Deviations - The Reorganization (Large Group, Superhuman, Semi-freeform)

[RampantDesires]

LGBT Friendly!

Large Group Board
Quick Active Character and Symptom List
Active Character Sheets
How Game Time Works and Scene Planning

Disclaimer: All credit for the concept of this game goes to Adonis the group's other GM who has been forced by some life issues to take a sabbatical.  The information in this thread is rather carefully copied over from the Old Recruitment Thread.

The concept
A crate of flu vaccine's has been left in one of the lab rooms that was thought to be safe and appropriate for storage. However, radiation from a nearby experiment leaks through the walls and contaminates the vaccine. Your character, practical as always, goes in to get his or her yearly flu vaccine. Unbeknownst to yourself, the vaccine is contaminated, mutated, and extremely potent. Mere hours after injection, the human body normally forms antibodies to kill off the dead cells of the vaccine, and immunizes you. Not so with Flu Vaccine (insert numbers and letters here). Instead, the body systems integrate with the vaccine, linking cell and DNA structure to trigger fundamental changes within the human body.

The result? You guessed it. Superpowers. Or "symptoms" as the government will later name them.

The Drive:
Characters will be immersed into a story drive plot with triggered GM events, government threats, as well as player vs. player scenarios.

Items of note:
-Superpowers early on will not be almighty. To begin with. The list of symptoms below are based on a time progression system, and will gain momentum as they "level up".
-The game world will be relatively small to start with. The outbreak will be located within a smaller, fictional city that I will work up maps for
-Character death and the stripping of powers via police force "curing/immunization" rounds are *completely* within the realm of possibility.
-Stupidity (I.e., deciding to go all wrecking ball on a local bakery) will alert authorities, resulting in pursuit and possibly capture (Think Saints Row notoriety system)
-Blatent ripoffs of known superheroes will not be tolerated. If you turn in a sheet that contains a rather hairy man with an ademantium skeleton. claws, and super healing, I may or may not roll up said sheet and spank you with it. Be original !
- The ONLY times that a dice roll will be required by a player will be instances of PVP outcomes, police outcomes, and symptom dealings (increases, mutations, etc.) This game is NOT system heavy at all.
- Sex can, has, and will happen, but it is not a focus of the game.  Such scenes are pretty much kept out of the way in private residence threads.

Symptom Structure - Symptoms begin generalized, then may get more specific as they gain infection levels

New Characters begin with ONE SL-1 mutation chosen from the lists below. For a more indepth look at symptoms and how they work please look HERE.

-Mind-

Omnilinguistics

SL - 1 - Ability to understand a spoken language immediately (earthly origins)
SL - 2 - Ability to speak a language that has been heard flawlessly (in correct accent)
SL - 3 - Ability to read cyphers, codes, and puzzles immediately with no key or clue.
SL - 4 - VARIATION (Choice between Xenolinguism, Zoolinguism, and Cyberlinguism)
SL - 5 - VARIATION (Choice between Xenolinguism, Zoolinguism, and Cyberlinguism)

Telekinesis

SL - 1 - Ability to lift/move objects up to 10 lbs within 30 feet (line of sight req)
SL - 2 - Ability to lift/move objects up to 50 lbs within 50 feet (line of sight req)
SL - 3 - Ability to lift/move objects up to 100 lbs within 100 feet (line of sight req)
SL - 4 - Ability to lift/move objects up to 250 lbs within 100 feet (line of sight req)
SL - 5 - Ability to lift/move objects up to 500 lbs within 100 feet

Telepathy

SL - 1 - Ability to hear snippets of thoughts randomly
SL - 2 - Able to hear "surface" thoughts of those within 50 feet (targeted)
SL - 3 - Able to speak with others telepathically within 50 feet (targeted)
SL - 4 - Sensory Inducement (Pain/Pleasure/Fear)
SL - 5 - Pushing (Ability to implant images/memories)

Heightened Intelligence

SL - 1 - Character now has photographic memory (no comprehension)
SL - 2 - Character now has ability to understand complex figures/models
SL - 3 - Character can now instantly comprehend information (must be able to understand language)
SL - 4 - Character is now prone to random tech advancement ideas (within reason)
SL - 5 - Character may now craft/modify complex equipment (within reason)

Forcefield Generation (physical shielding) - anything moving faster than the maximum shatters the barrier
SL - 1 - The Devi is able to form a small, directional field to repel blunt objects moving under 50mph (field of view).
SL - 2 - The directional field now extends a full 180 degrees in the direction desired, and deflects blunt objects moving @ up to 50mph
SL - 3 - The shielding now deflects objects moving up to 100 mph
SL - 4 - the field is now spherical in nature, but requires active concentration to maintain
SL - 5 - The sphere may now be projected onto anyone within 15 feet.

Induced Healing (Via touch - other humanoids ONLY)

SL - 1 - Ability to close minor wounds on other humanoids (superficial)
SL - 2 - Ability to heal scar tissue, as well as deep tissue damage
SL - 3 - Ability to mend broken bones
SL - 4 - Ability to reverse internal organ damage
SL - 5 - Ability to regrow severed body parts of other humanoids

Illusion Casting - Sound is not present in the illusions until SL=4

SL - 1 - The Devi is able to create small scale visual illusions of light and color with no real form (Aurora borealis, orb lights, etc)
SL - 2 - The ability advances, allowing the devi the ability to create small scale static images
SL - 3 - The images are now able to be cast as roughly human-sized (Singular)
SL - 4 - The devi is able to now add movement and sound to the illusions
SL - 5 - The symptom mutates, allowing the Devi to add sound to complex illusions created (Multiple illusionary figures possible)

Psychometry

SL - 1 - Psychodiagnostics - By touch, the deviation is now able to determine injury of any form, as well as a general idea of well-being.
SL - 2 - Tactile Empathy - The ability to read the emotions of a person as long as physical contact is held.
SL - 3 - Tactile Memory Resurgence - The devi gains the ability to "show" another person a memory or image they have seen.
SL - 4 -  Psychic Navigation - The Devi gains the ability to sort through the last five minutes of a person's death, and the events that lead up to it.
SL - 5 - Tactile History Absorption - When an object is touched that contains strong memories (Murder weapon, being an example), the item shows the Devi it's history and previous use.

Dowsing
This ability usually requires a physical focus. Ideally a piece of the object to be found (or something that is closely tied to it) or a personal possession of the person.  Both the target and the focus modify the Devi's effective SL.

Target is being actively hidden (object is disguised as something else, person is trying to 'lay low' and avoid detection)= -1 SL
Focus is a replica or picture with no direct tie = -1SL
No focus, just a general description= -2SL
Devi has a personal relationship with the target (it is something they owned/one of their friends)= +1 SL

Modifiers are cumulative (trying to find someone who is trying to avoid detection with only a picture as focus= -2SL, trying to find a personal item that has been hidden would be -1SL+1SL the modifiers simply negate one another.)

SL1 - Bond is tenuous.  The Devi gets a general sense of where their target is located, but it is vague, a tug in a certain direction and a 'hotter' 'colder' feeling as they track.
SL2 - Bond strengthens now providing a direction and distance for the Deviation to work with. This ability is muted by walls and other obstructions.  (You'd constantly be narrowing the parameters of your search: in the city>in the right district>on the right block>in front of the right building>on the right floor>in that specific room>exact location assuming you could gain access to all of those places.)
SL3 - The location of the item/person is now clear to the Devi once they're within 100 yards of their target. (on the same street/in the same building)
SL4 - Not merely location but the over all state of the person/item they are tracking can be determined. ie person is injured/sleeping/anxious item is locked away/broken/being used ect. The range of the ability triples to 300 yards giving it the radius of about a city block and allowing it to go through large obstructions like walls.
SL5 - Full bonding achieved.  The Devi's range triples yet again to 900 yards, roughly half a mile, and they can now scry upon their target providing a temporary (1 minute or less before a one hour period of rest is required) but full and in real time audio visual link to the immediate area around their target.

Deviants with the psychometry symptom are able to combine SLs  with this one to achieve the higher results with more negative modifiers (though a SL5 bond is still the highest result possible).  <Example> Deviant 1 with Dowsing SL4+ Deviant 2 with Psychometry SL2= combine to a SL6 attempt allowing them to scry upon a target with a replica or picture instead of a direct link to their target, or find an object that is being deliberately hidden as long as there is a personal tie.

-Body-

Note- Most "body" based powers require a massive amount of caloric intake to compensate for usage. Scales with SL level.

Regeneration Rate (Self-healing) - NOTE. This is NOT immortality. Dead is dead.

SL - 1 - Ability to close minor wounds (superficial) (10-15 seconds)
SL - 2 - Ability to heal scar tissue, as well as deep tissue damage (2-5 minutes)
SL - 3 - Ability to mend broken bones (45-60 seconds for initial bone setting, 5-10 minutes for full bone mend)
SL - 4 - Ability to reverse internal organ damage (Clean cuts/punctures heal in 3-5 minutes assuming full structure is intact. Missing pieces will regrow to an extent.)
SL - 5 - Ability to regrow severed body parts [Stage 1 - Skin covers stump (SL-1 timing) Stage 2 - Bone Re-formation & Muscle Tissue Regen (Sl-3 +10 mins)]

Speed

SL - 1 - Character reaches land-based speeds of around 50mph (Normal humans top out around 15-20)
SL - 2 - Character is now moves at top speeds of 100 mph
SL - 3 - Character now moves just under sub-sonic speeds of 300 mph
SL - 4 - Subsonic - Character may "walk" on water
SL - 5 - Supersonic - Speeds rival that of jet aircraft

Strength

SL - 1 - Ability to lift up to 250 lbs
SL - 2 - Ability to lift up to 500 lbs
SL - 3 - Ability to lift 1000 lbs (half a ton)
SL - 4 - Ability to lift up to 1 ton
SL - 5 - Ability to lift up to 5 tons (small semi)

Endurance

SL - 1 - Enhanced Dermal Structure - Skin now has the toughness of leather
SL - 2 - Enhanced Temperature Resistance - Temperatures between freezing (32F/0C) and up to 150F/65C are now tolerable with minimal clothing
SL - 3 - Pain Suppression - Characters may now ignore pain that would render a non-infected unconscious (within reason)
SL - 4 - Sensory Increase - Vision and hearing are now greatly improved
SL - 5 - Increased Lung Capacity - Character is now able to go without breathing for up to 20 minutes

Reflexes

SL - 1 - Reflex time is decreased for base stimulus
SL - 2 - Balance increase
SL - 3 - Acrobatics (Freerunning) come naturally
SL - 4 - Flexibility Increase (Contortionism)
SL - 5 - Reflexes heightened to borderline precognition


Vocals

SL - 1 - Character is able to throw his or her voice flawlessly
SL - 2 - Character may now imitate others voices after hearing them without distinction
SL - 3 - Characters may now deafen enemies with a scream (temporary)
SL - 4 - Vocals now have the power to vibrate substances via resonation
SL - 5 - Vocals are now able to be used for echolocation

Invisibility

SL - 1 - Passive Camoflage (Chameleon affect, includes clothing, stillness required)
SL - 2 - Active Camoflage (Chameleon affect, includes clothing, movement allowed)
SL - 3 - Minor Transparency - Body takes on a glass-like distortion, transparent
SL - 4 - Major Transparency - Complete invisibility
SL - 5 - Group Transparency - Able to extend invisibility to anyone within touch range (Up to four bodies)

-Elemental-

Earth Manipulation

SL - 1 - The Devi has the ability to move minor amounts of earth (10 lbs, give or take), and may affect it up to 20 feet away. This includes "throwing" it.
SL - 2 - The Devi is now able to hold and manipulate larger amounts, up to 50 lbs, and may affect it up to 30 feet
SL - 3 - The Devi now has enough control to identify and separate individual materials within the earth he is in control of
SL - 4 - The ability to pressurize loose earth into sandstone, and use it to build what he needs.
SL - 5 - The Devi may now reach deep into the earth (Up to 100 ft down), and drag materials upward to suit his purposes (Mining, defensive structures, etc)

Fire Manipulation

SL - 1 - The Devi is able to heat the molecules in a small radius around his or her palms (roughly the size of a softball), combusting the air into providing a fuel source for flame.
SL - 2 - The Devi may now project his or her ability up to thirty feet away (includes thrown projectiles), as well as start fires up to said max distance.
SL - 3 - The Devi may now consume itself in flames as a protective barrier (Flames can still be smothered/put out by normal means). Clothing and anything else worn is affected as normal.
SL - 4 - The Devi may now project a blaze in a gout of fire (think flamethrower) up to fifteen feet away.
SL - 5 - In addition to actual flame, the Devi may now melt objects up to the density of construction-grade steel by touch. Hardened steel is not affected, and object density is a factor in the time it takes to melt said object.

Wind Manipulation

SL - 1 - The ability to create gusts of wind up to 20 mph in localized areas is now present.
SL - 2 - The gusts of wind may now be focused into small-scale twisters (40 mph rotation speed)
SL - 3 - The wind speed of the air may now be formed and manipulated into gusts up to 60 mp/h (localized)
SL - 4 - The Devi may now bounce objects hurled at him or her that are moving at 100 mp/h or less in a less destructive direction
SL - 5 - The Devi now has the ability to cushion his or her fall, allowing for extended gliding (No upward movement).

Water Manipulation

SL - 1 - The ability to gather moisture from the air, and other sources is now present. Up to a gallon may be manipulated.
SL - 2 - The water may now be projected at up to 40 mph (Hard enough to feel fairly solid). Loses speed/form at 25 feet away.
SL - 3 - The Devi has the ability to condense the water he or she is working with, making it semi-solid and just hard enough to walk on.
SL - 4 - The Devi is now able to absorb oxygen through his or her pores, thus eliminating the need to breath while underwater. Temperature differences also no longer have any effect while underwater (Glacial or boiling water feels perfectly normal, and the body is not affected by these temperatures).
SL - 5 - While Underwater, the Devi may now move at high speeds by "pushing" the water behind themselves, propelling the body at upwards of 100 mph.

Electricity Manipulation

SL - 1 - The symptom carrier may now absorb static electricity, and discharge it into mechanical devices, thus becoming a walking battery.
SL - 2 - The ability advances, allowing the absorbed electrical energy to be projected outwards in short bursts (Stunning strength). Conductors may be electrified in this manner as long as contact is held.
SL - 3 - The Devi may now magnetize pieces of metal as long as he sustains touch with the item, creating electromagnets.
SL - 4 - The Devi may now absorb electrical energy from the air, and discharge it all at once in a powerful burst, generating an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) that disrupts any electronics within 100ft in any direction.
SL - 5 - The Devi's ability upgrades to its final stage, allowing him or her to focus electrical energies on one area to generate a heated ball of lightning. Impact results in the same EMP burst from SL-4 if thrown.

Gravity Manipulation

SL - 1 - The Devi is able to lessen the effects of gravity on his person, lightening themselves considerably (think low-gravity moonwalking)
SL - 2 - The symptom mutates, allowing the devi to change their "local" gravity, allowing wall/ceiling walking
SL - 3 - The Devi is now able to reverse the gravitational pull of small objects (under 10 lbs)
SL - 4 - The symptom strengthens, allowing the Devi to levitate (Vertical motion only)
SL - 5 - The Devi is now able to create small gravity wells (object centered). This pulls things towards the targeted object as if it were the new "down". 10 foot radius, only objects under 50 lbs are affected.

Light Manipulation

SL - 1 - The Deviation now has the ability to summon balls of light that generate no heat in any area around themselves. The balls may be summoned up to 10 feet away, and up to 4 may be present at one time.
SL - 2 - The ability to set off blinding flashes of light is now present. Those within five feet of the deviation are temporarily blinded, and those beyond are slightly disoriented.
SL - 3 - The balls of light may now be of any color, and may be manipulated into short-term illusionary copies of the Devi.
SL - 4 - The light that the Devi controls may be focused and refined into small-scale lasers roughly the diameter of a pencil for varius non-combat uses.
SL - 5 - The Devi now has the ability to temporarily coalesce light into hard constructs that radiate high temperatures (user immune)

Darkness Manipulation

SL - 1 - Ability to move/create shadowed areas, without a source
SL - 2 - Ability to materialize small tools/items made of shadow (temporary)
SL - 3 - Shadow Hopping - Able to travel short distances unseen from shadow to shadow
SL - 4 - Able to summon tendrils of darkness to attack a target
SL - 5 - Able to create temporary shadow constructs that radiate subzero temeratures

Frost Manipulation

1 - The Devi gains the ability to lower the temperature around his hands to subzero temperatures, generating frozen particles at will
2 - The symptom now allows the Devi to manipulate, shape, and compress the frost particles into small objects (no larger than a softball in weight)
3 - The Devi is now able to actively project and manipulate the ice in a fifteen foot diameter in a direction chosen.
4 - The symptom now allows for the Devi to pull up defensive walls and small structures created from the ice naturally generated from their bodies
5 - The devi's final symptom mutation allows him or her to reduce objects to near absolute zero, creating hoarfrost. This hoarfrost may travel up to 10 feet, and makes the frozen items utterly fragile

Transmutation (Touch) *Note - the end result MUST be an element that the user has previously handled

SL - 1 -  The ability to change the substance in which a small, solid object is composed (Inorganic) (5 lbs or less)
SL - 2 -  Character now has the ability to change the substance in which a medium sized object is composed (20 lbs or less)
SL - 3 - The ability can now affect complex objects of a large size (100 lbs or less) made up of several different parts
SL - 4 - The ability gains strength, allowing the carrier of the symptom to mold medium sized solid objects into other more useful things
SL - 5 - The character may now graft transmuted items to his or her body for a short time.

-Transportation-

Flight (Wingless)

SL - 1 - Deviation is able to levitate and "airwalk" at will (walking on air as if it is a solid object)
SL - 2 - Ability to glide laterally has manifested
SL - 3 - Airwalking is no longer required, character gains self-propulsion, max 45 mph
SL - 4 - Deviations need for air diminishes, and he or she is able to comfortably fly in the upper atmosphere. Speed increase to 100mph while in flight.
SL - 5 - Innate psychic barrier forms while in flight, top speed increases to 250 mph due to no wind resistance.

Flight (Winged)

SL - 1 - Wings form (Type of wings are up to creator), and the Deviation now has the ability to glide. Sustained hovering is not possible.
SL - 2 - Deviations shoulders and bone structure have lightened, and now allows the Devi to hover and slowly ascend.
SL - 3 - Body makeup lightens further, allowing for normal flight of up to 45 mph
SL - 4 - Upper body is noticeably more muscular, allowing for increased lung capacity and greater strength in wings. Speed cap increased to 100mph while in flight.
SL - 5 - Wings are now extremely resistant to damage, and can be used defensively. Top speed increases to 175 mph.

Phase Shift

SL - 1 - The Devi develops the ability to pass limbs through structures that he or she is able to see through (Glass, Plexiglass, plastics, etc)
SL - 2 - The ability further develops, allowing the Devi to push limbs through surfaces that are the thickness of a normal wall (6-12 inches)
SL - 3 - Complete phase shifting is now possible, allowing for full bodied movement through walls and other barriers
SL - 4 - Up to 12 feet of vertical movement is now possible with the ability, allowing through short pushes through ceilings and floors.
SL - 5 - The Devi may now shift completely into the astral plane, leaving his or her body behind for a short time to explore areas up to 50 feet away as a "ghost"

Teleportation *Note - the Devi's clothing teleports with them, as well as whatever they are able to physically (realistically) carry comfortably. (I.e., hugging a tractor wont jump the tractor with you.) In the case of teleporting with other people, the same rules apply.

SL - 1 - Deviation is able to teleport short distances, maximum distance of 8 feet (vertical or horizontal). Must be in line of sight. Solo.
SL - 2 - Deviation is now able to teleport medium distances of up to 20 feet (V or H). Line of sight required. Solo.
SL - 3 - The ability mutates, giving the deviation the ability to take up to two people with him or her for a single jump. 50 feet solo, 25 feet grouped.
SL - 4 - The Devi no longer required line of sight to make jumps. Distance remains the same.
SL - 5 - The Devi may now make a single jump of up to a mile, no line of sight needed, but the location has to have been seen before.

Portal Generation - Only Symptom that MUST keep track of items inside SL 1-3, by average weight.

SL - 1 - The deviation is able to summon a "portable" black hole roughly the size of a softball in diameter. The weight stored within may not exceed 25 lbs. Items are "called" with thought, and appear in hand to be removed.
SL - 2 - The portable black hole is now larger, able to open to roughly the size of a bowling ball. Weight limit is increased to 50 lbs.
SL - 3 - Ability mutates, finally allowing two way travel between places that have been physically seen. Portal takes roughly half a minute to open wide enough for use. Complete focus is needed.
SL - 4 - The portal is now able to be opened further, allowing for multiple persons to travel at once until the symptom carrier enters. Once the symptom carrier enters, the portal is one-way, and closes behind him or her.
SL - 5 - The Devi may now open a portal to a blank "safe" space that exists on an empty plane. The space lasts up to three hours at a time, and is inaccessible by anyone other than the one who opened the portal. The space within is infinite, but will not sustain life without the portal creator within. Once he or she leaves, all life within is extinguished. Inorganic items are unaffected.

-Shapeshifting-

*ONLY* real species may be used. Nothing mythical. All transformations are one-way, and may not be interrupted or stopped mid-shapeshift. All human thought is retained when shapeshifted.

Mammal

SL - 1 - The character gains the ability to transform into smaller mammals (under 40 lbs)
SL - 2 - The ability mutates, allowing the character to move into the shapes of medium sized mammals (under 100 lbs)
SL - 3 - The character may now shapeshift into large animals (Up to 500 lbs)
SL - 4 - Sense Focus - The character may now focus a single sense and tune out all others while in humanoid form
SL - 5 - Final Form - The shapeshifter no longer has any size restriction on his or her chosen form, as long as it remains true to the average size.

Insect

SL - 1 - The character has the ability to shapeshift into normal sized insects
SL - 2 - The character has the ability to shapeshift into larger versions of the insect world (roughly the size of a kitten)
SL - 3 - The ability mutates further still, allowing the insect forms to increase in size up to a maximum of roughly the size of a full-grown, domestic dog.
SL - 4 - VARIATION - The character may choose between the following - wallcrawling (humanoid form), or poison generation (humanoid form, nails and teeth secretion)
SL - 5 - The character may now shapeshift into a humanoid sized version of the desired insect

Reptilian/Aphibian

SL - 1 - The Devi gains the ability to shapeshift into small reptiles (no larger than a chameleon).
SL - 2 - The Devi may now shapeshift into larger reptiles (or increase the size of the smaller ones) to the size of an iguana,
SL - 3 - The ability mutates further, allowing for the usage of the largest reptiles known (Crocs/gators/turtles, etc)
SL - 4 - The symptom begins to mildly affect the humanoid form, increasing the durability of the Devi's skin as skin cells change to microscopic scales (Can willingly change to solid colors)
SL - 5 - VARIATION - The Character may choose between the following - Hallucinogenic skin secretion, ability to shapeshift into a small Raptor, or thermal vision.

Avian

SL - 1 - The Devi may shapeshift into common species of birds (robins, pigeons, doves, etc)
SL - 2 - The ability mutates, allowing for more exotic species to be used (storks, cranes, pelicans, tropical species)
SL - 3 - The symptom now allows for the shapeshifting of the carrier into birds of prey.
SL - 4 - VARIATION - The Devi's ability moves in one of three directions. They gain the enhanced/telescopic eyesight of a bird of prey, the nightvision of an owl, or the balance of the crane genus.
SL - 5 - The symptom now allows for a size increase of any bird species to the point where the wingspan may reach up to eight feet from wingtip to wingtip, regardless of species.

Fish

SL - 1 - The symptom allows the Devi the ability to shapeshift into common freshwater fish species (type of water doesnt matter, in shapeshifters case)
SL - 2 - The Devi is now able to shapeshift into eels, rays, and various other exotic sea-life.
SL - 3 - The ability mutates, allowing the Devi to now take on the form of sharks.
SL - 4 - VARIATION - The Devi gains the choice of the following - Permanent underwater breathing, inherent sonar, or increased fatty tissue that allows the Devi to withstand colder waters while in human form.
SL - 5 - The Devi is now allowed to shapeshift into the largest of fish (mammalian aquatic life included, i.e., whales, dolphins, etc)

-Nature Affinity-

Mammalian Manipulation - NOTE- These symptoms DO NOT WORK on shapeshifted characters!

SL - 1 - Character has the ability to convince mammal to perform simple commands that do not conflict with self-preservation
SL - 2 - The ability allows a character to see through the eyes of any mammal that a bond has been established with within 100 yards
SL - 3 - The ability now forces the mammal to perform a command, regardless of self-preservation instincts.
SL - 4 - Mammals that normally would react aggressively may now be tamed for use without threat
SL - 5 - May now verbally communicate with any mammal fluently

Insect Manipulation

SL - 1 - The Devi may now communicate with single-minded insects telepathically, and coerce them into minor tasks (i.e., no hive-minded insects like bees/ants)
SL - 2 - The ability mutates, allowing the user to merge consciousness with the insect targeted and mentally control the actions of said insect.
SL - 3 - The Devi may now communicate and direct insects against their will (up to ten at a time)
SL - 4 - VARIATION - The symptom mutates into two distinct branches - Hive-mind control (control entire hives of insects), and Taming (Keep a certain insect until it expires),
SL - 5 - The abilities final mutation allows the Devi to summon all nearby non-poisonous insect to swarm a single area.

Reptile Manipulation

SL - 1 - The Devi is able to call out to any nearby reptiles, and bring them to his aid in combat.
SL - 2 - The ability progresses, allowing the Devi the ability to summon a small ethereal lizard if no reptiles are nearby.
SL - 3 - Using the ability now allows the Devi to merge his consciousness with a single reptilian entity (including the summoned one)
SL - 4 - VARIATION - The ability mutates, allowing the Devi the ability to see body heat, or extreme spinal flexibility (choice between the two)
SL - 5 - The Devi is now able to summon an ethereal cobra that is completely controllable.

Avian Manipulation

SL - 1 - The Devi is allowed to call to and communicate with local aviary wildlife of the common variety (pigeons, robins, etc)
SL - 2 - The ability mutates, allowing the Devi the ability to see through the eyes of any bird within three miles (including upwards).
SL - 3 - The Devi is able to locate and bond with any local bird (including birds of prey). This bird is now an extension of the symptom bearer and will do anything to please.
SL - 4 - The bird that the Devi has bonded with gains increased intelligence, and is now capable of near-human level thought process.
SL - 5 - The Devi gains a powerful whistling call that is heard by birds miles around, and controls the flock for a limited time to carry out his or her bidding.

Flora & Fauna Manipulation

SL - 1 - The Devi is able to commune with plants and flowers, and change the speed in which they grow and die.
SL - 2 - The symptom mutates further, and allows for the usage of the interconnected root systems to carry information from up to two miles away.
SL - 3 - The Devi is now able to summon vines from overhanging vegetation, or force trees to pull roots from the ground for offensive purposes.
SL - VARIATION - The Devi no longer requires food, and instead takes in nutrients the same way plants do. The second choice allows the Devi to secrete a rash-inducing toxin similar to poison ivy/oak.
SL - 5 - The Devi is now able to animate a single tree, forcing it to uproot itself and "walk" on the thick roots, carrying and protecting the Devi until instructed to re-root itself.

Current Restrictions for New Characters:

Symptom Breakdown List

Omnilinguistics   1
Telekinesis   4
Telepathy   3
Heightened Intelligence   3
Forcefield Generation   1
Induced Healing   2
Illusion Casting    2
Phsycometry   2
Dowsing   0
   
Regeneration   3
Speed   1
Strength   2
Endurance   0
Reflexes   1
Vocals   1
Invisibility   1
   
Earth   1
Fire   3
Water   2
Electricity   4
Gravity   1
Light   0
Dark   1
Frost   2
Transmutation   3
Wind   1
   
Flight, Wingless   3
Flight, Winged   2
Phase Shift   1
Teleportation   3
Portal Generation   2
   
Shapeshifting   
~Mammal   2
~Insect   2
~Reptilian   0
~Avian   1
~Fish   1
   
Nature Manipulation   
~Mammal   1
~Insect   1
~Reptile   1
~Avian   1
~Flora&Fauna   3

So good news.  We currently have NO starting symptom or background restrictions.



Powers that no current character has:

• Endurance
• Light Manipulation
• Shapeshifting: Reptilian
• Dowsing

Male to Female Ratio
15:15

Number of Active Writers = 15

When Making a Character...

Things to consider when making a character.

• Choosing your first Symptom
  The Symptom List is fairly extensive.  Pick something that you find interesting and will enjoy writing.  The powers are there to flavor the game and your character not to define them.  Combat wise all of the symptoms are treated as the same (you roll based off over all SL, no powers are weighted to be more useful). Statistically speaking you are more likely to progress in level along that first symptom, but it is by no means guaranteed.  This is a mutation and is unpredictable so the dice decide.  You may end up picking up random symptoms that don't fit with your initial character concept, that's the nature of the beast.  These new abilities and levels won't be wasted since you can always sacrifice two SL's as a get out of death free card.
  
  Once five characters have manifested the same symptom we place a restriction on them.  You can still pick up these powers during the monthly rolls, but no new characters can be created using that starting ability. 


• Your Basic Character
  Please do glance through the Current Cast of Characters and make sure that you're not planning on using the same model for your character (we don't have a face claim thread or anything, there hasn't really been a need and there is no reserving for future characters). It is also a good idea to avoid using the same first names just to avoid confusion, but its by no means required. 
  
  Scanning through the Active Characters Thread is recommended.  Try to avoid making a character who's personality and history closely resemble ones already in play. There is also the Scene Planning section that will give you a good idea of what our current players are actively looking for.  Please keep in mind that you don't have to have character ties established already when you make the character, but it does make things easier.


• Game Time and Character History
  Glance through the Game Timeline thing and make sure that your proposed history lines up with it please.

That's about it.  We're a fairly relaxed and friendly bunch so don't hesitate to ask questions and the like!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Where does this game take place?
A: This is a fictional city in the north-central US. The city is named "Glenside", and contains roughly 350,000 people in the downtown area.

Q2: Where is my character allowed to live within the city?
A: Anywhere! There are apartments and homes in just about every district, so whichever strikes your fancy really. If you end up eventually settling in the safe haven, you're free to do that as well.

Q3: Where do I start?
A: The answer to this question is almost identical to question 2, you may start anywhere you like for the most part, but please be courteous of scenes in progress!

Q4: How much does the general public know about what is going on?
A: The general public knows almost nothing at this point (roughly 2-3 weeks from the first immunization). Anyone who is caught by the police simply vanishes.

Q5: Can I be forced into PVP?
A: For the most part, no. As long as your "Grace" item hasn't been used for the day, you're free to make a single teleport to anywhere in the city under direct threat of challenge.

Q6: What is the posting rate required in Deviations?
A: For the most part, most of the players will post anywhere from once a day, to twice a week. There is no pressure to move any faster than that, but any slower than once a weekish, and you may have issues keeping up.

If you're still interested please fill out the character sheet below and either PM it to RampantDesires and Adonis or post it here in this thread. 

[/list]

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If you choose to include a picture, PLEASE do not use anime. Photos/real life pictures *only*, to keep things simple.

[center][u][b]Character:[/b][/u][/center]

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Ethnicity:[/b]
[b]Sex: [/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Relationship Status:[/b]
[b]Previous (Or current) Profession:[/b]

[center][u][b]Appearance:[/b][/u][/center]

[b]Hair: [/b]
[b]Eyes:[/b]
[b]Skin:[/b]
[b]Weight:[/b]
[b]Height:[/b]
[b]Other:[/b] (physical defects/mutations, overall appearance

[center][b][u]Information:[/u][/b]
[/center]

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]Background:[/b] [Three good paragraphs]


[b]Symptoms:[/b]



[b]Hobbies and Interests: [/b]



OOC Ons and Offs:

[Tsunami]

I would love to play if  you  will have me.

[Flower]

Of course!  Everyone is super excited for new writers.  :-)

[Batman4560]

Indeed, we are friendly and free cookies. :)

[RedMoon]

An application for you!

Character:

Name: Jacob Callahan
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age: 28
Relationship Status: Single
Current Profession: College Professor, History

Appearance:

Hair: Brown, slightly curly when he lets it get long enough.
Eyes: Green
Skin: Light
Weight: 180
Height: 6”
Other: Athletic, no particular distinguishing features.

Information:

Personality: Calm and good natured, Jacob tends to be the voice of reason in a group and impart some perspective to companions. He has a sharp wit and a sarcastic sense of humor, but generally keeps a polite distance from most people he meets.

Background: Jacob was not a Glenside native. He grew up out of state, in what amounted to a fairly normal home. He did well in school, studied hard, and had a small group of close friends. This was a trend that continued through highschool and beyond. Sadly, he lacked a strong sense of direction in his life, and wound up getting a more or less meaningless degree in History, his favorite subject.

After graduation, he found it difficult to find any sort of relevant work. A few odd jobs working at museums didn’t seem to be leading anywhere, and he was left frustrated, but unwilling to drop the subject completely. One thing he had enjoyed during the museum work was explaining things to people while he gave tours, which eventually lead him to go back and take some further courses to become a teacher in the same field.

His teaching career became a reality at the Glenside college, where he has just recently started on. Things had been going well, at least until flu season approached. He was used to getting sick, as he generally avoided the shots, but they were mandatory for teaching staff. Perhaps if he had read the brochure more closely, he might have seen the warning that getting a flu shot could cause you to wake up in the form of a small gecko one morning. But perhaps not. Pharmaceutical companies don’t seem to like advertising that sort of thing.

Regardless, the now somewhat confused and terrified Jacob has been debating whether or not he should see a doctor, or keep this information to himself. For a while, he managed to convince himself it was just some fever dream, but, reality wasn’t willing to let that slip by. The second time it happened, he decided he really had to see a doctor, but, for some reason, he wasn’t confident that writing “Flu shot turned me in to a snake” under “Reason for visit” on the form at the clinic would yield positive results. Especially after seeing a news report of a girl displaying some seemingly fantastical vocal abilities being gunned down by the police. Unrelated, perhaps, but, still unnerving. Then there were the pamphlets. He had seen them scattered across the city, and even found one under his door once. Cults, magic flu shots, and rogue opera singers robbing banks.

