[HEADING=1]The New World[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]A Cataclysmic Birth[/HEADING]
We live in the world of today, a world of "normalcy", where the fantastic and awful exist usually in works of fiction. In the city of Portsfield, we go about our daily lives, consumed in our own affairs. We do as we have done for our entire lives, probably not spending more than an random thought about the working of the universe around us.
However, a change coming, a change so drastic, and on such an enormous scale that no one will ever be able to forget where they were during the days to come, if they survive them. How will you react to the world after the Cataclysm?
[HEADING=3]Notes[/HEADING]
1. This Roleplay will be a sandbox-type game set on an Earth much like our own, but not for much longer. Soon, the people of this world will find that a minority have been gifted with extraordinary powers. How will the world react? Are these gifted individuals a blessing or a curse on mankind? These answers and more are up to you.
2. As you've probably already seen, this will be a sort-of origin story for the player-characters. However, it has one big difference, your power isn't up to you. Instead of putting a power in your character sheet, you will make a separate "Power Sheet" that will describe a power of your own design. When the game begins, the powers will then be randomly distributed among the characters.
3. ALL POWERS POSTED WILL BE PUT IN A COLLECTIVE POOL TO BE DISTRIBUTED FROM. This means that it's possible for your power to end up being used in the RP, even though your character was not accepted. I know this seems unfair, but I need to do it to create a "backlog" of spare powers to give out to players who don't feel like they can work with the initial power they're given.
[HEADING=3]The City[/HEADING]
Portsfield is a large city in western Oregon, bordering the Pacific Ocean. Founded all the way back in the days when Oregon was a territory shared by the British and Americans, it has had its ups and downs throughout the centuries. Recently, it has just found stability after the downturn in 2008, thanks to a costly revival of its tourist hot-spots. In one case, the city created a new one, the "Mall of the West". However, the effects of the economical turmoil can still be felt in some of the poorer districts, effects like homelessness and crime.
At the moment, the city is most noted for it's esteemed New Western University. Originally founded in 1888, the campus was almost destroyed in 1978 after a fire that resulted from a tremor breaking a gas line. When it was rebuilt, the influx of funding allowed it to expand several of its programs and now it sits on the top ten of several academic fields places of study. It serves as a magnet for promising students throughout the country, many of whom choose to stay in Portsfield and contribute with the knowledge they've gained. This has created a strong relationship between the city and the college, to a degree that several of the city's past mayors were former deans.
Another notable location is nearby Mt. Highfort, which serves as a geological oddity. Basically a giant igneous rock, it is believed to have been formed underground as a pocket of cooled magma that was later revealed by erosion, but its location doesn't seem to support this theory. Compounding this curiosity is the relation it has to the region's history. It served as an object of worship for the Native Americans that used to live in the area, an unknown tribe even carving out a home at the base of it and leaving strange artifacts with no discernible purpose. As Europeans settled in, the mountain had a less-mystic purpose: serving as a fortification for the settlers, hence the name. Today, it is a subject of an Institute of Scientific Study and Advancement (ISSA) investigation, as they seek to find out how the mountain formed and why it seemed to demand such attention.
All in all, Portsfield is a city that is well-established, bearing an interesting past, but is otherwise not very noteworthy in the grand scheme of things. However, with what's to come, that can all change...
Downtown Portsfield- The cultural and administrative center of the city, downtown contains city hall, several museums, and stage theaters. It also contains the "Portsfield Centre for the Arts", which caters to all sorts of artistic tastes and houses exhibits that tour the world. The police are headquartered here, though their precincts on the mainland are more heavily staffed, due to downtown's remoteness from the rest of the city. The island is accessible mostly through the Portsfield Subway system, but there are several bridges connecting it to Riverside.
Riverside- The commercial center for the city, Riverside the the most affluent part of Portsfield. It contains most of the headquarters of the businesses that operate in the city, along with high-rise apartment and condo buildings to house the people that work there. It also contains the "overflow" from downtown, leading to some of the-relatively-cheaper apartments to house artists rather than office workers. The Mall of the West is located here, massive in size and containing a shop for almost every want an need. It also has a theme park on the inside, which even has water park rides.
Plainview- The melting pot of the city, Plainview sits in the position of containing whatever doesn't fit into the other districts. It houses the workers of Riverside who can't afford to live in the expensive apartments by their work; it houses the people desperate to leave the poverty of Backfield and The Sprawl behind; and it houses all the students who attend New Western, where the campus is situated. The average citizen of Portsfield probably lives in Plainview, which caters to its inhabitants by providing the same accommodations a person of median income can expect: parks, community centers, and a few malls.
