are a bit more than human.  Isn’t even aware he has a second presentation.
Power Analysis: ‘leap tall buildings in a single bound’ - Vic heard that in his childhood and he was determined to do it.  When he was fourteen, he did.  In other words, he learned to fly.  Since then he’s practiced and perfected his ability to move himself, and - to a lesser extent - other things.  He can move other objects, though less precisely than moving himself and, like most movers, attempting to move something heavier than himself is difficult and dangerous.

Education: Almost a French medical degree, European private schools.  He’s the son of a minor French diplomat, and has the education to prove it - not that he let’s that on.
Employment History: Civil police: Algiers. French Foreign Legion (really!). 
Special Skills: Medical corpsman.  Can fly a helicopter but not well.  Can make spectacular Turkish coffee under any circumstances.
Languages: Native speaker in both French and Arabic.  Decent English and Turkish, mediocre Afrikaans.

Hobbies & Interests: Vic likes to fuck.  He also likes to shop, find interesting little historical places to explore (especially if there’s weird and unusual foods involved) and he - fairly often - volunteers as a medic in rural, out of the way places when between jobs.  He keeps a fairly popular travel and food vlog under a false identity - he wears a somewhat ridiculous Venetian mask to hide who he is - that focuses on places, people and things that no one can generally get access to because it’s in the middle of a war zone or whatever.  Anthropologists and famous chefs sometimes note the vlog as a source of information or inspiration, journalists often follow it as there can be interesting bits of information about politically volatile situations and locations.

Motivation: Vic’s never fit in in ‘regular’ society; being queer in Lebanon can get you killed, and he nearly was.  France was better but one too many times caught fucking during his residency prevented him from finishing his medical degree.  He joined the Algerian police, was caught bent over the desk of the local governor, and run out of town (the governor was killed).  He joined the Foreign Legion and that suited him ... until his partner was killed.  After leaving the French Foreign Legion, and a bit of aimless wandering, Vic was ready to get back into a more stable situation where the skills he had would be of use.
Personality: Vic is easy going.  He’s friendly, even with assholes, doesn't get involved in interpersonal bullshit, and can be relied on to get you home after a black-out drinking binge, and keeps confidences well.  He is absolutely intolerant of anyone trying to judge or mess with his personal choices or preferences and can be a cutting, mean shithead to anyone who tries.  Basically, beyond workplace orders or games in bed, anyone trying to tell him what to do is going to have a handful of meanness.  He’s a touch self-destructive.  He also retains, as most Legionnaires do, a certain level of loyalty - and contacts - with the legion.  Vic is a mercenary because the generally all male environment suits him (he's spent most of his life in male segregated environments; from boys boarding schools to a police force in a conservative country to the Legion.) and he's good at  it - he doesn't see the people he's hired to fight as enemies, more as co-workers ... but that doesn't mean he won't shoot them in the face.  A world traveler by now, Vic has no national loyalties, or idealism; he's loyal to the Legion (to an extent) and to whomever are his current fellow mercs (also to an extent).

Relationship Status: Formerly partnered. Vic’s long term partner was killed a few years ago, and he left the Legion to wander around southern Europe, hiring himself out to small operations (criminal and not) before joining Merriweather.  He’s still hurting from the loss, though he’s not so much as breathed the man’s name to anyone since he left the Legion.
Sexuality: He loves cock.  Vic loves his own, and anyone and everyone else’s.  He’s an unrepentant cock hound; gangbangs, gloryholes, orgies, anonymous sex with total strangers in alleys - he’s done it all and loves it all.  He’ll get on his knees in the five minute layover between deployments, or spend a weekend with a few guys where ‘fuck me harder’ is pretty much all anyone says.  He’s also big on exhibition and enjoys being the ‘victim’ of roleplayed kidnapping and assault (best birthday gift from his partner ever, so far as Vic’s concerned).  In general, he’s a pervy guy and refuses to let anyone make him feel bad about it. For the most part, Vic is a fuck ‘em and forget ‘em sort, but he has had close relationships and the loss of his long time partner is something he’s still struggling to recover from.

Developed Relationships: Use this space in the future to keep track of the connections your character establishes with other characters.

Additional Images

Feel free to include any additional images of your character here.

Player Name: Bittersweet
Face Claim: Ben Barnes

[Dotley]

Looking forward to your character, Orange Marmalade!

And welcome to BitterSweet. Good to have you on board  :D

[Ouroboros]

Look who's back again...

Cas

Name: Cassius Thibault
Nicknames: Cas.  Gator.
Aliases: Classified

Age: 39
Date of Birth: December 1
Bloodtype: O Positive
Country of Origin: USA
Current Citizenship: USA

Height: 5'7"
Hair: Brown and short.
Eyes: Brown and triangular
Body Type: Trim and short. Cas has tried to bulk up but it never seems to work.
Distinguishing Features: None, other than his features all being slightly off and oddly proportioned.

Primary Presentation: Watcher
Secondary Presentation: Striker
Power Analysis: Cas' primary presentation is as a Watcher. His eyesight and hearing are keen, though his scent of smell and taste are only slightly above the norm. His most enhanced sense is that of touch, but it is most definitely in the realm of disabiliy rather than enhancement. His Secondary power is also strong, both in his strength and speed, but had a later onset.

Education: Cas finished high school a year early, and spent half a semester at UT - Austin in the honors college. Most everything else was learned on his own or via training provided by his first PMC stint.
Employment History: Cassius signed a multi-year contract with Blackwater, leading to the development of combat skills as well as more specialized skillsets. After the first contract expired he started signing on year to year until 2006, when he abruptly quit at the end of a contract and joined the public sector as a police detective. Once this was over, Cas joined Merriweather.
Special Skills: Safecracking/Larceny, some hacking, enhanced interrogation techniques.
Languages: Fluent - Arabic, English, Farsi, French, Pashto, Spanish. Intermediate - Mandarin, Russian. Rudimentary - Hebrew, Portuguese
Hobbies & Interests: Cas is keenly interested in langugages. Prior to his Presentation, Cas planned to be a linguist; that was derailed by the manifestation of his powers, but he still made an effort to learn the local languages on his deployments, taking advantage of training offered by his first stint as a gun for hire. Cas also quite enjoys cooking, baking in particular, and has the refined palate of many a Watcher. Also he might have a thing for blackmail.

Motivation: Prior to a stint in the private sector as a member of the Vice squad in New Orleans and later New York City, Cas was a private military contractor. He knew it wasn't a bad life, and he couldn't go full civvie after he left the police force... so back to the life of a PMC it was. The money isn't bad either.
Personality: Cassius is a cold fish. Not particularly friendly or chatty, or particularly interested in anyone else outside of Gar. He's prompt and neat, all of his forms are filled out and meticulously detailed, his gear is always properly tended to and fitted a little too stylishly. He also brings along quite a lot of personal gear, clothes and gloves. Maybe it's better to say that he's fussy.

