Current
Masses are always breeding grounds of psychic epidemics.
6 yrs ago
The highest, most decisive experience is to be alone with one's own self. You must be alone to find out what supports you, when you find that you can not support yourself.
1
like
7 yrs ago
One cannot live from anything except what one is.
7 yrs ago
The slave to virtue finds the way as little as the slave to vices.
7 yrs ago
The core of an individual is the mystery of life, which dies when it is 'grasped'. That is also why symbols want to keep their secrets.
Bio
The Harbinger of Ferocity
Agent of the Wild, Aspect of the Ferine Nature, red in tooth and claw.
"There is, indeed, no single quality of the cat that man could not emulate to his advantage." - Carl Van Vechten
I am, at my core, a personification and manifestation of those things whose blood and hearts run red with the ferocity of the animal world. It is this which convicts and controls my works, my writing, my being; the force and guidance in which I gain wisdom from. It is what inspires me as a creator and weaver of words, the very thing I admire as an author.
My leanings, savage as they are, are of the feline sort as there exists no greater lineage of beasts whom can be drawn from. No others captivate and motivate my talent and skill as the greatest of cats do.
The majority of the night life had remained just as tame as it had started, perhaps more promising than it should have been here, but nothing as that ever lasts long in the city; cities never sleep after all. Far down by now, having walked perhaps an hour or so, minding his own tempo, Song noted two figures break from the concealment of an alleyway and with blind, but apparently directed motivation, dash across the street. Looking up for the first time everything as as off as one imagined it to be. Two masked men in black, running? Darting between one alleyway and another, all while running out across an open street?
Even if they were not criminals they kept things lively, enough so that as soon as they came, they were already gone. Song had a moment to decide his course of action. He looked to his left, then to his right, noting no real attention from the line of sight of his hood before he shrugged to himself. With a short sprint across the equally devoid street, Song's boots soon left pavement and a stride stepped atop the roof of a car with no more sound or force than a gust of evening wind, and soon he was upward bound to a fire escape. Catching the chill metal railing with his hands, the man pulled himself up to crouching atop it with four points of contact. Having already covered two stories, the last couple were no more than a leap off the rail, a jump from a windowsill, and a few steps run up the vertical brick.
Landing atop the roof and skirting along its ledge, Song hadn't an issue getting sight of the two men from a distance, dropping from one roof to another after without so much as a noise. He laid low, but never once crouched, stooped or slunk, just calmly walking to keep in sight of the two equally black clad men. Of course the trailing followed with a reward of sorts, the kind that he really hadn't been expecting. That was assuming he had a reason to expect anything at all like this; it sort of happened, a happy accident, rather an unhappy one that could be made well, perhaps.
The duo stood there at first, peering into the window. Song knew from his own experience the men were scoping the place out, after all, a local radio station at night, well after closing hours, while dressed in black and hustling from cover to cover in the bad part of town? The real question was not what they were doing, but why. There was really no getting a better look at this distance, the observer walking behind a rotating vent that poured out a faint steam, all to obscure his presence, but by the time he rounded it only one thing was certain; they both had vanished.
"Interesting." He noted, hands back again in his pockets, not to spite the brisk air but think more of what he just witnessed.
There was a short period of pause, a few minutes, before it was clear they either had vanished physically or just appeared to have. Whatever the case was, it was a far cry from normalcy and something that merited a bit of investigation. Looking over the ledge, some fifty feet up from the concrete, Song made himself sure that no one would notice a shadow slide down a darkened corner, one cast into more darkness between two buildings. Boots silently grinding against the brick, he let off at the last bit and landed crouched, a palm steadying him.
Good, no one seemed to notice he was here, but now finding where the other two figures went at the broadcasting station was the only challenge remaining. How did they manage that disappearing act and why here? The building was somehow related, considering they sought to get inside. So the first place to check? The inside of the building, but that would come soon enough.
The zipper of the man's jacket rode up to the neck and the hood soon followed over most his face. After all, Song did not exactly need to see anything to be aware of it and it kept him out of trouble with anyone looking for it until he had an actual reason to do something about that fact; it was "All in the eyes." as he had heard it before, that was the trick. Not looking at people was a good way to avoid starting conflict, until of course there was a reason, a real reason at that. Some sort of actual justification other than the mere impulse to do so.
