Sep — Roleplayer Guild

Initially, I was working on a Punisher team concept, all about a pair of clashing personalities at the head as Frank and Joe Garrison navigated the complex political realities of Lord's America. Then, and I sat down to write it, I realized the enormity of research it would require to make it remotely credible was quite daunting. Then I would also need to worry about not using the whole run as a big ol' political soapbox. On top, there have already been a bunch of team apps in this thread and I don't think I want to throw in another.

So I went back to the drawing board, looking for something fun and maybe similarly shaped, and I came up with this cringe. Blame Uni for it, I asked him to talk me out of it and he told me to embrace the cringe. So here I am, embracing it. But first, some music.

<Snipped quote by Simple Unicycle>



 P U N I S H E R
P U N I S H E R

"THE WAR ON CRIME HAS CHANGED. WILL YOU CHANGE WITH IT?"
 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 
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_________________________________________________________ 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
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Francis David Castle
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41   |   Widower
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Ex-Marine, Ex-NYPD   |   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
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   A B I L I T I E S
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◼ ENHANCED PHYSICALS
Even without Ven'ahm fully deployed, all of Frank's physical abilities have dramatically improved. He is stronger, faster, more durable, and with greater stamina than ever, on top of an enhanced healing factor. These abilities only improve with the entire symbiote in play, especially if the creature has been allowed to eat.

◼ LIQUID SKIN
The symbiote's skin seems to be a sort of non-Newtonian fluid that can be controlled at will. This leads to a incredible number of applications, including the suits ability to configure into various specifications of armor or disguise at will, as well as the ability to deploy pseudopods that can fire weapons, operate machinery, and even attack on their own.
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   T O O L (S)
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◼ EXPANSIVE ARMORY 
Over the years, Frank has built up an incredible collection of eclectic firearms of every type for just about every situation. Small arms, long arms, explosives, launchers, and more. Now, thanks to the symbiote, Frank is able to carry more of it on his person than ever.
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 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
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   S K I L L (S)
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◼ WEAPONS EXPERTISE
Frank is an expert in the care and use of a plethora of weapons, favoring traditional firearms, though he does have some experience with close quarters combat.
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   T A L E N T (S)
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◼ PAIN TOLERANCE 
Frank was born with a naturally dulled sense of pain. Even before his bond with the symbiote, he was able to take unbelievable amounts of punishment without faltering.
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 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...
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My name is Frank Castle, and before The Reach, I was a lot like you. Stable career. Loving Wife. Ugly dog. Pair of beautiful kids. Living the dream. It can change in an instant at the end of a gun. We were innocent, having a picnic in the park. But we were in the way. Drug deal gone wrong. They died like animals. Sometimes I wish I died, too. Instead I woke up in a hospital a year later.

Next is the part you’ve heard. I had to hurt the men who hurt me. Open and shut revenge. Simple. Except for the part where it didn’t stop. Every door I kicked down, I expected to die on the other side of. Live like that long enough, without anything else to live for, and it quickly becomes all you know. At the beginning I would plan obsessively. Every weapon, every angle, every perp checked meticulously so that I knew, without doubt, that these were the men that deserved punishment. By the end, it was as simple as running into the next room and putting two between the eyes of the next gangbanger I saw. Simple revenge. Haha.

Only reason I figure I got away with it -- being The Punisher, wearing that skull-lookin’ armor, announcing my presence everywhere I went with a burst of machinegun fire -- was on account of the war. The PD and the Feds were spread thin, which gave every scumbag in the city license to do as they pleased. They needed support, and I was all that was coming. Maybe they thought I was helping hold the city together, even as I burned it down.

Next is the part you haven’t. My last weeks of it are the haziest of all. I remember the chug of the gun and seeing, for the first time, the colors of human and Reach blood swirling and mixing on the cracked concrete. I remember that they got me, hit me with some new weapon. I thought when I finally ran into The Reach, I’d die on the spot. Get a plasma hole bored through my guts or become a denatured pile of slime. Instead, I woke up in a cell.

I knew The Reach was experimenting on humans, we all did, but I didn’t think that meant they’d have a gene lab buried under Manhattan. Nothing they did to me seemed to take. I think they only kept me around as a control, a tough old bastard to measure their successes against. Even then, I expected to get binned fast. I know what happens to test animals. But their new subjects were few and far between. Fewer and fewer as the weeks and months dragged on. The Reach scientists spent more time in the facility than ever. They seemed cut off… But they were holding on.

This was the pattern for almost five years -- until last month. An asset transfer from another facility, a rare occasion. A thing sealed in a glass tube, running and shifting inside in inky black detail. The scientists were excited. They tried it on all kinds of things. Poured it over blocks, rocks, technology, weapons, even a few houseplants. No change. Until they started trying the animals. It would sink into their flesh, like it was disappearing against their skin. Then the shaking, the vomiting, the screaming. Then the sleep. You could watch, over an hour, as each strip of muscle and skin and sinew receded and faded until there was nothing left of the animal but a bleached skeleton and a quivering black mass sheltering in its ribcage.

They tried it on us next. There weren’t many of us human prisoners left. Only the hardest and the toughest. But it was the same for each of them. Bleached bones and a grinning skull staring at me from across the lab. Until me. It was almost natural coming onto my skin, pushing its tendrils through the gaps between my cells. It was destroying me. But it was rebuilding me. It spoke to me. There was a voice in my head. It needed to know only one thing. Was I ready to slaughter its captors? Or would it eat me like the rest, and try another?

My name is Frank Castle. Its name is Ven’ahm.

Together, we are The Punisher.


 P L O T ( S )   &   G O A L ( S )
P L O T ( S )   &   G O A L ( S )
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One of the fundamental tensions of the Punisher when held up against the rest of a superhero universe is: how justified can his actions really be? Here’s a mass murderer presenting himself as a necessary, brutal, bloody solution to problems a dopey teen in spandex could solve in seconds. You can handwave it to some extent with the scope of crime in a comic book universe, but you’ll always be asking yourself why any of a hundred heroes don’t put a stop to the madness. By giving him access to the symbiote, I think I can expose Frank to problems he is more of a justified solution for, especially in the context of Lord’s regime.

More importantly, the most interesting part of The Punisher, at least when talking about a game like this, is whether there could be a good person hiding somewhere in the depths of Frank’s blackened soul. We’ve seen Frank broken down a million times, what if he could be built up? What if he has a chance to grow or change or do something actually positive with his life? To set him on this path, he’s had a long time to think in that cell. Now he’s forced into a role he could never predict, as the adoptive father of a weird alien that lives on his skin that might be the one creature on the planet more naturally hateful than he is.
@DocTachyon

Every remaining essence of me that is edgelord teenager has never been more excited to read a concept in one of these games than I am right now.

It's finally done. Also, good luck finding the song.

 C A P T A I N   A M E R I C A
C A P T A I N   A M E R I C A

"We cannot wait for time to absolve us."
 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 
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_________________________________________________________ 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
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Steven "Steve" Rogers
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27   |   Single
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United States Army   |   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
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   A B I L I T I E S
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◼ SUPER-SOLDIER SERUM
"Professor Eric Schmitt and Doctors Hans Bruder and Abraham Erskine's research for the defunct Project Nietzsche came to fruition. Without their initial research and Erskine's defection to our side, not to mention the seemingly limitless funding from the government, Project Rebirth would not have been possible at all. The subject, code-named Superior Man (the codename for Steven Rogers), has demonstrated remarkable improvements in every exercise conducted compared to those of Olympic athletes. His once frail body has been completely revitalized and permanently enhanced to achieve peak human efficiency. Additionally, his strength, speed, agility, endurance, reflexes, and physical efficiency even exceed the highest levels of human potential through a strict self-imposed regimen of exercise and simulated combat. Our Superior Man is more than ready to join the boys in the front."
   Declassified OSRD Report, 1943.

◼ PEAK DURABILITY AND HEALING
"For the first time, Captain America disobeyed direct orders. He and his Howling Commandos were near Essen amidst a bombing campaign against the local foundry when they were ordered to return to assist with efforts in Remagen. It was only upon the unit's return to base that I became aware of Captain America's absence. Barnes simply said that he was [REDACTED]. None of the other squadmates said much about his whereabouts either. He was gone for four days til he returned with severe burn marks all over his arms and hands. If not for the serum's healing properties, these injuries could have easily escalated to third-degree burns. I confronted him in the medical tent about his unauthorized absence. [REDACTED]. Given the current circumstances, I have decided not to pursue disciplinary action against him for being AWOL. Instead, I suggest immediate redeployment to the Eastern Front to follow up with the alleged HYDRA presence in Peenemünde. [REDACTED]. [REDACTED]."
   Declassified U.S. Army Report, 1945.

◼ PEAK CONGNITIVE PROCESSING
"After a few months of advancing with the Fifth Army in Italy, Superior Man has demonstrated a newfound advancement in his mental performance compared to previous assessments conducted before his deployment. This noteworthy development prompted a covert observation in which the subject demonstrated the ability to disassemble and assemble various weapons that typically took other men weeks to learn adequately. It is evident that he has developed an accelerated learning aptitude since receiving the serum. Even more compelling, he is able to recall information and knowledge with such precision, a trait typically seen in individuals with photographic memory. Given the initial results, I strongly recommend we do not allow such talent to stagnate. Assign him a small, specialized squad to lead, allowing for the potential development of his cognitive and technical skills. He doesn't have to be just brains or brawn; he can be both."
   Declassified OSRD Report, 1944.

◼ PEAK HUMAN SENSES
"Oh, remember when you asked me to ask Steve that question? You know what I'm referring to; don't deny it now. I ended up asking him while on R&R with the fellas in Marseille. He decided to treat us and took us out for drinks at a café. These young French soldiers made the mistake of egging me and him into a drinking contest with their hard-earned money. They lasted six pints before they were pissed drunk. But Steve? He just kept downing them back with this smirk on his face. That made one of the guys mad enough to throw his pint at him. He just caught and redirected it back at him, giving him a busted nose. After we left to avoid more trouble, 
I asked him how he knew. Apparently, the serum intensified his five senses to the point that he "saw" the pint coming like a baseball. At least, that's how I interpreted it through my drunken haze. So, here's your answer. Oh, and you owe me a pound."
   29 August, 1944, Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan.
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   T O O L S
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◼ SHIELD 
"Composed of Vibranium and iron alloy, the disc-shaped shield served as Captain America's primary weapon throughout his deployment. It was thought to be virtually indestructible, capable of absorbing a near-infinite amount of kinetic energy from forces directed against it. Most interestingly, it also possessed excellent aerodynamic properties, allowing it to rebound from objects with minimal loss of angular momentum. It is unfortunate that the shield is buried alongside its holder at the bottom of the ocean; it could've been useful in our efforts."
   Declassified KGB Report, 1946.

◼ HARLEY-DAVIDSON WLA MOTORCYCLE 
"Captain America was provided with a modified Harley-Davidson WLA, specifically designed for deep incursions into enemy territory during World War II. This motorcycle allowed him to attach his shield to the front, enabling him to block and deflect incoming fire. Additionally, its engines were upgraded with an overhead-valve design featuring high compression and telescopic front forks to improve efficiency compared to other models. The motorcycle was in service for much of the war's final years and ultimately served as a symbolic placeholder for the body at his funeral in Arlington National Cemetery afterward. In a gesture to preserve its historical significance, the bike was later donated to the Smithsonian Institution, where it is currently housed in the National Museum of American History."
   "Eagle," An Arsenal Fit for a Captain.
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 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
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◼ MASTER TACTICIAN AND STRATEGIST
"The shore-up of the Howling Commandos was nothing short of brilliance by the Allied forces. Captain America was already seen as the epitome of the ideal soldier by those who enlisted. His involvement in liberating Italy from fascist control provided a significant morale boost to resistance groups embedded throughout occupied Europe. And he was already a substantial source of propaganda facilitated by the Office of War Information. All of those elements were further amplified when he assumed command of the Howling Commandos. But his leadership was not merely for show; the serum Steven Rogers received enhanced his mental capacity, enabling him to function as a proficient tactician and strategist. And for a year, he and his Howling Commandos orchestrated successful sabotage missions that hindered Axis and HYDRA activities and efforts across the frontlines. Even after he died in April 1945, the Howling Commandos continued their efforts until the end of the war."
   "Obscured Howls: How the Howlers Faded Into Obscurity," The New Yorker.

◼ MASTER WEAPONARY
"The presumption that Captain America relied solely on his iconic shield during combat is understandable, but it is not entirely accurate. He often made use of handguns, particularly the Colt M1911 pistol. Its reliable and robust semi-automatic firing rate made it ideal for close and mid-range combat. He also made occasional use of the Colt Model 1921A Thompson, primarily at the beginning of his deployment. Furthermore, eyewitness accounts and reports have highlighted his proficiency with a variety of weapons, including light machine guns, bolt-action rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, and automatic rifles. Ultimately, Captain America would be championing the Second Amendment and protecting it against gun control laws, as supported by scholars on the subject and historical evidence."
   "More Than The Shield: The Truth about Captain America and Guns," NRA-ILA.

◼ MULTILINGUAL
"Steven Rogers was not always a captain. As a young child in New York City during the 1930s, he faced the loss of both parents within a few years of each other. And the hardships of the Great Depression forced him to prioritize work over his education. Fortunately, he had a supportive community around him, and living in such a diverse neighborhood fostered compassion and empathy. By the time Steven was selected for Project Rebirth, he had learned to speak Italian while understanding Yiddish from his Jewish neighbors. The experimental serum not only enhanced his physical abilities but also positively impacted his cognitive functions. This mental acuity allowed him to absorb languages more efficiently. Before being deployed overseas to aid in the Allied invasion of Italy, Steven quickly became a polyglot, mastering German, Russian, French, Spanish, Greek, Latin, and Japanese. However, his linguistic prowess was not solely a product of the serum; it had been ingrained within him by his environment."
   "Words and War: Steven Rogers and the Strength of Community," Power of Language.
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   T A L E N T
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◼ TALENTED ARTIST 
"Little is known about Sarah Rogers, who grew up in Ireland and entered into an arranged marriage with Joseph O'Brien. The newlyweds relocated to Cork from the countryside before ultimately emigrating to the United States in search of better opportunities. Sarah initially worked as a housekeeper before becoming a housewife after giving birth to Steven. Joseph, likely struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder from the Great War, lost his job and wasn't able to find work. He turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism and then died of liver failure soon after. Left alone with her son, she endured the Great Depression with help from her next-door neighbor, the Barnes. Sarah, to make a few extra dollars, began to draw again, and her few surviving works were noted for their beauty and roughness. Tragically, she died of pneumonia a few years later before fully realizing her artistic potential. But it lived in her son, whose drawings of landscapes and portraits of comrades gave a glimpse into his main inspiration: his mom."
   "Sarah Rogers and the Artist Who Persisted," New York Times
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 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...
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"Duty, bravery, and sacrifice. These are the values that represent Captain America to our nation and democracy abroad. He is a hero to the world, a warrior to our adversaries, and a patriot to us—the American people. This is his story. From a frail child orphaned at a young age, Steven Rogers refused to let them define him growing up. Denied enlistment in the Army, he volunteered for a program conceived during World War II. One that molded him into the world's first super soldier. He fought valiantly against Nazi and HYDRA forces, earning his stripes and proving his mettle on the battlefield. He made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country, showcasing the very essence of true patriotism and heroism."
The Star-Spangled Man: Captain America's Enduring Legacy.

"A Norwegian oil company has discovered what appears to be a significant number of wrecked aircraft during a recent seabed survey. Although officials have begun mapping the area where the wrecks were found, experts suggest that the planes could date back to World War II."
Underwater Plane Graveyard of WWII-era Aircrafts Found, BBC.

Nick Fury Jr. knows where he was and what he was doing when he got told the news. He was overseeing the final reports of the night in his office when he received news from the Arctic team that had been sent out the previous day. They found him. Frozen. Intact. Alive. A fury of questions, hypotheses, and explanations clogged his mind, ready to burst at the seams. Then, before he had a chance to process it all, he was sent a photo of him. And for a full minute, Nick just laughs. Laughs hard. Laughs out loud. Laughs until he is tearing up and nearly out of breath. The absurdity of it all—of his life at this point—is utterly hilarious.

His father, Nicholas Fury Sr., remained adamant that his brother-in-arms was still alive "somewhere in the cold," insisting it was "his responsibility to bring him back home." Even though he was a highly respected man who had served his country time and time again, those around him thought he was chasing after a ghost to atone for his failure in the Korean War with the Howlers. And when his age was beginning to show, the "burden" was passed onto the son. "Find and bring him back home," he ordered firmly like he always had. Nick couldn't accept what he saw as an old man's delusions, even if those words came from a man he once admired. 

That photo, however, vindicated his father and validated every seemingly ludicrous claim he'd ever made about his comrade.

Then there was The Reach, who extended a hand to the world while concealing a scalpel in the other. And as soon as their deception was exposed, they declared war on Earth. Nick fought back against the invaders, of course. It was his home. He witnessed the aliens leave and detonate what was essentially a dirty bomb, altering the genetic code of thousands in an instant. The fallout turned into a national security concern and a grave embarrassment for S.H.I.E.L.D., which failed to act appropriately. Disillusioned, Nick decided to leave and offered his services to The Agency, a decision that didn't sit well with his father at all.

And now, here he is, the only person on the entire planet who knows that he is still, against all odds, alive. And he is still laughing. The only reason he stops is that the Arctic team requests further instructions regarding him. Hell, Nick can't even bring himself to say his name. He composes himself and orders them not to disturb anything until he is personally on site. Then, he contacts his right-hand man, Phillip Coulson, and informs him they are heading for Norway. He doesn't say why. Next, he begins to organize the logistics, from securing a big enough plane to gathering the necessary equipment to safely extract him from the thick sea ice.

Nick makes the conscious decision to keep everything under wraps from his bosses. He knows of the wrath that would await him from The Wall once he sets foot in the Oval Office to deliver his report after his deception is undoubtedly revealed by one of his agents. That, or he manages to keep it quiet long enough to divulge it. Yet, the potential consequences don't faze him in the slightest. He has a plan, one that would finally bring security to the country he and his father bled for so many times. The details are still mostly forming in his mind, but a ten-hour flight would provide him with plenty of time to refine them. 

Just as he is about to leave, Nick reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out his phone. He considers calling his father to apologize for ever doubting him, to reveal that he has been found alive, and to ask if he wants to join him. It would be a chance to reconnect after being apart for so long, but instead, he tosses it into a drawer and slams it shut. No, there's too much at stake, especially when Nicholas is still holding the reins of S.H.I.E.L.D. aboard that helicarrier. It would be reckless to reveal him to the world for now. Not until the plan is set in motion. For now, Nick knows he has to leave for the Arctic.

Bring him back home. At least he can do that for his father. He has waited long enough.

 P L O T ( S )   &   G O A L ( S )
P L O T ( S )   &   G O A L ( S )
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Of course, my mind went straight to Captain America while reading the summary. But I want to do things slightly differently. The most obvious difference is that our boy hasn't been thawed out. He has only been found by the big baddies, who won't waste such a perfect opportunity. This would allow me to delve into the mystery and thriller genres, with a heavy hand of politics and suspense mixed in to make a good story. 

After all, history is written by the victors.

That means Steven becomes an unwitting pawn for the government, being purposefully kept in the dark of its tyrannical nature by The Agency. Every action he takes is meticulously scrutinized, with Nick Fury Jr. monitoring his every move and suppressing any unwanted inquiries. Their relationship will be antagonistic in nature, with occasional moments of conviviality between the two men. Not necessarily full-on friends, that's for sure. And while he will be an essential character to my plot, I don't want to hoard him all to myself, given his importance to the overall Marvel universe.

If it hasn't been made clear, Captain America will be working alongside the Lord Administration via the Agency. I hope he serves as a point of contention with characters who are actively part of the resistance. However, that does not mean abandoning the core aspects of Captain America. He will still stand up for what is right, no matter the consequences, with his unwavering principles and moral conviction shining brightly through the darkness cast by Lord's America.
@Mao Mao

First place I clicked.

Also boo Junior. Senior is where it's at.
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