EchoicChamber

_PROJECT: P.H.O.B.I.A._

“Stop taking your medication.”

It was as simple as that. The researchers had been concerned that any sleeping pills still in Dawn’s system when the tests began could lead to some...particularly nasty side effects. They hadn’t given anything overly specific, but the threat was sincere enough that Dawn had agreed. For the past two weeks, she hadn’t touched the pills.

And for the past two weeks, sleep had been hell.

There were deep, heavy shadows around her eyes as she followed the other applicants through the facility, her hands clasped tight around a cup of coffee. She took slow sips of the stuff throughout the elevator ride, the various winding halls, and had just polished off the last of it when they reached the labs. Smiling wanly at the researcher assigned to her, Dawn tossed the cup in the nearest bin, rolled her sleeves up, and laid down on the experiment table. As soon as she had gotten settled, the researcher deftly pulled the restraints up and clicked them into place, shrugging at Dawn’s questioning look.

“Just in case.” He dabbed a spot on Dawn’s arm with an alcohol swab, then drew a syringe from somewhere out of her sight, giving it a good tap. “Some patients haven’t reacted too well to the serum, and I’d prefer not to have my nose broken if you start thrashing.”

Despite how generally awful she felt, the comment still elicited a chuckle from Dawn as the researcher brought the needle to flesh. “Well, um. Thank you for your honesty. I’ll try not to throw any punches.”

“Appreciated.” And then the needle passed skin, serum injected, and it was over. Stepping back, the researcher replaced the syringe with a pen, and, gripping a clipboard in his other arm, watched Dawn with distant eyes.

Minutes passed, during which Dawn’s head began to hurt. Her blood pounded in her ears. Soon enough, it became a migraine harsh enough that it forced her to shut her eyes, although it was hardly anything that would warrant her being tied down like she was.

Eventually, the headache settled into a dull throbbing, and the researcher wordlessly loosened the restraints. He waited until Dawn got her bearings before ushering her to follow him, leading her down another string of corridors to some sort of waiting room.

Dawn hung in the doorway for a few moments after the man had left her, glancing over the other patients. All of them seemed to be in various states of discomfort- some more than others. As her eyes roamed, however, they caught on one figure in particular. A young man. A boy, really; he couldn’t have been older than seventeen. He was staring off into space, looking as white as a sheet. She had known that there was no real set age for the project, but…

Adjusting the brim of her hat, Dawn made her way over to the boy, settling down into the seat besides his. “Hey there,” she said. “Are you alright?” Her voice was soft, expression gentle. Hopefully, her speaking with the boy wouldn’t make things worse.

@Tenma Tendo

Dead Roleplay, Ignore

Aight, I posted a rough time skip for the settlement bunch. Feel free to tell me if you'd like anything altered or anything. c:

Dead Roleplay, Ignore

Dawn relaxed a bit. While they were all still very much strangers in this, the knowledge of someone having her back- even partially- made the situation just a bit less risky. She gave Drake a genuine smile from beneath her hat, then turned fully to Overreach as he approached. “Sounds like a plan.” She kept her expression relatively stoic as the thought of his Gift flickered through his head, immediately rebounding into her own before she could feasibly tune the thing out. Much like Drake, it seemed as if the man wasn’t too used to hanging around a telepath.

”I won’t say a word,” Dawn’s “voice” promised. While Overreach’s friendliness had been disconcerting at first, it had soon become almost refreshing. It wasn’t every day that you met someone so amiable in the ash, after all. Combined with the fact that he had already let slip his lack of weaponry, and she saw little reason to let slip his secrets.

Of course, it was always possible that he had his own mental Gift and was keeping her distracted, but that was an unfounded paranoia in this case.

With that said, Dawn settled onto the chilled concrete beneath her, swinging opening her pack and doing a quick check-up on her supplies before night fell.

---

The night had passed without event, thankfully. No slit throats, no standoffs, nothing. Dawn took her turns as night guard when roused, and, in the morning, as the sun’s flushed fingertips began to spread out along the horizon, took quiet sips of her water until the others had awakened. From then on, it only took an hour or so before they reached the little marketing settlement she had heard so much about.

It was an unspoken rule of the ashlands that no settlement could be too well off. Prosperity attracted raiders like honey did flies, and even if a town managed to fend off that particular threat successfully, it was inevitable that one faction or another would gain interest in the place and “politely” convince the residents to convert. As a result, most towns one found among the dust were small, run-down, or both.

