But I suppose that's fair. I apologize for the fact that I've gone well over a month without a post from both the driving antagonist and my own applied character. The only excuse I have is that I've had other obligations, but in my downtime, I also experienced a bit of uncertainty as to where I was going with the overarching Lord plot, with Batman a secondary concern right now.
That uncertainty ended and there now sits a post on my computer that I've got about two-thirds of the way written, after starting it earlier in the week. That one at least will be incoming soon, and the President will definitely be ramping up the anti-meta campaign in a way that I think people will be able to react to and hopefully play with.
Good to see you back, chief. I’m thinking of uploading a Deathstroke post either today or tomorrow. Been a hectic week, but the story’s almost done.
And... posted! Took a tad bit longer than usual, but let me know if some things need to be edited. Admittedly, I haven’t read some of yall’s posts, so I’ll be checking them out ASAP.
MB's been putting up with my shit for... a depressingly long amount of time now, if we stop to think about it.
Oh, hey, Bounce. Nice to meet ya lmfao.
Yeah, I mean, life can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Responsibilities and, oftentimes, writing block can get in the way. How long have you been waiting for MB, exactly?
"The Wizard Shazam betrayed everyone who ever trusted him just so he could gather more and more power. But he's the hero of the story. And me? I'm the bad guy."
C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T
A B I L I T I E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ STRENGTH OF HERCULES Teth possesses immense physical strength, in the 100 ton category. ◼ STAMINA OF ATLAS Teth's enchanted form is exceptionally resilient and durable, commensurate with his physical strength. ◼ SPEED OF MERCURY Teth is capable of bursts of movement faster than the human eye can follow, boasting exceptional reflexes and the ability to fly at speeds exceeding the speed of sound for short periods. ◼ POWER OF ZEUS Teth is a living lightning rod, with the magical energies of the world's leylines taking the form of electricity that arcs through the Earth and connects to the boy. He can wield this energy to fuel magic or cast bolts of destructive force. ◼ WISDOM OF SOLOMON Even in ancient times, common sense was a goddamn superpower. But, that aside, Teth is a homo magi capable of wielding magic. -
T O O L (S) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ NEGA-GAUNTLETS A pair of gauntlets formed of the same material as Mar-Vell's Nega-Bands. Powered by the energies coursing through Teth, the bands help to regulate his power and ground him. Made of a Kree programmable matter, the bands can take different shapes, becoming a pair of scimitars or even a pistol fueled by Teth's lightning. ◼ ROCK OF ETERNITY Either an magical anchor that tethers the worlds leylines, or the well-spring from which Earth's leylines flow, the Rock of Eternity was usurped by the Wizard Shazam sometime in the 13th Century BCE and served as the source for the power that created the Champion. It is the source of Teth's power. -
N O T A B L E S K I L L S & T A L E N T S N O T A B L E S K I L L S & W E A K N E S S E S
S K I L L (S) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ THE ART OF WAR Teth is an exceptional combatant, trained and experienced in hand-to-hand and armed combat through centuries of warfare. -
W E A K N E S S E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ OVERCHARGED When the Wizard Shazam was alive, Teth only possessed as much (or little) power as the Wizard allowed, acting as a kind of regulator. With the Wizard gone, Teth has access to a level of raw, unfiltered magical power that is unlike before -- forcing him to re-learn how his powers work. ◼ ONLY HUMAN Teth still requires food, oxygen, and sleep. While the magic enchantment on him may preserve his life, this means he's limited on how high he can fly or how long he can submerge under water before losing consciousness. ◼ LIMITED VOCABULARY Untrained in magic, what limited experience Teth has with it is from the Ancient World, when wizards relied on words of power and were not as spontaneous in their spellweaving as modern magic users. Like a Wizard in DnD, Teth has to prepare the spell and know the words (and be able to speak them) to cast magic. -
T H E S T O R Y S O F A R... T H E S T O R Y S O F A R...
First things first, instead of being a kid who turns into Magical Superman, this is just an empowered kid. Which is also every version I write of Captain Marvel/Shazam/Black Adam, so you all know what you're getting at this point.
