IAmTheIsland

Vanguard: Calder City

This still taking? I might have settled on a character.

RP Rules & Preferences - What do we look for nowadays?

A few trains of thought running on this one. Not sure if this post will entirely express them sufficiently, but, for some bullet points.

• Posting deadlines help to keep a person [me] honest and sorted about my posting activity. Though, given the whole adulthood thing, flexibility is also appreciated, especially when work gets busy for me. Most GMs have been fair and lenient, and I've yet, over the past 3-5 years, been singularly bounced from an RP due to a delayed post. Most of the time, if I'm not locked in, I'm not alone in that regard as others have also hit snags.
  
  EDIT: An ancedote regarding deadlines. On one of my old haunts, there is a single RP running in the forum's RP section. It started in 2018. Despite the pacing and frequency of posts coming to a literal crawl (at times, months pass between posts), the players and the GM remain invested in it. No stressing about getting posts in by a certain date. There seems to be an unspoken approach of letting life dictate the pace of the RP, and I think there's a lesson worth learning there.
• I can go either way with Face Claims. Keeping in mind that they only amount to what my character looks like, and, do an extent, their style(s)/fashion sensibilities, makes it easier. Though I do feel that the necessity of identifying a face claim by name can be a bit of stumbling point. On a few occasions, the FC that I find is some rando I found on a Google search, but the FC... err... 'culture' tends to demand a name, which means having to think of specific celebrities or public figures, rather than being able to just go with the first person I find that looks the part. But it all depends a lot on what sort of genre I'm working in. Modern and/or SoL affairs are easier for Face Claims than, say, purely fantasy settings. Otherwise I kinda just try to read the room if it's not specified: if most/everyone is using RL faces, then I'll do the same.
• Lately, I've found that 3 characters is a good number for me, if I'm finding myself needing/wanting a good self-sufficient story arc; optimally, running a main character with two slightly-less-main characters. Having those relationship dynamics completely under my control alleviates the need to rely on others being on board with my development goals. Which I reckong should help in terms of developing relations with other peoples' characters without the need for them to completely come to me on things.
• Superhero RPs seem to be springing up a bit lately. And I'm very much into riding that wave. But otherwise, personally, I wouldn't say no to Urban Fantasy, with or without other genres mixed in.
• EDIT: My apologies for making this more of a pet peeve air-out. Speaking as a player, my best RP experiences have come under GMs that engaged (collaboratively and socially) with all of their players. If there's to be one person that anyone can go to to talk story arcs, or hit up for a collab, it should be the GM. Having been in a handful of situations where this did not prove to be the case (and having been on the receiving end what felt like exclusive and directed apathy), that's the kind of experience that just really sours this little hobby of mine. And I get it, some people are just a bit more hesitatant to work/socialize with those that they don't have a [good] prior history with. I get the same way (though, oddly enough, RPing is the exception to this; writing with new people, getting to see different kinds of ideas... that's kinda my jam); this might be harsh, and a callout on somepeople, but if you're the kind of person that genernally prefers to write within their established circles, keep your GMing to that. I realize I may be alone in this perspective; it is what it is.
  
  Otherwise, it's helpful for GMs to be transparent about what standards they will be holding people to. Most do so in terms of post length, and general RPing rules. But being equally clear about things like how collaboration will be enaged. Most RPs I've been in have asked little in the way of prior collaboration before engaing in IC interactions. A few have expected more advance planning. The latter cases tended to not make that part clear until after a blunder had already been made. Overall, just managing the expectations of those that would be interested, especially if you are accepcting new-to-you faces (who may not quite know how you roll).
• Kinda something I've been gnawing on for a minute: as someone who has known having either myself or character rejected upon application, I always find myself wanting feedback from the GM(s). Was it a character issue? Do I, as a player, simply not check enough of the boxes off? Yes, this is just a hobby, but, as with any hobby, it's fun to get better at as time goes along. While it tends to be rare outside of Advanced RPs to outright not make the cut, I'd love to see more GMs giving actionable feedback in those situations. Unless, of course, the reason for not accepting someone is simply because the RP has hit its maximum capacity.

Guardians Of Earth (A Superhero RP)

@IAmTheIsland Maybe firefox is failing me....but i usually find discord links to be unreliable at best for image providing services, so maybe that. Also! I do like your characters!

@Floofenstein

Changing links to uploads here on RPG.

Guardians Of Earth (A Superhero RP)

yes please, good sir!

oh, we're allowed two?! Good to know, also, the picture of your first girl on the character part isn't working for me? Idk if it's that's just me or not. @IAmTheIsland

@Floofenstein

Might be a Discord link issue? Or a browser problem on your part? Or both.

Guardians Of Earth (A Superhero RP)

@Eviledd1984 tagging so you see this.

Seeing as we're allowed two characters, I figured I'd make myself a villain. Particularly one of the unsympathetic, non-nuanced variety.

The Villainous Violet Vile

V I O L E T V I L E
V I O L E T V I L E

Vivien Vale

29 | Female

Appearance & Adornment: Vivian stands naturally at 5’6” in height, is 5'8” in her favorite pair of boots, and carries herself with a posture and presence that would suggest she’s six feet tall. Her height is accompanied by a petit and unassuming build that belies her true nature. She is of caucasian complexion, with a hint of a tan, with grey eyes and long, wavy, brown hair, which she frequently adds splashes of color to. Upon her right arm is a tattoo featuring abstract geometry resembling some manner of plant or flower. While she wears glasses, it seems less out of need for her vision than a matter of style, as well as a means of disguising her true identity to those that may know her. She considers herself something of a fashion bug, with a particular allure for footwear, especially boots, which provide her the illusion of extra height. She keeps herself at her best looks, rarely skipping her skin routine. She doesn’t hesitate to adorn herself with jewelry (much of which she has likely stolen).

Villain Suit

Lair/Partial Costume

Full Costume

Personality: Violet Vile exemplifies the corruption that comes with the pursuit of power for power’s sake. From the earliest influences of her fascination with the arcane, to her training at the Sanctum in Boston, and through her travels near and far, Vivian has been single-mindedly seeking to grow more powerful and capable in her fields of magic. But without a greater purpose, or underlying goal, it has twisted her psyche. She seeks to dominate and prove her abilities (as well as flaunt); cruelty and manipulation have become her staples, and she will go through anyone that stands between her and making herself more formidable. Still, she is not without her pragmatism: she will align herself strategically with those who will enable and further her goals. But make no mistake in thinking of her as subservient; she will take nothing short of a proper, equal alliance. And she’s not above betrayal, should conditions dictate its necessity.

Power: Sorceress. Vivian is a trained and prodigious wielder of Magic. The foundation of her sorcery is set within her control over magical energy, which she can form into weapons, shields, and bindings, or release as energy projections. Her studies of tomes and texts has graced her with knowledge of spellcasting, and enabled a variety of psionic applications such as telekinesis, mind alterations (memory spells, inducing delirium, hypnotism, and persuasion being her skillset), an array of elemental manipulation, and means of masking her true appearance. Her broad abilities are accented by hyperspecific spells and rituals.

For all of the power she commands, Vi is not without faults or flaws. While not a complete slouch, her physical abilities are lacking compared to those that boast physical prowess. As a result, she can be easy to outmuscle or outmaneuver once her sorcery has been broken or bypassed. Due to the reliance on drawing energy from extradimensional sources, her most powerful abilities require time, concentration, and sometimes preparation, during which she can be interrupted, foiled, or sabotaged. The mental effort of magic also leaves her unable to perform too many feats in tandem, and only so much in rapid sequence. Furthermore, using magic is taxing, especially on the mind and soul, leading to mental and spiritual fatigue should she be pushed past her limitations.

Equipment:

• Waymaker Ring. Standard issue among Sanctum Sorcerers, Waymaker Rings are simple, non-descript artifacts that are imbued with interdimensional magic that allows capable wearers to open portals to distant places. The use of this function for travel purposes requires the user to have some understanding of the location they are trying to reach, such as having been there in the past, had it described to them in detail, and given explicit coordinates or landmarks. Additionally, some locations, weather through advanced technologies causing disturbance, protective enchantments, or other defenses, cannot be accessed via portals.
• Staff. Something of a formality, as Violet doesn’t actually need a staff or wand to use her magic. However, the staff is useful for focusing spellwork for more precise casting. Magic channeled through the staff also tends to be amplified slightly, and using it as a filter can help to minimize the direct toll upon Violet herself; it also comes in handy when she finds herself in hand-to-hand combat. The staff wielded by VV is slightly longer than she is tall, being around five feet, ten inches in length. It is obsidian-hued, with a material that looks and feels metallic while being non-conductive and non-ferrous. The top of the staff is adorned by an ornament that resembles a budding flower, with a silvery trim that resembles a spear-point. Housed within the opening is a gemstone that, for her namesake, is violet in color; it is from this gemstone that magic is channeled through the staff. Violet’s staff has a bond with her as its wielder, and can be summoned and unsummoned as needed, provided it hasn’t been contained or tampered with.
• Sorcerer’s Cape. Part of her complete ensemble as a sorceress, her cape is enchanted so as to be immune to normal wear and tear, and protected from the natural elements. In a pinch, it, much like her staff, can be used as a mechanism for channeling her magic, and employed as a weapon or defensive item.

Biography: "Her intrigue turned into a hobby. Then her hobby turned into a twisted obsession." Born Delaney Nadeau, Vivian is originally from Salem, Massachusetts, and spent most of her young life in that area. Being in such proximity to a historic hotbed of witchcraft and the supernatural, she grew up fascinated in all things magical. As a teenager, she began to dabble in witchcraft, trying simple spells and rituals through which she came to discover and develop her potential for real magic... first witnessed when she did in fact take flight upon a broomstick. Elated by the revelation of her own power, an eighteen-year-old Vi withdrew her college commitment, and traveled to the Mystic Sanctum in Boston at Bunker Hill.

She arrived easily, with an enthusiasm that would later be described as "concerning at best, and disturbing at worst." Despite their misgivings, the sorcerers at the Sanctum took her in, believing her attitude towards the arcane could be properly exercised with training and maturity. Little could they foresee the true monster they would enable.

Vi's early stages of training were marked by rapid progression and an uncanny display of power; she mastered the basics within the span of a year. How the elders of the Sanctum had missed such potential living right in their backyard was a mystery. The years went on, and Vivien continued her upward trend, growing more skilled and more powerful. Yet the young woman never seemed satisfied or content; each step up only left her hungering for more. It might have been an admirable trait, if not for her spiraling moral code. Her rise in power was accompanied by arrogance towards those she deemed as lesser than herself, and a growing penchant for cruelty during training duels. In the wake of an incident in which she nearly killed her training partner, the Sanctum Elders managed to put Vivian on a lockdown within a Magical prison, in the hopes of containing her, if not prompting her to reform as they continued to attempt lectures and verbal counseling.

Their efforts proved for naught. Eventually, Vivian learned to manipulate the same forces that kept her contained, and broke free. After a skirmish, she escaped, destroying a quarter of the Sanctum, injuring five sorcerers and killing another. She would flee into exile, and proceeded to venture the world in secret to seek the knowledge and power that her Elders had tried to keep her from.

In time, she made her way back to the United States, quietly setting up a lair in Ravenbrook, New York under her present pseudonym. There, she prepared to announce herself properly.

Relationships: TBD

Extra:

• Voice Credit: Liana Ramirez
• Character Soundtrack
  • Something Wicked Lurks, by Two Steps From Hell [Main Theme]
  • 160 BPM, by Hans Zimmer [Battle Theme]

Guardians Of Earth (A Superhero RP)

Would be good to have at least a visual reference for him (as well as Baker).

Guardians Of Earth (A Superhero RP)

For anyone interested, I added links to the soundtrack material I listed for Sarah (just if you care to know what the vibe for her is); added them in the characters tab (not the one on the OOC). Also, a bit basic these days, but if you must here anyone's voice behind her lines, just default to Zendaya. lol.

Guardians Of Earth (A Superhero RP)

Elsewhere, Elsewhen...

Upon a dark, silent strip of Los Angeles streets, Sarah King emerged from the narrow gap between rows of project houses. Sweating, she clung to the wall on the frontside of a small apartment building, and cut a glance back around the corner she had come from; through the tight window of the alleyway, she saw the flashes of red and blue come and go with the waxxing and waning of accompanying sirens. 'Sigh.' The breath released in a long, labored sustain as her back slid and scraped down the brick wall until she was properly seated upon the sidewalk. After checking the streets both ways, she drew down her hood and removed her ski mask, crumpling the latter into front pocket of her hoodie. With a half-laugh, half-cry, she tilted her head back and propped it against the wall behind her, and allowed the laughter to surrender itself to a sob that just barely broke the quiet of the predawn streets.

There against the frontside of the tenement, she sat for a minute that quickly turned to five, fighting back the waterfall threatening to flow from behind her face.

Pulling her sleeve to her face, she wiped herself clean, and rubbed her eyes clear. Remaining seated, she looked at her own hands. Callouses, both old and new, marked her palms. Her knuckles were still redened by blood from her prior night's activities. She listened back across the alleyway, wondering how close she had cut it... she didn't need the 5-0 getting their hands into her business; for all she knew, the LAPD had eighty-sixed Ken Shimazu themselves to keep some other age old scandal from breaking their ranks. Her body froze when Shimazu's name crossed her stream of thought. For a paralyzing second, the idea of simply not getting up again, of waiting on that sidewalk for death to take her, seemed preferrable to the weeks' long guantlet she had been running just to find her mentor's assassin. There might have been some solace in knowing she had already beaten the bastard underground if she had known that's who was on the other end of her punches.

"Sensei," she mourned, looking up into the dark blue sky, "What the f*ck am I doing?"

Her power of will came back to her in short order. Determining that wasting away on the sidewalk so close to home was no way for her to go, she rose to her feet, and began walking. No more than a mile up the road, the journey that had brought her to a cage match in Compton, and lead into a night of busting down safehouses around L.A., was coming back around to where it had started. The worst of it was that she was no further along on her crusade than when she had started.

Depleted, muscles throbbing from overexertion, she stumbled into her apartment, only realizing after she had entered that the door had been unlocked ahead of her. Tired, but alert, she looked to the darkened space, and sensed a presence cloaked in the shadows just beyond her sight. She kicked the door closed behind her, and took a step into the apartment. What little energy she had left flowed out into her arms and legs, which flexed modestly, but visibly, beneath her clothes "Who else wants some?"

Guardians Of Earth (A Superhero RP)

@IAmTheIsland@Hope Lover

I'm trying to think of how we could have them be found by the others. Should it be at the same time or on different occasions? Would it be okay if they were in the same location?

@Ducksworth

Accepted. Please move them to the CS thread.

@Eviledd1984

My thoughts for Sarah are that they already have a pin on her location. Maybe Donald Baker pulls a Nick Fury and is already in her home when she walks in and talks her into joining. Some spiel about properly honoring her late mentor by putting her training to better use.

Guardians Of Earth (A Superhero RP)

@Eviledd1984

If it's something you can entertain, I was hoping to have Sarah's first couple of turns having her being 'found' and talked into actually joining the team (rather than her having already been recruited.