Maybe he should have listened to his mother and stuck with the museum job.


Symptoms: Shapeshifting – Reptilian SL-1: The Devi gains the ability to shapeshift into small reptiles (no larger than a chameleon).



Hobbies and Interests: Cooking, reading, movies, history, collecting old ‘junk’, board games



OOC Ons and Offs: Linked in signature

[RampantDesires]

Huzzah.  Hurray.  Hip Hip Happy Hour and other H words!

Jacob is very much approved. 

[RedMoon]

Awesome. Looking forward to it.

[Lemon Lime]

I love this idea! Just one question, are the old characters still around and we are adding to them or is this a fresh new blank slate? I was sort of in love with the endurance and reflexes talents haha. Any ways, just that question. I have never been in a super large group before and am deciding if it is something I can do. :)

[Batman4560]

Ill jump in on that one. Yes the old characters are still around. We are looking for new blood. :)

[RampantDesires]

Hi there Lemon Lime :)

First of all so glad that you like the idea.  The game is a lot of fun though I might be a little biased in that regard. 

Some of the characters have in fact been here from the very beginning, it is the continuation and not a reboot.  However there are new characters joining all the time, not just from new players, but each person is eventually allowed to have up to three characters in the game so it wouldn't be as though your character would be the only new girl on the block.


I agree that reflexes and endurance are fun powers.  However it is wroth noting that we roll once a month to see how the mutation progresses.  It is possible that you could get other abilities from the lists.

Before Deviations I had never been part of a large group either, and I know they can look exceptionally daunting at first.  So much information to go through, but we are a pretty fun and laid back bunch and you are totally welcome to go at your own pace and never be afraid to ask questions. 

[Innocence]

Character:

Name: Sage Florence
Ethnicity: Irish Australian
Sex: Male
Age: 25
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Supermarket Assistant Manager and Uni Student [PhD in Genetics]

Appearance:

Hair: Short chestnut brown
Eyes: Gray
Skin: Light
Weight: 78 kg
Height: 187 cm
Other: Poor eyesight, wears glasses.

Information:

Personality: A little aloof, he is not very quick to the point but is kind and means well. He is not shy at all and is rather social and friendly with those he gets along with but is not afraid to talk back to those that show him disrespect.

Background:
Sage was born and raised in Australia, oldest child of three to Lily and Ryan Florence. He can speak with both an Australian and Irish accent. 

Sage studied a bachelor's of science when he was in Australia and graduated with honours. When he heard about the technologically advanced and well funded Genetics department at Glenside college, Sage was quick to jump on the plane to the United States.  He is now a PhD student at Glenside studying genetic replication techniques and is trying to find a more efficient method to clone DNA.

During weekends Sage works at one of the supermarkets in the business district.  He can usually be seen with an apron and scribbling down numbers on his clipboard. 

A few weeks into his job his boss told him it was store policy for all their employees to be vaccinated.  Earlier in the year it seemed everyone got their shots so Sage had to book an appointment by himself.  As a man of science he didn't mind and knew that getting vaccinated would help his body fight against the flu.  He thought that the US must be using a different vaccination however as once he got home he felt his entire body change and morph into a poison dart frog.  Shocked as he was, it took sage about 2 hours before he figured how to turn himself back. 

Not quite sure what to do, he did what any self respecting man of science would, he bought a microscope and took a look at a sample of his blood under it.  He was amazed by the changes occurring to his cells but could not understand what was actually happening.  To this day Sage is still secretly trying to find out more about what happened to him.

Symptoms:
Shapeshifting – Reptilian SL-1


Hobbies and Interests:
Running and reading
Socializing and science-ing


OOC Ons and Offs: Same as mine but basics:
Sage is pansexual [meaning women, men, trans, he doesn't discriminate].
He won't date anyone younger than 21.
He is the dom in a hetero relationship, and switch in a homo relationship.

[Batman4560]

I like your character. One of mine is Irish too. I hope you get accepted.

[Innocence]

I like your character. One of mine is Irish too. I hope you get accepted.

Irish hi5!! Haha thanks I do too =] I was reading some of the profiles and there seems to be some pretty interesting characters =]

[Lemon Lime]

Hi there Lemon Lime :)

First of all so glad that you like the idea.  The game is a lot of fun though I might be a little biased in that regard. 

Some of the characters have in fact been here from the very beginning, it is the continuation and not a reboot.  However there are new characters joining all the time, not just from new players, but each person is eventually allowed to have up to three characters in the game so it wouldn't be as though your character would be the only new girl on the block.


I agree that reflexes and endurance are fun powers.  However it is wroth noting that we roll once a month to see how the mutation progresses.  It is possible that you could get other abilities from the lists.

Before Deviations I had never been part of a large group either, and I know they can look exceptionally daunting at first.  So much information to go through, but we are a pretty fun and laid back bunch and you are totally welcome to go at your own pace and never be afraid to ask questions.

:D I think I will have to give this a try! Try my hand at something bigger. Everyone seems nice and I'm loving all the character bios I'm reading. I will start on a CS right now!

[Mtpersson]

Hey,

This is the kind of idea I had for a character. I was wondering whether the GMs and everyone else think she would fit in well with the world.

Thanks, Tina x

Daisy Daniels

Character:

Name: Daisy Daniels
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age: 26
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Escort/Part-time Model

Appearance:

Hair: Short, auburn
Eyes: Brown
Skin: White
Weight: 112lbs
Height: 5'7"
Other: 3 tattoos - Right leg (entire leg), Torso (left side), Chest; Nose ring.

Information:

Personality: On the surface, Daisy is a difficult person to deal with. Argumentative, rebellious, and lazy. She has drifted through life without direction other than having enough money to live another day. Dig a little deeper, however, and she has the kind of smart, calculating mind that betrays her moneyed upbringing. She will have no second thoughts about manipulating another person's opinion of her in order to get what she wants from them. Dig deeper still and you will find someone who has the capacity to be kind and compassionate to those she loves. A small, close group of friends are the most important thing to her in her life and she wouldn't hesitate to hurt anyone who harmed them.

Background: Born into a wealthy family, Daisy wanted for nothing as she grew up in her families luxury Glenside apartment. Her early years were spent in the best schools the city could offer her and she performed well, often being within the top percentile of her academic year. The rebelliousness started appearing when she became a teenager and started hanging out with ’friends’ from a nearby state run school. Her parents forbade her from seeing her new peers as soon as they found out but Daisy wanted to experience what she called ’a real life’. She hated the elitist nature and values of her fellow private educators and wanted a normal life outside of her families wealth. The two parties remained at loggerheads and Daisy’s grades and behaviour continued to spiral out of control.

She didn't finish school. She was smart but rather than channeling her intellect towards passing exams, Daisy decided to use it in order to deceive her teachers and parents and cover up her multitude of bad behaviour. Seventeen and cut off from her parents, Daisy moved into a rundown apartment in a projects development on the edge of the city with a bunch of her ’normal’ friends. They smoked weed during the day and partied during the night. It was at one of these parties that Daisy was first approached by a photographer and the following day she took part in her first photo shoot, earning a nice wad of cash in the process.

Since that night modelling has been a steady source of income for Daisy, organising shoots whenever her bank balance is running low. It doesn't matter whether it's for an edgy clothing line or a softcore alt-porn site, all that matters is the cold hard cash to tip her back into the black. Her main source of income, however, comes from her work as an escort. Daisy fell into the profession almost by accident while out at a club one night with her then girlfriend. An obnoxious guy approached her and spent the entire night hitting on her despite Daisy’s attempts to discourage him. Only when the offer of an insane amount of money was offered did she consider it. $1000 for an hours work? Hell yeah. She talked it over with her girlfriend and decided to go ahead. She felt no emotional arousal from the guy just the physical pleasure and the significant weight added to her purse. The next morning she contacted a professional agency.

It was because of ’The Agency’, as she called it, that Daisy had visited the doctor’s surgery last week. A routine, and very thorough, battery of tests to make sure she was healthy and free of all diseases. It was because of this that she had received a flu jab and had been laid up in bed for the past few days having had a bad reaction to it.


Symptoms: Mammalian Shapeshifting - SL1

Hobbies and Interests: Clubbing, dancing, photography, smoking with her friends, exploring the city at night, enjoying the finer things in life at her client's expense.



OOC Ons and Offs: Daisy is a lesbian and will only experience a deep, emotional attraction with other women. As part of her job she will, and does, sleep with men but will not experience anywhere near as much arousal as she does with another woman. It's all about the money and she's a very good actor.

See sig. for more.

[RampantDesires]

Phew, catching up to do! There are indeed quite a few Irish characters in our bunch.  Eoin, Arthur, Alannah ... maybe a few others that I'm forgetting.  Adding another works :)

Welcome aboard Innocence, please move Sage to the approved characters thread and feel free to introduce yourself in the OOC. (PM also on the way about the college)

Mtpersson, nice to see you Tina :) I've sent you a PM already but other than that I see no problem and she is very much approved.  Please post in the threads listed above.

Lemon Lime Yay!   I'm excited to see what you come up with, so glad you've decided to join us.

[Innocence]

Yay many thanks Rampant =]
I'll get a-posting-away =]

[Lemon Lime]

Character:

Name: Paloma S. Castillo
Ethnicity: Cuban Father, Portuguese Mother
Sex: Female
Age: 25
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Previously a personal trainer; Currently a Physical Therapist

Appearance:

She is a long and lean lady, who works hard to keep herself in shape she is a nice mixture of muscles and runner body. Her huge head of thick curls bounces when she runs and walks and she loves it. Her hair is big and fun and something she has never wanted to change. Her skin is fairly light for someone coming from Cuba but as soon as she is outside for more than 20 minutes she tans instantly.

Hair: Black, viciously curly
Eyes: Brown/Green
Skin: Tan
Weight: 139
Height: 5’9”
Other: Freckles on her face and shoulders. A scar on her right elbow from when she broke it years before.

Information:

Personality:
Paloma is a fun girl, and has a lot of energy. Despite her usually friendly nature she will have knee jerk angry reactions to people if they truly piss her off. It takes something harsh to really get to her but if you manage to get there, you deserve whatever she is going to say. She is a pretty honest person, not wanting to sugarcoat things but sometimes will for patients. She is tries to remain optimistic and is one of the hardest working people she knows. Sometimes she is told she doesn't know how to relax but she can, it just takes effort sometimes. Overall she is a nice person but can be blunt and sometimes feisty.

Background:
Paloma was born in Miami Florida to two immigrants who both wanted to live in the United States. Her parents fell in love after meeting at English classes being taught at a local junior college. After marriage and getting comfortably settled into American life, Paloma was born. Her mother was a veterinarian’s assistant, not quite a nurse, but she was working on it and eventually with some time and school she would get there. Her father worked at an immigration office helping Cuban immigrants find homes, jobs, childcare and anything else… sometime that included finding family members that may not have done things truly legally.

Her childhood was quite normal growing up in the heat of Miami with her younger brother Miguel. There were some financial struggles and people that would constantly question her family and whether or not they were legal. Her parents worked hard so that she would never have to know that they were struggling and tried to provide them the best life that they could manage. Paloma grew up speaking both Spanish and Portuguese although Spanish was far more prevalent since most of the community did and her mother, despite being from Portugal knew it as well.

In high school she excelled, getting good grades most of the time and being on the varsity track team all 4 years. She was a state champion hurdler and it is what helped her get into college. During college, she had a tough time figuring out her niche, despite her parents being supportive they wanted her to find something that would give her a career and money.

She continued to run track and pursue a minor in Latin American Studies in college and soon found her passion after discovering kinesiology and learning how the body moves and functions. She started on a physical therapy track and in her senior year scored some great internships.

After graduation she had a hard time finding jobs as a physical therapist and worked as a personal trainer and CPR teacher. She decided to branch out and not just look locally in her home state and that is when she found Glenside and an opportunity at a local hospital needing a physical therapist. Paloma kissed her parents and brother good bye, grabbed her things, and headed out. Her new job was fantastic and she was finally getting into the job she wanted.

What came next was not quite typical. She just started and it was required for her to get a flu shot, something she did anyways but she had side effects – something that had never happened before and what she assumed had never happened to anyone. It was extremely subtle at first. Her clipboard would fall and she would catch it. A patient would slip and without even thinking she was there. What the big one was, she was out for a run and she stubbed her toe in a crack in the side walk and instead of tumbling down into a very unpleasant fall, she caught herself on the ground easily, only scraping up her hands a bit. After that she never said anything and just chocked it up to luck and new sneakers, still not quite sure what did this. Just knowing that it happened after moving here and receiving her shot.


Symptoms:
Reflexes
SL-1 Reflex time is decreased for base stimulus


Hobbies and Interests:
Running, kickboxing, swimming, and weightlifting. When she is not exercising she enjoys a good book, singing at open mic nights (she’s not half bad), and going dancing (she knows some Latin dance but by no means is a master of it).


OOC Ons and Offs:
Sexually she is not really gay or straight. She likes people but tends to date more men than women. She is monogamous and does not play games, unless it has all been pre-determined (aka lets just be friends that need to fool around sometimes). But she prefers mono y mono.
Feel free to look at my o/o’s.


If you don't want that last paragraph in her Bio there about getting her mutation let me know. I hope this all works. :D

[RampantDesires]

Ha, I love the descriptor of "viciously curly" for hair :)

The last paragraph is fine, small changes like that would be totally noticeable.  In fact I have no issue with anything in her bio, I think it is great the way it is and please feel free to post it in the Active Characters thread and introduce yourself in one or both of the OOCs.

Will this be her first northern winter? If so she has my sympathies!

[Lemon Lime]

haha I'm glad you like that descriptor. I found it appropriate.

and yes, it will be her first northern winter lol. It will be fun to write, that is for sure. hehe I will go check out the OOC's and if I am still awake I will post something, if not it will be tomorrow.

[RampantDesires]

Yay! So very happy to have you guys :)  I finally got around to updating our Active Characters lists as well as modifying the numbers and restrictions in the first post.

Main Edits:
There are currently NO symptom restrictions when creating a character.  There are now several symptoms without an active character using them.

Male/Female Ratio = 15/22

[Renegade Vile]

Greetings everyone,

I am quite interested in this group game, but I do have a few questions, the first of which is what's keeping me torn about trying my hand or not. I will try and list them in an organized fashion.

• What is the general genre of this group game? I've looked over several ongoing scenes and I can't get a bearing on it. Is it mostly focused on inter-personal relations or on the dilemmas faced by these individuals? How big a part in the plot are the political and societal ramifications of the emergence of these symptoms? What direction has the main plot been going in up until now? All of these questions can simply be summarized as follows: What is the focus?
• As I understand, this game is a continuation of what has come before. The timeline lists the emergence of powers as 3 weeks before the start of the game. However, is that out-of-date? If so, when did powers first start popping up? Or do new characters always just have their first power three weeks before they are introduced? Or could they have had that power for much longer, and just happened to not manifest any others during this time?
• I am thinking of portraying a former police detective, turned private, with the power of Heightened Intelligence. He would mostly be busy trying to figure out just what is going on with the disappearances. Maybe before manifesting powers, he had even tracked down people showing symptoms personally. Shooting people with immunization rounds is a lot less enjoyable when you're the one staring down the barrel, of course, so he has a personal stake in it all. This is a very basic pitch, but I'd like to know if there is any room for such a character in the group or plot.

These questions could be a bit murky and disorganized; for that I apologize. They're just random thoughts that came to me as I read through the rules, some profiles and some scenes.

Thank you in advance for any and all answers.

[Batman4560]

Hello, while I am not the GM of this group let me do my best to answer your questions and I am sure Rampant will chime in on where I am wrong.

1. I have always looked at the game as sort of a "Heroes" style of game. All the characters will meet up at some point before the main plot really hits home. We haven't really gotten into the plot to much yet but I am told we will soon.

2. I believe everyone got their first power during the same time frame. Being three weeks before the game started.

3. I honestly have no idea if your character idea will work in the game but I don't think we have any kind of police already. I would like to say it would be cool to see one.

I hope this helps a little. Rampant will be sure to fill in the blanks that Missed. But we could really use all the players we can get. I hope that you do decide to make a character.

[AribethAmkiir]

Greetings everyone,

I am quite interested in this group game, but I do have a few questions, the first of which is what's keeping me torn about trying my hand or not. I will try and list them in an organized fashion.

• What is the general genre of this group game? I've looked over several ongoing scenes and I can't get a bearing on it. Is it mostly focused on inter-personal relations or on the dilemmas faced by these individuals? How big a part in the plot are the political and societal ramifications of the emergence of these symptoms? What direction has the main plot been going in up until now? All of these questions can simply be summarized as follows: What is the focus?
• As I understand, this game is a continuation of what has come before. The timeline lists the emergence of powers as 3 weeks before the start of the game. However, is that out-of-date? If so, when did powers first start popping up? Or do new characters always just have their first power three weeks before they are introduced? Or could they have had that power for much longer, and just happened to not manifest any others during this time?
• I am thinking of portraying a former police detective, turned private, with the power of Heightened Intelligence. He would mostly be busy trying to figure out just what is going on with the disappearances. Maybe before manifesting powers, he had even tracked down people showing symptoms personally. Shooting people with immunization rounds is a lot less enjoyable when you're the one staring down the barrel, of course, so he has a personal stake in it all. This is a very basic pitch, but I'd like to know if there is any room for such a character in the group or plot.

