Cryptiic

Memories

This seems extremely interesting, is it still happening? :o

Changed Forever [Escaped Experiments Roleplay] (Full)

My apologies, but I'm probably going to be fairly busy for the immediate future, so I'm afraid I'll have to preemptively drop out in order not to slow everyone down. Good luck with the roleplay. :)

Changed Forever [Escaped Experiments Roleplay] (Full)

Feel free to ignore this if all spots are already full. ^_^

Rose Taylor

Name: Rose Taylor.

Age: Eighteen.
Gender: Female.

Appearance:

Portrait

Experiment Type: A variant of an old Sumerian curse known as "The Scholar's Torment", which was meant to punish mortals for their hubris.

Powers:

Memory theft: As a result of the spell cast upon her during the experiment, Rose now has the ability to slowly steal skills, memories and experiences from a target through direct skin-to-skin contact, in an act that Talia Veiss referred to as "feeding". While she does so, her victim will quickly becomes increasingly dazed, lethargic and confused. They will be left with very fuzzy memories of the event.

As part of the curse, her intellectual capabilities and memory were also dramatically increased, and she no longer requires sleep. Although she isn't aware of it yet, she is technically capable of a few other short ranged telepathic effects.

Weaknesses:

Complete creative sterility: Before her changes, Rose used to be a vibrant, energetic young woman, with formidable creativity and a passion for the arts. While her appreciation for art remains, she is now completely and utterly incapable of coming up with a single new idea. Although she is perfectly capable of repeating old behaviour or mechanically following pre-established guidelines to reach a logical conclusion, she literally cannot create anything anymore. Her speech patterns, her mannerisms, her emotions... Everything she says or does must be either derived from her old memories or stolen from someone else (figuratively or literally). She can mix and match old, existing processes to an extent, but is no longer capable of creating any new ones. She would, for example, be able make a perfect replica an old painting of hers from memory, but will never be able to make a another one on her own. In addition to being tremendously painful for her, this makes her fairly predictable as a whole, and unable to adapt to new situations spontaneously.

Unquenchable thirst for knowledge: Ever since the experiment, Rosa has been consumed with an almost overwhelming thirst for knowledge. No matter how much she reads, how many memories she steals, she always needs more. Like a drug addict on withdrawal, she becomes nervous and agitated in between feedings, and gets an almost constant urge steal other people's memories. While reading books or browsing the internet might help quench her thirst momentarily, it always feels dull and unsatisfying compared to the thrill of experiencing life through someone else's mind.

Fog of the ages: Perhaps the most sadistic part of the curse. Every time she absorbs a new memory from someone, an old one is overwritten. It could be anything, really. The smile on her mother's face, her first time riding a bike... Her little brother's name, her grandfather's address, what her dead dog used to look like. She can still remember with a little effort, the human brain if not redundant after all; but each time this happens, it becomes just a little harder for her to conjure the memory. Eventually, it becomes more and more difficult to keep track of who she is. The more information she assimilates at once, the harder it is to maintain her identity.

Physically human: Apart from her lack of sleep, her physical abilities are still pretty much those of a perfectly ordinary eighteen year old, 115 lbs female human. She can be shot, dismembered, eviscerated, decapitated, and so forth, and is very unlikely to recover from it. While her inability to grow tired does give her a certain advantage, it isn't really a significant one in most situations.

Hasn't fed much yet: Since being cursed in the experiment, she still hasn't been allowed to steal many memories beyond what was necessary for testing. This means that not only will she probably not be particularly useful in the beginning of the roleplay, but that becoming so will necessarily involve stripping other sentient beings of significant parts of their identity. Books and random trivia from the internet will take her surprisingly far, but they are no real substitutes for actual experience.

