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[center][b]Shadows Among Us[/b][/center]

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[b]6/29/2014[/b] - Game has launched, feel free to prepare your character sheets which you will post in this thread which if accepted I will add to the depository and wiki. GMs are myself and Wraith so PM if you need immediate communication if we are not present in OOC or Chatroom.

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[center][url=http://ultimatecomics.wikidot.com/dc]Wiki[/url] | [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/40087/posts/ooc]Accepted CSs[/url] | [url=http://us19.chatzy.com/84541738252271]Chatroom[/url][/center]
Welcome to Ultimate Comics: DC, an intoxicating land where creativity for creativity's sake can take priority and enable you to render stories and events you could only have dreamed of in all of your previous mundanity. In this universe, nothing here is the mainstream continuity of DC - this is a world forged from people like you and a lot of work on my part. Continuity that exists in this roleplay is anything on the linked wiki in the information section and in the story above. We welcome you to a unique narrative opportunity to take any DC Comics character and reimagine them in a way that makes them pleasurable for you to write unique and original stories with.

Whether you're one for emotional drama or a sucker for physical trauma, the vast range of characters available could fit any genre or any purpose you could reasonably imagine. The Flash as a sarcastic teenager coming into what responsibility truly means? Boom. The Question as a hard-nosed police detective serving a hierarchy he doesn't care for? Q'd up. Slade Wilson as not a mercenary but a successful military man looking to become President? Stroke it. As long as they have appeared in a canonical DC tale on either the page or the screen they're free for refurbishment. Here, the DC UNIVERSE is yours to mold.

As a [i]sandbox[/i] themed collaborative story the keys to the DC universe are given to you—the player—but not without limitations or guidance. Of course no rule will be made that contradicts the host websites own rules, so keep those in mind when you write content. In contrast to a [i]linear[/i] or [i]progression[/i] themed collaborative story, the goal of a sandbox is to allow you to craft character arcs, NPC casts, and almost assistant GM decisions that don’t contradict the other rules. The style of role-play was explained to me as an “interactive multi-author fanfiction” and the idea of this sort of concurrent thing is apt. However interaction much like any role-play is the bread and butter of the game so we don’t shy away from interactions, world-scale gatherings, and so forth. My job in this role-play will be to set up events every so often but for the most part do the same thing as the players in setting up my stories.

[hider=The Justice League][b]Superman[/b]
Aquaman
Batman*
Green Lantern
The Flash
Hawkgirl
Martian Manhunter
Wonder Woman[/hider]
[hider=The Society][b]Vandal Savage[/b]
Circe
Lex Luthor
Oceanmaster
Queen Bee
Professor Ivo
Ra’s al Ghul
The Ultra Humanite[/hider]
[hider=SHADE][b]Father Time[/b]
Amanda Waller
Dale Gunn
Etta Candy 
Casey Klebba

SHADE sub-agencies: ARGUS, TFX, CADMUS[/hider]
[hider=HIVE][b]Jinx[/b]
Ambush Bug
Gizmo
Mammoth
Shimmer[/hider]
[hider=League of Shadows][b]Ra's al Ghul[/b]
Bane
David Cain
Dragonfly
Lady Shiva
Talia al Ghul[/hider]

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[center][b]| Plot & Background |[/b][/center]
During the early twentieth century the idea of “metahumans” and “superheroes” were an obscure fragment invented in the course of fantasy seen in early comic books. However, the origin of the reality of the nature of such things were not merely fantasy. Such origins came out within the Second World War when eventually it became evident that a new type of arms race had begun during the world war as the administration of Nazi Germany exerted their own research into theoretical science and mythological magic as if such things were obtainable to win the war in their favor. Amongst these scientists in the company of the German war machine included Doctor Albrecht Krieger, who on report had believed he was close to cracking the code on perfecting evolution as rumors hit that a German expedition had acquired the Spear of Destiny. A task force was initially set up by the United States government whilst working with the allied forces to combat this alarming threat under the guise that it was not propaganda. Headed by Terry Sloane, the cover team comprised of Rex Tyler, Ted Knight, Lee Travis, Myron Mazursky, Elizabeth Lawrence, and Charles McNider. The team continued to work long after the war as a covert team of specialists until the team was disbanded sometime during the Cold War.