North Beach- A district mainly built with tourism in mind, North Beach is practically two different places, depending on the season. In the summer, the place with swamped with tourists who want to visit the beach, or have a cheap place the sleep after a full day of shopping in Riverside. However, for the rest of the year, the place caters to only a small number of off-season travelers. During this time, most of the businesses are sustained by giving special deals to locals wanting to escape the trappings of the poorer districts.
The Harbor- Portsfield's connection to the world, the Harbor serves as a source of constant revenue for the city through the shipping industry. The entire district is built with this in mind, full of warehouses, storage facilities for fuel, and other services for the ships that come through and the trucks that unload them. There are few residential areas in the district, with most workers commuting from Plainview.
South Beach- Asserting itself as the travel hub of the city, South Beach is the bastardized offspring of North Beach and the Harbor. Originally, it served as the home of Skyfield Airport, and housing for the Harbor workers. However, the city council wanted to try and expand the business that North Beach brought in, so they attempted to hastily construct a cruise-liner port and new beachfront properties. This ended poorly, as several criminal organizations took interest in the contracting and used the opportunity to dig roots into the city. The Yakuza and the Russian Mafia both dug deep roots into Portsfield, where they have remained. Today, South Beach now serves a the tourist destination for those who find they can't afford North Beach rates, as well as the place anyone coming in on a cruise ship or flying in through Skyfield get a bittersweet taste of Portsfield.
Greenfield- Protected land surrounding Mt. Highfort, Greenfield serves as a beautiful place for anyone in Portfield to spend a daytrip visiting. There are several small towns scattered here and there, built in the early 1900's, before the area became protected by city ordinance. Preserved, these towns provide an opportunity to see a time before the modern area, though the locals dislike being oddities to be gawked at by the city-dwellers. Regardless, most of the district is pristine, ranging from dense forests to open fields. Greenfield serves as a Portsfieldian's escape from reality.
Backfield- A poorer part of Portsfield, Backfield serves the city as the home for many of the city's low-income workers. Composed of mostly suburban neighborhoods, the district is a maze of twisting roads and a nightmare for the police to patrol, giving rise to gang violence. It is unknown if it started in Backfield, or spilled over from the Sprawl, but gang crimes have come to be a constant thorn in the people of Backfield's side. However, the problem is well managed, though not under control, and Backfield is considered a viable place to live for those not able to live in the other districts.
The Sprawl- Officially called "Clydesfield", in recognition of the city's chief founder, the Sprawl is suburban hell spawned from hard times. In the late 1890's and early 1900's, when the Harbor began to boom, the Sprawl became the manufacturing center of the region, almost matching Riverside in the wealth from the goods made and sold there. However, during the Great Depression, most of the businesses in the district went bust, and the area has never really recovered. It did see an upturn of activity in time of prosperity for the nation, but never could hold onto success. Today, it is a hotbed of criminal activity, with gang violence, corruption, and drug trafficking all common problems. Anyone who ends up in the mess of abandoned factories and housing nightmares does so because they had no where else to go.
Riverside- The commercial center for the city, Riverside the the most affluent part of Portsfield. It contains most of the headquarters of the businesses that operate in the city, along with high-rise apartment and condo buildings to house the people that work there. It also contains the "overflow" from downtown, leading to some of the-relatively-cheaper apartments to house artists rather than office workers. The Mall of the West is located here, massive in size and containing a shop for almost every want an need. It also has a theme park on the inside, which even has water park rides.
Plainview- The melting pot of the city, Plainview sits in the position of containing whatever doesn't fit into the other districts. It houses the workers of Riverside who can't afford to live in the expensive apartments by their work; it houses the people desperate to leave the poverty of Backfield and The Sprawl behind; and it houses all the students who attend New Western, where the campus is situated. The average citizen of Portsfield probably lives in Plainview, which caters to its inhabitants by providing the same accommodations a person of median income can expect: parks, community centers, and a few malls.
North Beach- A district mainly built with tourism in mind, North Beach is practically two different places, depending on the season. In the summer, the place with swamped with tourists who want to visit the beach, or have a cheap place the sleep after a full day of shopping in Riverside. However, for the rest of the year, the place caters to only a small number of off-season travelers. During this time, most of the businesses are sustained by giving special deals to locals wanting to escape the trappings of the poorer districts.
The Harbor- Portsfield's connection to the world, the Harbor serves as a source of constant revenue for the city through the shipping industry. The entire district is built with this in mind, full of warehouses, storage facilities for fuel, and other services for the ships that come through and the trucks that unload them. There are few residential areas in the district, with most workers commuting from Plainview.