Her super power is basically mind rape: Her power is literally the ability steal memories, skills and experiences from other people. The human mind is a complex, wonderful and carefully balanced mechanism, and she essentially tears large gaping holes into it every time she uses it. The longer she feeds, the worse it becomes for her victims, and the harder it is for her to pull away. Quite often, the less fortunate of her victims will be left with either temporary or permanent side effects, ranging from loss of confidence or paranoia to early Alzheimer's or severe loss of motor skills and intellectual capabilities. If she completely drains someone of their memories, they will be left as a hollow, mindless husk, technically alive, but for all intents and purposes catatonic. Some might be able to relearn how to function with time, children forever locked inside of adult bodies, but others will simply remain unmoving for the remainder of their lives, empty vessels of their former selves. It is a matter of debate which would be the lucky ones.

Psychic vulnerability: The fragmented nature of her mind will also leave her slightly vulnerable to certain types of psychic attacks.

Bio: Rose was initially a perfectly ordinary 17 year old girl. Smart, young and enthusiastic, she had a whole life ahead of her and was well on her way to getting a degree in social sciences. Very creative and artistic, she would spend her free time painting, playing music or working on community projects in poorer neighborhoods. Despite having spent the better part of her adolescence as a ward of the state, she was by all accounts a very generous, inquisitive and compassionate young woman. Her curiosity proved to be her downfall, however, when she stumbled upon something she was not meant to see.

Things get a lot more fuzzy in her memories from here. She remembers large, burly henchmen holding her down and putting a bag onto her head. She remembers awakening in a strange lab filled with occult items. She remembers words which weren't words echoing in her consciousness. She remembers the thirst, the torture, the feeding. She remembers being consumed with hunger as she listened to the nonsensical ravings of a madwoman. She remembers countless memories which were not her own. But most of all, she remembers when she became something... other... than human.

Terra Inreperta - The Undiscovered Earth

<Snipped quote by Cryptiic>

Your france cannot include brittany, though.

@Jozarin

Was thinking more of Spain having a major impact, provided that it remains as discussed in the interest check.

Escaped Experiments Roleplay

Feel free to ignore this if you are full. ^_^

Rose Taylor (WIP)

Name: Rose Taylor.

Age: Eighteen.
Gender: Female.

Appearance:

Portrait

Experiment Type: A variant of an old Sumerian curse known as "The Scholar's Torment", which was meant to punish mortals for their hubris.

Powers:

Memory theft: As a result of the spell cast upon her during the experiment, Rose now has the ability to slowly steal skills, memories and experiences from a target through direct skin-to-skin contact, in an act that Talia Veiss referred to as "feeding". While she does so, her victim will quickly becomes increasingly dazed, lethargic and confused. They will be left with very fuzzy memories of the event.

As part of the curse, her intellectual capabilities and memory were also dramatically increased, and she no longer requires sleep. Although she isn't aware of it yet, she is technically capable of a few other short ranged telepathic effects.

Weaknesses:

Complete creative sterility: Before her changes, Rose used to be a vibrant, energetic young woman, with formidable creativity and a passion for the arts. While her appreciation for art remains, she is now completely and utterly incapable of coming up with a single new idea. Although she is perfectly capable of repeating old behaviour or mechanically following pre-established guidelines to reach a logical conclusion, she literally cannot create anything anymore. Her speech patterns, her mannerisms, her emotions... Everything she says or does must be either derived from her old memories or stolen from someone else (figuratively or literally). She can mix and match old, existing processes to an extent, but is no longer capable of creating any new ones. She would, for example, be able make a perfect replica an old painting of hers from memory, but will never be able to make a another one on her own. In addition to being tremendously painful for her, this makes her fairly predictable as a whole, and unable to adapt to new situations spontaneously.

Unquenchable thirst for knowledge: Ever since the experiment, Rosa has been consumed with an almost overwhelming thirst for knowledge. No matter how much she reads, how many memories she steals, she always needs more. Like a drug addict on withdrawal, she becomes nervous and agitated in between feedings, and gets an almost constant urge steal other people's memories. While reading books or browsing the internet might help quench her thirst momentarily, it always feels dull and unsatisfying compared to the thrill of experiencing life through someone else's mind.