These questions could be a bit murky and disorganized; for that I apologize. They're just random thoughts that came to me as I read through the rules, some profiles and some scenes.

Thank you in advance for any and all answers.

Like Batman I'm not the GM of this game, however, let me help.

The focus of the game are the characters.  These are fairly regular people who have something extraordinary happen to them.  The symptoms are both amazing and terrifying.  There has been some events, which have happened in the background, that are laying the foundation for what is to come, and we have been promised by our GM that more plot will start to develop.

The characters all got their flu shots approximately three weeks ago.  After a period of being sick (a few days to over a week, depending on the character) some people began to realize they have powers.  Others have yet to realize that even though they have an SL-5 symptom.  While this may seem like a huge thing to cover as a new character, there has only been approximately a week pass in game.  So, there isn't a whole lot to catch-up on right now.

I believe there was a similar character concept but I don't know if the character is still active, or even ever got posted.

Hope that helps.

[RampantDesires]

Nah I don't find your questions disorganized at all and I'll do my best to answer them...

1) Focus of the game up to this point has been people discovering that they are now effectively superhuman in some way shape or form.  As Aribeth mentioned not everyone has noticed their symptoms, and of those who have not all of them know WHY it is happening (though for some it is fairly obvious, 'I got a shot, I got terribly sick and now I can _____'), but the last week has been a rather interesting ride for our PCs.  This isn't a massive outbreak of people exhibiting abilities, the PCs and a hand full of others so far.  There  have been a few public incidents, but not official statements yet. Though the media does report it is the sensational followed by very little, someone is clearly working to keep things calm and controlled. The local government and law enforcement now have to know that something is going on, but high ranking officials have thus far been helping a rather large organization moving in the background doing their best to stall for time to fully get into position before things become public knowledge.  PCs have for the most part been going about their lives fairly normally, there have been no public displays of power (a few on the cusp, but nothing large) and none of them have gotten into altercations with each-other or the police so far.

2) Characters with symptoms received a flu vaccine at any point between three weeks ago to what would have been Wednesday November 11th in game time (two days prior to the day selected as the start for the game and five days from our current day).  It is possible for a new character to still be experiencing the lingering effects of their illness, however no one has done so and it is by no means required simply an option.  Because of the  unstable nature of the mutation it is hard to say when powers would develop, at what rate, and in what direction.  This makes it convenient for explaining the range of abilities currently exhibited by the PCs (anywhere from SL6 to SL1) For most they got sick last week or the week before and are just now developing one of the above symptoms, but a few are showing signs of up to four.  In their back stories a few had been quietly experimenting with their first ability for awhile and that route is fine as long as there is no large event that would have drawn attention to them before the start of game time and it doesn't go back more than two weeks at most (the extra week being time to receive the vaccine and recover from it).

3) Immunization rounds do not exist in the game yet (well they DO, that's actually what our lovely HUBRIS folks have been working on and perfecting) but they have not yet been given to law enforcement (no need, no public displays of power or out cry) and none of the PCs have ever experienced them or know of their existence.  But the disappearances are definitely something that can be looked into.  They are happening more frequently now and with less ... tact.  However no bodies are showing up at the morgue. We have a former police officer turned social worker as an active character and another police detective who though he has gone inactive is welcome to return and continue where he left off, but your quick proposal seems quite different from them and  their existence would only provide your character some built in connections if you wished to use them.

So yeah, no need to apologize, I'm rather a fan of rambling flows of thought myself.  Hopefully that managed to cover things!

[Renegade Vile]

Thank you for the speedy answers Batman, Aribeth and RampantDesires. They all made it quite clear to me. I'll look into the other profiles to make sure my character won't be similar to those you mentioned, Rampant, but considering I have a few relatively unique twists to add, I don't think there will be a lot of overlap.

I'll whip up a profile by tonight at the earliest.

[Renegade Vile]

I have finished my suggested profile. Any feedback or critique is more than welcome. I'll also gladly answer any questions.

Character:

Name: Daniel Mertens
Ethnicity: Flemish Dutch
Sex: Male
Age: 34
Relationship Status: Single / Divorced
Previous (Or current) Profession: Police Department Homicide Detective (Previous), Private Investigator (Current)

Appearance:

Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue
Skin: Pale Caucasian
Weight: ±85kg
Height: 192cm (±6'3")
Other: Tall and possessing a lean swimmer's build, Daniel usually dresses casually and comfortably while possessing a decent understanding of male fashion. He tends to neglect shaving or grooming, resulting in a rather messy beard, which gets shaved off entirely whenever it gets long enough to annoy him. His hair, while always clean, doesn't see a comb very often which gives him an odd mix of dressing neatly, but otherwise looking a bit untidy.

Information:

Personality: Daniel is primarily characterized by his calm demeanor and introspective nature. Contrary to popular belief, being introverted does not mean being awkward or anti-social. If anything, his line of work demands he keep good relations with other people, most notably witnesses and suspects. He is the type to almost always remain quiet unless he has something useful to say and tends to keep his private life to himself. On the flipside, he gets terribly annoyed whenever his time is being wasted on frivolous conversation when there are more important things to do. Chatty people who ramble on and seem to want to ask personal question after personal question will find that he isn't keen on releasing anything to the public. Strangely enough, he tends to be a bit hypocritical in that area as he wastes no time observing others, attempting to satisfy his curiosity and learn all there is to know about them. He won't step over any lines, but he will study an individual closely. Rooted partly in job-related habits dying hard, and partly in a paranoid streak, he only does so to figure out whether or not someone is trustworthy.

With a stern appearance and thoughtful gaze, he is almost the textbook example of an intense, contemplative thinker. His mind never stops working and he tends to voice his opinion when it isn't requested, when he feels they should listen to someone a little less impulsive than the norm. Terribly cautious, Daniel hates risks and usually doesn't consider any reward worth a substantial risk. Always stepping through his motions in his head, he can come across as being a bit wooden and overly serious. He does possess a healthy sense of humor, however, it just tends to be very dry, witty and even akin to gallows humor at times. Not one for small talk, he is a very good listener and people have often confided in him. He has an air of being trustworthy that is hard to deny. He gives out brief, concise advice to those who seek it and presents himself as being utterly unbiased in many matters.

A cool head on steady shoulders, he isn't quick to anger and his pragmatic approach to nearly every problem in life has led to him being accused of lacking empathy in the past. It is true that he isn't the warmest of individuals, but his heart is usually in the right place, and when he feels someone is in danger, he will stop at nothing to try and help them in whatever way he can. Definitely possessing a tendency for self-sacrifice, he often neglects himself for the benefit of others, which has aided in giving him a very solemn and stern demeanor.

Background: Daniel was born in Flanders, Belgium, to a regular family and lived a perfectly regular life throughout his childhood. Not particularly gifted in any mental of physical way, his grades were good enough to allow him to do higher studies and so, as was the norm, he did so. Since he was young, his main field of interest had always been detective work. A mix of interest in what made people tick and a fascination with forensic procedures were the root of his desires to join the police force. To boot, he had always enjoyed games of logic and thinking, being steps ahead of someone else or being able to discern their plans, past and present, with only the bare minimum of given information. Having found his niche, he excelled in his studies and it was around this time that he met a woman he thought would be the love of his life, and for 9 years, she was. A few years into their relationship, his then-wife had decided to move back to the US as a career move and Daniel had no issues with uprooting and relocating with her. Now living in America, it didn't take him long to climb the ranks of the police force there, given his sterling reputation from back home, and he made detective soon after. Things did not stay particularly happy for very long, however.

Ever since slipping a ring on her finger, his wife had always stayed with him purely for convenience. He was a stable force, much more so than most of the men she had been involved with in the past. He was far more suited to raise a child with, but she never truly loved him. Twisted in a way, she never stopped seeing lovers on the side, keeping it from him. Blissfully ignorant, it took longer than one would expect for her to become sloppy in covering her tracks and when Daniel finally learned about the years of unfaithfulness, their 6-year old daughter was the biggest victim. Now, two years later, Daniel barely ever sees his little girl, as the battle in court had not gone particularly well for him. Deciding to relocate, he is fortunate if he sees her once a month, usually when the mother is too preoccupied with her career to find a babysitter during an especially busy week. The fact that she had always been the apply of his eye didn't help the feelings of helplessness.

In his work, things did not go much better. Daniel had always known that justice was blind, it was an essential principle, but that she was foolish enough to trick was another matter entirely. In his early naivety, he had always believed that sufficient proof would spell doom for anyone that commits horrible crimes against their fellow man. But every time a murderer or rapist was released on a technicality or sentenced to serve time barely befitting the punishment, he lost more and more faith. After all, he was the one who had to try and explain to the loved ones left behind why the one who committed the crime was being let off easy. At first, he tried to drown his guilt and lost ways in alcohol, but he quickly realized the serious problems he was trying to ignore and renounced the bottle forever, instead trying to be more proactive. In the following years, he began to dabble more and more in doing what he could, sometimes illegally, to get convictions of individuals involved in horrific crimes that were all too obviously guilty, but had the money and connections to get off scott-free. This didn't last. As expected, some of his misconduct was discovered by colleagues who couldn't turn a blind eye, and Daniel was discharged.

Now fully disillusioned, the bad divorce and corrupt justice system had broken any trust he had in the status quo. Having become a tremendously skilled and experienced criminal investigator over the years, he decided to turn to private detective work to pay the rent and began to do moderately well for himself. A year after striking out on his own, Daniel had himself injected with the flu vaccine like many others that lived in Glenside, only to find himself falling horribly ill for almost a week. During the time he was bedridden, he began to notice something had changed about himself. An avid reader of books on almost any subject under the sun, he started to realize he could recount entire passages from books, just from memory. Some nights, he would lie awake and find himself able to reiterate dozens of pages of a book on advanced physics he had read earlier that week, as if the letters were right there, in front of him. Simple experimentation led him to believe he had, somehow, been given eidetic memory. Completely puzzled, he refused to turn to doctors for help, for fear of the sheer amount of tests they might be willing to perform on him. Instead, he focused on his reading, renting book after book from libraries and online sources, for entire weeks. Between work, he would spend all of his time with his nose between the pages. While his memory couldn't help him understand the material, it was already amazing that just about anything he saw, heard or witnessed just stuck in his head. People he watched while on duty were crystal clear to him days later. He could describe with terrifying accuracy what a specific individual had been wearing and how they had been behaving.

It wasn't until he began to get more job requests to find missing persons the police weren't doing anything about that he began to put the pieces together. The flu vaccine? His curiosity piqued, he began to research the vaccine, where it had come from, and more. While most ended up giving him no answers, he did eventually find enough personal proof to link the gifts bestowed upon him to the vaccines. Moreover, he was almost entirely certain the string of disappearances was involved as well. He would get to the bottom of it all, before the men in black suits were at his door to take him away...

Symptoms:

• Heightened Intelligence: SL - 1 - Photographic Memory

Hobbies and Interests:

• Humanism: Sharing a lot of traits with humanist thinkers, Daniel has very few subjects he doesn't find at least somewhat interesting. His personal library contains books on anything from law and criminal investigation, chemistry and physics, sports and politics, down to history and economics. With his memory overdeveloping, everything seems to stick and while it doesn't offer comprehension, learning mathematical equations becomes far easier when you can simply see them before your eyes.
• Mysteries and Logic Puzzles: Perhaps expected, Daniel is a fan of anything that will challenge his mind and rationality. While not a genius in terms of scientific expertise, his intuition, problem solving and reasoning skills are well honed over years of exercising a hobby so easy to find.
• Boxing: An avid boxer since he turned 15, Daniel has been practicing the sport for most of his life. While he could try his hand at practicing it professionally, he knows he doesn't have the talent to do any better than mediocre. However, his fit physique and excellent technique make him an excellent fighter in emergencies and it has been many years since he's ever been knocked down in any fight that breaks out in his presence.
• Others: Other hobbies and interests include mystery novels, chess, international politics, conspiracy theories (though he rarely finds any of them having any merit to them) and professional boxing.

Note: Not really sure if it is noteworthy or necessary, but as a Belgian-born, Daniel is fluent in Dutch, French and English, good enough in German and has notions of Spanish.

[RampantDesires]

Daniel looks great, I see no issues with anything in his character sheet so please feel free to move him over into the Active Characters thread and introduce yourself to the group in the OOCs.

[Renegade Vile]

Thank you, lady Rampant. I shall do so tomorrow as, for right now, sleep beckons.
I shall see you on the other side.

[RockSalt]

This looks really really cool but I'm not confident at all that I'd be able to keep up ;__;

[Batman4560]

The game dosen't move that fast. I encourage you to fill out a sheet.

[RockSalt]

Rampant actually talked to me about it a bit and after liking the idea enough to spend an hour or two reading all the info threads and stuff, I thought the posting looked laid back enough to justify indulging in the idea =w=; Hopefully my life will stay stable enough that I can keep laying a plenty long time!

I'm kicking some power/idea ideas about as we speak XD

[Batman4560]

Well if there is anything I can do to help feel free to let me know. :D

[ererruz]

I've got a funny idea for a character if it's still open to new players :)

[RockSalt]

Pretty sure it's still open! :) What's your idea I'm curious?

[RampantDesires]

I've got a funny idea for a character if it's still open to new players :)

I potentially like funny ideas AND new characters, so by all means please feel free to share ererruz I'd love to hear it!

Speaking of new stuff, I'm happy to officially roll out your tracking power suggestion Rock Salt.

Dousing
This ability usually requires a physical focus. Ideally a piece of the object to be found (or something that is closely tied to it) or a personal possession of the person.  Both the target and the focus modify the Devi's effective SL.

Target is being actively hidden (object is disguised as something else, person is trying to 'lay low' and avoid detection)= -1 SL
Focus is a replica or picture with no direct tie = -1SL
No focus, just a general description= -2SL
Devi has a personal relationship with the target (it is something they owned/one of their friends)= +1 SL

Modifiers are cumulative (trying to find someone who is trying to avoid detection with only a picture as focus= -2SL, trying to find a personal item that has been hidden would be -1SL+1SL the modifiers simply negate one another.)

SL1 - Bond is tenuous.  The Devi gets a general sense of where their target is located, but it is vague, a tug in a certain direction and a 'hotter' 'colder' feeling as they track.
SL2 - Bond strengthens now providing a direction and distance for the Deviation to work with. This ability is muted by walls and other obstructions.  (You'd constantly be narrowing the parameters of your search: in the city>in the right district>on the right block>in front of the right building>on the right floor>in that specific room>exact location assuming you could gain access to all of those places.)
SL3 - The location of the item/person is now clear to the Devi once they're within 100 yards of their target. (on the same street/in the same building)
SL4 - Not merely location but the over all state of the person/item they are tracking can be determined. ie person is injured/sleeping/anxious item is locked away/broken/being used ect. The range of the ability triples to 300 yards giving it the radius of about a city block and allowing it to go through large obstructions like walls.
SL5 - Full bonding achieved.  The Devi's range triples yet again to 900 yards, roughly half a mile, and they can now scry upon their target providing a temporary (1 minute or less before a one hour period of rest is required) but full and in real time audio visual link to the immediate area around their target.

Deviants with the psychometry symptom are able to combine SLs  with this one to achieve the higher results with more negative modifiers (though a SL5 bond is still the highest result possible).  <Example> Deviant 1 with Dousing SL4+ Deviant 2 with Psychometry SL2= combine to a SL6 attempt allowing them to scry upon a target with a replica or picture instead of a direct link to their target, or find an object that is being deliberately hidden as long as there is a personal tie.

This symptom will be added to the Mind category.  Please keep in mind that there might be a period of fine tuning where I change some of the wording to make it more clear, but the power itself should be balanced to a point where it is useful without being game breaking at higher levels.

I look forward to seeing your character as well!

[RockSalt]

Omg yay! Glad to see it was all worked out! My character's almost done! I should be able to submit him for review tonight!

[RockSalt]

Character sheet done! You don't know how much I struggled to keep this brief enough to be readable >3>

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Character:

Name: Vance Maywood
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age: 19
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Was a factory worker and Whatever minimum wage job he could find on the side, but currently unemployed and considering returning to pick pocketing/theft to make ends meet.

Appearance:

Hair: Dark brown, curly, generally unruly and hangs around his eyes in length.
Eyes: Large and a pale grey/blue.
Skin: Pale
Weight: 127
Height: 5’9”
Other: A tired, scrawny looking young man. He has a little bit of a baby-face but looks tired beyond his years thanks to struggling with insomnia. He’s active enough that he might be in decent shape if he ate better, but as it stands he’s skinny as a rail and his choice to wear worn, oversized clothing a majority of the time doesn’t help his appearance. He cleans up well when he puts in the effort, but most of the time it’s easy to tell he’s from the rough side of town. Vance has a habit of trying to mask his emotions and thoughts, though anyone paying close attention can usually pick up on small tells or read his expressive eyes. He has no particularly distinguishing marks.

