Evil Genius! (Looking for GM)

[Ciosa]

Teaser

Teaser, pt I

1969

Mankind has landed on the moon.  Bikinis are hitting beaches across the world, and animal prints are vogue.  Brigitte Bardot has become the official face of Marianne, and beehive hairdos and minidresses dot the landscape.  The Beatles are living legends. 

Maximilian cared for none of that.  The pint sized man was built like an owl – broad shoulders and a bald head that sat squat on his neck, tapering down to tiny legs and misshapen feet that made him seem perpetually in danger of falling over – especially when he paced in front of the giant monitor which held his attention.

He cleaned the fog from his monocle – he sweated profusely, even in cool climates, and the heat of the volcano where he'd made his lair was only compounded by the moisture of the jungle outside.  He took a long draw the tapered cigarette holder in his hand, blowing out smoke and fuming quietly.

A dozen men, each physically capable of breaking the tiny man in half, shook in their boots.  They'd never seen the industrial genius so angry.  They towered over him, but stood stock straight, at attention, praying they didn't draw his attention.

“What do you mean OFF LINE?!” he finally howled.  The scientist on screen – with a white lab coat and beads of sweat dripping down his face. 

“My apologies, your Magnificence,” he said, cowering and bowing his head.  “We're still trying to get to the source of the problem.  Some sort of electromagnetic energy has scrambled the radio signals which control our security system.  The traps – the flamethrowers walls and the saw blade ceilings and the dread-mills all appear to be offline.”

“And the piranhas?  What about the piranhas?!”

Maximilian's small hands slammed down on the desk.  The scientist jumped.  “They're fine, sir!  But...”

“BUT WHAT?!” screamed the undersized tyrant.

“Well, the radio controls which operate the trap doors seem to be malfunctioning.  We can't seem to get them to open when the forces of justice – or the tourists – tread on them.”

Maximilian screamed, balling his fists in the air.  “The forces of justice are HERE?!  Why didn't you LEAD with that?!”  He pointed at the screen.  “Minion!  Kill him!  Everyone!  Red Alert!  Fight to the last man!  Arm yourselves, my minions, ARM YOURSELVES!”

Teaser, pt II

John Steele, man of danger, international playboy and internationally renowned super-spy, casually aimed his PPK and squeezed the trigger.  The shot was over a hundred and fifty yards, the tiny gun barely capable of accurately handling such ranges, but it caught the gray-clad henchman square in the forehead.  There was a splatter of blood, his head snapping back, and John Steele sighed.

Another day, another megalomaniac trying to take over the world. 

He adjusted the tie of his tuxedo, glancing at the sun and momentarily begrudging the sweltering heat of the jungle.  He should be frolicking on the beach with with some nubile tourist who filled out her bikini – but instead he was trekking through the jungle, putting the end to the schemes of yet another would be overlord.

“I should publish a rulebook for evil geniuses,” he sighed.  He stepped over vines and fallen branches, his polished leather shoes not collecting a hint of mud, or cracking even the tiniest stick – though his white coat did little to fade into the verdant background.  Another minion poked their head out from the cave, waving a gun, scanning the jungle in an adrenaline-fueled haze.  John waited for him to lean just a little more, and shot him in the chest.  The minion crumpled and fell back, and John paused in front of the first, nearly headless minion.

“Rule number one,” he said, leaning down and unzipping the garish yellow jumpsuit.  It was waterproofed, he noticed with amusement, and a moment later he'd stripped it off, pulling it over his tuxedo reluctantly.  He reached over to pull off the intact helmet from the second dead minion, snapping it into place.

“My minions will have clear face masks, not silly visors which allow anyone to enter.”

He continued into the cave – the illusion of nature disappeared a few steps within, becoming metal walls and sliding, sophisticated doors.  The jammer he'd placed earlier was disrupting most of the islands technological systems, and in an emergency, the doors were forced into an open position.

“Rule number two,” he continued to himself.  He glanced up, smiling wryly at the large, overhead heating duct.

“My ventilation shafts will be too small to crawl through.”  He jumped up, catching the sill of it, pulling off the grate with one hand and climbing within.

“Rule number three - “

Teaser, pt III

Maximilian slammed his hands down on the table.  “Where are my minions!  Blue Team, come in!  Yellow Team!  Report!”

He howled, throwing the radio against the screen in a fury.  Both shattered, and the gathered henchmen winced.  He was standing on the table now, doing his best to loom over the remaining force of devoted servants.  It made him stand eye to eye with his burly henchman.

“It could just be the radio's jammed, sir,” said a henchman, optimistically. 

“It could just be the radio's jammed, sir,” parroted Maximilian.  He drew a Luger, aiming it and shooting the optimistic minion through the chest.

“No,” he growled, shaking with impotent fury.  “It's John...Steele.”  He hissed the words.

“Someone get Jubei.  And ready the giant laser!”

He pumped his hands into the air victoriously, while his minions scurried.

As two of them slipped out, one of the yellow-clad henchmen leaned to the other.

“Man, this sucks.  We're all going to die.”

“Shh,” said the other, nodding back to the diminutive leader.  “Gollum's got ears like a bat.”

Teaser, pt IV

Smoke spilled out of the cave entrance as John Steele strode back out.  The pint-sized megalomaniac's bodyguard had put up a hell of a fight, and his tuxedo had born the brunt of it.  He sighed and looked down at the garment – the clean white surface marred by katana cuts, laser fire, and the blood of more than one hapless minion.  He peeled it off, baring bronzed muscles and abs carved of rock, tossing it into the jungle.  He pushed a button on his watch.  Tiny antenna extended from the technological masterpiece, and he spoke into the face.

