The New Ultimate DC RPG: Sign-Up/OOC Thread

[Saved]

.Screen name: Syn

.Character you wish to portray: Dr. Harleen Quinzell

.Hero, villain, or walking the line?: Hero...well, civilian, but she's not evil.

.Powers and physical attributes: None, but she is a skilled psychologist with a Doctorate in Psychology and a masters degree in Sociology.

Origin and backstory (as you see it): Harleen has a rough child hood, living with only her father after her mother left her when she was only five. As a child, she would often find her father coming home late after another night of heavy drinking at the local bars of Gotham. As time went on, the constant neglect and emotional abuse Harley recieved from her father soon developed into Histronic Personality Disorder, a psychological problem that continued throughout her teenage years.

As a teenager, Harley would often act out - seeking attention in any way she could. She would often make irrational decisions, going against common sense. Going from boyfriend to boyfriend, her personality disorder soon caused her to become overtly clingy - she would compromise herself in many relationships, doing whatever her lover wanted to seek his acceptance. In her junior year of High School, her teachers soon reccomended to her father that Harley see a psychologist for evaluation. Reluctantly, Harley's father gave in and took her to a psychiatrist - fearing legal ramnifications for child neglect. There, Harley's personality disorder was diagnosed. After extensive treatment and various medications, Harley was soon cured of her disorder shortly after graduation. After seeing the effects the mind can have on the body, and how one person can influence many, Harley became inspired - deciding to persue a degree in psychology to understand, not only herself, but others like her.

After seven long years of schooling, (Age: 28) Harley soon graduated from Metropolis University with her doctorate and license to practice psychology. Two months after graduation, Harley caught a lucky break and was hired to work at Gotham City's infamous Arkham Asylum. Now, Harley works hard to help the mentally disabled and sick - hoping to have them work through their psychological problems just as a doctor had once done for her.

Psychological Note: As quoted from www.nlm.nih.gov
Histronic Personality Disorder
Symptoms include:
Acting or looking overly seductive
Being easily influenced by other people
Being overly concerned with their looks
Being overly dramatic and emotional
Being overly sensitive to criticism or disapproval
Believing that relationships are more intimate than they actually are
Blaming failure or disappointment on others
Constantly seeking reassurance or approval
Having a low tolerance for frustration or delayed gratification
Needing to be the center of attention
Quickly changing emotions, which may seem shallow to others

.The burning question - Why this character?: Plans, my boys, plans. I've been using Harley as an NPC with Jason for a while and I think it's finally time I begin work with her story to a greater extent.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: She's a psychologist working at Arkham, that much is the same, however Harley has had a past with mental disorders already - and I intend to expand upon and grow this in my quest to develop Harley into an intrical part of the Ultimate DC RPG.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: Fun stories, some action, a little suspense - epic wins, the usual.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:
"Ah, Doctor Quinzell," Johnathan Crane says, greeting me as I pass him in the hallway. "How are you today?"
"Not bad," I tell him pleasantly. "Two patients are making tremendous progress. It appears the treatments are working."
"Marvelous," he praises, a wide smile over his face. Ever since I started working here, Crane has taken a personal interest in my work. Often I've found myself in rigorous debates with him about different psychological principles and studies, allowing him to pick my brain as I pick his. Rare that someone who considers psychology a 'hobby' could be so astute with his understanding of the science. "Would it be too much to ask if I shadowed one of your sessions?"

"No," I say happily, a small grin coming over my face. "Not at all."
"Thank you, Doctor Quinzell. I must say it's rather suffocating to constantly distribute the medications you doctors ask for and never get the chance to see the treatments in action."
"I'd imagine so," I reply, adjusting the glasses resting on my nose ever so slightly. "Have you talked to Doctor Arkham about becoming a psychologist yet?"
"Sadly, no. He's been shut up in his office for nearly a month now. I'm not even sure if he goes home anymore."
"Well, we do tend to get wrapped up with our work."
"Mhh, apparently," he agrees, his tone strangely unsettling. "I'd be very interested to know just what kind of work in which he's so enveloped."
"I'm sure," I tell him, nodding slightly. "Well, I've got to submit my work for the day. I'll let you know the next time I review one of my patients so you can join me."
"Excellent. Have a nice day, Doctor Quinzell."
"You too, Doctor Crane."
"Please ... call me Johnathan."

.Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?: yah. As for a roster picture, gimme a while to work one up.

 

[Eddie Brock]

That's so epic that there's a real disorder which fits Harley to a 'T.'

 

[Saved]

Actually, I spent like four days researching disorders and I've found one for nearly every gothamite. I plan on incorporating them in my writings.

 

[Batman]

Harleen Quinzell is approved.

And in related news, Syn has been reinstated as an Assistant Game Master. Your souls belong to him now.

 

[J'adore]

Has Silver St Cloud been introduced yet?

 

[Byrd Man]

Yeah. She's a social worker working in Gotham. She helped Dick Grayson get adopted by Bruce Wayne's maid Harriet Cooper.

 

[sabetoonth]

Freis post coming up as soon as MB replies to a PM

 

[Nimibro]

am i approved as mad hatter? and cool, can't wait for the freis post!

 

[Batman]

am i approved as mad hatter? and cool, can't wait for the freis post!

We've been mulling over your app for awhile, but it's difficult to give you the green light. With the way the character's in use right now, your app acknowledges that he's in The Joker's captivity and goes onto say that he eventually escapes three months prior to the current timeline. But as far as Johnny Blaze left things, Jervis hasn't actually escaped yet. For your app to work, we'd have to skip ahead three months, and I don't think that's doable in the context.

For right now, I'm gonna have to say no. But you're more than free to apply for someone else, or wait for The Joker to release Jervis within the game to pick up the beginnings of your story.

 

[sabetoonth]

so any members of White's organization have names?

 

[Batman]

I'm about 19 days late with this, but 'eff it. Only a couple people posted theirs, so maybe mine will inspire a few others to narrow down their picks.

Best Hero: The Flash - Byrd Man
Whether he's saving a cat from a tree or going toe-to-toe with the likes of Giganta and Trickster, Byrd's unique take on the Scarlet Speedster has rarely disappointed, if ever. Combining the whims of a teenage social life with the responsibilities of a superhuman prodigy, Ultimate Flash is the RPG's answer to another company's infamous webslinger. But I think whenever that could have served as a weakness, Byrd's quirky interpretation of Flash and his alter-ego's scatterbrained do-gooder made it a strength, reminding us of the best elements of teenage superheroe archetypes while bringing in a character that cleverly deceives us into thinking that it's fresh.

If there's one element I'm looking forward to in the eventual formation of the Ultimate Justice League, it's the idea that Byrd's Flash will be rubbing elbows with the likes of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, while failing to realize that he's already maintained his own in an equal status to those icons. It's gonna be fun.

Best Villain: Lex Luthor - Andy C.
It's a bit of a cheat, in that we haven't had alot of villain activity in awhile, but Lex Luthor was never anything close to fair. While he's had a multitude of interpretations over the years, Andy's original take on a mastermind who does a little bit of dabbling in everything seems to pay homage to the character's roots, while maintaining that aspect of a corporate mogul hiding his disdain for humanity. Openly performing a lobotomy on Mr. Majestic while simultaneously orchestrating an attack by Giganta against The Flash and Wonder Woman can be achieved by so few supervillains, but Andy's Luthor refuses to be the run of the mill mastermind. It'll be interesting to see where he takes the character against Spike's traditionally straight-laced Superman.

And whether The Man Of Steel will even survive the encounter.

Best 'Walking The Line': Commissioner Gordon - Catman_prb
When Cats first PMed me about taking the role on, I gave him a rough outline of my idea for Jim. It would have had him pretty much the same, save for the fact that he hated Batman and wanted him locked up along with the other crazies. But Cats' Gordon has surpassed my original idea tenfold, proving that he was both far more capable with the character and that he's got a far more twisted imagination than I do. He's created a character that conflicts us and demoralizes us, making us question whether we should hate Ultimate Gordon or encourage his nastiness. After all, Gotham City is a really bad place. Maybe a bad place just needs a tougher brand of justice? I don't know the answer, but I definitely look forward to the moment that Batman sets his sights towards dismantling the corrupt Commissioner. Because in this universe, Gordon may very well be The Dark Knight's greatest adversary, rivaling the likes of The Joker and Bane in ways that would have never before been imaginable.

Best "Ultimized" Character: Edward Nygma - Byrd Man
Me and Byrd often speak over instant messengers about potential ideas for the character, and every time, we both recognize something distinctive about him: If he indeed ever becomes The Riddler, it'll be a hell of a feat to pull off. Because Byrd's take on the character has literally left a question mark on the entire RPG! Whether he's dealing with the mob, orchestrating strategies with Batman, or making deals with a corrupt Commissioner Gordon, Ultimate Nygma reads as no version of The Riddler ever has. He's what Christopher Nolan might have done if the director took the realism aspect to a new extreme, yet in a brilliant twist, the character's writer fancies leaving a surreal impression that there is no possible way to discern this character's motives. The question is, what will he do next? That riddle is one that I feel the citizens of Gotham City don't even want to know, much less experience.

Best Character Development: Selina Kyle - Eddie Brock
One of Eddie's best traits as a writer is the ability to take his audience on a journey. And putting that method towards reinventing Selina Kyle may have very well become one of the high points of his time on these boards. Now rendered just as sympathetic and tragic as many of the Batman pantheon, EB's Selina is just starting to take the turn from scorned victim to vengeful vixen, setting a clear path towards her inevitable alter-ego. Yet rather than make her one-dimensional in a vendetta that'll clearly bring her at odds with the mob that tried to silence her, you still get the sense that this woman could have had a normal life, and how brutally it was ripped away from her. Like Bruce Wayne, she's on the road to a comeback that'll send shockwaves across Gotham City, and I cannot wait to be apart of this enthralling character arc.

Best Story Arc: Bane's Torment - Spike_x1
While I could have nominated him for best villain, I think that would have done Spike a disservice. Because rather than give him a token of character, I think it's Bane's story that really makes him so engaging. Taking him off of the venom tube and placing him at the forefront of a violent gang war that he could very well win, Spike's version of Bane is as cerebral and cunning as he is deadly and unforgiving. He's a character that literally makes me pause and worry about Batman's future, knowing just how close Bane came to dismantling Bruce's operation entirely in the comics. And if Spike keeps this stellar portrayl up, history could repeat itself in an even more gruesome and terrifying way - the exact way that an Ultimate Gotham City warrants it.

Best Post: Something about this post really captured my attention. It's simple and sweet, yet evoking plenty of foreshadowing. I guess I'll let it speak for itself.

SELINA KYLE

The Crime Doctor holds onto my arm tightly, pulling us through the muck and the sewage. I'm not even thinking about how nasty this is or how much it stinks. I'm looking back at the darkness, listening to the echoes of Nygma and Gordon talking. "Your boyfriend crazy," the Crime Doctor remarks.

"What? Oh, he's not my..." I trail off. It doesn't matter. For all I know, Gordon's going to kill him. This is why you don't get emotionally involved in our line of work. But what can I say? Nygma met me at a very vulnerable time in my life. A weak time in my life. I've learned from my mistakes. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"We? Not we." The Crime Doctor quickly glances at me before looking back ahead. "I go to safehouse, stay with cousin. You? You take care of self." She stops suddenly, and I nearly stumble into the river of feces. She examines my shoulder. "Your wound has healed nicely. You will be fine. Come."

After turning another corner, I see light from above. Looking up, I see a dislodged manhole cover. The Crime Doctor lets go of my arm and begins climbing up the ladder. I follow closely behind. We pop out in the middle of a dark Gotham street, illuminated only by dim streetlamps.

"This is where I leave," the Crime Doctor explains. "You might want to ice shoulder once you get to safety." And without another word, she dashes off into the Gotham night - moving surprisingly fast for someone of her size and stature.

There's a crash, and I spin around suddenly. Two glowing eyes stare at me from the darkness.

After staring at me for a moment, the cat scurries down a dark alley. It's just a stray. And so am I, I guess.​

MVP (Most Valuable Player): Syn (Mercenary)
Yeah, not exactly the most predictable choice. But you'd be amazed at how much Syn and I talk behind-the-scenes about the game, and how many ideas he's developed towards it's future on a purely practical level. His suggestions have helped me step up my game, and he himself watches this thread like a hawk on a day-to-day basis, reminding me of applications I may have overlooked or providing feedback on in-game events or OOC discussion. For those reasons, it seemed natural to reinstate his old position as an AGM, and I'm glad to know he has my back in every decision the staff makes.

 

[Bounce]

Bleh. It took me way too long to get that Lor post going. Not sure how many drafts I scrapped since the last Zod post.