Information:

Personality: Vance is a pessimist who believes that pretty much the entirety of the human race is irreparably flawed. He pretty much believes everybody is selfish, has their own agenda, and will inevitably hurt someone no matter how “nice” or kind they try to be. Vance does not exclude himself from this assessment, and acknowledges that with his history he’s pretty low on the scale of morality. He has low self esteem, and pretty much has given himself as a lost cause so he rarely does himself the kindness of doing something he wants to do or thinking of his own needs. He cuts his own corners far before cutting any others, which leads to a meager diet and long work hours with little levity.

Vance isn’t great at expressing himself so he tends to purposely aggravate people with bluntness and speaking in as few words as possible. He can be a real little shit when he wants to. This keeps their reactions to what fits his worldview and he doesn’t run the risk of intimacy which scares him. Ha can be curt and callous, but deep down is still kind of the kid who grew up too fast and will sulk when he doesn’t get his way but take secret joy in the small things. If you can get past his intense distrust, there’s a real person beneath his shell.

However, one of the most important things in Vance’s life is his brother, Ryan. Vance is devoted to him wholly, and would die (or kill) for his safety and happiness. Vance has given up on achieving his own happiness and feels he doesn’t deserve it, so he’s made himself a tool for his family’s happiness and success. This has made him one of the hardest workers ever, and you will rarely hear a peep of complaint if he thinks his suffering and energy is going towards this purpose.

Background: Vance was the result of an unwanted teenage pregnancy, one that had his mother kicked out of her home and set him up for a life of struggles. He was raised by his mother alone, who struggled to get enough money for herself and Vance, and it only got worse when she became pregnant again when Vance was five and gave birth to his younger brother. The event seemed to trigger a relapse for his mother who struggled with a drug and alcohol addiction and made their living situation worse. Vance didn’t enter school until he was six, and by the time he was nine he was cutting it constantly in an attempt to bring in some money himself.

Vance quickly latched onto his little brother as his source of hope and motivation. He had a low opinion of himself and very little respect for his mother, but his brother could do no wrong. Vance practically killed himself every day to get money. His experiences with his mother kept him out of all but the very fringes of the drug dealings that happened in the projects. This left an unemployable pre-teen with pretty much only one option for money, theft. What started out as simple purse snatching and shoplifting eventually got more skilled and Vance gained some ability in pick-pocketing. He was however, arrested twice, and on his way to juvie if he messed up again. He was pretty much the adult in the house at the point, doing everything from cooking to grocery shopping to cleaning as his mother remained drunk or high or both. However, as soon as he was old enough to look for work (or at least looked old enough to lie about his age to look for work) he started picking up odd jobs and eventually landed himself a job at a factory.

This stabilized Vance’s life quite a bit, and for quite a few years life was “good,” or at least better than it had been before. His brother Ryan was excelling in school and though their mother was just as out of touch it effected their lives less once Vance got a steady income. Years of putting too much importance and stress on himself had left Vance with troubling bouts of insomnia where he can’t seem to get to sleep without feeling guilty. He was familiar with quite a bit of the city as a kid trying to make money any way he could and so when he runs out of chores to do he’s taken to exploring the city again and finding places to indulge his love of climbing and exercise.

Recently however, due to falling profits and the unstable economy, Vance had to be cut from his long-standing job. Things have gotten desperate especially since Ryan is in his first year of high-school which takes far more time and money than earlier grades. Vance has burnt through what little savings he had managed to keep away from his mother’s addicted fingers and he’s begun shoplifting again to help with paying for groceries. He and his younger brother both received a free flu vaccine at one of the grocery stores (Vance can’t afford to get sick and he’d do anything to prevent Ryan from suffering.) Vance got sick and has just gotten over it, unknowingly becoming a Deviant in the process. His younger brother got sick later, and is currently sick at home though whether he’s received one of the altered doses of the vaccine is not clear yet. Vance isn’t quite aware of his new abilities yet, being rather subtle and requiring concentration to truly activate, but he’s begun sensing something’s strange and has been suffering from constant migraines for the past week.


Symptoms:
Dousing (see symptoms listing for more details)
SL 1 - Bond is tenuous.  The Devi gets a general sense of where their target is located, but it is vague, a tug in a certain direction and a 'hotter' 'colder' feeling as they track.



Hobbies and Interests:
MUSIC – Vance loves classical music desperately, though rarely allows himself to indulge. He has an extremely precise ear and significant talent, but since he’s never been able to nurture it, it’s grown to nothing but a snobbish ability to tell when someone’s off key and some small ability to play the open piano at music shops. He also has mild synesthesia which helps him recall music with extreme clarity.
ANIMALS – Vance may consider people to be inherently flawed, but animals are purer and less scary to him. He owns no pets but will happily interact with animals he runs into on the street. He honestly prefers animals over people (save for his brother.)
EXPLORING/CLIMBING – Vance’s restless nature and wanderlust he can’t indulge in without abandoning his family means he enjoys exploring the city and has made it a challenge to see how many obscure/hard to reach places he can finagle his way into. He’s definitely not at a parkour level but someone with no experience will find him slippery to catch up with if he can make use of this skill.
DOMESTIC SKILLS – Not exactly a hobby, but he’s done pretty much all of chores for his home since he was eight or nine, and so he’s a decent cook and cleans things thoroughly. He’ll retreat into doing small chores when he feels restless and often feels guilty if he’s not actively doing something. There’s ALWAYS something that needs doing.
PLAYING CARDS – Really, it’s his brother Ryan who likes playing cards but with only Vance to play with, it’s rubbed off a bit on him too. He knows quite a few to keep entertained with if he even needs it.
RUNNING AND HIDING – Well, a youth of stealing and pick pocketing gets you some skills even if Vance can barely read…
SLIGHT OF HAND – Shoplifting and pick pocketing mostly, but with his inherent distrust of people Vance likes being able to hide things from them and misdirect them, so he can manage a few slight of hand tricks. This doesn’t overlap with his playing cards ability, so no worries about cheating card-games (he never gambles anyways.)


OOC Ons and Offs: Vance is demisexual homoromantic which means he's attracted to guys but only once he's gotten to know them. Otherwise look at my O&O (broader and more general) and Roleplay Preferences (little specifics)

[RampantDesires]

Yes! I rather like Vance and look forward to seeing him in action.  While I have no problem with his brother and think it is a good addition to his history I'm curious as to how much of a role you think the younger NPC will have in the game?  Should your answer be 'significant'  how would you feel about slightly altering his age to 16 so that we don't have a lot of under aged characters moving about? (a few of the characters have kids, this is fine, it isn't a required change just a suggestion!)

[RockSalt]

Eh, he might have significant role, he might not. I don't anticipate a lot of interaction at Vance's (hey wanna see my trashy apartment in the projects and meet my druggie mom? No? Well alright...) but since he is a big part of Vance's backstory and a big part of Vance's life, it's easy to see where he (or at least Vance's attachment to him) might get dragged into events/plots. I like him being 14 becuase he's still young enough to really merit needing looking after to some extent whereas that's less the case with sixteen.

Would it be alright if he stays 14 for now? I don't intend for him to be a huge part of the story but if he does end up being more involved I'm happy to retroactively bump up his age a year or two once that happens!

[RampantDesires]

No problem :) Go ahead and move him over into the Active Characters thread!

[RockSalt]

Woo hoo! Officially posted! :D

[Renegade Vile]

Congratulations and welcome once again, Rocksalt *smiles*.

[Derwaysh]

It is with great delight that I would like to express my interest in your wonderful venture. I have been perusing the board for quite awhile now at Timeless's behest and would take great pleasure in formulating a character.

I was wondering if there's anybody or any particular personality-type you were looking for? I have a few ideas but I always like to mingle those with what's required so I can accommodate certain elements to the best of me ability whilst presenting a character.

Unfortunately I have not had the pleasure of playing/writing in a system setting before. I have accommodated myself somewhat with the premise, but would be seeking your kind assistance every so often, if that's not a bother. : )

Thank you very kindly! 

[AribethAmkiir]

I don't want to speak for Rampant, but she's always been welcoming to the questions and concerns I've had and has helped guide me when I've needed it.  I'm positive you would have the same responses.

The other great thing about this game is that there are quite a few players who've been around for awhile and can answer and guide you, as far as the system, if you're in need of it.  We are usually more than eager to help new players.

As far as "personality-types", I'm unaware of anything we "need".  Rampant is likely more capable of answering that than myself.  It has been my experience, however, that the more outgoing the character the better overall experience you'll have.  If you haven't already, you may want to skim the "Active Characters" to see if there's any character or player you'd like to interact with, and then contact that player to see if you can work something out with them.

[Derwaysh]

Milady Aribeth... lovely Rampant did get in contact with me and at the moment I'm in the process of creating a new character. I did take a gander at the threads and should be able to post my offering by the end of today or early tomorrow for everyone to peruse and see if any revisions are required.

Thank you very kindly for the welcome. Cheers!

[RampantDesires]

Hurm, I suppose I should make a point of posting in here as well as sending PMs. Habit I guess though it could be off putting to others now that I think about it.  Anyway I look forward to seeing your ex-spestnaz Derwaysh (and I'm not going to lie, possibly seeing your avatar more in the group is well anticipated as well as it is beyond delicious :P) but no rush as character proposals can be rather time consuming, especially  somewhat long ones like ours.


Recruitment Update: Still no restrictions on symptoms or gender so please feel free to be creative :) Current Male/Female ratio 16/22 (not including Derwaysh's upcoming male).

Upcoming/Current Events:
Large apartment building fire with a Deviant as the cause.
Subway tunnel collapse.  Also Deviant related.
Important Public Announcement.
Charity Ball/Fundraiser.

[Derwaysh]

Character:

Name: Igor Zima
Ethnicity: Slavic/Russian
Sex: Male
Age: 36
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Previously a soldier in the Red Army. Ex-Spestnaz. Ex-Blackwater Company. Presently engaged in running a security firm by the name of “Igor and Friends” where he is the only employee unfortunately. 

More Pictures

Appearance:

Hair: Dark brown
Eyes: Discs of pale blue.
Skin: Pale with shades of ivory.
Weight: 185 lbs.
Height: 6’4
Other: Marred with scars and botched stitches all over his body, reflecting the man’s past professions as well as his constant need to engage in warfare and conflict given his semi-feral nature (metaphorically speaking of course).

Information:

Personality:

Brash. Loud-mouthed and brutally honest.
Igor attracts a lot of attention because of said nature. He’s had trouble dealing with strife in the military and it continues to cause problems for him on a usual basis since he finds it difficult to juggle between the good honesty and the bad type of honesty. He raises a lot of eyebrows with his loud demeanor and disregard for anything that does not adhere to his rhetoric. Whilst the gentleman is quick to understand situations, oft times he finds himself engaged in trouble he does not need or can do without given the number of enmities he’s got or people he pisses off on occasion.

Gallant. Decisive. Personable.
If something good came out of the military, it was the decision making characteristic that Igor acquired along with the need to be brave when the situation demanded. “You put your life on the line one too many times and you realize you’re invincible.” He would regularly fire these words when recounting his tales of valour. Whilst a show off and brash, it is difficult not to find the man’s persona fetching given his wild mannerisms and the style he adheres to.

Bullheaded. Impetuous.
A stubborn boy since he was young, Igor is now a proud stubborn man. His adamant ways had served him well in the past and he puts that nature to good use in each of his dealings, whether they are with the limited clientele of ‘Igor and Friends’ or with the few friends he would converse with over at the local bar. Nigh impossible to deal with, Igor is very impetuous and sometimes for his own good. Whist some may argue this is caused due to his military life from years ago, it is safe to say if it needs fixing and Igor can smash it into solution, the man would continue down that path until hell, high water or KGB can stop him.

Impudent. Untrusting.
The only people who were able to get Sergeant Major Zima to obey were his father and his first commanding officer he served under. During the Georgian ambush in South Ossetia Igor witnessed his CO fall and assumed authority right from the get go. Perhaps a part of him still reimagines every situation he has ever been in as that particular ambush since then or maybe Igor hates authority but either way he does not heed to commands and it takes more than simply authority for him to obey or fall in line. If he finds the said authority undeserved or unnecessary, Igor does all he can to upset the balance and establish himself as the go to person, unless there is viable threat of demise or failure.

Background:

Conceived and born in Norilsk, Russia Igor was no stranger to industrial towns or civil strife. The rich copper mines made for Soviet pride and Soviet peoples’ demise in this region. It was something to be proud of however when on occasion his parents did take him out of Norilsk to meet with others. “Soviet power supreme.” He would utter those words gladly and clasped his ambitions close to his chest how one day he will serve Mother Russia on the field of battle, perhaps even play the role of an important sergeant in these here parts. Igor had borne a close witness to the miners’ complaints as their supervisors worked ever harder to sustain both yield and productivity. It was a tough job, a man’s job, a true Russian’s job. Anyone could abandon a cause but it took absolute bravado and vigour to see it all the way through, as he was taught what passed for Marx’s rhetoric. Sooner or later his efforts would involve bringing glory to the motherland, quite possibly in the form of hurting the Yankees whom everybody hated. Of course things did not work out quite the way he desired it and at age of 13 he discovered how the beloved Republican Union was no more.

Soon after things took an ugly turn for the residents of Norilsk, it was imperative there would be outside migration, especially given the deaths and the butchering of the miners due to winter and regime change. These times were difficult because Igor had never read or even heard of things of that sort and whether the Socialist Republic was capable of such feats. He decided to now serve his motherland in a different capacity and joined the Russian paramilitary force. He shot at unarmed rebels until he was transferred to a field where he shot those with bomb jackets and similar paraphernalia. This continued for a while until he found himself within United States.

Currently working for a private security firm whose importance he exaggerates, Igor worked with the Russian military against Chechen rebels and South Ossetia invasion. When he parted ways with the red army the man was quick to jump on the NATO bandwagon and became an integral part of the Blackwater Company. Successfully having been involved in a number of engagements both on the Iraqi and Afghan fronts, Igor made use of the accelerated Green Card category for foreign servicemen who have performed in a military capacity for United States and found himself in Glenside where he now shrewdly albeit unsuccessfully tries to run a security agency.

Much to the chagrin of his stubborn bits, Igor received his flu shot three weeks prior to all hell breaking loose. What passed between then and him realizing his symptom was a concoction of sheer hell, excruciating pain and bouts of vodka that consumed him before he decided to wrangle it by the throat and beat it into submission.  As much as Igor would like to believe it was what happened, he figured somehow fighting against the illness made him the strong man he is today. One can almost imagine the surprise that would pull his strings once he comes to contact with others and realizes that there’s a lot in motion than he first grasped.

Symptoms:

Strength: SL - 1 - Ability to lift up to 250 lbs.

Hobbies and Interests:

Guns, guns, guns!: Igor is a savant enthusiast when it comes to firearms and their latest availability. He believes in the second amendment and considers himself a proud member of the RRL (Russian Rifle League) despite opposing the concept of Capitalism. Igor carries different types of gun licenses courtesy of his business and background, sufficiently allowing him to engage in his hobby during his free time – which also includes cigars and vodka – when he is not on the job due to lack of business this is almost all the time.

Ballet: Igor’s secret dream has always been to perform as a professional ballet dancer. Given his size and strength it’s not only difficult but an almost impossible venture to be fleet on his feet and execute the necessary moves. He contents himself with watching the latest displays of entertainment whenever by himself – albeit with equal proportion of vodka and cigar – and is thoroughly impressed by the Swedish performances in general. Igor’s basement is full of life size cut outs and posters of the ballet greats that once were, in thorough recompense to ease his aching heart, how he would never be even as close to good as they are.

Electronics: The man is a sucker for all manner of latest gadgetry irrespective of whether they involve cellphones, computers, tablets or hardware paraphernalia at barebones level like hard disks and processors. This is yet another of his secret obsessions and very rarely would Igor discuss or even bring up the topic unless the other person is an idiot or a savant such as himself. He takes great joy at reading the many magazine subscriptions he has to the many publications that arrive on a weekly and monthly basis. Often Igor can be found on his large chair in his backyard, away from the public eye, as he reads the latest issue of “PC Cayenne; the new condiment of Ultram!” with some cigar and vodka in tow.

Endurance and Strength based exercises: From weight lifting to benching, kicking boxing against inflatable dummies to crunches, Igor does them all. The man carries a total of three gym subscriptions, the first one he made use of when he first arrived at Glenside. Second he bought because the owner was a Russian friend and the third he signed up for when he was drunk one day. The next day when he called to cancel they offered him free credit for anything in the store and Igor was sold, he ended up buying the same subscription for as he liked to refer to it – “a rainy day, da!” – And occasionally spends his time visiting all the three establishments, sometimes a lot more than those who only have one subscription.

OOC Ons and Offs:
Extremely flexible but in most cases writer’s offs from the O/Os list apply. Kindly take a note and should there be any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me.

[RampantDesires]

Awesome, thank you so much :) I see no problem with Igor's sheet.  Please feel free to move him into the Active Character's thread and introduce yourself in either or both of the OOCs.  Welcome to Deviations!