This town was no exception. While it wasn’t in shambles, it was hardly anything luxurious, either. Stone and concrete huts huddled together alongside a dirt path, separated by patches of garden and fencing. In what spaces weren’t overtaken by the buildings there were stalls- each one stationed by gaunt-faced men, women, and, in a few case, children. All were shouting, hawking goods and services to any who passed. Past this make-shift market was a thin stream, and, past that, wall. The whole place was circled by cobblestone, in fact, and a handful of guards were stationed around the gaps.

It was nothing to raise a brow at. However, as their little troop came marching to the front entrance, and were absently waved ahead by the woman standing by, Dawn found herself pausing mid-step before moving on.

She could sense someone like her. Like Eira. Another mentalist. And they- she- was inspecting them all right back. Dawn opened her thoughts to the person, giving gentle reassurance that they meant no harm, while quickly throwing up a shield around the parts of her mind she preferred to be left untouched.

It was one thing to be friendly. Another thing entirely to let a complete stranger see all who she was and more.

@Hyro@Claw2k11@bmxbrat484@Conch Shell VII

_PROJECT: P.H.O.B.I.A._

@Majoras End Aight, thank you so much!

_PROJECT: P.H.O.B.I.A._

@Majoras End Would you mind putting Oneirophobia in the Phobia list, please? Just so that way nobody accidentally claims it as well. c:

_PROJECT: P.H.O.B.I.A._

@Pathfinder Dawn has some basic combat training and can shoot well, although the latter is mostly cause she's a tiny little thing and could be physically overpowered quite easily, haha.

_PROJECT: P.H.O.B.I.A._

Dawn Memoli

“Dream of a better tomorrow.”

---

Name:
Dawn Evelyn Memoli

Aliases:
TBA

Age:
23

Description:
Clocking in at roughly 4 foot 9 inches in boots, and without much muscle mass to speak of, Dawn isn’t exactly the most imposing figure around. Her face is soft and open, with ash-grey eyes and light skin. Her hair is black and thick, and Dawn has grown it to her hips- although, as a result, she has developed a habit of styling it in a side plait to keep it out of the way most of the time.
Dawn usually tries to “dress to impress”, donning skirts, tights, cardigans and flats to work and throughout everyday life. Winter sees her swapping to a modest sweater and slacks, and warm seasons have her lose the cardigan entirely. In more casual settings, she’ll don a simple pair of jeans and a shirt, but there’s one constant throughout many of her wardrobe changes- a hat. Regardless of setting, she’ll often be found wearing a hat of some kind, although her apparent favorite is a black sunhat.

Phobi-ablility:
Oneirophobia, the Fear of Dreaming

Personality:
By nature, Dawn is a gentle soul, soft spoken and polite towards strangers and friends alike. She tends to be quite protective and maternal towards friends of hers, and makes an effort to grant a level of respect to most. However, while friendly and slower to anger than some, she is not necessarily a yes-woman- oftentimes, when made annoyed by someone or a situation, her irritation will manifest itself as a dry sort of humor and a somewhat snarky commentary. This humor tends to be present regardless, however. When genuinely angered, Dawn grows calm to the point of frigidity, becoming vengeful and keeping her grudges close at hand.

While Dawn attempts to stay composed and professional for the most part, she can quickly become flustered if the right buttons are pressed.

Relations:
Allen (older brother), Darrien (father), Lyla (mother), TBA

Backstory:
Born the second child of an teacher father and a lawyer mother, Dawn’s early life was generally quite pleasant. The family resided in the suburbs, and, while not rich, had enough money to live comfortably. By all accounts, she was a happy child, with little to worry about.

Except for the dreams.

Dawn was plagued by nightmares and sleep paralysis, and there was hardly a night where her rest went undisturbed. It got to the point where she refused to sleep for as long as possible, sobbing when she was sent to bed, and clawing and hitting herself to keep from falling asleep. The condition only worsened after a favored uncle died, a soldier taken by the line of work. She was eventually put into therapy, and, while it helped to alleviate the worst of it, the dreams never truly stopped.

Upon becoming an adult, Dawn made the decision to go into law enforcement, hoping to protect innocent people in the same way as her departed uncle. She had just obtained her Bachelor’s degree when she heard word of the PHOBIA project. While initially hesitant, she eventually signed up for the job, deciding that using her nightmares to achieve her dream of doing good in the world was an opportunity to at least look into.

Theme:
Through the Valley

I know that it's a bit late, but I made a second character to help even out the male/female ratio. c:

_PROJECT: P.H.O.B.I.A._

Percival Pelacour

“Ladies and gents, the show’s just begun!”

Name:
Percival Rowan Pelacour

Aliases:
Percy, Pierrot

Age:
19

Description:
Clocking in at an even 6’2”, calling Percival “noticeable” would be a severe understatement. With vibrant blue eyes, a bird’s nest of orange hair, and a grin that could aptly be described as “shit eating”, the young man gives off the impression that he’s planning some sort of mischief even when his mind is far from it. He has a penchant for clothing that’s a bit harder on the eyes, with his favorite outfit consisting of deep blue pants, leather boots, and a canary yellow jacket that he often wears like a cape. After starting the PHOBIA treatments, Percival has adopted a few unsettling aspects to his appearance. A certain hungry look in his eyes, for one. Unnaturally pale skin.

The razor sharp fangs that now line his mouth might also have something to do with the effect, as well.

Phobi-ablility:
Coulrophobia, the Fear of Clowns

- Incredibly flexible, to the point of putting most professional acrobats to shame. This goes beyond just plain contortionist skills, however, as he can easily fold himself into spaces where no ordinary human could be expected to fit- these include vents, cups, suitcases, and, of course, tiny cars. Percival also displays a knack for balancing on things.

- Access to a personal hammerspace via his sleeves, pockets, boots, or most anywhere out of sight that he can stick his hand in. This hammerspace grants him, among other things, a comically oversized mallet, pie, a unicycle, and balloons. It's also possible for him to store objects in this space, although, if asked, Percival will admit that he has no idea where the things go, or where they come from in the first place.

- Can weaponize magic tricks.

- Has a mouth filled with sharp, razorlike teeth, and an increased jaw strength. While this allows him to bite and tear into things quite easily, it also leads to Percival biting his own mouth often.

Personality:
Percival is, put simply, quite the personality. For all of his annoyance with the powerset he developed, the young man certainly acts the part of a clown, joking constantly and keeping up an enthusiastic, over-the-top air almost constantly. His fondness for theatrics and dramatic flair can be...quite grating to some, but in the case that one has a thick enough skin to put up with his joking, Percy can be surprisingly friendly.
Beneath his cheery persona, however, Percival is somewhat bitter about his circumstances, and can quickly sober up when the need comes for it.

Relations:
Indigo (Twin Sister), Caroline (adopted younger sister), Soren (adopted father), TBA

Backstory:
Percival and Indigo were the result of a pregnancy between two people who were, quite frankly, unprepared to have children. They were given up for adoption soon after birth, and, two years later, were taken in by a gentle bakery owner by the name of Soren Pelacour. Soren, having always wanted children, had been unable to have his own, and was delighted to take in the two in, although the two quickly wound up becoming a handful with their combined rambunctiousness. That didn’t stop Soren from taking yet another child in once the two had turned twelve, and that certainly didn’t stop the family from becoming incredibly close-knit through the years.

By the time Percy had graduated high school, he had set his eyes on becoming a famous actor one day. While a somewhat difficult choice in career to follow, he was nevertheless supported, and was accepted into a small arts oriented university close to home. Before he could make much progress in his studies, however, the family began to fall on hard times. It became more and more difficult for a small bakery to compete with its larger rivals, and the Pelacours were only just able to scrape by with what loyal customers it could find. Eventually, in desperation to support his family, Percival dropped out of college and signed up for the PHOBIA program. While dangerous, it certainly paid well, and getting some neat superpowers out of the deal just seemed like icing on the cake.

Of course, it also hadn’t been the powerset of a clown that Percival had expected to get.

Theme:
This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race

Dawn Memoli

“Dream of a better tomorrow.”

---

Name:
Dawn Evelyn Memoli

Aliases:
TBA

Age:
23

Description:
Clocking in at roughly 4 foot 9 inches in boots, and without much muscle mass to speak of, Dawn isn’t exactly the most imposing figure around. Her face is soft and open, with ash-grey eyes and light skin. Her hair is black and thick, and Dawn has grown it to her hips- although, as a result, she has developed a habit of styling it in a side plait to keep it out of the way most of the time.
Dawn usually tries to “dress to impress”, donning skirts, tights, cardigans and flats to work and throughout everyday life. Winter sees her swapping to a modest sweater and slacks, and warm seasons have her lose the cardigan entirely. In more casual settings, she’ll don a simple pair of jeans and a shirt, but there’s one constant throughout many of her wardrobe changes- a hat. Regardless of setting, she’ll often be found wearing a hat of some kind, although her apparent favorite is a black sunhat.

Phobi-ablility:
Oneirophobia, the Fear of Dreaming

- Can create vivid illusions and hallucinations.

- Has the power to enter the dreams of other people, and alter them if desired. It's also possible for her to drag other sleepers into her own dreamworld, although the effect only lasts for as long as both parties are asleep.

- Can manifest tulpas, or thoughtforms, in the real world to serve as her familiars. While these creatures are bound to Dawn, and are naturally protective of their host, they have a minor level of sentience and often act independently of Dawn's orders. These tulpas tend to vary, but, due to being drawn from her dreams and nightmares, are often recurring.

Personality:
By nature, Dawn is a gentle soul, soft spoken and polite towards strangers and friends alike. She tends to be quite protective and maternal towards friends of hers, and makes an effort to grant a level of respect to most. However, while friendly and slower to anger than some, she is not necessarily a yes-woman- oftentimes, when made annoyed by someone or a situation, her irritation will manifest itself as a dry sort of humor and a somewhat snarky commentary. This humor tends to be present regardless, however. When genuinely angered, Dawn grows calm to the point of frigidity, becoming vengeful and keeping her grudges close at hand.

While Dawn attempts to stay composed and professional for the most part, she can quickly become flustered if the right buttons are pressed.

Relations:
Allen (older brother), Darrien (father), Lyla (mother), TBA

Backstory:
Born the second child of an teacher father and a lawyer mother, Dawn’s early life was generally quite pleasant. The family resided in the suburbs, and, while not rich, had enough money to live comfortably. By all accounts, she was a happy child, with little to worry about.

Except for the dreams.

Dawn was plagued by nightmares and sleep paralysis, and there was hardly a night where her rest went undisturbed. It got to the point where she refused to sleep for as long as possible, sobbing when she was sent to bed, and clawing and hitting herself to keep from falling asleep. The condition only worsened after a favored uncle died, a soldier taken by the line of work. She was eventually put into therapy, and, while it helped to alleviate the worst of it, the dreams never truly stopped.

Upon becoming an adult, Dawn made the decision to go into law enforcement, hoping to protect innocent people in the same way as her departed uncle. She had just obtained her Bachelor’s degree when she heard word of the PHOBIA project. While initially hesitant, she eventually signed up for the job, deciding that using her nightmares to achieve her dream of doing good in the world was an opportunity to at least look into.

Theme:
Through the Valley

Dead Roleplay, Ignore

@thewizardguy Do you have a method to KO Orion with?

_PROJECT: P.H.O.B.I.A._ (The Interest Check)

Percival Pelacour

“Ladies and gents, the show’s just begun!”

Name:
Percival Rowan Pelacour

Aliases:
Percy, Pierrot

Age:
19

Description:
Clocking in at an even 6’2”, calling Percival “noticeable” would be a severe understatement. With vibrant blue eyes, a bird’s nest of orange hair, and a grin that could aptly be described as “shit eating”, the young man gives off the impression that he’s planning some sort of mischief even when his mind is far from it. He has a penchant for clothing that’s a bit harder on the eyes, with his favorite outfit consisting of deep blue pants, leather boots, and a canary yellow jacket that he often wears like a cape. After starting the PHOBIA treatments, Percival has adopted a few unsettling aspects to his appearance. A certain hungry look in his eyes, for one. Unnaturally pale skin.

The razor sharp fangs that now line his mouth might also have something to do with the effect, as well.

Phobi-ablility:
Coulrophobia, the Fear of Clowns

Personality:
Percival is, put simply, quite the personality. For all of his annoyance with the powerset he developed, the young man certainly acts the part of a clown, joking constantly and keeping up an enthusiastic, over-the-top air almost constantly. His fondness for theatrics and dramatic flair can be...quite grating to some, but in the case that one has a thick enough skin to put up with his joking, Percy can be surprisingly friendly.
Beneath his cheery persona, however, Percival is somewhat bitter about his circumstances, and can quickly sober up when the need comes for it.

Relations:
Indigo (Twin Sister), Caroline (adopted younger sister), Soren (adopted father), TBA

Backstory:
TBA

Theme:
This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race

Here's my sheet for my clown boy. c: