[CENTER][COLOR=slategray][B]C H A R A C T E R   C O N C E P T   P R O P O S A L[/B][/COLOR][h1][color=black][b]T H E  P U N I S H E R[/b][/color][/h1][hr]
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/vTkvz7xD/Punisher.jpg[/img][h3][sup][sub][color=black]F R A N K  C A S T L E   [color=black]♦[/color]   C A S H I E R / R E T I R E D  V I G I L A N T E   [color=black]♦[/color]   N E W  Y O R K  C I T Y   [color=black]♦[/color]   I N D E P E N D E N T[/color][/sub][/sup][/h3]
[/CENTER][COLOR=black][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R   C O N C E P T:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR]
[CENTER][sup][color=black][b]"I'm just an old killer looking for an excuse. But I guess it's better than not needing one."[/b][/color][/sup][/CENTER]
[INDENT][INDENT][i]You know the basics already. Ten years ago, Frank Castle's family was murdered. He gave up his career as a detective to become the Punisher and take his revenge on the people who murdered his family. After killing those responsible, Frank continued his crusade on crime, waging a one-man war on the criminal underworld of New York City.

Except that's not what happened.

After killing the men responsible for his family's deaths and taking down an entire crime syndicate in the process, Frank called it quits. He got what he wanted. His short-lived career as the Punisher was over before it truly began. For the past decade, he's been Charles Forte, a middle-aged divorcee working as a convenience store cashier and living in a rundown apartment in the Bronx. Keeping a low profile and holding back that part of himself that wants to go back to vigilantism. But with a new gang moving in on his neighborhood, the Punisher might need to come out of retirement.[/i][/indent][/indent]
[COLOR=black][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R   M O T I V A T I O N S   &   G O A L S:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][i]Ah shit, here we go again.

To start off, I'll discuss my reasons for playing the character. It seems like every character I've tried since Punisher has flopped horrifically in some way or another. My attempt at Blade was half-baked and every time I tried to play the Question, I realized I had no idea how to write solo adventures with him. With that in mind, I decided to look back to my first character in one of these Hype style comic games: Frank Castle. Writing him was fun because I had an idea of where I wanted the story to go and I could write some cool ass action scenes along the way. It's pretty hard to mess up "angry man shoots bad guys". Since then, I've always wanted to return to the character. So, I figured "what the hell? I'll shoot my shot." And so once again I am asking to play the Punisher.

My story's gonna be simple and straightforward. Frank's retired, a new gang moves in on his neighborhood and starts trying to extort his employer, he decides to return as the Punisher to take them down. Pretty basic. Once that initial arc is finished, I'll probably focus on doing crossovers and maybe take a page from past me and have Frank go on a cross-country road trip like he did in Ultimate One Universe. The sky's the limit.

In terms of inspirations (because I always have those), first and foremost I'm trying to recapture the spirit of my original Punisher run. So as it was there, John Woo's heroic bloodshed films are the primary inspiration. Beyond that, there's also Max Payne 3, Logan, and The Dark Knight Returns, all of which feature that archetypal "old man returns to being a badass" storyline that I'm doing with this run. As usual, you can expect some recommended listening tracks with my posts every once in a while.

So yeah, that's that. I'll try not to flake out again, folks.[/i][/indent][/indent]
[COLOR=black][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R   N O T E S:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][i]Supporting characters list TBA.[/i][/indent][/indent]
[COLOR=black][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]S A M P L E   P O S T:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][hider=Issue #0: Exhale][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/nLpkXHQW/punisher-header-1.jpg[/img][/center]
[indent][sub][COLOR=black][b]Location and Time:[/b][/color] [I]New York City; Starlight Lounge[/I] - [I]10:42 PM; Ten Years Ago[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=black][b]Issue #0:[/b][/color] [i]Exhale[/i][/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][COLOR=black][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/color] [I]None[/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=black][b]Previously:[/b] [/color][I]N/A[/I][/right][/SUP][/indent]

[indent][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh66pGIhysQ]The pulse-pounding beat from the club's sound system keeps me on edge.[/url] Jimmy Rossi is sitting at a table with some of his friends. Can't hear what they're talking about from where I am, could be anything. Probably nothing important. Rossi stands, says something to the group, and starts making a b-line for the restrooms. I get out of my seat and follow him. A few eyes are drawn to me, watching my every move like a predator waiting for one fatal mistake from its prey. I think they mixed up who's who in this situation though. 

Rossi enters the men's restroom. I wait outside the door for a minute before walking in. He flushes the urinal and turns towards the sinks, only to see me standing in front of the door. He quirks a brow at me, as if wondering if he's seen me before. We both know he has, but I don't think he wants to admit from where. [color=black][b]"Jimmy Rossi?"[/b][/color] I ask, staring into his eyes and remembering the unbridled [i]joy[/i] they held as he pulled the trigger.

[b]"Yeah? What's it to ya?"[/b]

[color=black][b]"You took something of mine from me."[/b][/color]

[b]"I tend to do that a lot, so excuse me if what I took from you is slippin' my mind. Who are you again?"[/b]

I pull the Beretta from my coat and level it at his head. His eyes widen with shock for just a moment before returning to normal. He was already expecting this. [color=black][b]"A week ago you shot me, my wife, and my children. Your aim was a bit off, missed my heart by an inch or two. My family wasn't quite so lucky."[/b][/color] I take a step closer. [color=black][b]"I'm here to pay you back."[/b][/color]

Rossi gives a sigh and shakes his head. [b]"Right, you're that cop. Castle, was it? Look, I know you got your heart dead set on icin' me right here and now, but if you do that you ain't walkin' out of this club alive. If you leave now, you still got a shot at livin'. I'll even talk my boss into giving you a week's headstart before we come after you."[/b] He gives a smug grin. 

He thinks he can scare me into backing off. A smarter man might've backed off. Too bad for him, I wasn't exactly very smart. [color=black][b]"Tempting,"[/b][/color] I say, seeming to mull over his words. [color=black][b]"But I'll pass on that offer."[/b][/color] He only has a moment for the reality of the situation to dawn on him before I fire, sending the bullet flying through his skull. His blood and brain matter splatters onto the wall behind him, forming something like a macabre Jackson Pollock painting.

Rossi's body hasn't even had time to slump to the floor before the door to the bathroom flies open, one of his friends aiming a gun at me and shouting a dozen or so curse words per second. I duck, spin around, and fire twice into his torso before he can get a shot off. He falls to the ground with a yell, a pool of blood forming beneath him. I sprint through the open door, leaving the dead man and the dying one behind.

I barely have time to think about my next move before I'm dropping to the floor at the sound of gunshots. A guard is firing at me as the club goers scatter, running and shoving their way towards the nearest exit. I roll behind a pillar as the guard continues to fire, standing up and flattening myself against it. Inhale. Count to ten. Exhale. Keep calm. Don't be rash. One wrong decision and it's lights out.

I dive away from the pillar, firing once (grazed his left leg), twice (missed), three times (got him right below the shoulder) at the guard. He curses in pain, falling to a kneel and grasping his wounded arm. I put a round in his throat and he hits the floor. I barely have time to process my surroundings before I'm rolling to avoid a bullet to the head. One of Rossi's buddies firing at me only a couple feet away with a revolver. I charge at him. He fires again, hitting me in the shoulder, but I keep going and tackle him to the floor. Sitting on top of him, I whip him once in the face with the barrel of my pistol before sticking it in his mouth and firing.

It's all a blur from there. Bullets flying through the air and blood spilling onto the dance floor. The saying goes that violence breeds violence, and it rings especially true on this night. The easiest way to describe it is a massacre. The media would later report that there was nineteen dead and twelve wounded. Four of them died in the hospital later.

Do you ever let the blood on your hands get to you, Frank?

You've had all these years to think about what you've done. One guy killed your family so what did you do? You made dozens of widows and orphans in response. 

The screams haven't stopped since then, but you've learned to block them out, haven't you? Or do you just relish in them, enjoying all the pain you've caused?

[b][i]Do you like hurting other people?[/i][/b]

[center]---[/center]

My eyes snap open as I wake with a start. My eyes are drawn to the alarm clock on my nightstand. 7:08 AM. A bit earlier than usual but otherwise good enough. I clear my throat and throw the covers off of me, stifling a yawn with my fist. Rolling my shoulders, I stand up and head to the counter to start up my coffee maker, then get dressed while it brews. Only an hour until work.

Ten years ago, the nightmares were worse. I would wake up in a cold sweat every night. Used to need a bottle of Jack to get me through the day. They're rarer now, only about once every month or so, and all it does is get up me up earlier than usual. I've made quite a bit of progress, but I don't think they'll ever go away completely. Still, a guy can hope.

I pour myself a cup of coffee. My eyes are drawn to the whiskey bottle next to the sugar, my hand trembling slightly at the sight of it. I sigh in defeat, grab it, and splash a bit into my coffee. Good thing I didn't listen too much during the AA meetings. When it comes down to it, abstinence and moderation are two sides of a knife. One is a phantom pain that hurts less as time goes on, the other is a painful smack every once in a while. The smack is easier to deal with for me.

I walk over to my sofa and sit down in front of the TV, grabbing the remote to turn it on. Flipping through channels, all I see is stuff I don't want to watch, as usual. I give up on finding something good and leave the TV on a 24/7 shopping channel for jewelry. I take a long swig of my coffee while I watch, letting my mind wander as an overly-enthusiastic windbag prattles on and on about overpriced rings and necklaces.

Before I know it, it's time for work. I place my mug in the sink and fill it with water before leaving my apartment and heading down the street to Mr. Green's Goods. It's a quaint little convenience store masquerading as a grocer's, tucked between a hair salon and a pawn shop. Standing in front of the door, I take a moment to ready myself for a long day.

Inhale. Count to ten. Exhale.

Another day, another dollar.[/indent]
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[COLOR=black][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]P O S T   C A T A L O G:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][i][list]
[*]Issue #0: Exhale
[*][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5179868]Issue #1: Routine[/url]
[*][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5184889]Issue #2: Charles Forte Rides, Again?[/url]
[/list][/i][/indent][/indent]