Pacific Rim - Jaeger Rising [Recruitment Thread]

[evangel]

OOC Thread
Character Thread



Ranger Teams

BUSHIDO DAWN
Ember Star - Kaori Yamada
Revenent - Daigo Tanaka

VASA CENTURION
Primarch - Adam Sinclair
TheGlyphstone - Tane "Tony" Maugatai

GRAVE DIGGER
Ramsey - Kevin Blake
Swordsman18 - Derrick Cines

Jaeger Name Incoming
Vaulera - Karla Lémair
evangel - Character Incoming

Jaeger Name Incoming
SargeantToughie - Character Incoming
Empty slot

Research & Development

IMMACULATE SHOGUN [INACTIVE]
Karma - Athena Metaxas
Question Mark - Ryan Kodo

Local Command Central (LOCCENT) Team

Shatterdome Commander - Ryuusuke "Ooba" Oobayashi
Chief LOCCENT Officer - Jun Saotome

CHARACTER PROFILE TEMPLATE

Code Select Expand


[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Nationality:[/b]
[b]Rank:[/b] Position within PPDC

[b]Appearance:[/b]
[center][img]real-person-faceclaim-please[/img][/center]

[b]Positive personality traits:[/b] 3
[b]Negative personality traits:[/b] 3 (legitimate negative traits please)

[b]Pre-PPDC experience:[/b] Any relevant skills or careers from before becoming a member of the Pan Pacific Defense Corps
[b]Other skills:[/b]
[b]General Backstory:[/b]

JAEGER PROFILE TEMPLATE

Code Select Expand


[b]Code Name[/b]: English. Two words that may not be related. Just make it cool.
[b]Launch Date[/b]: The RP is going to start sometime in 2018. That's all you have to keep in mind if you want your first battle to be RP'd here.
[b]Classification[/b]: Mark II for slower, weaker machines with more experienced pilots. Mark IIIs for faster, stronger machines with newbs.
[b]Status[/b]: Active/Not Active/Rotting in a Closet/Killed in Action.
[b]Country of Origin[/b]: Pick one! Doesn't even have to be in the Pacific Rim!
[b]Height[/b]: Somewhere around 70-85 meters or so.
[b]Weight[/b]: Around 2000 tons, give or take.
[b]Appearance[/b]:
[spoiler=The swankiest ____ machine this side of the ____ hemisphere!]Put image or paragraph here! Need help finding a pic? Evangel can help![/spoiler]

[b]Equipment[/b]:
[i]Weapon Name[/i] - Does it go woosh or boom or stab?


Non-stop giant robot versus giant monster action set before the events of the movie. Experience the height of the Jaeger program and defend Japan from rampaging, blue-blooded hundred-feet tall monstrosities! Occasionally share vodka with the Russians! Alternatively, crush the humans under your paw! Play kickball with the Statue of Liberty's head! Ever wanted to roleplay a giant lizard screaming bloody murder? Here's your chance.



This RP will pick up from 2018 and focus on the vanguards of the Tokyo Shatterdome, who utilize original Jaegers to protect and defend the surrounding area. We will use the canonical events as a rough guideline. The main format for the RP will revolve around one or several Jaeger teams composed of two posters each fighting a Kaiju controlled by a GM or another player. Of course, if you want to be a supporting player that's fine as well.

To start off as a Ranger - declare if you would like to be automatically sorted with a partner or if you want to hook up with someone else. Collaborate with your partner regarding your characters and machine, and then post them here. After approval, archive them at the character thread for ease of reference.

Everyone else - Just post a character profile and then archive it after approval at the character thread!



Feel free to ask questions or comments!

NOTE - This is the same game as the other topic in the forum. Due to personal reasons, Primarch has resigned from the GM position of the game. Other members and I will be co-GMing so the game won't die.

[Primarch]

Name: Adam Sinclair
Age: 36
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Ranger

Appearance:

Positive personality traits: Confident, sincere, amiable
Negative personality traits: Vulgar, bossy, impulsive

Pre-PPDC experience:
Before going through the Jaeger Academy, Adam was a member of the Royal Australian Air Force.
First Generation Jaeger Academy Graduate. 

Other skills:
Learned Japanese for his deployment to Tokyo.
Makes the best Creme Brulee you've ever had.

General Backstory:
After the first attack in 2013, Adam knew that global conflicts would be put on the back burner for the foreseeable future and it was apparent that the RAAF were not an effective means to stopping the Kaiju. When the Jaeger Academy opened he signed up as soon as possible, using his experience as a pilot to and recommendations by senior officers to speed his recruitment. After graduating in 2015 he was assigned to the Mark I Jaeger 'November Hitter.' In his original Jaeger he enjoyed moderate success before a 'FUBAR engagement and November was lost, along with Adam's original drift partner. He was re-assigned to the Mark II 'Vasa Centurion' shortly after. Although Vasa originally served in Australia, it was re-deployed to the Tokyo Shatterdome.

[Karma]

Name: Athena Metaxas
Age: 26
Nationality: Greek
Rank: Contractor, prominent Jaeger developer

Appearance:

Positive personality traits: Brilliant, thorough, disciplined
Negative personality traits: Standoffish, defensive, unconcerned about collateral damage

Pre-PPDC experience: Athena was still in university when the attacks began. She was a globally recognized prodigy in robotics when the end of the world began, but dropped off the world’s radar not long after.
Other skills:
Speaks Greek, English, and passable Japanese
Undefeated at chess (she’ll omit that she’s never played a master)
Steel thumb (able to diagnose and fix mechanical problems in record time)

General Backstory: Athena worked closely with her father, Aineas, on the Jaeger project even as a teenager, as her father valued her viciously intelligent mind as a filter for his own. He broke an untold number of laws and non-disclosure agreements to involve her, but her contributions were important enough that neither of them were punished. During her time on the project, she nearly completed dozens of degrees on the side, but was too caught up in Jaegers to finish any of them. She never formally graduated.
Her father was a prominent public figure for the Jaeger Project, and when he died of complications arising from his close work with the Jaeger reactors, many looked to Athena to take his place. She vehemently opposed this newfound interest in her opinions and personal life, but often found herself ordered to engage them, for the lack of anyone better suited to it. Aineas had been a jovial, personable man, much-loved by the public. Athena found this legacy difficult to uphold. When not thrust into the public eye, she can be found tinkering.

[Karma]

It occurred to me that my suggestions of mini kaiju and power armor go very well together. An influx of beasts too small for the jaegers would have to be met KB their own terms, since they'd just scurry around the huge limbs and weapons to swarm them otherwise.

[evangel]

Primarch - Looks fantastic!

Pretty good ideas. Got any unit images in mind for the power armors? There's plenty we could lift from Patlabor/Full Metal Panic. Also, new character/OOC threads are up. Gotta get to work on LOCCENT NPCs...

[Karma]

I do. I'll be doing write ups and post them tonight hopefully.

[Vaulera]

Oh! I just saw pacific rim the other day. I thought the acting was maybe some of the worst AAA acting of all time, but I loved the effects, the monsters, the ideas and the general concept. What should I do to start up Evangel?

[evangel]

Hey Vaulera! Glad you're here. Right now if you want to be a Jaeger pilot, what we have to do is find you a partner. Would you mind teaming up with the next applicant or do you already have someone else in mind? Once you have a team, go ahead and start working on your characters and then collaborating on your machine.

[Vaulera]

Nope! Next applicant is fine with me. Sexuality, Gender and all that doesn't matter, so whoever cares to works for me! It'll be cool to participate. By the way, didn't know that you hosted group games too Evangel.

[Ember Star]

*flutters in to bookmark* Rev and I are working on characters.

[evangel]

Awesome, Ember!

Also this isn't really my idea, it's Primarch's. I just volunteered to run the game when he couldn't. It's my first game as host but fortunately, quite a few are co-GMing with me. So grateful this RP's attracting a lot of chill people.  8-)

[Vaulera]

Hey now, most of E is chill people, or people who are just plain nice.

[Evil Tim]

Name: Kevin Blake

Age: 32

Nationality: American

Rank: Ranger

Appearance:


Positive personality traits: Loyal to his friends, quick thinking on his feet, doesn't give up

Negative personality traits: Short fuse, reckless, gets fixated on killing the Kaiju

Pre-PPDC experience: A former Green Beret who joined the PPDC after his family was killed in a Kaiju attack on Los Angeles. 

Other skills: Is passable in Japanese, Russian, and Chinese

General Backstory: Kevin was in Afghanistan when the first Kaiju attack hit the United States.  After being called back Stateside, Kevin moved his family down to south California to the city of Los Angeles, thinking it would be safe from the attacks.  He was wrong.  The next Kaiju attack that hit the United States hit Los Angeles, and Kevin's wife and daughter were killed when the Kaiju collapsed the bridge their car was stranded on.  As soon as the Kaiju was killed, Kevin went and joined up with the PPDC.  His obsession with killing Kaijus and avenging his family almost made his mental state inappropriate for the Jaeger program, but his quick thinking and adaptability allowed him enough leeway to get through the exam despite his questionable mental state when facing a Kaiju.

Compatibility tests showed that Kevin was most compatible with fellow California resident Derrick Cines, despite the two of them having never met once before joining the PPDC.  They were given the Jaeger Grave Digger, a pure black Jaeger with a white skull like head.  Derrick controls the left arm which  houses a mount for three lashing chains that lash onto the Kaiju and draw them in close, where it is finished off by Kevin and the right arm, which wields a razor sharp scythe weapon.

[Swordsman18]

Name: Derrick Cines

Age: 27

Nationality: American

Rank: Ranger

Positive personality traits: Loyal, dutiful, charming

Negative personality traits: Arrogant, reckless, guarded at times

Pre-PPDC experience: He was a mixed martial artist known for beating his opponent quickly even if he took a few blows himself. Derrick got himself to be ranked pretty high in the MMA circuit being in the top 20.

Other skills: Before he had become an MMA fighter, he had been working as a mechanic. So there are times where he joins the crew to work on the Jaegers and understanding how they work from a mechanical standpoint.

General Backstory:
Derrick grew up on the streets of South Central LA. It was a hard life of living in the hood trying to avoid going to the easier methods of earning money. One day when he was a teenager, he slipped and nearly ended up in juvenille hall but instead was forced to do community service from the person he tried to rob. That person happened to own a boxing gym. It was through having to clean, work and nearly live there that he decided to take up the trade.

He quickly gained rank and status in the local area but felt as though he was headed towards a ceiling where he could not advance. So he began the grueling training of MMA. A few years later after he had gained some kind of a rank in it, the Kaiju attacks began. One of the first nearly cost him the girl he had been dating for about a year.

The Pan Pacific Defense Corps then began to recruit for the Jaegar program. Since it would provide protection for him and a couple of his loved ones, as well as allow him to fight Kaiju, he joined up ready to fight. Now he pilots the Grave Digger with Kevin Blake using their signature "The Call of the Grave" attack.

[Revenent]

Here's mine, unless Ember disapproves of it in the PM I sent her, in which case I'll have to change it:

Name: Daigo Tanaka
Age: 29
Nationality: Japanese
Rank: Ranger

Appearance:


Positive personality traits: Hard-working, Helpful, Disciplined
Negative personality traits: Prideful, Short-tempered, Traditional

Pre-PPDC experience: Police officer, pilot in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Other skills: -Talented baseball player from high school career.
-Strong PR skills (interviews, public image, etc.).
-Good at navigating without instruments. Can perform some on-mission repairs in an emergency.
-Passable English, but refuses to use it on home soil, believing those who work at the Tokyo Shatterdome should know Japanese.

General Backstory: Born to an Okinawan police officer and his wife, Daigo was raised in a very traditional Japanese style, being taught only to show full trust to his family and neighbors, and always to be wary of outsiders. In the modern era, only some of this mentality managed to stick in the boy, but he still idolized his parents and did whatever he could to emulate their example, playing baseball in school just like his father had and joining the police academy as soon as he was out. Still, Daigo spent only a couple years as a police officer before he decided to put his athletic and intellectual skills to better use. He joined the air force just into his twenties and became a fairly talented pilot, forming a close friendship, trust, and amicable rivalry with a female pilot in his squadron.

Daigo took much pride in his service for the next several years, completely certain that he and his partner could take down any kaiju that dared to approach Japan, but the attack of Onibaba proved him dead wrong. Most of his squadron was wiped out, and he barely made it out alive as Onibaba completed ignored their attempts to bring him down. It took a British-piloted Jaeger to finally bring the beast down, a fact that shames Daigo to this day. He couldn't stand for the fact that Japanese defense had to be left to foreign Rangers, so, as soon as his injuries had recovered, he immediately signed up for the Ranger program along with his partner, where his set-in-his-ways style nearly prevented him from passing. Now he works out of the Tokyo Shatterdome, acting as a symbol of Japanese resistance to the kaiju threat.

[Evil Tim]

It occurred to me that my suggestions of mini kaiju and power armor go very well together. An influx of beasts too small for the jaegers would have to be met KB their own terms, since they'd just scurry around the huge limbs and weapons to swarm them otherwise.

I'd just like to say I really like this idea.  Fighting something like a baby Kaiju in an single-pilot power suits would be really fun to do, especially if the power suits were more customized per person than the Jaegers.

[Karma]

Yeah, I was planning to have them be a core skeleton designed by Athena, with the arms and armor being customizable.

[evangel]

Looks good. We've got enough to start soon.

[Question Mark]

Oh shit, gone for a day or two and look at what happens.

I hope y'all didn't start without me.  I didn't see my name in the character list up top, so here's my character sheet again.

Name: Dr. Ryan Kodo
Age: 35
Nationality: Chinese/American
Rank: Ranger, former Research Scientist

Appearance: Standing at 165cm, Dr. Kodo has a lithe and compact frame.  His often messy black hair is kept somewhat short, his scraggly beard more-or-less in check.  He has a single small gauge in his left ear, and a black tattoo on his right jaw hidden beneath his beard.

Positive Personality Traits: Attentive, easygoing, empathetic
Negative Personality Traits: Callous, habitual, lazy

Pre-PPDC Experience: Earned his Bachelors, Masters, and PhD at Boston University, working in neurobiology, specifically neural-machine interfacing.  Worked through post-docs in Boston and Tokyo, conducting research on electrical trauma to human neurons and the transfer of impulses from neuron to circuit, respectively.  After securing a position as an assistant professor at Tokyo University, Onibaba attacked the city, wounding Kodo and killing hundreds of thousands of others.  Although he had previously considered the Kaiju fascinating and a passing novelty, the stark reality of Onibaba's attack prompted Kodo to join the PPDC.  He originally worked on research into improving the Drift, but was eventually recruited as a Ranger.

Other Skills:
Trilingual (Mandarin, Japanese, English)
Wushu (Chinese martial art), especially Zui Quan (Drunken Fist)
Excellent swimmer
Extensive knowledge of neurobiology

Bio: Born in China, moved to Boston before his first birthday.  Normal childhood, won several Wushu tournaments as a teenager, and even participated in one in China (5th place).  Attended BU, etc. etc.





Some extra notes regarding metagaming.  I don't care who Bo gets paired up with, or if he starts a new Jaeger, or whatever.  However, I do have a few suggestions for names: "Virtue Omicron," "Succinct Kami," "Kami Eternal," "Paladin Bushido," and "Samurai Tango."  All are Japanese, except for Virtue, which can be any nationality.

I also have no opinion regarding how close we stick to canon.  Whatever works best for you guys.

[Karma]

As a stellar roboticist, Athena made many invaluable contributions to the Jaeger project. Other scientists were busy with the man-machine interface, to the point that it became an almost spiritual endeavor. Athena had no interest in this, and felt as if it were cheating to integrate the nervous system directly into the mech. She was of an older school, one that much preferred the feel of buttons, pedals, and joysticks. There was a certain empathy to be found with machines built with your own two hands, and when you literally became the machine, all of that value was lost.

In university Athena had been at the forefront of powered armor research. At the time, there were only rudimentary prototypes, with much work remaining to be done particularly in the field of active balancing in the heat of combat. All of that changed with the Jaeger program, however. The global gloves were off, and all the money they ever needed was pouring in. When they were finished balancing a series of 80 meter tall mechs, it was no struggle for Athena to get 4 meter tall powered armor to stand stable in any situation.

Thus was born Athena’s pet project, the Kaempfer series. Instead of a cockpit, the suits open from the back, allowing the “pilot” to climb into a person-shaped alcove. When the suit closes, it becomes an extension of themselves. There is no neural interface, however; it’s pure motion amplification, and instead of force feedback, the suits have HUDs, and instead of thought-driven weaponry, there is an array of controls at each limb. The suits are highly customizable. Athena designed a core skeleton with a multitude of attach points for armor plating, each running power for any equipment the user might desire, as long as they could provide it.

Her own prototypes were workable shortly after Brawler Yukon was completed, and were rapidly adopted by the PPDC for use in Jaeger construction and maintenance. As more Kaempfers were completed, they found homes all across the world, prized for their versatility, though they were expensive in their own right. Tokyo Shatterdome, as one of the most well-stocked domes on the Rim, has several, all in pristine condition and ready for modification thanks to Athena being on site.


Lucent Djinn, Athena’s personal model. According to her, it’s the fastest and most silent Kaempfer on the planet, though she uses it to tinker on Jaegers vastly more than she takes it into combat. Focused mainly on melee.


Powered armor in “factory” configuration.

Powered armor was not Athena’s only diversion. While the Drift was still in its early phases, much work was done on Jaegers piloted through traditional means. This proved implausible in the short term, as reaction times were too slow, prone to getting the pilot killed and the machine destroyed. The Drift was a shortcut, according to Athena, a cheat that turned the Jaeger into a slave and robbed it of its identity. Her philosophical views on piloting were irrelevant to her superiors, of course, and did little to save the world at the time. The unit that was farthest along in traditional development was given to her to do as she pleased once the Drift was chosen as the future of the Jaeger program. Its systems were far too integrated to be refitted with a Drift cockpit, and it served to silence her for a time. Years later, she has made some progress on it, arguing that its performance with a single pilot outmatches a single-pilot Drift Jaeger. Until it can stand on even keel with a dual-pilot Drift, however, it will remain as a curiosity, little more than a pet rock to keep one of their best minds from straying too far.


Immaculate Shogun

[Revenent]

Ooh, I just had an idea for a Kaiju that could take advantage of the whole power armor thing. Maybe I'll see about playing it early on.

[SargentToughie]

So I heard about this RP from a friend, and as somebody who's a colossal sucker for anything involving Giant Robots, along with having enjoyed the movie, I'll just go ahead and throw my hat in as somebody who'd be interested in taking part, should room open up for me. The way I see it right now, everybody has partners, so I'm not going to mix things up trying to force my way in. If somebody else shows up though, I'll just go ahead and leave my name here as somebody in reserve.

Hope you guys have fun either way, and I hope to talk to you guys again soon.

[evangel]

Ramsey, the new background looks superb. Daigo's profile is pretty much A-class! Mr. Cines' profile looks real nice as well. Lots of people with vengeance in their minds. And yeah, Question Mark. I wasn't sure if you were still in or not, but we still definitely have room for you! I just need an expanded back story and it will be good to go.

Also Sargent, I think Mr. Kodo does require a partner at the moment. I think you'll be just fine sticking around here, dude. Question Mark, would you be cool with working with SargentToughie?

AWESOME STUFF

asflaskjdslkjaskf;WOOOI mean, excellent work. Good choice picking units with weaponry that are pretty much up-scaled IRL guns with a few more gizmos on them. I can't wait.  ;D

[Karma]

I flipped through a lot of mechs trying to find ones with hips that wouldn't shatter yours when you got into them. *laughs*

For funsies, here's the original MS-18E Kaempfer from Gundam 0080. Wouldn't be surprised if someone wanted to use it.

[evangel]

That part is pretty important. Incidentally, do you guys mind filling out profile templates for your Jaegers? Here's an example.

Code Name: Oratorio Mayhem
Launch Date: June 7, 2017
Classification: Mark III
Status: Active
Country of Origin: Argentina
Height: 75 Meters
Weight: 2,010 Tons
Appearance:

The swankiest Mk. III machine this side of the western hemisphere!

Equipment:
Murakami-Madison XMS Mk. II Multipurpose Launchers - Shoulder-mounted projectile delivery systems designed to fire off everything from missiles that go boom to missiles that go fwoom. Two individual tubes are positioned above each shoulder and fully equipped with redundancy measures to ensure perfect operation through storm and snow.

Stonewell XVC-7 "Broadsword" Assault Mount - Retractable blades stored in the Jaeger's forearm, capable of emitting heat to cauterize Kaiju wounds and stumps after slicing something off. Imperfect materials meant that the Broadsword has a limited operating time of three minutes before the system malfunctions.

TEMPLATE:

Code Select Expand


[b]Code Name[/b]: English. Two words that may not be related. Just make it cool.
[b]Launch Date[/b]: The RP is going to start sometime in 2018. That's all you have to keep in mind if you want your first battle to be RP'd here.
[b]Classification[/b]: Mark II for slower, weaker machines with more experienced pilots. Mark IIIs for faster, stronger machines with newbs.
[b]Status[/b]: Active/Not Active/Rotting in a Closet/Killed in Action.
[b]Country of Origin[/b]: Pick one! Doesn't even have to be in the Pacific Rim!
[b]Height[/b]: Somewhere around 70-85 meters or so.
[b]Weight[/b]: Around 2000 tons, give or take.
[b]Appearance[/b]:
[spoiler=The swankiest ____ machine this side of the ____ hemisphere!]Put image or paragraph here! Need help finding a pic? Evangel can help![/spoiler]

[b]Equipment[/b]:
[i]Weapon Name[/i] - Does it go woosh or boom or stab?


[Karma]

Putting it in a quote makes it impossible for us to get the BBCode, silly! :P

Code Name: Immaculate Shogun
Launch Date: Whenever it does, somebody's getting laid.
Classification: Mark Zero (Experimental)
Status: In Development
Country of Origin: Independent
Height: 70 Meters
Weight: 1900 Tons

Appearance:

The Sleeping Giant

Equipment:
ARX-16 Super Assault Rifle - Scarce more than a super-sized standard slugthrower, this was the first Jaeger weapon developed, and by far the most primitive. It has never seen action, being quickly supplanted by advanced anti-kaiju energy weapons, missiles, and other gear.

Jesta Shield - A huge slab of titanium, steel, polymers, plastics, and ceramic that doubles as a giant heatsink for both the Immaculate Shogun and any blasts that happen to contact it.

Vulcan Cannons - mounted in the head, these provide point defense against projectiles and can serve as a backup weapon in close quarters. Originally designed as anti-personnel.

Schneider Combat Vibroknives: Stored in compartments in the IS's calves, these can vibrate with such intensity that even the thickest kaiju hide will be challenged to hold against their edge. They're still quite capable of stabbing even if power is lost.

[evangel]

I knew I forgot to do something. BE RIGHT BACK.

[SargentToughie]

I also feel like I should bring up the fact that the character concept I have in my mind right now could be rather difficult for most people to get along with. As far as combat goes, she's going to be about 30% actual fighter, and 70% performer. She'll know how to throw down when it comes to it, but for the most part, when she and her partner are taking on a Kaiju, it's more of a show then it is a struggle in the name of life and death, akin to a professional wrestling match.

I'm not going to ruin anybody's experience if they want to make a more serious and grounded pairing with my blatantly over the top, attention seeking, egotistical as fuck, snooty character.

Just something to keep in mind, before going too far down this line of thought.

[Ember Star]

mine is probably gonna end up threatening her with a knife...

[Question Mark]

I also feel like I should bring up the fact that the character concept I have in my mind right now could be rather difficult for most people to get along with. As far as combat goes, she's going to be about 30% actual fighter, and 70% performer. She'll know how to throw down when it comes to it, but for the most part, when she and her partner are taking on a Kaiju, it's more of a show then it is a struggle in the name of life and death, akin to a professional wrestling match.

I'm not going to ruin anybody's experience if they want to make a more serious and grounded pairing with my blatantly over the top, attention seeking, egotistical as fuck, snooty character.

Just something to keep in mind, before going too far down this line of thought.

Well, someone like that would never be allowed near a Jaeger, let alone allowed to pilot one.  Only the most focused, disciplined, and talented individuals would become Rangers.  They're essentially astronauts, if modern astronauts had to fight aliens in addition to riding around on huge-ass rockets and doing SPACE SCIENCE while being all-around badasses.  Point is, someone who may who's even at a slight risk for botching the job wouldn't be in a Jaeger.  (i.e. Mako Mori)  If you want to run with that angle, however, I suggest making it a subtle thing.  Maybe one time she could have finished off the Kaiju but instead opted to taunt it.  When questioned during debriefing, she said she didn't think she could kill it yet, or she was trying to incite it into vulnerability.  Or maybe she has a penchant for awesome over-the-top finishing moves, and she's only kept on because of the public support she receives for her show-boating.

[SargentToughie]

Well, someone like that would never be allowed near a Jaeger, let alone allowed to pilot one.  Only the most focused, disciplined, and talented individuals would become Rangers.  They're essentially astronauts, if modern astronauts had to fight aliens in addition to riding around on huge-ass rockets and doing SPACE SCIENCE while being all-around badasses.  Point is, someone who may who's even at a slight risk for botching the job wouldn't be in a Jaeger.  (i.e. Mako Mori)  If you want to run with that angle, however, I suggest making it a subtle thing.  Maybe one time she could have finished off the Kaiju but instead opted to taunt it.  When questioned during debriefing, she said she didn't think she could kill it yet, or she was trying to incite it into vulnerability.  Or maybe she has a penchant for awesome over-the-top finishing moves, and she's only kept on because of the public support she receives for her show-boating.

I thought that this RP was taking place during the Jaeger's high horse mode, where pilots are more akin to rock stars then they are actual warriors. As such, I was just taking it to it's natural extreme by having all the fame and glory go to my character's head before the RP begins.

[evangel]

They are treated like rock stars. But they have to be pro warriors first. With results come the glory.  ;)

That said, physical achievements alone does not necessarily secure one's spot as a Jaeger pilot. A more qualified pilot may be passed over in her favor if she drifts quite well with someone. Ultimately though, these are trillion dollar machines who could fund entire armies with their construction budget. The people put in them have to be top-tier. Otherwise we get Knifehead vs Gipsy all over again.

[Question Mark]

I thought that this RP was taking place during the Jaeger's high horse mode, where pilots are more akin to rock stars then they are actual warriors. As such, I was just taking it to it's natural extreme by having all the fame and glory go to my character's head before the RP begins.

That's true, but at it's heart, it's still a paramilitary organization, and at the end of the day, those rock stars are still piloting multi-billion dollar Jaegers.  Although the Rangers can go hog-wild off duty and participate in as many talk shows and candid interviews as they please, I imagine the PPDC keeps them on a tight leash when they're in the cockpit.

[SargentToughie]

Yeah, fair enough. I'm just trying to mix things up a little bit, and do something different even by my own standards. I don't typically do characters who are initially unlikable and with very blatant and clear flaws, so I figured that this would be a good testing ground since the premise kinda works for it.

I can come up with a more standard character concept if we don't want to go too over the top with it. She'd still know how to put up a hell of a fight, obviously, it's just that she's WAY too much of a showboat about it.

[Question Mark]

Yeah, fair enough. I'm just trying to mix things up a little bit, and do something different even by my own standards. I don't typically do characters who are initially unlikable and with very blatant and clear flaws, so I figured that this would be a good testing ground since the premise kinda works for it.

I can come up with a more standard character concept if we don't want to go too over the top with it. She'd still know how to put up a hell of a fight, obviously, it's just that she's WAY too much of a showboat about it.

Hey, don't let me tell you what you can and cannot do.  I'm just pointing out that you need to consider the implications such a character would have on the story, and that she wouldn't be able to pull off stunts all the time with no recompense.

[Revenent]

Guys...literally none of this is real. If he wants to have a character who's good in the public eye and good at taking down Kaiju, I think we can bend the laws of this fictional universe a little for the sake of not having all of our characters be the same person. It's not like the Kaiju were even considered a huge threat before Knifehead showed up and made them dangerous again.

It's better to let someone have fun than to bog them down with the judgments of imaginary people.

[Evil Tim]

"You have called the Reaper..."

"And He has answered."

Code Name: Grave Digger

Launch Date: 2018

Classification: Mark III

Status: Active, fresh off the line, complete with that new Jaeger smell.

Country of Origin: United States

Height: 80 meters

Weight: 2000 tons

Appearance: Grave Digger's body is completely black, except for the head.  The head is bleached white, in the design of a skull.  When the head is attached to the body and powered on, an eerie green light emanates from the eyes and around the teeth of the skull head.

Equipment: The Chain Scythe- A two part weapon that is housed in the arms of Grave Digger.  The left arm houses three chains that shoot out with enough force to bury deep into the hide and flesh of a Kaiju.  The right arm houses a curved scythe like blade, capable of decapitating a Kaiju with a single slice.  Ideally the chains are used to draw the Kaiju in close to be finished off with the scythe, but the unpredictable nature of the Kaijus makes relying on this maneuver dangerous.  Additionally the chains can be used similar to a cat-of-nine-tails whip, and at close range they are sufficient by themselves to kill a Kaiju.

[Primarch]

I'm with evangel & Question Mark on this one. While I know some people like to make things a bit silly in RP, I prefer the approach of 'serious fun.' Taking the setting seriously makes for overall more fun RP for me. I'm afraid I completely disagree with Revenent. I'm pretty sure we can make Rangers that are authentic to the setting without them being the same person.

[Revenent]

Why does "different" have to mean "silly"? If they let the Australian guy in the movie pilot a Jaeger, why would this girl be any different?

[Primarch]

Well in the instance where a character is piloting a multi-billion dollar piece of state-of-the-art hardware responsible for stopping a threat that could endanger entire cities or more and that pilot is '70% performer' and makes the whole thing more 'akin to a professional wrestling match' I'd say its a bit silly. I'm not sure which Australian guy you're talking about but I'd assume its one of the Hansen's and they were both interested in getting the job done as well as possible. 

[Karma]

He was personally hot headed, yeah, but he was still a hell of a pilot. None of them were showboaters.

[Primarch]

Eitherway Toughie has already decided to go with a different character concept.

[SargentToughie]

Yup. I was exaggerating a bit to accentuate the negative of my character, but if everybody absolutely hates the concept (which they do), then I'll just change.

[Question Mark]

Yup. I was exaggerating a bit to accentuate the negative of my character, but if everybody absolutely hates the concept (which they do), then I'll just change.

Dude, you're exaggerating.  Nobody hates the concept, we're just saying you need to take into account the universe the character exists in.  You can still have your showboater and performer, she just can't be as obvious about it as say, a professional wrestler.

No one's denying your character.  Just keep being creative and original.

[SargentToughie]

Well with that in mind, I have a pretty decent idea for how I can make it work in a rather unique, (admittedly somewhat shoehorned) way. You guys still get your believable universe with it, and I still get my overly arrogant showboat, when the time comes for it, even though it won't happen right off the bat. You'll see what I'm talking about later today once I make/submit the character sheet.

Sorry if my last post came off as rude, by the way. I just read the last several posts as people rejecting the idea, though it was probably 70% (har har) my fault for not portraying what I meant properly.

[evangel]

I'm looking forward to it.  ;D Question Mark, would you have any issues teaming up with Sargent?

Also, I won't be around most of today or tomorrow. I'll be back full force Sunday!

[Vaulera]

See, I think the way a character like that should be presented would be, that inside the Jaeger, they're serious about getting the job done, but inside the base or out in the public, they're every bit as arrogant and brash as a rockstar. You could still play a cocky angle before the battle, you know, the protagonist did that right before he fought knifehead (admittedly not to a great success. Your character would just be in the habit of always bringing up things she'd done before and using hyperbole (even though most of these are televised once they reach cities.)

[Karma]

I feel silly. Here I was thinking mini kaiju was an addition to the setting... I forgot about the baby somehow. *laughs*

[Revenent]

I feel silly. Here I was thinking mini kaiju was an addition to the setting... I forgot about the baby somehow. *laughs*

That's actually the inspiration behind the kaiju I wanted to play. It would be a huge insect or arachnid (designed for water, of course) that would be carrying a whole bunch of babies around with it that could swarm the city.

[Question Mark]

I'm looking forward to it.  ;D Question Mark, would you have any issues teaming up with Sargent?

Also, I won't be around most of today or tomorrow. I'll be back full force Sunday!

Actually, Karma and I just tied our characters together last night.  Bo's going to be Athena's coworker and test pilot, it seems.

[Karma]

I don't think that should preclude him being a standard pilot. The Immaculate Shogun is a sideshow at the moment, something to work on in the off hours. Any talented, vetted pilot should really be in the field as long as there's a position.

[Ember Star]

Name: Kaori Yamada
Age: 28
Nationality: Japanese
Rank: Ranger
Appearance:

Stats: Height- 5'4". Weight- 115lbs. Eyes- brown. Other- has a dragon tattoo on her back.
Positive personality traits: Extremely loyal. Dedicated. Driven.
Negative personality traits: Doesn't like "no" for an answer. Is easily annoyed. Has an unfortunate habit of threatening people with pocket knives.
Pre-PPDC experience: Trained in the arts of the Samurai. Pilot in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
Other skills: *Talented singer (the one feminine skill her mother managed to grind into her besides cooking).
*Good cook.
*Good English.
*Excellent knife/dart thrower
*Computer wiz (she's good at hacking, repairing, and programing computers).
*Gaming (not exactly a useful skill, but she's a hardcore video gamer).
General Backstory: Born smack in the middle of four brothers, two older and two younger, Kaori was never a girly girl despite her mother's efforts to force her into the traditional Japanese feminine role. Her father ran a samurai dojo in northern  Akita. Her mother was simply a house wife. Their entire village was very traditional, but Kaori wasn't one to cling to tradition. Luckily, her school did have computers and from a very young age she clung to a fascination with them. She also clung to a desire to join her brothers in samurai training with their father. Both her parents resisted, but Kaori wad never one to take no for an answer easily. Finally, when she was 9, her father begin her training. She excelled excellently, much to her mother's dismay.

When she left for college she went to a technology school in Tokyo where she furthered her computer skills. Straight out of college, she was recruited for the Air Force because of her skills both with computers and her samurai training. She excelled there as well, with her talent with computers and background with samurai arts, she was well suited for what was a modern warriors job. This of course drove her mother mad. But there was nothing she could do to stop her driven daughter.

It was there that she met Daigo, a young man in her squadron who quite frankly annoyed her somewhat with his traditional views. But she struck up a close friendship and bond with him anyway and found that they worked well together as a team. Able to almost predict each others train of thought at times.

But then there was that one Kaiju attack which they just couldn't take down. A damned Brit with a Jaeger did what they could not. While most of their squadron was dead and gone. She was angered, shamed, and frustrated. But never being one to give up, as soon as she and Daigo recovered, she went with him in hand to sign up to be a Jeager pilot. A new determination in mind, as driven as always, she wasn't going to fail.

Fail she did not, as she and Daigo work out of the Tokyo Shadowdom and pilot a Jeager together.

[Question Mark]

I don't think that should preclude him being a standard pilot. The Immaculate Shogun is a sideshow at the moment, something to work on in the off hours. Any talented, vetted pilot should really be in the field as long as there's a position.

True, but, hmm...

It doesn't seem right to me to have a researcher double-timing as a Ranger.  The only reason he became a Ranger before this agreement was because the Drift was pretty much good to go, and the PPDC no longer directly needed his skills.  So he tried for the Ranger spot and ended up getting it.

Now that he has this new project to occupy his time, I don't much like the idea of him being a Ranger in addition to all that.  Designing a Jaeger, even with a partner, is a full time job or two, never mind Ranger training and being on-call.  That's drifting a little close to Gary Stu for my liking.

What are your thoughts on the matter guys?

[Karma]

I think you may be overestimating how active the IS's development is, or at least how active I had intended it to be. It's not going to be combat ready tomorrow, or this week or this year (in game) most likely. The person best suited to completing it has been working on it for four years and it's still in a pretty questionable state... mostly because even if the best person in the world is working on it, it's still only one person, and only when no other duties call. Think of it like writing a novel by one sentence a day.

[Primarch]

Now that he has this new project to occupy his time, I don't much like the idea of him being a Ranger in addition to all that.  Designing a Jaeger, even with a partner, is a full time job or two, never mind Ranger training and being on-call.  That's drifting a little close to Gary Stu for my liking.

What are your thoughts on the matter guys?

I actually agree completely. Either position seems like it should take someone's full time if they are to maintain proper standard.

[Revenent]

Then what do you want to do about Toughie's character?

[SargentToughie]

Meh, I can wait until somebody else shows up, no big deal.

[Karma]

I'm not gonna say no, but it doesn't line up with what I had planned. If there's someone actually working full time on this, than IS's readiness and deployment will move way up.

[Question Mark]

I'm not gonna say no, but it doesn't line up with what I had planned. If there's someone actually working full time on this, than IS's readiness and deployment will move way up.

I thought this is what we agreed on in the PMs: Bo splits from the Drift research and joins Athena full time working on the Immaculate Shogun, designing it's user controls and pilot interface.  Thus they're able to get it running quicker, and it's out in the field at or soon after the start of the game.  And by out in the field I mean ready to do a lap or two around the Shatterdome without keeling over, not fighting Kaiju.  And since he designed the controls and she wants someone else to pilot it, Bo volunteers.

[Karma]

My only defense is that I was half asleep when I agreed to it! :P All's well.

[Revenent]

Code Name: Bushido Dawn
Launch Date: 2017
Classification: Mark III
Status: Active
Country of Origin: Japan
Height: 65 meters
Weight: 1700 tons
Appearance:

The Samurai Protector

Equipment:
Mach Katana - A Jaeger-sized katana made of the most durable alloys available, with the intent of cutting through even the densest of Kaiju exoskeletons. The backside of the blade is lined along most of its length with jet engines, to give added force to the more critical strikes performed. Fuel is limited, but Bushido can make a few of these attacks before running out.

Heat-Seeking Stingers - Dozens of repurposed jet missile launchers are tucked away inside Bushido's shoulders and can release of a volley of small but powerful heat-seeking missiles. While not usually enough to kill a full-sized Kaiju, they are effective in distracting, staggering, or even blinding them.

Sora Oni System - This "Sky Demon" system is what grants the lighter, less-armored Bushido Dawn its exceptional maneuverability. While no Jaeger can dream of full-on flight at this point, the Sora Oni system allows Bushido to propel itself around the battlefield at remarkable speed for a Jaeger, and can even be used to very briefly glide if overclocked enough.

[Vaulera]

Yeah, see, some of the parts of the movie bothered me, seeing that mech of yours does my heart good. Seeing you say alloys, heartens me. When they said, "no alloys" I did a double take. "Iron, no alloys." I thought, wait, the fuck? Steel has a greater tensile strength than Iron and is lighter. The only time you would want solid Iron would be to make an unbelievably heavy Jaeger with more cost effectiveness. Also, Gipsy Danger's core wasn't a nuclear reactor, it acted in the way a fission rocket would.

[Karma]

Travis Beacham has his heart in the right place but he's not that great a writer.

[Vaulera]

The man needs to read a science textbook and I wouldn't want to slap him.

[Karma]

He's a bundle of cliches and buzzwords that also happens to like giant creatures. He did Clash of the Titans too, which was not compelling in the least. PR had del Toro though, which is absolutely what saved it.

[Vaulera]

Okay, let's be absolutely real here. You couldn't take the movie entirely seriously, or it would be pretty bad. The only acting I really hated was the dynamic/scenes between Mako Mori and Raleigh. It was soooooo tacky. You know, that time they had a sword the whole fucking time but only pulled it out when they were in the air. Or when they fought with staves for some reason, and they did the interplay of sex and violence.

[Karma]

There was a clear effort to emulate 80s cheese... the script wasn't the right kind of bad though.

[TheGlyphstone]

Name: Tane 'Tony' Maugatai
Age: 27
Nationality: Samoan Islander
Rank: Ranger

Appearance:

Positive personality traits: Determined, analytical, selfless
Negative personality traits: Bull-headed stubbornness, vengeance-driven anger, inexperienced

Pre-PPDC experience: None
Other skills: Expert fisherman, tattoo artist
General Backstory: Tane had never planned to be a warrior, but his plans changed abruptly when the kaiju Lugosi, on its way towards landfall in Chile, made an unexpected detour and tore through the Samoan capital city of Apia. His entire close and extended family had gathered there for a birthday party, and Tape himself had been on the way when Lugosi attacked. It annihilated the tiny 'city' in the space of an hour before continuing on its way and eventual demise at the hands of the Lima Strike Group, but in the process killed every living relative Tane had. He wanted vengeance, and found it in the Jaeger Academy, achieving entry on his seventh application and persevering more through raw willpower than natural talent. The core of anger that fueled him was also his biggest enemy, and it took a long while to master without losing himself in his own fury.

Even once he was deemed suitable to drive a Jaeger in combat, his sheer size - six and a half feet tall, and just under 300 pounds heavy - meant he needed a specially modified cockpit, which delayed his assignment until a new or refurbished machine was available for the refit. This turned out to be the Mark II Vasa Centurion, and he was paired up as co-pilot with the veteran Adam Sinclair in hopes the older Ranger's experience would help temper Tane - now accepting the Romanization 'Tony' of his native name. It didn't work out perfectly - Adam's impulsive nature resonated too well with Tane's hunger to get up close and violently personal, and their first few Drifts were rather tumultuous as personalities clashed, but it eventually smoothed out into an effective and single-mindedly driven command team.

[Karma]

Everybody's so angry! Haha.

[TheGlyphstone]

Raeg.

[Ember Star]

Kaori isn't angry, just easily annoyed and likes to threaten people with pocket knives :P

BTW, if she good, should I move her to the character thread? Also, shouldn't we move some of this chatter to the OOC since we have one?

[Question Mark]

When you think about it, the death toll due to Kaiju is something on par with the Sudan genocide, or both Iraqi wars, per Kaiju.  At least, for the ones that make landfall.

Entire cities are leveled, cultures are annihilated, and the earth's population drops by a significant percent with each successful attack.  One of my many complaints with the movie was the emphasis on "Kaiju culture," which, while an intriguing and valid idea, runs counter to the immensely horrific nature of the Kaiju war.  It lessened the impact of what could have been the emotional counterweight to the hero's struggles.

There are a lot of survivors looking for vengeance in the world.  The PPDC certainly never lacked funding or manpower, even after they were officially abandoned by the governments.

[Karma]

I think if the movie had taken place sooner to the initial attacks, that would have been the case. 12 years of constant death and destruction would have thoroughly worn away that kind of sensitivity. I'm not saying the anger is out of place, mind you, I'm just amused at how in concert everyone seems to be. A singular purpose makes for a more efficient organization.

[SargentToughie]

Except for the fact that it didn't take very long for the Kaiju to stop being threats. You guys all talk about these things like they're the Reapers from Mass Effect, when the movie explicitly states that for YEARS these things were basically just merchandise and film fodder.

[Revenent]

Daigo is just in it for national pride.

And I agree with Toughie to an extent, but considering how devastating the early Kaiju were, it didn't really make sense to have them turn into merchandise. Like making toys based off of a genocide.

[Ember Star]

Kaori is just driven by her own desire to rise above the traditional feminine role and prove herself as worthy as any man. She has mommy issues :P LOL

[Question Mark]

I think if the movie had taken place sooner to the initial attacks, that would have been the case. 12 years of constant death and destruction would have thoroughly worn away that kind of sensitivity. I'm not saying the anger is out of place, mind you, I'm just amused at how in concert everyone seems to be. A singular purpose makes for a more efficient organization.

Good point, but the movie could have given it more attention.  It was far too idealistic for my taste.

Except for the fact that it didn't take very long for the Kaiju to stop being threats. You guys all talk about these things like they're the Reapers from Mass Effect, when the movie explicitly states that for YEARS these things were basically just merchandise and film fodder.

Hearing that a Kaiju is coming for your city is slightly better than hearing that you're about to be nuked.  Even if a Jaeger stops it, the city will probably be paralyzed for days afterwards, even if their economy gets a boost.  People don't think they're about to die and then just move on when they're saved.  They'll think about San Francisco, and Milan, and how the Jaegers are not foolproof.  Even though Pentecost's Jaeger ended up killing Onibaba, Tokyo still lost millions of lives.  We're talking devastation on a scale not seen since World War 2, delivered in minutes instead of years.

I like to think of it as such: the Kaiju culture develops in non-Pacific cities and cities which have yet to be devastated by a Kaiju, especially those that have been saved by Jaegers.  Cities which have been attacked have developed a much grimmer, more realistic view.  When they hear a Kaiju alert, even if it's not bound for them, I expect them to react much as the survivors of Hiroshima did when they heard Nagasaki had been bombed.

It's that angle I'm going to be playing up in game, anyway.  I feel it's an underrepresented side of the conflict, the human element lost amidst the glamor of giant mecha vs. giant aliens.

[Revenent]

Hearing that a Kaiju is coming for your city is slightly better than hearing that you're about to be nuked.  Even if a Jaeger stops it, the city will probably be paralyzed for days afterwards, even if their economy gets a boost.  People don't think they're about to die and then just move on when they're saved.  They'll think about San Francisco, and Milan, and how the Jaegers are not foolproof.  Even though Pentecost's Jaeger ended up killing Onibaba, Tokyo still lost millions of lives.  We're talking devastation on a scale not seen since World War 2, delivered in minutes instead of years.

I like to think of it as such: the Kaiju culture develops in non-Pacific cities and cities which have yet to be devastated by a Kaiju, especially those that have been saved by Jaegers.  Cities which have been attacked have developed a much grimmer, more realistic view.  When they hear a Kaiju alert, even if it's not bound for them, I expect them to react much as the survivors of Hiroshima did when they heard Nagasaki had been bombed.

It's that angle I'm going to be playing up in game, anyway.  I feel it's an underrepresented side of the conflict, the human element lost amidst the glamor of giant mecha vs. giant aliens.

...Not to sound offensive, but I don't think that's really the point of Pacific Rim. It's not supposed to reflect a "realistic human element" any more than The Avengers was. Trying to play to that too much may be interesting for a while, but it's really to the detriment of the spirit of the franchise if you take it too seriously. The movie was meant to be a hokey sci-fi action flick, not a serious natural disaster drama.

[Question Mark]

...Not to sound offensive, but I don't think that's really the point of Pacific Rim. It's not supposed to reflect a "realistic human element" any more than The Avengers was. Trying to play to that too much may be interesting for a while, but it's really to the detriment of the spirit of the franchise if you take it too seriously. The movie was meant to be a hokey sci-fi action flick, not a serious natural disaster drama.

Oh, I know all that.  I went into the movie expecting a cheesy action picked film, and I got exactly that.  I wasn't under any illusions on that front.

That doesn't mean I don't lament the lost potential, though.  Just because it's soft sci-fi doesn't mean it has to have idealism, 1D characters, a paper thin plot, and generic writing.  Maybe, one day, I'll get a badass action sci-fi movie with an A-grade dramatic component.

Oh, Elysium...  *moon eyes*

[Revenent]

I don't think "cheesy action-packed" and "A-grade dramatic component" would work too well together, sadly.

[Question Mark]

I don't think "cheesy action-packed" and "A-grade dramatic component" would work too well together, sadly.

Drop the cheesy, add epic.

The point is that great action of the kind found in Pacific Rim and great story/writing/characterization (of the kind NOT found in Pacific Rim) are not mutually exclusive.  It worked in Children of Men, and District 9 had an inkling of the epic component while focusing more on the drama.  Back in the day, Aliens made bajillions off of the formula.

I look forward to Elysium now to pick up the torch.

[SargentToughie]

But Pacific rim was SUPPOSED to be cheesy from the beginning. If you 'drop the cheesy' then you drop exactly what makes Pacific Rim unique, and you make it into another generic summer blockbuster that'll be forgotten about and replaced in 2 years.

[Revenent]

Well, I enjoyed the movie for what it was, and while you're free to try to take a more serious angle on it if you want, I'm going to try to follow more in the footsteps of the original story. The juxtaposition should work nicely.

[Question Mark]

But Pacific rim was SUPPOSED to be cheesy from the beginning. If you 'drop the cheesy' then you drop exactly what makes Pacific Rim unique, and you make it into another generic summer blockbuster that'll be forgotten about and replaced in 2 years.

It IS a generic summer blockbuster that will be forgotten in two years.  It had a lackluster box office show, meh reviews, and although it has a fandom (I.e. us), I don't think it'll be going anywhere fast.

That's the problem with cheesy movies: they're cash-ins, a quick buck, and -- worst of all -- an excuse for the makers to cut good writing, characterization, plot, and other intangibles out.

Well, I enjoyed the movie for what it was, and while you're free to try to take a more serious angle on it if you want, I'm going to try to follow more in the footsteps of the original story. The juxtaposition should work nicely.

Agreed.  Only in contrast can we truly see.

[Revenent]

Being cheesy does not automatically make a movie a cash-in. If every single movie in this genre was trying to make a grade A drama out of itself, the entire thing would be ruined, because there would be no variety. I definitely see where you're coming from, but entertainment-focused movies like this have just as much of a purpose in the market as ones focused on good writing. You can't have your Babylon 5 without your Star Wars.

[Vaulera]

Name: Karla Lémair
Age: 22
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Ranger

Appearance:

Positive personality traits: Unshakable, Efficient, Resolute
Negative personality traits: Cold, Uncompromising, Never Retreats

Pre-PPDC experience: A trained expert in MMA fighting, particularly the Shorin Ryu Karate School and Muay Thai Kickboxing, Sub-contracted to assist in the hand-to-hand combat lessons of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Other skills:
Extreme organizational skills from managing a business
Slightly acquainted with computer language

General Backstory:
Karla grew up in a pretty run of the mill household in Vancouver, BC. Her father, Marcus Lémair, a loving, quiet and rather introspective man, worked as a financial consultant and pulled in a fairly sizeable salary every year, necessary when living in a city with such high real-estate costs. Karla's mother, formerly Diana Holton, was also a working woman, a nurse working in the ER. Her earliest childhood were her happiest memories, learning to bake from her mother, spending quality time with her father and generally enjoying the life of a very happy family. The only difference between her and many others was her rather strange hobby and interest of martial arts. Contrary to the norm, however, Karla's parents were very supportive of her hobby, and made every effort to help her explore her interest and newfound talent from the age of seven. Her only issues started when she reached highschool. Her focus and her talents were so far from what were necessary that it became absolutely clear she wouldn't succeed there. Even yet, her love for the world of MMA and it's component arts persisted. Financial issues arose at home, and it made friction between her father and mother. Very much unlike her husband, Karla's mother was under constant stress from her job, on top of being the only one to be in charge of things like helping her education and hobbies. Another couple years into highschool and Karla's mother snapped. She divorced Karla's father and left, leaving Canada entirely to live back in her home town in the states. Karla's father, such an ordinary man, had been in love with his wife for so long that she was the very core of his world. Losing her was a brutal shock to his system that he never recovered from. To escape his own demons, he started taking solace in the bottom of a bottle. Eventually, his alcoholism developed to the point where he had to be let go from his job, and Karla had to drop out from highschool, taking over management of the gym she had attended for many years, while the original owner expanded to another location. Marcus, now completely dependant on his daughter, became abusive and bitter, even as Karla flourished in her position, growing to such a state of expertise that she made an appearance in the national scene. Even the military had an interest in her vast repertoire and expertise in martial arts, contracting her through the gym to assist in the instruction of trainees in the Canadian armed forces. However much Karla was abused by her father, she did love him, and she always had the escape in the ring and at her gym, but everything fell apart April 23, 2015, when Karloff attacked Vancouver.

Karla was away from Vancouver that day, fighting a match in Toronto when she heard the news. She had seen and heard the horrifying news of the previous Kaiju attacks, but when she returned home, it was more than she could possibly comprehend. The gym was destroyed, her home was destroyed, her father, students and friends were all killed when the Kaiju hit their block. Her whole life in tatters, Karla was at a loss. With the removal of sponsorship and the destruction of her gym, her hopes of an MMA career were all but shattered and all the people she held dear were dead, besides her largely absent mother. The only other people Karla had grown close to were some of the men in the military. With very little else to turn to, she went to the colonel in charge of the men she was teaching hand-to-hand, and through him, she was able to reach the opportunity to attempt to join the Pan Pacific Defence Force and the Jaeger program. When it came to hand-to-hand combat, her skills were unrivalled in her group, and when they attempted drifting, she was able to remain calm and cool, even under the most stressful of circumstances. Karla, with her brutal efficiency and cool head under fire, was deemed suitable for piloting a Jaeger, and in combination with her partner, piloted a mark 1 Jaeger quite successfully for years, earning quite the reputation. The story of how she and her partner were actually paired, was an ordeal.

(Reserved for when Evangel makes his character, time for some teamwork writing <3)

[evangel]

Brief notes

- Looking over characters after I wake up and can properly ascertain between adjectives and verbs. And think more beyond "Whoa, Bushido Dawn looks rad."

- As much as I love discussion of the movie and the artistic integrity of robutts slapping giant lizards with boats, further talk should go to OOC. Or better yet, its own topic in Elliquiy off-topic section.

- Karma, Question Mark, I'm fine with what you guys want and Sargent seems to be fine with waiting. But Question Mark, I just don't want you to get bored or sidelined because Karma has declared that Athena's posts may be a bit sparse or irregular because of real life issues (as far as I recall. I'm drunk with lack of sleep at the moment.)

[Primarch]

Code Name: Vasa Centurion
Launch Date: 2016
Classification: Mark II
Status: Active
Country of Origin: Australia
Height: 75
Weight: 1800
Appearance:

The swankiest murder machine this side of the southern hemisphere!

Equipment:
XV88 Flamethrower: Vasa Centurion's left formarm and hand can unfold to reveal a Jaeger sized flamethrower. The particular chemical used to fuel the weapon will stick to the Kaiju and burn intenly and is notoriously difficult to extinguish. While it is very effective at causing horrific damage to a Kaiju, for obvious reasons it is not overtly practical near populated areas or underwater.

3.99 'Brass Knuckles': Vasa Centurion's hands (or rather fingers) mount a set of 'brass knuckles' that increase the damage of impact when striking a Kaiju.

Starburst Flash Lamps: Embedded into each of Vasa Centurion's shoulders are an array of powerful lamps that draw directly on the Jaeger's nuclear core to produce an immensely bright flash of light - upwards of thirty billion candlepower for a half-second burst, theoretically visible from space and capable of blinding or disorienting a Kaiju in close quarters.

[evangel]

Go ahead and move your profiles to the character topic, Jaeger and all. Everyone so far is approved. Question Mark, Ryan Kodo's background should be updated to reflect his status in working with Immaculate Shogun. Also, a few more lines for his childhood and teenage years are needed.

I'll get LOCCENT NPC profiles up sometime tomorrow, and we can start tomorrow as well.

[Question Mark]

Go ahead and move your profiles to the character topic, Jaeger and all. Everyone so far is approved. Question Mark, Ryan Kodo's background should be updated to reflect his status in working with Immaculate Shogun. Also, a few more lines for his childhood and teenage years are needed.

I'll get LOCCENT NPC profiles up sometime tomorrow, and we can start tomorrow as well.

Ugh, I loathe writing backstories.  But... fine, I'll whip up some BS and post it to the thread.

[Primarch]

I'mma leave this right here.....

[Evil Tim]

I'mma leave this right here.....

That...is amazing.

[Primarch]

I'mma leave this right here too....

[Swordsman18]

Name: Alicia Mataron
Age: 32
Nationality:  Spanish American
Rank: Chief Engineer of Grave Digger

Appearance:

Positive personality traits: Intelligent, Caring, Resourceful, Hard working
Negative personality traits: Obsessive Compulsive, Overprotective, At times she is not all that knowledgeable of things outside the PPDC,

Pre-PPDC experience:  Mechanic Assistant for her father when she was a teen, Bachelor's in Physics and Engineering. PHD in Non-civil Engineering with minors in Physics and Biotechnology.
Other skills: Due to the sheer amount of time that she has been spending with Jaeger development and maintenance, she has learned some coding and other operations pursuant to Jaeger AI. Also will work on things with her mechanics if there is something to be done on Grave Digger or other Jaegers. Also proficient at driving cars at very high speeds.
General Backstory:
Alicia was the only child born into a family that was really male-centric. It was a family that was about racing cars, fixing cars and building up the name of their shop and Car Club. So even though she was a girl, she was not treated as such. And quickly she adapted to it. By the age of 10 she could quite literally build an engine by herself. But even then, her father who saw her potential would not allow her to be his Assistant due to her age.

So she continued to perfect her craft and help out the other mechanics when she was not at school. And at 15 when there was a car brought into the shop that looked like a lost cause. She took the job knowing that it was going to be days of grueling work. After completely rebuilding the frame, axle, engine block and the outer frame to like new conditions, she was rewarded with finally becoming a Mechanic Assistant.

A year later, she got her license and then she became a racer. She went through a few pitfalls and lost her car but generally she did fine in the car scene. Whenever she lost money, she could always make it back through her mechanic work. After she made it to her senior year, she was given a choice. It was either go to college or stay and keep doing what she was doing. After a talk with her father, he sent her off to UCLA.

It was during her time there that she met Derrick Cines who was just an amateur fighter then. Though she had initially disliked him due his arrogance, she grew to like him. What truly brought them together was that she had decided one night to race one of the college guys that thought since she was a girl she stood little chance. She gave the guy a run for his money challenging with her car that she maintained since she left her father's shop. But at the end of the race, the cops appeared.

Derrick seeing the familiar car opened up his garage allowing her a place to hide and avoid the police pursuit. And that night their relationship began. She continued her education and he became a legitimate fighter.

But then the Kaiju attacked, and the world changed. Upon hearing of his entry into the PPDC, she joined following him up as she finished her Masters degree and began her work as an engineer on the Jaegars. Thus that continued to this day, with her protecting her boyfriend through maintaining his Jaeger and him defending her from Kaiju. Both of them are very much in love which at times can get be used as both a benefit and detriment to her work.

[TheGlyphstone]

Non-civil Engineering? Seems like a very rude field to get a degree in. :D

[Swordsman18]

Yeah. she could have gone with Quantum Mechanics but she was just not sure how you build stuff out of Quantum.

[TheGlyphstone]

I'm just wondering what field that's actually supposed to be. There are a ton of Engineering disciplines that aren't Civil Engineering.