“S.A.B.R.E. Command, this is double oh twelve, copy.”

“We read you loud and clear.”

He glanced back to the volcano, streaming smoke from a dozen entrances.  “Operation Napoleon is complete, sir.”  He poked idly at a small red line, where a bullet had grazed his abdomen.  “The runt put up a fight, but I don't think you'll have to worry about that earthquake ray any time soon.”

The volcano let out a crash, as systems of tunnels collapsed upon themselves.  Smoke and debris flew from the entrances, and for a moment John Steele coughed and then held his breath.

“Was... a little closer to operational than expected,” he added. 

He paused, gaze fixing on two distant figures.  They were headed for the beach, running from the debris, tourists vacationing on the island.  Nubile, with caramel skin and dark hair, bodies glistening in the sun as they dove into the water to wash themselves of the soot and smoke.  The sway of their bodies in the bikinis was... mesmerizing.

“God bless  Louis Réard,” said Steele. 

“What was that?  We didn't catch the last part.  You're on your way back to HQ?”

Steele glanced at his watch, and grinned.  “Sorry, Command.  Looks like there's a... back up prototype I'm going to have to dismantle.  I'll radio you when it's over.”

He slipped off the watch, and his shoes, and headed for the beach at a jog, a grin on his face.

“Damnation,” said Command.  “He's off buggering some bimbo.”

Teaser, pt V

A thousand miles away, a phone rang.  A gloved hand lifted it to an ear.

“Your... eminent brilliance?”

“Yes?” said a cultured voice.

“It seems the... Island of Indeterminate Location you were interested in is... once again on the market.  I'm told there's been a... significant drop in the asking price.  S.A.B.R.E. apparently discovered a ruthless mastermind using it as a base of operations.  Apparently, some made plot to take over the world.”

“Oh?  What a pity.”

There wasn't the least bit of disappointment in the voice.

“Would you like another tour?  We can arrange another trip to scout the location - “

“That won't be necessary.  I'll buy.  I'll have the money transferred first thing in the morning.”

“Thank you.  Our courier will be in the usual place.”

“Excellent.”  There was a cultured pleasure in the tone, but distant – a powerful mind was already far distant, wheels spinning in their mind.

The hand hung up the phone.  Fingers steepled together, and a low, wicked laugh began.  It seemed to bubble on, and on, filling the room.

Minions in helmets with clear face plates glanced to one another.  They'd never seen the Master so happy.

Inspiration and Concept

First and foremost:  I strongly believe in citing the inspiration for all my games, and this one comes from the video game Evil Genius, published by Elixir Studios, owned by Sierra Entertainment.  (I believe the first is now defunct, and don't know who owns the rights to the the second's games any longer.  I do know you can find it on Steam for 4.99, and it a worthy five bucks.  Seriously, a Starbucks costs more.)

This is a game about World Domination.  Rather, it's a game about the turbulent, treacherous painful path to World Domination.  The characters will be playing the henchmen and minions of an Evil Genius, bent on World Domination.  Headquartered on a jungle Island of Indeterminate Location, they will create a wickedly evil lair, foil the forces of justice, commit acts of nefarious infamy, and slowly carry out the Genius's plan to take over the world.  Arrayed against them are the forces of justice:  Highly skilled investigators, soldiers, and agents, all bent on keeping the world safe.

Structurally, the game is going to occur on the island - PCs will be able to leave to conduct various misdeeds across the globe, but these will be handled by PM, largely mechanically resolved, and not be a major part of the 'story' of the game.  They //will// accrue experience for these actions, though, so some jostling for chery assignments will be expected.  Experience can also be accrued on the island, from roleplaying and thwarting the agents of justice.

Mechanically, these two effects are designed to keep casual players on something of a par with players who post more regularly.  While an active player on the island - one busy roleplaying, fighting the forces of justice, and serving the Evil Genius will become more powerful than a player who can't post as often, the casual player will be able to go 'off-island' for periods of time and return with some experience.

Island Power Structure

Sadly, a single villaionous lair can only support one Evil Genius.  A suggestion has been put forward to have the Evil Genius played by myself - and while I see merit in it, I also understand the appeal of having a player in the role.  At this point, if you're interested in being the head honcho, know that I expect a certain commitment of time and energy to the part - I'd like someone with both excellent writing samples and a high posting rate.

Beneath the Evil Genius is the roles played by his Henchman.  Henchman come in two stripes - those with specific responsibilities, and those that have simply been brought on board to help resolve problems in the world at large.  (Such as all that horrid music coming out of Nashville - now seeking demolitions experts!)  The idea of Henchman is that each of them has unique abilities that are not easily replaced - even an irate Evil Genius is unlikely to have them executed in a tiff, as finding and recruiting such excellent help isn't easy.
Below Henchmen are the all important Minions.  I'm not intending PCs to play minions - they're meant to be the faceless, nameless masses who do the bidding of those above them in the chain of command.  That's not to suggest that minions aren't skilled - they can be highly adept at their chosen profession, but they are ultimately replaceable.