Fog of the ages: Perhaps the most sadistic part of the curse. Every time she absorbs a new memory from someone, an old one is overwritten. It could be anything, really. The smile on her mother's face, her first time riding a bike... Her little brother's name, her grandfather's address, what her dead dog used to look like. She can still remember with a little effort, the human brain if not redundant after all; but each time this happens, it becomes just a little harder for her to conjure the memory. Eventually, it becomes more and more difficult to keep track of who she is. The more information she assimilates at once, the harder it is to maintain her identity.

Physically human: Apart from her lack of sleep, her physical abilities are still pretty much those of a perfectly ordinary eighteen year old, 115 lbs female human. She can be shot, dismembered, eviscerated, decapitated, and so forth, and is very unlikely to recover from it. While her inability to grow tired does give her a certain advantage, it isn't really a significant one in most situations.

Hasn't fed much yet: Since being cursed in the experiment, she still hasn't been allowed to steal many memories beyond what was necessary for testing. This means that not only will she probably not be particularly useful in the beginning of the roleplay, but that becoming so will necessarily involve stripping other sentient beings of significant parts of their identity. Books and random trivia from the internet will take her surprisingly far, but they are no real substitutes for actual experience.

Her super power is basically mind rape: Her power is literally the ability steal memories, skills and experiences from other people. The human mind is a complex, wonderful and carefully balanced mechanism, and she essentially tears large gaping holes into it every time she uses it. The longer she feeds, the worse it becomes for her victims, and the harder it is for her to pull away. Quite often, the less fortunate of her victims will be left with either temporary or permanent side effects, ranging from loss of confidence or paranoia to early Alzheimer's or severe loss of motor skills and intellectual capabilities. If she completely drains someone of their memories, they will be left as a hollow, mindless husk, technically alive, but for all intents and purposes catatonic. Some might be able to relearn how to function with time, children forever locked inside of adult bodies, but others will simply remain unmoving for the remainder of their lives, empty vessels of their former selves. It is a matter of debate which would be the lucky ones.

Psychic vulnerability: The fragmented nature of her mind will also leave her slightly vulnerable to certain types of psychic attacks.

Bio: To be written.

Terra Inreperta - The Undiscovered Earth

Hrm... Might have an idea for France, provided that the players who posted in the interest check join.

Invincible - Chapter I : Origination

Post Updated. :)

Invincible - Chapter I : Origination

Flying was quite the experience. Dozens of people taking off in a giant hunk of metal, flying thousands and thousands of feet in the air. So many things could go wrong; like a bird flying into the jet turbine, or the emergency doors could bust open suddenly, or the pilots could suffer simultaneous heart attacks. All of these factors and people still paid hundreds of dollars to get on one. Gwen had only flown once before as a child, an experience she could hardly remember now, but as she sat in her seat the blonde was frozen in shock.

Eyes wide in amazement her face clung to the window as she stared at the scenery below. This was better than she could have ever imagined, and this was all for free. Squishing her nose against the glass as the plane drifted over the ocean, Gwendolyn stared in awe as her breath caused the glass to grow foggy, "Wow.." It wasn't her intention to block the view, but with her bulky jacket and wild hair, her body almost seemed to swallow the window.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that it's your first time flying..." An amused voice said sardonically next to her.

It had taken Gwen a moment to realize who was talking to her at first, and once she turned to throw a glance at the person beside her, her eyes widened in surprised. It was a boy. He looked a few years younger then her, but nowadays it was hard to tell apart the toddlers from the middle schoolers, so Gwen wasn't quick to assume. His clothes were plain, and simple, a feature that separated him from some of the more extravagant looking passengers in first class. Not judging him, considering her appearance probably resembled that of a homeless person, her focus quickly turned to his features. The kid had a nice smile, which was always a plus in her book, but his pale skin color and the dark bag under his eyes told her he could really use some sleep.

After taking a second to examine him, the corner of her lip tugged into a playful smirk as she finally responded. "Yes, and no! I flew with my dad a long time ago to visit my grandparents in Virginia, but I was really little back then so--" Plopping back in her seat before finishing her sentence, Gwendolyn found herself swallowed whole and cut off by her massive blue coat. The top of her hair bunched out at the collar of the jacket as a muffled groan could be heard within the dense fabric.

'Great first impression, Gwen.'

