Bounce

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

@Half Pint already failed the first GM test, which is the [in]ability to tell Bounce 'no.'

But, that gives me a back-up plan in case anyone would care to compete for the sushi platter.

Here's my rough draft for transparency and people to scheme/plot.

Just Add Water

A Q U A L A D
A Q U A L A D

^{"I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm doing!"}

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 _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ Arthur Curry _________________________________________________________ 11 | Single _________________________________________________________ Middle School | American N O T A B L E A B I L I T I E S & T O O L S N O T A B L E A B I L I T I E S & T O O L S _________________________________________________________ [+] - A B I L I T I E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ SUPER STRENGTH Arthur possesses strength in the 100 ton class (as an adult, this will be 160-200 ton class). ◼ INHUMAN DURABILITY Arthur can withstand the crushing pressures and frigid temperatures of the deep ocean, which also translates to being able to shrug off most small arms (below .50 cal). ◼ TELEPATHY How Atlanteans communicate underwater. ◼ HYDROKINESIS Primarily, Arthur uses this ability to propel himself through the water at insane speed, but with concentration he can also manipulate water. ◼ ENHANCED SENSES Arthur can see in the near lightless depths and his hearing is more acute than a normal human. - 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) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ OLYMPIC-LEVEL SWIMMER It goes without saying that Arthur takes to water like, well, a fish. - T A L E N T (S) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ MARINE TELEPATHY A descendant of the legendary Atlan through his mother Atlanna, Arthur has the unique ability to commune with sea life. ◼ LATENT MAGIC Arthur has Atlantean magic in his blood, but not enough to cast it on his own. Holding an enchanted relic however enables him to channel 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... __________________________________________________________________________________ The son of a lighthouse keeper in the sleepy town of Amnesty Bay, Maine, Arthur knows very little about his mother. And his father seems cryptic but adamant on keeping it that way, for reasons Arthur can't imagine. What's clear is that Arthur isn't like other kids his age, which is a difficult problem to grapple with at a time when he's also aged into a period in his life where fitting in is the most important thing to him. Rather than wrestle with swim team competition and the eternal question of what to think about the prospect of a middle school dance however, Arthur is confronted with the reality that someone wants him very dead. The question of why will take him to places beyond imagination, and truths he may be unprepared to receive. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) __________________________________________________________________________________ The story of a forbidden love between an Atlantean queen fleeing an arranged marriage and a lighthouse keeper in Amnesty Bay, Maine, told in the vein of the Golden Age Superboy stories where Arthur's childhood is the story rather than relegated to flashbacks. In a world where Superman is not an icon and Batman is merely a rumor on the streets of Gotham, Arthur Curry still being a goofy kid seems to fit. Orm is the primary nemesis in this take, re-imagined as Arthur's uncle who has usurped the throne of Atlantis in his bid to become Ocean Master, using Atlanna's flight as justification for imprisoning her and assuming the throne. His quest to eliminate Arthur as a contender to the throne will bring other familiar faces to the story, including Black Manta.

---

---

^{All formatting originates via the work of Lord Wraith}

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

I'm wrestling with two concepts at the moment. I don't want to try and bring my Teth-Adam over because the concept I had was very much rooted in MB's Resistance plot (I'm just sorry we didn't get to the Mr. Atom plot that would have made that clear).

One would be a significant rework that would connect with Half's Bat (so I'd send you the sheet for review/approval of the concept in any case), but its a character that I've written previously so I've already got a solid story roadmap and rogues gallery.

The other is telling a classic A-lister different than I've seen before, which I like the idea of, but I'm asking myself if I have a story to go with the concept.

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

Original Characters: Original characters are allowed for this roleplay, however with the stipulation that these characters should be ones that would slot neatly into the Marvel or DC universes.

@Half Pint

Ultimate One Universe: Resistance

B L A C K A D A M
B L A C K A D A M

^{BACK IN BLACK (part IV)
prev | next | soundtrack}

KAHNDAQ
_{3,000 years earlier}

It had been swift and brutal.

