Blayze

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Hey there, [b]Blazerman32 [/b]and [b]garmeil[/b], my name is Blayze, your friendly Arena Moderator.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Just dropping in to let you know that this thread does not really live up to the high standard we expect here on the OB. Blazerman, your opening to the RP is really not as detailed as we expect - we usually encourage a good 3 paragraphs of description - otherwise how are the players supposed to know what the RP is about? Also, please watch your spelling and grammar. If you simply copy and paste the text from the thread into a text document on your computer, then perform a spelling and grammar check, then that should hopefully set you straight.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The last thing I want to say is that the last three posts are the kind of thing you need to reserve for out-of-thread discussions. You can do this by Private Messaging (PM) or by finding, adding and talking to each other on various Instant Messengers, such as AIM, Yahoo or MSN.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]You will want to read the [b][url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=44318"]Adventure Square Basics Sticky[/url] [/b](click on the bold type for a link), just to make sure that you know what we expect of you here on the OB.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself or another Arena Moderator and ask - we are usually nice, friendly people to talk to, and we'd all be glad to help you with your problems.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]I'll leave this thread open, but I expect some editing to be done quickly, otherwise I will be forced to intervene again and close the thread.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Thanks![/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Alex ran from the Fanbeemon, with KoKabuterimon close by his feet, his tiny arms and legs pumping furiously to keep up with the rest. Alex reached down and scooped up the little Digimon with his right hand and deposited him on his own broad shoulders. He increased his speed, his arms pumping, his leg muscles straining. He'd never been much of a runner if he was really honest with himself.[/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]He took a chance look back over his shoulder, and saw the bee-like creatures closing in on them. Sweat began to dribble down his forehead, and tiny droplets of salty liquid dripped into his eyes, stinging them and causing him to blink uncontrollably. As he opened his eyes, and the haze cleared, he saw the Fanbeemon had all but caught up with them.[/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"Guys," [/b]he shouted forward, [b]"I'm not sure we can keep running from them!"[/b][/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"Alex is right!"[/b] Tristan replied from the head of the pack, [b]"They're too fast for us. We've gotta find some way to lose them!"[/b][/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"The elevator!" [/b]yelled Kazuki, [b]"If we get in the elevator before they get to us then we should be able to lose them!"[/b][/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"Too far," [/b]panted Stephen, [b]"And in the opposite direction. We'd have to go through the swarm to get to the elevator. Kind of defeats the point, doesn't it?"[/b][/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"Then we need to get outside, into an open space. That way we have the best chance of fighting them off!" [/b]Kazuki suggested.[/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"I thought that's what we were doing," [/b]said Quincy, apparently disinterested in the creatures following them. The group sprinted towards the exit, and the seven humans and seven Digimon burst into the open, the cool air wafting against their faces as they scrambled to their feet, their shoes slapping against concrete.[/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"Alex," [/b]said KoKabuterimon a little nervously, [b]"I'm not sure I want to fight these things. They seem kinda scary to me."[/b][/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"It's ok, KoKabuterimon," [/b]the giant of a man replied softly, [b]"You don't have to fight if you don't want to."[/b][/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b]"Fat lot of good that's gonna do us!" [/b]shouted Mike, [b]"Here they come!"[/b][/size][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]With a crash, the doors of the mall burst outwards off their hinges, flying to either side of the DigiDestined, and the Fanbeemon swarmed towards the group at high speed, their stingers outreached for the attack...[/size][/font]

[center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]Name:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Giacomo Lenini[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]Age:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]29[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]Gender:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Male[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]Status:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Self-Styled Noble[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]Faction:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]The Judiciary[/size][/font][/center] [center][b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][u]Appearance:[/u][/size][/font][/b][/center] [center][b][url="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/DeSotoDiceFreak/Carnivale/Hound.jpg"][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Here[/size][/font][/url][/b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]- unmasked appearance [/size][/font][url="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b16/Blayze54/LindseyMcDonald.jpg"][b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]here[/size][/font][/b][/url][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2] Giacomo was once a pale, sickly child, but throughout his young adult life he managed to build up his upper body strength. No-one is quite sure what the tattoos on his upper body mean, but they are definitely linked to his bond with his Pharoah Hound, as they are the same markings that appear on the Hound's collar.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Giacomo is a tall, imposing man, both muscular and slim, with strong muscles in his arms, legs and chest. His muscles are almost constantly coiled, tensed, ready for him to leap into action, and this gives him an uneasy appearance at the besat of times.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]His flowing black hair is most often held back into a loose ponytail, especially when he affixes his mask. His usual attire is simple, mostly black, with boots, slacks and a tunic, all made of the same simple black silk. However, when Giacomo becomes Judgement's Hound, he dons his long, black cloak and pulls the hood up to cover the seam where the mask meets his face.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]Personality:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Giacomo is a ruthless, relentless hunter by Role and by Nature. He is driven by the hunt, and nothing else. No woman can seduce him, no force of law can frighten him. He works to protect himself, and does so with steely determination. During public demonstrations, he prefers to move himself back, staying out of the way, and letting the others, such as the Scales of Judgement, and the Gavel of Ending do the talking.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]However, unlike many members of the Judiciary, his unmasked personality is almost no different to his public personality. He is known and feared throughout Cenive and the outlying territories as a ruthless, cold-hearted hunter who will stop at nothing to achieve the goals of himself and of the Judiciary as a whole.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]He seems to have an unspoken bond with his [/size][/font][url="http://http//img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/DeSotoDiceFreak/Carnivale/JudgmentsHound.jpg"][b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Pharoah Hound[/size][/font][/b][/url][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2], whom he can call without a single word spoken. He calls the female hound "Sasha," for reasons that no-one who has ever encountered Giacomo has discovered.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]History:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Born on the outskirts of Cenive, Giacomo was a weak, sickly child, who could barely defend himself against his abusive father. His mother suffered long through childbirth, and the pain never seemed to vanish, forcing Giacomo to watch his mother become a broken woman. His father took care of him, but this was care in the loosest sense of the word. He would take Giacomo to work with him every day, as a silk merchant, and would regularly beat and torment the boy after long days of working.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]However, when Giacomo was a mere ten years old, after suffering at the hands of his father for almost his entire life, his mother died. This finally gave Giacomo the chance to leave home, and he ran into the woods with a pack of food on his back, fleeing the tyranny of his forceful patriarch.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]On his first night in the woods, Giacomo (who had begun to call himself "Jack") encountered a pack of stray dogs which had wandered from the city centre to the outskirts. He befriended all of them, but became particularly drawn to a strong-willed Pharoah Hound, whom he affectionately named "Sasha."[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Over the coming months, Jack had to learn to fend for himself. He began to learn the tricks of the forest, allowing him to hunt, to track animals across great distances, and to kill them for his own gain, albeit only for food. All this time he was accompanied by his now-faithful companion Sasha, and throughout the summer he grew stronger, both in character and in physical strength. He cut off all ties to other humans, leaving him with cold feelings towards them, but in return for this his sicknesses cleared, leaving him a strong, healthy young man.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]It was one day in the long hot summer that he ventured back to his old home for the first time, by accident, as he was tracking a deer. He found his father sitting by the window, drunk, with dozens of empty wine bottles around him. He took a few steps inside, and as his father turned to face him, he unleashed Sasha. The Hound ripped Jack's father apart, leaving him lying in a steadily-growing pool of his own blood.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]It was not long after that Jack was arrested just inside the city for stealing food (it had been a particularly sparse winter, and there was barely any decent food in the forest), and thrown into jail. The soldiers who kept him there beat him, and it once more unleashed the animal inside him. Sasha appeared, as if from nowhere, with no spoken command from Jack, and tore the guards apart.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Stepping through the carnage, a man in a mask appeared to Jack, and he was recruited into the ranks of the Maestro. He was given elocution lessons to make him well-spoken once more, and he reclaimed his name of Giacomo. But to the public, the citizens of Cenive, he would always be known, and feared, as one thing, and one thing only...[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Judgement's Hound.[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]Weapon:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]A long, but thin sword, which he wields with deadly efficiency[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][b][u]Role:[/u][/b][/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Judgement's Hound[/size][/font][/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2][All done! Hope it meets your expectations!][/size][/font][/center]

[b][i][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]I hope the others are doing ok, [/font][/i][/b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]thought Adam as he jogged up the steps of an old house and rapped smartly on the door with his knuckles, [b][i]I'd hate for anything to go wrong so early on. [/i][/b]The door creaked open, and an elderly woman's face appeared in the crack, her eyes flickering nervously. [b]"Who is it?" [/b]she asked, her voice crackly, weak, [b]"Who's there?" "Its Adam," [/b]Legion replied, [b]"Can you please let me in, Madame Francine?" "Of course you can come in, Adam," [/b]the old lady replied, her tone changing and her face breaking into a thin smile, [b]"You're always such a polite boy." [/b]She opened the door fully, and raised her arms, giving Adam a hug as he crossed the threshold. [b]"Would you like a cup of tea?" [/b]she asked sweetly as she closed the door, [b]"I've just put a pot on." "I would love to, Madame Francine, but I'm afraid its purely business today. I need to see Joe." "Oh, well he's in the usual place, Adam," [/b]she replied, [b]"You know where to find him. Just give me a call if you need anything." "Thank you, Madame Francine," [/b]he said, and he ran up the stairs of the old house. Madame Francine had once been a psychic, the only real one in town. She had a limited amount of magical ability herself, and it seemed to appear in the form of slight clairvoyancy. She could see snippets of the future, but she could never quite piece together what they meant. Since then, though, she had grown old, and her clairvoyancy was beginning to fade. She only had occasional glimpses of the future now, and usually they were nothing helpful. But Adam couldn't think about that now. He stepped into a dark, dusty little room, with a cupboard in the corner and a table with a single wooden chair in the centre. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he walked over to the cupboard and opened the doors, taking out a small object under a thick black cloth. Placing it on the table, he breathed in deeply again, and removed the cloth. Staring up at him from the oak table was a skull which looked similar to that of a cow, other than the fact that it had two long, curved horns like a fully-grown male goat protruding from the top of the head. Its two empty eye sockets seemed to bore right through him, and the mouth was set in a mocking kind of grin. Adam shivered, and clicked his fingers in front of the skull. [b]"Time to get up, Joe," [/b]he said, and all of a sudden the eye sockets were lit with what seemed like green candlelight, and an ethereal voice filled the room. [b]"What's going on? Who's there?" [/b]the voice asked, slightly bewildered. [b]"Its Adam," [/b]Legion said, [b]"I need some information." "Oh, that's all you ever come to me for, Adam. Information. You never want to see how old Joe is doing, no, its always a quest for knowledge with you. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother," [/b]replied the skull, somehwat sarcastically. [b]"Joe, I don't have time for this. I promise when all this is over I will come and visit you and we can just talk, ok? But for now I need to know the location of something." "Go on then," [/b]sighed Joe. Joe was an ancient tracker spirit, most commonly associated with the element of earth, who had been trapped inside a demon's skull almost a century ago by a wizard who wished to use his talents. He had been passed down through the generations, and finally Madame Francine had come into possession of him. She showed me during a consultation many years ago, and ever since whenever I needed something tracking I had come to Joe. [b]"A ghoul. It killed at least one person earlier tonight, around 10:30 on the East Side of the city, and I need to find out where it is." "A ghoul? Wow, you're really letting your new proteges in for a big one straight off the mark, aren't you, Adam? Let's see...ooh. You're going to like this one." "Tell me." "There's a nest of ghouls right in the city. Not just one, but almost two dozen of the things. You have a map?" [/b]Adam nodded, and produced a large map of the city from the inside pocket of his jacket, and placed it down on the table in front of Joe, unfolding as he went. A tiny spark of energy flew from Joe's left eye, and landed on the paper of the map. Twenty-one tiny glowing lights appeared, centred around California State University. This was bad news. Lots of students, lots of fresh meat for the ghouls. [b]"I need to know something else," [/b]said Adam, folding the map up and placing it back in his pocket, [b]"How can you kill a ghoul?" "I'm not a spirit of knowledge, Adam. You'd be better off asking my brother about that kind of thing," [/b]said Joe. The spirit had a "brother" of sorts in Chicago, an air spirit named Bob who lived in a human skull, belonged to some other wizard. [b]"Fine. Sorry," [/b]said Adam, picking up the black cloth to place it back over Joe, when he heard a scream and a smash from downstairs. He leapt from his seat, smashing the door open and flung himself downstairs and into the kitchen. He looked to the kitchen just in time to see a young Asian-looking man deliver a cruel slice to Madame Francine's abdomen with the elongated claws that protruded from his fingernails. [b]"No!" [/b]Adam shouted as the elderly psychic dropped to the floor in a spray of blood, and he ran towards the ghoul, seeing that his teeth were extremely elongated as well as his claws. Adam wriggled his wrist out of a small silver bracelet, and hurled it at the now-retreating ghoul. As soon as the silver made contact with the ghoul's flesh, it dropped to the floor, the metal acting almost the same as a taser would on a human being, knocking the ghoul unconscious. Adam had some horrible thoughts run through his head of what he'd like to do with the ghoul right now, but they were part of a baser part of his instinct, and he fought the images back, dropping to his knees beside Madame Francine. Her eyes had completely whited out, the irises and the pupils gone, replaced by whiteness, and she was breathing in short, ragged gasps. [b]"When the day...is done..." [/b]she gasped, her voice seeming different now, deeper, [b]"The only one the lonely...angel can stand by will be no more..." "Madame Francine, please hang in there," [/b]Adam said, feeling a well of tears back up behind his eyes, [b]"You're too strong to let this kill you." "We all die...except one of us lives..." [/b]Adam realised what was happening. Sometimes when clairvoyants were on the brink of death, they had extremely clear foresights of the future. Madame Francine was probably experiencing her ability more so than she had ever done in her life right now. But what did it mean? [b]"Goodbye, my angel..." [/b]she gasped, pressing her hand against Adam's cheek, and finally she slipped away, breathing her last breath and falling limp. Adam bowed his head, fighting back the tears. He needed to be strong right now. He picked up the phone and called the ambulance through a haze of static, then ran upstairs and into Joe's room. [b]"What happened? What are you doing?" [/b]asked Joe. [b]"Madame Francine's dead. And you're coming with me," [/b]Adam said, his voice cold and filled with rage, as he picked up the skull and thrust it into a bag that hung on the knob of Joe's cupboard, swinging it over his shoulder and leaving the house. He was going to find those ghouls and destroy them... [/font][center]--- [left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Alright, team, in your next post you need to get a call off Adam telling you to meet him at California State University, ready to fight the ghouls. Anyone who wishes to can initiate the fight. Have fun![/font] [/left] [/center]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Welcome to OtakuBoards, [b]BloodVampiress. [/b]First of all, any and all RP sign-up threads should have a far more detailed introduction, and secondly they should be posted in the Adventure Inn, a sub-forum of the Adventure Square. Thirdly, all threads in the Creative Writing section of the Boards needs a thread rating. Please, for this and all other purposes, refer to the [b][url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=44317"]Adventure Square Basics sticky[/url][/b] [click] Thank you, and I hope you enjoy your stay on the Boards. [b]THREAD CLOSED[/b] [/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Alright, Gavin that all looks cool to me. I'm thinking you can wait and make your first post at the end of this chapter (it won't be hugely long), as a kind of "watcher in the shadows" kind of figure at first, as long as that's all ok with you. As for the rest of you, I enjoyed Redemption and Athena's posts, and all I need is for the rest of you to post. If you need any help for what to post, then please let me know either in here or via PM. Thanks. [/font]

[center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][b][u][size=4]Legion [size=3]Chapter One: Ghouls [/size][/size][/u][/b][/font][left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=2]Detective Paula McCarthy knelt down over the horrific scene that fell before her eyes. The young man lying in front of her, his clothes soaked to translucency by the driving rain, had been killed in a particularly brutal way. His blood was running down the drain, washed from the scene by the rain, and his chest had been clawed open, apparently by some kind of wild creature. The harsh lights the police had set up were flickering in the heavy downpour, and McCarthy's hair was plastered to her head, her trenchcoat soaked through. [b]"Detective?" [/b]asked a police officer from behind her, [b]"The press have arrived. What do you want me to tell them?" "Tell them there's been a murder, and that an official statement will be given soon. Don't give them any more than that, Frank," [/b]sighed McCarthy. She hated the press with a vengeance. They were always sticking their noses where it was most awkward for the police, making it impossible for them to do their work. [b]"Will do," [/b]replied the officer, hurrying away. McCarthy looked back at the body and sighed again, breathing deeply. [b]"What did this to you?" [/b]she asked the body. [b]"Something that its best you don't know anything about, McCarthy," [/b]came an English voice from behind her, and McCarthy whirled around. A man stood a few feet away from her, his dark hair dripping, plastered to his forehead. A dark canvas jacket covered a white t-shirt, and a pair of charcoal-grey jeans adorned his legs. His feet were in a pair of black Converse All-Stars, and the white tips poked out from underneath his hems. He wore a broad smile on his handsome face, his crystal-blue eyes beaming. [b]"Legion," [/b]McCarthy whispered, exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. Another unwanted nuisance. [b]"I know what did this, McCarthy, and I can stop it if you just let me take a look at the body," [/b]Legion said, [b]"Please, McCarthy." "Fine. You have five minutes," [/b]McCarthy said, stepping aside to let Legion through, and he passed her, saying cockily: [b]"More time than I need." [/b]He knelt down beside the body, as McCarthy had done, and saw the positioning of the scratch marks. [b]"Come on in, guys," [/b]Legion said, tapping a Bluetooth headset that was hooked into his ear, [b]"We're good to go." [/b]A group of people passed through the police cordon, four female, two male, various cases of equipment clutched in their hands. [b]"Whoah, Adam," [/b]said McCarthy, [b]"What's this? I thought you always worked alone!" "Times are changing, McCarthy. Everyone needs a team to help them out nowadays. Even me," [/b]he said, grinning that charming smile again. [b]"Fine," [/b]she said, shaking her head, [b]"So, what did this?" "A ghoul," [/b]replied Adam, not taking his eyes off the corpse in front of him, [b]"A creature of the night, one that lives off human flesh. They can disguise themselves as human, but the disguise doesn't stand up to close scrutiny. My guess is this unfortunate fella got too close to comfort and the ghoul ripped him open." "So if they survive off human flesh, why didn't this "ghoul" eat him?" [/b]asked one of the team, a young Oriental woman. [b]"They got interrupted, Yasuo." "Interrupted?" [/b]said another woman, a cigarette hanging out of her mouth, [b]"What do you mean, Adam?" "Either someone saw them and they ran off, or a bigger, juicier prize happened to wander along, and they took off for something a little more filling. Either way, there's going to be another dead body soon enough, unless we stop this ghoul," [/b]said Adam. [b]"How do you kill a ghoul?" [/b]asked one of the young men on the team, [b]"I've read about them, but I've never encountered one before." "Not many people have. Not many living people, anyway. And as for your question, I don't know. I've never had to kill one before, so this is a first for all of us. We need to split into teams. We'll work quickest that way. Angelica, Shang, Nicolette, go take a look around the area. Try and find any kind of clues as to where this ghoul got to. Yasuo, Demtri, Ray, you need to head to the usual suspects, try and squeeze them for information. Try and find out how to kill a ghoul. We rendezvous at the Nexus in two hours. Now split!" [/b]shouted Adam, watching as the team separated into their two groups, and ran off in opposite directions. [b]"What are you going to do?" [/b]asked McCarthy, watching as Legion's new team set off in opposite directions from the scene of the crime. [b]"I need to go see Joe..." [/b][/size][/font][center] [/center] [/left] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]--- [/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Welcome to Legion. Sorry its taken a little while to get up (not a problem I have in other areas ;)) - you know your assignments, there is no posting order, so discuss amongst yourselves, preferably in the Underground or by PM, how you are going to go about your tasks. The basic idea is that you've been working with Legion for a few weeks - you're getting to grips with his organisation, but you're still a little mystified by the man himself. Feel free to use your magic at any time, by the way. Enjoy! [/font] [center][/center] [/center] [/center]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Adam Legion looked down at the list of names he had in front of him. There were some damn fine wizards on there, as well as a couple who were unknown, wild cards if you will. [/font][center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Demetri Ashcroft Yasuo Kiatsu Nicolette [surname unknown] Shang Quan [surname, given name] Ray [surname unknown] Angelica DeJesus [/font][left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]He was a little surprised at how many wizards wanted to accept his offer, and so he had extended the offer to six of them, instead of the four he had originally planned. He hoped they were all up to the job... [/font][center]--- [left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Welcome, Redemption, Ezekiel, Sakura, BKStyles, Kitty and Athena. You have all been accepted into Legion Investigations. I hope you are all ready for it. Gavin, while not accepted on the list, has requested to play a villain, and I have agreed. Gavin if you are reading this, you should post your new character's profile in here rather than in the Inn. However, he is the only one playing a villain in this situation. Apologies to all those who did not get in, there may be other incarnations of this in which you may choose to participate. All the sign-ups were extremely good, I had a very hard time deciding on the accepted list. Anyway, post any and all questions you may have in this thread, and try to keep all out-of-character discussions in here as well. The RP proper will begin soon, either tonight or sometime tomorrow. So get ready! [/font][/left] [/center] [/left] [/center]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Alright, guys, excellent sign-ups so far, I can tell I'm going to have a hell of a time deciding on the final line-up. Sign-ups are still open until tomorrow, when I shall close them and choose who is in. Until then, keep sending in those sign-ups, and I would still appreciate some graphics if anyone feels like very kindly donating some. Thanks. [/font]

[b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Lead Vocals - [/font][/b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Freddie Mercury (Queen, Solo) [b]Lead Guitar, Harmonica [/b]- Joe Satriani (Solo) [b]Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals - [/b]Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd, Solo) [b]Bassist, Backing Vocals - [/b]John "The Ox" Entwistle (The Who, Solo) [b]Keyboard, Backing Vocals - [/b]Hugh McKenna (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band) [b]Drums - [/b]Carlos De La Garza (Suburban Rhythm, Reel Big Fish) [b]Sound - [/b]They would have a very classic rock-oriented sound, with a splash or two of prog thrown in from Satriani, Gilmour and McKenna. Thundering basslines, including numerous bass fills and solos from Mr Entwistle, and complex vocal harmonies from Mercury, and filled in by Gilmour, Entwistle and McKenna. Thrown into the mix for a little light relief and some fun drumming, Carlos De La Garza would provide energetic, upbeat drum lines. [/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Hey there, [b]shinobi-adam[/b]. Since this is obviously one of your first posts on the OtakuBoards, I should warn you not to re-open threads like this one, which hasn't been posted in for over four years. Try to stick to the first page and a half when choosing an RP to sign up for. Also, you'll be needing to read the [b][url="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=44317"]Adventure Square Basics Sticky [/url][/b]as well as the[url="http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php?"][b]OtakuBoards Rules[/b][/url] before posting again. Hope you have a fun time here on the OB, and please don't hesitate to contact myself or one of the other Arena Moderators if you have a query. [b]Thread Closed[/b] [/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Haha, I love threads like this, it gives me a chance to show off my musical talent. Well, as some of you may already know, I play saxophone and bass guitar, and I am in a band called [url="http://www.myspace.com/thekrushmusic"][b]The Krush[/b][/url]. We've been together for almost two years now. It is made up of me (Phil) on bass and backing vocals (and saxophone, although we haven't written any songs involving that yet, but we are doing a cover of that ska classic "One Step Beyond" at our next gig), Dan and Ant on guitar, with Dan also on backing vocals and harmonica, Tom on drums and Jonny on lead vocals. We wrote our first song, "With Me," almost two years ago now, and we are still not sure what it's about (actually, the majority of our songs are like that), but it has a nice kind of ska-ish feel to it. The other song on our Myspace, "You've Got The Answer," was actually written in the space of about two days, but we're still proud of it. The guy who helped us record, a friend named Guppy, also made a drum 'n' bass remix of "With Me," which is pretty fun. We have three more songs written which we have yet to record, although by mid-March we should have some live recordings up, and then by April we should have at least one more studio recording to our name. Anyway, listen, enjoy, and I look forward to hearing some of the music from the rest of you. (By the way, Clurr, I love your music. It's really impressive how good quality it is seeing as you've done them yourself. The songs are also really nice, they have some good pace to them, they sound good.) [/font]