There are four useful assortments of minions - construction workers, military professionals, espionage professionals, and scientific professionals.  Construction workers are responsible for building and expanding the evil lair.  Military professionals see to security on the base, and also assist in performing evil deeds abroad.  Espionage professionals are responsible for keeping the forces of justice busy on the island - posing as staff for the Island's distractions, beguiling and seducing spies to keep them from poking into the Island's secret activities.  They also perform espionage activites off the island, with a much greater degree of subtlety than military minions.  Scientific minions are responsible for equipping the Island and its henchmen with useful gadgets - everything from new deathtraps to the spy-tech that's a staple of the genre.  Off island, they help with gathering intelligence on new opportunities for wickedness, though rarely participate themselves.

Cast

A few postions I'd like to see filled:

Chrystal - Dr. Penelope Harding.  Approved. The Evil Genius!  Send your concepts, your ideas.  The Evil Genius will necessarily be restricted to the Island, and will be responsible for making all decisions as to development and construction on the Island.  They also assign the general direction of scientific research, and make decisions as to the fate of any captured agents of justice.  Plus, they're the boss!

Jezabelle - Natashya Petrovic.  Approved.The #2 - a.k.a, the Minion babysitter.  #2 is responsible for the Control Room, one of the key responsibilities in overseeing events in the World.  They're responsible for assignments off island, and maintaining constant monitoring of potential opportunities for mayhem.  Working in the control room is a much dreaded requirement for minions, work that's long and tedious and often boring, so it requires a firm, disciplined hand to keep the minions at peak efficiency.

Primarch, Robert West, approved - The Master At Arms - Responsible for the physical security of the island, the Master At Arms is also responsible for the military minions.  They're responsible for the care and safekeeping of guarded rooms, weapon storage, and the ongoing training of military minions, helping to develop their abilities.  Off Island, they'll likely be involved in missiosn where subtelty isn't an option.

RedPhoenix. Petunia Lix-Salotte, approved The Spy - Responsible for the espionage minions, and also chiefly responsible for keeping the agents of justice detained in a non-violent fashion.  Key to this operation is the Island's hotel, and the Spy has defacto responsiblity for its operation and management.  They also train others in the fine arts of espionage.  The Spy will also be responsible for keeping tabs on the forces of justice, on and off the Island.

XenoLord, awaiting character sheet The Scientist - The wicked madperson responsible for providing the Island with the keys to World Domination.  Developing new security measures, scientific breakthroughs, clever gadgets - or just diving deep into the world of Mad Science - the Scientist will be responsible for the labratories, as well as the training and recruitment of scientific minions to carry out the wicked plans of his or her evil imagination.

Kythia, Jamie-Leigh Hoffman, approved  Mercenary Commander - Responsible for leading the mercenary forces on the island, currently the elite tier of military minions. 


Kerri has also expressed interest, but not yet been approved.

These are the top dogs of the organization, but there's plenty of room for more.  A chief engineer, assassins, a hotel manager, leg breaking goons - there's limitless possibilities!

Character Sheet

See below

Character Creation

Characters will have eight points to spend between three attributes, and also to expend on special abilities.  all characters must have a minimum of one in every attribute, and abilities are purchased on a one for one basis.  (I.e, getting a Intellect of 4, Persuasion of 1, and Whoopass of 1 will cost 6 points.)  Buying a Legendary attribute costs two points instead of one.  Special abilities cost a number of points comparable to the tier of the ability - I.e, a Tier 3 ability will cost 3 points.  Under this system a character can start with a legendary attribute, but all other attribute will be Pathetic (1), and will start without special abilities.

Intellect:  How scientifically and technologically proficient your character is.  Useful in scientific research, also in making repairs and engineering work.  This is NOT a reflection of character intelligence - that's a function of role playing.  This is a reflection of scientific ability.  Off-Island, a high Intellect will help a henchman discover useful plots for the Evil Genius.

Rating: 

   Pathetic [1]: A typical minion.  Capable of changing the oil on a car, and rotate tires.  May be in trouble when it comes to home construction projects. 

   Poor [2] : A trained minion, a technician capable of making repairs to sophisticated objects, or perform construction tasks.  Capable of simple scientific and engineering theory.  An automotive mechanic, a high school science teacher, or an intern at a research lab are all good examples of this level of proficiency.

   Good [3]:  A dedicated and trained scientific mind.  A professional scientist, a researcher, a professor at a major university.  Capable of advanced scientific and engineering theory.  Scientific minds with this level of genius are capable of gaining insight or ideas for scientific insight from nearly any inspiration.

   Exceptional [4]:  A scientific pioneer.  Cutting edge biochemists and quantum physicists.  Individuals noted in their partticular field of expertise.  These people are normally employed full time in scientific laboratories, and their abilities are rare and highly valued.

   Legendary [5]:  A true genius.  Cackling Mad Scientists.  Tesla.  Einstein.  Von Frankenstein.  With the right scientific apparatus to support the brilliance of their mind, they can construct true wonders of scientific innocation.


Persuasion:  Your ability to seduce, beguile, enthrall, cajole, and otherwise manipulate. Also, in the world at large, your ability to avoid detection and the attention of the forces of justice. This ability also makes you capable of detecting someone well trained in similar arts of subterfuge, making you as useful as a counter agent as a purveyor of espionage yourself.

Rating:

   Pathetic [1]: A typical minion.  Capable of convincing close family members and friends for small loans.  Periodically capable of getting out of a traffic ticket. 

   Poor [2] : A trained minion, a stripper, a used car salesman.  Capable of parting people with thier money, largely through charm and ingratiation.  Abroad in the world, they're capable of minimzing the amount of notice the forces of justice will pay to various evil deeds.

   Good [3] : A professional politician, a Hollywood ingenue, a well trained investigator.  Capable of seducing, tricking, and beguiling multiple agents at the same time.  Highly trained agents are more resistant. 