Fortunately it was quiet enough out tonight, a fact he noted as he silently avoided a lamp post, having not had any issue with people yet on the stereotypical "bad side of town". It all came with being urban sprawl beside a highway, but the positive of it was, was that it had plenty of crime to sustain a lifestyle as Song's, granted finding the new "score" was more difficult than it was in the past. At least it was morally rewarding, if not a bit uninteresting in the practical execution. So by the time the man in the black jacket met the curb at the street, he at last glanced to one side, then the other.
A few lights, a little traffic, still a pervasive ambient calm.
"Huh." He muttered, stepping out on to the street and across the walk, hands buried in his pockets.
It never crossed his mind much that people had off nights, that other parts of the city were reasonably more alive. That odd realization, the recognition of it as fact, sort of brought a little spark of joy to him, however brief and small it was. Like a promise that things were not as bad as they were seen to be. That glint of optimism is what Song held on to, that he might be able to be a part of that. Perhaps his actions really had made things better? It wasn't as though he was getting coverage or attention, but the fact his locale had improved? Maybe just coincidence, maybe.
He kept on walking, travelling further and further in the early night away from home, keeping eye and ear open. Metaphorically speaking at least, the senses could be fooled but one's breath, one's soul, rather their qi couldn't be.
Tea, fresh tea, brewed in a cheaply made and all too bland white plastic and glass little coffeepot. It was sort of a disappointment, but it was the best there was at the moment; wasn't as though he had a teapot and a stove, let alone fireplace and a steel kettle, but he did at least have boiling water and somewhere to drink it. It also helped that he had the tea itself, considering it was a luxury on a non-existent budget. In fact, all of his situation the lone man at the edge of the tiny bed was thankful for, even if it was ten years out of date and all off-white and equally garish honey oak furniture.
Pouring a cup carefully now, the pair of hands then garnished it with the bag itself, setting it aside after to steep. This was the morning routine, the ritual, tea first before all other things, though the entire "morning" matter was debatable. Rather whatever time he awoke this story played out just as it did in the same room in the same manner. It did not deviate, it did not change. The time of day certainly did, but paying the few bills that existed required a flexible schedule. After all, being paid by relieving petty criminals of their cash? Not all too efficient work. Sure, it was theft all its own, but maybe they would reconsider their decisions, perhaps better than a prison sentence would have offered.
Song did not really think too deep into the matter, instead only looking to the rising steam of the cup and where it sat upon the tabletop. Had his attention been allowed to drift, his mind to wander, he might not have noticed the face of the coffeepot itself being slightly off center. Still, not so much as shifting or interrupting his thought of no thought, a hand of his reached out to straighten little machine out; so subtle an adjustment that returned it to its rightful place.
"There." He said, speaking to no one but himself, nodding in approval.
It at last freed him to do as his work demanded of him, rather his moral compass. It was work itself, perhaps "good" work, perhaps not. What it was at this point was whatever it was, good and bad. However, there was no sense in staring down the steeping tea anymore now that he had resolved the issue and cleared his mind of its inner debates. In short order he dressed himself, having only devoted enough time to wash his face, give a brush of the teeth, and throw a jacket over the familiar white sweatshirt before he returned to the tea and sat down.
Between drinking it, sitting there at the edge of the bed, he emptied his mind. No room for anger, above all other things. That was the difficult one, especially knowing that in short order he would be on and out into the night, with the sole purpose of finding something constructive to do with it. It was tempting to find other means to say the least, the few intrusive thoughts he had, but they were all impulsive to him; Song wasn't just a "boy" anymore who could live that life. At least now he truly understood better, at the very least more lucidly, given the tea had come to replace alcohol. But the last cup had always been the most difficult.
Until he was out on the night, the sound of the door clicking shut behind him...
Alias: "Golden Tiger", formerly called the "Crimson Hand".
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Alliance: "Hero" Douglas Song is a former villain of the alias "Crimson Hand" although he never assumed the title or called himself so, instead achieving it by reporting of his martial exploits in criminal pursuits. He has been out of the public mind for six some-odd years owing to a brief disappearance. As such, his return certainly has been much more noble than his prior activities.
Powers: Advanced Martial Arts The vast majority of Douglas Song's superhuman ability derives itself from the manipulation of qi, namely through three schools of martial art, two physical and one much more mental, spiritual, and emotional. While it is certain Song's ability is only shaped by these schools, his true power being manipulation of bodily forces his or otherwise, they represent a tremendously powerful advantage over his latent ability - a means to amplify it beyond regular human limit and manifest his actual superhuman ability to an applicable level.
Fu Jow Pai One of the two schools of "hard" martial art known by Song, Fu Jow Pai is external and lightning fast, often a defensive or even reactionary form of kung fu that relies upon the clawed hand technique. Striking like the tiger it is modeled after, it inflicts ripping, tearing, clawing, joint locking, and grasping upon its opponents and is more defensively oriented than the other member of the Black Tiger System. Notably, it derives great strength from pressure point attacks, to include those of grappling, and has a large bias toward pain compliance and exploiting limits of physique or objects.
Heihuquan The second school of external martial art understood by Douglas Song, but is a paradoxical member of Shaolin canon; the longer one practices this most extreme form of outer martial art, the more internal it becomes. As such, Song's further and evolving understanding of qi and its techniques has only come to progress as it has due to this discipline than either other. Of the forms of striking, the Black Tiger Fist style is punctuated most by low, deep stances, swift and dexterous footwork, and exotic, acrobatic kicks. Where it derives its name from is the manner in which its power based punches place the thumb - in line with the other digits and not across them.
Taijiquan As the actual kung fu of tai chi, is an internal canon that focuses most upon responsiveness, breathing, movement, body, and meditation, but retains the combative aspect in its use of "pushing hands", a technique about reusing and redirecting bodily energy, be it momentum or weakness. Steeped in difficulty as a mostly defensive school, it is a gateway often practiced in tandem with "hard" martial arts, such as those Song has adopted. Feeding into the internalization of Heihuquan, it provides a serenity and clarity that allows qi to act beyond the mere body and more into the psychic realm. It allows for the soft, even gentle, manipulation of an opponent versus the harsh, even deadly manipulation of other kung fu technique.
While not a master of the armed martial arts, Douglas Song is familiar to archaic weapons as the dao, dadao, gun, ji, feng huo lun, hu tou gou, and sheng biao, among others. For the sake of simplicity in his lifestyle, at most he arms himself with knives, those balanced enough to throw or fight with, but subtle enough to carry in concealment. Generally, any weapon he can lay his hands upon can suddenly find itself improvised, though he prefers not to make use of firearms whenever possible.
Qi The conscious manipulation of qi, or one's own bodily "life energy" or even that of others, is divided into two approximate schools of thought as Li, external manipulation, and Neijing as internal manipulation, in the advanced martial arts. When exercised by those who posses both bodily and psychic control of their qi a certain level of superhuman ability is gained, one that scales in potency as further understanding and even eventual mastery is attained in them. While mutually exclusive to one another, the true talent arises in those who can shift their qi from one discipline to another and back on whim. Knowing this, Neijing, or the internal, mind and soul use of qi, is profoundly more difficult because of the introspection required to use it; to rely on the invisible force than the obvious one of Li.
In the case of Song, an adept figure in the manipulation of qi, his power revolves about the transfer of power to or from his own body or that of others, both as Li and as Neijing. While neither a master of either school, let alone any of his martial talents, his versatility and natural familiarity to qi lends him a diverse use of advanced skills that are unavailable to traditional martial artists.
Body Outside Body A disciple of Neijing, like Song who are familiar to Taijiquan, is able to perform feats of qi manipulation that are beyond understanding of regular human technique as they are internal, not external processes. As such those like Song may wield their body at times as brief, near "invisible" forces; being a "body outside the body" allows a practitioner to engage in unnatural talents that are iconic among advanced wielders of the martial arts. These manipulations are most classically the ability to fall without injury, sprint at impressive speed, jump great distances or exceptional heights, run along vertical surfaces or across water, stand on objects much too narrow to balance one's weight on, or seemingly absorb blows to physical self without apparent external harm, converting it into hostile internal qi instead.
While capable of such talents, the most notable Douglas Song has acquired out of these is the redirection or deflection of slow moving objects or projectiles, albeit fast moving or large ones are understandably well outside his talent. It is this same technique that grants him his favored use of thrown projectiles or even the use of archaic weapons as a bow, able to help guide the shot or even alter its flight path to an uncanny extent.