South Beach- Asserting itself as the travel hub of the city, South Beach is the bastardized offspring of North Beach and the Harbor. Originally, it served as the home of Skyfield Airport, and housing for the Harbor workers. However, the city council wanted to try and expand the business that North Beach brought in, so they attempted to hastily construct a cruise-liner port and new beachfront properties. This ended poorly, as several criminal organizations took interest in the contracting and used the opportunity to dig roots into the city. The Yakuza and the Russian Mafia both dug deep roots into Portsfield, where they have remained. Today, South Beach now serves a the tourist destination for those who find they can't afford North Beach rates, as well as the place anyone coming in on a cruise ship or flying in through Skyfield get a bittersweet taste of Portsfield.
Greenfield- Protected land surrounding Mt. Highfort, Greenfield serves as a beautiful place for anyone in Portfield to spend a daytrip visiting. There are several small towns scattered here and there, built in the early 1900's, before the area became protected by city ordinance. Preserved, these towns provide an opportunity to see a time before the modern area, though the locals dislike being oddities to be gawked at by the city-dwellers. Regardless, most of the district is pristine, ranging from dense forests to open fields. Greenfield serves as a Portsfieldian's escape from reality.
Backfield- A poorer part of Portsfield, Backfield serves the city as the home for many of the city's low-income workers. Composed of mostly suburban neighborhoods, the district is a maze of twisting roads and a nightmare for the police to patrol, giving rise to gang violence. It is unknown if it started in Backfield, or spilled over from the Sprawl, but gang crimes have come to be a constant thorn in the people of Backfield's side. However, the problem is well managed, though not under control, and Backfield is considered a viable place to live for those not able to live in the other districts.
The Sprawl- Officially called "Clydesfield", in recognition of the city's chief founder, the Sprawl is suburban hell spawned from hard times. In the late 1890's and early 1900's, when the Harbor began to boom, the Sprawl became the manufacturing center of the region, almost matching Riverside in the wealth from the goods made and sold there. However, during the Great Depression, most of the businesses in the district went bust, and the area has never really recovered. It did see an upturn of activity in time of prosperity for the nation, but never could hold onto success. Today, it is a hotbed of criminal activity, with gang violence, corruption, and drug trafficking all common problems. Anyone who ends up in the mess of abandoned factories and housing nightmares does so because they had no where else to go.
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Profession:
Biography:
Notes: (Anything worth noting about your character that doesn't fit anywhere else)
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Profession:
Biography:
Notes: (Anything worth noting about your character that doesn't fit anywhere else)
Name: (For reference)
Power: (The source of power can be from either within or without. A person can be mutated to obtain the power or it can come from an object. Even then, the power can come from elsewhere. If you want, you can also detail how this power can "grow" with experience or usage. Use your imagination!)
Physical Effects: (Does the use, or existence, of this power effect the person's appearance? If not, feel free to just delete this part)
Weakness:
Power: (The source of power can be from either within or without. A person can be mutated to obtain the power or it can come from an object. Even then, the power can come from elsewhere. If you want, you can also detail how this power can "grow" with experience or usage. Use your imagination!)
Physical Effects: (Does the use, or existence, of this power effect the person's appearance? If not, feel free to just delete this part)
Weakness:
Name: Drake Barr
Age: 20
Sex: Male
Appearance: Quite tall for his age, Drake tries as hard as he can to blend into the crowd. His short black hair, brown eyes and few blemishes on his pale face helping somewhat. He is lucky enough to have a form in good proportion, not having to deal with the lankiness some tall people end up with. As for clothes, he usually wears a neutral-colored button-up shirt open to reveal a white undershirt, or otherwise neutral to dark colored shirt. Along with that, he wears some baggy blue jeans and a pair of faded brown shoes.
Profession: Unemployed (College Student)
Biography: Drake was born in North Texas, away from the bright lights of Dallas. His childhood in a small town is your run-of-the-mill tale, with the only noteworthy aspect being his failure to live up to the expectations of others. His height made him perfect for basketball, only for everyone to find, after he joined the team, that he sucked. His build was also good for football, but that venture ended with the same result. He was good enough at academics, but only passed each class by the skin of his teeth because he almost never did homework.
Because of his "failings", and his small number of friends, Drake was constantly bullied, sitting him right on the bottom rung of his middle school and high school social ladders. After a few of altercations landed him in detention, Drake began to simply take the abuse. It did get the easily distracted bullies bored, "making" them stop. However, some didn't, and their torture gradually got worse and worse, slowly building pressure under his cap.
Eventually, this led to a predictable result, only with more drastic consequences. Drake's fury unleashed on an unexpected target, and in a town where rumors spread like wildfire, his bad school life expanded into a living hell. Even though the county court was satisfied with a fine, and the school with some time spent at an alternative location, the town wasn't, and their revenge ranged from angry stares to vandalizing his property and home. The only saving grace for Drake was that his incident happened near the end of his Senior year.
Drake didn't attend graduation at the end of his public school life, instead spending the day, and some days afterward, on the road to Oregon. Even his parents were surprised when New Western's acceptance letter came in the mail, but they didn't question the excellent opportunity for Drake to start over. Out of curiosity, they asked Drake before he left what major he chose, and the answer's irony wasn't lost on them: Pre-Law.
With a clean slate, Drake has been stepping on eggshells, even though he's been in Portsfield for almost two years. The only people he talks to for any good length of time have been his professors.
Notes:
1. Drake lives with a wealthy friend of the family in Riverside as he studies in New Western, he commutes using the subway.
2. He doesn't yet have a job yet, but it looking for one in his off-time. Currently, he's focusing on finding a desk job on-campus.
3. Drake has light psoriasis, leaving patches of scaly skin behind his ears and on his back. He's self-conscious of these and doesn't like people noticing them.
Age: 20
Sex: Male
Appearance: Quite tall for his age, Drake tries as hard as he can to blend into the crowd. His short black hair, brown eyes and few blemishes on his pale face helping somewhat. He is lucky enough to have a form in good proportion, not having to deal with the lankiness some tall people end up with. As for clothes, he usually wears a neutral-colored button-up shirt open to reveal a white undershirt, or otherwise neutral to dark colored shirt. Along with that, he wears some baggy blue jeans and a pair of faded brown shoes.
Profession: Unemployed (College Student)
Biography: Drake was born in North Texas, away from the bright lights of Dallas. His childhood in a small town is your run-of-the-mill tale, with the only noteworthy aspect being his failure to live up to the expectations of others. His height made him perfect for basketball, only for everyone to find, after he joined the team, that he sucked. His build was also good for football, but that venture ended with the same result. He was good enough at academics, but only passed each class by the skin of his teeth because he almost never did homework.
Because of his "failings", and his small number of friends, Drake was constantly bullied, sitting him right on the bottom rung of his middle school and high school social ladders. After a few of altercations landed him in detention, Drake began to simply take the abuse. It did get the easily distracted bullies bored, "making" them stop. However, some didn't, and their torture gradually got worse and worse, slowly building pressure under his cap.
Eventually, this led to a predictable result, only with more drastic consequences. Drake's fury unleashed on an unexpected target, and in a town where rumors spread like wildfire, his bad school life expanded into a living hell. Even though the county court was satisfied with a fine, and the school with some time spent at an alternative location, the town wasn't, and their revenge ranged from angry stares to vandalizing his property and home. The only saving grace for Drake was that his incident happened near the end of his Senior year.
Drake didn't attend graduation at the end of his public school life, instead spending the day, and some days afterward, on the road to Oregon. Even his parents were surprised when New Western's acceptance letter came in the mail, but they didn't question the excellent opportunity for Drake to start over. Out of curiosity, they asked Drake before he left what major he chose, and the answer's irony wasn't lost on them: Pre-Law.
With a clean slate, Drake has been stepping on eggshells, even though he's been in Portsfield for almost two years. The only people he talks to for any good length of time have been his professors.
Notes:
1. Drake lives with a wealthy friend of the family in Riverside as he studies in New Western, he commutes using the subway.
2. He doesn't yet have a job yet, but it looking for one in his off-time. Currently, he's focusing on finding a desk job on-campus.
3. Drake has light psoriasis, leaving patches of scaly skin behind his ears and on his back. He's self-conscious of these and doesn't like people noticing them.
Name: Plant Symbiosis
Power: The subject's body becomes plant-like in nature, not only allowing flora to inhabit it, but also allowing for the subject to control the plants that "connect" to him/her. The subject also exhibits an ability to "sense" other nearby organisms, flora or fauna. The more accustomed the individual it with the nerve connections, the more control the subject can enforce upon the plants they are connected to, even to the point where they can grow and adapt as the subject wills. The ability to "connect" can also be trained, to the point where the subject can "interface" with larger plants, like trees, and manipulate them for a time.
Physical Effects: Initially, the subject's skin will become a shade of green commonly seen when a human being is ill. However, as time progresses, the subject will resemble a human less and a sentient plant more, down the the cellular level. At the later stages, when the subject is "more plant than human", they will no longer be confined to a humanoid shape. