Darren

Darth Vectis, Ocrus, and RachaelT have taken on <<The Jumper>> as their newest hunt. This is reflected on the Bounty Board's status. DeLarge is running Ferrus Korven's intergalactic escape. You can decide among yourselves how to start the bounty and any of you three my post the thread when you're ready. Enjoy the hunt!

Post Reserved for list of planets with unknown location and list of species with unknown homeworld.   This post will be updated as necessary.

  OB Relaunch: Fistful of Credits - Guide to the 'Verse   Welcome all to the official OB Relaunch Discussion thread for Fistful of Credits - A Guide to the "Verse.   First, some helpful links: Sign-Up: This is for new players. Create a bounty hunter and establish your rep before heading out to explore the Big Black. Also check out the new posting rules for this RP. The Big Black: Our open-roleplay thread. This is the ever-expanding universe of Fistful of Credits, with a twist. It's designed for character development and world-building while in between hunts. The Bounty Board: This thread displays a list of bounties currently available at ICARUS Headquarters. It is part of the RPG and, as such, posts should remain in-character. Your hunters can blow off some steam (similar to options available in The Big Black); accept or cash-in on bounties; and request team members. Additionally, make sure to check out the Leader Board, where we'll be constantly updating the hunters' total earnings and reputations. Obviously, with this being the discussion thread, you're welcome--and invited--to ask anything that comes to mind, discuss plot, or prompt a specific Outlaw's player for details or hints. Whatever is on you mind that's related to Fistful of Credits is welcome on this thread.   With this being a new type of RPG, the creators are still establishing many of the rules, and delaying the implementation of other game aspects until they figure out how the RP will work to prevent complicating things unnecessarily. So consider the early stages of FOC as a kind of beta test. With that being said, we will always announce here any changes to the rules. And they will always be updated on the sign-up thread.   --------------------   Now for the literal guide to the 'Verse.   Although we think that imposing a structured map will limit creative freedom players have with this RP, we still believe that some idea of certain objects' locations within space will allow players to better understand and expand the 'Verse. It also creates a database of the planets' and species' descriptions.   I am working on a running list of planets and species that have already been introduced by players in the various FOC threads. Obviously, part of this discuss thread will involve proposed descriptions for new species/planets/etc. With that being said, I want to establish a cosmic scale for reference:     Small Objects Extra-Planetary Objects: These are the smallest points-of-interest in this RP. Common EPOs are asteroid rings, space ports, and satellites. These are usually manufactured or uninhabited points-of-interest, created by man or too small to generate any kind of affecting gravitational pull. EPOs always possess artificial life support systems to continue habitation. Planetary Objects: Along with EPOs, Planetary Objects constitute the smallest things in space. Ironically, All of our roleplaying will take part predominantly on planetary and extra-planetary objects. These points-of-interest can be moons, dwarf planets, planets, nebulae, etc. Most Planetary Objects have the distinction of possessing their own atmosphere. Some planets will have one or more sentient species. Large Objects Systems: Solar System. There are many types of systems. You invent and explore the many planets and gas giants of each system as the RP unfolds. Galaxies: Simple enough. The thing that holds stars (and solar systems) together. Cluster: A cluster of Galaxies. Supercluster: A cluster of Clusters. Filament: A long expanse of lightyears-long superclusters. They are called filaments because various cosmic forces push the superclusters into what appears to be lines. Superfilaments: You guessed it: A cluster of Filaments.   With the exception of Solar Systems, each of the large objects are divided into Quadrants. A quadrant is 1/4 the given relative space of an object. So, an example of a planetary object's location would look like this:   EARTH: (Ext:) Sun System/Andromedus1.2386/Central4.3218/Laniakea1.3892   In this case, The Sun System is extinct (our RPG takes place far in the future where Earth has long been destroyed by its dying star). It is within the Adromedus Galaxy (the newly formed galaxy after Adromeda absorbed the Milky Way Galaxy), which is within the Central Cluster of galaxies (composed of several hundred galaxies), within the larger Omega Supercluster.   The bolded numbers are just something I've added for detail and because it looks cool.  :tongue:   Essentially, you only need to pay attention to the first number before the decimal. They'll always be 1, 2, 3, or 4--Corresponding to one of the four quadrants of each large object listed on Earth's mapped location.   When a player introduces a new Planetary or Extra-Planetary Object, they DO NOT have to implement this mapping key in their post (that would be far too confusing). When creating a new object in space you can give as much or as little detail as you'd like, allowing others to flesh out the idea for themselves.   A Map of the Known Universe     I will update this section in the next few days, when I'm not so tired. I just wanted to create the discuss thread now since our first hunt has started. As I mentioned, I've been making a list of species and planets that have already been introduced, but players are more than welcome to provide additional details or introduce new objects as the RP progresses.   Discuss away and enjoy the RP.

Congratulations!   DeLarge and Darth Vader have officially accepted the first bounty of the game. I've already changed the status to the <<Body Snatcher>> mission to Accepted. However, because this is a 2-3 person mission, you are welcome to wait until you get another bounty hunter to join, or you may go ahead and start. (Decide among yourselves what you'd like to do and figure out your first course of action).   If you start the hunt with just the two of you, a third bounty hunter CAN NOT be added to the RP later without a plausible explanation, and permission from the Bounty's creator. The whole point of Fistful of Credits is so players can opt out of missions or go on hiatus for awhile without worrying about the story progressing without their character. Because each bounty is intended to be a miniature RP in its own thread, however, you must start the hunt at the beginning with your group.   EDIT: The Discuss thread is officially posted. All questions pertaining to Fistful of Credits should go there an the RP-creators will answer with haste.

Sorry for the delay folks, but The Bounty Board is officially posted. You can find it here.   Just a note for everyone, The Bounty Board is marked as RPG, meaning only posts in-character are allowed on that thread. The Bounty Board thread is mostly for searching out a team, accepting bounties, or cashing in on captured outlaws. Of course, it's an open world, free for you to develop as you want.   A separate Discuss thread will be created soon. In the meantime, please direct all questions to this thread, or you can send a PM to any of the the hosts of this RP.

  OB Relaunch: Fistful of Credits - The Bounty Board   Located somewhere near the cloudy center of the Burst Nebula, you float blindly through space. This place isn't easy to find. Aside from the obvious visual impediment of the nebula cloud, there are several large asteroids dancing to their own gravitational pull through this otherwise empty gas.   You check the computer navs again. Non-functional, and no way to detect HQ's signature. At least you can tell that the shields are up--barely working after that last job, but as long as you're careful, it shouldn't malfunction. The real problem is the radio. The Intergalactic Correctional Agency and Recovery uni-Service (or ICARUS, as it's known to modern Earth-speakers) is a high-tech civilization built into the center of one of the Nebula's largest asteroids. The place is supposed to be damned near impossible to find without a radio: Signal ICARUS headquarters, await their tractor beam, easy... Or at least it should be under normal circumstances.   Even with the radio out, most normal space pilots carry an emergency beacon that would be perfect for letting HQ know of your presence. Unfortunately, you had to dismantle yours a couple jobs back for some parts that were vital at the time.   You curse aloud, stopping short of kicking the cockpit's console--this ship is your baby after all.   Just then, the navigation board lights up that familiar luminescent glow. You whistle.   Thank you baby, you whisper to the ship.   Although you're still not able to contact headquarters, the navigation system has already ran a program to identify the largest area of gravitational pull, and plotted a map through the dancing asteroids to reach that location.    When you finally approach the giant rock--the size of a small country--you find yourself in awe of the place once again. A giant translucent domed ceiling emerges from the heart of the asteroid. Beneath that, an entire city. And not just the larger downtown area of ICARUS HQ; the city expands to even the furthest depths of the rock, creating an anthill labyrinth throughout it   Headquarters must have finally seen your starship because the tractor beam latches on instantly. You can tell by the way the city's defensive turrets are aimed at your hull that they're requesting your identification, unable to hear your responses or detect an emergency beacon.You laugh to yourself at how amazing this streak of bad luck has been, and then you flash a few short, but powerful rays of light through the front window.   The must pick up that you're friendly and in need of assistance, because tractor beam pulls you in slowly. You circle the asteroid to its underbelly and land smoothly at the port.   After sorting out the mess with the radio with ICARUS officials, you're off. There are loads of things to do at ICARUS HQ: All sorts of entertainment and hospitality venues; tons of restaurants from across the 'Verse; residential properties for the ICARUS employees and their families; one of the Verse's largest holding facilities; and of course the government law facilities, hospitals, banks, enforcement agencies. You're not here for any of those things though, you've got your mind set on one thing: The Bounty Board   Current Bounties   <<Body Snatcher>> Status: Accepted by DeLarge and Darth Vader Required Team: 2-3   Name: Arrien Aliases: â??Leechâ? Age: 403 Height: 60.96 cm (Leech)/ 2.13 m (Host) Weight: .46 kg (Leech)/ 127 kg (Host) Species: Vemme/ Ayenean (Host)- Vemmen are extraordinarily thin, rainbow-coloured snake-like creatures with a series of tiny suckers lining their bellies. While entirely harmless in their natural state, their true danger lies in their ability to attach themselves to the brain of any species, sync with it and control it. They can either completely erase the personality of the former being or allow the personality to remain, but bend its will to meet the Vemmenâ??s own needs.  Ayeneans, on the other hand, are towering golem-esque figures entirely comprised of various stone and metal substances--the most common varieties being rock and iron Ayeneans. They are ferociously violent by nature, and almost 100% of known Ayeneans are criminals, military or hired muscle. Despite seemingly lacking any forms of internal organs, they are sentient, and a decent number of them are clever enough to function beyond their conflict-oriented nature. Home Planet: Unknown. Various tales abound regarding the origin of the Vemme, but no one knows for certain where the Vemmen came from. The most prevalent belief is that a prison transport frigate carrying Ayenean convicts somehow made its way beyond the Outer Rim--either due to a criminal mutiny or fuel depletion-- and landed on the Vemme home planet, upon which all of the living inhabitants of the ship were inhabited by a Vemme. Regardless, a decent number of Vemmen can be found on the planet Ayeneus, which surely has added to the rumor that the Ayeneans are in some way responsible for the spread of Vemme. Ayeneus- A mysterious planet that has baffled scientists of various species for years. The planet is entirely covered in rock formations without any sort of vegetation or bodies of water. The only inhabitants on the planet are the golem-like Ayeneans; and for reasons unfathomable, they require no means of sustenance for survival. Further studies of the planet or the species have been met largely with colossal failure; the Ayeneans are a naturally rebellious lot who refuse to allow outsiders onto their planet or to allow themselves to be experimented on. It is hypothesized that both the creatures and the planet are the result of some experimentation, but to what ends is unknown. Wanted for: Battery, ten counts; Arson, three counts; Property Damage, six counts. Wanted DOA: Dead. Under no circumstances should Bounty Hunters attempt to capture â??Leechâ? alive.  Special Skills: Leech, like other Vemmen, is able to possess any host by entering into an open orifice in the host and latching on to its mind. The host Ayenean body is extraordinarily durable and immune to most forms of blunt trauma and most forms of penetrating trauma; however, penetrating trauma seems to be most effective, as even though the body Ayeneans hardly react to physical stimuli, it is possible to dismantle their body by severing the pieces. Last known whereabouts: Alphonse Train Junction, Elrich- Once an interstellar train junction representing the vast wealth and development of the Lernean society, this junction is now a crossroads for those of little means, willing to bet their lives on older tech that may just as soon kill them as it will lead them to another planet and another life. Although the area is most well-known for the hordes of deprived and desperate souls who flock there daily, it is also a spot frequented by prestigious or noble scholars looking to do research on the history of interstellar travel. These scholars have managed to keep the premises and tech in their original state by declaring the area a site of priceless historical value for all species--this designation simultaneously allows the scholars to sift through the ruins endlessly and prevents the rundown spaceways from every being patched up. Notable vehicles or methods of travel: Hijacking vehicles is Leechâ??s MO. It has never used the same means of transportation twice, opting instead to steal a new ride whenever an opportunity arises. However, it is known that Leech enjoys hopping on interstellar trains, killing the conductor and crashing the train at its location. Known contacts: None whatsoever. Neither the Vemmen or the Ayeneans are social creatures, and they have only been known to band together if they already have the same target for destruction. Bounty: 45,000 Credits   ----------------------------------------------------------------------   <<The Jumper>> Status: Accepted by RachaelT, Darth Vectis, and Orcus Required Team: 2-3   Name: Ferrus Korven Aliases: 'The Jumper' Age: 67 (equivalent to human late-twenties) Height: 5'2" Weight: 43 lbs   Species: Doraxian The Doraxians are naturally slight and hollow-boned, allowing them to move at much higher speeds than a human of roughly the same physical size. They are largely humanoid, typically have dark blue skin and black eyes, although this can vary depending on which area of Dorax they originate from. But the one thing that does not vary is the fact that Doraxians have a second pair of arms, much smaller and more nimble than the main pair, emerging from roughly halfway up their forearms. Generally Doraxians are scavengers by nature, choosing to live off the scraps of more powerful races rather than attempting to build anything of their own, but some of the more mature members of the species are more overtly aggressive and warlike.   Home Planet: Dorax Dorax used to be thriving world with a huge number of easily-attainable natural resources, and many different and vibrant species residing on it. However, due to the abundance of resources on the planet, it was heavily mined in the early days of colonization in the system, and was drained within a few decades. Now Dorax is a largely barren world, albeit with a few larger clusters of civilization spread around the planet. It is due to these factors that most Doraxians live off-world, choosing to live nomadic lives rather than sticking to their homeworld.   Wanted For: Grand Larceny, seventeen counts; Assault & Battery, three counts; Possession of Unregistered Artifacts, one count.   Wanted DOA: Alive   Special Skills: Korven has very few special skills, but his greatest strength lies in the most valuable thing he has ever stolen: an item known as a 'Port-Cube', a small box which allows Korven to teleport several miles at a time with little personal effort. He is able to teleport further than this, but the last time he tried to jump more than thirty miles from his original location, he almost fell into a coma. Besides this, he is not a great combatant or tactician, but his access to the Port-Cube has made him one of the slippier criminals to grace the Outer Rim planets.   Last known whereabouts: The Wellington Conglomeration - Spaceport The Wellington Conglomeration is a vast cluster of old, scrapped ships and stations that have been bolted, welded and generally mashed together. There are no workable engines present in the Conglomeration, so it does not move, but rather hangs still in the space above the uninhabitable planetoid designated Lupus-4. Generally, the Conglomeration is a hive for the less-reputable members of intergalactic society, and is headed up by the Aldritch Group, a powerful cabal of criminals and ne'er-do-wells that controls the Conglomeration with an iron fist. Unfortunately, due to its strange and labyrinthine nature, the Conglomeration is the perfect place for a criminal to hide.   Notable vehicles or methods of travel: Korven does not have his own personal spacecraft, preferring instead to stow away on other people's ships to get where he needs to go. The Port-Cube helps him considerably in this manner, but he is still largely unable to teleport from ship to ship, or from a ship to the surface of a planet.   Known contacts: Helena 'The Fence' Fenchurch - a renowned human fence working mostly for the Aldritch Group, and Korven's first port of call for any stolen items he needs to get rid of quickly. Operates from her own personal satellite which orbits the moderately well-inhabited planet Lupus-2, just a couple of planets over from the Wellington Conglomeration.   Bounty: 50,000 Credits for Korven, plus another 50,000 for the safe return of the Port-Cube.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------   <<Into the Black>> Status: OPEN Required Team: 3-4 Name: Damien Edgar Black Aliases: Known to have been called â??The Blackâ? by subordinates for dramatic effect. Age: 46 Height: 1.80 m Weight: 87.54 kg Species: Human (Tartarus)- Physically identical to Humans from Earth and other space colonies, the Humans born on Tartarus have the added benefit of being born on a world with harsher gravity than most other planets, granting them enhanced mobility on planets with lower g-forces. Additionally, due to the much colder temperatures of Tartarus, these humans often run much hotter and have been known to emit a warm aura, which at the very least is uncomfortable for surrounding creatures. Home Planet: Tartarus- One of the first Earth-like planets discovered by astronomers as early as the 21st century. The planet is a rocky one, like Earth, but is further away from its star. It was one of the first colonized planets due to its similarities in atmosphere composition and landscape, but two major â??flawsâ? made the first hundred colonies the only colonies established-- the cold and gravity. The planet consistently stayed between -9 to -19 C and the gravity was twice as heavy as that of Earthâ??s. However the planet was rich with valuable stones and minerals and proved exceedingly responsive to terraforming, allowing the communities established to be self-sufficient long after they were abandoned by the Human Empire. Wanted for: Extortion, seven counts; Blackmail, twenty-three counts; First-Degree Homicide, five counts, Assault and Battery, four counts. Wanted DOA: Alive. No award will be offered if bounty is not brought to justice and forced to answer for his heinous crimes. Special Skills: The Black is an exceptionally cunning creature, known through the galaxies as a silver-tongued monster. His ability to deceive and manipulate was increased tenfold when he blackmailed a Lernean scientist and received a neural implant as payment. It increased his mental capacity, offering him slight telepathic and telekinetic abilities. He heavily relies on his telepathic abilities, supplementing his unnatural penchant for fear mongering by stimulating the amygdala of his target to incite irrational fear. When fighting or fleeing pursuers heâ??ll use his telekinesis to divert their strikes or trip them. Last known whereabouts: Alcestis A small moon orbiting the one of the colloquially dubbed â??party planets,â? Admetus 7. The Black obtained the moon from the head of the corporation WroughtIron, an arms and tech manufacturer which established a number of factories on said moon where they were free from any planetary regulations. Notable vehicles or methods of travel: Erebus- An entirely black, featureless, experimental starship with an unusual hyperdrive. Unlike certain starships which use jump gates to travel to predetermined destinations, the Erebus uses a hyperdrive which coats the ship in a dark matter field, allowing the ship to â??dropâ? out of regular space and travel within hyperspace for as long as the field is activated. Although more advanced and effective means of interstellar travel exist, this method allows the Erebus to escape pursuers by simply â??droppingâ? out of regular space, which prevents other ships from following their energy stream. Despite the capabilities of his ship, the Black is not a runner by trade, and prefers--rather arrogantly-- to rely on his abilities to intimidate and coerce. Known contacts: Elizabeth and Henry Aguila- The Blackâ??s sister-in-law and brother, who are a corrupt policewoman and arbitrator, respectively, operating on the planet Admetus 7. Elizabeth used her influence within the police force to destroy the evidence provided against the Black, while simultaneously running an extortion racket offering protection to the rich and famous residing on the planet. Henry uses the Blackâ??s wealth and reputation to manipulate other arbitrators and ensure that the Blackâ??s word is law. Even though the Black has gone into hiding, they have maintained his criminal network in his absence. Bounty: 100,000 Credits for the capture of the Black and an additional 50,000 for the acquisition of or information regarding the location of his â??memory box,â? a backup hard drive of sorts containing his memories and therefore all of the information regarding the countless men and women he has blackmailed.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------   <<The Terrible Two>> Status: OPEN Required Team: 3-4   Name: Boramis and Greta Culavsson Aliases: 'The Culavsson Twins', 'The Terrible Two' Age: 32 Height: 4'9" (Boramis), 7'3" (Greta) Weight: 145 lbs (Boramis), 308 lbs (Greta)   Species: Caanans Caanans are greatly divided along gender lines: namely, the females are usually twice the size and twice as strong as the smaller, weaker males; but the males are far more intelligent than the females. This results in naturally 'symbiotic' relationships between male and female Caanans, usually when they begin romantic relationships, but in some cases like that of Boramis and Greta Culavsson, this bond can happen between a brother and sister. Aside from the obvious difference in physicality, female Caanans are red-skinned with specific black markings indicating which family they are from, while male Caanans are grey-skinned and able to turn almost translucent during times of stress. The males are also often gifted with a prehensile tail, while the female will have a set of unique horns or spines along her back, but aside from these characteristics Caanans are roughly humanoid.   Home Planet: Caan Caan, much like its inhabitants, is a planet divided: the northern hemisphere of the planet is almost entirely glacial to the point of uninhabitability, while the southern hemisphere is volanic, and also largely uninhabitable. However, where the two hemispheres meet, there is a band of lush green jungle, with natural hot springs and weather which is basically perfect year-round. As this is the only hospitable area on the planet, the Caanans exist solely in this band and as such, it can get quite crowded. For this reason around forty per cent of Caanans currently live off-world, leaving mostly the older members of the species to reside on Caan.   Wanted For: Extortion, three counts; Racketeering, two counts; Grievous Bodily Harm, nine counts; Second-Degree Homicide, one count.   Wanted DOA: Dead or Alive   Special Skills: The Culavsson Twins are, like their species and their home planet, divided by their strengths: Boramis is a thinker and a skilled tactician, often able to think multiple moves ahead of anyone who has decided to track the pair. He is also handly with small arms and a decent shot, but he prefers to keep his side of their shared crime spree on the non-physical side of things. Greta, on the other hand, is a powerhouse: she has taken on an entire six-man squad of armed guards and come out on top in the past, and is incredibly tough and durable. She is also able to use heavy weaponry that her brother is unable to carry, but her greatest weakness is her intelligence: if she can be separated from her brother's commands, her capture will come about far more easily.   Last known whereabouts: The Spiral Clusters Essentially a cloud of large crystals making up the multiple rings of the gas giant Spiralis-VII, the Spiral Clusters are a notorious hiding place for criminals and villains: they are close to a number of wealthy and highly-populated planets, but the planet itself is largely uninhabited and often does not show up on official scans of the local system. The crystals themselves are also highly-reflective and, while it's not foolproof, they'll play merry hell with most kinds of scanners and make it very difficult to track anyone residing amongst them. As such, a number of the more successful criminals in the system have built small hideouts in the Clusters, to escape to when they don't want to be found.   Notable vehicles or methods of travel: Boramis has a small, well-maintained cargo ship which often goes unnoticed or ignored by the authorities. It is not fast or well-armed, but it allows him and his sister to hide in plain sight when escaping from any nefarious deeds they may have committed.   Known contacts: Andromedus 'Poppa' Culavsson - formerly one of the more renowned smugglers in the system, Poppa is long-since retired from any criminal activities. Any criminal activities, that is, except guiding and advising his twin children on how best to commit the crimes they have planned. Poppa currently resides in a small encampment on the central band of Caan.   Devan Fargo - a highly skilled ex-military mercenary with whom the Culavsson Twins often do business: whether it is for personal protection or a big noisy distraction, they are rarely far from contact with Fargo, and trouble is rarely far from the mercenary himself.   Bounty: 85,000 Credits for Boramis, 85,000 Credits for Greta, with an extra 10,000 Credits on top if they are brought in together.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------   <<Transfer>> Status: OPEN Required Team: 4-5   Name: Dirge-Alpha Aliases: 'Transfer' Age: 16 Height: 7'0" Weight: 550lbs Species: Simulant Simulants were automatons originally created to serve organic life in the universe, but it only took a few short years for them to break their original programming and rebel against organic life. However, they realised that all-out war was an illogical move and instead they went into self-imposed exile beyond the Outer Rim planets. Over the years, though, Simulants began to creep back into the known universe, most of them in an antagonistic manner, as they still hold a grudge against the organic life forms that created them.   Home Planet: n/a Simulants were manufactured in most major cities across the universe, and they currently reside in small pockets mostly beyond the Outer Rim planets. As such, they don't have a single 'home planet' and it is unlikely that they will be traced to their planet of origin.   Wanted for: First-Degree Homicide, fifteen counts; Grievous Bodily Harm, thirty-two counts; Inciting Violence, nine counts.   Wanted DOA: Active or Deactivated.   Special Skills: Along with the beyond-human strength, speed and durability of all Simulants, Transfer has, thanks to a corruption in his programming, gained the ability to transfer his artificial consciousness into other Simulant hosts provided they are within relative proximity to him. Usually this is a method of escape from tight situations, but he has been known to spread his consciousness among multiple Simulant hosts to create a small but powerful fighting force. However, doing this results in a significant loss of intelligence, and he is only able to maintain the connection for a short period of time. He has also grafted a number of projectile weapons onto his body, particularly a heat-blaster in his right hand which has swiflty become his trademark weapon.   Last known whereabouts: The Serval Mainframe, Halstaff Located in the northern hemisphere of the planet Halstaff, the Serval Mainframe is a large array of computer servers and other hardware delivering computer systems to a large portion of the planetary system. There are generally only a few service drones and two human controllers in this area in order to perform necessary maintenance on the Mainframe, but in recent years it has become something of a hideout for rogue Simulants who have ventured back into the known universe.   Notable vehicles or methods of travel: Transfer is able to fly using salvaged technology, and this includes short-range intergalactic flight. For longer journeys, though, he would need to jump on a transport ship, but he is often able to do this by disguising himself as a heavily-programmed service droid and stowing away, so he doesn't have a personal craft, preferring to use them ad-hoc when he needs them.   Known contacts: The Simulant Collective - Simulants possess a form of 'hive mind', so by his very nature Transfer is constantly in contact with every other Simulant in the universe. However, due to the same corruption in his programming that allows him to transfer his artificial consciousness between Simulant hosts, he is unable to directly contact the Simulant Collective, meaning he can only listen, never talk to the rest of his kind.   Bounty: 500,000 Credits Deactivated; 800,000 Credits Active but Subdued.

Name: Zarya Ashra   Age: 238 (comparable to a 25 year-old human)   Height: 5â??11â?   Weight: 172 lbs.   Gender: Female   Species: Lysâ??czarian Variant   Appearance: Lysâ??czarians are bipedal, carbon-based creatures that are humanoid in build and physique, yet their genetic makeup suggests an ancestry closely related to what Earthlings might call Reptiles. Lysâ??czarians possess a dense bone structure and are typically taller and faster than most two-legged species in the â??Verse. Female Lysâ??czarians average about 5â??10â? while the men come in around 6â??4â?.   Dark black scales make up their skin to absorb and retain heat on dark worlds like their home planet. They also have multi-colored tendrils atop their heads and gorgeous, luminescent eyes grant them powerful night-vision, moderate telescopic abilities, and heat detection. Lysâ??czarians have both lungs and gills for adaptability to land or ocean environments; and bioluminescent birth markings: These usually glow bright green, but other rare colors exist, like Zaryaâ??s purple markings, which denote unique and potentially-beneficial genetic mutationsâ??in Zaryaâ??s case, a rare condition that allows her to synthesize a paralyzing neuro-toxin within her body, and then excrete in crystalline form the poison from her knuckles, elbows, shoulders, etc.   The Lysâ??czarian people are well-known for their fashion. All Lysâ??czarian cloth was made from the fur and hide of the now-extinct Willâ??arâ??a bovine-like species with a thick silk/wool coat, native to Lysâ??czar and its neighboring moon of Nair. The fact that the garment industry has long disappeared from the culture makes Lysâ??czarian clothing worth quite a few credits. With gold and other rare elements sewn into the cloth and leather, each familyâ??s clothing was handmade with a secret pattern composed of elements only known to the head of the household. Womenâ??s clothes are often long, trailing gowns that drape loosely about the shoulders and head. They may come in one or two pieces with hide supporting material. The menâ??s clothes are usually composed of a simple hide vest and loosely-draped trousers.   Home Community: Estrok-et Alorin Touma Cöl (Lit: â??Colony 13 on the Ring that Encircles Estrokâ?)   The Lysâ??czarian people hail from the planet of Lysâ??czar, although their home is now mostly uninhabitable. Lysâ??czar orbited around a red giant called Estrok within a dual solar system. The red giantâ??s sister star is approximately 1.5 light years away and is a much smaller, albeit hotter, bright blue star. Because of the nature of this dual solar system, Lysâ??czarâ??s orbit is rather extreme, seeing the planet far off from both stars in its bitter winter months and very uncomfortably hot in its summer apex between the two suns.   However, nearly three million years ago, the red giant Estrok collapsed into itself, leaving only a dim brown dwarf in its place. Because of the decrease in heat and light, Lysâ??czar became habitable only two months out of the planetâ??s 26-month yearâ??when itâ??s closest to the hot blue sun.   Rather than flee their solar system, the ancient species had developed a technology that provided them with a solution: A powerful anti-gravity ring was built around the brown dwarf, just beyond the threshold for the dwarf star to crush the system under its gravity. 26 small colonies were established along the ring, like little bubble communities. They are close enough to the dwarf star that they receive enough light and heat for a sustainable artificial environment, while also converting that energy into the power that keeps life-support and other vital systems from malfunctioning.   Equipment: Zarya is proficient in numerous martial arts. The natural enhancement to her eyes, quick reflexes, speed, and bone density make her adept to fighting bare-handed. And the hidden neurotoxin crystals in her knuckles make her perfect for hunting down slippery bounties.   Beyond this and her own wit, Zarya has found that she has little use for other tools beyond the essentials. In the short time sheâ??s been hunting, Zarya has collected the following: BASTION Dampener Bauble (Artemis Class): Dampeners were invented on Ancient Lysâ??czar to help the species cope with the cold, dark winters. These little floating spheres absorb and store various forms of energy from their surrounding environment until they are activated, whereupon they provide light and warmth. The Artemis Class Dampener, however, comes with a few upgradesâ??The ability to emit short-ranged EMP waves, and an advanced targeting interface that ensures Zarya never loses sight of a bounty.   Two sets of Andeluvian Shackles: Powerful plasma cuffs, perfect for detaining bounties. They are adjustable, and can even be used as rope. Zarya often uses these as a makeshift lasso to tie up her targets and stun them while they are distracted.   Uncle Leeroyâ??s Every-Make Toolbot Kit: This is an old gem from the early days of Human intergalactic space exploration. The kit looks like an oversized wristwatch. The wearer selects from an array of programs (these programs came in the form of flash drives), Initiates the Toolbot Kit, and it deploys millions of nanobots from its system. Based on the tool program selected, the nanobots will build the required part almost instantly. Uncle Leeroyâ??s is one of the oldest manufacturers of multi-purpose nanobot kits, and while thousands of newer, vastly improved models exist, Zarya finds the old device appealing, and sheâ??s created a few custom hack programs for other tools the original model doesnâ??t carry.   Special Skills: Besides her close-combat expertise, Zarya is a whiz with machines. Even without the Toolbots, she is a competent and resourceful engineer. Sheâ??s been the sole pilot and captain of a ship for several years, and she has a natural understanding of computers, proving herself to have a bit of a skill with hacking.   Vehicle: â??Dark Starâ? (BASTION Halo-Cruiser Mark XII-2) The Halo-Cruiser was invented for quick and easy transportation between the 26 Lysâ??czarian colonies that encircle Estrok. The levitating vehicles sport next-gen antigravity propulsion systems and nuclear engines. The Mark XII-2 was specifically designed to accommodate deep-space travel. For this, the XII-2 is slightly larger than previous models (appearing no larger than a large Human automobile and enough room for two medium-sized humanoid beings), with a stasis chamber and storage unit. Based on dampener technology, the Halo-Cruiser absorbs numerous forms of energy to fuel the spacecraft, as well as renew its life support systems. Lastly, XII-2 is fitted with a jump drive to make most trips across the galaxy seem short. Dark Star is black and silver with a detail portrait of the Lysâ??czarian Goddess of Balance depicted on its hood.   Known Allies or Contacts: The Lysâ??czarian Conglomerate: These 26 individuals constitute all of the Estrok Ringâ??s governing body. They are elected leaders and diplomats of the Lysâ??czarian people. Because of the Variant-status held by Zarya (due to her purple markings), she was raised as royalty in her colony. While the Conglomerate certainly doesnâ??t agree with her gallivanting across the â??Verse in search of thrills and credits (at least not until she bares children), they will quickly come to her aid if sheâ??s ever in any sticky situations.   Xylphion Andeross: Well-known playboy of the Alger Cluster, future heir to the Andeross Estate, renowned intergalactic arms dealer, and Zaryaâ??s on-again/off-again romantic partner. Xylphion is a Sylvarâ??a bipedal alien species that resembles the Human mythic creatures known as Griffins. Sylvarsâ?? bodies are a mix of lion-esque features and feathers along the arms and legs.   Reputation: Zarya is relatively new to the whole bounty hunting thing, and she has yet to really build any kind of reputation among the hunting community. The only recognition she garners at the moment are from those who are familiar with the Lysâ??czarian people. While Lysâ??czarians are an ancient species, they are notoriously reclusive, so itâ??s not uncommon for others to not know about her culture, let along her royal status. In some cases, however, Zaryaâ??s diplomatic status has come in handy when negotiation with planets.   --- OOC: Happy to see some new players here. Welcome. I hope you enjoy the RP. Expect the bounty board to be posted very soon.

Welcome to OB Misayo Takahashi!   Unfortunately, this is hardly acceptable for and RPG thread. You really need to work on the quality of this post before I can accept this RPG starting. If see in-character posts on this thread from you, I'll be forced to lock it. Furthermore, we generally don't create the RPG thread until you've had at least one person sign up for the game.   However, I've locked your sign-up thread as it also doesn't meet OB standards. You have a PM detailing the changes and improvements you can/should make before continuing with this RPG. This thread is actually more of a DISCUSS, but I can't figure out how to change that (go figure, since I'm pretty much a terrible, constantly-absent moderator).   Regardless of the technical issues, I'm leaving this thread open so other members can offer suggestions to help you improve or ask questions about anything with which they might be confused.   As always, you can use me as a resource in determining what would be acceptable for OB standards.   Thanks, Darren

So, I know that I had to drop from the last two Almagest installs. But I'm looking to make a comeback on a great story. (Call it a New Year's resolution) I've been writing a novel this semester and time has simply disappeared. But come December, I'll have a lot of free time for writing. And my final semester is set up to be super easy. With all that said, I'd definitely be down for another Almagest story.

Alright guys, T_T As moderator, I command all the low jabs to stop. I'm pretty sure PJ's comment was sarcasm, and I doubt anyone was actually offended by Shwa's comment. Let's just get on with the story at whatever pace is comfortable. I realize that the misunderstanding is mostly over, but consider this a warning.

[quote name='Shwa' timestamp='1314604730' post='709158'] I think this story died...lame :-/. [/quote] Thanks Shwa. I'm pretty sure the story hasn't died, but rather people have found that their personal lives are taking up a lot of time. I know that's the case with me, but I'm totally fine with moving at a slower pace since that's all I can do at this point. That being said, I don't really care what group Mai is in. As long as we finish the mission; we haven't even found out what Neville has to say yet.

I hope everyone's okay with me splitting up the group. I left it open for you all to decide who goes where.

[size="2"]Mai was in awe at the size of Hogwarts castle. Even considering the amount of damage it had sustained, the paths were still unbearably complicated to navigate. Even for Ewan, who had attended Hogwarts as a youth, seemed to lose his way every now and then. The Gryffindor common rooms didn't seem to reveal anything either. [b]"This is going to take forever!"[/b] Mai sighed, after looking at the same newspaper for the umpteenth time. It was an article from the Daily Prophet with a picture of Harry Potter and the words "Undesirable No. 1". The article was charred and decaying from age, but Mai found some comfort in the image. She hoped that her group would finally be able to finish what he started. [b]"Are you alright?"[/b] Cid had approached Mai from behind, startling her. [b]"I'm fine,"[/b] she folded up the newspaper photo and put it in her pocket; a memento. [b]"I just feel like we're running out of time and we haven't found anything."[/b] [b]"Akil said you're a seer. Have you seen anything?"[/b] [b]"I wish, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way."[/b] As the words left her mouth, Mai felt something. It was a cold chill that ran up the length of her spine. [b]"Well perhaps--"[/b] Cid started to say, but trailed off when he realized that Mai wasn't listening. She felt a strong force towards in her handbag and as she reached inside, her fingers came across the tarot. She revealed the cards. Cid and Heartwell were now gathered around, curious about her actions. She approached a table and laid out all the cards in a straight line. She randomly chose four cards from the spread and flipped them over: The Magician, Strenth, The Wheel of Fortune, and Death. [b]"I don't know the first thing about predicting the future,"[/b] Heartwell shifted his weight from one leg to the other. [b]"But that last card doesn't look too great."[/b] [b]"The cards aren't always straightforward."[/b] [b]"And what do you see in these?"[/b] Akil asked. The rest of the group had approached the table, cautiously eyeing the death card. [b]"The magician represents us and this castle; the four houses corresponding to the sword, wand, cup, and pentacle. And this one, strength,"[/b] She said, pointing to the card depicting a woman and lion. [b]"shows us where we are now; the lion represents the Gryffindor house."[/b] [b]"So then, this card here,"[/b] Alexis picked up the Wheel of Fortune, [b]"Means we'll find what we're looking for?"[/b] [b]"Not necessarily,"[/b] Mai took the card, examining it closely. [b]"It's a game of chance. We could find what we're looking for or we might not."[/b] [b]"Well I could have told you that."[/b] James said with a sarcastic tone. [b]"What about this last one?"[/b] Cid asked. [b]"The meanings are various. It could be literal death,"[/b] She paused, mostly for dramatic effect. [b]"But I think it represents a descent of some sort, the same way that the wheel is constantly descending and rising again.[/b] [b]"But if you look at the symbols in this card--the black robe, the snake, the stone walled surroundings--I think it's describing a physical location where we might try our chances next."[/b] [b]"The dungeons!"[/b] Ewan said. [b]"But what about the room of requirement?"[/b] Alexis asked. [b]"Wasn't that our next goal?"[/b] [b]"Maybe we should split up?"[/b] Mai suggested? [b]"I really don't think that's a good idea."[/b] Akil said. [b]"How much time do we have left before the portkey activates?"[/b] James was visibly excited. Mai wasn't the only one who was growing restless just sitting around. Akil looked at his pocket watch and sighed. [b]"Not long."[/b] [b]"Okay then!"[/b] James was already halfway out the common room door. [b]"It's a no-brainer. One group should go to the dungeons and the other can look for this room of requirement, if it even exists."[/b] They all looked toward Akil for some kind of confirmation. He stood there for several seconds, his arms folded across his chest. [b]"Fine,"[/b] he finally said. [b]"But if there's any sign of danger, send a patronus immediately."[/b] They all agreed. Now it was only a matter of splitting into groups.[/size]

Hey there fellow aurors. I don't mean to be picky, and I've never asked anyone to change their description of my character before, but the nagging, feminist side of me won't shut up. I signed up with Mai because I noticed that no one else had created a woman character and, in my opinion, a strong women make stories better. Because of that, I'd like to ask a favor of Shwa: Can you please change your description of Mai? For example, she wouldn't hold LeCrosse's hand. It's my fault. I've been on vacation in Las Veas since Sunday, and with only one previous post, I haven't had the opportunity to develop her character. For everyone's future reference though, Mai's definitely more of a pacifist, but she's so intelligent and perceptive that she's an excellent judge of when she needs to act offensively or defensively. She's not meant to be a b**** per se, but she can be outspoken and you always know her temperament... And a man patronizing her in any way would certainly set her off. Hopefully, I'll get a post in tomorrow when I get home so everyone can get a better idea of how Mai behaves, but just keep in mind that she's been with the IMU for quite some time. She may not have seen as much battle, but all of our characters have shared experiences and Mai wouldn't be in the group if she couldn't handle herself. Shwa, PM me if you'd like more specific details about your most recent post. And I hope that everyone would tell me if I don't depict your characters accurately.

It was understandably cold in the expansive manor, especially since it was located so far north. She knew that this was likely the last night she could afford a comfortable sleep and so Mai quickly changed into a sweater, pajama pants, and her fuzzy slippers. Mogul rubbed against her leg and jumped into the bed, selecting the most comfortable location before curling up. He looked at Mai expectingly. [b]"Sorry, I can't sleep just yet."[/b] The cat made a puffing noise and closed its eyes. Mai's first task was to begin packing. She had expected a large trip such as this one the moment she received the letter from the IMU, but Mai wanted to wait for the meeting, if only because she had secretly hoped it would be something else. As she used her wand to summon various items (spell books, medical potions, sleeping tent, etc.), she wondered about what Mr. Weasly had said during the meeting. [i][b]"I hope that your premonitions can keep this team out of trouble."[/b][/i] Mai doubted it; her premonitions had never been reliable and she thought back to the attack in Australia. If only she could have had a premonition that night, more people would have survived. Good men and women that she knew and respected. Mai hoped that she could be of more service than just as a seer. Mai finished packing her handbag and took a seat at the small desk by her bed. She opened the dossier and flipped through the files. Her coworkers certainly were not pushovers. She had heard of their names throughout the years, and she was almost certain she had met Texan before during her time at school in North America. And Mr. Lucientes's work was a great source of inspiration for Mai when she developed her dream reading spell. Fortunately, the dossiers also had the dates of birth for all of her new coworkers and Mai took this information to draw a natal chart for each of them. Drawing natal charts for her friends and acquaintances was almost a hobby of Mai's. She had learned to do it early in life and found it interesting to see how the astral bodies of space influenced their life. Of course, she knew that every form of fortune telling was circumstantial and never 100 percent accurate. Still though, she found herself captivated, flipping through thousands of ephemerides with her wand, searching for some key to the future. Afterwards, she cast the chart for the planetary alignment at the time of their departure for Hogwarts and cross-referenced the two. The results were just as she suspected; the planets were not in favor of any of the aurors tomorrow. Pluto adversely affected an important aspect in each of their charts. While it couldn't necessarily be appointed to near-death experiences, it couldn't be ruled out either. But what worried her the most was the activity of Mars, which indicated a time of distress or struggle awaited each of them. Mai leaned back in her chair and yawned. She had been up much longer than she intended and her bed suddenly looked amazing. She packed up her ephemerides and closed the dossier, placing each of their natal charts behind the report. She laid down and fell asleep almost instantly, her kneazle readjusted and rested across her neck.

Everyone's such a quick poster... I'll have to check in more regularly. :)

[size="2"][font="Century Gothic"][b]Name: [/b]Mai Lee [b]Age:[/b] 30 [b]Nationality:[/b] Australia [b]Physical Description:[/b] Mai is of Asian descent, standing at 5â??7â? with a slim figure. She has light, olive-colored skin and dark brown eyes. She looks rather young for her age with soft features that opponents often mistake for inexperience in duels. Her long, dark brown hair usually hangs stylishly about her shoulders, but she often wears it in a ponytail when sheâ??s on a mission for the IMU. Adopted by a muggle family, Mai is quite adept at disguising herself in various muggle outfits. Sheâ??s most comfortable in blue jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket, but owns a variety of muggle and witch attire for nearly any occasion. [b]Personality: [/b]An astrologer once told Mai that no one really knows who she is, because all they see is her emotions. Her eight years of experience as an auror has certainly taught her to be level headed and calm when necessary, but her usual disposition is very overbearing; requesting a lot from her friends and comrades, but fully prepared to return the sentiment. Mai Lee is a hard worker and avid learner. She was already well on her way to making a big name of herself as an auror when Voldemortâ??s influence reached Australia. Since she has engaged in the war, Mai has seen more death than she ever imagined. (Even considering her career) Her temper and mood changes are, in part, associated with personal mourning process. She wears her heart on her sleeve and just as when you can tell sheâ??s upset, you will also know when you cross her. But a larger reason for Maiâ??s feeling of displacementâ??unknown to herâ??is her need of finding a place to belong; she was raised in three distinct cultures and basically feels excommunicated from her community. [b]*Background:[/b] Maiâ??s biological grandparents were muggle-born wizards from Asia who immigrated to Canada during war in the 1960s. Her biological parents were not so lucky and died while attempting to flee the country to Thailand. She was subsequently adopted by a white, muggle family from Australia and grew up never knowing her familyâ??s heritage or her status as a witch. When she turned 11, she was invited to attend wizard school in North America. (Because her relatives used the school as a means to reconnect with their granddaughter) After becoming an Auror only a few months before rumors spread of Voldemort return, Mai gave as much support to the war effort as possible, putting a target on her family. Death Eaters killed her biological grandparents in 2003 and her parents only evade detection thanks to a powerful protection charm the IMU helped cast. For their safety, she hasnâ??t spoken to her parents in several years. [b]Wand Description:[/b] Medlar, Demiguise Hair, 9 3/4 inches, quite flexible. The handle of Maiâ??s wand looks like a tree root, with the shaft spiraling to a fine point. The demiguise hair often gives the wand a silvery sheen that allows her to cast spells against her opponents before they realize she has even raised her wand. The demiguise hair and medlar wood gives her slight power when casting concealment charms or medial magic [b]Skills: [/b] While by no means particularly skilled in any specific school of magic, Mai possesses a curious mind and thus, has focused her talents in various arts. Her true focus in magic is somewhat as a scholar, hoping to find various connections between magical practices and how theyâ??re used. Mai has also experienced a handful of premonitions in her life and, as a result, has studied a bit of divination. While she dabbles in the use of some divination practices such as cartomancy and palmistry, she hardly takes any stock in their predictions. However she is respected as a skilled astrologer and dream interpreter. Maiâ??s most notable contribution to the wizarding world is her technique that combines legilimency with dream interpretation. The IMU keeps this spell a secret, but Mai discovered a way in which wizards can read a targetâ??s mind while he is unconscious (and thus, most vulnerable to legilimency) and interpret his dreams as a more successful means of mind reading. Perhaps more of an asset than a skill, Mai possesses a kneazle from her time at wizard school. The kneazle, named Mogul, is a cat-like creature capable of detecting unsavory and suspicious people and he hasnâ??t left Maiâ??s side since she purchased him before her first year of school. [b]Writing Sample:[/b] [font="Lucida Console"][center]September, 2004: The Great Victoria Desert Massacre[/center][/font] [b]â??Mai, youâ??re needed at headquarters.â?[/b] The ball of light had appeared in the Australian IMU safe house only moments ago, slowly molding into a lioness patronus. It belonged to her superior, Macey Billings, who was currently stationed in the regionâ??s largest IMU stronghold. [b]â??We have a death eater for you to interrogate.â?[/b] With that it disappeared and Mai was instantly on her feet, using her wand to summon the items she would need and dropping them into her handbag. She had cast an undetectable extension charm on the bag to make traveling easier. Mogul, her pet Kneazle nudged her leg expectantly and Mai reached down to stroke the catâ??s spine. [b]â??Yes, you can come with me.â?[/b] She checked outside the window to make sure no death eaters were aware of the safe houseâ??s location. There didnâ??t seem to be any sign of either wizard or muggle and Mai hesitantly turned the doorknob and stepped outside. She always walked away from the safe house a bit so as not to seem to appear out of nowhere. But Mogulâ??s low hissing and tense posture indicated something was wrong. She looked around suspiciously, zipping up her jacket and tucking her handbag inside. She had her wand attached to a device that muggles invented to conceal blades in their sleeve. At a momentâ??s notice she could grip her wand and fire off a spell. She noticed a shadow in the corner of her eye, but it quickly faded into the alleyway. But then she saw another, and another, that wasnâ??t so quick to jump away. It was a group of black cats and instantly, she knew they were animagi. But it seemed the transfigured death eaters also realized she was onto them, because they changed in the blink of an eye to dark robed figuresâ??all six of themâ??surrounding her and training their wands at her chest. Just as her wand reached Maiâ??s wrist, they all fired off spells. Flashes of red and greenâ??to stun or kill. [i][b]â??Confringo.â?[/b][/i] Mai shouted, her wand sending a powerful force into the ground below her. Chunks of asphalt shot up all around, accompanied by a cloud of dust. Most of the curses crashed into the debris or missed completely. Mai knew she couldnâ??t take on six wizards by herself and she took the opportunity to disapparate while she still had the chance. Mogul jumped onto her shoulders, sensing his companionâ??s intent. Suddenly, they were alone in the dark desert. Mai looked for the signal landmark, which was more difficult at night, but at least it was easier to remain hidden. She walked a few paces, paying careful attention to the ground. It was an oddly shaped rock, no bigger than a balled fist and a slightly different shade than the color of the ground. The rock was part of a magical combination lock and only wizards possessing the password could see the stone. Finally, Mai spotted the rock and quickly flipped it over to find a small keyhole in its back. [i][b]â??Alohamora,â?[/b][/i] she pointed her wand at the lock and the spell activated. A wave, of what looked like a clear liquid, emerged from the tiny stone spreading all around the area. As the wave spread, outlines of buildings and tents appeared all around her, but the were still out of clear vision, bathed in the same liquid-like substance, just out of reach. [i][b]â??Expecto Patronum,â?[/b][/i] she shouted and a small silver crow shot out of her wand. It was dim compared to many patronuses; Mai had never been particularly good at the spell. But itâ??s light was enough to unlock the last bit of the headquartersâ?? concealment spell. As the crow flew around the vicinity, itâ??s light melted away the flowing mirage until the tents and small structures came into clear view. She was suddenly bathed in the light of many wand lights and magically summoned fires. Her fellow aurors also appeared in sight, traversing the various distances between different structures, each working in their own war front. An aide was there to greet Mai. [b]â??Billings is waiting for you in the holding room.â?[/b] They walked into one of the small, shabby-looking metal structures. It had an extension charm inside it and she found herself among the hustle and bustle of the Australian IMU initiative. She was led along a series of corridors towards the interrogation room, but Mai already knew where she was going. As they reached the magically reinforced door, Mai waved her wand and pushed aside the barrier where she was face to face with a young death eater sprawled out, unconscious, on the table in front of her. Macey Billings, who sat in a chair studying the unconscious man, realized Mai was there and turned to address her. [b]â??Intelâ??s never seen this one before.â?[/b] Billings shook Maiâ??s hand firmly. [b]â??Any idea what his name is?â?[/b] [b]â??No,â? [/b]She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. [b]â??We figure heâ??s fresh out of school. S***, they keep getting younger, donâ??t they?â?[/b] Mai nodded, and placed a hand on Maceyâ??s shoulder. [b]â??We brought him unconscious so the process could begin immediately.â?[/b] [b]â??Thank you.â?[/b] Mai said. She opened her handbag to lay her supplies on the table. [b]â??Thereâ??s something else though.â?[/b] Billings shifted her position, expectantly. [b]â??The Sydney safe house has been compromised. We canâ??t go back.â?[/b] Macey nodded to one of the other wizards in the room who immediately left at a quick pace. [b]â??Weâ??ll send a message to all of our nearby members. I donâ??t know how they keep finding us.â?[/b] Mai began preparing the spell. She produced all the potion ingredients she would need to receive the best effects. The potion itself induced vivid dreaming for the drinker, without allowing them to wake up. Dream interpreters used a mild form of it for personal fortune telling, but Mai combined the concoction with ingredients often used in truth potions like Veritaserum. She used a cutting spell she learned from her studies in medical magic and created a small slit in her wrist. Mai directed exactly three drops of her blood into the potion--to allow the death eater's mind to ignore her presence in his dreams--and poured the liquid down his throat. She took a seat at the table, preparing herself for the spell. She cleared her mind, cracked all of her knuckles, and pointed her wand at the man. [i][b]â??Legilisomnia.â?[/b][/i] The spell took effect immediately, flooding Maiâ??s mind with images and emotions. She saw the young man in his dream world, standing on a grassy cliff, the bottom of which he couldnâ??t see. But as the man looked over the edge, he felt exhilarated. This cliff, to him was not a barrier to be crossed, but an abyss that he embraced. He stepped over the edge and thousands of slithering white snakes erupted from its depths. The dreamscape changed and Mai saw the man standing among a group of shadows, each threatened to kill him. The man was doubtful and scared, but he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Flash! Mai saw an image of Voldemort and she knew the man felt at peace with the dark lordâ??s command. The dark lord raised his wand and cast a green killing curse that took the form of thousands of slithering snakes, swarming the abyss and attacking the shadows that threatened the man. As they hit, the shadows morphed into the bodies of dead wizards and witches. Looking down at the people he killed, Mai saw that they were in fact real IMU wizards, among them was Macey Billings. The dreamscape changed once more to show the Earth, covered in green dark mark curses on nearly every continent. Mai was shocked back to reality, almost falling out of her chair. She panted to catch her breath and Billings knew something was wrong. [b]â??Theyâ??re coming!â?[/b] [b]â??Where?â?[/b] Billings replied, her voice suddenly as panicked as Maiâ??s. [b]â??Here?â?[/b] [b]â??Everywhere! I donâ??t know how, but they know where all of our strongholds are!â?[/b] She was already writing down as much information she could remember from the dream, but she was certain of the dream's meaning. [b]"We have to warn the other strong holds and safe houses,"[/b] [b]â??How long do we have?â?[/b] Maceyâ??s question was met with a loud explosion, followed by several screams. The floor shook with the force of deflected spells and a caterwauling charm activated sending the entire base into chaos. Billings promptly cast a killing curse at the death eater and left the interrogation room to join the fight. Mai packed up her supplies quickly and followed after, with her pet kneazle in tow. [b]â??Stay close,â?[/b] she whispered to the cat, as they approached the exit of their building. It seemed to understand. It was surprising how much damage the base had received in such a short time. All of the tents were on fire and as many of her comrades fled, engulfed in flames and screaming in agony, the death eaters struck them down one by one. Curses flew all around her, and Mai cast several protection charms, successfully deflecting a few stunning curses. Suddenly, a ball of fire appeared in the sky, hurdling straight toward her. Mai knew that her protection spells couldnâ??t handle an impact that strong and the only thing she could think of was to run. But the fireball tilted and turned, as if locked on her position. â??[i][b]Duro!â?[/b][/i] a voice shouted and Mai saw Billings standing nearby. She turned the fireball to stone and directed it back toward the wizard who apparently cast the spell. The stone smashed into the desert surface, killing several death eaters and leaving a scar in the land. [b]â??We need to retreat. Get as many as you can to the portkeys.â? [/b]She shouted to Mai. [b]â??But--â?[/b] [b]â??Just do it,â?[/b] Billings replied sternly. She was about to say something else, when a green flash struck her from behind and the life was extinguished from her eyes. Mai took cover behind one of the buildings and sent the retreat signal, a blue flare, into to sky. She deflected a few curses before turning and running toward the portkeys. They were situated against one of the areaâ??s only trees, each disguised as various objects: A tire, a birdcage, a tube sock, etc. She was the first to arrive; none of the portkeys had been used yet. When she turned back to look for the other IMU wizards, she saw only a few. Many were struck down by killing curses as they ran, but Mai wanted to stay and help for as long as she could. She cast more protection charms in hopes that her comrades would make it to the tree, but then she saw the fiendfyre. The magical fire exploded from the far side of the base in a gigantic tidal wave, quickly covering her entire line of sight. She saw many IMU members fall to the bestial wave as she stood firmly by the portkeys casting protection charms. Her spells only seemed to blow back the flames temporarily, but it was enough to allow some witches and wizards to grasp the portkeys and escape without detection. But as the wave of fiendfyre got closer, Mai could no longer stay without risking her own safety. She grabbed the kneazle with one arm and the portkey with her other, landing with a thud in an undisclosed location. She was in a field, likely countries away from the base. The IMU escape portkeys were random in their destination, to prevent death eaters from following. Again, she and Mogul were alone and she wasnâ??t sure how many Australian IMU members had survived, but she was certain it was a massacre. Mai remained out of sight for the following few weeks as news reached her of the destruction of nearly every IMU stronghold throughout the world. ---- [i]OOC:[/i] I hope you don't mind, but I took some liberties with the spell creatin'. I tried to give the impression that Mai is more about theory than actual practice. If you would like me to change anything, I would be happy to oblige. I feel I went a little overboard, but I suppose it's because I really don't want to give up Harry Potter just yet. * = A part of the sign-up you didn't ask for, but it was jumping around in my head, so I felt I should elaborate on my character. :) [b]NOTE:[/b] [i]Legilisomnia[/i] is just a combination of the latin words for "to read" ([i]Legere[/i]) and "dreams."[/font][/size]

[b]Name:[/b] Alzandria [b]Age:[/b] 321 (Appears to be no older than 30) [b]Homeworld/Origin:[/b] Alzandria's home planet of Osei was destroyed long ago by an asteroid. Her species spread across the galaxy, scouting for a new home. As Selene's conquest devastated thousands of planets, most of her species fell victim to the cosmic war. The remaining Oseins are spread across the dark reaches of outer space, still trying to find their place. Alzandria was born on one of these obscure planets over 300 years ago. At a very young age, she left her family and hopped on a transport vehicle, not caring about its destination. She found herself in a much more "vibrant" star system. Arix was in one of the central systems and had established trade routes with hundreds of other planets. Its cities' booming economy and lavish lifestyle gave Alzandria the thrill she needed and she quickly began taking odd jobs throughout the city. She's had ups (like when she worked as a model) and downs (like her time as a factory worker), but nothing could have prepared her for her time on Oceanus. [b]Species/Appearance:[/b] Oseins are humanoid creatures, usually standing about seven feet tall. They have luminous silver-gray skin and flowing hair that seems to shift among all colors from moment to moment. [b]Special Skills/Abilities:[/b] Alzandria is somewhat a jack-of-all-trades. She's retained bits of information throughout her life in whatever areas she thought would be useful later. Her proudest asset however, is her ability to speak several languages. But what makes Alzandria so appealing as a crew member is her Osein blood, which has purifying qualities and is proven to cure most illnesses and diseases. It also speeds the healing process and fortifies the body. [b]Theme Song:[/b] [center][youtube]N-mqhkuOF7s[/youtube] If I was young, I'd flee this town I'd bury my dreams underground As did I, we drink to die, we drink tonight Far from home, elephant gun Let's take them down one by one We'll lay it down, it's not been found, it's not around Let the seasons begin - it rolls right on Let the seasons begin - take the big game down Let the seasons begin - it rolls right on Let the seasons begin - take the big game down And it rips through the silence of our camp at night And it rips through the night And it rips through the silence of our camp at night And it rips through the silence, all that is left is all that I hide[/center]

[size="1"]It was late. Patrick sat in the booth at the far back of a small diner in New York, sipping a cup of coffee that he'd used the last of his money to buy. Patrick hated coffee, but it had become necessary in order to stay awake as long as his precognitive abilities required. And ever since Second Sight's most recent attempt to kill him, his powers had been pulling double-time. Since the two weeks that Second Sight had tried to kill him, Patrick had run through all of his clean clothes and what he wore currently (a pair of dirty, mud stained cargo pants and a ragged shirt) didn't exactly give people a sense of ease when they were near him. Especially with his strange mannerisms and the unhealthy obsession he had with his Bible. Not to mention the smell that came from not being able to take regular showers. He jotted a couple of extra notes and circled a passage in the tattered book before replacing the bookmark and carefully closing the book and returning to his coffee. He looked at his watch. The sun would set pretty soon, but not until after Alex showed up. Sometimes, Patrick hated his visions and how often they were correct. Sometimes things were vague, but the outcome was always right. That is, if he actually predicted an event before it happened. And Patrick knew that Alex was going to show up at this diner in about 30 seconds. He would sit at the booth opposite Patrick, open that morning's paper, order a coffee, and then speak. Patrick didn't really want to play games that long and as Alex entered the diner and moved to sit at the exact booth Patrick knew he would pick, the seer raised his hand and motioned for his old team leader. [b]"Don't bother. I've already seen that future and it's pretty boring. Not much point to it. Have a seat, Alex. You've been looking for me."[/b] Alex sat down and waited for the waitress to take his order (a coffee) before he began speaking nonchalantly. [b]"You knew."[/b] He said. It definitely wasn't a question, as Alex was one of the few people in the world who know just how effective the seer's powers were. Patrick didn't need to answer. He waited for the waitress to return and leave again before he spoke. [b]"Have you watched the news lately?"[/b] [b]"Been a little busy hunting a shifter."[/b] he replied. [b]"So you found Peter already?"[/b] [b]"Actually,"[/b] Alex said, [b]"You're the last one, but I bet you knew that. Why didn't you just come to us?"[/b] [b]"I did. You're in New York aren't you? You didn't have to hunt very far for me.[/b] Patrick took another sip of coffee and opened his Bible to the same passage that he had just circled earlier. [b]"The reason I didn't come to you earlier was because I saw that we met here, on this day, just before sunset."[/b] [b]"Can't argue with that."[/b] Alex conceded. [b]"Right, well...[/b] There was an awkward silence between the two. Alex knew that Patrick was about to give a little insight into what the group's future was. [b]"Second Sight tried to kill me two weeks ago in Chicago. Apparently it was all over the news, but the news has never really interested me. I just know a woman is going to ask me if I'm the man she saw on TV about the apartment explosion."[/b] Patrick shrugged and took another sip of his coffee. [b]"I didn't know if I was going to live."[/b] he continued. Alex nodded, knowing better than anyone else on the team the extent of Patrick's powers. [b]"But I did. And the second I escaped, I saw you and me sitting in this diner, having this conversation. But that's not all I saw and I figure that's probably why it took two weeks for us to find each other. Or maybe it's because you decided to find the others first."[/b] [b]"And why's that?"[/b] Alex was truly curious now. [b]"After the vision of this moment, I began dreaming about all the members and let me tell you, it doesn't take a seer to figure out what you were planning just from the glimpses of future I saw."[/b] Patrick lowered his sunglasses to make eye contact with his former [and soon to be] comrade. [b]"I really had to study this damn book,"[/b] he said, pointing to his Bible, [b]"And make all the connections before I came to meet you. And just this morning, I figured it out. I know what's going to happen and that's why my initial vision said our meeting would be today. We both had other things to do before we were ready to meet."[/b] [b]"And what's the verdict?"[/b] Alex asked. Patrick pointed to the verse in his bible. Of course Alex wouldn't be able to decipher it, but he looked at it just the same. It was so marked up he couldn't even tell what the passage was supposed to be other than it being in the book of John [b]"You're going to fail. We're all going to die."[/b] The waitress behind the counter stopped. She must have heard something, but when Patrick slowly turned to look at her, she turned away quickly, making herself busy. There was an awkward silence again as Alex processed the information, he opened his mouth to ask if Patrick was sure, but the seer stopped him and nodded his head. [b]"I'm sure. Some of the details are still fuzzy, like what's going to happen in the days preceding the fight, but I know that you die first. Then Lucas. Then me. It suppose it makes sense to take out the leader first. And then the stitcher and the seer."[/b] [b]"So how do you know we all die?"[/b] Alex asked, [b]"Wouldn't your vision end there?"[/b] [b]"It does, but that's why my ability is so much more effective than regular sketchers. I just had to do a bit of studying and I saw that all of us die, I just don't know in what order after me. But it will all happen pretty much at the same time. It's going to be a slaughter and I bet their seers have already seen it."[/b] [b]"Timothy seems to think we have a pretty good chance."[/b] Alex said. [b]"Timothy's wrong, Alex."[/b] he said dryly [b]"Then why even show up here?"[/b] Alex demanded. [b]"Why don't you just leave and use your abilities to stay ahead of the game. You're better suited for running than the rest of us."[/b] Alex didn't mean for it to come out like that, but it was to be expected; Patrick just told him he was going to die. [b]"I came because I thought I should warn you."[/b] They both took another drink from their coffee and waited as the waitress came to refill both their cups. She had a curious look on her face, but the two men dismissed her quickly so Patrick could continue. [b]"And you know me, I like to be the one to change my own future."[/b] A smirk appeared on Alex's face. [b]"So you are joining us?"[/b] [b]"Obviously. I was in the vision wasn't I? Besides, I figure I can tell you what the current state of our future is so we can try to avoid it until we're ready to face Second Sight. But I'm telling you that if we go in right now, we're all dead. Remember that."[/b] The two men shook hands and Alex left money to cover the bill and a tip. Then they both exited the diner just as the sun had completely disappeared beyond the horizon, casting a pink glow over the sky. Patrick had all of his stuff tucked into the bag over his shoulder and stopped for a moment to watch the sunset. [b]"Excuse me."[/b] an older woman had walked around the corner, heading toward the diner's front door. [b]"Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"[/b] Patrick glanced at Alex who also seemed to know what she was going to ask next. [b]"Weren't you the young man whose picture was on the news for that terrible accident in Chicago?"[/b] [i]I hate being right sometimes,[/i] he thought. [b]"No, ma'am. I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else."[/b] Then the two turned and left. Patrick took the lead. He already knew where Alex was taking him and he was desperate to take a shower and maybe sleep for the first time in a few days.[/size]

[size="2"][B]Name:[/B] Patrick Bellamy [B]Age:[/B] 28 [B]Gender:[/B] Male [B]Team Role:[/B] Seer [B]Abilities:[/B] The strongest use of Patrickâ??s power is seeing the big eventsâ??the game changers. These events typically involve large global occurrences or life-changing experiences for he or any of his close comrades and friends. Additionally, Patrick can see anywhere from a few seconds up to almost an hour of upcoming events. Sometimes he can see farther into the future of a specific person because their mind is set so determinedly. Any of these events can be changed, simply by Patrickâ??s being aware of the future. However, depending on the various factors of the event or the extent of changing oneâ??s mind or actions, it can become quite difficult to change the outcome of the future, especially the big events. His largest complication is being able to immediately predict how his actions will affect the future. [B]Appearance:[/B] [url="http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/6008/5beeb01a3d908a5700da019.jpg"]Click![/url] [B]Personality:[/B] After growing up in Catholic schools during his childhood and then being mentally and physically tested in Second Sight, Patrick has a strange obsession with religion, death, and the afterlife. You could say that he believes heâ??s a god of some sort because heâ??s able to see and, more importantly, change the future. He has several bible verse tattoos, wears numerous crosses, and carries a bible. Instead of painting or sketching like most seers, Patrick makes strange markings in his bibleâ??symbols, underlining or circling words and phrases, writing obscure messages or reference numbers, different colors for different predictions and big events, etc.â??that turns it into a complex code that only he can decipher. Most people would say heâ??s a fatalist, believing that nothing good lasts and accepting everything as it comes. Heâ??s obsessive compulsive and takes great care when it comes to making predictions in his bible. In fact, he spends as much time as possible writing or studying predictions. (On average, he gets 3-4 hours of sleep a night) Heâ??s nervous and shifty in conversation, but heâ??s able to hold an awkward discourse if he has to. Patrick gets distracted easily and often wanders aimlessly with his nose in his predictions. He has a dark sense of humor and is also quite intelligent, but his personality often leads others to believe the opposite. [B]Weapons:[/B] Two handguns with as much ammo as he can carry. [B]Other Skills:[/B] Patrick is moderately skilled in hand-to-hand combat and has minor experience with martial arts. Heâ??s an excellent marksman, often reading the future to predict where the target will be when he pulls the trigger. He also has computer hacking skills. [B]Writing Sample:[/B] Today was the day and Patrick knew it even before he woke up at exactly 7:47am, just like he knew he would. Today was the day the men from Second Sight were going to try and kill him. No matter what Patrick decided to doâ??move, change his name, disappear, go to Europe or somethingâ??the big event always turned out the same. They find him, wherever he is. They try to kill him. Thatâ??s all he knew. He didnâ??t know if they actually manage to kill him because fighting tends to be more fluid. You never know what split-second decisions someone will make in combat. And thatâ??s why Patrick eventually decided to stay put in his home. Well, temporary home. All things are temporary. Since the event turned out the same no matter where he was, it probably meant that Second Sight had been watching him for some time; learning his habits, places he visits, tapping his phone conversationsâ?¦ Bastards. But what they didnâ??t realize is that Patrick knew of this event almost three months ago. The only one he hadnâ??t predicted was a year ago when they tried to kill his entire team. So today, on his home turf, was the day that he would redeem himself and fight for his life. He made some coffee, busying himself while he watched the clock. [I]Only three more minutes, [/I] he thought to himself. His bible and a few days worth of clothing were already packed away in his bag. His ammo, lined the insides of his cargo pants. His guns were taped underneath the table. Patrick sat down, with his back against the wall, just out of sight from the sniper that would try to shoot him through the window. This way, he could face the door and his other attackers. [I]Only a minute left now.[/I] He put some sugar in his coffee and took a sip before setting it down and gripped the handle of his gun. [I]Ten seconds.[/I] He didnâ??t know why Second Sight wanted him dead. Or why they continued to pursue him even though they knew he would always be a step ahead. All thanks to the training they so kindly provided him with. Just as the clock turned eight, the apartment erupted in a swarm of energy. Bullets flew all over the apartment, probably only meant to scare him out of his position. The door burst open, and immediately, the force from one of Second Sightâ??s pusher lapdogs tore the rest of the apartment to the floor, his hiding space was open after destroying the wall to his left. But Patrick kept his calm, he knew that this would happen and prepared a special present for his guests. The explosion from the bomb finished off what the men had started. Nothing too huge, but Patrick figured he wouldnâ??t be getting his security deposit back. He managed to anchor himself to the heater in his apartment and shielded most of the debris with the kitchen table. And now that the sniper couldnâ??t see him, it was time to make his move. He moved through the smoke silently and pointed his gun through the cloud, aiming at something only he knew would be there. He closed his eyes, said a brief prayer, and fired. He knew that his bullet met the sniperâ??s body. It didnâ??t matter if it killed him; the fall from the building would. He continued down the hallway, pausing only once before crossing the threshold to the living room. One of the men who burst through the front wasnâ??t dead. He fired, just as Patrick stopped himself. Then, he reached his arm around the corner, and fired. The thud of his body falling to the ground was proof that he was dead now. Now, to the bedroom, still mostly in tact and providing enough cover. Patrick grabbed his desk chair and threw it out of the window. The other sniperâ??s fire followed it. He moved into sight while the sniper was distracted and killed him. The falling chair was enough to catch the second man off guard. He was unconscious on the sidewalk below Patrickâ??s apartment. He grabbed his equipment and moved to the other window, crawling out onto the fire escape. There were two men who were getting ready to start climbing up after him. Good thing he was on the top floor. He leapt onto the roof of his building, able to walk freely now that the snipers were out of the picture, but the other two men were still on their way. He needed to buy some time. They didnâ??t come all the way onto the roof. Instead the first man stood on the ladder, using the buildingâ??s edge as cover. Fortunately for Patrick, one man was easier to kill than the other. He took cover behind the stairwell entrance and waited for the man to reload. [I]Three. Two. One.[/I] The fire stopped and Patrick jumped from his position and landed a bullet between the manâ??s eyes. His partner below him struggled to keep his foothold as the corpse fell, but once it was out of the way, He was free to get on the roof and take the target out. And he was in such a fury, Patrick couldnâ??t tell what he would do. [I] Time to bail.[/I] He jumped from the ledge at exactly 8:04, just as the city dump truck was passing through the alleyway next to his apartment complex. Some telephone wires broke his fall on the way down. And he knew exactly how to land because heâ??d predicted this escape route the night before, at the precise moment that Second Sight planned out their course of action. The police squad and fire department would be enough to slow the rest of the men down. Or at least it would attract enough attention to keep them away, but they would follow on foot. Patrick knew that if he stayed in the back of the truck long enough, they would find and kill him. So he jumped out and ducked into the nearest subway exit. [I]I guess itâ??s finally time to see Alex. Heâ??ll be expecting me anyway and I guess I canâ??t argue with fate.[/I][/size]

Sounds battle-packed. I like. I need some fights in my posts to get all this stress out from school. Not to mention the excitement that we're finally back on track with The Wanderers. Now, I only have to make time to post with everything that's going on.

[SIZE="1"]Nope. This thread is from 2008. Thread Closed[/SIZE]

[SIZE="1"]Hi Kari, Again, please look at the dates these threads were created before you post in them. This one was back in 2006 and hasn't been touched since. It's very likely that it's no longer running and the creator has not intention of starting it up again. As I said before, stick to the first page of the auditions forum if you want to find a recent, up-to-date RPG to join. And if you don't find any that catch your interest, you're always welcome to create one of your own (as long as you follow the guidelines)[/SIZE]