Flailing in frustration, she clawed at the coat before pulling it over her head and throwing it on her lap. Just about smothered, she gasped for air almost comically as she clawed the arm rest in support, "Christ! I couldn't breath for a minute."

Adjusting her disheveled plain white tee after wrestling with her jacket, Gwen continued where she left off. Cheeks flustered and a large smile pulling at her lips, she placed her full attention on the boy beside her, "As I was saying; I was a baby when I flew with my dad, so I don't remember much. So, I guess you could say this is my first time."

"Keran." he introduced himself with a grin, extending his hand.

Keran was a nice name, and despite its femininity and Keran's androgynous appearance, the blonde didn't feel the need to ask any questions. Acknowledging his name with a nod, she took his hand into hers before introducing herself, "Name's Gwen, Gwendolyn Smith." Not taking any chances by saying her full name, the lie slipped out without a problem.

"I'm guessing this isn't your first time on a plane then." She said jokingly. "So what brings you to Haiti?"

"Calm down, it could just have been a coincidence." Smith was one of the most common family names in America, after all, hence why it was so often used as a generic pseudonym in spy movies. However, instinct told Keran that there was probably more to it than met the eye. Much like himself, Gwendolyn stuck out like a sore thumb in the upper crust environment of first class. Her hair was wild and disheveled, her clothing plain and tattered, and her general disposition was guarded. All of which seemed to suggest that it might have been possible that she was in the same kind of trouble as he was. It wasn't exactly tourist season as of yet, and he had seen very few people under the age of thirty onboard. It could have been nothing, of course, but if it wasn't...

"Oh, you know, just visiting family..." Keran responded nonchalantly with a wry grin. "As you can clearly see from my skin tone, I'm obviously native..."

He took another sip of his now almost empty cup of coffee before declaring confidently in painfully bad French:

"Je entendu Haiti bien de naturel, mais trouble ne avec pas devant!" He grinned self effacingly. "How about you? What brings you to this beautiful country? Apart from the poverty, bad sanitation and socio-economic chaos, I mean..."

"I'm visiting some family too. My cousin Wally, actually." Gwens smile had become strained, and her words straight forward. "He does missionary work, and asked me if I wanted to volunteer."

Here's where it gets embarrassing if I'm wrong...

"Wally? I think I might know him." he gambled. "Nice suits, late thirties, works for W&V incorporated? Does a great Men in Black impression, watches too many spy movies?"

Eyes widening slightly, her features relaxed as a grin stretched across her face, "That's the one!" She said with a wink. Holding her hand out this time, Gwen continued to flash a cheeky grin, "Hayes."

Keran did his best not to let the massive internal sigh of relief show on his features, simply responding with what was hopefully a nonchalant smile.

"Valkesh." he responded, giving Gwendolyn's hand a polite shake. "He convinced me about volunteering as well, actually. I wasn't really sure about taking the offer, to be perfectly honest, but I really didn't think I had many options. Still not quite sure I did the right choice, really. How about you?"

The cheerful features on Gwens face had left, leaving a worried frown in its place, "Same." She replied somberly. "I didn't really have a choice either, but what the government is doing to people like us is terrifying, and wrong on so many levels. It would have almost felt wrong if I didn't come, honestly."

Eyes narrowed, and foot tapping rapidly, it was becoming clear the conversation was making her uncomfortable, "I just hope good ol' Waldo is the real deal, you know?"

He held back a cynical comment and just nodded. No point in adding anxiety now. Besides, he'd need all the allies he could get. Although he was normally a fairly cheerful sort of person, these were hardly normal circumstances, and his sense of humour had a tendency to get considerably more morbid than usual when he was tired. Then again, Haiti was a great place to make someone disappear. And even if the letter had been sincere, there was no telling what sort of mess they had just gotten themselves into. 'No such thing as a free meal, after all...' Hopefully it wouldn't be a metahuman trafficking ring or a convenient way to dispose of them. Those could be terribly inconvenient.

"Hope for the best, prepare for the worse, I guess..." he simply said instead.

He nervously gulped down the remainder of his cup.

"So, what can you do anyways?" he asked in hushed tone, trying to change the subject.

Silent at first, she finally responded to Kerans question after a few seconds of tense silence. "Well," Raising a hand to cover her mouth, she leaned in and whispered, "I'm a Fairy"

Wiggling her eyebrows playfully, Gwendolyn sat back in her chair and smiled, "Really though, I can make, and move these little lights that I call, Wisps. You know, like Will-o'-the-Wisps," She added, her fingers fluttering for dramatic effect. "They're fast little shits that never seem to shut up, but they can be a bit shy in public so I can show you once we we're somewhere more private. What about you?" She finally asked.

"Apart from my wonderful personality and amazing good looks? Well... According to my old kindergarten teacher, I'm apparently the anti-Christ, and the evidence has been pretty compelling so far..." he said jokingly.

Technically speaking, actually, it wasn't entirely inaccurate, from a certain perspective. Shortly after he first discovered his powers, he may or may not have scared off a group of drunk college students trying to pick a fight with him at night by inferring he was Lucifer the Morning Star, once most favoured child of the Almighty, their new lord and master. In his defence, he had only been 14 at the time. Who wouldn't have wanted to show off with their power a bit?

"Seriously though, I can basically control shadows."

Laughing softly, Gwen shifted in her seat so she faced Keran completely, "Oh nice! Coincidentally, my parents believed I was a prophet of God when I was little. In fact, a lot of people did for a while. Those were crazy times man, crazy times." A nostalgic look had come to her eyes as she shook her head softly.

"So when did your abilities start showing? Or have you have always been the spawn of the devil?" She asked coyly smirking.

"A bit after I turned fourteen, I think. It was really anticlimactic too, really disappointing." He pouted melodramatically. "No statues weeping tears of blood, no talking in weird tongues, no nothing. You'd expect that they'd take that sort of things more seriously, really. At least make all church bells in the city suddenly go off at once or something..."

He gave an weary, exaggerated sigh.

"Biblical signs of the apocalypse really aren't what they used to be. Oh well... I guess I should just be thankful that they didn't make the walls start bleeding, though, it would have been a terrible mess to clean up. My parents would have been pretty mad at me if that happened too."

"I don't know, man. It's starting to feel like the apocalypse--for people like us at least." Features settling into a weary smile, Gwen gave a forced laugh and shrugged, "Who knows, maybe us meeting is the sign of the end. You know, like the whole light and dark joining as one thing?" Her nose suddenly scrunched in distaste at her own words, "Wow.. that was cheesy. Forget I said that!"

He cracked up a little.

After laughing at herself, Gwen shook her head as the same tired smile returned to her face, "Still, if Haiti isn't the place we think it is there might be a chance we'll have to team up. So," Hand raised, and pinky extended out, she continued, "If you've got my back, I got yours?"

"Right." He grinned, entwining his finger with her own.

A sharp pang of melancholy stabbed his heart as he did so, remembering how he would always seal promises to his little brothers the same way. God, I miss the little hellions already...

He rubbed his eyes exhaustedly and laid his head back into the seat.

"I think I'll try to catch a little rest before we land, if you don't mind." He mumbled. "Had a busy day..."

= = =

It was dark in Haiti by the time the plane arrived, though the bright lights of the airport made it easy to see. Humidity and heat struck them like an almost physical blow. It was hot. After the traditional announcements and delays had been dealt with, the passengers were ushered out towards the Arrivals Lounge, all off-white and listless metal. They stayed together as they went towards the baggage collection area, keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. After they had both collected their luggage, they began scanning the area for the person sent by their mysterious benefactor.

Invincible - Chapter I : Origination

Didn't hear anything from Cryptiic yesterday, but we should hopefully have our collab finished today.

@Valhalla

Sorry, had a really hectic day... x_x
It should be finished this afternoon, hopefully... ^^

Invincible - Chapter I : Origination

I was thinking that perhaps Gwen could have been seated next to Keran, and they could maybe meet up with Emily and Alistair afterwards once the plane has landed?
That way it would avoid making the scene too crowded and provide a natural way of introducing the characters to one another?