Snarktastic

[COLOR=Purple][B]Name:[/B] George [B]Appearance:[/B] [URL=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/ozyssite/image019.jpg]George[/URL] [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Species:[/B] Human [B]Age:[/B] 24 [B]Talents:[/B] Guitar, Sitar, Tuba. Can change the color of anything he touches, and can use hypnotism. "It's all in the mind, you know..." [B]Personality:[/B] Even though he can be more sarcastic than John, he hides it better. He?s quiet, but not because he?s shy?he?s quiet because he doesn?t bother to talk. He?s very intellectual, but doesn?t feel the need to go around bragging about it. [B]Bio:[/B] George was born on a farm in Pepperland, where he lived until he was about 13. Life on a farm isn't exactly filled with the excitement a young boy would enjoy (even in a place like Pepperland), so he ran away to England -- not knowing that it was about as drab as Pepperland was colorful. Unfortunately, he was in an accident which caused him to lose all memory of his past. So, now, here he was... stuck in Drab England. His "strange" powers then chose to manifest themselves, and he was shunned by most of the drab people. He soon found himself living on the streets of Liverpool. Fortunately, he wasn't on the streets long, for he found three young men just as strange as he was -- John, Paul, and Ringo. They offered him a place to live where he could be accepted. Even since their first adventure in Pepperland, George has begun to recover his memories of his life before Drab England, but everything's still a bit fuzzy...[/COLOR]

Well, it's been noted to me that there was a need for cute around these parts, so here are some cute things... MINI-BEATLES! These were all created using Adobe Illustrator CS, using only shapes and the pen tool. Fun times were had by all... or some... or me. These were created after one too many trips to the Sanrio store. It's an exercise in wrong. I can't explain them any better than that. [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24481&stc=1[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24482&stc=1[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24483&stc=1[/IMG] [IMG]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24484&stc=1[/IMG] [b]Edit:[/b] Dear Me, SWEET DOUBLE POSTING! HAW. No love, Me. Er, ignore the other thread, please.

[COLOR=Indigo]Okay, people. I'm going to be gone all weekend, so if you have any issues, I'll be back on Monday afternoon to sort them out. ^_^ Have fun, everybody! And don't forget to post if you haven't already![/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Yes, I am still alive. Thank you for asking. Okay, so, my research papers are kicking my behind, but I have not forgotten about this RP! Please, everyone, feel free to interact with each other! Get to know everyone's characters better! POST! This will be coming in handy for the next phase of the plot, which I will be introducing bits and pieces of fairly soon. As you may have noticed, I allowed someone to slip in a new teacher character even after I closed down the signups for now. I made an exception for XerxesSkyknyght's character because he will be helpful to the upcoming plot -- plus, we kinda needed another teacher, especially a PE teacher. Signups will be opening up again as soon as I get the plot in motion. YAY! [b]It occurs to me that we should have some post with a list of roommates, and class schedules, and such. It'd be a way to consolidate, so that, say, while Dollie and Lydia know they have their first class together, we'll be able to look and see who else is in those classes as well. It'd be most useful for the teachers, of course... Have to know exactly who you're teaching, what you're teaching {english, for example, encompasses more than just reading} and when, right?[/b] MothDarkfire brings up a good point. If you have any of this information, please, PM it to me as soon as you can. I'll be putting together a post of the class schedules I have at this point fairly soon, as well as the list of roommates.[/COLOR]

[QUOTE=James][font=franklin gothic medium]I think this is an important point and it's one reason why I felt that Chabichou's comments were particularly heartless. It is generally wrong for someone to think that a mother [i]wants[/i] to fulfill any number of awful options (adoption, abortion, etc). Nobody goes to do those things with a big fat smile on their face. They are always painful, difficult decisions. As you have rightly said, a mother's bond to her child is incredibly strong.[/font][/QUOTE] [COLOR=Indigo]WORD to everything you've said in this thread so far, James, but especially to this. I think that placing your child up for adoption is sad if the only reason you are doing so is because you cannot take care of the child yourself. (Notice I said [i]sad[/i] and not [i]wrong[/i].) I believe that there should be more support for mothers in these situations in the United States -- not just financial, mind you, but emotional, too. BUT! If you are placing a child up for adoption because of other factors, such as the one the original poster has mentioned, then, you know what? I think that's a wonderful thing. A child should be [i]wanted[/i], not looked upon as something the parents will regret. Plus, it gives people who might not be able to have a child the opportunity to grow up in a place where the child is appreciated for the little human being he or she is. Of course, with the adoption system being what it is (in this country, at least), it isn't perfect, but it's better than leaving a child in a home where the parents know that he or she was a "mistake".