Kenso

[SIZE=1]The sun was just cresting the horizon as Chal'kath came within sight of the camp. He was glad he'd manage to make it this early in the morning. The cool temperatures of the desert night made it easier to handle the run to camp, though he hadn't quite figured out why he'd felt the need to rush. He figured it was just a force of habit. He stopped to watch the sunrise, allowing himself the time to appreciate the sun's light as it revealed the expanse of the desert around them, the sky a deep red, almost as if it were an omen of things to come. He was a little surprised as he looked at the camp. He could see no outside patrols, as though they weren't worried about an attack. Of course, that might just mean they had enough people inside that the small force that would likely be used to attack such an outpost could be handled without consequence, but it still seemed more than a little arrogant. He did not show any signs of haste as he approached the camp, knowing that would likely put the guards on edge, and he had no desire for a confrontation at this point (or any point, for that matter, at least until it was with the Sand Shapers). The guards stationed at the gates (which were really just a wide opening in the packed sand wall surrounding the camp, just high enough to slow intruders) were well-suited to the task. Both were behemoths, probably three times wider than Chal'kath at the shoulder, although some of that was probably just the cloth they wore. There would be no actual armor in sight right now, as the desert heat would soon make it far too hot to be wearing any real armor. That was why the best warriors in the various nation's armies were the ones who mastered fighting with light weapons, allowing them to move freely and quickly, dodging and parrying blows instead of absorbing them. The guard on Chal'kath's left spoke first, he voice deep and booming, a voice that would demand attention and obedience from those beneath the man. "Halt and state your name and purpose." The voice showed no signs of hesitation, and the man earned a degree of respect from Chal'kath for that alone. Chal'kath stopped as asked. No point in ignoring the man. He was, after all, merely doing his job. He dropped all of his arms to his side rigidly, and bowed first to the man on his left, then to the man to his right. He wasn't completely certain that was how they greeted one another in Argrim, or any of the other nations involved in this, but he doubted it would earn him any enmity. "I am called Chal'kath Vedrinu. I am here in response to a summons for capable adventurers that I received from soldiers of Argrim, who released me from my battle group with that nation." The guards looked at one another and nodded. "We had been told you wold be arriving, though we had anticipated a later arrival. If you would enter the large building in the center, and go into the first room on your left, you will find someone who can assist you in finding a place to sleep." Chal'kath nodded. "Thank you. May the end of these affairs find both of you still standing." With that, Chal'kath entered the camp and headed for the building the guard had mentioned. He had to duck to enter, as he was sure a number of soldiers, including those guards, had to do. It seemed that most of the entryways were the standard size for a house, meaning they didn't account for the oddities that tended to come with adventurers and mercenaries. He headed for the room the guard had told him to, and found it very sparsely furnished. There was no more than 3 chairs, plus a table with one chair behind it and a ledger on top. That one chair was currently occupied by a young soldier. "What can I do for you?" The soldier was quite to the point, looking to do his job and move on. He voice hinted that he was unhappy to be there, almost as though he felt he were wasting his time. "I am here for the upcoming mission. I was told to come here to be assigned a place to stay." "Soldier or adventurer." Chal'kath would've laughed if the young man hadn't sounded so serious. "Adventurer." "You'll find the adventurer's quarters towards the rear of the building. Go through the door at the end of the hallway. You will take the first on your left upon entering the second half of the hallway." "Understood. Is there anything else I need to be aware of?" "None. You will be contacted when necessary, and you will know when meals are served." Chal'kath did not wait for permission to leave. The young man gave off a sense of being finished and having no further need for words. Chal'kath turned and exited the room, making his way up the hallway and to his room. The bedroom was not furnished much better than the 'assignments' room had been. A large cot dominated one side, while a chair, small table, and armor/weapons rack made up the rest. Chal'kath nodded in approval. This was war. Extravagances were unnecessary, and merely served to slow things down. The day went by simply enough. A rather loud gong sounded at each meal, and Chal'kath found the food to be far better than he had been expecting from a military camp in the middle of a desert. Every soldier in camp was one who'd seen real combat on the sands, all of them hardened to sights many people could not imagine. One man had told him a tale about being attacked by constructs of sand that he could barely injure. His scarred arms and chest said he'd been lucky to survive. These were warriors, forged in the fires of hellish combat and tempered by the cool knowledge that there was still more to come. While many were not as skilled as adventurers, they were as brave, and would make good additional forces in the combats to come. Chal'kath had plans to spend the second day resting. The third day was when preparations would begin, running on the assumption that everyone who would arrive would have done so. Many people had come and gone the first day, and Chal'kath had already adjusted to the sounds of the guards at the doors, and so was not particularly interested in the noise and Dante and the rest arrived. While noisier than usual, Chal'kath just figured it was a bigger group than had been arriving. Even the crushing iron and panicked yells didn't bother him much. It ended quickly, so there was obviously no actual combat to worry about. What did bother Chal'kath was the man who came barging into the room, crashing the door rather loudly into the wall. He shot up from the bed, arms up into a defensive pose, quite prepared for a fight. For a human, the man appeared tall, and he had striking white hair. "My apologies, bug boy. I'm afraid you're in my room."[/SIZE] [SIZE=1]The man's voice was taunting, cruel. He appeared to be looking for trouble. Not the kind of man Chal'kath wanted to have to fight alongside. He certainly couldn't trust him. Chal'kath's reply was made quickly, and his voice was sharp and angry.[/SIZE][SIZE=1] "I'm quite afraid your apparent lack of intelligence has led you to make a mistake. It would likely serve you well to go re-inquire as to your quarters, for these have already been assigned to me." [/SIZE]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=2]Care Score:[/SIZE][/FONT] [B][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=2] 6[/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=2]Justice Score:[/SIZE][/FONT] [B][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=2] 3[/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [SIZE=1]I'm not completely surprised by my results either, though I wasn't really expecting them to be quite that skewed. I believe that some situations absolutely demand breaking rules, even without going as severe as the Hitler/Jews example. The simple matter of defending yourself in most schools in against the rules and will get you in trouble for fighting, but it's definitely the better choice.[/SIZE]

I can't really say I've looked for rings on a regular basis. I've checked out a few girls, and then looked for the ring before flirting and things like that, but a ring-check is something I actually have to think about. Of course, as horrible as it may be, having a ring doesn't keep my from flirting. It just sets the line of what I will or won't say/do. Thankfully, my fiance doesn't mind me being flirtatious (which is good, because I do it just as often unintentionally as I do it intentionally), so I've never had a problem. I tend to notice wedding rings on guys pretty quickly though, probably because guys don't often wear much in the way of jewelry. Then I see how threatening the guy looks. My theory is, if the guy's got a ring and looks like he can kick your butt, find out who the wife is so you can avoid the butt-kicking. If they can't kick your butt, you'll have time to defuse the situation anyway. And yes, I'm well aware that my behavior in such manners probably makes me an ***.

[quote name='Endymion']Saint Patrick's Day Eve is always fun... [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/EtherealEndymion/Green.jpg[/IMG][/quote] Well, someone had a good St. Patrick's Day.....Hope you were sober enough to enjoy it.

"Maybe Now He Actually Can Fly"

[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]I can't believe I haven't responded to this, as I've read through it multiple times.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]For the most part, I look for the same things in relationships, whether for love or for friends. Anyone I'm going to hang out with needs to have a sharp wit and thick skin. I'm a smart-*** and tend to be blunt beyond belief. I don't believe in sugar-coating things at all. That is probably the single most important thing. I can deal with you in small portions if you can't handle that, but you won't be hanging out with me as a friend. If someone is easily offended, they won't deal with me for long (most people seem to think I'm a real *******, although that is, in all reality, likely far from the truth).[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Of course, there needs to be some common interests. Most of the friends I have right now are because of Dungeons & Dragons, which has proven to be an absolutely awesome way to meet people. Intelligence is also a must. I'm not necessarily saying above average (though, admittedly, I prefer that), but people I hang out with need to at least speak in a competent manner.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]With friends, age is not an issue at all. Quite a few of my friends just hit their 20s within the last year, while others are nearing 40. Love on the other hand, they've got to be within 3 or 4 years (if I'm older). Anyone younger, and they're pushing the legal boundaries, which is my main reason (better safe than sorry). I've only dated one girl older than me, and that was by 2 years. Unfortunately, she passed away, or I'd likely still be with her (not that I don't love my fiance, but I'm just as brutally honest with myself as I am with anyone else).[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Anyone I hang out with has to be tolerant of things that much of society is not. I will not hang out with anyone who is racist or homophobic or sexist. While I'm a white straight male, I'm very, very accepting of people as they are, and people who can generalize their hatred in such a severe manner just make me want to hurt them.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]For love, there does have to be a physical attraction. I'm not looking for a model of any sort, but I've got to be attracted. That said, I don't have some predetermined female ideal of any sort. The only thing that's really set is non-blonde and of medium or smaller build. I'm sorry, but my gf better way less than I do (unless she is my height, but I've only met two girls my height in my life). Shallow, yes, but true. Part of that is just because I like to pick my gfs up out of randomness, and I tend to get very unbalanced when carrying more than my weight. The other part is just me being shallow and not really being attracted. And the non-blonde thing has absolutely nothing to do with the preconceptions of blondes. I just don't find blonde as attractive most of the time.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]On a side note to DB: I really, really hope you made that post to intentionally rile people up. Because that has to be one of the most tasteless things I've read in a while.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[quote name='8bit'][FONT=Tahoma][COLOR=dimgray]Okay, so those are pretty easy things to make. But do [I]you[/I] know how to harvest true Canadian tree sap and turn it into tasty Maple Syrup? I think not.[/COLOR][/FONT][/quote] It's true, I certainly can't. That's a pretty cool skill to have though, if mildly random. Any particular reason you've learned how to do that? *blinks, looks at his last post* Wow, I screwed up there...That should so say NOT a bad cook....

I'm a [I]not [/I]bad cook myself. I haven't made anything yet that other people wouldn't eat, and that's always a good sign. I'm a meat guy myself. Steak, hamburgers, pork chops, whatever. I pretty much never use recipes, instead just tossing together something with what I've got around. Like every other male in my family, I'm more of a grill person. I think I probably cook better on the stove, but I prefer to cook with the grill, and just need practice (my dad is a grill-hog). Thankfully, quite unlike my father, I can bake. I'm not overly fond of it though. It has to be watched far too closely most of the time. I will say, I can't make fried eggs. It's not that they don't taste good, because they always do, but they look scary. I just can't master the art of flipping a fried egg....

That last one was excellently written. It felt emotional, although I've a feeling I would've gotten more of the effect if I knew the people it was referring to. All the same, a beautiful piece to be sure.

Right now, I've got Malice Mizer's Voyage album playing. I forgot how awesome these guys are (I haven't listed to it in AGES). I love how dark the music feels, and the violins are great (although I've only gotten through the first song so far).

That would be pretty cool. And it would help discourage the harsh treatment of newer players by giving people good reasons to help. Maybe a gp reward in the 'mail' if another player gives you a 'kudos' or something like that (but only once from any one player, to try and keep down the cheapness of doing it otherwise).

[quote name='8bit'][FONT=Tahoma][COLOR=dimgray]I think creating and colouring your own gear sounds good but when push comes to shove I think it's better for people to [I]earn[/I] their epic looking armor. If you could create amazing equipment from the get go there wouldn't be much there to keep you playing the game. I know basically the two main things that keep people grinding away in WoW are better gear and better skills. Take one of those out and you lose a lot.[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Tahoma][COLOR=dimgray]Ooh~ an idea just popped into my head. I suppose you could only start with a small selection of templates and colours to choose from (different ones depending on your class?) and have to quest/level/whathaveyou to get better looking ones. [/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Tahoma][COLOR=dimgray]This sounds like a fun MMO! :animesmil[/COLOR][/FONT][/quote] I just can't run with the idea of 'earning' your cool-looking armor. I don't know about you, but I don't want to play some mish-mashed mess of armor pieces that don't go together. And there would be a few 'patterns' that wouldn't be available until later on in the game. But just because you're armor looks bad-*** doesn't mean it protects you any better. The enchantments and the like would scale with level. Those are the kind of abilities you should be playing for (not to mention your cool new character skills).

[B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=black]1. What have your experiences with rudeness on the internet been?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Thankfully, I haven't any recent issues with rudeness on the internet. When I first joined, on a forum called Planet Community (Cheat Planet's forum - that incarnation died about a year and a half after I joined), I had huge issues with rude people. Anytime I posted trying to learn about something in an area of the site I didn't know anything about (back in that time, I wasn't much into any games but Zelda, and it was definitely gaming-heavy), someone felt the need to be a complete *** instead of providing any real response.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]The worst was on a small xsorbit forum I was on. I met a girl on there (who has since passed away), and we spent lots of time talking, etc. But one of the admins, for whatever reason, seemed pissed about any signs of a relationship between the two of us. He didn't bother me at all (probably because he invited me to join the forum to begin with), but he started harassing the girl, calling her a whore, etc. Of course, I tried stepping in, and then it turned into an all-out war. Unfortunately for him, after I took the time to compile every time he posted something deragatory (sp?) about her and throw it all out in the open with links, the entire board fell apart.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][/SIZE][/FONT] [B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=black]2. Do you get affected by them, generally?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]For the most part, not really. Stupidity annoys me, but outright rudeness I tend to blow off. The only rudeness I've responded to on a very personal basis was on that forum mentioned above.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][/SIZE][/FONT] [B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=black]3. Have you ever been deliberately rude to someone over the Net, and why?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=black]See above. Beyond that, not really intentionally. However, I am something of a smartass, and horribly, horribly opinionated, so chances are I've done it unintentionally quite a bit.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][/FONT] [B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=black]4. Do you think there are times when it's justified?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=black]Not really. Even in my example above, there were better ways for me to handle it than letting it boil over like that.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][/FONT] [B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1][COLOR=black]5. Why do you think people feel the need to make unecessary comments online?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]I think, for the most part, it's just because the can. There's far less fear of repurcussions, and that gives some people balls they wouldn't have otherwise.[/SIZE][/FONT]

I haven't actually seen too many anime with deaths of anyone I'd care about dieing. For the most part, it's Cowboy Bebop. [spoiler]Julia's death[/spoiler] was one of the saddest things I've ever seen. I can't say the same for [spoiler]Spike's death, if only because it would've been sadder for him to go on without Julia[/spoiler]. Also, when [spoiler]'Hot Ice' Hilda[/spoiler] dies in Outlaw Star. I know, the series wouldn't've gone on the same way without it, but it just seemed so unfair for it to end like that.

I'm currently playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl almost religiously. Until I picked that up, I was playing Tales of Legendia, and was going to move onto Xenogear (I think 2, but I don't remember - borrowing from a friend). On handhelds, I'm playing The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, A Link to the Past, Golden Sun, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and Tales of Phantasia. Oh, and Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. And no, I don't like Zelda one little bit.

As cliché as it is, I'd go for an MMORPG, ala World of Warcraft. I will, however, admit that WoW has a lot of things done right. But I'd have far less emphasis on getting fancy gear. Most gear would be created by the PCs, with a huge array of templates and the ability to color it your own way (including creating your own coat-of-arms, etc). It would have to have an insanely good character generator (like the various Tiger Woods games, though there is likely better ones that I haven't seen). I'm not entirely certain how I would do it, but I'd like to have a larger emphasis on inter-character relations. MMORPGs tend to have vary little RP in my experience, and that annoys me. One very important thing is that I'd have mods monitoring the channel chats at ALL times, and literacy would be demanded. I know, that would lose a lot of people, but new players who refuse to learn chase away players too. Either you'll learn, or I'll hold onto the people who have already proven their loyalty. While I'm not normally much of a PC gamer, this would obviously be intended for the PC. I wouldn't foresee it getting ported to a console, as I don't think it would be fit for such a platform. I forgot boss battles...Boss battles would be EPIC in nature. There would be no real boss battle that wasn't designed for a multi-man party. Small quest mini-bosses, certainly, but huge story quests would need 5-10 people to beat (or some really high-level folks). An MMORPG should be about interaction, and what better way to interact than jointly kicking the crap out of someone. The biggest reason I'd go for an MMORPG is simply its updatability. No game comes out anywhere near perfect, nor will all your ideas get out at once, so I like that you can add it in later, for lack of a better choice of words.

Well, I'm quite glad it was brought up in here, as I certainly never would've stumbled upon it. Quite an interesting read, if I do say so myself (if rather long, what with reading all of it in one sitting and all). It's nice to see that so many people on her are so passionate about it. I've gotten used to message boards falling apart over stupid crap (Planet Community, I'm looking at you).

[SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Name: [/B]Drake Historan[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Gender: [/B]Male[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Age:[/B] 18 [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Real World Appearance: [/B]Drake stands at an utterly average 5'8" tall, and is of a medium athletic build, weighing in around 160 lbs. He keeps his dark brown hair reaching his shoulder blades, usually pulled back into a ponytail. His eyes are a very pale blue, almost white from a distance. Having grown up on military bases, Drake has grown accustomed to military clothes, and has a fondness for BDUs (various camos and solid colors) and bomber jackets. If not in BDUs, he's generally in a well-fitting black t-shirt with a saying of some sort and torn jeans, either in combat boots or in black high-tops.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Year and Class: [/B]Drake recently graduated from a Colorado high school.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Personality: [/B]Drake is a relatively upbeat person, especially for someone who has never been able to hold onto friends for more than 2 years (although e-mail makes that a much smaller problem than it could be). A hard worker, Drake has no intentions of staying at the bottom of the barrel in life. While not insanely intelligent, he is above average, and his dedication to learning allows him to keep up with more intelligent people (he remembers everything once he learns it, but can take a bit of work to commit anything to memory).[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Drake is very well-disciplined, thanks to martial arts and a military upbringing. He is not shy, easily striking up conversations with strangers (something you just have to learn to do when you move often). He is exceedingly protective of family and friends, and does not tolerate people who give them trouble.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Tactically-minded, Drake is something of a fanatic for war games, a trait his mother finds exceedingly odd, considering his lack of interest in the military itself. Drake believes that the government forces too many restrictions on things, and hampers the scientific progress that would otherwise be possible. As something of a sci-fi freak, that's just not a good thing.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]GPA: [/B]Drake graduated with a 3.96 GPA, but he worked for it, and hard.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Character History:[/B] Drake is a military brat. His father was an Air Force pilot and his mother an air traffic controller, which is how they met. Drake's life has been fairly normal for the most part, aside from the mess that comes with being re-stationed every couple of years.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]When Drake was 9, almost 10, his father was selected to test pilot a new plane. The tests were being done near Mt. Angelica. His father was there for about 3 months, with tests going just fine, when they received news from the military. His father had gone for an evening walk and never returned. They could find no traces of him, and he was labeled MIA, though no one could be sure what may've happened to him.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Drake recovered well enough, though he had many questions, and continued on in life. He worked very hard in school, and usually played on the school baseball teams as a pitcher. He also joined the base shooting teams, and developed quite a bit of skill with numerous firearms.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Drake has been doing martial arts since he was 5. His father thought it would be a good way for him to meet new people when they changed bases, and he was quite right. Drake, after some initial trepidation, found that he enjoyed the feel of a dojo immensely, and found the physical exertion of martial arts satisfying, and has stuck with it since.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Now graduated, Drake has no intentions of joining the military (a fact his mother is disappointed in). He has no exact plans for his future (though he will likely go to college for something Aerospace related), but has decided to travel to Mt. Angelica to look into the incident with his father (even if it was nearly 10 years ago).[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Significant Item:[/B] Drake is never without a silver pocket watch, the last item he received from his father. It was his birthday present when he turned 10. The pocket watch is the folding kind, and the outside of the watch has a F-22 Raptor on it. Inside, the upper half is digital, displaying the time and date, while the lower half is analog and only displays the time.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Inner Universe[/B]: Called Lyrien, Drake's inner universe is the definition of the concept "All sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Very few people in Lyrien have any real jobs, instead zipping about in hovering cars and jetpacks. Wars are fought with powersuits that absorb most of the damage, meaning the real people just keep coming back for more (which makes for some long wars).[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Currently, Lyrien is at 'peace', but there always seems to be a country or two waiting to change that as they rebuild there war machines. At the current time, the countries most likely to break into war are Aslyrin and Tretlo, bordering nations who until recently had allied with another against the constant threats. Both governments have grown a bit big for their britches, however, and a territorial war appears likely.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]Some scholars in Lyrien are aware of the Outer Universe and other Inner Universes, but most people in Lyrien are either unaware or do not believe in them. Many of these people deny it simply because the technology to access them does not appear to exist. Technology is so rampant within Lyrien that many people ignore anything that technology can't do as utterly unimportant.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Inner Universe Appearance [/B]: Within Lyrien, Drake still looks effectively human. He wears a gunmetal grey skin-tight bodysuit that appears to have connectors for parts of some sort. (Think Centurions exoframes, but on a less bulky frame, and smaller connectors - Drake's is far more customizable.) His hair is pretty much the same length, but it has noticeable red highlights. His eyes are pure white, but are cybernetic (his real ones having been damaged beyond repair in battle). Within Lyrien, the exoframe is expiremental, and Drake does not know of anyone else with one.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Inner Universe Races [/B]: Human, Some Cybernetic Expirements[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=1][FONT=Verdana][B]Inner Universe Age[/B]: 27[/FONT][/SIZE] [B][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]FINISHED[/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

[SIZE=1]I'm not necessarily deadset on the mechanic 'spot' so to speak. It's just something he can do (so if Yarrick is out-of-commission, there's a back-up). But I modified the profile some, so I think he can fit the 'fugitive with friends in really low places' spot.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=1]Actually, I intended for Gabe to be on as a mechanic. However, his lifestyle had kept him fighting, and that's how he originally made a living. On top of that, if you'd like a fugitive, Gabe could be modified some. After all, it's not hard for someone who worked for a slave trader to end up on somebody's wanted list. [/SIZE]

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]I like it. But then, I'm an insanely mental person who was raised on Holmes and Bond, so I love the whole mind-games thing. It's like watching a really good chess match, with living pieces.[/FONT][/quote] You, sir, are a good man. As Holmes is probably my favorite fictional character, it seems as though Death Note may just be my kind of thing. I will be adding it to my "To Read/Watch" list.

"He finally got the wrong guy mad at him." "We told him to keep his mouth shut - he didn't listen." I'm not known for watching what I say, and I've been getting warnings for year that I'm gonna get my butt kicked one of these days. Not that people haven't tried, but I tend to prove fairly resilient. But even I know I'm gonna be on the severely losing end eventually.

Is Death Note really that good? My gf loved it, but I haven't bothered to actually check it out, and I'm starting to feel I missed out on something.

[SIZE=1]I just did the craziest thing I could think of. I opened up Windows Media Player and highlighted every album I've put on my computer (or that I've organized into the proper album as I got it song by song) and told it to play on shuffle. So while Billy Joel is playing right now, it may be Black Sabbath, Creed, Toby Keith, or George Strait next. ((Or Flogging Molly for that matter.)) I listen to almost anything. EDIT: Actually, Kidnap the Sandy Claws ended up the next song. For those who don't recognize it, it's off the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Black] Name: Gabriel "David" Vincent Smith; Better known as Gabe or Vince, though he prefers Vince - David is actually an old alias, and those who know him as David are likely not the trustworthy sort (aside from a few crew members) Age: 29 Race: Human Homeworld: Dranlin - A tough Alliance run inner world, Dranlin has more large metropolitan areas than many smaller planets combined. Outwardly sophisticated, with appropriately advanced technology and superb medical facilities, Dranlin's upper and lower classes are separated by a margin so huge that only a cheap companion who weasels her way into a wealthy client's 'heart' can ever really move up. Many of the lower class citizens have moved to various illegal activities to generate real amounts of money. Physical Description: Gabriel is around 5'9" and of a slight build. His dark brown hair and nearly black eyes contrast strongly with his pale skin (a result of staying indoors too often). He is in top physical condition, being something of a gymnast and martial artist. His entire body is long, thin, and effeminate, though his hands are much larger than any woman's. To make matters worse, he keeps his hair shoulder-length and usually wears it down. He has been mistaken for a girl numerous times. Gabriel has a thing for pockets. His clothes can NEVER have enough of them (and this may be true, as he seems to use all of them, though no one really knows how). He has a fondness for solid color military BDUs, though he often adds pockets even to those. If not in BDUs, he generally wears some very well-fitting cowboy style clothes, generally black jeans, a denim shirt, plus the hat and boots. This is the only time he's not laden in pockets. When not exercising, he usually wears a pair of old motorcycle goggles, which he actually uses for when he's working. If in cowboy gear, he'll have sunglasses instead (the goggles don't fit with the hat). Traits, Tricks, and other behind the sleek maneuvers: Gabe is a close-quarters fighter and a master of stealth. If he has a gun, it's probably because someone didn't give him a choice in the matter. Needless to say in this day and age, he can use one, but he doesn't like them. Gabe is also something of a technical and mechanical freak. If it has moving or electrical parts, he can probably work it, or make it work. He wanted to be a pilot, but it's best that he not be allowed behind the yoke. Like all good mechanics, Gabe is self-taught. When on-planet, he is often found covered in grease from doing odd jobs at varying mechanics for extra cash. How you came to be a part of Saklaus: Gabe has not always been an honest smuggler. On Dranlin, you took work as you could find it, and Gabe found himself employed by a slave trader, as a bodyguard (the man believed in subtleties to catch rivals off-guard). Said employer attempted to hire Jonathon Shepard. But smuggling goods is different from smuggling people, and Jon wasn't much for it. Gabe's boss didn't take that well and tried to get Jon killed. Jon didn't take that well and decided it was Gabe's boss that should die. Gabe, not really interested in being involved, high-tailed it out of there, and so managed to stay alive. This, however, was only Gabe's first run-in with Jon. After all, Dranlin is just the kind of place to supply steady work to someone like Jon. The next time Gabe ran into Jon, he was going by the name of 'David'. By that time, he was running medical supplies stolen from the Alliance. Quite a bit less questionable than slave trade, but a lot higher profile. The shipment Gabe was trying to get rid of was a rush, and Jon just happened to be in the right place and the right time, at least for Gabe. The shipment was a rush because Gabe hadn't pulled it off as flawlessly as usual, and his teammate had been captured. In his business, at least on Dranlin, you didn't trust your teammates to keep their mouths shut, so he need a quick way to get rid of the goods (and buyers are never in short supply, so you just need to find a transporter). It wasn't until Jon had arrived and recognized him that Gabe had the idea of joining. Considering that police forces showed up as if on cue, Jon didn't get much of a choice to oblige. Gabe is doing his best to prove himself. [/COLOR][/SIZE]