[b][center]Welcome to Obsidian ~[/center][/b]

Obsidian is a major American defense contractor that specialized in cutting edge, high tech weaponry. Led by the eminent engineer Bridgette Lapis and the progressive scientist Laurence Beryl, Obsidian rose from humble beginnings as a simple appliance company. However, the discovery of groundbreaking technology as well as Obsidian's partnership with a chemical research laboratory allowed it to delve into the lucrative field of core manufacturing and weaponry. We have a strong partnership with American defense forces as well as international research agreements. 

What we won't reveal is that located deep underneath our headquarters is a sprawling research facility that houses our most advanced weapons. We call them Operatives and though they are in their early stages of development, trials have shown that they are extremely effective. We will not release their existence to the public, nor will we ever. Our operatives are Top Secret for a reason - so that we can do with them as we please. Obsidian has come far in the past decade, but our ambitions see us rising higher than anyone has ever gone before. Once we have perfected our Operatives, we're sure the world will quickly become familiar with them. But by then, it will be much too late to stop them.

[b]Operatives ~[/b]

Operatives were once human, but using an injection called Quartz they have become something much more advanced. Quartz, developed by scientists working for Obsidian, not only enhances a person's speed, reflexes, stamina and mental capacity, but allows the subject to harness unique powers that humans have only dreamt of. Our subjects are similar to the Superheroes portrayed in popular culture. However, they are far from heroes. Our subjects, called Operatives, are essentially hired guns of extremely high caliber. They will only save the world if someone is paying a exorbitant fee for them to do so. Obsidian accepts extremely wealthy clients on an international scale who have demands ranging from espionage to assassination. Operatives must possess a very flexible moral compass, as many of the missions they are assigned lay outside of the law.

Very few people meet the qualifications to undergo the procedure to become an Obsidian Operative:

[u]Condition One:[/u] You must have nothing left in the world to lose. You must be desperate and alone. Becoming an operative means you must give up your entire life. Your identity will be erased and you will be assigned a code name. You will cease to exist in the outside world and thus you can never belong to it again. 

[u]Condition Two:[/u] You must be deemed physically and mentally strong and between the ages of 18 and 34. The procedure requires that you have extreme strength of mind and body as the changes you undergo can be lethal to anyone unprepared.

[u]Condition Three:[/u] This condition is more holistic and a careful study of the subject is required before they are deemed well suited to the procedure. In fact, once determining a potential subject, our Recruiters will track this person for a period of three month to determine whether or not they pass this condition. It is that you must be able to fit into a team dynamic and be able to succeed living the life of an operative. Though recruits have a variety of backgrounds, personalities and ideals, they must possess skills already suited to the kind of work they'll doing - something that can show itself in a variety of ways. Our recruiters have tracked people who are anything from hackers, physicians, soldiers, and even teenage prodigies. A wide range of recruits are pursued but you must display trainability and potential. Obsidian invests a lot of money into their operatives and their investment must promise a return. 

If you are recruited by Obsidian it is because they recognized the above qualities in you and, intrigued and desperate, you agreed to the terms. If you rejected their offer, you would have been eliminated as you would then have possessed sensitive information. You will most likely begin your procedure in a large group of people. However, this group will eventually shrink to a much smaller sample. You are put through rigorous physical and mental tests to determine whether or not your body can handle Quartz. Once we determine that the probability of your survival is above 99.7%, you will undergo the procedure. If you survive, you will come to your senses to discover that your entire body has changed. You do not only possess advanced strength, stamina, durability and intelligence but you also possess a superpower. None of the scientists can predict how Quartz effects you as it has different results on different people. However, brain scans have shown that these powers are often related to subjects' varying personalities and strengths. A subject with an extremely volatile nature, might be able to produce flames from their hands while an extremely perceptive subject may find themselves hearing the thoughts of others. 

Of course, how could Obsidian control an Operative with such advanced abilities? A Kill Switch. Each injection of Quartz contains a microchip that, if activated, would promptly stop your heart. Also, for certain subjects, a dampening collar will be used to stifle the effects of Quartz, returning their stats to that of a normal human. 

[u][b]Character Sheet ~ [/b][/u]
Name:
Codename:
Age: 
Power:
Appearance:
Personality:
Strengths and Weaknesses:
History:
Other:

[b]Accepted Characters ~[/b]
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1625515]Paul "Polo" Phillips, Jr. (Alter) [/url] - Korbanjaro
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1626714]Rustopher Ignacio Pinero-Santos (R.I.P)[/url] - Vistruction
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1628371]Marie Jasper (Epsilon) [/url] - Dmytra
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1629900]Lucas Myers (Zephyr) [/url] - Brainstew
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=1#post-1634566]Emery Jones (Nova) [/url] - Chezka
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=2#post-1651959]Katherina Ady (Citrene)[/url] - Estylwen
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=2#post-1662565]Randall Jones (The Cancer)[/url] - Raptorman
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=2#post-1667113]Vernita Gale (Lambda)[/url] - ADreamofStormySkies
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=2#post-1672633]Leila Marie Holmes[/url] - Equinox
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/53076/posts/ooc?page=3#post-1674757]Mia Jones (Machete)[/url] - Leonardo

[b]Basic List of NPCs ~ [/b]

[hider=NPCs]
[u]Dr. Bridgette Lapis:[/u] A severe and stoic woman who is highly intelligent and a very impressive speaker. She is the co-founder of Obsidian and manages the engineering and business aspect of the corporation. She is mysterious and avoids showing her face. Very few people in Obsidian have ever seen her though everyone has heard her voice. Her recorded voice, a perfect monotone, is present throughout Obsidian's facilities. She also the voice heard on speakers whenever a facility wide announcement is being made. Though she is an invisible presence, she seems to be omnipotent, and many are influenced by her after only listening to her speak. 

[u]Dr. Laurence Beryl:[/u] A charismatic and energetic man who is fiercely clever and extremely ambitious. He is a co-founder of Obsidian and manages the scientific aspect of the corporation. He is also the face of Obsidian and represents it in the media and during business transactions. He is extremely manipulative and uses his good looks and silver tongue to gain the trust of others. His relationship with Lapis appears tenuous as they have different ideas about the direction Obsidian should move in.

[u]Dr. James Garnet:[/u] The head of the Quartz Program. He directs the recruiters, oversees the Procedure, and ultimately interacts with the Operatives on a daily basis. He possesses a dark sense of humor and is often brutally honest to the Operatives. He is a middle aged man with a militaristic demeanor and very rough edges. He leads physical and weapons training. However, he is not quite ruthless and will demonstrate a certain kind of protectiveness over his operatives whenever they are placed in a situation that compromises them. He is allied with Lapis and will side with her if there is a schism within the corporation.

[u]Dr. Eirene Jasper:[/u] The Psychologist for the Quartz Program and the Head Recruiter. She decides who will be a part of the initial pool of recruits and has formulated strict guidelines as to who the Quartz Program accepts. She analyses the Operatives' psychological state and studies the effects of Quartz on the subject's mind. She has a calm and gentle demeanor but is strongly loyal to Beryl and can become ruthless when her or Beryl's beliefs are challenged. She holds the activator to the kill switch and is the one to prescribe the dampening collars. She is not a woman one should underestimate. 

[u]Recruiters:[/u] This person will have introduced you to Obsidian and the Quartz Program. They will have been the one to track you for an extended period of time and decide that you were the type of person who would be appropriate. If you rejected their offer, they would be the one to eliminate you. They work deep undercover and can often have entered your life as someone unremarkable but ever present. (Such as a maid or a shopkeeper at a place you frequent.) They are, however, highly trained individuals who will have thought carefully before deciding to present you with their offer.[/hider]

Good luck - you'll need it. Obsidian does seem lucrative; if you can survive the procedure, the training, and the missions they throw at you. You are given a second chance and a new start. You will have community, power, and immense opportunity. However, Quartz is only a recent development and nobody knows how it effects a subject longterm. Also, Obsidian has only just realized the power they wield with their Operatives. What are their true motives? Power corrupts - are you willing to handle the consequences or might you be inspired to turn against the people who have essentially created you?

-----

[b]Rules:[/b]

1. Use common sense. Don't kill other people's characters without their permission. Treat others with respect, don't take anything personally, and be aware that the other players have a range of writing styles and may have a different approach to this than you.
2. This is an advanced RPG and you signed up knowing that. I understand that you all have lives, so sporadic posting is ok with me. Just make sure that when you have something to say, it's substantial and well thought out. Also, let everyone know when you're planning to go off the grid for a bit. 
3. Have fun! This is kind of a given but I know that sometimes people get caught up in the semantics and miss out on the creative aspect of it. I've given you very few barriers and I hope that it'll inspire you to innovate and create. Throw out ideas and plots of all kinds and I'll always be down to consider them and make them happen. Collaboration is so important here, so work together and be flexible. 

[b]FAQs ~ [/b]

[hider=FAQs]
Q: Can my character be physically weak but mentally strong?
A: Yes. A variety of subjects are pursued for recruitment by Obsidian. As long as they are seen as an asset and they appear physically able to undergo the procedure.

Q: To what degree do you "possess advanced strength, stamina, durability and intelligence?"
A: This step is to condition your body further in order to be more able to withstand the Quartz injection. It will depend on your state before the procedure and it will not immediately make you invulnerable. It is a slight raising of stats that is noticeable.

Q: Code Names?
A: Make one up.

Q: When will the narrative for our characters start?
A: Depends, what do you think? I mean, I like the idea of starting right after the procedure and having the characters deal with controlling their powers and their new roles as operatives. Of course, other options are starting after recruitment...etc. Let me know what you think.
[/hider]

I hope I've covered everything, but let me know if you're still confused about something and I'll be happy to sort it out with you. Also, any suggestions and plot ideas are always welcome. Post your finalized profiles below, or if you want, PM a draft if you're not sure about it. 

Thanks,
Dmytra