[Flower]

Random: You picked a lovely face claim for him. :-)

[Derwaysh]

Thank you very kindly, ladies. Happy to be on board. : )

[Swordsman18]

Character:

Name: Killian Trion
Ethnicity: African American
Sex: Male
Age: 33
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Ex-Navy Seal

Appearance:

Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Skin: Dark Brown
Weight: 180lbs
Height: 6ft 2in
Other: There is a series of long scars on his back and chest from shrapnel he encountered in combat. They range from small scars to long cuts to just dots along his ebony colored skin.

Information:

Personality: Killian thinks of himself as a good guy, as a person that feels like he is responsible for too many things. Yet it is this trait that he feels makes him a good soldier as well as a good leader. He has seen combat, strife, and personal hardship from several angles. This makes him very understanding to other people's positions. Yet, this is also a fault as he may over think things along with taking people's failures, especially under his command, as his own.

Background: [Three good paragraphs] Killian was born in a bad part of Los Angeles, learning about gang life from when he could barely walk. Both of his parents worked long hours to allow him to go to school and get an education. Yet still, he ended up getting jumped into a gang at 13. For a long time, all he did for them was transport things and occasionally rough up some rival gang members. But his cousin, who happened to be in a leadership position in the gang did not see it fit to make him live up to the Killer nickname he had been given. Instead, he felt Killian needed to learn how much of a family his fellows were before he ultimately needed to kill for them. Killian grew to see his gang as his family after he felt abandoned by his parents.

Yet, when he finally did kill for the gang at 16, he got caught for stealing just a few blocks away. Killian had a slight record but nothing of such an extreme. The police asked him to rat out his gang, but he refused. Juvenile hall was his home for two years released back onto the streets that had put him there. After getting no support from his gang and his parents having been there for him through the whole ordeal, he knew bad choices were made. At the recommendation from his father, he entered into the Navy.

The Navy is no real easy place, nor was it supposed to be.  Killian before he went into the Navy had not been the most disciplined person, yet through it he learned to be a better more disciplined man. Eventually, he got dropped into combat where he found it much easier to kill for not just his brothers in arms, but his country. Yet, it left a sour taste in his mouth. Killian never paid for the life he took for the gang. To think he put someone down who did not deserve it. Those he killed fought with the intent to kill him, yet she never really saw it coming until the moment the trigger got pulled. Killing never became pleasurable for him. It became something he did to keep people safe. To protect people like the one he killed in cold blood.

After a decade of war, his heart became hardened his mind every more sharp than when he became a SEAL. Now he lead his own squad, tracking down and eliminating the country's issues before they became crises. Yet a mission came around in a hot zone. Killain and his squad engaged the hostiles in their building going fast and quietly as they could. About halfway through the sweep, Killian and crew came upon a room where a man stood holding a woman with a grenade in his hand. Just as he saw them, the hostile popped the grenade. Hoping to save his squad and the woman, he ran at the two. One of the riflemen in his squad already popped a shot in between the hostile's eyes, the rest for Killian was whited out.

Next thing he remembered was awakening in a hospital bed surrounded by his men. Not too long after that, he got honorably discharged being awarded a couple medals to boot. Coming home, he had a long road of recovery to go through both psychological and physical. Even now, he still awakes in the middle of the night in a cold sweat still thinking he is in that room with the grenade.

Symptoms:
Portal Generation: SL - 1 - The deviation is able to summon a "portable" black hole roughly the size of a softball in diameter. The weight stored within may not exceed 25 lbs. Items are "called" with thought, and appear in hand to be removed.


Hobbies and Interests:

Militaristic Discipline: Killian does all he can to maintain his regiment of exercise, gun training and diet. Not that he is worried about being redeployed, yet he feels this keeps him from falling into the darker corners of his mind.

Reading: He commonly reads all sorts of fiction, ranging from novels to comics. Not having duties to do, he likes to take his time acquiring knowledge when he is not at work.

Other Info

Post-Traumatic Syndrome still effects him at times where a loud noise or too fast of a movement in a strange place could cause a violent or militaristic reaction. He still is quite anxious about ever turning his back to new people.

The grenade did extensive damage to his torso that is not completely repaired, so there is occasional muscle weakness even given his very muscular physique. Many of his scars are sensitive to the touch where the tissue is weaker than the areas surrounding it. Yet for the most part he has not dealt with them opening up.

OOC Ons and Offs:

Same as writer's which are linked in signature. If you have a question please ask.

[RampantDesires]

Thank you kindly for those small edits.  Try not to cause TOO much trouble your first week :p Please move him to the Active Character thread and get to chattin' up the group!

[Swordsman18]

Question for my back up sheet, is it possible that a person could not realize the full reaching capabilities of their symptom? Like a person that has Hydrokinesis but instead of pulling moisture out of the air or using water, they use their own blood instead. I have no issues playing out the issues of exsanguination due to the over use of the ability.

I also wonder what the exposure to the blood would have on others the blood is used on.

[RampantDesires]

Essentially the only way to get abilities in the game is to have had that contaminated flu shot.  There is no secondary infection of any kind caused by exposure to the blood of a Deviation.  I would be willing the at least entertain the thought of someone with Heightened Intelligence SL - 4 - Character is now prone to random tech advancement ideas (within reason) or
SL - 5 - Character may now craft/modify complex equipment (within reason) working on a way to grant small abilities with their or other character's blood, focusing on biological modifications instead of technological ones, but it would have to be discussed heavily and would likely be more flavorful than game changing.

You could limit your character to only using their own blood instead of the wider 'water' group, but there would be no real benefit to doing so and it would just be an RP point.  So sure.

[ebpohmr]

Its so tempting to make a character for this game - but I have no idea how to choose what 'strain' of infection to start with. So many good choices! :p

[RockSalt]

Its so tempting to make a character for this game - but I have no idea how to choose what 'strain' of infection to start with. So many good choices! :p

You can always roll the dice if you're stuck! That's how you get new ones once the game's started anyways! Also, I find it's good to either pick a power that matches the character's theme/personality (feisty fighter gets super strength or fire manipulation) or go the complete opposite (tough bruiser gets empathy or animal affinity or something) pretty much anything can be made to work though!

[RampantDesires]

I am quite understandably biased, but I think that making a character for this game would be a great idea! :D

Please feel free to ask questions and the like here, or my inbox is always open and yahoo is always an option.  Regardless of your decision I hope you have a great weekend n'all that.

[ebpohmr]

You can always roll the dice if you're stuck! That's how you get new ones once the game's started anyways! Also, I find it's good to either pick a power that matches the character's theme/personality (feisty fighter gets super strength or fire manipulation) or go the complete opposite (tough bruiser gets empathy or animal affinity or something) pretty much anything can be made to work though!

Thanks for the advice! I might just resort to dice rolling. My approach to these sorts of games is to start with the powers/core abilities, then figure out the kind of character I would want to play who would fit in with them. Then I expand from there. ;)

I am quite understandably biased, but I think that making a character for this game would be a great idea! :D

Please feel free to ask questions and the like here, or my inbox is always open and yahoo is always an option.  Regardless of your decision I hope you have a great weekend n'all that.

Cheers Rampant! I may very well add you on YIM. ;)

[RampantDesires]

The problem with building a character around your starting power is that you may never upgrade that power again depending on how the dice gods favor you.  Granted statistically you are far more likely to upgrade your first power at least a few times, but I've seen it happen.  One of Dancing Flower's characters has four abilities all still at SL1.

[ebpohmr]

Yeah, I noticed that possibility. The real problem I have is having too many concepts for 'ordinary' characters it would be fun to play. ;)

[RockSalt]

You can actually also play a normal citizen! You don't have to have powers at all if you don't want!

[RampantDesires]

Actually all PCs are Deviations, you don't have to NOTICE your power, but you do have to have one O.o

[ebpohmr]

Actually all PCs are Deviations, you don't have to NOTICE your power, but you do have to have one O.o

Hmm, that could be interesting, especially with some of the less obvious powers. Maybe a lawyer, or similar sort of person used to hiding the truth behind a public facade...

[RockSalt]

Actually all PCs are Deviations, you don't have to NOTICE your power, but you do have to have one O.o

My bad Rampant, I mixed Deviations up with another superpowered group rp I had been reading around the same time I joined  :-[

[RampantDesires]

No worries.  I appreciate it when you guys pop in here and answer questions and welcome people!

Temporary Restriction - Strong military/police backgrounds.  We now have at least five characters, most of them newer, in the game who have this and until things settle down a bit more this temporary restriction will remain in place. 

I'm not sure about starting power restrictions as I need to update my chart, but I'll pop back in if there are any...

Current Male/Female ratio = 19/21 my OCD side likes the almost perfect balance and there are still as per the usual no gender restrictions.  Also note that this count is largely just for my bookkeeping side as we have a mix of sexualities in play. 

[ebpohmr]

Progress is slow, but I'm still working on a concept! *nods* And it most certainly doesn't involve a law enforcement or military background. ;)

[RampantDesires]

Yay, no rush we are a patient bunch :)

Turns out there IS a power restriction.

• Avian Shapeshifting

Powers that no one has:

• Force Field Generation
• Gravity Manipulation
• Wind Manipulation
• Reptile Manipulation
• Avian Manipulation

Symptoms with a lot of activity but that aren't yet closed....

• Telepathy - 4
• Portal Generation - 3
• Strength, Endurance, Reflexes - 3
• Shapeshifting: Insect and Reptilian - 3

Breakdown of Current Symptoms

Omnilinguistics   2
Telekinesis   2
Telepathy   4
Heightened Intelligence   2
Forcefield Generation   0
Induced Healing   2
Illusion Casting   2
Psychrometry    1
Dousing   1
   
Regeneration   1
Speed   2
Strength   3
Endurance   3
Reflexes   3
Vocals   1
Invisibility   1
   
Earth           1
Fire           1
Water   2
Electricity   1
Gravity   0
Light     1
Dark           1
Frost    1
Transmutation   1
Wind           0
   
Flight, Wingless   1
Flight, Winged   1
Phase Shift    1
Teleportation   1
Portal Generation   3
   
Shapeshifting   
~Mammal   2
~Insect   3
~Reptilian   3
~Avian   5
~Fish   1
   
Nature Manipulation   
~Mammal   2
~Insect   1
~Reptile   0
~Avian   0
~Flora&Fauna   2

[ebpohmr]

I'm so going with gravity manipulation. Because, you know, I want his symptom to weigh on him...

[RampantDesires]

*groans at the terribleness of that pun*

It -is- a pretty cool ability though and I look forward to seeing what you do with it :)

[ebpohmr]

Well, a CS is winging its way to you via PM Rampant! Let me know what needs changing!

[RampantDesires]

With ebpohmr and his lovely new gent that brings us to a Male/Female Ratio of 20/21 and I am positively giddy with this small influx of new characters. While it is not a bad thing, eight of our last ten characters have been male, and while that brings my numbers kind of nicely in line it makes me wonder if I'm doing something to alienate those who enjoy playing female characters.  I really don't NEED that ratio to be balanced, it just makes my lists look prettier.  Anyone is welcome and encouraged to join!

[Keldia]

=) I've heard good - no, great - things about Deviations so here's me finally tossing my hat into the ring! I look forward to getting a character sheet over to you ASAP Rampant and also getting to write with all you talented people!

[Batman4560]

YAY! Another amazing talented writer! :D

[RampantDesires]

Awesome sauce :) I look forward to seeing your character Keldia and to writing with you more!

[RampantDesires]

Huzzah influx of new and returning characters!  And welcome back to Adonis, the game's creator.  Always a pleasure to have you Sir  :-*  With his returning characters, Renegade and Keldia's new ones the Active Cast List has changed quite dramatically.

New Character Restrictions

• Avian Shapeshifting
• Portal Generation
• Strong military/police backgrounds

Powers that no one has:

• Reptile Manipulation
• Avian Manipulation
• Darkness Manipulation

Symptoms with a lot of activity but that aren't yet closed....

• Telepathy - 4
• Tactile Transmutation - 3
• Strength, Endurance, Reflexes - 3
• Shapeshifting: Insect, Mammalian, and Reptilian - 3

Breakdown of Current Symptoms

Omnilinguistics   2
Telekinesis   2
Telepathy   3
Heightened Intelligence   2
Forcefield Generation   1
Induced Healing   2
Illusion Casting   2
Phsycometry   1
Dowsing   2
   
Regeneration   1
Speed   2
Strength   3
Endurance   3
Reflexes   3
Vocals   1
Invisibility   1
   
Earth   1
Fire   1
Water   2
Electricity   1
Gravity   2
Light   1
Dark   0
Frost   2
Transmutation   3
Wind   1
   
Flight, Wingless   1
Flight, Winged   1
Phase Shift           1
Teleportation   1
Portal Generation   5
   
Shapeshifting   
~Mammal   3
~Insect   3
~Reptilian   3
~Avian   5
~Fish           1
   
Nature Manipulation   
~Mammal   2
~Insect   1
~Reptile   0
~Avian   0
~Flora&Fauna   2

Male/Female ratio is now 24/21. 

[Aldrick]

Character

Name: Aonghus Pritchard
Nicknames: Angus, Gus, Ang, Richard
Ethnicity: Welsh/Italian
Sex: Male
Age: 26
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Medical Intern
Character Model James McAvoy

Appearance

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Electric Blue
Skin: A natural, light tan.
Weight: 175 lbs
Height: 6'0

Information

Personality: Angus is generally an introvert. Someone who, for the most part, keeps to himself and doesn't need to seek the approval or attention of others. Extremely observant, Angus is the type of person who understands that over seventy-percent of communication is non-verbal.

Such is not to say that Angus is a shut in or that he is some kind of social pariah - Pensive and thoughtful yes, but Angus can be just as easily comfortable in a crowd as he would be if left to his own devices; even if he'd prefer the latter.  He can be very ‘hands on’ in many aspects. Just as much as he enjoys a nice moment of silence or staying in to read a book, so does he appreciate being active, whether it's hiking or sports. Whichever it is, he's absolutely not the type of person that can be content simply watching TV all day.

He‘s extremely sensual in all aspects of life, but he also has a fairly short temper which can be set off quite easily. Although he’d rather observe then speak it doesn’t always go as planned - he’s fairly opinionated and is often very adamant about his views and stances.

Background: Angus was the youngest of six children born to Gianni and Gillian Pritchard, an Italian father and a Welsh mother who both immigrated to America and settled in Glenside. For the most part, Angus had a normal life growing up in the suburbs with his five siblings; when it came to school he excelled in most academic aspects, he even enjoyed sports (even if he wasn't the most coordinated person alive) - he was the type of kid that blended in easily with whatever's clique he wanted: Jocks, Intellectuals, Outcasts, he had friends in all the groups, even though he didn't particularly belong to one himself.

In high school Angus met Dakota when the two were paired together as lab partners, they quickly became friends and perhaps a little more, though it never seemed as if anything between them would work out; ever have that person in your life where each of you would develop feelings for but the situation was never ideal? Well, Dakota was Angus' person.

He attended University, the first to do so out of his siblings, and double-mastered in Psychology and Biochemistry with a minor in Physics. As if that hadn't been enough for him, Angus also got a medical degree and immediately applied to the hospital's internship program, looking to secure a career as a Psychiatrist. Despite this history in medicine, it hadn't been Angus' original intention to get vaccinated on that fateful day, he had been pushing it off, claiming he was too busy when his friend Dakota convinced him.


Symptoms: Electricity Manipulation


Hobbies and Interests: Reading, Debating, Writing, Exercising, Playing Guitar, Music and Movies. He also loves food, whether he's cooking it or eating it, but that's more of a vice than a hobby or interest.



OOC Ons and Offs: Can't think of anything tbh, I'll let you know if something stands out. Good communication goes far. The only thing I actively try to avoid is OOC drama.

[RampantDesires]

Aldrick has stated his intention to use James McAvoy as a character picture which has my approval ten times over :)

Both Gus and Dakota look like a lot of fun, just waiting for Adonis to give the final go ahead and we're all set!  In the mean time please feel free to introduce yourselves in the OOC if you'd like!

[Adonis]

Aldrick, you're good to go. Will approve the other in the PM here in just a sec.

[RampantDesires]

Holy balls I suck at updating things.

We had some new players join and a few people drop the game or go inactive for awhile so here we go ...

New Symptom Breakdown List

Omnilinguistics   2
Telekinesis   3
Telepathy   4
Heightened Intelligence   1
Forcefield Generation   2
Induced Healing   2
Illusion Casting   2
Phsycometry   0
Dowsing   2
   
Regeneration   2
Speed   2
Strength   3
Endurance   2
Reflexes   0
Vocals   1
Invisibility   1
   
Earth   2
Fire   2
Water   2
Electricity   1
Gravity   3
Light     0
Dark   1
Frost  0
Transmutation   3
Wind   1
   
Flight, Wingless   1
Flight, Winged   1
Phase Shift   1
Teleportation   3
Portal Generation   3
   
Shapeshifting   
~Mammal   1
~Insect   3
~Reptilian   1
~Avian   3
~Fish   1
   
Nature Manipulation   
~Mammal   2
~Insect   1
~Reptile   1
~Avian   0
~Flora&Fauna   2

So good news.  We currently have NO starting symptom or background restrictions.

Telepathy is close to maxing out with 4 active players currently with the power.

Powers that no current character has:

• Phsycometry   
• Light Manipulation
• Frost Manipulation
• Reflexes
• Avian Manipulation

Male to Female Ratio
20:19

All lists and numbers are constantly changing as characters move back to the active list or current characters gain/lose symptoms, but it's a good starting point at least.

If you are interested/have any questions please don't hesitate to send a PM or hop over onto our board and ask them in one of the OOC threads there.

Why is this a good time to join?  We're wrapping up a major game event in the upcoming weeks which will help explain away a lot of the absences and events of the past in game week so it is the perfect time to hop in and get right in the action :)

[RampantDesires]

Character:

Name: Danika Muriel Vasek"Dani"(yes, she realizes her initials are DMV thanks for being the millionth person to point it out)
Ethnicity:Caucasian,  Vasek is technically a Czech name, but there is a bit of everything in her family tree at this point.
Sex: Female
Age:  31
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Chef (head chef at Caleo)

Appearance:

Hair: Strawberry blonde/red
Eyes: Brown
Skin: Freckled :P
Weight:139
Height: 5'6"
Other:  Thanks to dating a tattoo artist back in her culinary school days Dani's skin is decorated by more than just freckles.  She has a large and vibrant feather down her left arm which dissolves at the top into a scattering of birds, a highly stylized lotus flower on her left shoulder blade and a few other smaller ones here and therethough most remain covered most of the time.

Additional Images

Physical Model = Vica Kerekes

                
 

Information:

Personality: Abrasive?  Dani is rather tired of trying to prove herself to the world and as such no longer really tries to please people.  She is brutally honest, painfully sarcastic at times, and occasionally insensitive to the trials and tribulations of her fellow human beings (she really doesn't want to hear your excuses or justifications, just do what you said you were going to do without whining please).  She is dedicated to her job, she doesn't mind the long hours and the fact that she doesn't have much of a life outside of work.  That being said she is at a bit of a loss as to where to go from here, she knows that she is ill suited, both in temperament and financial status, to owning and operating her own place.

Background: Born and raised in Northern California by an upper middle class family, her father is still a practicing oncologist while her mother owns and operates a small but profitable art gallery. The third of five kids (an older brother and sister, and a younger brother and sister) Dani was rather used to falling through the cracks growing up.  It wasn't that her parents were inattentive, they were just BUSY  and unlike some of her siblings she felt no need to push herself into the spot light for either positive or negative attention. As long as she wasn't causing trouble and was getting decent grades she was allowed to do pretty much whatever she wanted.  She flitted through various social clubs but never really found her niche or any grand passion.  Surely college would be better.  Away from her well intentioned but often overwhelming family, in a larger pool of students... but not really.

College was same story different town for her.   At least until the end of her sophomore year when on a whim she decided to take a random wine paring and meal planning class at a nearby winery.  She'd expected it to be a few evenings of chatting and a good excuse to get drunk (not that she really needed one).  But instead it was an intense few weeks where she was introduced to the concept of people being passionate about food.  Meals that weren't hurried and loud productions the way they'd been while she was growing up, but instead carefully planned and enjoyable explorations of the senses leaving more than just your stomach full at the end of the night.

The fight that she had with her parents over quitting college was rather epic, and the rift between them has not yet fully mended to this day.  They made some good points.  She was three years in to getting a political science degree, stay and finish that before moving on to something that was more than likely a phase that would pass.  But Dani didn't want to wait, and she certainly didn't want a degree that would make her fit for little more than taking some boring government job for the rest of her life.  And so it was settled, if she was going to go off to New York and start culinary school she'd have to do so by herself, no more paid tuition, no more flitting home on the weekends, and WHEN she dropped out of that they didn't want to hear her complain.

Except Dani didn't drop out.  Nearly 100k in debt thanks to outrageous tuition costs and general NYC living she graduated with a Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) in Culinary Arts Management from The Culinary Institute of America - Hyde Park. She spent the next three years doing catering for private parties in New York.  Not exactly every chef's dream, but it was a decent source of income and she got used to working in different kitchens every night and meeting the rather exacting demands of the city's upper crust.  It was at the urging of one her clients that she filled out an application for Food Network's Chopped never expecting that she'd actually get the call ... but she did, possibly more because she was photogenic than her somewhat lean resume, but hey.  Just appearing on the show would be a huge boost for her career.  Winning though, well that was unexpected!

The 10k prize money was kind of laughable, it went directly toward the ever crushing debt of her student loans which she is still paying off to this day (though being free of them is FINALLY on the horizon), but what it did give her was options.  She continued to do somewhat high profile parties (at a rather elevated fee now!) for the next year before casting a net out looking for a more settled head chef position in a restaurant.  In New York, full of its minor and major celebrities and fresh culinary school graduates, she was still a rather small fish.  In Glenside though? She would be an incredible draw for any restaurant and could essentially have her pick.  After having dinner one night at Caleo and meeting its owner Julianna it all but settled.  The woman could pretty much be her non-fraternal twin and they hit it off well from the beginning and over the last few years she's rather proud of what they've accomplished with the restaurant.  Dani still takes on the occasional private gig and her relative success has somewhat mended the rift with her parents, but she's still a little bitter about everything.

She doesn't have time to be sick, and so when Julianna mentioned going in for her flu shot Dani made a note on her calendar to do the same.  Ugh, never doing that again, she dragged herself through work despite feeling like she was going to die and has pretty much recovered now.  Except now her boss has gone missing, as in not at the restaurant, not answering her phone for days now, something very much not like her.  Over the weekend Dani didn't worry assuming that the other woman was finally letting her hair down so to speak, but now she's close to panicking despite maintaining a calm front for the rest of Caleo's employees and keeping things running smoothly in the interim.


Symptoms:
Reflexes
SL - 1 - Reflex time is decreased for base stimulus


Hobbies and Interests: Cooking, drinking (wines pair nicely with dinner, vodka on the other hand? Medication!), biking (she refuses to drive in the city either availing herself upon mass transit, walking, or biking), thanks to a pool table in the basement growing up and the teachings of her oldest brother she's rather good and not afraid to place fairly outlandish bets on games, political and philosophical debate (shh, don't tell anyone..)

Ons and Offs:
You can find my personal ons and offs HERE Dani's are pretty much the same.  Items of note: She's not super keen on relationships, they're distracting and men can occasionally adopt the 'make me a sandwich' attitude which annoys the hell out of her, she's not looking to get married or take care of anyone anytime soon, if ever.  That said she DOES like sex and friends with benefits type agreements are not out of the question.  She is not in the least bit submissive finding more pleasure in the struggle for dominance than anything else

[Adonis]

Good lord she's hot.

[Bibliophilia]

Character:

Name: Kaya Solomon-Sharpe
Ethnicity: Black
Sex: Female
Age: 24
Relationship Status: Separated
Previous (Or current) Profession: Owner of Trinkets & Tomes, a rare book and antique shop

Appearance:

More Images

Hair: Thick, mahogany and curly
Eyes: Black
Skin: Mocha
Weight: 123 lbs
Height: 5'7"
Other: Silver nose ring, though not always worn, navel ring, and a notable, rich South African accent layered through a voice like smoke and shadow

Information:

Personality: Kaya is a brilliant, enthusiastic girl who never lost the wonderment of her youth.  Every new discovery is met with amazement, and every beauty in the world is meant to be fully enjoyed and appreciated.  She can often be seen sitting in the small park across from her shop during her lunch break, eating her meal and watching the pedestrians, or the squirrels, or simply gazing up at the clouds in the sky.  One side-effect of her utter wonder at the world is a distractability, and she has been known to cut off in mid-sentence, or wander away from a conversation altogether, simply because she noticed something that caught her attention.  There have even been scares where she has unintentionally wandered into traffic, because she was staring up at the sky, or had her nose stuck in a book, and simply didn't realize she was walking into the street.  She's energetic, and kind, always ready to lend a hand to those who need it.  Her greatest pride is her shop, and she works very hard to make certain that it remains profitable for herself and pleasant for her customers.

Background: Kaya Solomon was born in Cape Town, South Africa to a fisherman and his wife.  She was the fourth child of what eventually became seven, and she grew up with a strong sense of hard work, family and love.  She was an average student, far more interested in going out and experiencing things, than sitting in a classroom and learning about them, even though she was quite clever.  However, she tried her best and managed to make decent enough grades, and eventually graduated from high school at the age of eighteen.

She met her husband, James Sharpe, while he was lecturing at the local University.  He had a PhD in Philosophy and Sociology, and was taking a sabbatical from his normal teaching job to spend a year in South Africa.  The two hit it off right away, despite their fifteen-year age-difference and seemingly disparate personalities.  They spent nearly every day together during the remaining eight months of James' stay, and the week before he was scheduled to return to America, James asked Kaya to marry him.

It was hard for her to leave her family, and her country, but the adventure of embarking on a whole new life with the man she loved was sufficient to quell the pain and fear in her heart.  They returned to America, and James went back to work, while Kaya began to take business courses in order to realize her dream of owning her own shop.  She believed that books and beloved items held within them the memories and emotions of those who had owned them, and she wanted to have a shop where she could help those cherished items find new homes with people who would care for them and add to their stored experiences.

James and Kaya's wedding was small, held just a couple of months after their return to America, with only a few of James' friends and family in attendance.  And their marriage was a happy union...for a while.  Kaya began to changes as she experienced a life apart from her family, and South Africa.  America offered so much more freedom, and so many new things to learn and experience.  Her personal growth began to put a serious strain on her relationship with James.  He felt as if she were pulling away from him, and so he began trying to hold onto her tighter.  This resulted in him lashing out with jealous accusations, irrational demands and emotional blackmail.

Kaya couldn't understand why her wonderful husband had changed, but she didn't like the person he'd become.  She had only just discovered this new strength and freedom within herself, and suddenly he wanted to take it all away.  He wanted to keep her from exploring her new life, and had even begun suggesting she should quit her classes.  Two years after their marriage, when Kaya was 23, she and James separated when she packed a bag and walked out on him after a particularly awful fight.  It was the first and only time he'd ever gotten physical with her, and though he apologized profusely immediately afterwards, the damage had been done.

She got herself an apartment, finished her classes and bought a small antique shop in the gentrified district of Glenside.  She and James are still separated, and she has no plans to get back together with him for the moment.  She dates other people on occasion, runs her shop and generally loves her life.

Of course, a few weeks back she got her flu vaccination, and then spent several days curled up in bed, cuddled into her fuzzy blanket, drinking chicken soup and feeling quite unpleasant.  Once she recovered, she was right back in the store, feeling just as good as she had before the vaccination.  She has yet to realize that shadows seem to shift around her, and twitch when she gestures.  So far the manifestations of her symptoms are quite subtle, and since she doesn't watch the news, on account of the fact that it's always doom and gloom, and she avoids the paper for the same reason, the only information she'd gleaned on the disappearances and strange happenings in town are from customers and her employees.  And she doesn't pay enough attention to small talk and gossip to have anything but the most vague awareness that people might be missing and something odd is going on.


Symptoms: Darkness Manipulation - SL1



Hobbies and Interests:

Bookbinding - Part of her job as the owner of Trinkets & Tomes is to repair any damaged books that she feels are salvagable, and worthy of being saved.  She's taken some classes to learn how to do the repairs herself, since she felt it was more interesting, and cost-effective, than hiring someone else to do it.

Cooking - Kaya loves to try out new recipes and she has her own small garden on her apartment balcony where she grows herbs and fresh produce and fruit in pots.  She also has a knack for cooking off-the-cuff, as she calls it, which means grabbing various ingredients that look good and combining them into something delicious.

Running/Swimming/Biking - Kaya doesn't own a car.  She's well aware of her own distractability, and knows that getting behind the wheel would likely be a very bad idea.  So, she generally bikes to places she needs to go, or takes a taxi.  Luckily, she lives in the apartment above her shop, so getting to work is never a problem.  Even if she could drive, she probably would still ride her bike, since she loves the feel of her blood rushing through her veins, the wind whooshing past her face and her muscles getting warm and tingly from the exercise.  For these same reasons, she spends at least two hours a day running in the park across from her shop, or swimming at the gym.



OOC Ons and Offs: Check my O/Os in my signature.  Kaya's tastes will run similar to my own.  She's only ever been sexually active with men, namely her husband, but she is open to experiences with women.  She's very inexperienced, due to being raised in South Africa and only ever having been active with her husband, who was rather vanilla.  But, she's eager to experience new things and is a quick study.

[RampantDesires]

Huzzah new character!

First of all hi there Bibliophilia and thank you for taking the time to look through out stuff and create a character.  Kaya looks like a lot of fun and I see her fitting in well with our group.  I just have a few random questions if you don't mind.

Would you like to see her ex crop up as an NPC here and there or will he just be a background character?

"Gentrified district" where her book/antique shop would be located would likely be ... ? Something kind of renovated/retrofitted in the Outskirts? Maybe the fringes of the Fashion District?  Just something to think about.  Regardless of where you put her shop for the time being posts there will go in the larger kind of general activity thread for the time being.  After about a month of active posting players are given individual threads if they so wish and I'd go through and separate out the shop posts.  This system just keeps us from getting over loaded with little/unused threads. 

I'm fine with her skill set and back story so I think that's about all I have question wise.  There is no need for changes to her sheet so please feel free to move her over to the Active Characters Thread HERE and introduce yourself in one or both of the OOC's.  Welcome to Deviations!

[Bibliophilia]

I am fine with her ex being used as an NPC, if you want to use him.  Or I might toss him out for some reason, if it seems appropriate.  But, for the most part I was just sort of placing him there as a 'use if desired' background character.

I was sort of seeing, in my head, a sort of artsy district with antique shops, boutiques and things of that nature.  I think these sort of 'hipster-ish' neighborhoods exist in most towns.  And I wasn't planning for there to be any sort of thread for her shop.  It's not really a hang-out spot.  So, that's fine.  -grins.-

I will move her now.  Thanks!

[Fredasce]

Am I too late to join?

[RampantDesires]

Never to late to join :)

I haven't finished redoing the active characters symptom list but there are currently no restrictions on character creation.  If you have any questions don't hesitate to PM or ask here!

[Fredasce]

Character:

Name: Eric Samuels
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age: 23
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Secretary at a private surgery.

Appearance:

Hair: Straight, short and black.
Eyes: Black
Skin: Pale
Weight: 82 Kg.
Height: 176 Cm.
Other: Because of an accident, Eric has to use a wheelchair to move around. He uses fingerless gloves to avoid hurting himself when pushing the wheelchair.

Information:

Personality: If someone were to describe Eric in one word, it would be "self-sufficient." Despite his condition, he tries to do everything by himself (some say it's for dignity, others for sheer stubbornness), and does not call for help unless all his attempts have failed, and even then he would do it reluctantly. He has a pride that few can equal, and that even fewer can surpass, because he thinks that being confide in a wheelchair does not mean that his life is over. Rather than that, it is a new beginning, a second chance, and he needs to make the most of it.

Background: Eric was born in New York, the city that never sleeps. He learned to walk when he was a year old and a year after began to speak. He was the only son of an accountant and a middle school teacher, who left him at his grandparents' care when her maternity leave was over. They were responsible for raising Eric, since neither of his parents had the time to be with him, except during the weekend. For the little kid, "weekend" was a synonym for "bliss"; his parents would take him for walks, help him with his homework and play with him in the little space that was their apartment.

High school, however, was a different story. Eric began staying alone in the apartment, away from his grandparents' discipline, and earned his independence little by little. He did his homework by himself, went to the library or check on the internet for information, and hung out with his friends. He felt what it was like to be a separated individual without someone to depend on.

Until it happened. One afternoon, Eric was outside with his friends. They were near the school, just hanging out, talking about the papers they had to hand in the next week, and one of them was smoking. Suddenly, a man came up to them and asked the one with the cigarette for light. He searched for the lighter in his pocket and when he took it out there was a gun pointing at him. They were just four high schools children against one man with a gun. He demanded them to hand in their cellphones and wallets, and they complied, as they were frightened at the sight of a gun. Eric, however, was paralyzed with fear. It was not that he was trying to be a hero, he was, plainly put, scared shitless. His brain could not process what to do, his muscles stiffened, and his wallet and cellphone remained in their respective pockets.

The man pointed the gun at him, placing it on his forehead. Eric's eyes were opened wide. The man shouted and shouted the same order, but Eric would not move.

But a moment of lucidness came to him. He quickly turned around and sprinted. He did not know where he was going, but Eric just wanted to put as much distance as possible between the robber and him. The man sounded like he was on drugs, so he hoped that he would not shoot. He chanted that internally. Do not shoot me or my friends...

The man did shoot him.

Three weeks, various medical interventions and a painful rehab later, Eric was out of the hospital, alive but on a wheelchair. The bullet had damaged his spine, and had rendered the lower half of his body useless. The doctors told him that there was nothing they could do. His friends slowly drifted apart, not wanting to be associated with a "freak". Girls, difficult to approach in the past, were unattainable now.

Nevertheless, Eric moved forward and forward still. He did not want to be identified as "that guy in the wheelchair", so he did whatever he could to show that he could go on with his life without impediments. Two years ago, he decided that a change was called for and moved from an average-sized apartment to a small one in Glensdale's Little Italy. He lives two blocks away from his work, Dr. Fortis' surgery, where he works as a secretary, fixing appointments for patients and answering phone calls.

Symptoms:
-Psychometry - SL1


Hobbies and Interests: There are only few things that Eric can classify as "hobbies". He likes crosswords and Sudoku, the kind of things you would find on your average newspaper. Otherwise, he tries to appear as busy as possible.


OOC Ons and Offs: I'm inclined to play gay characters, but I can be convinced otherwise, with the right reasons. Anything bathroom-related is a no. Just...no. For those who can transform, stay human when the time comes, please. It doesn't work for me that way. Ask me beforehand so we both know what to expect of each other (You can totes check out my O/O's if you want.)

[Adonis]

Fredasce, both Rampant and I have looked over the sheet. You have our approval, and may move him over to the approved character list :) Welcome to Deviations!

[Fredasce]

Will do :D And thanks for the approval!

[Chaosfox]

Ok I really like the look of this one I may do either Light or Frost manipulation will look over active members to get  an idea of the  Personalities and such and go from there.

[RampantDesires]

Awesome.  I look forward to seeing what you come up with Chaosfox!

[Translucent Bard]

Character:

Name: Derrek Rembrant
Ethnicity: Caucasion
Sex: Male
Age: 29
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Ex-Military, currently working for private security at a law firm.

Appearance:

Hair: Cut short, Dark brown hair.
Eyes: Hazel
Skin: Tanned
Weight: 185
Height: 5'10"
Other: His history as Soldier, and still operating in the security field makes causes his posture to be near perfect, his head always on a swivel. Bulky, but not a body-builder he walks with purpose.

Information:

Personality: Quick-wit and a dry sense of humor are good ways to describe Derrek. Though he's seen a lot, you could never tell by how he acts. Always with a smile on his face, Derrek would rather be out drinking than at work. Even though he enjoys a good day off, he tries extremely hard to maintain a professional status on the job, giving his all every hour of the day.  Dependable to those he cares about, he'd rather sacrifice himself than have a loved one or friend get injured.

Background: Born in a suburb outside of Milwaukee, Derrek spent the early part of his childhood like any other Midwestern kid. He spent the days outside running in the woods, and the nights with his friends from the neighborhood. It wasn't until he was nine that the constant moving started. He ended up moving eight times from the ages nine to nineteen. Living in different cities due to his father moving every few years because of his job. He rarely had friends in his teens, and everyone he met he figured he would be leaving shortly after. Though it hurt, he never let it show on the outside, he wasn't impervious. Once he became an adult and went to college, he realized he didn't like the style of life it brought, and he decided to join the Army.

Spending two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he served as a part of the 194th infantry, becoming a Staff Sergeant by the end of his tour. Being a part of the two tours changed his view on the world, finding solidarity in his brothers-in-arms. In the last few months of his tour he was serving protection detail for diplomats in Iraq, and on a run of the mill day his unit was hit by roadside IEDs. Losing three close friends, He decided the severity of war had gotten the better of him, his spirits not broken, but injured, he came back to the states after his term was up.

Once stateside he realized his only talents were in the security department, and all his skills were related to security. He quickly was hired on to a private law firm, RegulaStar, He was hired on as the head of security and he was exceptional at his job, tightening security in all aspects of the bank. After getting his regular shots to be a member of the firm, he was sick for over a week. It was no surprise, after his shots before he was deployed to the middle east he got knocked on his ass too. He got back to work after the week of sickness, and thought his job was being done well.

Three days back on the job he noticed a man approaching the bank who looked too jumpy to be a client. He approached the man and disarmed the weapon from his hand before he could fire a single shot. Surprised at his own reaction time, Derrek figured he was just a little lucky. It wasn't until the end of the week that he noticed everything he did was a little quicker. He was faster on his feet, noticing people's actions with less delay, and moving a little faster on his feet. Confused at what was happening, he could only rationalize that the flu shot he took was the only answer, though he was far from confident in that being the cause, figuring it was best to keep it to himself.

Symptoms: Reflexes

SL - 1 - Reflex time is decreased for base stimulus





Hobbies and Interests: A classic workaholic, Derrek's hobbies are relegated to the weekend. Spending most of his free-time trying new physical expeditions, Derrek enjoys rock-climbing and rafting, testing his physical limits every time he goes out. Though he enjoys the outdoors, he'd never say no to a night out at the bar with good company, enjoying his close friend's time when he has the chance.



OOC Ons and Offs:  Listed in my profile O/o page, nothing radically different.

[Adonis]

Hey Translucent Bard! Just finished looking over your sheet, and you're good to go up to the point where you get into his symptom stuff. I need to ask you to remove the reflexes 2-5, as you start off at SL-1 of whatever you choose, and not a fully bumped up symptom. Sorry if that was confusing in some way! Also, when building that part of his background, keep in mind that it all stems from a screwed up flu shot, and its put most people on their asses for a day or six. Whether he attributes it to the shot or not is up to you. At the max, two weeks have passed since the bad batch was in circulation, and most commonly the symptoms have manifested within the past week or less as people get over their bout of evil mega swine flu.

So! If you could modify the symptom down to the first level, and scale back the timeline on his symptom in the bio, we'd love to give it another read!

[Translucent Bard]

I just copy pasted the paragraph, I read that he only started at level one. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I just figured some basic increase in reaction time and reflexes would come with the first level. I'll edit the timeline to clear the rest up as well.

[Adonis]

Much appreciated.

[Translucent Bard]

Edited, Let me know if that looks better.

[Bibliophilia]

Character:

Name: Olivia Foster
Ethnicity: Caucasian/Greek
Sex: Female
Age: 32
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession: Assistant Professor of English/Professional Dominatrix

Appearance:

Hair: Dark caramel
Eyes: Fawn
Skin: Dusky olive
Weight: 175 lbs
Height: 5'10"
Other:

Additional Images

Information:

Personality:

Olivia didn't get to where she is by being weak, or allowing others to get in her way.  There are those who consider her a ball-buster, a bitch, or a feminazi, but those are the voices of the jealous and the hopelessly primative.  She treats others with the utmost respect, unless they do something that proves they're unworthy of it, because she understands that one can't expect something they're not willing to give in return.  She's highly intelligent, wickedly sarcastic and doesn't suffer fools lightly.  Her ascerbic wit generally serves as her greatest weapon, cutting her enemies down to size without a single blow being thrown.  Violence is uncouth, after all.  She adores clever conversation and discussions about art, books, music and film.  She loves a good cup of tea and when the sky is overcast. 

Background:

Olivia grew up in New York City, the daughter of a corporate lawyer and a fashion designer.  She was mostly raised by her nanny, and once she reached the proper age, she was sent to an all-girl's boarding school in England.  She was an excellent student, very focused on her studies as she wanted to be a university professor when she grew up, and knew that she would need good grades to do so.  Her childhood was largely uneventful, her relationship with her parents almost non-existant which made her independent from a young age.  She spent her summers at home, as well as the other holidays from school, enjoying the freedom that came with being wealthy in New York.

The summer after she turned sixteen, she met her first boyfriend.  He was the son of another tenant in their apartment building, and he was 23 years old.  Olivia, smart as she was, was sorely unprepared for the seductions of a 23 year old playboy and she ended up losing her virginity the night they met.  She was utterly naive, and convinced they were in love, until his promise to call her turned into a month with no word, and the harsh realization that she'd been used and discarded.  She learned from her mistake, however, and used the pain of what had happened to better herself.

Olivia graduated from high school at seventeen and immediately moved into an apartment near NYU, where she began her long journey to her dual PhDs in English and Women's Studies.  One night, during her second year at college, her sorority held a lingerie party with another sorority and a couple of fraternities.  Several cocktails and one game of truth or dare later, and Olivia found herself holding a ping-pong paddle in one hand, while a frat boy lay bent over the arm of the couch in front of her with his boxers around his ankles.  Before an audience of drunk, horny college kids, Olivia discovered something she loved just as much as a well-written book, Earl Grey tea or rainy days.  More, even, because none of those things had ever filled her with the intoxicating blend of power, tenderness and arousal as spanking the frat guy did.

The next day, she approached her new-found fetish the way she approached anything, with extensive research.  She started on the internet in forums and BDSM websites, then began perusing magazines, visiting fetish shops and finally going to a club that catered specifically to the BDSM crowd.  She was tentative at first, and though she'd taken her first steps into the scene by holding the paddle, she started out as a submissive.  After a couple of visits to the club, she was approached by the owner of a BDSM dungeon who offered her a job.  Olivia didn't need the money, but the idea of being paid to do something she already enjoyed, and being better protected, as well as knowing she could indulge without having sex with the client, all appealed to her.

She served as a submissive in the dungeon for a year before the owner allowed her to graduate to Dominatrix, and Olivia took to it like a duck to water.  The job allowed her to choose her clients, work when she wished to, and once more hold the paddle.  She stopped living off her parents, using the money she made from her job to pay her rent and expenses quite easily, even though she wasn't able to work quite as much as some of the others, due to taking full-time courses at the University.  She graduated with her Bachelors, then went on to get her Masters, and finally spent half her time writing her dissertation and the other half working in the dungeon.  She couldn't have been happier.

After obtaining her PhD in English, she began applying for work at various universities, and she was swiftly offered a position at Glenside College.  She accepted the offer and moved, feeling sad for leaving her old life behind, but excited about the new beginning.  She settled into her job well, and began taking courses to complete her Masters in Women's Studies, so that she could continue working toward her PhD in that field.  She paid to have a professional website designed for herself, and began taking on clients in her free time.  She goes by the name Miss Olivia, and her website is designed not to show her face.  She demands discretion of her clients, since her side-job could threaten her position at the college.

Recently, just following her flu vaccination, she was laid up for four days, and a trip to the university health clinic didn't do much good.  They just told her that sometimes a vaccination can trigger a mild form of the flu, so she twook a few days off from both her jobs, and then returned once she was feeling better.  She has yet to recognize her abilities, but then she hasn't really had any reason to touch anyone with an illness or injury.


Symptoms:

Psychometry - SL1



Hobbies and Interests:

Word puzzles/riddles, psychological thrillers, really bad exploitation films from the 60's, 70's and 80's, jazz music, well-written books, Earl Grey with milk and honey, yoga, tai chi, travel, witty conversation



OOC Ons and Offs: Olivia is a pansexual switch.  Her sexual ons and offs are pretty much exactly like mine, and she is very open to catering to her client's needs, for the most part.

[Adonis]

Biblio, your newest lady looks good to me. As for the addition to silk, do you have a messenger of sorts to discuss that further?

[Chaosfox]

Character:

Name: Lidia Black
Ethnicity:Caucasian 
Sex: Female
Age: 28
Relationship Status: Single
Previous (Or current) Profession:  Freelance Artist  and Logo designer for a Local advertisement agency

Appearance:

Hair: Red
Eyes: Brown
Skin: Very light looking tan
Weight:  138
Height: 5”6
Other: Lidia has three Tattoos On Is of a Rose  on  her lower back, the second is a  unicorn head with a rainbow horn on her Right ankle  and the final one is  a shooting star on her  right upper arm. She also almost looks like she has been up all night no matter how she tried to hide it.

Information:

Personality:   Usually laid back she tries not to let things get to her  and  this usually leads some to believe that she does not care about anything or just likes to have fun.  This however not the case as  Lidia is a driven and passion woman in all the projects or things that she get s involved in from her projects  she odes in her free time to the projects she does for her companies clients she can be quite picky and OCD about anything that she is pouring her heart into completing.  There are also times she can be quite dark in her thinking  and as such does not trust easily but once she does she is Loyal to those she does trust but if that trust is broken chances are there will be no second chance.

Background: Born to a family that was big on academics Lidia was the black sheep of her family, having both her parents as teachers at one point and her two older brothers both straight A students Lidia was expected to do the same.  However being the creative mind that she was and always laid back about pretty much everything  she managed to keep her parents content  by keeping her grades at  A’s and B’s all the way through  high school.  It was after that when she was free from her parents that she was finally able to purse those things that made her happy and with her new found freedom after moving out of her parents place she pursed her own dream of becoming an artist going to college and completing a degree in Digital Art and Design.

Over the next few years Lidia made a name for herself not only as a freelance artist and web designer but as one the best graphic design artist on staff at a local marketing firm. It was also during this time that tragedy struck her life and she lost both her parents when a drunk driver struck their car killing them both.  Over the next  three years  though she was able to focus open her work and kept her normal carefree self on the outside on the inside she started to see the darker side of life which became evident in her work she would do during her free time.

By her 28th birthday Lidia had finally managed to put together some semblance of who she was before her parent’s deaths and in the process managed to find a new drive with her work when she was given the lead for a big project.  This in turn caused her to get the flu vaccine to make sure she would not get sick. This in the end did not help having gotten sick for a short period anyway causing her to give up the lead to someone else.  Of course since being back to work she has come to realize that she must have gotten some of the batch that was warned about as she has noticed that things seem to get very cold when she touches them for too long.

Symptoms:
Frost Manipulation
1 - The Devi gains the ability to lower the temperature around his hands to subzero temperatures, generating frozen particles at will.

Hobbies and Interests: Graphic Design, Art History, Reading, Anything considered to be nerdy or geeky  (gaming, Cosply ect.) painting, drawing, and writing.


OOC Ons and Offs: As long there is no vore, Bathroom play heavy mutilation, or vomit Involved we are god. Some big turn ons though:  foreplay , necking , and  playing a little rough.


Ok This took me longer then I thought had an idea then changed it then had trouble wit the History which I am pretty sure I could do better on but am seriously blocked on how I want to word it so I finally pushed through and got something down. IF I need to change anything just let me know.

[Adonis]

She looks fine to me! Go ahead and move her over to the approved characters thread and be sure to introduce yourself in the ooc threads :)

[Chaosfox]

Ok Will get that done before the night is out I think dinner might be ready soon and I have not eaten a whole lot today.

[RampantDesires]

Yay welcome aboard  Chaos!  Will get up another updated symptom list tonight but I am pretty sure that there are still no  restrictions.

Enjoy your food!

[RampantDesires]

Current Active Symptom Breakdown

Omnilinguistics   1
Telekinesis   3
Telepathy   3
Heightened Intelligence   1
Forcefield Generation   2
Induced Healing   2
Illusion Casting   2
Phsycometry   1
Dowsing   2
   
Regeneration   2
Speed   1
Strength   1
Endurance   1
Reflexes   2
Vocals   1
Invisibility   1
   
Earth   1
Fire   2
Water   2
Electricity   2
Gravity   2
Light          0
Dark   1
Frost   2
Transmutation   3
Wind   1
   
Flight, Wingless   2
Flight, Winged   1
Phase Shift   1
Teleportation   3
Portal Generation   3
   
Shapeshifting   
~Mammal   1
~Insect   3
~Reptilian   1
~Avian   3
~Fish   1
   
Nature Manipulation   
~Mammal   1
~Insect   1
~Reptile   1
~Avian   0
~Flora&Fauna   4

Which means that there are no restrictions on starting character symptoms.  There are four players with Flora&Fauna manipulation, one more and it gets closed off as a starting power, but it's still good for now.  Symptoms no one has are Avian Manipulation and Light Manipulation. Our current Male/Female ratio is pretty balanced at 18/19.    Please keep in mind that these numbers shift fairly rapidly as active players get/lose symptoms and players return off of the inactive list, but it's still a fairly good indicator of where the group sits.

Any questions comments or concerns please feel free to leave them here or my (and Adonis's) inbox is always open.

[RampantDesires]

Holy balls, it has certainly been awhile O.o

So relevant updates:

Deviations is still trucking right along.  We currently have 15 active writers in the group and 30 characters with a perfect 15:15 Male/Female ratio.  Enough to be entertaining but not so much that it is overwhelming or hard to keep track of, at least in my humble opinion ;)

Active Symptom Details

Omnilinguistics   1
Telekinesis   4
Telepathy   3
Heightened Intelligence   3
Forcefield Generation   1
Induced Healing   2
Illusion Casting    2
Phsycometry   2
Dowsing   0
   
Regeneration   3
Speed   1
Strength   2
Endurance   0
Reflexes   1
Vocals   1
Invisibility   1
   
Earth   1
Fire   3
Water   2
Electricity   4
Gravity   1
Light   0
Dark   1
Frost   2
Transmutation   3
Wind   1
   
Flight, Wingless   3
Flight, Winged   2
Phase Shift   1
Teleportation   3
Portal Generation   2
   
Shapeshifting   
~Mammal   2
~Insect   2
~Reptilian   0
~Avian   1
~Fish   1
   
Nature Manipulation   
~Mammal   1
~Insect   1
~Reptile   1
~Avian   1
~Flora&Fauna   3

That means there are currently no restrictions on starting symptoms or background types. Symptoms that no one has currently : Reptilian Shapeshifting, Light Manipulation, Endurance, Dowsing.

Perhaps most importantly on November 28th we're doing our first in game time jump.  If you're newly looking at the group, thinking about joining or even returning, this is the perfect time to throw more characters into the mix as EVERYONE is currently actively plotting and planning for their characters, forming new connections, and deciding what they'll have been up to for the last month or so.  There will also be easy to follow summaries given to help guide that process.  Though we're always accepting new characters it will never be easier to jump into the game than it is right now.

Questions and such are always welcome. Feel free to ask them here or in one of the OOC threads.  You can find our boards <HERE>