While in past OU games, I've merged Billy and Mar-Vell, this version keeps my habit of merging aspects of Billy and Black Adam, with this take leaning into Black Adam's revised origin as a slave. The main tweak to the origin here is that Teth is meant to be Shazam's illegitimate child (making him a half-brother to Satanus and Blaze). I've connected him with Mar-Vell to bridge the two Captain Marvels as well as provide for an NPC'd mentor while still having the Wizard die right when he's needed most (as per Billy's usual origin). Nothing in this concept is intended to bar a Billy Batson or Carol Danvers, including as a successor Captain Marvel. Shazam could have selected another Champion prior to Teth being released, and Mar-Vell is having adventures out in space where Teth can't follow, so plenty of narrative room on both sides for others to play with if they so choose.
Teth's power level is scaled back considerably to provide balance for his power set otherwise rolling Superman, Flash, Black Vulcan, and Zatanna all in one. Key to my interpretation is the idea that, with the Wizard gone, the magic now flows directly to Teth instead of through Shazam, making it where Teth is having to re-learn how to manage and control his abilities, while also trying to comprehend the world he's in and find his place in it.
Like Jason and the Argonauts, in this version, Shazam and Teth are historical-mythological figures whose actual existence is debated among scholars. Aligning Shazam and Black Adam to older literary figures (Gilgamesh, David, Samson, Beowulf, etc), that is, their flaws are as much part of their story as their virtues. Shazam a wise philosopher who reigned over an advanced civilization for the time period, but also a pragmatist and opportunist. Teth-Adam a brave warrior, but also arrogant, brash, disrespectful, and disruptive. Shazam is said to have betrayed the city to the Achaemenid Empire, with Teth falling in the Siege of Khandaq in a tale with many parallels to Troy and the story of Achilles.
From there, Shazam disappears from the historical record while Khandaq lapses into a cycle of conquest. Alexander the Great followed, then the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the rise of the Roman Empire. The eventual rise and fall of the Ottomans in the modern era led to Khandaq's re-emergence, only now as an Islamic Republic with connections to both Egypt and Iran for its history with both. Behind the scenes, Shazam was working to try and protect the world from otherworldly threats, particularly Dormammu and the arch-fiends of Hell.
Teth reappeared in the world three years ago, having been released by a Wizard mortally wounded in the fight against the Reach. Without the Wizard, Teth found the power uncontrollable and was more menace than hero for it. A Kree soldier fighting on Earth by the name of Mar-Vell was able to use Kree technology to help Teth regain control of his wild energies, with the two joining the fight to re-take the Earth. Now, while Captain Marvel continues to battle the Reach across the cosmos, Teth is left to try and find his place in a world he no longer recognizes.
P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S )
It took me a long time to think of how to approach the game's narrative. Shazam and Teth are both intended to be presented as more complex characters with regard to their motivations, having done great and terrible things each. I think that gives him a great perspective coming into the current world. The Reach was an enemy he could touch, whereas the political fallout is much more difficult to grasp, particularly in terms of right and wrong.
The general vibe I'm aiming for is Billy's "superhero in a homeless shelter" kind of cynicism around saving the world not paying anything, with all the emotional baggage of Teth's storied history. In terms of hooks for others to grab onto, Teth's participation in the latter part of the Reach Invasion is meant to supply a possible connection to other heroes who battled the Reach. Otherwise, two stories I'll be running will use Oom (the alien serial killer) as a murder mystery exploring another alien threat on Earth, and re-imagining Mr. Atom as a rogue autonomous weapon system.
All formatting originates via the work ofLord Wraith
That's why I kind of encourage the competition. You seem like your concept is doing more of Dwayne "The Black Adam" Johnson meets the Old School Black Adam, and I'm going for more of the New 52 Billy Batson a-hole with superpowers and 3,000 years of daddy issues.
The means with which the Guardians are going to make it to Earth involves Kara punching through time and space in a bit of an emergency to get there. It doesnt tie explicitly into your current plot but even if its just as bread crumbs I feel like that sort of phenomenon would be very Reed Richards relevant.
100%! I'd be happy to work on something once you're in a good place with your Guardians!
A B I L I T I E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Black Panther
Super Strength
At maximum exertion, can lift approximately 5 tons over his head.
Acute Senses
His olfactory senses are more akin to that of a feline than a human. He can partially see into the ultraviolet and electromagnetic spectrum, allowing him to keep track of large amounts of people at once, as well as see in complete darkness. His hearing is similarly enhanced, enabling him to detect sounds normal humans can't or at a much greater distance, as well as filter sounds out that would normally get lost in a cacophony.He can memorize thousands of scents which enables him to recognize people by scent, as well as tracking a target by scent. He claims he can smell fear (Ororo believes this is more for show) This also allows him to tell when people are lying to to seeing subtle shifts in body language, as well as smelling changes to their pheromones.