For generations, the world that we know has for the most part been publicly void of the concepts that today we are facing. The dawn of the Superhero came vividly as in the year of 2009 the heroes that were out there finally decided it was time to reveal themselves. Two icons were made in what seemed like an instant Metropolis saw their 'Superman' stand in clear view as a plane veered off course whilst the Gotham underworld cried out as a 'Batman' made short work of their henchmen. These two icons would create a butterfly effect as men and women alike came out declaring their role in the world. These cities would witness men faster than the eye could follow, women with incredible strength, and seemingly alien constructs and forms; none of them manipulating these powers for ill, such vigilance made many romanticize these idols which sent individuals (like G. Gordon Godfrey), religious groups, and militant groups into aggressive tandem. The few critics of these superheroes would be the vocal minority and for the most part the American Government that should have been frightened or concerned only sat and allowed such vigilantism to go on as they dealt with what they felt was more imperative.

In 2011, it was here a terrible force approached not the United States, but Planet Earth. This antagonist would be known as Star’ro, a parasitic alien that intended to use Earth as its breeding ground whilst it fed on the sentient life of the world. Despite being at a disadvantage, Bruce takes to his prototype ‘Batwing’ to respond to the threat which would occupy his primary concern for months as the governments of the world were overwhelmed by the force of the alien. Eventually, an alien named J’onn J’onzz reached out to Bruce and soon the caped crusader found himself fighting alongside with the other heroes of the world: Superman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Hawkgirl, and J’onn who likened himself as the Martian Manhunter. Through their combined strength and intelligence Star’ro found itself defeated. Superman realizing the scope of what they could do together suggests forming a “Justice League” to combat threats of this scale which at the time Batman seems indifferent towards but offers them his aid if they need it. 

In 2012, Then came the first organized group of villains that the Justice League found themselves contending against, they called themselves “Injustice Gang” as an ironic counter to the Justice Leagues own name – led by the former protégé of Professor Ted Knight named Justin Ballantine who took up the alias of Libra in an organized attempt to test his prototype weapon—the Trans-mortifier, a device with theoretical flawless energy with limitless capabilities. The first battle in a chain of conflicts that lasted a year began on the outskirts of Metropolis as Libra intended to see how much nuclear energy the trans-mortifier could absorb and “redistribute”. This caused a near meltdown at the power plant in question. The members of the “Injustice Gang” who were little more than paid mercenaries to bodyguard the project prepared to contend with The Justice League. This wouldn’t be the first battle Libra and his Injustice Gang would lose. As the Justice League contended with rogues galleries and the Injustice Gang, the anti-superhero programs (like H.I.V.E and C.A.D.M.U.S) began to see their projects finally breathe into fruition.

In 2013, As New Year’s Day passes by, Batman finds himself in a strange situation as Oracle reports a meteorite’s collision with Earth which he requests Superman to respond to immediately through the Oracle network which has been adopted by the Justice League as an open method of communication between the heroes and to observe threats. At this point the founding blocks of “The Justice League” are set in stone though Batman adamantly only offers his aid feeling distant about being a ‘face’ of such a group.

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[B]1941[/B] - U.S. Government Officials elect Terry Sloane to combat Nazi Germany's developments in pseudo-science.
[B]2009 - [/B]A mysterious superhuman stops a 747 from crashing in Metropolis, beginning the "true" superhero era.
[B]2009[/B] - A mysterious figure with the appearance that names him as "The Batman" debuts in Gotham.
[B]2009[/B] - The Bat's Crusade effectively shuts down the "Roman Empire" as Carmine Falcone is admitted to Blackgate Prison.
[B]2010[/B] - "The Joker" debuts in Gotham but disappears before he is apprehended. This signifies a rise of 'supervillains'.
[B]2011[/B] - The Justice League forms as an alien parasite known as "Sta’rro" attacks the planet. This event is noted as "The Dawn of Justice".
[B]2012[/B] - The Injustice Gang is formed by "Libra" and becomes enemies of the Justice League.
[B]2013[/B] - Kara-El crashes in rural Kentucky, Superman appears on the scene.
[B]2013[/b] - An android named "Amazo" attacks the Justice League.
[B]2014[/B] - News that Alan Scott has not reported back to Oa after a deep space mission surfaces after his ship—the Starheart is found drifting in space with no trace of the green lantern. He is declared MIA.
[B]2014[/B]- Present Day

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[i] "Advanced roleplaying should focus on developing interesting and complex characters that become part of plot-lines which catch the imagination and inspire the writer behind them to exercise creativity. It is mature, humorous, imaginative, tragic, terrifying, passionate, and rife with descriptive language and characters with real personality and relatable cares. Quality posting is far better than needless novels, yet one should never neglect detail when one feels the need. However, while word and paragraph requirements ought to be unnecessary, single paragraphs cannot contain enough detail to suffice."[/i]

Below are a set few rules guidelines to play by:

	You may choose any character appearing in the continuities that envelope DC Comics including the Bruce Timm continuity, Wildstorm, the Cinematic Universe(s), and so forth. Characters from Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, IDW, and similar prints will not be accepted as expected. 

	Character creation will start at one character and may be increased given the GM staff finds said writer able to handle more characters or has sufficient creative drive. In previous games we’ve had a lot of “concepts” but rarely were they actively written.

	Travel involving time, dimensional multiverses, or any other concepts would be on a GM-approved basis.

	Please do not kill player-created characters or important NPC’s unless given the go-ahead to do so.

	Do not impose on arcs without asking for permission; don’t jump into a scene for the sake of interaction; your characters should have sufficient reasoning to want to be in a cooperative scene and noting that— do be courteous and respectful about approaching or possibly interfering in character arcs. While this is more a suggestion then a rule, we should be courteous to those who are planning arcs. Communication is the key. 

	Infinite Crisis/Elseworlds Stories – not happening, don’t even ask.

	Respect the GM staff and their authority.

	Be creative.

	Competing applications of characters have a 10-20 hour limit to be presented and from there the moderation staff will decide who fits better or if at all.

	Notes are an optional and malleable part of your CS’s – just because I have plans for Harvey Dent as the Batman player does not mean I can’t retrofit those plans to accommodate your interest in playing that character or characters related to them. Notes should be used as guides and pre-cautionary plans or pre-established lore points and do not mean to rule the role-play by disallowing concepts. Again, communicate.

	Legacies (NPCs, sidekicks, rogues) fall under the jurisdiction of the hero they are traditionally designed around. If you want to play The Joker, The Batman player has to be okay with it and your information should never contradict what they have written in their CS. This one is malleable, but again—communicate. 

	It is recommended/suggested your first application to this game is somebody who can "soloplay" well enough which is generally a protagonist. While I'm making this more of a guideline instead of a rule, I hope we'll see this to help make the game more driven.

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[hider=CS Template][B]| Identity |[/B]
Name and Superhero Alias
[B]| Origin & Backstory |[/B]
Include proper historical background that doesn't contradict setting or pre-approved CS's.
[B]| Character Notes |[/B]
Is there anything you want to elaborate on? Extra lore for the city you are home to? Notable NPCs?
[B]| Powers & Abilities |[/B]
This one is pretty straightforward.
[b]| How is this character different? |[/b]
Since the name of the game is reinvention or delivery; I’d like to see how the character is “ultimized” per ce. For example with my Batman I tend to use a variety of content from previous games, the films, the DC Animated Universe, and of course the comics combined with my own ideas. It’s not to say you have to reinvent the character where it’s completely foreign either as we’ve had players who play “by the book” per ce and things have worked just as well.
[b]| What is your goal with this character? |[/b]
I’m just looking for motive and drive. If you passionately explain your goal then I can have confidence with you being active in this concurrent role-play.
[b]| Sample Post |[/b]
I’m looking for your “voice” with the character; samples will be theoretically backstory written or non-continuity posts. I’m looking for a few paragraphs with decent sense of narrative, mood, and characterization. For example, my Batman post goes through the motions of an entire response sequence to a criminal robbery at ACE Chemicals in Gotham City.[/hider]

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[hider=Approved Characters][b]Heroes:[/b]
• [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/40087/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1195269]The Batman[/url] - Bruce Wayne ([b]Gowi[/b])
• [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/40087/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1200002]Black Canary[/url] - Dinah Lance ([b]Lord Wraith[/b])
• [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/40087/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1195353]Green Lantern[/url] - Jade Scott ([b]Gowi[/b])
• John Constantine ([b]Roman[/b]) 
• [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/40087/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1314450]Jonah Hex[/url] ([b]Byrd Man[/b])
• [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/40087/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1195377]Supergirl[/url] - Kara-El ([b]Gowi[/b])
• Vic Sage - The Question (Hound55)

[b]Walking the Line:[/b]
• [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/40087/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1199984]Commander Dru-Zod[/url] of the Starship Matrix ([b]Gowi[/b])
• Lor-Zod (Bounce)

[b]Villains:[/b]
• Duela (Kingfisher)
• [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/40087/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1289223]The Scarecrow[/url] - Jonathan Crane (Lord Wraith)
[/hider]
[hider=Pending Approval]• Duela (Kingfisher)
[/hider]