That saying about watching the quiet ones is true as hell, and Cas has a temper on him. It's hard to tell when he's near his breaking point, but once it's been reached, everyone knows. He doesn't yell or scream, but he will throw, punch, bite, and hiss his displeasure. In a fight, it takes a good number of men to pry him away from the poor bastard who pissed him off. Many a time that is his partner, Gar Lambert. For people that fight so much they tend to be pretty inseparable, however.

Cas also has a tendency to rant with people that he's comfortable with. He rants about people, things, it doesn't matter. It'll be profane and full of hyperbole, all sound and fury signifying nothing. Usually it's to mask the fact that he might actually care about something, which he often does, deeply. He thinks kindness is a weakness however, and does his best to make others think he's anything but.


Relationship Status: It's Complicated. Cas is functionally partnered with Gar Lambert, but they won't ever actually talk about their relationship in such terms. They are simply "partners." In the work sense. Who also fuck like rabbits.
Sexuality: Best described as bisexual with some ingrained issues about sex with men. He enjoys it a great deal, but woe betide anyone who says he's gay, other than Gar, and even that will probably spark an argument. When fucking around with men, he's vers, he's contrary, he can't stand receiving blowjobs but loves to give them. He also has a masochistic streak a mile wide and an unhealthy interest in weaponry. Probably best not to ask why he makes sure Gar keeps a perfectly smooth silencer for his rifle.

Developed Relationships: Gar Lambert: Partner, in more than one sense of the word.

Additional Images

Feel free to include any additional images of your character here.

Player Name: Ouroboros
Face Claim: Burn Gorman

[Dotley]

And if there's a Cas that means a Gar isn't far behind!  ;)

Here is my first dude. I'm also working on a squad captain (aka the team dad) for our group of mercs as well.

Gar

Name: Garfield Lambert
Nicknames: He prefers to just go by "Gar" since he hates his full first name and most people can't pronounce his last name right. Is often dubbed string bean, giraffe, scarecrow, ostrich, sticks, toucan, and an assortment of other nicknames based on his height and/or weight. Gar doesn't particularly care for any of those, but he knows the surest way to get stuck with a nickname is to bitch about it so he just takes anything with a smile.
Aliases: N/a

Age: 34
Date of Birth: February 14th
Bloodtype: O Negative
Country of Origin: USA
Current Citizenship: USA

Height: 6'1"
Hair: Light Brown
Eyes: Dirty Blue
Body Type: His extremely thin frame makes him a ripe target for eat-a-sandwich jokes. He's got long limbs and an overall reedy appearance.
Distinguishing Features: Gar looks like he was born to play the role of comic relief to someone’s hero. He has a long nose and big dumbo-like ears. He isn't attractive in the traditional sense, but under a certain light and dressed in the right clothes there's a gawky charm to him. The lobe of his left ear is newly pierced and he only takes out that diamond earring when it's absolutely necessary. While he smiles constantly it rarely reaches his eyes.


Primary Presentation: Watcher
Secondary Presentation: Protector
Power Analysis: Gar's sense of smell and taste are his most enhanced senses. He's got a perfect palate and his ability to track through scent is almost as good as that of a bloodhound. Due to his hyperactive sense of taste and smell he's a picky eater and limits himself to bland food staples. Even then Gar still suffers from bouts of nausea and occasional vomiting fits. His sense of sight and hearing are likewise enhanced, but to a degree that it's beneficial rather than debilitating. Gar's sense of touch is his weakest enhanced sense and he's only able to feel things a smidgen more accurate than a Normal. His secondary presentation as a protector didn't manifest until his early twenties. Gar rarely falls ill and he's got a decent though not amazing accelerated healing factor - he's completely recovered from a broken arm in as little as three weeks. Though Gar's most impressive display of his presentation as a protector is his decreased need for sleep. On average Gar only sleeps an hour a day and if needed he can stay awake and fully functional for more than a week. He's also unusually good at holding his breath.

Education: Gar did exceptionally well in school growing up, but during his senior year of high school he presented and everything in his life pretty much fell apart. Gar just barely managed to get his high school diploma.
Employment History: He enlisted with the United States Marine Corps straight out of high school. Gar found himself right at home in a military environment. He moved up in rank and earned himself a specialty - Marine Scout Sniper. Gar did three tours over in Iraq and genuinely enjoyed his time in the sandbox. However, instead of getting a fourth tour like he wanted Gar received a general discharge under honorable conditions. He went back to his home state of Louisiana and moved to New Orleans. Gar tried the civilian life, but he just couldn't pull it off. He missed his gun and his uniform so Gar found a job where he could have both again. He became a police officer. After his obligatory time as a uni he was promoted to detective. Gar started out in the Homicide division, but office politics led to a transfer over to Vice. That was when he was partnered up with Cas Thibault. They've been partners ever since. He spent a year in Vice before he requested and was granted a transfer to Austin, Texas. In Austin he worked Special Victims for a year before he was done with that city and burned out from that line of work. Another transfer and a different city. Gar moved to New York City, New York. In NYC he found himself back in Vice and renewed his partnership with Cas. Though it didn't last long. An incident at the office between them resulted in Cas losing his badge. Gar got to keep his own badge, but without Cas he found he didn't particularly want it. He couldn't be a soldier again and he no longer wanted to a cop or a detective. Not without Cas. So they left New York together and looked for work elsewhere.

Special Skills: Marksmanship, Surveillance, Stealth & Concealment, Investigation, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Community Relations.
Languages: He speaks English and French fluently, though his French has a noticeable Cajun accent. Gar's ability to write in French is embarrassing and he can only read it on a first grade reading level.

Hobbies & Interests: Gar's decreased need for sleep leaves him with a lot of time to burn. He's an avid reader and can zone out on television for hours at a time. He likes watching documentaries and nature programs. Though he isn't too much of a couch potato. He'll never turn down a fishing or hunting trip and he's always up for a visit to the shooting range for practice. He enjoys working with his hands and is a mister fix-it - he can spend hours fiddling around with everyday objects, taking them apart and putting them back together to learn how they work. Gar likes to sing and he loves to dance; he's got a talent for both. He's also a skilled artist, but he keeps that to himself. Gar only indulges his drawing and wood whittling when no one's around to make fun of him for it.

Motivation: Gar likes to say it's about the money, but it's more than that. A whole lot more. Gar actually has a huge grudge against mercenary types. He never thought he'd become one himself. But shit happened. The truth is the contract with Merriweather was all Cas' idea. Gar only agreed to do it because it seemed like the only way he and Cas could go back to work together.
Personality: Gar is a nice guy and the ideal of a good southern boy. Polite to everyone and deferential to his elders. Gar dubs anyone even just a day older than him Sir or Ma'am. Unless they're pretty and female. Then they're a Miss. He might be prone to bouts of forgetfulness, but he always manages to remember people's birthdays and how they take their coffee. He's socially intelligent and great at reading the mood of a room; he knows just what to say or do to improve the morale of a group or turn someone's frown upside down. It's easy to like Gar because he just comes across as so damned likable. He's generally an agreeable guy to work with as he's more inclined to make friends than rivals, but he isn't a pushover. While he can occasionally appear bashful he's no shrinking violet. He's chatty and curious both with people he knows and with total strangers. He's as good at talking as he is at listening and Gar is always ready to offer his shoulder for someone to cry on. Especially when he was the one to cause the tears in the first place. Gar isn't that nice of a guy. But he sure is good at pretending to be one, isn't he?