The pair looked out over what had been a tight-knit village on the outskirts of Kahndaq. Outside the protection of the walls. A vulnerable target, but also odd for the fact that it had been a simple fishing community. There seemed little benefit to its destruction.

A thorough enough event that it had drawn the Wizard himself to the scene.

The boy bent down, picking up a broken sword with a distinctive shape. A khopesh. “Egyptians,” the child spat bitterly.

“No. But we are meant to think that it was,” the Wizard stated flatly.

As Teth turned his head up to regard the old man, the confusion plain on his face, the weary figure made a gesture as he explained, “Look at the lack of defensive wounds. These people were taken by surprise. And these footprints – this was a small group, working quickly and very quietly. Egyptians always use power in numbers. This is far too subtle for them.”

Teth tossed the khopesh aside, motioning to indicate the flattened and scorched earth around them. “You call this subtle?”

“Only Sandstormers are so precise. And indiscriminate,” the Wizard answered in the same matter-of-fact tone. With a slight wave, the man peeled back layers of sand that had concealed the bodies of a mother still clutching her children. “Or do you believe Egyptians would attack a village and not take slaves?”

To be honest, Teth wasn’t certain what disturbed him more. The scene, the bodies, or the casual attitude with which Shazam seemed aloof to the notion that these were people’s lives.

“But that was their mistake,” the Wizard remarked, oblivious or else ignoring the emotional plight that gripped the boy. “There is power in the blood of innocents. The blood that they’ve spilled will lead us right to them.”

A magic circle shimmered in the air before the old man, as he uttered a word of power.

“KADESH!”

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF KAHNDAQ
_{present day}

The boy doubled over.

He hadn’t eaten much of anything for days, but the sparse contents of his stomach emptied out as he retched at the sight.

Teth had seen dead people – dead kids – but not like this. Amir had been ripped apart. The scene of the murder spread out as police cataloged the different parts of the homeless child.

Concealed within the mirror dimension, Teth saw it. All of it.

“Anything on him?” one of the police officers asked.

The man he was addressing had a hand inside the pockets of the shorts that Amir had been wearing, casually hiding the few bills that the child had begged from off the street in the palm of his hand as he answered, “Nothing.”

Arcs of lightning flowed along Teth’s form as bile and anger rose at the back of his throat. The casual indifference, the sheer animosity toward Kahndaq’s homeless children, hurt in ways he’d have been hard pressed to describe. Fueling both a rage and tears to slip down his face.

But the guards of the era were not the enemy. They were just the guards. Assholes in this century and every century before.

Whoever had done this was a coward. But an exceptionally strong coward. The police would take their time looking for the culprit, if they even looked for one at all. Teth, on the other hand, could get right to the heart of it.

Bringing his hands up, the child closed his eyes. Paused to take a breath.

The magic circle shimmered into existence as the boy moved his arms in a circular motion. As soon as the runic, mandala-like disc was complete, the boy opened his eyes and said: “KADESH!”

The magic circle seemed to flare outward, breaking apart into a million pieces of light that spread across the alleyway, illuminating a path that weaved through the streets of Kahndaq.

It led straight to the back of large figure garbed in traditional pyjama and a camel blanket, his head and face obscured as he tried to make his way through the city.

The honorable thing to do would be to confront him.

Fuck that.

“SHAZAM!”

The obfuscated figure was backstabbed by the lightning bolt, as Teth emerged back into normal space-time with a precision strike that erupted with screams as people fled from the sudden strike.

Clothes smoldering, the mountain-like figure shrugged off the loose clothing to reveal an inhumanly large frame with grayish skin.

“Huh. That didn’t disintegrate you,” Teth remarked sarcastically, smiling as he casually began to crack his knuckles.

“Good.”

Running at the figure, the boy drew back an arm...

...and found the inhuman figure closing the gap.

The sweep of a gray arm sent the boy flying. He’d already crashed through the first building before he’d even realized that he’d been struck.

Careening through a second, the small boy exploded through the front window to land on the street, where a taxi had the misfortune of colliding with the child – which did more damage to the taxi than to Teth, but sent the boy into the side of a parked van, with enough force to knock it up onto the sidewalk.