Hands of Black and White Able to shift another's physical energy with his strikes by using both Li and Neijing, Douglas Song can naturally upset the balance of a body's qi. The ill effects of such contact, able to be as subtle as mere touch to affect another's mind to an elbow strike to disrupt body, range from imposing an addled, clouded haze of thought and interruption of concentration, to the obviously physical debilitation of inflicting jarring pain or nausea. The difficulty for Song comes in the fact that the more mastery one has of their mind and body, such as even being aware of his qi manipulation, decreases the severity of the disruption and distortion.
The pinnacle of his ability, this transfer of power, shifting of qi, is what allows Song to transfer his own damaged qi to the subjects of his attacks; this eternal process of balance is his means to effectively "heal" himself and sustain his body and mind in combat while inflicting greater injury on those he lays hands upon. As expected, Song is capable of exchanging his own qi as well within himself at the price of body over mind or mind over body.
Stillness of Self Born of meditation and fellow internal exercises through understanding Neijing, Song has an exceptional defense of "action before thought", not needing to consciously decide his combat techniques and allowing his defenses to follow the flow of his own qi. In practical applications this is the difference between actively attempting to block attacks or simply flowing with them, either in, around, or through them and setting up joint locks and body manipulation as through Fu Jow Pai. This swiftness is however, notably hampered by interruption and physical interference, such as by wearing body armor or being grappled by one attacker while another moves in to attack.
Tiger's Claws The most basic of Song's manipulation of qi is derived from his education under the kung fu styles of Fu Jow Pai and Heihuquan, both members of the Black Tiger System. Heavy in their Li elements, their extreme application allows them to become "killing hands" or the force needed to splinter wood, pulverize concrete, bend steel, or penetrate unnatural defenses. At the truest form of qi exercise they allow a martial artist to strike with superhuman strength, precision, speed, and most dangerously, into another's qi.
The transfer of power is limited to physically wielded objects, whereas projectiles, such as a firearm's bullets, do not experience this outcome of being used as a conduit.
Vibrating Palm A talent more infamously known as the "Touch of Death", souch a touch is a Neijing pressure point technique that is understood as both a psychic and vibrational attack, mind and body togther, focused into a wave and placed at a point of weakness on a target. While not always a lethal attack, one as Douglas Song can indeed setup a killing stroke with a perfectly executed and balanced transfer of qi. The difficulty for this lies in the fact Song is not familiar with the means to do so, rather he knows only the execution of its lesser incarnation that can seize the body of a thing by inflicting brief or even prolonged paralysis, more commonly known as the "vibrating palm".
Personality: Song is a generally well meaning soul, at least post return from his several year disappearance, where he seems to have left behind much more of the anger and aggression he displayed then. A more tranquil spirit as consequence of that, it is safe to assume his time spent refining himself affected his demeanor as well, teaching him a much needed prospect of control and discipline. Though somewhat quiet, he isn't prone to erupt into excessive physical force or emotional lashing out, instead demonstrating a newfound restraint and empathy. Far more mature, an actual man now than a boy trying to play a man, Song even goes so far as to attempt to awkwardly apologize now or even bear some wit.
Appearance: A second generation Chinese-American, Douglas Song is certainly not remarkable by any obvious and outward means as some others with superhuman power or talent; having neither the bulk of extensive strength training nor their slender leanness and height of a runner, his general aptitude is one of overall refinement and nondescript fitness. Able bodied as he is, beyond even what eyes can perceive, he uses his seemingly normative qualities to blend in, but exhibits a few consistent traits, namely that he keeps his hair short and militarily cut, face clean shaven, and body free of any blemishes or markings that could assist in identifying him. Going so far as to wear contacts at times, Song's natural eye color is a light amber and his skin is surprisingly fair as well.
In dress Song is not particularly remarkable either, often wearing a hoodie or hooded jacket, jeans or cargo pants, and season appropriate clothes to keep in line with the general populace if all else fails. Preferring darker colors normally, his only calling card is the source of his new identity and namesake; a set of black cargo pants, large leather belt and buckle, working boots, dark sunglasses, and a white hooded sweatshirt that bears a tawny set of tiger's stripes across the back. He carries few weapons, if any at all, and tends to be mostly averse to firearms or other luxuries of modern life, going so far as to own burner phones in place of more modern technology.
History: Given that the "Crimson Hand" was never apprehended for any of his crimes and his true identity of Douglas Song was never revealed, little is overtly known about their connection. Truthfully however, Song hadn't much reason to even involve himself in criminal activity other than it, for lack of better words, was "Good exercise." and "Something to do." The power afforded to him through his youth, the discovery of the martial arts, instilled everything in him but what it was truthfully about; it wasn't about the power or demonstrating it. Thus as a young man looking to prove himself and make a living, what better way was there than to leverage skills he had that others didn't, all while paying for the bills?
Though through running with small time affiliations Song came to realize more and more that he was accomplishing nothing more than that "something to do"; it wasn't even "good exercise" or really all that worth the problems it came with. The further he went through with things the darker and more disturbed the people involved were. At some points it wasn't about just subduing those in the way, at times it was about "Leaving a message to anyone, everyone, especially the news." It was a point that forced reconsideration each time he acted on it, coming to accept the infamy and rightful villain status was... not what he really ever wanted. It was just anger and greed, both the sort of things a petty child might thrive on. The difference being, Song wasn't so much a young man anymore and the reminders of his crimes weren't really setting in well with him.
So he left for a few years, up and vanished without a trace. He never made headlines and his affiliates assumed he was ghosted by some hero or other villain, so his loss was of little consequence or interest until he returned from his venture abroad. That was when life became serious, perhaps for the first time. After all, Song learned significantly more than a few novel tricks and talents of ability, rather an entirely new mindset and outlook.
That was what urged him to attempt to make good on his errors, not the fact he wanted the fame or trial. The downside, however? The law and those enforcing it were not likely to be so forgiving and quick to forget. At least this time he chose his own name and identity.
If you have ever seen Big Trouble in Little China, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill, The Matrix, or just about any "magic kung fu" theme ever, or seen a monk or physical adept in fantasy fiction, that is what these powers function around in prospect.
The summary has been redacted and the character sheet moved to the approved section.
Alias: "Golden Tiger", formerly called the "Crimson Hand".
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Alliance: "Hero" Douglas Song is a former villain of the alias "Crimson Hand" although he never assumed the title or called himself so, instead achieving it by reporting of his martial exploits in criminal pursuits. He has been out of the public mind for six some-odd years owing to a brief disappearance. As such, his return certainly has been much more noble than his prior activities.
Powers: Advanced Martial Arts The vast majority of Douglas Song's superhuman ability derives itself from the manipulation of qi, namely through three schools of martial art, two physical and one much more mental, spiritual, and emotional. While it is certain Song's ability is only shaped by these schools, his true power being manipulation of bodily forces his or otherwise, they represent a tremendously powerful advantage over his latent ability - a means to amplify it beyond regular human limit and manifest his actual superhuman ability to an applicable level.
Fu Jow Pai One of the two schools of "hard" martial art known by Song, Fu Jow Pai is external and lightning fast, often a defensive or even reactionary form of kung fu that relies upon the clawed hand technique. Striking like the tiger it is modeled after, it inflicts ripping, tearing, clawing, joint locking, and grasping upon its opponents and is more defensively oriented than the other member of the Black Tiger System. Notably, it derives great strength from pressure point attacks, to include those of grappling, and has a large bias toward pain compliance and exploiting limits of physique or objects.
Heihuquan The second school of external martial art understood by Douglas Song, but is a paradoxical member of Shaolin canon; the longer one practices this most extreme form of outer martial art, the more internal it becomes. As such, Song's further and evolving understanding of qi and its techniques has only come to progress as it has due to this discipline than either other. Of the forms of striking, the Black Tiger Fist style is punctuated most by low, deep stances, swift and dexterous footwork, and exotic, acrobatic kicks. Where it derives its name from is the manner in which its power based punches place the thumb - in line with the other digits and not across them.
Taijiquan As the actual kung fu of tai chi, is an internal canon that focuses most upon responsiveness, breathing, movement, body, and meditation, but retains the combative aspect in its use of "pushing hands", a technique about reusing and redirecting bodily energy, be it momentum or weakness. Steeped in difficulty as a mostly defensive school, it is a gateway often practiced in tandem with "hard" martial arts, such as those Song has adopted. Feeding into the internalization of Heihuquan, it provides a serenity and clarity that allows qi to act beyond the mere body and more into the psychic realm. It allows for the soft, even gentle, manipulation of an opponent versus the harsh, even deadly manipulation of other kung fu technique.
While not a master of the armed martial arts, Douglas Song is familiar to archaic weapons as the dao, dadao, gun, ji, feng huo lun, hu tou gou, and sheng biao, among others. For the sake of simplicity in his lifestyle, at most he arms himself with knives, those balanced enough to throw or fight with, but subtle enough to carry in concealment. Generally, any weapon he can lay his hands upon can suddenly find itself improvised, though he prefers not to make use of firearms whenever possible.
Qi The conscious manipulation of qi, or one's own bodily "life energy" or even that of others, is divided into two approximate schools of thought as Li, external manipulation, and Neijing as internal manipulation, in the advanced martial arts. When exercised by those who posses both bodily and psychic control of their qi a certain level of superhuman ability is gained, one that scales in potency as further understanding and even eventual mastery is attained in them. While mutually exclusive to one another, the true talent arises in those who can shift their qi from one discipline to another and back on whim. Knowing this, Neijing, or the internal, mind and soul use of qi, is profoundly more difficult because of the introspection required to use it; to rely on the invisible force than the obvious one of Li.
In the case of Song, an adept figure in the manipulation of qi, his power revolves about the transfer of power to or from his own body or that of others, both as Li and as Neijing. While neither a master of either school, let alone any of his martial talents, his versatility and natural familiarity to qi lends him a diverse use of advanced skills that are unavailable to traditional martial artists.
Body Outside Body A disciple of Neijing, like Song who are familiar to Taijiquan, is able to perform feats of qi manipulation that are beyond understanding of regular human technique as they are internal, not external processes. As such those like Song may wield their body at times as brief, near "invisible" forces; being a "body outside the body" allows a practitioner to engage in unnatural talents that are iconic among advanced wielders of the martial arts. These manipulations are most classically the ability to fall without injury, sprint at impressive speed, jump great distances or exceptional heights, run along vertical surfaces or across water, stand on objects much too narrow to balance one's weight on, or seemingly absorb blows to physical self without apparent external harm, converting it into hostile internal qi instead.
While capable of such talents, the most notable Douglas Song has acquired out of these is the redirection or deflection of slow moving objects or projectiles, albeit fast moving or large ones are understandably well outside his talent. It is this same technique that grants him his favored use of thrown projectiles or even the use of archaic weapons as a bow, able to help guide the shot or even alter its flight path to an uncanny extent.
Hands of Black and White Able to shift another's physical energy with his strikes by using both Li and Neijing, Douglas Song can naturally upset the balance of a body's qi. The ill effects of such contact, able to be as subtle as mere touch to affect another's mind to an elbow strike to disrupt body, range from imposing an addled, clouded haze of thought and interruption of concentration, to the obviously physical debilitation of inflicting jarring pain or nausea. The difficulty for Song comes in the fact that the more mastery one has of their mind and body, such as even being aware of his qi manipulation, decreases the severity of the disruption and distortion.
The pinnacle of his ability, this transfer of power, shifting of qi, is what allows Song to transfer his own damaged qi to the subjects of his attacks; this eternal process of balance is his means to effectively "heal" himself and sustain his body and mind in combat while inflicting greater injury on those he lays hands upon. As expected, Song is capable of exchanging his own qi as well within himself at the price of body over mind or mind over body.
Stillness of Self Born of meditation and fellow internal exercises through understanding Neijing, Song has an exceptional defense of "action before thought", not needing to consciously decide his combat techniques and allowing his defenses to follow the flow of his own qi. In practical applications this is the difference between actively attempting to block attacks or simply flowing with them, either in, around, or through them and setting up joint locks and body manipulation as through Fu Jow Pai. This swiftness is however, notably hampered by interruption and physical interference, such as by wearing body armor or being grappled by one attacker while another moves in to attack.
Tiger's Claws The most basic of Song's manipulation of qi is derived from his education under the kung fu styles of Fu Jow Pai and Heihuquan, both members of the Black Tiger System. Heavy in their Li elements, their extreme application allows them to become "killing hands" or the force needed to splinter wood, pulverize concrete, bend steel, or penetrate unnatural defenses. At the truest form of qi exercise they allow a martial artist to strike with superhuman strength, precision, speed, and most dangerously, into another's qi.
The transfer of power is limited to physically wielded objects, whereas projectiles, such as a firearm's bullets, do not experience this outcome of being used as a conduit.
Vibrating Palm A talent more infamously known as the "Touch of Death", souch a touch is a Neijing pressure point technique that is understood as both a psychic and vibrational attack, mind and body togther, focused into a wave and placed at a point of weakness on a target. While not always a lethal attack, one as Douglas Song can indeed setup a killing stroke with a perfectly executed and balanced transfer of qi. The difficulty for this lies in the fact Song is not familiar with the means to do so, rather he knows only the execution of its lesser incarnation that can seize the body of a thing by inflicting brief or even prolonged paralysis, more commonly known as the "vibrating palm".
Personality: Song is a generally well meaning soul, at least post return from his several year disappearance, where he seems to have left behind much more of the anger and aggression he displayed then. A more tranquil spirit as consequence of that, it is safe to assume his time spent refining himself affected his demeanor as well, teaching him a much needed prospect of control and discipline. Though somewhat quiet, he isn't prone to erupt into excessive physical force or emotional lashing out, instead demonstrating a newfound restraint and empathy. Far more mature, an actual man now than a boy trying to play a man, Song even goes so far as to attempt to awkwardly apologize now or even bear some wit.
Appearance: A second generation Chinese-American, Douglas Song is certainly not remarkable by any obvious and outward means as some others with superhuman power or talent; having neither the bulk of extensive strength training nor their slender leanness and height of a runner, his general aptitude is one of overall refinement and nondescript fitness. Able bodied as he is, beyond even what eyes can perceive, he uses his seemingly normative qualities to blend in, but exhibits a few consistent traits, namely that he keeps his hair short and militarily cut, face clean shaven, and body free of any blemishes or markings that could assist in identifying him. Going so far as to wear contacts at times, Song's natural eye color is a light amber and his skin is surprisingly fair as well.
In dress Song is not particularly remarkable either, often wearing a hoodie or hooded jacket, jeans or cargo pants, and season appropriate clothes to keep in line with the general populace if all else fails. Preferring darker colors normally, his only calling card is the source of his new identity and namesake; a set of black cargo pants, large leather belt and buckle, working boots, dark sunglasses, and a white hooded sweatshirt that bears a tawny set of tiger's stripes across the back. He carries few weapons, if any at all, and tends to be mostly averse to firearms or other luxuries of modern life, going so far as to own burner phones in place of more modern technology.
History: Given that the "Crimson Hand" was never apprehended for any of his crimes and his true identity of Douglas Song was never revealed, little is overtly known about their connection. Truthfully however, Song hadn't much reason to even involve himself in criminal activity other than it, for lack of better words, was "Good exercise." and "Something to do." The power afforded to him through his youth, the discovery of the martial arts, instilled everything in him but what it was truthfully about; it wasn't about the power or demonstrating it. Thus as a young man looking to prove himself and make a living, what better way was there than to leverage skills he had that others didn't, all while paying for the bills?
Though through running with small time affiliations Song came to realize more and more that he was accomplishing nothing more than that "something to do"; it wasn't even "good exercise" or really all that worth the problems it came with. The further he went through with things the darker and more disturbed the people involved were. At some points it wasn't about just subduing those in the way, at times it was about "Leaving a message to anyone, everyone, especially the news." It was a point that forced reconsideration each time he acted on it, coming to accept the infamy and rightful villain status was... not what he really ever wanted. It was just anger and greed, both the sort of things a petty child might thrive on. The difference being, Song wasn't so much a young man anymore and the reminders of his crimes weren't really setting in well with him.
So he left for a few years, up and vanished without a trace. He never made headlines and his affiliates assumed he was ghosted by some hero or other villain, so his loss was of little consequence or interest until he returned from his venture abroad. That was when life became serious, perhaps for the first time. After all, Song learned significantly more than a few novel tricks and talents of ability, rather an entirely new mindset and outlook.
That was what urged him to attempt to make good on his errors, not the fact he wanted the fame or trial. The downside, however? The law and those enforcing it were not likely to be so forgiving and quick to forget. At least this time he chose his own name and identity.
It is also worthwhile to note they might have randomly generated hit points within a range, so I would not trust being so sure on what does or does not happen unless the Dungeon Master confirms one way or another, but that is just my experience on and throughout the game.
Without assuming too much, @Mistiel, you might have a point. Either way I found the CNN Town Hall a complete waste of time and nothing short of a setup playing off of tragedy. Deeply disrespectful to anyone who had other view points and little more than anti-firearm propaganda, especially in some of the ways the guests were treated or how those posing questions were not just allowed to say whatever they had to say, woe and weal alike, and the moderator step in. Everything I noted about it came off as a show and pandering, especially appeals to emotion.
Not to say those involved haven't a right to be emotional, there was great suffering at the hands of a despicable person, but I feel very little sympathy for their solution, especially when the near entirety of their grievances consist of emotion. No less not just that they are impractical and irrational, but moreover that they stand to take more from lawful citizens than they would be giving back. As unfortunate as it is to say, shootings as this do not merit a further massive infringement upon the rights of firearms owners or prospective ones; the Second Amendment already receives enough great and egregious trampling as it is.
Moving on, I cannot be realistically swayed by the proposals, which do not really address the core issues at hand either. We now know that everyone from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the sheriffs to the school itself all miserably failed and that none of the protective measures put in place were acted on. What sense is there in inflicting more rules of the same vein when they already do not work? The most reasonable solution is approaching it from another angle, as the suggestions by the opposition have put forward.
My favorite tabletop game is Dungeons and Dragons, but that only technically qualifies as a board game given it often requires a board, rather a map overlay. However, the intention seems to be more at traditional gaming, of which I admit perhaps the game I most enjoy, as stereotypical as it is, is Monopoly. Why so, despite the fact I am so actually unimpressed or uninterested with it? Because it is the entertainment derived from the participants in it; the people make the game in this case. You can create a lot of amusement from the conflicts and debates that arise, much more interesting than the game itself. Probably the most infamous yet enjoyable board game I know of for the same reason but on a more novelty level, one that while I equally dislike but is an arguably a better, more diverse and dynamic game is Settlers of Catan. Plenty of backstabbing, treachery, and debate with that game as with Monopoly but far more unpredictable.
As for other unusual games, it is not so much a board game as a domino game, but it does share some qualities and certainly has a more unique experience is being Mexican Train. It requires a bit of strategy and if played correctly can be pretty phenomenal, but it also requires minimal teaching time or experience with others to actually perform; it has a selling point there, given people tend to be fairly averse to learning new games.
For the next question, what is your favorite animal, your experiences with it, and why you adopt it in that place as your personal best? I am very curious to hear as much an in-depth analysis as one can provide rather than, "I like dogs because dogs are nice." or "Dolphins are cool." Try to sell us on your answer - always more interesting.
[center][h3][color=f7941d]The Harbinger of Ferocity[/color][/h3]
[img]http://orig13.deviantart.net/79bb/f/2016/137/d/8/final__small__by_argentfatalis-da2um2l.jpg[/img]
[color=f7941d][i]Agent of the Wild, Aspect of the Ferine[/i][/color]
[i]Nature, red in tooth and claw.[/i]
[b]"There is, indeed, no single quality of the cat that man could not emulate to his advantage."[/b]
[i]- Carl Van Vechten[/i]
[i]I am, at my core, a personification and manifestation of those things whose blood and hearts run red with the ferocity of the animal world. It is this which convicts and controls my works, my writing, my being; the force and guidance in which I gain wisdom from. It is what inspires me as a creator and weaver of words, the very thing I admire as an author.[/i]
[i]My leanings, savage as they are, are of the feline sort as there exists no greater lineage of beasts whom can be drawn from. No others captivate and motivate my talent and skill as the greatest of cats do.[/i][/center]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><div class="bb-center"><div class="bb-h3"><font color="#f7941d">The Harbinger of Ferocity</font></div><br><img src="http://orig13.deviantart.net/79bb/f/2016/137/d/8/final__small__by_argentfatalis-da2um2l.jpg" /><br><font color="#f7941d"><span class="bb-i">Agent of the Wild, Aspect of the Ferine</span></font><br><span class="bb-i">Nature, red in tooth and claw.</span><br><br><span class="bb-b">"There is, indeed, no single quality of the cat that man could not emulate to his advantage."</span><br><span class="bb-i">- Carl Van Vechten</span><br><br><span class="bb-i">I am, at my core, a personification and manifestation of those things whose blood and hearts run red with the ferocity of the animal world. It is this which convicts and controls my works, my writing, my being; the force and guidance in which I gain wisdom from. It is what inspires me as a creator and weaver of words, the very thing I admire as an author.</span><br><br><span class="bb-i">My leanings, savage as they are, are of the feline sort as there exists no greater lineage of beasts whom can be drawn from. No others captivate and motivate my talent and skill as the greatest of cats do.</span></div></div>
Vixere
Captain Uni
parelaxis
Passable Writer
rush99999
Nightwing95