Relationship Status: He's got an It's Complicated thing going on with Cas Thibault. They're partners, but Gar insists it isn't like that. It's not like they're gay. They just live together and work together; sometimes they fuck around. Their ambiguously defined and highly dysfunctional relationship is an open one.
Sexuality: Bisexual, but he'd never openly identify as such. Gar likes chicks and dicks. His sexual attraction to men and woman is about equal and he’ll flirt with anyone, but he's only capable of genuine emotional intimacy with men. He has to fake feelings for women. When it comes to sex he's into the seriously kinky shit and not in the safe or sane way. Gar will swear up and down he only ever tops. He's lying. Gar is the switchiest switch that ever switched and is as vers as versatile can get.

Developed Relationships: Cas Thibault || His partner. They get into a lot of petty arguments and occasionally it escalates into physical violence. But when things get real they work together like clockwork.

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Player Name: Dotley
Face Claim: DJ Qualls

[Orange Marmalade]

Aww look at those two little cuties  >:)

[Dotley]

Thank you  8-)

[Orange Marmalade]

One of my two done!

Sebastián

Name: Sebastián Herrera
Nicknames: Seb, Bastian, Asshole, Whatever
Aliases: Noting major, numerous past aliases

Age: 32
Date of Birth: June 18th
Bloodtype: O-
Country of Origin: Spain
Current Citizenship: Spanish/EU

Height: 6'3
Hair: Short, brown, often slightly messed
Eyes: Dark brown, intense
Body Type: Sebastian is about 225lbs of pretty solid muscle. Broad shoudlers taper down to a fairly narrow waist, and a good bit of fuzz covers well developed pecs and the rest of his chest.
Distinguishing Features: His complete lack of scars is probably somewhat unique to many, thanks to powers that manifested later in life. Aside from that he has no tattoos or other major distinguishing features. He does have a tendency to dress in fairly form fitting clothing, and parts of him may be considered 'distinguishing' depending on your tastes...

Primary Presentation: Striker
Secondary Presentation: Protector
Power Analysis: Sebastian is an accomplished Striker, containing all of the skills they are known for. His strength is his most potent ability, and he has a habit of putting physics to use on top of it to great effect. His other powers came out near his 20th birthday and mostly shows in the form of extremely rapid regeneration, though he also has more endurance and requires less sleep than baseline humans.

Education: High School + military training. Sebastian is slightly dyslexic, but it is countered with a very high natural way of putting things together in his head - he can do great at estimating the final answer to a complex math problem, but he'd never be able to write out the complete solution. Similarly he picks up spoken languages very quickly, but things like dates and names are annoyances. Geometry comes natural, but chemistry is an utter bore. Fixing an engine is easy, writing code is not his thing.
Employment History: Street Gangs -> Spanish Armed Forces (Interpreter) -> Special Operations Command (Special Forces) -> Various Private Security Contractors -> Merriweather
Special Skills: Sebastian's main skillset (outside of blowing things up quite skillfully) is linguistics. He is a natural at languages and picks them up extremely quickly in addition to having an ear for accents. He can also drive or fly most anything, though the less computers or fancy technology involved the better.
Languages: Fluent in Spanish, Catalan, English, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin). Conversational in German, French, Farsi, Greek, Portugese, Hindi, Ukrainian, Japanese. Minor abilities in many others. In all of these his spoken skills are noticeably better than his written.

Hobbies & Interests: He obviously loves learning new languages - though you'll never hear him use the term study. Sports of all kinds, from football (where he can beat people up) to pool (where he can put his natural math skills to work) are a lot of fun for him. Anything with a little competition is enjoyable.

Motivation: The money is certainly a big part of it - he's a thrill seeker, and the fun shit in life takes money. Added bonus is Merriweather of people that don't make him feel like a freak - They're empowered, and generally into men (and often into his dick - which is the best part the whole deal).
Personality: Sebastian loves a good time. A good time, however, can be many things - a firefight can be a really good time, so can skiing out of a helicopter in the Alps, as can getting drunk, watching a game, and fucking around with friends. He's not a jokester or the snarky type, but he's also rarely serious and often has a big, cocky grin on his face. He can be a little impatient, and more than a little demanding at times, and he has a habit for lashing out against authority outside of battle, but in the end he's a damn good soldier ad he's all business when it matters.

Relationship Status: Single, definitely always single.
Sexuality: Gay, no interest in anything but men who are obviously men. Fully poly even before coming to Merriweather. Mostly a top, but occasionally willing to bottom for the right guy - which is to say someone who wants to worship him that way, not dominate him. He doesn't really submit to anybody, though it could happen for the right guy. He's into a fairly wide variety of things, but tends to be a little egocentric and likes things to be about him. A guy who loves to worship him is great, two or three of them is even better. That said, he's also rather romantic and affectionate. He loves taking his boys and men on dates, sometimes together.

Developed Relationships: None yet

Additional Images

Player Name: Orange Marmalade
Face Claim: Franco Noriega

[Dotley]

Welcome to the squad, Orange Marmalade!  :D

[Cerevan]

Got him approved a couple days ago but now I'm gonna share him~

The Good Doctor

Name: Nyyrikki Lehtonen
Nicknames: 'Doc' to fellow Marines, 'Rik' to everyone else, 'Rikki' only to his sisters
Aliases: N|A

Age: 30
Date of Birth: Sept 22
Bloodtype: AB-
Country of Origin: United States of America
Current Citizenship: American

Height: 5'8"
Hair: Dirty Blond - Kept military regulation short.
Eyes: Blue
Body Type: Wiry - May look delicate but he's whipcord strong beneath the baggy tactical gear.
Distinguishing Features: Cheekbones sharp enough to kill a man. Tally mark tattoos on his inner forearms + the Marine Corps anchor on his right flank. Heavy scarring on the bottom of his feet. Knives hidden everywhere. Everywhere.

Primary Presentation: Striker
Secondary Presentation: Protector
Power Analysis: Scores in the higher end of (empowered) normal for speed and strength. In the top tenth percentile for reflexes and dexterity. Training in the Marines honed his Striker abilities to their peak. No clinical data on his Protector abilities. Notes from the rescue op show that he showed signs of starvation, torture, and sleep deprivation; by discharge he had recovered from all except the lost mass from starvation. All signs point to upped endurance and accelerated healing.