[center][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=4]Legion[/size][/font][/u][/b] [/center] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode] [/font][center][b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]"Help!"[/font][/b] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]My vision was blurred by the incredible heat that had consumed most of my house as I ran into the [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]kitchen, one arm trying to shield my eyes from the licking flames and pungent smoke, the other [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]pushing my way through the debris that blocked my way. My mother was somewhere in the kitchen, and [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]I had to save her. I pushed past a wooden beam that had fallen from the ceiling, and found my [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]mother, curled up in the corner of the room, next to a wooden cabinet, tears pouring down her face.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][b]"Mum!"[/b] I cried over the crackling of the flames and the crashing of rubble and wood, [b]"Are you ok?"[/b][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]She looked up, but she couldn't shout back. Thick, toxic smoke surrounded her small frame, and if [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]she opened her mouth even for a second it would choke her. She waved her arms wildly, and got to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]her feet, trying to reach me across the debris that separated us. I reached over, but our hands [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]were still a few inches away. Too far to reach. I couldn't do it any more.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The smoke attacked me, filling my lungs, and I felt myself blacking out. My mother screamed as she [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]saw my body fall to the floor, and was almost instantly crushed by another falling roof beam. The [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]last thing I heard was my mother's last scream as she died...[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Adam Legion snapped upright in bed, his naked torso drenched with sweat, his breath coming in deep, [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]ragged gasps. He ran his fingers through his short dark hair, now matted to his scalp with [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]perspiration.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][i][b]A dream,[/b][/i] he told himself urgently, [b][i]It was all just a bad dream... [/i][/b][/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]He got out of bed, sliding his feet onto the floor, and padded over to the sink in the corner of [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]his apartment. He splashed his face with cold water, trying desperately to wake himself up for the [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]day. As he placed his hands on the sides of the sink and stared into the mirror, looking at his [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]own handsome, but pale face, the phone rang. He grabbed it off the hook and placed it to the side [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]of his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he said:[/font] [b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]"Hello, Adam Legion, paranormal investigator, how may I help you?"[/font][/b] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font] [size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Of Magic[/font][/u][/b][/size] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][i]mag·ic [maj-ik][/i] noun[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]1. the art of producing a desired effect or result through the use of incantation or various [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]other techniques that presumably assure human control of supernatural agencies or the [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]forces of nature. [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]2. the use of this art: Magic, it was believed, could drive illness from the body. [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]3. the effects produced: the magic of recovery. [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]4. power or influence exerted through this art: a wizard of great magic.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode][i]wiz·ard [wiz-erd][/i] noun[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]1. a person who practices magic; magician or sorcerer. [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Magic is very much a part of this world. It exists in every single being, every human, every [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]animal, every plant, everything. It has always existed, and it is as much a part of our being as [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the elements themselves, and it will not go away as long as there is life on this world. Magic [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]most commonly materialises itself in the form of one or more of the natural elements of this world, [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]namely: fire, earth, wind, water, and occasionally lightning and ice. However, wizards most often [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]concentrate their energy on one main element, rather than any more, although some are skilled in [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]two.[/font] [size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Of Wizards[/font][/u][/b][/size] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]But there are few who can harness this raw force of nature and use it themselves, who can wield [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]magic, and truly call themselves wizards. There were once thousands of them, their influence [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]stretching right across the globe, but their kind have been dying out, and now there are only a [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]handful left.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The wizards of today are led by the powerful White Council, whose duty it is to protect humanity [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]from abuses of magic, as well as to shield the world from external forces, dark beings who seek to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]destroy it. The Council is governed by the Senior Council, made up of seven members, the head of [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the Senior Council being entitled "The Merlin".[/font] [size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The Seven Laws[/font][/u][/b][/size] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]The White Council set out the guidelines of magic use many centuries ago, and eventually came up [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]with the Seven Laws of Magic:[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]1. Thou shalt not kill by use of magic[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]2. Thou shalt not transform others[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]3. Thou shalt not invade the mind of others[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]4. Thou shalt not enthrall another[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]5. Thou shalt not seek beyond the Outer Gates[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]6. Thou shalt not reach beyond the borders of life[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]7. Thou shalt not swim against the currents of time[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]These laws were set out to protect humans and wizards alike from abuses of magic. They are [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]punishable by forcible removal of magic from a wizard by the Senior Council, thus rendering a [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]wizard magically impotent.[/font] [size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Paranormal Investigations[/font][/u][/b][/size] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]This has become the primary occupation of many wizards today. There are creatures who have invaded [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the mortal world and seek to destroy humans. These creatures include vampires, demons, spirits, [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]aeries, werewolves and many more besides. So a large portion of the wizard population has taken [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]it upon themselves to protect the human race from these creatures.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Adam Legion is just such a wizard. He has set up "Legion Investigations," an organisation to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]investigate and combat the forces of darkness through use of magic. He has gathered together a [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]group of four other wizards, and together they have formed the most well-known and well-respected [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]paranormal investigations organisation in the world.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Welcome to Legion Investigations, researching and investigating the paranormal across the country. [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Based in Los Angeles, and founded by a powerful wizard named Adam Legion, this organisation is [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]specially trained to find and combat all paranormal activity, from ghosts to vampires to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]werewolves. For a fee, of course.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]You are one of four lucky wizards that Adam has decided to take under his wing, one of four wizards [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]lucky enough to become part of Legion Investigations.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Here is what I need from you in terms of a sign-up. Instead of the application form that is [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]usually set, I am instead setting a challenge to write me a short snippet about yourself. Included [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]in this should be:[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Name[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Gender[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Age[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Appearance[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Personality[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Level of Magic Use (ie are you a beginner, a fairly mediocre magic user, or pretty damn good at [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]using magic?)