Anyway, I decided to go ahead and get Lor's story going on Earth in advance of Zod's arrival rather than doing it after Zod reaches Earth... since that seems to be a plot element that is still a 'down the road' type thing.

Mxyzptlk won't be hanging around for much longer though, as I plan to write him out in my next post. Let me know if there are any issues with the way I've written him Spike, since my goal there was to set him up for what you'd said you plan to do with him later.

 

[Batman]

Since I'm well over a month late with posting, but want to get things moving with the character, I'll go ahead and re-apply.

. THE NEW ULTIMATE DC RPG .
Character Application

.Screen name: Batman

.Character you wish to portray: The Joker

.Hero, villain, or walking the line?: Villain

.Powers and physical attributes: Though he doesn't appear to have any real superhuman powers, The Joker is a metahuman, and actually boasts a lower level telekinesis - an ability of which he uses to control, manipulate, or essentially destroy anyone he comes into contact with, driving many of his victims past the point of insanity.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): Though it is largely a point of contention, The Joker's origin is widely believed to be a rather simple one. A young troublemaker and a runaway from home, the boy that would become the maniacal clown did what many young people without a place to go would typically do - join the Circus. It was within this inner circle that he was exposed to a great magician named Belsaraph, leading the band of carnival dwellers known as "The Freakshow" on a tour from city to city.

Taking to the stage as a natural performer, the boy matured into a young man, and became Belsaraph's apprentice. Learning everything that the ringmaster knew about how to wow an audience and keep a show thrilling, the magician also shared his unique views of the world. He was eventually paid in kind by his pupil: with a lighter and some kerosene, as Belsaraph was burned alive in his trailer. The murder was covered up, and soon, the young apprentice renamed himself after his master and began to don the strange attire of a clown, leading the Circus onto bigger and more sinister goals. Though no one knew the true extent of his madness, the new Belsaraph had plummeted off of the edge of sanity, and began to kill. Not so much for a sane purpose anymore, more than sheer pleasure and the belief that his victims would be freed of their mundane existence.

Recently settling on the outskirts of Gotham City, Belsaraph's Brigade of The Bizarre has began to wow audiences with every performance. But behind the scenes, the mad clown has begun to target some of the city's most influential citizens, embarking on a plan to drive the entire city itself into a mind-controlled frenzy of lunacy - with The Joker rightfully placed at the center stage.

.The burning question - Why this character?: Well, I had set out to avoid doing this, actually. As fun as it was to play The Joker in the last incarnation of the game and explore his depth, I had really given myself little to play with in regards to the rivalry between him and Batman, knowing every step of the way where I would ultimately take him. But the more I hesitated, the more tempting it became after JB's departure to go back to my old self-menacing ways.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: There are several changes already in place, but Blaze and I had several good discussions on where we'd eventually take the Batman/Joker dynamic in this universe. So I intend to realize a couple of those steps myself. He isn't going to be the normal Joker that only lives to taunt his greatest foe - infact, Batman's suffering is quite down on the list of his priorities. He's setting his goals a little wider than that.

As a fan of what Blaze did with the character, I'm taking somewhat of a new-but-faithful approach to playing it... I only intend to stick around for a couple of arcs and menace a few people, anyway. And if JB hopefully ever returns, I'll hand the reigns back to him immediately so as to allow him to continue with his plans, giving me more to work with as Batman. Until then, I'm more than content to just put a smile on a couple of faces. Even if I have to carve them in there.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: How about the hollowed out skulls of a couple of dozen children and the elderly, all filled with candy, blood, and fecal matter?

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

"What a lovely audience! Give yourselves a round of applause!"

The cheers that erupted from behind the barriers of the Gotham Carnival grounds could have shattered glass, following the departure of the closing act. Basked under the spotlight to receive such generosity was the grinning ringmaster known as Belsaraph, dressed sharply with a tall black top hat and a patterned crimson suit. Still high off of their excitement, the audience began chanting for an encore. And as far as the clown was concerned, who was he to deny them that opportunity?

With a chuckle, Belsaraph removed his hat and bowed. "Thank you, thank you. You're far too kind. And since you've all been such welcoming guests, we here at the Brigade of the Bizarre wish to extend our sincerest thanks in the best possible way we can. So how does an encore sound? Free of charge!"

Predictably, the audience expressed their agreement with even more and even louder cheers, particularly coming from the children. Placing his hat back ontop his head, Belsaraph clapped once and indicated the far left entrance to the stage.

"Then without any further adieu, my dear people of Gotham, I humbly welcome our opening act back to the stage... that death-defying acrobat himself, the wondrous Deathwing!"

As the entire room turned their attention towards the upper stage, focused entirely on the garishly-costumed acrobat as he began his routine, the ringmaster bit his tongue and grinned to himself, slipping quietly into the backstage area without notice. Those simple minded drones would be kept busy enough by a few cheap tricks, for the moment. It was time to move onto more serious matters. Or far less serious, as he preferred to think of them. Spotting his right hand reptilian-man rounding the corner with a mean glare on his face, Belsaraph mocked his own customary showmanship by pretending to have anything but disdain for Croc's presence. Because he knew just how much that picked away at the sensitive brute's nerves.

"Croc, m'boy! Keep an eye on things. There're a few bits and pieces of our operation that I need to attend to."

Croc nodded, but with a low snarl beneath his breath. Almost a muttering. The clown caught on fast, and raised a stern eyebrow. "Come again, scaleface?"

The hulking Croc resisted at first, but it didn't take long before The Joker's presence began to take it's toll on his feeble mind's weakened barriers. Finally, the metahuman revealed the words he had kept hidden under his breath, knowing he couldn't hide them from his master.

"I said, I... I ain't yer damn slave."

The Joker's smile faded. But not in the normal way, where it would just simply fade off of his face... this smile was turned upside down and pulled wide open into an all out expression evoking manic rage, managing to display itself through the makeup that would otherwise mask such emotion. Croc began to visibly panic, seeing this startlingly fast transformation take place.

"I didn't mean it, boss, I swear! You know I ain't got nothin' but respect for ya!"

Even standing several feet below Croc's height, the clown fearlessly grabbed him by the tank top he was wearing over his disfigured skin and brought him down to eye-level. Croc's black eyes closed in fear, as he began to tremble from the mere force of Joker's grip, tightening itself with every second that passed. The tension lasted a good while, to the point that Croc wasn't sure if he was going to live through the rest of the night. All he knew was that he had made the mistake of angering his employer...

Until the clown laughed. And laughed hard, having to stop himself by wiping away tears. Croc blankly stared at him as he composed himself, brushing off his coat's shoulders. "Oh, that's a good one, Croco! A real riot! 'Nothin' but respect for ya'! And combined with the look on your face..."

The Joker slapped Croc on the shoulder, harder than the brute expected. But jovial, nonetheless. "Priceless. But we're not going to kid ourselves, here. You hate my guts, that much is more than clear to me. You despise me, and rightfully so, with the horrible way that I treat you."

Croc shook his head, vehemently denying such a claim.

"No, Joker. Honest. You're the only guy with class around here."

Grinning, the clown began to walk with him in tow, wrapping an arm around the back of his large neck. "Oh, pish-posh. Nothing but simple words stemming out of fear. The fact of the matter is, you don't just hate me, you hate everything I stand for. Infact, if you had it your way, I'd probably be nothing more than a month's old stain on the carpet, with you still saving my organs as leftovers."

Croc was silent, as The Joker patted him gently.

"But it's okay, Croc! Really, I want you to let it all out, so we can finally settle these differences between us. All that anger and frustration... it's healthy for the soul. So come on at me. Give me a little taste of that rage you've been holding back, for all of these years of torment."

Looking at him with confusion, Croc stepped back from Joker's grip.

"Boss, I don't know what you're sayin', but there's no way that I'm-..."

"Perhaps you didn't hear me."

The Joker narrowed his eyes, plunging deep within the confines of the reptilian's mind, looking for that primal urge that kept Croc placed in line with his namesake. "I told you to come at me with everything you've got."

Instantaneously, Croc changed from a hesitant underling into a bloodthirsty animal, snarling and growling with increasing intensity as The Joker stepped back, amused by the sudden transformation. Waving him on, the clown continued to encourage the behavior.

"That's it. That's the stuff. Enough with the patsy act, sonny..."

The Joker brimmed with something that almost resembled pride. "Show me the real Killer Croc."

Roaring loud enough to awaken the dead, Croc menacingly snapped his jaws and assumed a pouncing stance, ready to lunge at his tormentor with full force. But by the time he finally did so, the clown produced a large electrical staff that he had been concealing behind his back the entire time, and violently struck him across the face with it.

Croc went flying into the opposite wall, more than weakened enough to stop any further attacks, but he wasn't given the chance to pick himself up. Because not a moment later, the staff smashed itself into Croc's temple, causing him to bleed out and fall back onto the floor.

The Joker stood above Croc's nearly unconscious body, breathing hard and leering with clear pleasure. "Y'see, Croco... that's the thing about having your way."

Striking down again with the electrical portion of the rod, the clown cackled madly as Croc screamed out in agonizing pain. Then he did it again. And again. Until each stroke was in direct unison with his next few maniacal words.

"YOU. DON'T. ALWAYS. GET. WHAT. YOU. ASKED. FOR!"

Finally, The Joker dropped the staff and stumbled back, overcome with fatigue. Croc was a hard beast to put down, but he had done it. The blood pouring off of Croc's head was enough to create a puddle, and the injury would have indicated serious brain damage to any other man. For the reptile-man, it'd probably mean nothing more than a splitting headache and a few bandages. Not to mention the concussion. But still unsatisfied, the clown dropped onto one knee and grabbed Croc's near lifeless head, bringing it back to eye-level with him.

"You think it's so easy, don't you? You and all of those other mindless apes that inhabit this city. You think that just because you've got a place to sleep at night, some decent food to eat, and a couple of channels that still work on the ole' tube, you're living good and decent lives. You're just so used to that feeling that it never once occurred to you that you were settling for less. Hell, settling for nothing!"

Dropping Croc's rather thick skull back onto the floor, The Joker began to wipe away the fresh blood from his suit. "Those people out there, they have no idea... absolutely no freakin' clue about where they're headed. They're content enough to watch some halfwit in spandex do a couple of cartwheels. But soon, my dear Croc, it's all going to become a different game for good ole' Gotham. The rules are going to be changing from their's to mine, and it's going to be nothing short of absolute anarchy. The most perverse kind of fun."

Placing his top hat back onto his head once more, The Joker resumed the soft tone of his Belsaraph persona, grinning down at the mangled heap that was once a ten foot tall beast.

"So yes, to put it mildly... you are my damn slave, Croc. Just like the city, and all of it's dirty little ****es soon will be."

Strolling towards his dressing room to fetch a quick change of clothes, The Joker chuckled to himself, leaving Croc to bleed. Someone was bound to pick him up, eventually, if they could lift that much weight. And if they couldn't, well... at least the reptilian was getting a well-deserved nap.

"On with the show!"

.Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?:

 

[Saved]

Batman is approved as Joker.

Just as a note to Bounce, you were removed from the roster as Lor-Zod because you didn't make an IC post nor did you say anything OOC to make us believe you were still active. Because of that, I'd like to ask that you reapply - just for habits sake. Same for you, Mr. Majestic for Majestrate. You were removed from the roster as Majestrate for well over a month without an IC post.

And, in the future, if you've been removed from the roster on the first page of the thread due to excessive inactivity, please re-apply before making any posts in the IC thread.

Thanks.

 

[Batman]

That's a good point, and that goes for everyone. If any of you have been gone for awhile, be sure to check the rosters whenever you come back. Things might have changed to the point that you were let go without knowing it, so you might have to reapply. I noticed the same thing for Mr. Majestic, so he might need to reapply, too.

By the way, I added an updated Ultimate DC Index to the front page, for convenience sake. Now everyone can see who's been established and who hasn't.

 

[Bounce]

Batman is approved as Joker.

Just as a note to Bounce, you were removed from the roster as Lor-Zod because you didn't make an IC post nor did you say anything OOC to make us believe you were still active. Because of that, I'd like to ask that you reapply - just for habits sake. Same for you, Mr. Majestic for Majestrate. You were removed from the roster as Majestrate for well over a month without an IC post.

Okay. Not sure why I was removed when I was only following after another character who was not removed from the roster, but here you go...

With Catman_prb's permission, allow me to say... KNEEL BEFORE MINI-ZOD!

I'm also introducing the Ultimate version of Krypto the Superdog as an NPC associated with this application if no one has any objections.

Character Application
.Screen name: Bounce

.Character you wish to portray: Ultimate Lor-Zod

.Hero, villain, or walking the line?: That's a hard question. Because of his age, he's not really not able to be cast into any of those categories. I guess I'll say Walking The Line, as his "villainy" stems from emulation of his father and not as the result of any type of mens rea. He has that juvenile desire to please, which is easily adapted toward opposing goals depending on how the RP goes.

.Powers and physical attributes: Lor is a full-blooded Kryptonian, possessing all the qualities, attributes, and weaknesses of the species with a developing juvenile physiology. Lor-Zod's genetics differ from that of a natural Kryptonian's because of his conception and birth in the Phantom Zone, making him capable, despite his youth, of manifesting a scaled down version of the same powers as Superman when exposed to yellow sun radiation: Superhuman Strength, Stamina (so-called "Invulnerability"), Vision (telescopic, x-ray, ocular heat blasts), Breath, and Flight.

He is not as strong as a Kryptonian adult, but many times more so than a human. Absent that charge from a yellow sun, Lor-Zod is no different from a human child of similar age, other than he keeps the anatomical differences between Kryptonians and humans obviously. As with other Kryptonians, Lor-Zod is depowered and weakened by exposure to red sun radiation or kryptonite.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): Lor-Zod is the son of General Dru-Zod and his lieutenant Ursa, born after their exile into the Phantom Zone and raised by both his parents. Dru-Zod had a Kryptonian canine, which has become Lor's companion and playmate as both are free spirits in the Phantom Zone. As a result of being born in the Phantom Zone, Lor has no concept of the universe beyond it nor does he speak any language other than Kryptonese, though would be capable of learning such if sufficiently exposed to another culture.

.The burning question - Why this character?: Honestly until the other day I'd never heard of this character. My DC fandom starts and ends with Batman generally, but I was doing a wiki crawl and stumbled across a picture of the character sacrificing himself in Action Comics Annual #11, flying out of Superman's reach with the words "up, up, and away" and had about a million and one ideas slam into my head. Ever since Smallville came out, with its references to Clark's childhood (shattering his crib, throwing a bully through a door when he was in the 3rd grade, etc), I've wondered how writers might develop a Kryptonian character as a child. Sadly, in the case of DC canon, the writer's appear to have elected to create him and write him out with equal speed in order to transform him into a teenager, though he's now even older. So this is me trying to flesh out a part of the Superman mythos that's been by large shunned: What does the world do with a Superchild? He'd be capable of feats both heroic and terrible. And that's more or less what I plan to do with him: He's large, in charge, and when he's done with his nap you will kneel before Zod!

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: The major departure is the relationship between Dru-Zod and Lor-Zod. That being, in the DCU there was no relationship. Lor-Zod didn't even recognize Dru-Zod or Ursa, so instead he emulated the example of Kal-El and Lois Lane. In the Ultimate continuity, there's an actual parent-child relationship between Dru-Zod and Lor-Zod. From Lor-Zod's perspective, his parents are like gods. Dru-Zod isn't just his father, he is his role model. Lor-Zod wants to be Dru-Zod. This makes him an interesting threat because he is very innocent and very dangerous at the same time, more so for those heroes who would be reluctant to harm a child. In that sense, Lor-Zod represents a unique weapon that Dru-Zod can use for the element of psychological warfare in addition to the physical damage that Lor-Zod is more than capable of inflicting on less advanced societies, such as humanity.

I'm also making changing his age from DCU continuity. As demonstrated visually in terms of appearance and in the dialogue he used, DCU Lor-Zod seemed to change between 6 and 12 in the various issues and titles he appeared in. He was stated by Lois to be 12, yet in his initial appearance he is playing with blocks which suggests elementary age vice middle school age. For UDC purposes I'm splitting the middle and assuming him to be around 8 years old.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: I hope Lor-Zod will be a source of some light-hearted storytelling and comedy relief in what has shaped up to be a gritty and film noir-esque RPG so to change things up a bit.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

"Kneel before ZOD!"

The words are uttered in Kryptonese, spoken by a treble voice as an unquestionable command though the person delivering the challenge is a poor example of statesmanship. The sandy haired child held his head high as he looked down on his subject, hand outstretched with a finger emphatically pointing down as though to further demonstrate his superiority. There's a plaintive whine, as the white furred canine just stares back at the boy. The tapered ears tilt to the front, then flatten against the top of the dog's head as it gives a snort and sits down on its haunches. But its master is not impressed.

"No! Don't sit," the youth objects, padding over to the animal to correct its posture. Lifting the dog's haunches, the boy pushed the canine down on its front paws. "Kne--" the boy repeated, only to be interrupted by insubordination from his minion. The canine's wet nose tapped against the child's face, tongue lapping at his face as the dog rebelled against its oppressor with a furious licking. A litany of childish laughter haunts the empty landscape around the pair, ghostly blurs shadowing the motions as the two begin to dart back and forth in pursuit of one another. They were both form without substance, little more than ghosts.

For most, the Phantom Zone was a hell of non-corporeal and non-linear existance that could stress the perceptions of the mind into a spiral of madness. To Lor-Zod, it was the only existance that he knew of. He'd heard stories of the universe and galaxies which existed in a reality outside of this one, but such were his bedtime stories and seemed no less like fairy tales. Grand tales of conquest and battles involving the noble warriors of Krypton that his father led, interplanetary intrigue and politics spanning the stars with jealousy of his father's greatness. And of course every great story had in it a great evil. The villainous Jor-El was the Mordred to his father's Arthur, the honorless black knight that had felled the great soldier through petty machinations, fear, and cheap jealousy. But his father would return, would fight the just battle to unite the universe under the banner of Krypton and the crest of the House of Zod. And in so save the universe from the evil of people like Jor-El.

"KNEEL BEFORE ZOD."

The child-wraith is stopped short by the words. Familiar words and, though he'd heard them spoken with authority his whole life, he'd never heard them said with such ferocity before. Had something happened? Had his father discovered a way to rejoin the galactic battle in the plane that was known as reality? Curious and unafraid, the child quickly moved through the ether to rejoin his parent's ship, with Krypto close behind, where he would see for himself what had drawn the ire of Zod.

.Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?:

 

[Saved]

That's generally because I didn't start checking up on the roster til a week or so ago (same time I was reinstated as AGM), so it's nothing personal, it's just when the roster started getting cleaned up and you got caught in the shaft on that. When I was looking up everyone's last post date, Catman had made a recent post - you hadn't. It's not like you're being treated differently - the timing just seemed to workout that way in this situation.

 

[Saved]

Approved. Thanks.

 

[Eddie Brock]

Best Character Development: Selina Kyle - Eddie Brock
One of Eddie's best traits as a writer is the ability to take his audience on a journey. And putting that method towards reinventing Selina Kyle may have very well become one of the high points of his time on these boards. Now rendered just as sympathetic and tragic as many of the Batman pantheon, EB's Selina is just starting to take the turn from scorned victim to vengeful vixen, setting a clear path towards her inevitable alter-ego. Yet rather than make her one-dimensional in a vendetta that'll clearly bring her at odds with the mob that tried to silence her, you still get the sense that this woman could have had a normal life, and how brutally it was ripped away from her. Like Bruce Wayne, she's on the road to a comeback that'll send shockwaves across Gotham City, and I cannot wait to be apart of this enthralling character arc.

Best Post: Something about this post really captured my attention. It's simple and sweet, yet evoking plenty of foreshadowing. I guess I'll let it speak for itself.

Thanks, MB. That means a lot, especially concerning the post which I saw as little more than a throwaway to progress the story.

 

[Bounce]

Approved. Thanks.

Cheers for that.

For the Metropolis folks... any one done anything yet with Pike Island? I think it may be an obscure reference and only got mention in Pre-Crisis DCU continuity, but it's an island outside of Metropolis Bay.

If it has not been mentioned in UDC yet, any objections to 1) my using it in UDC and 2) having a NASA research facility there?

 

[sabetoonth]

Hey, not to sounds like a dick or anything but, you left Nora Berg/Freis off the NPC list

 

[Byrd Man]

You just came off sounding like a dick!

 

[sabetoonth]

maybe i was just sayin that and planned on sounding like a dick!

 

[Batman]

Hey, not to sounds like a dick or anything but, you left Nora Berg/Freis off the NPC list

Sorry about that. I'm still in the process of updating the NPC and Deceased lists, which'll take awhile to complete. The Heroes/Villains/WTL lists are done for the moment, however.

 

[Byrd Man]

Sorry about that. I'm still in the process of updating the NPC and Deceased lists, which'll take awhile to complete. The Heroes/Villains/WTL lists are done for the moment, however.

If you want some deceased, take Holiday's vics

Clancy O'Hara
Charles "Chuckie" Sol
Hamilton Hill
Pino Maroni
Julian Day
Arnold Flass
Jack Grogan
Alberto Falcone