Education: Highschool. BMTCP, FMTB, and a couple of C schools. Associates in Nursing. EMT Certification.
Employment History: Merriweather International Services (3 Years) | Student & Odd Jobs (3 Years) | US Marine Corps (7 Years)
Special Skills: Field & Combat Medicine, Field Surgery, Basic Pharmacology, Hand to Hand Combat, Knife Fighting, Sings Pretty as an Angel
Languages: English (Fluent), Arabic (Fluent), Finnish (Conversational)

Hobbies & Interests: Visits his sisters. They feed him and let him put the fear of god into their boyfriends. Rock climbs and hikes in the middle of nowhere. Goes drinking with his old buddies from the Marines. Wins bets in bars with his knife throwing skills. Goes to the VA with his old buddies from the Marines. Prays in churches but never stays for sermons. Naps on any horizontal surface.

Motivation: Needs an outlet. Money's not bad either.
Personality: Ninety percent rage. Some of it is noble and fueled by a righteous need to fix the injustice in the world. Most of it is petty. Old buddies will swear they saw Rik drag a man back from death's door in the middle of a fire fight just for spite. It's not too far off the mark. The other ten percent of him is pragmatism beaten in by joining the Marines at seventeen and seeing four and a half tours in the sandbox. Marines taught him to take orders and he'll still follow them eight tenths of the time. Knows well enough that there are no clean cut ethical solutions in war. Never was a whole lot of softness to him and the only part that's left is all reserved for his sisters and a handful of buddies from his military days.

Relationship Status: Single
Sexuality: Don't ask, don't tell. Knows he's masochistic and figures he can blame that on his time in the sandbox. Knives, choking, and play fighting are some of his favorite things. Will fight to see who's on top. Doesn't matter who wins so long as it hurts good enough. Won't stay until morning.

Developed Relationships: TBD

Additional Images

"Gunny used to tell me to pick my battles. Well, I'm full of rage and I'm picking all of them." - Rik

"Doc? Yeah, he's a real piece of work. He'll kick the enemy's ass. He'll kick the devil's ass. He'll kick his own ass." - Anonymous PFC

          
          
          

Player Name: Cerevan
Face Claim: Anton Lisin

[Orange Marmalade]

Oh a firecracker. Looks fun!

[Dotley]

Welcome Cere! <3

Gar is gonna be hyped to have a marine brother in the squad.

[Ouroboros]

You mean a Navy brother? /Cas

[Dotley]

Cas' cattiness is just gonna mean Gar will be extra friendly with Rik  8-)

[Cerevan]

Oh a firecracker. Looks fun!

Smol and Full of Murder.

Cas' cattiness is just gonna mean Gar will be extra friendly with Rik  8-)

They're gonna to call response songs just for that, Cas. Juuuust for that.

[Ket]

I'm working on a character sheet. Will possibly have it in tonight. I think I have two posts I need to get out first. (trying to be a good girl and make sure I'm all caught up on everything else before I go making new things)

[Dotley]

Smol and Full of Murder.

They're gonna to call response songs just for that, Cas. Juuuust for that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=873J10TFBvE

This will always be relevant for this game.

I'm working on a character sheet. Will possibly have it in tonight. I think I have two posts I need to get out first. (trying to be a good girl and make sure I'm all caught up on everything else before I go making new things)

So looking forward to your character  :-)

[Dotley]

And one more character for the roster! Captain daddy ahem the squad captain is done.

the Captain

Name: Tobias Baker
Nicknames: Goes by "Toby" when among friends and family or civilians. He doesn't permit such familiarity with subordinates and expects to be addressed as "Sir" or "Captain" during downtime though will permit "Baker" while in the field. Has more than once been affectionately dubbed "Cap" and "Captain Dad" by his men during long-term operations.
Aliases: N/a.

Age: 45
Date of Birth: June 25th
Bloodtype: A Positive
Country of Origin: England
Current Citizenship: U.K.

Height: 5'6"
Hair: Dirty Blond
Eyes: Dull Green
Body Type: Fit. Toby is getting older and he's starting to feel it, but he keeps himself in shape.
Distinguishing Features: He has a fairly non-notable appearance. Toby is astonishingly average looking on all fronts - his height, his weight, his attractiveness. There's really nothing distinctive about him. He doesn't have any tattoos or piercings and what few scars he has are hidden when he's geared up.

Primary Presentation: Controller
Secondary Presentation: N/a
Power Analysis: Toby is a moderately powerful controller. He's trained extensively in his power and has never relied on baseline in order to control it. Toby's control over his compulsions rarely slips, but only because he constantly self-monitors. He can exert control over multiple people at once, though he can only control them into following very simple and short commands. When controlling just one individual at a time he can issue multiple and complex commands.

Education: University graduate with a degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering.
Employment History: Toby made a career out of the Royal Marines though there's only so high an Empowered with the presentation of Controller can climb on that promotional ladder before he was barred from advancement. He joined after university and served as a Commando Officer until he met the minimum retirement age and started collecting his pension. But Toby wasn't able to sit back and quietly enjoy his retirement. There were bills to pay, debts to settle, and ex-wives to support. He's been working with Merriweather Services for five years now. He just recently signed a two year contract and received assignment as the squad's captain.
Special Skills: Leadership, Team Management, Training & Supervision, Communications Equipment Installation/Maintenance/Operation, Anti-Controller Tactics
Languages: English. It's the only language Toby speaks fluently, but he's memorized an essential list of very basic and safety oriented commands in various different languages.

Hobbies & Interests: Enjoys nothing more than a nice, hot cup of coffee enjoyed in silence. He likes gardening though it isn't something he's ever gotten to do much due to his frequent deployments. He also loves dogs though they pose the same issue as plants and he doesn't often get to keep a pet. He's a big football fan. The real thing, not that American bastardization of it. He likes to listen to the radio though he prefers talk shows over music. Is an avid knitter.

Motivation: It's a job. Every man needs a job and this just so happens to be Toby's. That's all it is to him.
Personality: Toby was born to be a leader. He's been bred into his blood and he's got the natural temperament for it. He isn't just a boss. He leads by example and develops his men as both individuals and as a team. He's generally a reasonable authority figure though sometimes it's Toby's job to be a total asshole. And when that's needed he excels at it. He'll dole out tough love and discipline as deserved. He genuinely cares for the safety of the men under his authority just as much as he cares about the success of a mission or completion of a contract. Toby is mild-mannered and has a calm disposition. Almost irrationally so. He's rarely surprised or rattled by anyone or any situation. Not matter how screwed up it is. Most everyone has heard him yell, but pretty much no one can say they've ever seen him actually pissed off. He's an emotional rock of steadiness, reliability, and consistency. Though at times his default mode of behavior to remain frosty makes him come across as robotic. Each one of his ex-wives complained about his emotional clamminess and his inability to open up and be vulnerable with them. Toby will comfort and care for others, but he won't allow himself to be comforted and cared for. It goes against all of his training and a lifetime of experience in having to think very carefully about what he says to other people.

Relationship Status: Divorced. He's been thrice married and thrice divorced. He'll be paying spousal maintenance to his ex-wives for the rest of his life.
Sexuality: Toby maintains a front of heterosexuality for himself though he's surprisingly tolerant of homoeroticism and rarely disparaging to those more open about their same-sex inclinations. Despite his many marriages to women he's never been able to tame his attraction to other men. He tried to remain faithful to his former wives, but ultimately failed at it. Repeatedly. He's had various down-low flings and secretive entanglements with men over the years. Though nothing that would count as a serious relationship. He's versatile and switchy though true to his presentation he has trouble giving up control to another person.

Developed Relationships: TBD.

Additional Images

          

          

          

               

Player Name: Dotley
Face Claim: Martin Freeman

[Ouroboros]

Cas is just going to be delighted that he isn't the shortest. :D

[Lockepick]

Forgot to bookmark this thread, and since I have the object permanence of an infant, I forgot about it. Still room for more?

[Dotley]

Cas is just going to be delighted that he isn't the shortest. :D

For once in his life  ;)

Forgot to bookmark this thread, and since I have the object permanence of an infant, I forgot about it. Still room for more?

Hiya Lockepick! Definitely still room for one more. In fact we've got room for multiple mores! I know we have a few peeps crafting up their characters atm and a couple more courting interest. No rush in getting a character submitted  :-)

[Lockepick]

Sheet might be a little bit -- got some other big posts that I need to get done soon.

[Orange Marmalade]

Sheet might be a little bit -- got some other big posts that I need to get done soon.

You get to work on that sheet right now, mister! :P

[Dotley]

For those with accepted characters: I'm working on a character thread and OOC chatter thread for us. However, no exact promises on when they'll be up. But they're coming soon!

For those still working on your characters: Please submit your finished character sheets to both myself and Ouroboros. Once we've given you the thumbs up you're welcome to share your dudes here.

For those interested in the story but, waffling over characters ideas: Let us help! Feel free to nudge me or Ouroboros or post in this thread. We're more than happy to answer questions about the setting, plot character connections, etc etc.

[Ket]

I think all I have left to get together is my character's personality/bio, which is ever changing at the moment.

[Lockepick]

Are Shifter illusions physical or mental? ie: Would it work on a camera? Are they specific to a target, or visible to everybody, regardless of whether or not the Shifter knows they're there?

[Ouroboros]

Hey!

So, Shifter illusions are sort of malleable in execution - they are mental, requiring that someone be present in order to see the illusion. They won't show on camera, for example. (However, if one was in the vicinity of an active illusion and looking at it through a camera they would still see the illusion - it's a psychic residue, not Obfuscate.) Single target visibility versus blanket visibility probably depends on the control, power and finesse of the individual Shifter, as well as duration. Additionally, some particularly powerful Shifters can also include auditory shifts, and there have been very rare instances of kinesthetic shifts. No taste or smell however.

We're also updating the description to reflect the above, so don't worry about having to come back to this specific post for reference. :)

[Lockepick]

Finishing up my sheet, and taking the offer for some help: Does anybody have names of any mercenary organizations besides Blackwater? I don't see my guy in any 'by the books' organizations, so trying to think of an example to give him some combat training that isn't too... documented?

[Orange Marmalade]

Could just pick something at random here: https://www.securitydegreehub.com/most-powerful-private-security-companies-in-the-world/

Even if they basically just normally provide building security you can bill it as a special ops section of them. They're all pretty massive companies.

[BitterSweet]

These are some of the heavy hitters:

http://www.businessinsider.com/bi-mercenary-armies-2012-2?op=1

If your character is from Latin America: Defion Internacional would do.

This is a list by country, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_military_contractors

you might take service in a PMC that's no longer in business, if you're looking for something folks wouldn't know much about.  Also, if you're looking for some less 'standard' organization, he could have come from a cartel, a rebel army in some country or other group where he'd learn some weaponry but not be in the standard merc pipeline.

[Ouroboros]

You can also just make something up - it's alt history after all :) As long as it's not too insane of course.

[Lockepick]

I don't think I realized how many there were that I could just google for it! Thanks for all the resources! Sheet is pretty much done once I fill out previous employment.

[Dotley]

Many thanks to everyone that popped up to help with Lockepick's question! All very correct. Looking forward to seeing your guy, Lockepick  :-)

[Roen]

Anything of Dotely is interest worthy, really.

Muse is currently flickering (as you've seen), so a bit torn...hmm..

When is it due to start?

[Dotley]

Thanks Roen!  :-)

No exact ETA on the opening of the game just yet. Likely not until after Christmas since we don't want to kick things off only for peeps to be understandably too busy to post.

[TheBlackThrone]

This has my interest. I got some IOUs that have to get sent off, but I'll work on a CS in my free time. I can guarantee a finished product this weekend for certain.  :-)

[Ket]

Do you wanna pet some cute pupperinos?
Or maybe you wanna see what kind of gun those tight jeans are packing?
And quite possibly, you have a desire to hear US moron Marine jokes?

Then Benjamin Travers is your man!

Also available for freak nasty sailboat journeys, erotic book readings, and a damn good time at the gun range

Name: Benjamin Jeremiah Travers
Nicknames: Ben; Sailor Jerry (one that he doesn't much prefer, but given to him by the other prison guards because of his time in the Navy and his tattoos); never, ever, under any circumstances call him BJ
Aliases: None

Age: 36
Date of Birth: January 29th
Bloodtype: A neg
Country of Origin: Rota, Spain
Current Citizenship: American, Spanish

Height: 6'0
Hair: dark blond, faded undercut medium quiff
Eyes: hazel, almond shaped
Body Type: 160 lbs, trim, slightly toned
Distinguishing Features: tattoos on his arms, a couple of scars from being stabbed on his lower stomach

Primary Presentation: Trainer
Secondary Presentation: Striker
Power Analysis: Ben can stop a dog in its tracks with just a small hand gesture, even a dog he's never met before in his life. It amazes people how quickly and easily he's able to train even the most stubborn of dogs to do what he wants. He can feel what a dog is feeling emotionally - joy, fear, anxiety, anger, happiness - and uses that ability to help humans and dogs form a closer bond. Ever since he was a teenager and he first started presenting there hasn't been a dog he couldn't control, yet any other animal still remains a complete mystery to him, save the occasional corvid.

His striker ability is much less pronounced, in that it only affords him a boost in speed, but not strength. Ben doesn't enjoy running for running's sake, but when needed he can cover several miles in less than ten minutes.

Education: high school graduate; associate's degree in seamanship
Employment History: 10 years US Navy, Master At Arms First Class, NEC 2005 Dog Handler; Sergeant on the riot squad for the county prison system
Special Skills: knot tying, handling both pet and working dogs, able to operate a wide variety of boats and ships
Languages: English, Spanish, some German

Hobbies & Interests: Sailing; holding puppy training classes; devouring books, especially those of an erotic nature

Motivation: The prison system bores Ben to tears. The riot squad doesn't get called in as often as people would like to imagine, so his days are filled with leading training sessions and paperwork. He'd much rather go back to the action he saw while in the military.
Personality: Ben was born in Spain, his father in the Navy and doing a tour of duty there. His family moved around often when he was young, a style of life that made it difficult for him to make and keep friends. For his 13th birthday his parents had given him his first dog, and it was a couple of years later that he realised the emotional connection he had to his pet was more than just the normal connection a boy had to his dog.

The summer after high school he enlisted in the Navy, going to C school for Master at Arms. His skills handling dogs quickly shined, and he took the test and was accepted to become a dog handler. During his decade long service, he did three tours at Camp Bucca in Iraq, one of the most notorious prison camps that the US military ran. Daily he was in contact with high-profile terrorist prisoners, daily his life was in danger. On his last tour, while assisting with a prisoner transport, he was stabbed twice in the stomach, and after he healed, the Navy discharged him for medical reasons.

He's a rather quiet man, often preferring the company of his two heelers, Jake, the serious blue, and Mookie, the silly red, over people. His dogs go everywhere with him, at least everywhere they are allowed. Which tends to be most places, as people are often fascinated with how well trained they are, so all he has to do is turn on a little bit of charm to gain permission. When he's not working, he's either holding puppy training classes, reading a book, or out having a beer with friends. He doesn't get to sail as often as he'd like, but when he does it can turn into a multi-day affair where he just allows the water to take him wherever it pleases.

Fashionable, always well put together, a bit hipster-ish, most people wouldn't take him for the type who enjoyed the military life. But love it he does. However, bring up the line "once a marine, always a marine" around him, and his eyes will roll and the scoffing will commence. The whole oohrah brotherhood bullshit annoys the piss out of him, and he's quick to make fun of anyone who used the Navy as a taxi service.

Relationship Status: Single, no intentions of being otherwise
Sexuality: A hole is a hole. It ain't gay underway, and for Ben it ain't gay in port either. Power plays, light bondage, and pain for pleasure are all in his wheelhouse.

Developed Relationships: currently none

Additional Images

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Player Name: Ket
Face Claim: Greg Holden

[Lockepick]

Name: Lennart Fredin
Nicknames: Art (Short for Lennart)
Aliases: He's used countless aliases, but favors typically bird based ones (Wren, Magpie, Starling, etc)

Age: 30
Date of Birth: August 23rd
Bloodtype: B+
Country of Origin: Sweden
Current Citizenship: Sweden and American

Height: 5'10"
Hair: Brown undercut, short on top.
Eyes: Green
Body Type: Art's body is lithe more than strong; he's made for speed and flexibility more than brute force.
Distinguishing Features: Art has a small scar in the shape of an 'X' above his right ear; clearly surgical due to its symmerty. Otherwise, Art is always adding some new feature or trait to their body through his Shifting; a new hair color, a tattoo, a piercing, a scar. He claims it's 'endurance' practice for his Shifting.

Primary Presentation: Shifter
Secondary Presentation: Controller
Power Analysis: As a Shifter, Art's power allows him to create new visual and auditory stimuli. New visual stimuli can obscure something, but he can not remove the presence of something (ie: a jacket could be Shifted into a trench coat, but not Shifted into a tank top). This is most effective when it's something plauisble to the target; something they're already expecting or afraid of.

Art is unable to intentionally tap into his Controller powers. It was long believed he was simply an exceptional Shifter or just very lucky. In times of stress, and when Art uses his voice, his Controller powers enhance his Shifter powers, helping 'fill in the gaps' for his illusions, making them more believable and helping elicit the reaction Art is intending with the Shift.

He most commonly uses his powers for misdirection, infiltration, and disguise. His past struggle to overwhelm Baseline has given him a unique 'brute force' application: a burst of light and sound akin to a flashbang. In hand to hand combat, Art utilizes illusions to keep his target on his toes; changing the size/shape of his weapon and blurring his movements.

Education: Home schooled in Sweden, technicaly no GED (or Swedish equivilant).
Employment History: Originally he did contracted jobs for organized crime across the West Coast, but the last seven years have been off the books contract work with multiple security companies, while working primarily with G4S.
Special Skills: Infiltration (B&E or Social Infiltration); Hacking; Baseline Resistance; Demolition; Parkour/Acrobatics; Hand to Hand; Graffiti Art.
Languages: Swedish, English

Hobbies & Interests: Art has plenty of interests, but very few hobbies, which comes from him constantly moving from new experience, sensation, or exposure to the next. He's easily motivated by creature comforts: sex, food, alcohol; but also eager to explore culture, architecture, environments, and nature that he hasn't seen before. He retains little to no knowledge or expertise in them, taking them all in at their face value. Gambling also fits in well with his modus operandi; both small time 'friendly' wagers and the glitter and glow of an actual casino.

Motivation: Lennart's powers developed right around puberty, and his Shifting was immedieately out of control and volatile. After humilating his parents, prominent dignataries, too many times, they decided to put him on a heavy dose of Baseline while also sequestering him at home. The house arrest only made his mental state worse, and his curiousity and imagination just made his Shifting even more out of control. His parents compensated with more and more Baseline injected directly into his brain, and by seventeen years old, his dose was so heavy, Art was almost left in a vegative state.

Lennart's powers kept fighting against it anyway, and when he was nineteen, his powers fully managed to trick his doctors into not realizing they weren't giving him the medicine. Once the Baseline wore off enough, he made his escape. For a week after he left, the doctors and his family still believed they were medicating their son, the Shift burned in so forcibly -- only realizing the difference when the bed was so soaked with Baseline and IV fluid it began to overflow onto the floor.

If asked, Lennart would claim that Merriweather is an oppertunity for excitement and to test his powers -- a constant source of challenges and adrenaline. Another, less admitted reason is that Merriweather keeps him safe from any attempts his family might make to capture and medicate him again.
Personality: Either a symptom of living partially a life in captivity, or a chemical dependence due to dangerously high levels of Baseline he's had forced upon him, Art is an adrenaline junky. He's finally got a life he can live on his own, and he doesn't want to spend a moment not feeling 'alive.' Risks make things more exciting, and Art is likely to spice up even a mundane activity to keep it more interesting. He's very much a 'try anything once' type of guy.

Relationship Status: Single -- Not looking for commitment.
Sexuality: Openly homosexual; Art is attracted to passion, which tends to lead him towards forceful or risky interactions. He finds himself on the bottom or submissive side more often than not due to that preference. He's unashamed or shy about his sexuality, his exploits, or his interests.

Developed Relationships: TBD (Open for it!)

Additional Images

         

Player Name: Lockepick
Face Claim: Colin Stack-Troost

[Lockepick]

Just realized I didn't fill out body type.  I'll get to that in a bit!

[Dotley]

A very merry welcome to our new folks!  :-)

[Orange Marmalade]

For those already approved or in progress or just thinking about their character  still: I’m totally open to plotting, planning, or having history with anyone with Sebastian. Old combat buds, new friends, fuckbuddies, relationships, whatever else.

[Dotley]

I said it was coming and here it is. May I present our OOC thread and our Accepted Character thread.

Ta-da!

Everyone with an accepted character is now welcome to add their character to the roster and chatter in our socializing and plotting thread. If you haven't heard back from me and Ouro about your character yet please be patient and give us another day or so to get back to you. We're still reviewing character sheets and answering PMed questions  :-)

[Intimate Ink]

Hmmm.  Have been on a prolonged hiatus but this certainly looks tempting.

[Dotley]

Hiya Intimate Ink and welcome back. Glad to have your interest. Just give us a nudge if you have any questions or want to hash out ideas  :-)

[Orange Marmalade]

Hmmm.  Have been on a prolonged hiatus but this certainly looks tempting.

It would be really awesome to have you around.

[Roen]

Kingmaster and I will probably make characters with joint backgrounds for it. Possibly brothers, we'll see, expect the sheets till the end of the week.

[Dotley]

Brothers sounds like a great idea! Looking forward to the sheets  :-)

[shii]

Well, since this is starting sometime after the holidays..... I'd like to join. I have a character sheet half written already......

[Dotley]

Hiya shii! Good to see you around. Let us know if you need any help finishing up your character or have any questions  :-)

[shii]

Hiya shii! Good to see you around. Let us know if you need any help finishing up your character or have any questions  :-)

Actually, I'm really not that great with military stuff and am struggling a bit with his work history...not sure where to start but I have some ideas.

[Dotley]

Hiya all! If you just recently submitted a character please give us another day or so to get back to you. We have multiple sheets to read through and some PM questions to answer. Thanks for the patience.

The game won't be starting until after Christmas. Happy holidays everyone!

[Ryven]

Room for one more?

[Lockepick]

Of course!

I mean, I'm not a GM, but I'm just excited to see you!

[Ryven]

Of course!

I mean, I'm not a GM, but I'm just excited to see you!

The feeling is mutual.  I'll take it slow and see what happens.  I'm thinking about making a 'Normal' presenting character.

[Intimate Ink]

I mean, I'm not a GM, but I'm just excited to see you!

Here we thought you just had an AK-47 in your pocket.   

Welcome Ryven.  ;D

[Orange Marmalade]

Room for one more?

We got some room right here :D

[Ryven]

We got some room right here :D

;)

[Dotley]

Of course! We're still accepting characters and the story won't kick off until after the holiday madness is over. Let us know if you have any questions  :-)

[Ryven]

Of course! We're still accepting characters and the story won't kick off until after the holiday madness is over. Let us know if you have any questions  :-)

No questions as of yet.  My vague character idea thus far is a cross between Black Widow and Q from the James Bond universe, so smart and deadly though he will not be Empowered.

[Orange Marmalade]

No questions as of yet.  My vague character idea thus far is a cross between Black Widow and Q from the James Bond universe, so smart and deadly though he will not be Empowered.

Hah my 2nd character concept was essentially Colin Firth from the Kingsman, and a Normal, so almost exactly that. But I think my plate is a bit full right now, so I support your concept 100% :)

[Intimate Ink]

Hah my 2nd character concept was essentially Colin Firth from the Kingsman, and a Normal, so almost exactly that. But I think my plate is a bit full right now, so I support your concept 100% :)

And I had suggested making a Q-type to someone who has yet to announce themselves, though they ended up going a different route entirely, so I guess it was in the air. 

[Cerevan]

Yassss, more Q-types! They can run a control room together and bitch about everyone's poor life choices!

/is making a Q-type, but minus most of the badass Black Widow qualities

[hunkaroo]

I didn’t realize I had to announce myself!  Consider me announced.


That is all, citizens.

[Ryven]

This is Oliver.  His character sheet has been sent.  Hopefully everyone will get along with him.

[Orange Marmalade]

Sebastian would definitely get along with him <.<

[Ryven]

Sebastian would definitely get along with him <.<

O rly?

[Lockepick]

Hmm, I wonder what's the largest orgy, or all-male orgy, that's ever been written on Elliquiy before...?

[Ryven]

Hmm, I wonder what's the largest orgy, or all-male orgy, that's ever been written on Elliquiy before...?

Are we going for a record or something?

[Orange Marmalade]

O rly?

Rly.

Hmm, I wonder what's the largest orgy, or all-male orgy, that's ever been written on Elliquiy before...?

No idea, though as hot as it would be I can only imagine how slowly it would move :)

[Lockepick]

Well, that wasn't the original goal, but we mind as well...

[Ryven]

Rly.

I'm sure we can arrange something.

[Dotley]

Simmer down, boys  ;)

For those of you awaiting a GM response on a character sheet please be patient for another day or two as we work on getting back to you. The holiday madness is upon us!

[SithLordOfSnark]

If this is still looking, I'm probably in.

[Dotley]

Heya! We're no longer actively recruiting at the moment, but we won't turn away new interest. We'll still accept character sheets from peeps that are interested in joining us. The game hasn't quite launched just yet. But we're almost there! Feel free to PM a character sheet or any questions to myself and Ouroboros if you'd like in on the mercenary shenanigans  :-)

[SithLordOfSnark]

Heya! We're no longer actively recruiting at the moment, but we won't turn away new interest. We'll still accept character sheets from peeps that are interested in joining us. The game hasn't quite launched just yet. But we're almost there! Feel free to PM a character sheet or any questions to myself and Ouroboros if you'd like in on the mercenary shenanigans  :-)

I'll come up with something as soon as I can. :)

[HockeyGod]

I'm quite keen on this RP, but see that you have jumped into things. Is it possible to lurk and join with the next "mission"?

[Dotley]

Hiya! If you'd like to get into the story now there's still time to introduce your character and be involved in the first operation  :-)

[HockeyGod]

Hiya! If you'd like to get into the story now there's still time to introduce your character and be involved in the first operation  :-)

Ack! Panics! Um...sure...I haven't even thought through a character at this point. Is there any skill or talent/power that is particularly lacking. I'm flexible in developing and playing anything.

I noticed a significant lack of hair color. Lots of brunettes in the bunch  ::)

[Orange Marmalade]

I noticed a significant lack of hair color. Lots of brunettes in the bunch  ::)

Sebastian does need a pet ginger...

[Dotley]

There's no particular skill set or power presentation that is particularly lacking. Really, we're only a bit full up on medics/corpsmen skill wise (since we have two) and then for powers we've got quite a few Controllers and Handlers. Those are the only character traits I'd suggest against. Other then that it's really writer's choice!

Yeah the brunet boys proved quite popular 8-)

[HockeyGod]

I did a quick analysis and found the numbers of powers at primary/secondary:

Watcher: 4/1
Protector: 3/4
Striker: 2/3
Handler: 2/1
Controller: 1/3
Shifter: 2/1
Mover: 3/2
Trainer: 2/1

I noticed that there is the option of up to two characters. I would just submit one initially to be sure I fit with the group play and such.

Two options:
1) What about a Controller/Handler that is a little off his rocker? Or has a sadistic streak that might be problematic? He has no moral compass and often has to be told to pull back. I could play it very carefully and not go over the line.
2) It seems like there are quite a few alpha dogs on the team and #1 might just add more to that imbalance. So...I could also do a Controller/Handler that is a bit of a pacifist. Someone that is really good at what he does, but he hates that he does it. He was forced to do it out of some kind of loyalty or family obligation. As such, he wouldn't be aggressive and could be more malleable by more dominate characters. He also could serve as a moral compass at times.

If either float your boat, I can start on character creation.

Hmmm...now that I read your response you might have too many controllers and handlers. So...other options...

I could do #2 above only make him a shifter.

I could do #1 above and make him a striker/protector.

[Dotley]

I noticed that there is the option of up to two characters. I would just submit one initially to be sure I fit with the group play and such.

This is correct! Two characters maximum, but if you just want to run with one to start off with that's perfectly fine. There's always the option down the road of playing a second character.

Hmmm...now that I read your response you might have too many controllers and handlers. So...other options...

Yeah, the controller and handler presentations are still the only ones I'd advise against. However, more strikers and protectors would certainly be welcomed!  :-)

As for the pacifist/moral compass type of character - as noted in the character creation guide all characters need to sit somewhere on the grey side of the morality scale. With PMC work being what it is the squad is going to find themselves in plenty of ethically questionable and legally dubious situations. (And some missions will inevitably just outright break all the Geneva Conventions oops).

A character that can actually turn off their moral compass while on the job will probably fare much better than one that struggles to do so. All characters also need to be able to cover a sector or take on patrol duty so firearm knowledge is a necessity. A pacifist wouldn't really work out due to that.

[Ouroboros]

Hey! Just chiming in to add a bit more. Since this is a private military company, there's definitely a need for Strikers and Protectors, and Watchers to a lesser degree, since they will be engaging in highly strenuous physical activities during the course of their contract. While we certainly don't begrudge the desire to play Controllers and Handlers, we have plenty on the squad already, and there is always room for more Empowered with physical presentations.

Also, yeah, knowing what we have planned - while moral quandaries are OK, a pacifist would not be hired to work for Merriweather, and if they did make it through the hiring process, once they hit the field they would quickly find themselves... terminated.

[Xunthrae]

Hope I'm not too late for this!

Mathias Douglas

Name: Mathias Douglas
Nicknames: His family affectionately calls him Doolittle, but he does not like it.
Aliases: N/A

Age: 31
Date of Birth: May 22
Bloodtype: O+
Country of Origin: United States, California
Current Citizenship: United Staes

Height: 5'10
Hair: Short and Brown
Eyes: Blue
Body Type: Lithe and looks to be built for speed and endurance.
Distinguishing Features: His eyes seems to sometimes catch the light and reflect it back, much like a cat's. He also has a tattoo of wolf tracks going up the left side of his back in simple black ink.

Primary Presentation: Trainer
Secondary Presentation: Watcher
Power Analysis: His capabilities as a trainer are impressive. His knowledge of animal behavior and capabilities has increased his effectiveness at commanding small groups of animals. The training he received from the United States military was thorough, and during his 11 years as part of the military he proved quite adept at controlling avians and mammals, with limited success with reptiles.

His capabilities as a watcher are much less developed. He has enhanced eye sight, giving him more accurate vision at a distance as well as enhanced night vision, smell, hearing has increased by quite a bit and a minor increase in his sense of touch. His hearing is acute, and for him to attend a concert or go to any place that is loud, he usually takes some baseline before hand otherwise the sounds might become overwhelming. . Although he tries to avoid it.

Education: High School, Two years of College in San Diego for Zoology, but dropped out due to pressures from his father to join the SEALS like he did.
Employment History: San Diego Zoo for 1 and a half years, United States Navy SEALS for 11 years.
Special Skills: Recon, tracking, survival skills, as well as a large knowledge about animals and their behaviors. There's no one else you'd rather have while lost in the wild.
Languages: English, Spanish, and Arabic

Hobbies & Interests: Spending time in nature, camping, hiking, spending time with almost any kind of animal. He secretly loves to sing, and is actually quite good at it, but he likes to keep it to himself. Dancing

Motivation: He wants to learn more about his own capabilities as an Empowered, and the money is fantastic.
Personality: Mathias at his heart, wants to help people. There is a kindness in him that sometimes makes doing his job tough and leave a bad taste in his mouth, but he always gets the job done. If his father taught him one thing, it's that. He

Relationship Status: Single and always ready to mingle
Sexuality: Gay, he likes strong men, and in his line of work there are usually plenty of them.

Developed Relationships:

Additional Images

Player Name:Xunthrae
Face Claim:Justice Joslin

[Dotley]

Hiya Xunthrae! Would you please PM your character profile to both myself and Ouroboros? Thank you  :-)

[Ryven]

Coming to join us, Mr. Hockeygod?

[HockeyGod]

Coming to join us, Mr. Hockeygod?

We'll see how this character development works - hopefully it will click :)

[Dotley]

If you need any more help hashing out character concepts or have any questions Ouro and I are around to help  :-)

[Ryven]

We'll see how this character development works - hopefully it will click :)

Well, I hope it does. :)

[HockeyGod]

If you need any more help hashing out character concepts or have any questions Ouro and I are around to help  :-)

Much obliged - I've read through the background materials and have been reviewing the squad roster which has been helping. I've got a working draft right now I might PM both of you. Just want to finish some things up first.

[Crawl]

Is this group still fairly active and recruiting? The last two groups I was in fizzeled out so I kinda gave up on the idea. But something about the plot for this really draws me in.

I'm not sure if what I want to make would mesh well either though. I was thinking of a russian handler, watcher? A sort of spy turned private contractor (seeing all these red sparrow trailers might have a little something to do with it.)
I figured I would just ask and see if that seemed like it would work well. Given the poly nature I want to make sure that if I made something it would be something with other players interest maybe? So opinions would be appreciated

[Ket]

GM Announcement || Hiya all!

I think this might be the hardest post I’ve ever written for E. I’ve edited it and rewritten this a couple times now and I just can’t seem to get the words just right, but it just needs to be said so here we go: Soldiers of Fortune is going on an indefinite hiatus.

Right now I simply don’t have the energy to GM a group game. You've probably noticed I've been kinda quiet this month. While I won’t really go into detail on it I have a recent health issue that I kept hoping would get better, but in all honesty it’s been progressively getting worse. I need to step back for a while and focus on taking care of myself.

I’m honored this idea generated so much interest. I love the characters you all created and it was a joy to write with everyone. With that said I totally understand if you guys want to continue the fun and keep on writing. SoF itself will officially be on a hiatus since at some point in the future if I’m in a better place I’d like to revisit this idea and the setting, but if you want to take your characters and create your own merc tale that’s totally alright with me. Your characters are your characters and I have no problem with another superhero powered private contractor group game being made.

I really can’t thank you all enough for being so awesome, but I’ll say it again. Thanks everybody  :-)

[Crawl]

I'm sorry to hear that but glad you're prioritizing your health!
Thank you for being honest!

[Dotley]

And thank you for the kind words  :-)

I'm going to lock this interest thread seeing as how the game is currently on hiatus and inactive for now.