X-Men: Unsung Heroes - Looking for some new mutant blood

[NightBird]

It happens to any game that lasts long enough: Turnover. X-Men: Unsung Heroes (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?board=290.0) is no exception, so NikitaFirestar and I are looking to add some fresh contributors to the game. We're at a cool point in the game with a rescue mission about ready to get underway and a SHIELD liaison just arrived at Xavier's school, drawing it reluctantly into connection with the Superhuman Registration Act.

The game is a loose interpretation of canon, more about having a good time than recreating a particular moment in the Marvel universe with precise fidelity. That being said, canon characters are permissable, and though the school is a 'home base' for the game, characters are not required to be students. Full X-Men and non-combat instructors are fine to propose. More information is in the Rules thread in the game, and there is an Approved Characters thread which might give some ideas, at the top of which is a list that indicates which characters are still active.

C'mon, all you superhero fans! You know you want to play a mutant! Here's a great chance!


Modified after Cast Status thread was rolled into Approved Characters thread

[NightBird]

Hey, Josh!

That's absolutely enough to be a part of the game. Most of the currently active characters are originals, which alone prevents it from being perfectly canon, and the continuities aren't exact, either.

What are you thinking about playing? Let's talk about it. *smiles*

[Tobias Drake]

Being a devout Marvelite who reads Marvel comics constantly, this strikes me as an interesting idea. The mention of the Superhuman Registration Act especially grabs my interest; I think I'm the only person in existence who actually likes the idea. *grumblegrumble*

In any case, this definitely sounds like fun. I'll just need some time to put together a character idea.

[NightBird]

Awesome, Tobias! Hop over to the game threads and take a look at the character thread. I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

[Tobias Drake]

Alright, repeated complications in my personal life may soon limit my internet time, so I won't be joining just as of yet. But once I've worked through some things, then I'll look into it.

[NightBird]

I'll have to admit, Josh, that more guy characters would be welcome, *smiles* but please develop a character you'd like to play. I'd like to see more. I think your idea has great potential.

And Tobias, I fully understand RL complications. When things settle down, please send a PM or something, and we can talk more then.

[PurpleBlasphemy]

I might consider joining. I have a mutant-esque character whose powers are a lot like mutant powers. Basically, his flesh combusts upon impact* with itself, and combustion heals him. So he can blow up himself and be just fine. Or, if he's injured, he can throw himself in a fire and heal. He's really for an idea that could grow into a book, but I figure that, by playing him in another setting, I might get a better idea of who he is.

Also, I'm not 100% certain about this, but I decided to stick my head out and let you know that it's possible that I'll join. I'll think about it. I like the idea of the Superhuman Registration act, especially the effect it has on mutants. I'm not the most avid of comic readers, but I have a clue (and the first book of Avengers - The Initiative.)

*When that impact is above a certain threshold, and clothes negate it.

[Aelroth]

I love X-Men, mutants and the Marvel Universe in general, and I've got a few character ideas floating around in my head, but I've pretty much reached my game threshold right now.  If this is a onetime opening then I might consider expanding it, but if the game's going to remain open to new characters, you can be sure to hear from me in a while.

[HybridHalf]

I sorta follow the Excalibur Comic, always thought about RPing as Sage.....

Question is, do I go for her current look (Before she went blonde), or stick to her Hellfire Club duds?

Current Costume (sorta):



Best I can find on her Hellfire Club wear:

[NightBird]

*contemplates the combustion idea, what a snap of the fingers could do and grins* I like it, Sam! I'd love to hear more! Extensive knowledge of the comic story lines isn't necessary, as it's not really practical in a game like this to be perfectly faithful to canon. This is a fanfic alternate universe where things may not turn out the same on any level.

And Aelroth, the game will always be open to new characters, but I'll be happy to talk more when you have the bandwidth.

Sage would work for the game. Do a write-up on how you're envisioning her for the game, please! *smiles*

[NightBird]

If the concept fights you, then don't push on the gender issue. Write the character the way that works. *smiles*

[NightBird]

*grins* Spoken like somebody who's customized a fig or two.

It's good, well-balanced, and intriguing. I like the name, but I question if it's practical that he'd still know and be using the name given to him by parents he's not supposed to contact. I won't say it's unacceptable, but I'd think the government would have given him a new identity like they do with witness relocation. Even with that, I'd say you do pretty well when sleep-deprived. The only power that I'm not sure about is the prophetic dreaming, though I can probably give you hints of things for him to dream about from time to time. Nikita might be able to do more when she's feeling better. As dreams, though, I don't think they're necessarily game-busting, and as prophecy, they're likely to involve some symbolic elements, I'd imagine.

With those caveats, I think he's looking good. Why don't you go ahead and write him into something like this format and post him in the Approved Characters thread.

Name:
Aliases:
Position at School:
Age:

Appearance:

History:

Known powers:

Weaknesses:

[NightBird]

If you've not explored the minipainter group on Yahoo Groups, I recommend it. I teach figure painting at local events as well as Origins and Gen Con, and it was that group that gave me some of my best advice in improving my skills. :)

The limitations on the dreams sound great, and an alias will work just fine. He can arrive in the Main Room thread or, if you prefer, you can presume he's been there a few days or something, and has been quietly listening to the events of the evening in-game in case you'd like to get involved with the rescue, whichever way you'd rather craft his entrance.

[HybridHalf]

Sage would work for the game. Do a write-up on how you're envisioning her for the game, please! *smiles*

Kay, post it up later.

[Xerial]

Mmm... Sage... *eyedart*

I'm working up an application as Elijah Bradley (aka Patriot), though I am altering historya bit... I'm thinking when the Mutant Registration Act came about he went underground, maybe fell in with a resistance group of dubious origin... he'll likely arive to the school in irons...

[NightBird]

More than welcome Josh. Anything to help further a case of figmentia.

Thanks, HybridHalf. *smiles*

And Xerial, the irons can be arranged. Tinkering with history a bit is fine, likely necessary in a game of this sort. I can't wait to hear more...

[NightBird]

Army Transport systems are the best I've seen, but any of the foam-sectioned carriers will do. If you have large figs, you'll need the deeper trays with perforated squares so you can custom-sculpt the spaces for each fig. Often, though, the foam has a rough surface that can be tough on paint film, so cutting up plastic grocery bags will give you a great lining. Also, be sure you use a good primer that will adhere strongly to the metal, then finish with at least one coat of gloss varnish before going over it with a coat of matte varnish. The gloss is tougher because it hasn't been thinned by the addition of matting agent. Krylon makes some with UV protection to help keep the pigments from fading or shifting with exposure to light, and Krylon is unlikely to yellow the way that I've seen Testor's do to figs.

If you want display storage, I found a really great system in the stacking clear boxes used for model car collections. Here's the type I bought:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-24-CLEAR-NASCAR-DISPLAY-CASE-DIECAST-MODEL-CAR_W0QQitemZ140124089101QQihZ004QQcategoryZ225QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hope that helps!

[NightBird]

*grins* Varnish is important for figs you want to get out on the table. Be aware, though, that when spraying them in high humidity, or when there's a substantial temperature difference between the air on the one hand and the fig and can of spray on the other (like there often is here in NE Ohio!) you can end up with clouding. I use Golden's brush-on varnish to avoid this.

There are a lot of helpful tricks out there, and one of the things I like the most about this hobby is that nobody tries to make a secret out of them.

[NightBird]

So... Josh is up and running. Other takers out there? There's lots of room for students and full-fledged X-Men, originals or canon characters... There gotta be some dashing heroic or moody anti-heroic types out there!

[Avi]

I think I might have an idea for a character.  I'm not too familiar with the comic storylines, more of the movies, but I have always been a casual fan.  I've got an idea for a variant on the typical "manipulation of energy" type mutant.  If you could give me some tips on it, I'd appreciate it.

[ZK]

I have a character designed and ready to submit. If you don't mind a mix between a "hero" and "anti-hero" (see Wolverine) Don't worry, she may be a snake, but she isn't a snake in the grass, all the time.

[Xerial]

I really do need to get to applyin', now don't I?

[Mindhazingsquid]

Do you have room for Nocturn? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturne_%28comics%29
The daughter of Nightcrawler and Scarlet Witch?

[Dynadin]

Alright, it looks like this is where we're submitting the characters... if I'm wrong, let me know and I'll be happy to re-post or PM.
Feel free to let me know if there's anything I should change to help out the GM or just for general reasons.

Name: Alex Rielly
Aliases: Contagion
Position at School: Student
Age: 19

Appearance: Alex is a handsome young man of average height and athletic build, with a wide, prize-winning smile... when he chooses to do so. Windswept auburn hair falls just to his shoulders, framing a youngish face that could pass for seventeen if it weren't for the tired look in his cobalt blue eyes. His clothing tends to match his over-all personality; He's almost always found in a worn, but comfortable pair of old jeans, a thin long sleeve shirt, old hiking boots and a pair of worn leather driving gloves.

History: Alex has never been good with people; whether it's his shy nature or the simple talent for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, fights and loneliness have plagued him most of his life. Even his parents had little interest in him, deigning that their job was done as long as he was housed, clothed, fed, educated and physically healthy. This complete disinterest ended when Alex entered his senior year, and his powers manifested during a fight with the head of the school football team. The fight was going badly, and Alex being the smaller of the two boys took an intense beating. As a last grab for pride Alex swung at the face of his attacker, expecting to leave nothing more than a bruise... And the jocks lower law was torn clean away from his head. Shocked and horrified, Alex fled as the other boy howled in pain, hiding out on the streets until he was calm enough to return home.
His homecoming was not a warm one; Both his parents and the police were waiting for him. His parents only stayed long enough to inform him that due to an impending lawsuit, he no longer had a place to live. The police attempted in vain to cuff him; any of them touching the bare skin of his arms came away with burns, the flesh melting easily from their hands. Alex took their confusion as an opportunity to escape, and ran to the streets with nothing but the clothes on his back.
Since then, he's lived on the streets, trying to learn to control his newfound powers. He recently heard of the Xavier institute, and has traveled there to see how others of his kind live.

Known powers: The ability to melt and mold flesh. Though he has yet to gain enough control to make anything other than grotesque alterations, he's seen the possibility to do good with his powers, possibly even as a healer. In most cases however, flesh simply melts on contact with his bare skin unless he applies his upmost concentration. His power only works on bare, flesh to flesh contact. (hence the gloves and long sleeves.)

Weaknesses: Alex's inherent shy personality combined with his dangerous power makes it very difficult for him to interact with people. Also, his power seems to be ineffective as a damaging agent on anyone with a healing factor, but he can (with great difficulty) direct the healing or reshaping of their flesh if the party is willing.

[NightBird]

*huge grin* Now this is what I needed, coming back after a few days of insane home improvement and computer updating.

So... in the order of the posts above:

I think I might have an idea for a character.  I'm not too familiar with the comic storylines, more of the movies, but I have always been a casual fan.  I've got an idea for a variant on the typical "manipulation of energy" type mutant.  If you could give me some tips on it, I'd appreciate it.

That's doable! The movies are plenty adequate as general background, and there's some good overview information on the Registration Act on wikipedia and marvel.com, but we're not trying to duplicate what occurred in the comics, so general knowledge is all you'd need. I'd love to hear more about a character, so let's talk. Are you thinking student, X-Men team member, or even a research staff member? What's your take on manipulation of energy? Just one type (fire/heat, ice/cold, etc.) or something else? Please, respond here, or PM me if you'd rather. *smiles*

I have a character designed and ready to submit. If you don't mind a mix between a "hero" and "anti-hero" (see Wolverine) Don't worry, she may be a snake, but she isn't a snake in the grass, all the time.

Sure! Post her here or toss me a PM! And this is the comics! There's plenty of room for that sort of gray area on motivations.

I really do need to get to applyin', now don't I?

*bats eyes and smiles* Pretty please? I'd love to have you in the game...

Do you have room for Nocturn? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturne_%28comics%29
The daughter of Nightcrawler and Scarlet Witch?

You bet! Apocalypse is even one of the current villains the team will be facing in the current rescue mission, and we could use a telepath to operate Cerebro right this minute in-game, so please get me a write-up as soon as you can.

Alright, it looks like this is where we're submitting the characters... if I'm wrong, let me know and I'll be happy to re-post or PM.
Feel free to let me know if there's anything I should change to help out the GM or just for general reasons.

This is good. Anywhere I can read the character info is fine by me. And I like the character. Can he affect his own flesh in any way (the healing, for example) or just that of others? Given the current game events, you have the choice of whether he'd seek out the school on his own, or be brought there by SHIELD as a mutant requiring training, but I want to stress that the decision on that is yours. Clarify the one question on affecting himself, and I think he's ready to start.