That had maybe gone differently in his head.

Rolling up to his feet, lightning came down to strike the boy as he pounding his fists together. “Round two, asshole,” the child uttered.

Ultimate One Universe: Resistance

Just got back into town. I'll have a Teth post up tomorrow.

Is this RP still running or is it looking to wrap up? Really love the posts and have been reading for a bit, but if you guys are thinking it's coming to an end I'll look to join a future one maybe.

@Cyberlad

I think its kind of up in the air at present and, barring @Master Bruce dipping out, activity will probably determine if it keeps going or folds.

Ultimate One Universe: Resistance

Will be out of town for a few days. I'll probably have another Teth post up toward the end of next week.

Ultimate One Universe: Resistance

Goo news everyone my days off have finally arrived.

@Sep

Ultimate One Universe: Resistance

All right, with the posting of part III, the set dressing is done and the action will start picking up for a bit.

Ultimate One Universe: Resistance

B L A C K A D A M
B L A C K A D A M

^{BACK IN BLACK (part III)
prev | next | soundtrack}

THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF KAHNDAQ

In Ancient Egypt, less than half of the children born lived to even 5 years of age. To have a child who lived was seen as nothing less than a blessing from the gods themselves. If a child did not have parents, they were taken in by others. Laborer, craftsman, slave... it didn’t matter. The ancient world knew that children were the lifeblood of the future, a future that was always just one plague away from being snatched away.

In modern times, man had eliminated slavery. Eradicated disease. The infant mortality rate for the region was less than two percent, or about sixteen deaths for every one thousand infants. But if society and medicine had seen waves of progress, it seemed the value of human life – or childhood at least – might have hit an all time low, with over a million children living and dying on the streets of Egypt and Kahndaq.

Viewed as criminals rather than victims, the police were a source of abuse, not aid. They fell into roving street gangs for protection, but those gangs were often a source of as much, or more, violence than what they’d sought to escape on the street.

It was a reality as ugly as it was cruel, and the Champion of Kahndaq didn’t have an answer on how to make it right.

The Champion of Kahndaq didn’t even know where he was going to get something to eat.

As penniless as when he’d been a slave, but arguably worse for not having even a master responsible for him, the boy had found himself on the street like so much trash.

“No beds,” the man said, as the boy stood outside of a shelter run by one of the cities undervalued nonprofits, and being turned away. “I can give you this, though,” the man added, handing the child a scrap of stale tandoori bread and perhaps a handful of basmati rice.

It was maybe two bites at most.

“Thank you,” Teth offered simply, as he found the door shut as he was left standing on the street. The same story, night after night. He’d struggle to recall if asked when the last time was that he had a shower or clean clothes.

Two more shelters turned him out. Too few resources for too many.

Amir was about Teth’s age, panhandling outside a subway station. When Mar-Vell had left to follow after the Reach’s retreat and Teth had found himself on the streets of Kahndaq, it had been Amir who’d offered a hand in helping the disoriented Champion through surviving on the streets in this day and age.

“Any luck?” the green-eyed boy asked in Arabic, as the pair exchanged a series of fist bumps in an elaborate handshake

“No,” Amir answered flatly, spitting on the sidewalk as he added, “Stingy bastards.”

Teth made a hollow, sardonic sound that wasn’t quite a laugh. Putting his back to the stairwell that led down into the subway, the time-lost warrior closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the trains and people mulling about.

The Kahndaq he remembered had been so full of people, and yet so quiet at night.

“Where have you been?” Amir asked, interrupting the boy’s brooding.

“Around,” Teth answered cryptically.

“Is your name really Teth?”

“Huh?” That seemed random.

“I mean, it's like saying, ‘hi, I’m the devil!’” Amir opined aloud. “People are always saying things like, ‘oh Teth-Adam will devour you’. It means like evil or whatever, doesn’t it?”

It meant mighty, but, okay, fair. “I... get that alot, actually,” Teth admitted.

“You should tell people your name is... I dunno, like, Theo.”

In the annals of history, Shazam was revered and it seemed that Teth was the devil. Just how had they landed on this topic? Changing the subject, as his stomach was reminding him of why he’d started this way, Teth looked over and asked, “You think that shelter on Cyrus Avenue might have food?”

“Closed,” The other boy offered. Before Teth could ask, the youth just gave a shrug. The costs of everything was still up from the war, with charities already stretched thin collapsing under the added economic pressures.

Teth’s stomach growled. In many ways, it was like living as a slave again. Except, as cruel as they might have been, the slavers actually had some motivation for keeping the slaves alive. At least until the job was done. “Guess I’ll go to our usual place and try to get some sleep then.”

Their usual place was a mostly intact building in a neighborhood that had been all but leveled during the fighting with the Reach, condemned but work on rebuilding the city lingered on between cost overruns, no shortage of accusations of corruption, and an emphasis on the more affluent parts of the city.

“I’m going to stay here awhile longer. I’ve almost got enough to where I could buy from the falafel cart tomorrow,” Amir remarked, even though the two seemed all but invisible to the people around them.

Teth gave a slight nod and wave as he started to take his leave.

Amir’s voice called out to him as he did. “Let’s have some falafel tomorrow.”

The green-eyed boy dipped his head so that Amir wouldn’t see the tear that had just slipped free. Teth didn’t know if saints were real or not, but here was a boy with literally nothing but the shirt on his back, begging for food and he was offering to share what he’d eeked out of charity with someone he barely knew.

And if he knew who Teth really was, might have second thoughts about it.

“Inshallah,” Teth offered, lifting his head up just briefly as he offered the other boy a wave and then started making his way down the street.

He was crying but it didn’t matter, it was as if he didn’t even exist to the other people mulling around him.

Protector of Kahndaq.

He’d never felt so weak and powerless.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
_{I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE EXPECTING OF ME}
but under the pressure of walking in your shoes
<sub>EVERY STEP THAT I TAKE IS ANOTHER MISTAKE TO YOU
- linkin park, “numb”</sub>
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

They’d piled some flattened cardboard for use as mattresses. Blankets threadbare, discarded and unwashed, but comforting all the same as Teth huddled in the shadow of the broken out window and stared up at what little of the night’s sky he could see for all the light generated by the city.

If it was possible, part of him actually missed the Reach.

The struggle. The fight. There had been a simplicity about it. Knowing who your enemy was. An enemy you could touch. Somehow, in victory, life felt like a slow, lingering defeat.

He rested his head against the crumbling plaster, shut his eyes, and tried – just for a moment – to ignore the hunger pains.

...he was on the run...

...something behind him...

...the moon was high overhead, the streets emptied out. But the alleys were familiar. Two blocks away. Almost to their place...

...he needed to get to the place...

...something grabbed him.

The ceiling exploded as a lightning bolt crashed down on the makeshift bed.

The cardboard ignited, the blanket smoldering as the child snapped to his feet garbed in the black outfit with the lightning emblazoned down the front.

Fists clenched, he was ready for a fight, against what he didn’t know. Gasping for breath, as though waiting for some ethereal boogeyman to jump out of the shadows at him.

But there was no danger.

So why did he have this feeling that something was very, very wrong.

Daylight was starting to trickle in through the shattered window, illuminating a detail that caused a sinking feeling in the starving boy.

Amir hadn’t slept here last night.

Ultimate One Universe: Resistance

Have to take my kid to the doctor today, so my hands are full. I'll get the next chapter of Teth up tomorrow or Wednesday.

@Master Bruce@Sep As I start to lay the groundwork for what's over the horizon (not Teth's current story, but the one after), would there be any objection to Sivana Industries hosting The Agency and/or USG procurement folks with an autonomous weapon system billed as a possible replacement for the Iron Patriot program? This would be teased as the set up for Mr. Atom (Project A.T.O.M.) and factors into how I see Teth's story connecting with the larger plot, if that sounds like it could mesh with what you two are envisioning.