[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Looking good, Leibsliede! ^_^ I think he could handle being the mathematics teacher, including physics, due to his age. I'm also writing here to warn you guys that I might not be on as often, due to this new schedule at school. Especially this terrible research class that looks like it will take up 90% of my time. Bah. Stupid senior-level courses. I'll be on as much as possible, though, so behave yourselves.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo][B]Ril and I were wondering if, since there are so few PC teachers, if each of the players with a student could nominally control a teacher, or at least some of us could. That way we can more easily develop the teacher's personalities and have people running the classes rather than working on general concencus of NPC actions.[/b] As long as people don't get too attached to these characters and start having them do crazy, Mary-Sue-type things, I think this is an acceptable solution. Because, as I have told people before, anything that makes life easier for me -- I am up for it. [b]Also, I was wondering what people in NY think of the school? Do they know there are mutants there? If they do, do they approve? If some don't, are we in danger of pogroms? Madame Davis gave a speech about toleration and equality, but the very existance of this school proves that not everyone is created equal, and some rabid egalitarians/bigots might have it in for the school.[/b] Most people in the area do not know what is occuring at the school as of yet. (A future plot point? Perhaps.) While some find Madame Davis's behavior -- and the events which are rumored to occur at her school -- bizarre, the good Madame's family ties and wealth have left her in the category of "eccentric-millionare-and-we'll-leave-it-at-that." However, there have been pogroms in some other countries, and it is rumored that the people behind these might wash upon our shores sooner than expected...[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo][B]I was wondering though if we'll have turns or what? I'm sorry, this is my first forum rp in ages and well I'm not sure how it will work. I suppose my question is just if there is an order or anything.[/B] There are no real "turns" in this RP. If you get inspired to write a post, then, by all means, post! Just try to keep your character involved in the larger plot (loose as it is) without going on too much of a deviation. You'd think that'd be easy enough, but I've seen some people post things that made most of us go "WTF, mate?" Hee.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]So many new questions! This makes me happy like happy things. [B]What sort of chores will they have?[/B] Everyone is expected to clean their own rooms, make their own beds, and basically tidy up their own space. Occasionally, there might be other chores to do, depending on how much trouble one gets themselves into. Hee. [B]Also, how long do the classes run, aproximately, and will they be held each day, or in some other form of scheduling?[/B] Classes run on a sixteen-week schedule, like any other school, with two sections split by the Christmas holiday -- so there is an Arithmetic 1 and Arithmetic 2, for example. (Think about how classes are split in high school nowadays, and you'll get the gist.) They are held Mondays through Fridays from 9 AM to 3 PM. The special Saturday classes run from 9-11 AM. [B]I have nothing serious to add, just to say that (a) I'm excited, (b) there's really no point in my character taking any sort of foreign language, is there, and (c) she's been at the school for a couple of years now, how does that figure into class placement?[/B] (b) Madame Davis believes that, for a person to be well-rounded and educated, one must learn a foreign language. This is why the students go through the torture of a Latin class. Heh. (c) If your character has been in school for a couple of years by now, then she has been through the basic classes and is starting in the higher-level classes... such as Latin. :p [B]Are we going to be following set plotlines or are we just, er, 'free-rping' (for lack of a better term) and seeing where things take us as we go along?[/B] As I told someone else before, it'll be six of one and half a dozen of the other. ^_^ There will be plot points along the way that I will throw at all of you to keep things interesting, but I also want all of you to feel like you can take your character where they will.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo][B]Since we have roommates, who's rooming with whom?[/B] This is something that can be worked out between players, I think. If you want to room with someone, by all means, PM them and ask if your characters could be roommates. Just remember, though, that you can only room with someone of your character's gender -- which will not be a problem for all but two people, since the majority of you are playing young women. Please remember, also, that Laura Brooks and Lawrence P. Sheaves are [B]teachers[/B]. Once you do so, though, please PM me and let me know, so I won't be confused. I'm easily confused, you know. [B]And should we PM you, player-instructors, or both with class info?[/B] If you are going to be in one of the player-instructors' classes, it would be nice if you could PM them and let them know. By all means, PM me, also, with this information. [B]And BTW, thanks for all the work you're doing on this. It's gonna be lots of fun.[/B] Well, I sure hope so. ^_^[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo][B]Ah... so we can choose classes based on player fiat. If we assume our character knows the stuff, we can skip the class... or do the exams happen on the first day of school?[/B] The exams have already been taken, as they occur soon after you have been accepted into the Home but before the next school year starts. [B]And do you have an instructor list so we can go tug on their shirts?[/B] I have conferred with the other player who is playing an instructor, so here are the two instructors being played: [B]Physiology:[/B] Laura Brooks [B]Rhetoric:[/B] Lawrence P. Sheaves The rest of the instructors are NPCs and can be used by anyone. I will be making a list of teachers and what classes they teach as they come up. Madame Davis herself teaches the [B]Music[/B] and [B]Singing[/B] classes on Saturdays. Since she is headmistress now, she thinks she earns the right to lighten her workload. [B]Oh, and is there a uniform, or do we dress as we normally do. And if so... are we expected to DRESS for supper in evening dress?[/B] There are uniforms, yes. There are two types of uniforms worn to classes, depending on the weather outside -- the winter uniform and the spring & fall uniform. [U]Winter uniform[/U] [I]Boys:[/I] gray waistcoat, black vest, white band collar shirt, bowtie, grey striped trousers, and black square-toed shoes [I]Girls:[/I] gray blouse, black skirt with a leather belt, and black pointed-toes boots [U]Spring & Fall uniform[/U] [I]Boys:[/I] almost identical to the winter uniform, except that the coat and shirt are lighter [I]Girls:[/I] White high-collared blouse, bowtie, black skirt worn with a leather belt, and black pointed-toe boots. During the fall, a grey jacket may be worn over the blouse. There are also seperate uniforms for the training exercises. [I]Boys:[/I] turtleneck, knickerbockers, long socks, and gymnasium shoes [I]Girls:[/I] divided gray serge skirt, lawn-tennis shoes, and gymnasium shoes All students are expected to dress for supper in evening dress and report to the school dining room before six PM, when dinner is served.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]That, my friend, is a lot of questions. ;) I shall try to respond to all of them as clearly and precisely as possible. [B]Can you give us an idea of the geography? How big is the school? How many buildings? Is it walled? What kind of defences does it have... not only against people getting in, but against accidents with erratic powers?[/B] The Davis Manor sits on a large tract of land in Riverdale, a community that has retained its rural, genteel country charm even when the rest of the Bronx is becoming more urbanized. It sits on a hill with a beautiful view the Jersey Palisades. Large oak trees line the edge of the estate. There are four buildings that make up the school -- the main building (where all classes are held), two dormitories -- one for the males (known as the East Building) and one for the females (known as the West Building), and an apartment-like building where the teachers stay. The teachers' building is adjacent to the school itself, while the dorms are behind the school, in a triangle shape. (During the winter, the students may take the underground passages from their dorms to the school.) In the middle of this "triangle" is the field where all training exercises take place. The buildings are situated far enough so that they do not incur much damage during these exercises. The best defense that the school has is its remoteness from the rest of civilization. In case a student does lose control of his or her powers, there are staff members on hand to either talk them down from it or physically supress their powers through forcefields and the like. [B]Also, what are the living conditions like? Do we share rooms? Do we have servents? Are there general dogsbodies who I can ask about my missing luggage and who will tell me it was delivered five days ago by accident because it was put on a clipper ship by mistake? =) How long have we been in the school?[/B] As mentioned before, there are two dorms for students, the East Building for the young men, and the West Building for the young women. There are approximately twenty rooms on four floors, and each floor has a common bathroom, kitchen, and living room. Both dorms have indoor plumbing, as well as electricity. When the buildings were first built, it was assumed that each student would have his own room, but now, with the growth of the school, most students end up sharing rooms. As of now, there is a two-student limit in each room. In the dorms, there are no servants. Madame Davis wants her students to be self-sufficient, so she does not give them this luxury. However, there are servants in the school itself, as well as the teachers' building. So, yes, there are general dogsbodies there to ask about luggage. The one you would probably be asking is the butler, known as Mr. Edgar. If you are a new student, you have been at the school (at the earliest) for approximately a week, though there are students that arrive later than that. Students returning from spending their summer holiday with their family have been at the school for the same amount of time. Students who did not choose to spend time with their family are allowed to stay in their dorm rooms until a week and a half before school begins, when they find out if they are being moved to another room. [B]Also, is it possible to test out of courses?[/B] It is entirely possible to test out of classes, by way of the placement exam. Students who test exceptionally well in certain sections of the test will be put into the higher-level courses.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]I am just posting to say that THE RP SIGN-UP IS NOW [B]CLOSED![/B] Due to this being easier than I thought it would be, here is the list of the players who have made it into the RP, along with the characters they play! Drumroll, please! .... [B]elainemc[/B] - Dorothy Edith Hendrick [B]KitWisdom[/B] - Helen Jones [B]Leibsliede[/B] - Felix Georg... Ivan von Liebeslied (HA.) [B]MothDarkfire[/B] - Lydia Petrakis [b]Ozymandius Jones[/b] - Laura Brooks [B]Rilarien[/B] - Sophia Elizabeth von Liebeslied [B]Sage Kaley[/B] - Mollie Evans [B]slipshod sailor[/B] - Lawrence P. Sheaves [B]Spawnie[/B] - Catherine Sharpe [B]StarrStruck[/B] - Rori Keelin Malone [B]Suonymona[/B] - Simon Metternich [B]zoetheshort[/B] - Sarah Margaret Miller Congratulations to all those who made it in! If you did not make the cut, please feel free to PM me and ask me why. The "Madame Davis' Home for Gifted Children" RP is now open for business! To participate in the RP, please continue on to [B][URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=48710]this post[/URL][/B]. Any and all questions about anything concerning this RP are to be asked in [B][URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=48676]this thread[/URL] [/B] and this thread only. Please go there to read the basic rules of the RP, as well. Happy RP-ing, everyone![/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo][I]Monday, September 11, 1899[/I] As Mary Davis walked past the windows toward the assembly hall (which had been, in the mansion?s days before the Home was established, a ballroom), she could see that the trees lining the very edge of her property were already beginning to shed their green coats, revealing the brilliant red, yellows, and oranges beneath. Fall was coming and, with it, the beginning of a new school year at her estate. It had been twenty-five years since she had established the Home for Gifted Children, almost exactly to the day. Mary could not believe it had been so long ago, and yet, she could, as she saw her graying hair and felt the typical aches and pains of someone who was nearly 52 years old. There was no time to focus on such things, though. She had a school to run. When she opened the doors into the assembly, she could see the students sitting in their chairs. Smiling, she walked through the room slowly, holding her head high like a proper lady of her stature. She was dressed nattily, in quiet, muted colors that nonetheless spoke to her position as the headmistress of this school. As she looked around the hall, Mary recognized some faces, and some she did not, just like almost every school year that had come before it. Mary walked to the front of the hall and onto the stage, nodding to the teachers who were sitting in chairs on the stage as she made her way to the podium. She wrapped her gloved hand around the gavel sitting on the podium and lightly tapped the gavel against it, getting the attention of the small crowd. When she was sure she had the attention of the majority of the people in the room, she began to speak. ?Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.? She spoke clearly and loudly enough to be heard at the back of the hall. ?I would like to welcome you to the Home for Gifted Children. As some of you may have inferred, I am Madame Davis, the headmistress of this school. All of you have different reasons for coming here, I assume, but we are all here to gain the knowledge to control the special gifts we have inherited. Be assured that you will gain this knowledge ? but only if you put enough time into learning what your instructors and I are attempting to teach.? Clearing her throat quietly, she continued. ?There are only a few things I would like to say before we begin this new school year. Those of you who have been here before will no doubt know that I tell everyone this every year, but I believe it bears repeating.? She pointed to the doorway into the assembly hall. ?Do you see those doors? As soon as you walked through it, you have become equal. Race, creed, nationality, social status ? none of these things matter in my facility. You are all students, and I expect you to conduct yourselves as such. You are to respect each other as equals, no matter where you come from, for you are all here for the same purpose.? Mary then turned to glance at the people who were sitting behind her at this assembly and gave them a smile and a nod. ?These are your instructors, who will introduce themselves in their respective classrooms this morning. They will teach you everything you need to know to survive in this world. They are former students of mine, and I am very proud to have them at my school. I expect you, as students, to give them the proper respect that they deserve.? ?Now, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for you to report to your classes. I do hope everyone has received a schedule before you entered the assembly hall. If not, please report to the front desk to receive one. If you do not have a class scheduled for nine o?clock this morning, please report to the field behind the Home for your first training exercise.? She clapped her hands together and smiled. ?I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors, and I expect that you will enjoy your stay here at the Home for Gifted Children. Thank you.? With that, she bowed her head respectfully and walked away from the podium, the signal for the students to begin filing out of the hall. ====== [B]OOC:[/B] If you are a teacher, please report to your class at this time. If you are a student, start figuring out where you're supposed to go. For a list of the subjects, please look to [B][URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?p=671256#post671256]this post[/URL] [/B] in the [B][URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=48676]Underground thread[/URL] [/B]. Of course, if you are not in the assembly hall for whatever reason, feel free to post about that, also.[/COLOR]