   Exceptional [4]: Diplomats, playboys, professional honeypots.  Such exceptionall trained manipulators are capable of enthralling large numbers of easily beguiled minds, and are capable of seducing all but the most brilliantly trained espionage experts.

   Legendary [5]:  Mata Hari.  James Bond.  Helen of Troy.  Only the most gifted of manipulators have a real chance of reisting your attractions, and even they are by no means immune. 

Whoopass: 

Your ability to beat the living daylights out of others.  Or shoot them, if that's your preference.  Whoopass coveres more than just ability with bare hands and weapons; it also covers tactical ability and skill at performing most criminal misdeeds .  Note that for the purposes of this game, there is no difference between different weapon types; a barehanded attack is just as effective as a sword, if both stylists are equally Whoopass.  Similarly, a rocket launcher might cause more collateral damage than a single Walther PPK, but the lethality is still determined by the Whoopass rating.  Weapon choice is purely a matter of style.

Rating:   

   Pathetic [1]: A typical minion.  Capable of ineffectual punches, and pointing the business end of a weapon in the general direction of a target.  Cannon fodder. 

   Poor [2] : A trained minion, a security guard, a police officer.  Generally capable of shooting effectively, recieves regular training for marksmanship and hand to hand combat.

   Good [3] : A professional mercenary, a member of an elite law enforcement or military force.  An experienced black belt.  These characters are dangerous in hand to hand and long ranged combat, and are in excellent physical condition.   

   Exceptional [4]: Masters of the martial arts.  Elite snipers.  Professional assassins.  These people are extraordinarily lethal, and in peak physical condition.  They represent the peak of conditioning a non-Henchman or Super Agent can aspire to.

   Legendary [5]:  Achilles.  Batman.  The Jackal.  Your wallet has 'BMF' engraved on it.  You are a one person army, and your enemies fear you.  You are in a calibre of physical conditioning all your own. 

Special Abilities:  Special abilities are defined individually, per character.  They are the things which make your henchman unique, and rather than generating a list, players will generate their own special abilities.  All special abilities are subject to approval.  There are three tiers of special abilities - the simpler, less powerful abilities are tier one, while more powerful and unique abilities can be tier two or tier three.

Some examples:

Tier One:  Sex Appeal  Others may manipulate through clever conversation, witty flirtation, or highly trained manipulation.  You just need skimpy clothes.  Characters with Sex Appeal may continue making social attacks, even if bound, gagged, mute, or otherwise unable to communicate. 

Tier Two:  Fists of Fury  Rather than making one attack per post, you may make barehanded attacks against every opponent within hand to hand range.  These attacks suffer a small penalty to your Whoopass, but this modifier does not increase with each additional opponent attacked.

Tier Three:  Wind Walker  With a few moments concentration, you can teleport anywhere on the island.  You cannot activate this ability in combat, though you may use it to join combat instantly.  There is a small period (fifteen minutes) after using this ability before you may use it again.

Any ability which falls into the semi-supernatural realm will be classified as Tier Three, but they are not outside the realm of possibility.

Their are also a series of derived attributes, but players will not able to invest points into these; they will be a reflection of the rating of purchased attributes.

[Still undergoing ongoing modifications]

[Vaulera]

Hey there! I saw your introduction post, welcome to E and I hope we play together in the future.  If you are looking to generate interest for an idea of yours,  feel free to put some information regarding what you want to play, who you want, through contents regarding adult material as well as how many people you want. This can all go in group replays wanted.

[Ciosa]

Character Sheet

Code Select Expand


[float=left][img]Pretty Picture here![/img]][/float][size=14pt]
[u][b]The Basics[/b][/u][/size]
[b]Name:[/b]  Character Name
[b]Nutshell:[/b]  The core of the concept.  Three words or less, please.
[b]Age:[/b] Age/Apparent Age, if different
[b]Sex:[/b]  A gender, please.  ;)
[b]Orientation:[/b] Sexual orientation
[b]Role:[/b] Your intended role
[b]Player:[/b]  you!

[size=14pt][u][b]The Look[/b][/u][/size]
[b]Physical Description:[/b]  How they look - height, weight, measurements, if you're into that sort of thing, or just a paragraph which paints a picture.  Anything outstanding should be noted here.
[b]Preferred Attire:[/b]  Even henchmen only have a locker bay or two on the island - so changes of clothing are going to be sadly at a minimum.  Describe an outfit or three.
[b]Weapon of Choice:[/b] A silenced PPK?  Bare fists?  A brilliant mind?  A perfectly tailored bikini?

[size=14pt][u][b]The story[/b][/u][/size]
[b]Likes:[/b]
[b]Dislikes:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Habits:[/b]
[b]Flaws:[/b]
[b]Intellect:[/b]  Just the rating, please.
[b]Persuasion:[/b]  Just the rating, please.
[b]Whoopass[/b]  Just the rating, please.
[b]Special Abilities[/b]  The three special abilities of yoru character.  (See below.)
[b]History:[/b]


[Xenolord]

I am most definetely inyersted, but as I M away on vacation at the moment (only able to post on my phone) I will await my return before submitting anything official. If you've the room when I return, I shall join.

[Chrystal]

OH. MY. GOD......

All I can say is it's about bloody time.

I would like to volunteer for the lead? I can't promise a post every day, but I can offer two a week minimum as long as I have something to reply to.

If you want samples of my posts, you are welcome to look at them here... Or for specific examples that might qualify me as the evil genius, please check out:

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=158145.0
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=160635.0
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=156339.0
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=160151.0
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=154219.0
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=111380.0

The last one most especially.

I have (as noted in the OOC note at the head of that last opener) tried twice to run a game similar to this one, for some reason best known to the gods of chaos it failed both times just as the real action was about to start.

I hate the "James Bond Villain" trope, as described in your teaser. If these people are really geniuses how do they always manage to make so many obvious mistakes. I mean, if you catch the good guy, don't explain your plan to him and then devise some incredibly evil method to execute him, just shoot him for fuck's sake! And when you do catch him, bring your operation forward by at least 24 hours, so the rescue forces don't have time to get there.

Um, yeah, so anyway....

[Shjade]

Mechanical question: how does experience accrued translate into character progression? Are stats set in stone and characters only get to add new abilities over time, or are both malleable, or...?

Just wondering as, given the descriptions of stats (particularly intellect), it sounds like before too long pretty much everyone involved would be genius-level supermodel assassins with just a few stat bumps. >.>

[Ciosa]

I am most definetely inyersted, but as I M away on vacation at the moment (only able to post on my phone) I will await my return before submitting anything official. If you've the room when I return, I shall join.

The positions I noted above were just examples, Xeno, so even if those spots fill up, You're absolutely free to submit a concept and join in the fun!

I would like to volunteer for the lead?

Be warned, I'm expecting the position to be a fairly heavy interaction one, but not a fairly action-centric one.  The Genius will be busy plotting the downfall of the world and setting the dominos in motion - but will probably never leave the Island during the course of play.  If that's not a deterrent, then by all means submit a character.  :D

I have (as noted in the OOC note at the head of that last opener) tried twice to run a game similar to this one, for some reason best known to the gods of chaos it failed both times just as the real action was about to start.

I know the fickleness of the forum gods.  (Not the Gods and Goddesses, just the odd forces that seem to surround forum gaming.)  I've seen games that I expected to be met with cheers and parades go unnoticed, and games that I started on a whim explode to sizes that I was recruiting co-GMs as fast as I could.

I hate the "James Bond Villain" trope, as described in your teaser. If these people are really geniuses how do they always manage to make so many obvious mistakes. I mean, if you catch the good guy, don't explain your plan to him and then devise some incredibly evil method to execute him, just shoot him for fuck's sake! And when you do catch him, bring your operation forward by at least 24 hours, so the rescue forces don't have time to get there.

There will certainly be a time and a use for interrogation, but I'm not particularly interested in running sordid scenes of torture.  I was making my own jabs at the tropes throughout the teasers - notably that 'successor' was going to be considerably smarter than Maximillian.  I would like a player who runs a much smarter enterprise - but I'd also like to see at least a few of the staples of the genre, at least as far as style and flare are concerned.  I think there'll be a fun balance to strike between rationale plotting and someone who's enough of a megalomaniac to want to take over the world.

Also, I'm intending this to very much be a cinematic reality.  That doesn't mean logic's going to go out the window; but people are going to survive being shot and be up and about hours and days later.  Cars will explode when you shoot at them.  Watches can hold precision lasers capable of burning through handcuffs.  Drama and flair count.  The bad guys should always be having more fun than the good guys.

The character sheet should be a few posts above.  I'll be giving the Evil Genius a few extra points, but the specific makeup of the character can be discussed in PM.

Mechanical question: how does experience accrued translate into character progression? Are stats set in stone and characters only get to add new abilities over time, or are both malleable, or...?  Just wondering as, given the descriptions of stats (particularly intellect), it sounds like before too long pretty much everyone involved would be genius-level supermodel assassins with just a few stat bumps. >.>

Shjade, a few things - I'm intending to limit players to only a single Legendary attribute.  I haven't figured out the exact rates of experience accrual - that's going to be a balance thing, based on number of players and how rapidly the story is progressing.    I'm strongly tempted to only hand out experience at the completion of certain objectives, with bonuses going to players who were integral to accomplishing it and also played well and frequently.  I'm not going to give exact metrics yet, but I have foreseen that problem, and intend to address it.

As an overall trend, I'm going to make special abilities easier to procure than stats - I don't intend them to be fixed in stone, but the diffrence between a Batman and a black belt is a major one.  I'm not so concerned about people going from incompetence to semi-competent, but certainly as stats move higher and higher, they'll become cost prohibitive.  Special abilities, however, are going to more effectively establish the unique niche your character inhabits, and I'll be placing an emphasis on them.

Does that answer your question, without quite answering your question?  ;)  These are just the starting ratios used for character creation, and I intend experience based progression to be a slower process.  I'm always interested in a fair progression between characters achieving progress and not wanting people to have superheroes running around within the first three months.

[Chrystal]

*nods*

I always thought that the evil genius who would succeed would be a woman!

As long as I get to kill off the occasional NPC or dropped-out player character, I am still definitely interested.

I shall have a closer look at the character sheet etc, tom- uh, later today...

Right now I'm heading to bed!

[Ciosa]

I always thought that the evil genius who would succeed would be a woman!

Me too!

As long as I get to kill off the occasional NPC or dropped-out player character, I am still definitely interested.

As for dropped out player - I'd rather not go shooting people for absenteeism, but I have no problem with it with a player who's communicated their resignation from the game.  And I'm certain there'll be an abundance of NPCs in need of brutal interrogations or serving as object lessons for their fellows.  Minions will be expendable - though highly trained ones will take more time to replace.

I shall have a closer look at the character sheet etc, tom- uh, later today...

I'm a founding member of the League of Extraordinary Procrastinators, so I will cast no bricks from my glass house.  Sleep well!

[RedPhoenix]

I am going to have an awfully hard time not playing in this game.

I love the early James Bond movies and that genre of over the top "cinematic reality" where everyone has their own missile silo in their backyard and the superpowers are all being manipulated by ruthless greedy secret societies and a madman on the moon is trying to freeze the oceans unless we blot out the sun first and, yeah. :) I just had a James Bond inspired game fizzle out on me before I could even write a post (booo!) so I've been itching for this sort of setting.

But even then I thought I could hold out....until Chrystal wants to play the Mastermind. I was so close to resisting. So close. How appropriate that a post from her breaks my resistance.

I would like to play a beautiful, glamorous, spy deep undercover in whatever combination-casino-and-war-room the good guys are holed up in, or possibly set up as a double agent with some rival evil organization at a luxurious mansion on the beach in the Caribbean. She could be the target of seduction by enemy agents herself, constantly teetering on the brink of being seduced herself and blowing the lid on the whole operation. Or maybe I could actually be a good guy that's being blackmailed by the evil mastermind to become her de facto Henchman. Mmm lots of fun ways this could go.

Probably the most rambly "expressing interest" post ever, but here you go!  ;D

[Ciosa]

I love the early James Bond movies and that genre of over the top "cinematic reality" where everyone has their own missile silo in their backyard and the superpowers are all being manipulated by ruthless greedy secret societies and a madman on the moon is trying to freeze the oceans unless we blot out the sun first and, yeah. :) I just had a James Bond inspired game fizzle out on me before I could even write a post (booo!) so I've been itching for this sort of setting.

I love the recent Bond movies, too - they're great action fare, but there was definitely something magnificent about the older movies.  That is very much the vein of this game - though I'm sure there'll be some self-awareness built into this one.  (And, no doubt, some tongue in cheek humor.)

But even then I thought I could hold out....until Chrystal wants to play the Mastermind. I was so close to resisting. So close. How appropriate that a post from her breaks my resistance.

Now that's some good Masterminding right there.  ;)

I would like to play a beautiful, glamorous, spy deep undercover in whatever combination-casino-and-war-room the good guys are holed up in, or possibly set up as a double agent with some rival evil organization at a luxurious mansion on the beach in the Caribbean. She could be the target of seduction by enemy agents herself, constantly teetering on the brink of being seduced herself and blowing the lid on the whole operation. Or maybe I could actually be a good guy that's being blackmailed by the evil mastermind to become her de facto Henchman. Mmm lots of fun ways this could go.

I actually haven't had anyone apply yet for the role of the Spy - so take a look at that.  I'm intending the bulk of the game's action to occur on the Island - though that doesn't mean there won't be ramifications for actions that happen off-island following you back from your adventures abroad. 

As far as good guys go - I will be looking  (if the game grows large enough) for a few moderators to play a range of characters from the forces of justice.  Everything from bumbling, nosy tourists to nigh-indestructible super agents.  (The super agents will be a bit down the road, I'm afraid.)  A good guy blackmailed into Henchwoman-dom is certainly a viable concept, though, although there'd be things to work out with the Mastermind.  If you're still on the fence about exactly what you'd care to play, shoot me a PM, but I'll take your interest as expressed.

Don't worry, I like rambly.  My first crack at this expressing interest thread in the non-adult section was an exercise in rambly. 

[Jezabelle]

]

The Basics
Name:  Natashya Petrovic
Nutshell:  Ice-cold ex-KGB seductress
Age: 41/Appears 21 (cosmetics, secret USSR biological nonsense)
Sex:  Female
Orientation: BiSexual
Role: #2
Player:  Jezabelle

The Look
Physical Description:  A dark haired Eastern European woman seemingly in her prime, her eyes are a dark calculating blue that complement her dark eyebrows. She wears her hair short but it's shoulder length.
Preferred Attire:  Black Officer Dress Uniform with silver buttons\outlines and healthy amount of bosom displayed. Her body is toned and she is slender but not overly so, as she has a fair amount of sleek muscle that comes from regular physical condition and well-used killer reflexes.
Weapon of Choice: Neuro-poison lipstick (black) or psychotropic lipstick (purple), personally immune to both-- black Marakov in a pinch.

The story
Likes: Power, Domination (either side), Organization & Efficiency, Undermining America (in particular), Vodka, "Friendly" Wagers
Dislikes: Incompetence, Weakness, Arrogant Men (who she cannot dupe)
Personality: Natashya is a cold and calculating woman given to brief periods of mild passion or rage, but always cold and slow; her temperament made her reliable in the field and in positions of leadership while under duress, and she extends this to her social interactions-- which she views in an almost exclusively Machiavellian light. Her feelings towards an individual are reflective of her assessment of their abilities and worth to first herself, secondly the Evil Genius, and tertiary another end of the evil enterprise. People who are deficient in both are to be disposed of in the most self-serving fashion possible.
Habits: Exercise, Studying Scientific Advancement, (Un)Meaningful Eyebrow Gestures, Manipulation
Flaws: Paranoia, Lack of Close Relationships, Lust for Power

-


History:

Natashya was recruited to the KGB from school because of her exceptional language skills, physical fitness, and promising predisposition for sadomasochism. After operating domestically working against a-Communist social forces and individuals, Natashya became an interrogator. From there she proceeded to act as a field agent, until eventually she was returned to the Motherland as an agent handler-- eventually, in her late thirties, she handled the handlers, and was of not insignificant rank.

However, the game of politics is impossible to escape even in the Soviet Union: a swift burst of critical reassignments left her most potent allies dead or sidelined. When she was ordered to send her most loyal agents on a suicide mission in the guise of a blue milk run, she turned the tables-- and turned traitor. Rather than stay loyal to an abstract government, she went with her instinct and took the decline of her faction as the best time to bow out and start over.

Commandeering a nuclear submarine and escaping with vital Soviet secrets, Natashya played cat-and-mouse in the arctic circle until eventually passing safely to a P.A.T.R.I.O.T. base in Alaska thanks to a corrupt, and soon dead, official there. It was here she was contacted with by the Evil Genius with an offer she couldn't refuse, and she made her way to the island with the half-dozen loyal operatives who had managed to survive alongside her.




//I've discussed this in PM's with Leaguseman Ciosa, so now I'll throw it up-- constructive criticism welcomed!

[Ciosa]

I know it's a bit late, but o you mind cropping the special abilties and attributes section?  I'm not intending other people's stats be general knowledge.

[Jezabelle]

I know it's a bit late, but o you mind cropping the special abilties and attributes section?  I'm not intending other people's stats be general knowledge.

SarAy/ dealt with.

[Chrystal]

]

The Basics
Name:  Dr Penelope Harding, AKA Dr P. Hard.
Nutshell:  Passed-over genius psychopath.
Age: 54, looks early 40s
Sex:  Female
Orientation: Gay, but willing to perform sexual torture on males who deserve it.
Role: The Evil Genius
Player:  Chrystal

The Look
Physical Description:  Dr Hard stands only 5' 1" (155 cm) tall, and weighs just 126 Lbs (57 kg). As such she is touchy about her height and has actually had people shot for making "short jokes" in her presence. She is pretty, though, with ice-blue eyes that seem to pierce the soul. While not exactly buxom, she is none the less endowed with a reasonable figure, emphasised by well tailored clothing. She has a small tattoo of a black rose on her left shoulder blade, and a rather nasty looking scar down the outside of her right thigh.
Preferred Attire:  Being The Boss, Dr Hard has rather more wardrobe space than her henchmen and minions. Her wardrobe will include the classic Coco Channel LBD, a classical sequinned off-the shoulder dress, A Chino and shirt outfit for when she is outside, and a very sexy faux-snake-skin bikini for sunbathing in, amongst other outfits.
Weapon of Choice:  A brilliant mind, of course, but usually carries a Heckler & Koch HK4 9mm (.380 ACP) Automatic pistol as a back-up.

The story
Likes: Loyalty, success, power, pretty girls, good food, good wine, warmth, sunshine, swimming, big cats, 50s rock music, simplicity, maths.
Dislikes: Traitors, inefficiency, failure, idiots, do-gooders, the status quo (although she does quite like the rock group by that name). politics, complications.

Personality: Penny (to use the nickname that will earn you an extra nostril) is quite insane. She is not evil as such, or rather, doesn't see herself as evil. Rather, she sees herself as attempting to rid the world of an evil scourge, and thus she considers herself to be the ultimate good guy (or gal). She is excessively paranoid, narcissistic, and psychopathic. She also suffers from OCD, which tends to manifest itself in insisting that all her minions dress the same, look the same, and carry their machine guns in the same way. She insists that the base be totally spotless at all times (thus employs a large cleaning staff who are adept at removing blood stains), and has various other more common OCD traits like always cleaning her teeth the same way.

However, she is also a very good actress and has, in the past, fooled many a psychologist into thinking she is completely sane. In other words, she knows how people are expected to behave and behaves accordingly, all the while seething inside. She has a slow fuse, and will usually restrain her anger, but she is also extremely cold-blooded and ruthless, totally lacking in conscience. She will not hesitate to kill, but rarely does so in the heat of the moment.

Penelope has one fucking huge chip on her shoulder because of the way she was bullied, and is firmly of the opinion that the world owes her a living because of this. The fact that the world has given her quite a nice living is irrelevant to her. But because of this she demands rather than asks, and puts people's backs up.

Habits: Makes an irritating sucking sound through her teeth when thinking. Likes to have at least one pretty girl chained to her bed, or following her around on all fours on a leash. Also keeps a male leopard as a pet, and has this animal follow her around on a leash too. Likes to doodle on a notepad - such doodles may give away evidence of her plans.... She also has various OCD traits like teeth cleaning, keeping her desk ordered, shooting minions that are improperly dressed...
Flaws: Impatience, overconfidence, insanity, lack of conscience, paranoia, OCD.

History:
Penelope Harding was born in Guildford, Surrey, England, to Professor Lillian Harding and Dr Leonard Thrupp. The fact that her parents never married didn't bother Penny until she got to secondary school, when she began to be bullied about this. She was also bullied about her sexual preference when she was caught making out with one of the girls on the netball team in the showers after a match. Being bullied seemed to her to be almost normal, especially as she was four times as intelligent as all those around her. It seemed she inherited her mother's and her father's brains.

At Oxford University she graduated in her first year and went on to take four doctorates by the time she was 21. She applied for various academic posts but didn't get any of them. She tried to run for Parliament as an independent and lost her deposit. Humiliation after humiliation were heaped on her, principally because of her arrogance and the way she put people's backs up, but also because she was openly homosexual in an age that didn't accept homosexuality.

The last straw was the loss of both her parents in a train crash on Christmas Eve when she was 25, a crash that left Penelope with serious scarring down her right leg. The fact that they were both wealthy, and also both insured for ridiculous amounts of money, set Dr Harding up for life. But it also made her realise that human lives were excessively cheep. She watched news reports of starving millions, wars, and famines and realised that the world was a terrible place, mostly because no-one was running it.

She decided that if she were ever given the opportunity to run the world, things would be different. She then realised that if she wanted such an opportunity, she would have to make it herself. And then of course she also realised that such an opportunity lay just out of reach. Of course, she knew there would be casualties, she knew there would be those who resisted her new benign dictatorship (as she saw it), but as Patton put it, you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.

Careful investments of her money soon gave her a return of millions, and when the opportunity came up to acquire her own private island, she set the wheels in motion.

[RedPhoenix]

Rough Draft!

]

The Basics
Name: Petunia Lix-Salotte, prefers to be called "Shiva" (is usually not called Shiva)
Nutshell: A naturally gifted agent provocateur, who is held back by being a self-centered, lazy, perpetually frustrated underachiever who wanted to be a movie star and thinks she deserves to be in charge, although reality has other ideas.
Age: 26
Sex:  Female
Orientation: Bisexual (duh, anyone who is anyone is bi these days, darling)
Role: Spy
Player: RedPhoenix

The Look
Physical Description: A dead ringer for the "not skeleton" 1960s ideal of beauty - non-threatening, big eyes, pouty lips, cute nose, slender physique that looks great in a two piece. 5'5", 34-23-35
Preferred Attire: The latest cutting edge fashions, but what she actually wears includes - 1 rather nice evening dress (for classy, high profile "client" management), 1 quasi-futuristic skirt/top combo (for the action scenes), and 1 unnecessarily revealing french maid outfit (for espionage in the hotel).
Weapon of Choice: A series of well placed kicks and amazing dodges somehow delivered while wearing four inch+ stillettos.

The story
Likes: Glamour, positive media attention, praise, compliments, being told she should be in movies.
Dislikes: Doing work, not getting credit, seeing the people who beat her out for starring roles continue to succeed as movie stars.
Personality: Poor little rich girl, with a dash of Emma Peel.
Habits: Reading the latest magazines, daydreaming about being a movie star, attending classy events undercover, making bombs and torturing captured enemy agents.
Flaws: Easily distracted with praise, hates being told she's wrong, can't resist an acting challenge.
History: Petunia (seriously don't call me that) was born into a rich American family from Miami. She blames this for her failure to break into her real passion, movie acting, and curses everyone who was lucky enough to be born in California. Her outstanding grades at the University of Miami's theater department attracted the attention of the CIA, who sent one of their top agents to seduce her. He succeeded and she was forgotten for some time until she ran into the agent who seduced her at a release party for Spartacus. Not realizing that he was undercover, she threw a drink on him and outed him to the Russian spies who were also in attendance. They gunned him down, leaving Petunia holding his drink, which she had snatched up in a fit of pique meaning to also throw in his face. She didn't realize that he had slipped a stealthy microfilm container into the shaker before his martini was poured, and ended up being whisked away by the CIA backup. Thinking she was being kidnapped she convinced them to leave her alone with one guard, who she was able to defeat in hand to hand combat and escape. Not willing to admit they were bested by an unknown actress, the CIA agents reported her as a rogue mastermind. This led to her being recruited by the KGB, but she quit after a month when she realized how cold Russia was. Unfortunately this led to a bounty being placed on her head and she had to resort to working for various evil Masterminds to avoid being murdered. When she was recruited by Dr. Harding )after infiltrating her island on behalf of a gang of Symbionese anarchists) she found some peace of mind in managing the hotel, pandering to or torturing the various "guests" as was appropriate and generally playing at being the queen of the castle. Until she gets a call from her agent with a leading lady part of course.

Ready for action!!!

[Shjade]

As an overall trend, I'm going to make special abilities easier to procure than stats

That's pretty much the answer I was looking for right there regarding stat-to-ability relationship in character progress! ^.^

Though I should note, I have enough on my plate as it is so I'd have no room to show interest in this one. I just had to ask when I saw the layout. ;p

[Ciosa]

Curses!  Well, if you free up some space, Shjade, I'm sure the Evil Organization will have room to expand.

To anyone interested, we're sorely in need of a wicked scientist, and a powerful military strong arm.

Fair warning, the Genius has seen fit to try to populate the island exclusively with beautiful women, though exceptions may be made for men of exceptional competence.

[Chrystal]

Well, if you're going to take over the world, you've got to do it right... *giggles*

[Kythia]

Just confirming I'm still in.  Just back home from Christmas fun so will sort everything tomorrow.

[Ciosa]

Yay!  Hope you had a merry Christmas.

[Kythia]

Drunk and argumentative.  ;D 

I had fun, everyone else around me?  Meh, fuck those guys.

[Ciosa]

I'm adjusting to my in-laws Christmases.  They're loud and with lots of people.  My side f the family, if you got a lot of people together and there was booze, someone got punched.

I love being Irish.  My grandfather flipped a table and suckerpunched my grand uncle at my brother's wedding.  We're very bad with open bars.

[Kythia]

There's just something about family that makes me revert to being fifteen.  I was inches away from screaming "I hate you! I wish I was never born!" then running upstairs and slamming a door.

It's an attractive trait.

[RedPhoenix]

Hi Kythia. I am very excited about you being in this game. :)