Superhuman Speed
While not exactly a speedster like Flash or Superman or outrunning F1 car, he is still able to outrun any non-enhanced individual. His absolute maximum speed is about 45mph.
Boundless Stamina
T'Challa's body processes fatigue toxins at an immensely accellerated rate. This means that he can exert his peak abilities for hours on end without rest
Enhanced Durability
While not The Hulk in his ability to shrug off being shot by a tank, T'Challa's skin is immensely more difficult to break, as are his bones. Injuries that would cripple or outright kill un-enhanced humans would merely wind or concuss T'Challa when not wearing his armour.
Enhanced Healing
While not instantly healing gunshot wounds and lost limbs such as the likes of Wolverine, T'Challa's body does heal injuries at an incredibly enhanced rate. Minor cuts and scrapes healing in hours, with broken bones healing in days.
Hyper-acute reflexes
The blessings of Bast are a pathway to many abilities some consider to be "Unnatural" The enhancements his body has received allows him to instantly react to any stimuli at an unconscious level. This can be a weakness as his body will act in self preservation if he's not consciously aware of his intended action. In otherwords, he may sometimes jump out of the way of an attack he was unaware of, even if he would consciously attempt to take it to protect others. ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Storm
Weather Manupulation
Ororo can consciously control the weather and localize it as she see's fit. Calling down a storm or a blizzard to attack her enemies, or even a heavy rainstorm to save those caught in fire, a dense fog to cover her escape or a hurricane to carry her and others to safety. The practical applications for her powers are limited only by her imagination.
Environmental Control
Related to her Weather Manipulation, while on earth, she is able to keep her body in a desirable state of environment. Trapping cold air close to her skin to prevent overheating, trapping warm air close to fend off the chill.
Telepathy Resistance
She's not entirely sure why, but she is somewhat hard to forcibly control or read. Something she found out a about during her time with the Morlocks... -
T O O L (S) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Black Panther
Black Panther Armour
Unfolding from his neckalce, a suit of ultrafine thin Vibranium fibres that encases his body, the armour absorbs any incoming attack and drains it's kinetic-potential energy, redistributing it through the suit. This makes him functionally immune to most blunt-force and stabbing attacks and weapons. But the suit can only absorb so much. However, if the suit has absorbed energy, it can unleash it all in a blast around itself (Proportional to the stored energy) It also allows him to fall from great heights with no ill effects and move practically silently on any surface.
Vibranium Weapons
Mostly built into his suit, he can deploy a number of weapons made out of the divine material known as Vibranium. These include Vibranium Claws built into his suits fingers, Vibranium Throwing Shards (Usually charged with kinetic energy so they explode on impact)
Kimoyo Card
A powerful PDA the size of a credit card that he carries around and has a holographic display. It is connected wirelessly to Wakanda's Royal Library/Database, as well as to the internet at large, allowing him to use it for communications as well as accessing Wakanda's experimental Boomtube generators. ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Storm
Stormcloak
A lightweight and ornate cloth with vibranium microweave throughout. It creates Hardlight shields from the stored Kinetic energy that she naturally picks up when using her powers. It's also used for catching winds, allowing her to fly and move through the air with ease and precision. She doesn't NEED it to fly, but it does make the whole adventure a lot easier.
Heart of Eternal Darkness
The name of an ornate ruby she always wears around her neck. It was supposedly stolen by one of her ancestors from the tomb of an egyptian pharaoh and was passed down the generations until it got to her. It gives her comfort and peace of mind, giving her a connection to her ancestors that she would otherwise lack.
Kimoyo Card
-
N O T A B L E S K I L L S & T A L E N T S N O T A B L E S K I L L S & T A L E N T S
S K I L L (S) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Black Panther
Master Martial Artist
The Black Panther of Wakanda was made to learn from all of the wisest and greatest teachers the world would be willing to accept. Masters from Tibet, China, Japan, Brazil and America helped mold him into what he was to become from the moment he could walk. Then, when he accepted the herb, he learned from those Black Panthers who came before him.
Expert Marksman
He was made to pass through the Wakandan Special Forces training who taught him to sharpshoot with almost any weapon he may find himself using, from bullets, to rocket launchers to laser weapons and even the traditional spears of his clan.
Flutist
T'Challa loves to make music, even mastering the Flute to help center himself in times of emotional uncertainty. ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Storm
Master Thievery
When she was first thrown out onto the streets, she needed some way to keep herself fed. Sadly, thievery was the best option. She can pick locks as well as pockets with ease.
Unique Martial Arts
Ororo has had MANY teachers in how to protect herself from those who would use her. From her elders of her village in Kenya, to the Morlocks teaching her to fight dirty, all the way up to her friend Wolverine teaching her a number of manuevers from the Canadian Military. She certainly knows how to take care of herself.
Multilingual
Ororo has had to take up many languages in order to survive. Kenyan, English, Egyptian, Arabic, French, German, Spanish and a little Russian, Japanese and Swahili (Although her Swahili is a little boorish) -
T A L E N T (S) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Black Panther
Genius Intellect
T'Challa was made to learn from the greatest teachers and thinkers money could buy. He was always smart, but those he was sent to helped his mind evolve to the point where he can grasp quantum physics with ease and learns who fields of sciences as one might learn lyrics of a song.
Cullinary Prowess
Probably something to do with his advanced tastebuds, but he is an amazing chef, able to make the most out of any ingredients put before him.
Persuasion/Diplomacy
T'Challa's charisma has always been boundless. From talking his way into the beds of many a lovely lady at the local festivals (Before having to escape before he is ripped limb from limb by very angry fathers) to going to the Diplomatic scene as he negotiates with the rest of the world. T'Challa has always had a way with words that puts others at ease. He reads others and figures out how to push their buttons to calm them down or to rile them up. He used these skills to keep Wakanda just a minor blip on the world stage, convince the world that Wakanda is just another 3rd world African nation that people only ever hear about in those adverts about donating $1 a month to help. And, of course, he used this talent to win the heart of the goddess of beauty that he intends to marry. ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Storm
Botany
She has always had a green thumb. Maybe it comes from being intuned with Nature, but she just has not found a plant she can't figure out how to make grow and thrive. She has her own little patch in the Royal Gardens.
Leadership
Something about her... Where she goes, others follow. No matter where she finds herself, it's always in charge of something or someone. -
T H E S T O R Y S O F A R... T H E S T O R Y S O F A R...
Although having been born not as far apart as some might think, their stories could not be more different... And at the same time, more similar...:
T'Challa was born into the very lap of luxury and drilled from the moment he could walk to be the next ruler of his country of Wakanda. Son of King T'Chaka and Queen N'Yami, he never had a single choice in his life. Everything decided at the moment of his conception. He would learn from master warriors and poets and physicists, trained in science, mythology, combat and diplomacy. He did what he was told, went where he was told, learned what he was told and made to become the next great leader of his country... Of course, he managed to find moments of respite here and there, going to local festivals and stealing time away to play with his friends M'Baku and B'Tumba, as well as his sister Shurei. His adopted elder brother Hunter was more of a bodyguard than a friend, much to T'Challa's chagrin.
Meanwhile, Ororo found herself born into a dirt poor village out in the Kenyan sticks. Food was never a problem due to her grandmother, the Shaman, using her "Vast Magics" to keep their crops growing and healthy no matter how the rest of the country was. Her mother, N'Dare was not blessed with the gift, but she raised her daughter right along with her father, David Munroe, a doctor from America who moved out to practice in the Peace Corp and fell in love. When Ororo was 4 years old, their village was attacked by a Ugandan Warlord who had snuck across the boarder in an attempt to kidnap the witch who made the crops grow. Her grandmother was killed, but she and her parents were able to escape. They ran back to America and moved into Harlem in New York. When Ororo was 6, the Warlords men managed to find her. In the ensuing attempted kidnapping, both of her parents were killed. It was during this traumatic event that her powers activated and she attempted to use them to escape. She was found by Callisto, a Mutant, who managed to murder her attackers and took Ororo into the underground, where she taught Ororo to survive.
It was 8 years ago that their paths crossed. When T'Challa had not yet become the Black Panther, and so managed to escape from his royal duties and went to America in order to get some time to himself. He knew he'd be quickly tracked down and recaptured, but he needed at least SOME time away. When he was in New York, Ororo picked his pocket and took his Kimoyo Card. He tracked her down with all of his training, despite her powers, she was not able to escape him. He tracked her back to the underground and attempted to steal back his card, but when he finally got a good look at the theif... The brilliant blue eyes, the perfect skin, the blizzard white mane that cascaded down her shoulders... Poor boy of 18 years of age never stood a chance... Instead of apprehending her, he got down on his knee's and begged her for a date. She reluctantly accepted and the pair of them went out and quickly developed a relationship. For the entire time that T'Challa was in New York, he kept visiting her. And when both his brother, The White Wolf and the Dora Milaje finally tracked him down, he begged her to hide him that they could stay together.
Callisto did not take this well... It was bad enough they had to deal with Humans living above them, but now they would have one living with them? So, Ororo had no choice. She challenged Callisto for Leadership of the Morlocks. The battle was intense, but just as Ororo was about to come out ontop, the Dora Milaje finally burst in to take their Prince home. Thinking quickly, T'Challa took one of his rings and slipped it onto Ororo's finger begging her to be his bride. This... Complicated things to say the least. Hunter had no choice. They took them both back.
Ororo wasn't happy that, once again, she'd been torn away from everything she knew... But at least this time she had been given a room that made the penthouse at the Ritz look like the janitors broomcloset and was waited on hand and foot. All things considered, this wasn't so bad. T'Challa and her relationship was strained by his brash actions, but was strained moreso by King T'Chaka demanding that she pass their trials of worthiness to be his sons bride. Naturally through a combination of her wits, cunning and powers, their traditions proved no match for her. And soon, they earned the right to be betrothed, but as was tradition, they could not marry until he was king.
The next major complication came along with the Reach. Naturally, Wakanda's Vibranium deposits made them a VERY tempting target for invasion. As such, King T'Chaka closed the borders and forbade any and all travel into and out of Wakanda for all except himself, Hunter and the Dora Milaje. Ororo used this time to reach out to other Mutants. She and T'Challa would regularly sneak out of the country to help mutants around the world. Including meeting up with one of Storms old friends from when she was a Morlock for a certain mission in Cairo. Things got even more complicated when the Reach became openly hostile. King T'Chaka took part in the battle of New York, but he was wounded by their alien weapons even beyond the Herb's ability to heal him. He was transported back to Wakanda and with his crippling, T'Challa was forced to undergo the ceremony and become the new Black Panther. T'Chaka would remain king, however. The official word put out into the world was that T'Chaka had stepped down from the throne willingly and retired, leaving T'Challa as the new King (This was of course a lie to save face and make the other nations accept T'Challa as the diplomatic head of their nation.)
With the rise of Maxwell Lord as the new President of America, Wakanda again closed itself off. King T'Chaka had put Wakanda's security and safety as the only priority of his rule now. The rest of the world was on its own. T'Challa still had to go out to be the Diplomatic face. T'Challa found himself living more and more at the Wakanda Embassy in New York. During this time, he and Ororo came to a decision. Using a few contacts within the Dora Milaje and with the situation deteriorating, they would endevour to help Ororo's people. Calling it "The Silk Road" they would begin smuggling Mutants to Friendly countries such as Genosha and even into Wakanda itself.
P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S )
T'Challa and Storm are two of my favourite Marvel characters... But, frankly, their relationship in the comics was barely even a thing, but i always liked the idea of one of the Avengers and one of the X-Men making a go of it. I kinda want to explore their relationship in a more compelling manner. And also, with this current world? Where Mutants are being persecuted left, right and center. They need to do something. There was never a situation where they DIDN'T get involved. So, i kinda want to make their story one of adversity. The entire world is working against them. The US Government, the Wakanda Government, even a number of mutants. But they know what they are doing is right.
Some story idea's that i had:
Storm recruiting the Morlocks to help her run the Silk Road.
T'Challa having to politically maneuver around the US Governments investigations into Wakanda to keep them off their back.
Hunter's conflicted emotions about the Silk Road, leading to a crisis of allegiance, where he has to choose whether to be loyal to his brother or Father.
King T'Chaka's PTSD about being broken by the Reach when he took on and lost to one of their Beetles. As well as attempting to use their tech to heal his broken body.
Storm attempting to found her own Institue for Gifted Youngsters in Wakanda itself
Glad I had a post ready to go, so Teth's already in the IC.
I'll be opening with the murder mystery, which is intended for world building before jumping to the more combative Mr. Atom plot (which I'm hoping to tie directly with what's going on in the US and the main story).
If anyone's interested in cross-over, one-shots, or what not, let me know as the murder investigation has the potential to take Teth anywhere. Otherwise I'll just be making Kahndaq great again.
I know I'm late to the party, but catching up on the IC I have to say that your Rhodey and Iron Patriot posts are fantastic. You're always well written, but I thought the way you narrated Rhodey's panic at the armor taking over and being reduced to a bystander was some of the best you've done.