[quote name='Ozymandius Jones][COLOR=DarkOrange']Alrighty, then....so what subjects, exactly, are being taught? Besides "SuperHero 101," of course....:p[/COLOR][/quote] [COLOR=Indigo]Shush, you. Anyway, since we are set in 1899, the courses being taught will be just like every other school during this era. The courses being taught are as follows: [B]History[/B] (American and World) [B]Algebra Arithmetic Geometry Latin Rhetoric[/B] (Better known nowadays as a "public speaking" class) [B]Physiology[/B] (Also known as Biology) [B]Physics Literature Composition Bookkeeping Penmanship Geology[/B] These classes are not split into grades, per se, but you cannot go into algebra without first passing arithmetic, for example. Here is how the classes further break down... 1. All new students begin with Arithmetic. After they are able to get through that class, they are passed into Algebra. From there, one can go into either Geometry or Physics (depending on how well one did in Algebra). You can also go from Geometry into Physics. 2. All new students begin with Penmanship. After they are able to pass through Penmanship, they are placed in Composition. After that, they can go into Literature or Rhetoric. 3. All other classes can be taken at the student's discretion, depending on how well they have done on the placement exams. Everyone is expected to complete all classes before graduation, however. On Saturdays, although there are no required classes to attend, the students can choose to attend other classes, such as the following: [B]Cookery and Laundry French Topical Lessons[/B] (classes on newsworthy events) [B]Needlework Music Singing[/B] If the students choose not to attend these classes, they are expected to complete their chores before asking to leave on any extracirricular activites. As I mentioned before, the students must also report to training exercise at least three times a week. There, an instructor will teach them how to control their powers. The students are split into groups with similar powers -- therefore, the students with psychic powers will be training together, while the students with more physical powers will also train together. There will be times when all the students will train together, also.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]The thread for this RP can be found [B][URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=48710]here[/URL][/B]. Cast: [B]elainemc[/B] - Dorothy Edith Hendrick [B]KitWisdom[/B] - Helen Jones [B]Leibsliede[/B] - Felix Georg... Ivan von Liebeslied (HA.) [B]MothDarkfire[/B] - Lydia Petrakis [b]Ozymandius Jones[/b] - Laura Brooks [B]Rilarien[/B] - Sophia Elizabeth von Liebeslied [B]Sage Kaley[/B] - Mollie Evans [B]slipshod sailor[/B] - Lawrence P. Sheaves [B]Spawnie[/B] - Catherine Sharpe [B]StarrStruck[/B] - Rori Keelin Malone [B]Suonymona[/B] - Simon Metternich [B]zoetheshort[/B] - Sarah Margaret Miller As of right now, my brain has stopped working, as far as getting together the RP thread is concerned. I can always start this thread, though. This is the place to ask any and all questions relating to the Madame Davis? Home for Gifted Children, no matter how big or small your question might be. First of all, though, some ground rules for both this thread and the RP. ====== [U][B]The Ten Commandments of this RP[/B][/U] [B]I. I am the lord thy god (of the RP). Thou shalt not have any other gods before me (in this RP)... except for the Otakuboards mods.[/B] I made up the RP, so I get to set the rules. However, we must keep within the wider rules of the site. That means keeping the posts PG-rated, being careful with your spelling and grammar, and whatever other rules they have set forth. [B]II. Thou shalt not question thy god (of the RP)'s authority.[/B] There's nothing more that irritates me than someone who tries to usurp the GM's final say on things or tries to make the GM feel stupid for making a certain decision. If I make a decision on something, that decision is final unless I say it's not. Okay? Okay. Of course, I am open to suggestions. [B]Suggestions[/B], not declarations. [B]III. Remember to keep holy the RP day.[/B] Okay, so maybe I'm stretching it with that one. What I'm trying to say is... please, keep up with the RP as much as possible. I understand that, hey, you can't be there every day. I can't be there every day. But if we start the RP and you haven't posted once -- don't expect us to wait for you. Please, though, if you are going to be gone for an extended period of time, PM me and let me know. [B]IV. Honor thy fellow roleplayers.[/B] Hey, any of you remember that big to-do at bad_rpers_suck on Livejournal the other day? Remember how [B]hilarious[/B] that was? Yeah. That crap STAYS on bad_rpers_suck. Got that? I don't care if you hate each other -- we're all still in this RP together, so let's try to be civil in-game, okay? [B]V. Thou shalt read the other players' applications.[/B] What? Do you think I made you post those because I enjoy torturing people? ...Well, I do, but I also made you post those so other people can read them and get a feel for your character. So, go read them. Now. I can wait. [B]VI. Thou shalt not godmode.[/B] Godmoding is, essentially, using another person's character without the other person's permission. If you are going to use other people's characters for anything more than a background character in your post, please try to get their permission before you do so. [B]VII. Thou shalt not be a twink.[/B] So, we're playing mutants in this game. That does not give you permission to have an uber-powerful character for no good reason. I tried to weed out all the applications where the characters seemed to be entirely too powerful. Do not let me down on this. Remember your power limits. [B]VII. Thou shalt remember that in-character actions lead to in-character consequences.[/B] Is your character a jerk to people? Don't be surprised if your character is not liked. Does your character jump off of the World Building and can't fly? Don't be surprised if your character goes "SPLAT". In other words, if your character does something, don't be surprised by the consequences. Every action has an equal, but opposite reaction. [B]IX. Thou shalt not use information gained Out-Of-Character while In-Character.[/B] Remember when I said to read everyone else's applications way back in Commandment Five? If your character would not know that information about the other character without asking (anything from family life to any deep, dark secrets), you cannot have your character know that information! [B]X. Thou shalt have fun.[/B] If you're not having fun, then why are you here? ====== If you read all the rules, then, by all means -- ask all the questions you want! I'll try to answer them as thoroughly as possible.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]I would just like to let everyone know that I will be closing the sign-ups and making decisions on who's in the RP on [B]Thursday, July 28th[/B] (which coincides with the last day of the summer session at my college)! So, please, if you need to edit anything or add anything to your profiles, do so before then.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Throughout the ages, there have always been those who were looked upon as ?special? for having abilities that go beyond what normal human beings can accomplish, such as shaman, medicine men, wizards, and the like. These people were revered in their native cultures for what other people saw as a connection with the spirit world ? that intangible thing that allowed these gifted men and women control powers which no mere mortal can. Unfortunately, there were some who were afraid of these people, leading to persecution on a mass scale. They were branded as witches and warlocks for possessing only these powers with which they were born. Subsequent movements only sought to suppress these people, fearing they might only bring an end to the world as we know it by using their powers for evil. These people were forced to live, hiding their true selves from the world, ashamed that they were given these gifts, regarding them only as curses from God Himself. We are in an enlightened age now, where we now understand the nature of these gifts through science, not through religion. These are not curses, but a complex set of genes in the body which determine whether a person has these powers, as well as what kinds of powers this person has. I have made it my life?s work to help nurture and train young children with these powers to control and use their powers for the good of mankind. My name is Mary Davis, and welcome to Madame Davis? Home for Gifted Children. ====== This RPG, as you might have figured, sounds much like Marvel?s [i]X-Men[/i]. In a way, it is much like that, except for the setting ? [b]The Bronx, New York City,[/b] at the turn of the last century (to be specific, the year [b]1899[/b]). Madame Davis? Home for Gifted Children (in this case, ?children? refers to anyone under the age of 18) is a home/school setting out in the rural Bronx area in her refurbished mansion, where children with superpowers from ages 12-18 (roughly sixth grade through high school senior year in American terms) come for the following: - A healthy regimen of diet, exercise, and schooling, - A place to learn to control and manipulate their powers to their fullest potential, and - A place to be accepted for who they are. Of course, there is a cost for entering the Home. Those who enter must understand that they will use their powers to benefit mankind and protect the world from those who would seek to usurp control of the world?s governments, as well as those who just want to destroy the world outright. Madame Davis is a powerful empath, one with the ability to tune into another's psyche for thoughts and feelings or for past, present, and future life occurrences. She is the headmistress of the Home (having been so for over 25 years), but there are other teachers on the premises to help nurture young minds. ====== [b][u]Enrollment[/u][/b] [b]Name:[/b] [b]Age:[/b] [b]Gender:[/b] [b]Origin:[/b] What country do you come from? Please, make it realistic to the setting ? we?re in [I]19th century New York[/I], so think about who was coming into the city at that time. HINT: Not a lot of Japanese were in the city! [b]Teacher or student:[/b] See the "Teacher or Student?" section for more information. [b]Appearance:[/b] Please, I beg of you, NO PICTURES BY THEMSELVES. I want to see how well you write, not your ?l33t? Google Image Search skills. The more detailed and interesting the description is, the closer you?ll be to being accepted into the RP. (Of course, if you would like to add a picture or two [b]along with a detailed description[/b], this is okay.) [b]Powers:[/b] What can you do? Okay, this is the thing that a lot of people seem to abuse in these kinds of RPs, so here are some ground rules? 1. NO ALL-POWERFUL BEINGS. It?s no fun to RP against someone who is, essentially, a mini-deity. 2. Try to be creative with your powers. Not everyone can be a totally awesome telepath, or a wicked-cool self-healing fighting machine. Some people get the short end of the genetic stick in real life, so it would be true that some people would get the superpower short end of the stick, too. Have fun with it. 3. No X-Men clones! ([b]Especially[/b] no Wolverine clones.) True, there seems to be an X-Man for every superpower under the sun, but try to put your own unique twist on it. 4. No weapons of any kind are allowed unless you can [b]totally[/b] justify the possession of one. No swords, no guns, no firearms ? none of that, thanks. (Now, if you can make, say, a sword out of pure energy ? that?s fine.) Look for more information for your powers under the ?Teacher or Student?? part of this signup. [b]Biography:[/b] Again, be as realistic and thorough as you can be. Again, we?re in [I]19th century New York[/I] ? use that to your advantage! [b]Personality:[/b] How does your character act? Likes, dislikes, good habits, bad habits ? all of that goes under here. Again, the more realistic and descriptive you are, the better. [b]Character snippet:[/b] Just a sample of your writing style. The maximum length is four paragraphs ? we want a character [i]snippet[/i], not a character novella. ====== [b][u]Teacher or Student?[/u][/b] So, you?re trying to decide whether to be a teacher or a student at the Home for Gifted Children. Here are some of the things I expect from teachers and students. [b]Teachers[/b] are to be older than 18. They are former students of the Home for Gifted Children who have come back to teach what they learned from Madame Davis (who was the sole teacher for the first fifteen years of the Home?s existence). They have more experience in combat, but they do not usually go into combat nowadays unless the situation has gotten too out of hand. There are a limited number of subjects to teach, so I will PM those who are accepted into the RP as teachers later with more information on those. They are also expected to supervise any and all activities in which the students participate. [b]Students[/b] are usually under the age of 18 (there are cases where an older student will be taken on, but these are exceedingly rare). They are usually just learning to control their powers (though, if they have been there long, they might already have learned to control their powers to a certain extent). They are to go to class every day except for Saturday and Sunday, as well as participate in training exercises at least three times a week. They are free to leave the Home for extracurricular activities as long as they have permission from the headmistress, and they must take a chaperone (teacher) along. Some students might be entrusted with certain tasks, such as monitoring the other students during test or cleaning up the classrooms. These are limited, however, to only the best, most trustworthy students. ====== [b][u]General RP Information[/u][/b] [b]Not everyone will be accepted into this RP![/b] I am looking for the most interesting characters, so please, steer away from stereotypical characters. Please do not apply with what would be considered ?fantasy? characters unless you can effectively explain how and why they exist in this realm (for example, someone that would be looked upon as an ?elf? by other people could have a genetic predisposition for pointy ears and above-average height ? but they are not [b]really[/b] an ?elf?). Pets are allowed, as long as they are of the non-speaking, non-familiar variety. Please stick to dogs and cats. Most of all, have fun with this! Thanks for applying! ^_^[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red]====== EDIT - [b][u]Research Help[/u][/b] Since this RP is taking place in [b]1899[/b] in [b]The Bronx, New York City[/b], I am posting a few links to help make your character fit the setting. [B][URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_age]The Victorian Age[/URL][/B] [B][URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_Nineties]"Gay Nineties"[/URL] [URL=http://www.victorianweb.org/]The Victorian Web[/URL] [URL=http://www.fashion-era.com/the_victorian_era.htm]Victorian Fashion[/URL] [URL=http://www.victorianstation.com/lifestylemenu.htm]The Victorian Station[/URL] [URL=http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/america.html]The American 1890s[/URL] [URL=http://www.nyhistory.org/education/growing.html]Big Apple Journal For Kids[/URL][/B] - Good site to learn the basics on life in New York City for children in the turn of the last century [B][URL=http://web.simmons.edu/~wrightj/nyc/index.html]New York At The Turn of the Century[/URL][/B] NEW!: [B][URL=http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html]The Baby Name Wizard: NameVoyager[/URL][/B] - A name wizard that measures the popularity of baby names from the 1880s (when most of your characters would have been born) until now. Trust me -- some of you obviously need this.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]It's not bad to be in touch with one's emotions. It's bad when one starts lording over other people that one is sooooo much deeper than "mundane" people because one is just soooooo in touch with their emotions. The stereotypical emo kid does just that. "You cannot fathom the depths of my emotion because you do not know how to be in touch with your sensitive side!" I'm not saying that you do this, because I don't know you. But using a label to gain a feeling of superiority over someone else is never cool. *Forrest Gump mode* And that's all I have to say about that.[/COLOR]

[quote name='Lix][size=1][color=slategray]I think when I get a job, I'll work harder at that, since you don't have many things to distract you there[/color'][/size][/quote] [COLOR=Indigo]HAHAHAHAHAHA. HA. Eh-heh. *clears throat* What I mean is -- whoever told you that is a damn dirty liar.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=Indigo]Sally had settled back into her room, and was about to finish off her letter when her communicator, sitting on her desk, began to beep, demanding it be answered. [B]"Bloody hell..."[/B] she muttered, slightly annoyed to be interrupted yet again. She then brightened a little bit as she realized that this might be a call to go on a mission. Finally, some excitement around here again! [B]"Hullo?"[/B] she said with a smile. A young man's voice was heard on the other end of the line. [B]"Imprint, this is Operator 327. You're needed for a special mission brief in Operations immediately."[/B] [B]"Immediately?"[/B] she repeated, sounding a little taken aback at the choice of words. [B]"That important, eh?"[/B] The young man's voice became more terse as he replied, [B]"I'm not at liberty to give out any information over the communicator, Imprint. Please report to Operations -- now."[/B] [B]"Alright, alright -- I'm going. Thanks."[/B] She turned off her communicator and clipped it on her belt, heading out the door and down the hall. As she walked down the hall, she passed Vivid's room. Vivid was a nice enough girl -- she and Sally had lunch with each other every so often, even worked with each other on research projects a few times. They weren't exactly the best of friends, but Sally had great respect for her. The door was opened a bit, so she decided to take a look inside, seeing if maybe she had returned from her mission early. Instead, she found two men collecting Vivid's things into boxes. Sally paled at this, frozen in the doorway. One of the men looked up and noticed her. [B]"Are you looking for --"[/B] [B]"No,"[/B] Sally replied, shaking her head. [B]"N-no, I'm not."[/B] She then gulped. [B]"Besides, it wouldn't make sense to go lookin' for her on this plane of existence anymore, would it?"[/B] she added, forcing a chuckle. [B]"I'll just be going now."[/B] Backing out of the doorway, she quickly dashed down the hall toward Operations. Vivid was dead -- there's no other reason why they would be gathering her things together without her there. Her excitement over a possible mission had disappeared completely as she realized that this might be a recovery mission...[/COLOR]

I like music as long as it has the following: 1) A melody, and 2) A harmony. Now, please bare with me as I make some sweepiing generalizations on my favorite artists. My favorite group of all time is the Beatles, obviously. Why? Because they evolved. They didn't stay in one mode too long, because they were allowed the freedom to change and grow -- from covering R&B to aping Bob Dylan to really coming into their own as songwriters and artists. Paul McCartney is still kind of a douche bag, though. I've gotten into mashups recently -- my favorite is the Beastles, which is the Beastie Boys remixed with Beatles backing tracks. Really yummy to me, but I'm all about the cut-and-paste culture. The CD I'm really digging right now is "can'tneverdidnothin'" by Nikka Costa. She is, I think, the closest thing we have right now to a Prince-like artist. She can go from rock to pop to R&B to funk without so much as batting an eyelash -- and it all feels real. Speaking of Prince -- he's the greatest artist from the 80s, without a doubt. Michael Jackson was a total pansy compared to Prince. Stevie Wonder (during the 70s, at least) was one of the best songwriters around, hands down. He's still one of the best love song writers, if not THE best. Take a listen to "I Believe" or "Knocks Me Off My Feet" if you don't believe me. Though I will admit that Stevie Wonder was at his best when he was singing like Donny Hathaway, one of the most underrated artists of all time. You know who else is underrated? Ben Folds. Yeah, yeah, he had that hit "Brick" with the "Five" and all, but... I hate "Brick". The first five years of Elton John's career make up for the next twenty-five years of his career. I seriously cannot listen to much of his music beyond 1975. Nellie McKay sings like Doris Day -- if Doris Day performed after more than a few drinks and had a healthy fascination with democratic socialism. You think I'm joking. I liked The Postal Service before a lot of people ever heard of them. This makes me feel indie, which makes me feel pukey. ...Okay, I'm done. For now.

[COLOR=Indigo]I used to be one of those that didn't do schedules... but then I went into college and realized that, hey, schedules are nice to have around so that you don't KILL YOURSELF. Plus, the field I'm going into is all about the scheduling, with deadlines for projects and everything, so it's nice that I'm learning that NOW instead of on the job. I don't sit down and make out a schedule on paper or whatever, but I do go over it in my mind, like, "Okay, I have a project that's due on Wednesday, so I should try to have it done by Monday so I can print it out on Tuesday..." That sort of thing.[/COLOR]

"...And I hope that you all are doing well..." Sally muttered to herself as she typed out a letter to her family on her laptop in her living quarters. It had been a long while since she had a chance to sit down and write them, but she knew they would understand. Well, except for her mother, who would inevitably write a two-page guilt trip of a letter back. But she was used to it. "Don't worry -- I haven't placed myself in any grave danger for well over a week now," she added quickly with a smirk. Hey, if she was going to get a guilt trip, it might as well be for something amusing. She was telling the truth, though -- she had not been on a mission for what seemed to her like an eternity. There had been a mission that left for the Rockies, but that was more of a "search and destroy" mission, and she was not about to go along for that. She wrinkled her nose in mild disgust at the thought. [I]It's not the dragon's fault that humans are so crunchy and tasty, after all...[/I] She raised an eyebrow at this stray thought. [I]Okay, I don't even need to know where I came up with that.[/I] Returning to her letter, she typed, "I hope that Pop-Pop has kept himself out of trouble, and that--" Suddenly, her screen froze up. "Oh, come on..." she grumbled, tapping the keys. "You bloody piece of -- ARGH!" She put her head down on her desk. "And I didn't even save it," she whimpered to no one in particular. She let out a sigh and shut off the laptop, gathering it up in her arms. "Well, I should go let Indira take a looksie. It's been doing this a lot more lately." She turned to the fishbowl and smiled at the fish idly swimming about. "I'll be back later, Phillip. Don't get into too much trouble, a'right?" She chuckled as she carried her laptop out of the room and down the hall.

[COLOR=Indigo]I would post an attachment, but most of my files are entirely too huge. So, here is my piece: [B][URL=http://katharinad.7host.com/frodisfemmes.jpg]Frodis Femmes[/URL][/b]. I created it for a friend's website as a bit of fanart. Hope this is good enough. If you need me to, I'll attach another piece of work on here.[/COLOR]