[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Magic Type (fire, water, earth, wind, ice or lightning? Remember, these last two are fairly rare)[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Other Special Skills (anything you might fall back on in case you ever were to lose your magic ie [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]lockpicking, hand-to-hand combat etc.)[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]If there are any sections which you physically cannot manage to incorporate into your snippet, then [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]please add them separately at the end. The brief for your snippet is "An Encounter With A Force of [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]the Paranormal." This can be almost anything, just please refrain from using vampires or demons at [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]this time. Please be original and fair with your power levels, give other people a chance.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Sign-ups are open until Tuesday 20th February, upon which time I will be making my decisions as to [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]who is in and who is out. An Underground will be open fairly soon, so please post any questions [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]you may have in there.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Also, any graphic artists out there in the realms of the OB, any donated avatars, banners or [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]graphics you might be able to come up with for this would be much appreciated. If you feel like [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]you would like to give this a go, please PM me and I will give you some kind of an idea of what I [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]would find ideal. Thanks.[/font] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]I will be posting a snippet of Adam Legion shortly, so please enjoy making your snippets and I will [/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]enjoy reading them![/font][/center]

[size=2][color=#000000][center][left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]I have but one complaint about this year's Nifty Fifty:[/font] [/left] [left] [/left] [/center] [QUOTE][center][b]The Arena Mob[/b] "The Arena Moderators are legion - Lady Asphyxia, Revelation, Jokopoko, Ozymandius Jones, Ezekiel, Sandy and myself - and we have all managed to work extremely well together in the past. Even if Zeke and Sandy always get to close threads before me..."[/center] [right][i]- Raiyuu[/i][/right] [/QUOTE][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Um...[b]WRONG! [/b]It was I who posted that nomination, not Raiyuu. He's not even a part of the Arena Mob. Grr. [/font][right][left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Other than that, this year's Nifty Fifty looks awesome. Congratulations to all those who got in this year, including Charles (despite my best efforts...grr again).[/font] [/left] [/right] [/color][/size] [color=darkblue][b][size=1]Corrected. -Shy[/size][/color][/b]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]LeCrosse had seen some murders in his time, but this was something else. This man had been killed so horrifically that LeCrosse was almost feeling the urge to throw up rising from the pit of his stomach. [b]"Dey...dey killed him jus' 'cause he was gonna help us?" [/b]he stuttered, [b]"Wha' kin' o' monsters are dese people?" [/b]LeCrosse noticed Darius slip off, and moved to the back of the room, subtly opening the door a little and slipping out himself. Darius had seemed a little shaken up by the corpse, and LeCrosse took it upon himself to make sure he was ok. He weaved through the cast and crew of the show, who were still apparently oblivious to what had happened backstage, following the streak of dark leather that was Darius outside into the alley. LeCrosse hopped up a flight of stairs, and popped a window open with the deftness of a thief. Swinging himself onto the fire escape, he watched Darius catch up with a dark-cloaked man in the alley. There was a brief confrontation, most of which LeCrosse couldn't hear, but he watched, horrified, as Darius burnt the man's lungs out, and walked away slowly. As his fellow Magician left the scene, LeCrosse dropped down to the floor, landing with a strange acrobatic grace, and knelt down next to the corpse. [b][i]This ain' somet'in' one o' us should be doin', [/i][/b]thought LeCrosse, [i][b]There's somet'in' wrong wi' Darius, dat's for sure. [/b][/i]He grabbed the body under the shoulders, and dragged it into the darkness deeper within the alley, hiding it. Police probably wouldn't find it for weeks now, they barely ever came around here any more, so Darius was safe for now. He piled garbage bags and cans around the corpse, hoping that the flimsy disguise would last for a little while. Then he sprinted out of the alley after Darius. He saw the Magician as he was heading through the lobby, back to where Crowley had been murdered. LeCrosse followed him through the throng of people, before grabbing the man himself and swinging him into a side room. Darius struggled, but LeCrosse pumped a little of his telekinesis into his arm muscles, strengthening them slightly. This was a trick he had learned fairly recently, and he was nowhere near increasing his strength to any important degree, but in situations like this it was perfect. LeCrosse held Darius to the wall and looked deep into the man's eyes. [b]"Wha' de hell was tha'?" [/b]LeCrosse hissed, [b]"You killed tha' guy for no good reason!" "He was the one who killed Crowley, you cretin," [/b]spat Darius, [b]"He hadn't managed to escape from the scene yet, and I was trying to apprehend him. When I managed to track him down, he wasn't answering my questions, so I had to kill him." "Tha's one weak argumen' for killin' a man, Darius," [/b]LeCrosse replied, [b]"You killed him 'cause he wasn' answerin' your questions?" "He's a Dark Magician, LeCrosse. He would have come back with dozens of others, just to hunt us down. I've saved us, for now." "You saved us? Darius, don' you t'ink dat dere's others aroun'? If no' here, den somewhere close by. Someone will have realised you killed him, and dey won' be happy 'bout i'." "He deserved to die. He killed an innocent, in cold blood, for no good reason." "And dat makes it ok for you to kill him in return? If you killed him for revenge, Darius, dat makes you no better dan those Dark Magicians." "I am nothing like them!" [/b]Darius snarled, [b]"They are evil. I am not." "One man's hero is another man's villain, Darius. Jus' bear dat in mind nex' time you decide someone don' deserve to live." [/b]LeCrosse released his hold on Darius, rubbing his bicep to relieve the muscle pain that seemed to accompany the use of that particular skill. He looked Darius up and down with disdain, and then walked out of the room to find the others. Darius followed him out of the door, and the two of them ran into Mugen and the rest of the party walking through the lobby. [b]"LeCrosse, Darius, we were just about to come and look for you. We didn't know where you went," [/b]said Mugen. [b]"Well, we're here," [/b]said LeCrosse. [b]"What have you been doing?" [/b]asked Xavier, looking suspiciously at Darius, who was rubbing his chest where LeCrosse had been gripping him. [b]"Not'in'," [/b]said LeCrosse, immediately covering for Darius, [b]"We t'ought we'd found somet'in' dat migh' help us, bu' i' turned ou' to be not'in'." "Well, we're just leaving. The crew should find Crowley soon enough. It's up to them now," [/b]said Mugen, walking out of the theatre, the rest of the group following him. [b]"Make no mistake," [/b]said LeCrosse to Darius as he went to leave, [b]"I covered for you dis time 'cause we're teammates now. I ever see you doin' anyt'in' like dat again, I ain' coverin' for ya. Savvy?" "Whatever," [/b]said Darius, walking swiftly away from the Cajun. LeCrosse sighed, and walked out, shaking his head. [b]"Officer! That's him!" [/b]cried a voice from behind him, [b]"That's the man who killed Crowley!" [/b]LeCrosse spun around just in time to see a group of police officers striding towards him across the lobby, their hands reaching for their handguns. [b]"Merde," [/b]said LeCrosse under his breath, his hand reaching towards the ticket stall. [b]"Put your hands behind your head, sir," [/b]shouted one of the police officers, [b]"Do not attempt any resistance." [/b]Now they were aiming at him. Brilliant. [b]"Sorry, officer, bu' I ain' in de mood for gettin' caugh' tonigh'," [/b]said LeCrosse with a heart-warming smile, as he ripped the ticket stall out of the ground and hurled it towards the police officers. They ducked as it rolled over them, and as they turned, they opened fire on LeCrosse, bullets slamming into his chest and torso, knocking him to the floor in a shower of blood... [/font][center]--- [left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][b]"Nice illusion," [/b]LeCrosse said to his Xavier, a man he had never expected to be his saviour, as they ran down the street...[/font] [/left] [/center]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]LeCrosse sighed as the wind blew through his hair. When he woke up this morning, this was definitely not how he had planned to spend the rest of his day. Playing card tricks on tourists, eating, sleeping, maybe, but flying on the back of another Magician above New York City with some kind of illusion (no one was quite sure what kind of illusion Xavier had set up around them) wrapped around them, disguising them from the pbulic, definitely not. But it was nice to be around magic users again - it had been a good few years since the last time so many of them had gathered. But while this was comforting, to be around others who were like him, he knew that the only reason they were gathered was because something was stirring, some dark force that could threaten their existence. He closed his eyes, and began to meditate as he had found himself doing so much more frequently now, finding himself almost leaving his body. [b]"LeCrosse," [/b]shouted a voice over the rushing air that whipped around them, breaking LeCrosse out of his trance, [b]"Any chance you could do anything about all this wind?" [/b]asked Xavier. [b]"Wha' makes you t'ink I can do anyt'in'?" [/b]replied LeCrosse, a little frustrated that Xavier had interrupted his meditation. [b]"You're a telekinetic, right?" [/b]he said, [b]"Well, surely you can set up a field of some kind that won't allow the wind through?" "'Round all o' us?" [/b]said LeCrosse, somewhat disbelievingly, [b]"All us Magician's an' the bird?" "It shouldn't be too much of a problem for someone with your...skills," [/b]said Xavier. [b]"I'll see wha' I can do," [/b]replied LeCrosse, and summoned every drop of power that lay within him, channeling it into his hands, which he threw up above his head, and felt a telekinetic shield wrapping itself around the illusion that Xavier had set up. [b]"Careful," [/b]LeCrosse heard Mugen saying to Xavier, [b]"With all this magical energy surrounding us, we're going to be like a beacon to any magical beings who want to attack us. Cammy's shapeshifting, plus your illusions, and now LeCrosse's psionic field, it all adds up to a lot of magic flying around us. Just...be careful." "It'll be fine," [/b]said LeCrosse, turning to talk to Mugen and Xavier, [b]"I jus' added a li'l extra lift to Cammy's bird. Should help her ta keep us all up in de air for de time bein'." [/b]LeCrosse sat back down, not totally reassured by his own comments. Whoever was trying to take them down had access to the kind of people who could track them through their magic, and now they were lit up like a Christmas tree. He just hoped they had enough time before they were attacked again... [/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]LeCrosse stepped out of the alleyway into the pouring rain, feeling the icy-cold liquid flow across his body. He breathed in deep, and let out a long, vapourised lungful of air into the night sky. He hadn't had a good workout like that in a long time. He twisted his head around, feeling the tendons crack in his neck, and stretched his arms out. He was tired, and just wanted to go home. So he walked across the street, already drenched from the rain, and stepped into a small, run-down apartment block. His apartment was on the third floor, meaning he had to trek up a number of stairs before he even got to his front door. Unlocking the door quickly with a copper-plated key, he pushed it open and stepped inside. The apartment was modest, but that's how LeCrosse liked it. Too many things cluttered a man's mind, that's how he saw it. He stripped off his shirt and threw it to the floor, stepping into the bathroom. He was pretty bruised from that fight, but those are always the good ones. He began to wash up, cleaning the dirt from his face and body, and trying to sterilize and bandage any open wounds he may have received. He threw a new shirt on and changed his trousers into a pair of dark jeans, and just as he had finished, his phone rang. Picking it up with one hand, he spun the receiver under his chin, keeping it pressed to his shoulder. [b]"Hello?" [/b]he said, his voice thick with Louisiana "yat," a strange type of accent common to the Cajuns. [b]"LeCrosse?" [/b]said a voice on the end of the phone. [b]"Who be wantin' ta know?" "You know who this is, LeCrosse. I'm trying to locate all the Magicians I know - we may have a problem." "Yea', I kinda know wha' you mean by dat," [/b]replied LeCrosse, [b]"Had a run-in wi' a strange fellow - figured you migh' be needin' me for dis one, Mugen." "Great. Meet me in Central Park." "When?" "Right now." [/b]Mugen hung up, ending the call with a click. LeCrosse placed the phone back on the hook, threw on a jacket, ran a hand through his hair and packed a few things in a bag. He reckoned he could be gone for a while. Then, with a jump, he swung himself out of the window onto the fire escape, and leapt across the to opposite building. [b][i]I fancy the scenic route... [/i][/b][/font][center]--- [left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]LeCrosse watched carefully as Mugen met two other people - both male, both of similar ages. LeCrosse shifted uncomfortably in his vantage point, crouched on a thick, sturdy tree branch overlooking the bench Mugen was occupying. [b][i]You know t'ings are gettin' bad when this many Magicians, dey get together... [/i][/b]he thought, [b][i]But, if times call for it, den who am I ta argue? [/i][/b]He leapt down from the tree and vaulted over the fence straight onto the bench next to Mugen. [b]"Evenin', fellas," [/b]he said jovially, [b]"Nice nigh' for it."[/b][/font] [/left] [/center]

[center][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][size=4]Vendetta[/size][/font][/u][/b] [/center] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode] [/font][center][b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][u]Chapter One: Back-Stabbing Bastard[/u][/font][/b] [/center] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode] He stood there, staring, at the body. In death, slumped over the police station steps, she seemed limp, helpless as she had never been in life. Her skin was beginning to fade from a healthy bronze to a pallid grey, as her body lay in a pool of slowly-congealing blood, her golden hair soaked in the very same crimson fluid. He knelt down and drew her eyelids over her crystal-blue eyes with a single hand movement, sighing. This kind of thing happened all the time in this city. He was used to the sight of these things, but that didn't mean the job was any easier. He twisted a battered, self-rolled cigarette into the corner of his mouth and lit the end with a plain chrome Zippo lighter, hearing the hiss and seeing the puff of noxious smoke as the cigarette caught. He drew in a lungful of smoke, and blew it out into the cold evening's air, feeling the chemicals pour into his bloodstream, and felt that same rush that every nicotine addict feels after they have been craving a smoke. Opening his jacket, he slipped the silenced pistol into his shoulder holster and walked away. This part of his job was done... [/font][center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font] [/center] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode] I lay there, my head swirling with the memories of the previous night gradually swimming into my vision. I shook my head as I sat up, and immediately regretted it. Lines of pain were drawn from my eye sockets right the way round to the top of my spine, and I shuddered as the water welled up in my eyes. Grabbing the bottle from my bedside table, I spun the lid off and took a gulp, shuddering again as the burning liquid flowed down my throat. My vision began to clear, and I managed to shakily get to my feet, and grab the small bottle of tablets from a shelf near my bed. Flicking the top off with my thumb, I threw a couple of pills down my throat and washed them down with the anonymous liquor that still lay in my hand. The pain began to fade, and my vision returned to me. My parole officer had given me the pills to calm me down, but recently their effectiveness had begun to wane. She was a good girl, was Sakura, the only woman who had ever really been kind to me. It was a funny feeling when another human being did something nice for you, one that not many people experienced in this city. But Sakura was a genuine carer, her heart full of goodness, and how I envied her ability to have that. I sat on the edge of my bed, and grabbed the remote for the TV. I was fortunate enough to have a relatively expensive apartment, bought and paid for by my sister, who wanted me to live as good a life as I could here in the city. She was a saint, never corrupted by the darkness like I was, never exposed to the raw side of life that I see every day. I flicked the TV on and saw a news report, stating that a prostitute had been found murdered outside the police station. A "gunshot wound to the head," was what the press was saying was the cause, and there were various angled shots of an occupied body bag being led towards an ambulance on a stretcher. [b]"Oh, shit,"[/b] I said to myself, [b]"This could mean trouble."[/b] I got to my feet, threw my shoulder holster on, and grabbed my jacket. There was no time to change, the clothes I had on yesterday would have to last another day. I ran a hand through my dark brown hair as I swung my jacket over my shoulders, slipping my arms into the sleeves. I had a long day ahead of me. [/font][center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font] [/center] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode] [b]"This just in,"[/b] boomed the news anchor, [b]"The unfortunate news of a prostitute being found dead outside the police station has been followed this morning with the tragedy of a police officer found dead in the West Quarter. The police officer, who shall not be named due to the family's wish for privacy in this matter, was found lying outside a well-known bar in the area with a number of gunshot wounds to the chest and head. Rope burns were also found on his wrists and ankles. More on this story when we have it. Over to you, Alex..."[/b] The young woman flicked the TV off and threw the remote onto the floor, where it settled among a pile of laundry that had yet to be done. She got up from the couch and padded across the floor to the sink that sat in the corner of the room, spinning the cold tap so a gushing flow of icy water spurted into the sink. Cupping her hands, she collected water in them and splashed it over her face, trying desperately to wake herself up. She sighed, and placed her hands on the sides of the sink, looking at her reflection in the mirror. While she was clearly an attractive woman, right at this point this fact was covered by seeming aeons of the inability to sleep. Dark rings had formed under her eyes, and her skin seemed paler than usual. Suddenly, her window exploded inwards, shards of glass flying across the room, ripping wallpaper from the walls and embedding themselves in the floor. She threw her hand up in front of her face and fell to the floor, shocked by the explosion, which had robbed her of her sight and hearing. [b]"Fuck!"[/b] she exclaimed. Someone had thrown in a flashbomb. As soon as her eyesight returned, she saw that she was surrounded by a number of figures dressed in black combat uniforms, helmets and gauntlets, holding automatic rifles. The SWAT Team. [b]"Bitch,"[/b] spat one of them, aiming a swift kick to the side of her head, knocking her unconscious... [/font][center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]---[/font] [/center] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode] I stood there, the very place where the prostitute had been knocked off. Blood still stained the step, although the rain had washed the majority away. I knelt down, trying to get some kind of feeling for what had happened, but nothing came. I really needed to see the body to work this one out. [b]"You're in too far for your own good this time,"[/b] said a voice from behind me, sporting a British accent somewhat similar to my own. I got to my feet and whirled around, seeing a tall, handsome man standing behind me, his dark hair slicked into messy spikes, his cheap grey suit covered by a long brown trenchcoat. My former partner in the police force. [b]"I've only just started, Will. Something stinks here, and you know it. First, a hooker found dead on the steps of the police station. Then a police officer found dead in the West Quarter. Don't you think it's a little too convenient?"[/b] I asked him. [b]"Ain't it obvious? The cops shot a hooker dead. The hookers down in the West Quarter fancied themselves a piece of revenge, so they shot a cop."[/b] [b]"That's the official line, but you know that it's bullshit. No hooker would come this far out of the West Quarter, just like no cop would go that far into the West Quarter, not alone anyway. This has all been set up by someone."[/b] [b]"You shouldn't be asking so many questions, Phil," [/b]said Will, sighing, [b]"That's what got you thrown off the force in the first place. You should just try and keep your nose clean, stay out of trouble. You're a good guy, I'd hate for anything to happen to you."[/b] [b] "What's that supposed to mean?"[/b] I asked Will, watching as he drew a police-issue revolver from his shoulder holster, [b]"You gonna shoot me now?"[/b] [b]"Only if you don't step away from that spot in the next thirty seconds, Phil. I can't let you get yourself into this."[/b] [b]"Well, you know what, Will?"[/b] I said to him, my teeth gritted, [b]"Two words: Fuck. You."[/b] I was whirled around as a bullet sped from the revolver, slamming into my right shoulder. A second bullet hit me square in the chest, and I was thrown to the ground in a shower of my own blood, spurting from my chest. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Will's revolver bearing down on my chest, and his face staring down at me. [b]"Fuck yourself, Phil,"[/b] he said coldly before shooting me again. Everything went black as the third bullet hit my chest... [i]Back-Stabbing Bastard... [/i][/font][center]--- [left][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Onto the bandwagon we jump as I introduce Vendetta, my brand new OB Fanfic. In a kind of Sin-City, noir-ish style, I hope this one is to people's satisfaction. It's going to be a little more dark and gritty than some of my other stories, so be prepared. The story should seem pretty clear by now, so I won't bother explaining it. All I will say is, contrary to what the title says, this isn't going to be a standard, Kill Bill-style "get revenge on the people who betrayed me" kind of thing. I'm hoping to take it a lot deeper than that. But anyway, a few characters have been introduced, although the majority of them will remain anonymous for now. Here is a list of those who have been mentioned... [b]Myself - [/b]Phil/Narrator [b]Jokopoko - [/b]Will [b]Sakura the Parole Officer - [/b]Sakura Enjoy - please leave some constructive criticism, I could definitely use it.[/font] [/left] [/center]

[center][url="http://photobucket.com/"][img]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b16/Blayze54/desertisland2.jpg[/img][/url] [/center] [center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][b][u]Stranded II: The Game [/u][/b][i] In the early 21st Century, the world got to a point where it was entirely hooked on reality TV. Every nation in the world had its own, from Big Brother in the UK, to Survivor and The Amazing Race in the USA, and almost every man, woman and child was addicted to these shows. They would rush in from school and work to catch up on the latest, they would watch live footage on the internet, and sometimes they would even skip work and school to watch the live footage on the television. So, in 2019, the United Nations decided to use this powerful media tool to their own advantage. They composed their own reality TV show which would capture the hearts and minds of every single person across the globe. Taking elements of many other shows, they combined them all to create a show that, while entertaining billions of people, would also take care of other problems. It was simply known as "The Game," and the contestants had no idea they were playing it. They were dumped on a desert island after being given a serum to induce an amnesia that would last for up to three weeks depending on the person, and left to fend for themselves. The last person surviving would be the winner. But there were obstacles, both man-made and natural, to keep them occupied. But they would discover this in time... [/i]--- [i]Welcome to The Game, Phil... [/i]The message stared up at him from his forearm, written in spiky, archaic text. [b][i]The Game? [/i][/b]he wondered, [b][i]What does this mean? [/i][/b]He rolled the sleeve back down over his forearm, hiding the strange message, and walked across the beautiful white sand to the glimmering blue ocean, and sank to his knees at the shoreline. He couldn't remember anything. He knew his name was Phil, but that was everything he knew about himself. He didn't know who he really was, where he was or what he was doing there. Everything was a mystery to him. He clutched his head as sharp pains ran through it. He sank further down towards the beach, and coughed, more blood splattering from his lungs onto the sand. There was something really wrong about his lungs. Maybe he had an infection or something... He looked down into the crystal-blue water, and saw his own reflection. His hair was dark brown and his eyes were the same clear blue as the sky. A layer of stubble had formed on his chin, and his skin was bronzed from the sun. There was a long, thin scar running from his hairline, down the left side of his face, stopping at his cheekbone. He stared at his reflection, and suddenly realised why the tattoo on his chest had made no sense before. It was a mirror image. He could see the words, as clearly as it was possible in a constantly-moving ocean. [/font][i][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, who have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates and shalt stone them with stones, till they die. Remember it. [/font][/i][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Even though the words now made sense to him, the phrase itself had no meaning to him whatsoever. He thought it could be some kind of Biblical reference, but as he read the words over and over again, he still could not understand them. [b]"Having trouble, friend?" [/b]asked a friendly-sounding voice suddenly from behind him... --- Alrighty, guys, this is it. I'm looking for something similar to this post for each of your first posts. Just try to get your bearings in an unfamiliar place. And anyone who wants to be can be the person behind Phil. Enjoy! [/font][/center]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Alright, after much deliberation, I have decided that I am not going to let this die. Therefore, if we have to continue with only 5 characters, so be it. I am going to post the opening to the RPG proper in the Square shortly, but I will be leaving the recruitment thread open for a while to allow anyone else who wishes to join to do so. So, get ready for The Game to begin! [/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][b]"Ten of diamonds," [/b]said the young man sat on the street corner, a small card table placed in front of his seat, a number of cards spread out upon it. The man standing opposite him threw the card in his hand down onto the table, cursing. It fluttered down and landed face up, ten small diamonds peering up at the Magician from the ragged card. A flicker of a smile flashed across his face, barely visible from underneath the thick hood he wore. The contestant threw down his ten-dollar bill and walked away, his face red with anger. The Magician smiled, looked at his watch and decided that it was time to pack up. The cards were nothing to do with the power that lay inside him, of course. That was a simple trick, an illusion. His real power lay hidden from view, not used until he was sure it was time. [b]"Good haul today," [/b]said a gravelly voice from the shadows, as the Magician pocketed the wad of bills that he had collected from unassuming saps in the day, [b]"You're pretty good." "It's in my nature," [/b]replied the Magician, [b]"I'm a trickster, nothin' more, nothin' less." [/b]He wrapped his black cloak around him tighter, picking the card table up and tucking it under his arm. [b]"Don't lie to me," [/b]said the figure, [b]"I know that you are so much more than a trickster, Mr LeCrosse. So, so much more." "How do you know my name?" [/b]asked LeCrosse, turning around to face the figure, shadowed as he was, [b]"Who the hell are you?" "Me?" [/b]asked the figure, stepping backwards into the alley, [b]"I'm unimportant. But you, Mr LeCrosse, you are incredibly important. And my Master wishes to meet you." "I ain't goin' with you. I don't care if your Master wants to meet me, I don't wanna meet him." "That's a real shame, Mr LeCrosse," [/b]said the man, stepping into the pale moonlight, [b]"Because now I have to bring you in." [/b]His shock of red hair flopped down over his face, and his body, while slim and nimble-looking, seemed as though it contained reasonable strength. The dark coat he wore flapped in the cool evening breeze. [b]"How are you goin' to do that?" [/b]asked LeCrosse, as the man's fist suddenly flew into his face, sneding him spinning to the floor. [b][i]How did he do that? [/i][/b]thought LeCrosse, [i][b]No way is he that fast! [/b][/i]His train of thought was stopped by a swift kick to the abdomen that he did not see coming. He looked around, trying to find his attacker, but he was nowhere to be found. LeCrosse got to his feet, and saw the man appear from the shadows that were cast on the wall, and his fist flew into LeCrosse's face again. But LeCrosse kept his balance this time. [b][i]I see, [/i][/b]thought LeCrosse, [b][i]A teleporter. [/i][/b]The man appeared from the shadows again, but LeCrosse swung the card table and struck the man in the face, knocking him to the floor, where LeCrosse pressed his foot against the man's throat. [b]"No-one gets away with hittin' LeCrosse like that, buddy," [/b]said the Magician, [b]"Not twice, anyhow." [/b]The man simply smiled, and vanished from underneath LeCrosse's boot, his very being disintegrating into dark wisps of shadow. LeCrosse threw his cloak to the floor, and flexed his muscles, ready for the next attack. His muscular form was covered with a long-sleeved blue t-shirt, which LeCrosse had covered with a black t-shirt with the inscription: "Quadrophenia - The Who," writted across the chest, and a pair of dark green combat trousers ending in a pair of black boots. His dark brown hair fell lightly across his forehead, not in the heavy fringe that his opponent had, and his electric-blue eyes sparkled with youthful energy. The man appeared again, this time right above LeCrosse's head, ready to land a kick on his jaw. LeCrosse leapt into the air, higher than any man normally could, grabbing his opponent's leg and slamming him to the floor. As the man got to his feet, LeCrosse stayed in the air, hovering a few feet above the ground. [b]"See, this is why you don't mess with LeCrosse," [/b]said the cardsharp, raising his hand, and watching with a sly smile as a heavy wooden crate from the alley rose into the air a few feet away from him, seemingly of its own accord. With a grimace, he hurled the crate at his opponent, who vanished into thin air once more, letting the crate shatter into pieces against the concrete. The man appeared again, this time in a crouched position on the wall next to where LeCrosse was hovering, and leapt at him. LeCrosse was hurled into the opposite wall of the alley, and the man vanished again. LeCrosse fell to the floor, but scrambled quickly to his feet. He stood still and closed his eyes, feeling almost as if the world was slowing down around him, and felt where the man was going to appear next, a spot about half a metre away from where LeCrosse himself was standing, and LeCrosse grabbed a shard of the crate from earlier, and waited, waiting until the man appeared once more, and swinging the plank into his face, knocking him to the floor, his head cracking against the wall of the alley, knocking him unconscious. LeCrosse picked up his cloak and spun it back on, then walked swiftly down the alley towards his home... --- That was slightly longer than I was expecting it to be, but I hope its ok with you, Boss. EDIT: By the way, LeCrosse's power is telekinesis, the whole "time slowing thing" was just a meditational thing he does occasionally - he can't actually slow time. [/font]

[i][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font][/i][i][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, who have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates and shalt stone them with stones, till they die... [/font][/i][right]- [font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Deuteronomy 17:5[/font] [/right] [i][font=Lucida Sans Unicode] [/font][/i][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]He coughed and spluttered into consciousness, feeling some fluid gargle up from the bottom of his throat. He spat it out, and saw that there was a splatter of blood on the sand in front of him. Wait a minute...sand? How did he get to the beach? He couldn't remember a thing...where was he? What was his name? He got to his feet shakily, and, feeling the soft sand beneath his trainers, he decided to take them off and feel the sand between his toes. As he unlaced his black Converse All-Stars and placed them on the sand, removing his socks and balling them up inside the shoes, the sand felt good on his feet. It felt natural, he decided. Looking up and down the beach, he couldn't see anyone else there. There were footprints coming from a few metres away and going back, and a trail between them, almost as if the two people walking had been dragging something along with them. He followed the trail with his eyes and saw... He was the one who was being dragged. The trail stopped at the exact spot where he had been lying and the footprints turned around and headed back the other way at that exact point as well. He followed the trail a few metres and saw huge imprints on the sand, long, thing markings, almost like the skids on the bottom of a helicopter. He suddenly felt a wash of heat run through his body, and unbuttoned his white flannel shirt. As he unbuttoned it, he saw some strange markings on his chest and stomach, markings that he couldn't understand. Looking at his muscular arms, he saw similar markings there, except these ones he could read. [i]Welcome to The Game, Phil...[/i] --- Everyone is looking good so far - Allamorph, when you make your sign-up properly, please use it to replace the post you already made. Thank you all for your interest. [/font]

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]I'm actually so late with my nominations - I've been meaning to get these in for a long time. [b]What is it? [/b]The Arena Mob [b]Why is it Nifty? [/b]The Arena Moderators are legion - Lady Asphyxia, Revelation, Jokopoko, Ozymandius Jones, Ezekiel, Sandy and myself - and we have all managed to work extremely well together in the past. Even if Zeke and Sandy always get to close threads before me... [b]What is it? [/b]RPs that die before they've even finished their first page [b]Why is it Nifty? [/b]There are so damn many of them! These are the RPs that get massive interest in the sign-up stage, and then when people actually get round to starting them, they die after less than 15 posts. I know, because I have actually created a number of them. [b]What is it? [/b]Revelation and Jokopoko [b]Why is it Nifty? [/b]These are the two members I have spoken to most outside of the 'Boards, and what can I say? They're pretty Nifty people. [b]What is it? [/b]The Cult of OB Fanfics [b]Why is it Nifty? [/b]The sheer variety of them - from those of below-average standard to those of an extremely high quality, we have had sci-fi, crime, fantasy, action, and waay too many assassin fanfics. They allow members who have been involved to escape their own reality for a moment and imagine themselves as these characters the writers portray them as. However, they do sometimes draw attention away from original stories... [b]What is it? [/b]Not Charles or Dragon Warrior [b]Why is it Nifty? [/b]These two always get nominated in the Nifty Fifty, and I'm one person they're not getting nominations off. Take that. [b]What is it? [/b]The Nifty Fifty [b]Why is it Nifty? [/b]The name says it all, and how can something with so many Nifty things in it not be Nifty itself? There may be more coming at some point. [/font]

[center][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][img]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b16/Blayze54/desertisland2.jpg[/img][/font] [/center] [center] [/center] [font=Lucida Sans Unicode] [/font][center][size=3][b][u][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]Stranded II: The Game [/font][/u][/b][/size][font=Lucida Sans Unicode] [i]In the early 21st Century, the world got to a point where it was entirely hooked on reality TV. Every nation in the world had its own, from Big Brother in the UK, to Survivor and The Amazing Race in the USA, and almost every man, woman and child was addicted to these shows. They would rush in from school and work to catch up on the latest, they would watch live footage on the internet, and sometimes they would even skip work and school to watch the live footage on the television. So, in 2019, the United Nations decided to use this powerful media tool to their own advantage. They composed their own reality TV show which would capture the hearts and minds of every single person across the globe. Taking elements of many other shows, they combined them all to create a show that, while entertaining billions of people, would also take care of other problems. It was simply known as "The Game," and the contestants had no idea they were playing it. They were dumped on a desert island after being given a serum to induce an amnesia that would last for up to three weeks depending on the person, and left to fend for themselves. The last person surviving would be the winner. But there were obstacles, both man-made and natural, to keep them occupied. But they would discover this in time...[/i] --- Welcome to "Stranded II: The Game", the follow-up to my successful RP "Stranded." However, if you did not follow the last story, then do not fear. This RP is completely unrelated to the last one, and is only similar in concept. This time around, people are dumped on a desert island, with no memory of why they are there or who they are, and left to fend for themselves. You will play these people. Many characters will die in this situation, and that is what keeps the world audience watching. The majority of the contestants will die, whether it is from natural causes, hazards or the wrath of other contestants, but the winner is offered a glorious prize. And what is this prize, you may ask? This will be revealed when someone has won The Game. So, without further ado, let The Game begin! --- Here is what I need from you in terms of a sign-up. Instead of the usual sign-up sheet, I am looking for a short piece of writing from you. This should include the following within the piece: [b]Name[/b] (if you can remember it!) [b]Appearance[/b] [b]Personality [/b] The rest of the things usually included in a sign-up sheet will be revealed over the course of the RP, as your amnesia serum wears off. I realise that I have not given much information in this thread, but this is simply because I think it makes the RP more exciting if there is a lot of stuff to find out within the RP. It makes what you are getting yourself into more exciting. There will be swearing and violence in this RP, but please nothing too extreme. I don't want random strings of swear words just because you can - please use cursing as appropriate. The violence should also not be too graphic. If there are any questions about anything I have not mentioned in this thread, please PM me and I will let you know. Thank you for your interest, and LET THE GAME BEGIN![/font][font=Lucida Sans Unicode] [/font][/center]

[b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode]BKStyles[/font][/b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode], I salute you. I really do. In this current trend of OB fanfics pouring out left right and centre, it really is refreshing to see such a detailed piece of original work. You have clearly put a lot of thought into this, and thought a lot about the whole background of the world. This is an incredibly important thing to do when writing something, but then again, having written a lot in the past, you probably know that already. I really like the idea of dragons actually being peaceful creatures, but ones which men have corrupted to use for war. It does sound like the kind of thing humans would do in such a situation. Your description is superb - I really could imagine just what was happening here. So, in summary - good work, and please keep it up. I look forward to the next chapter of this with great anticipation. [/font]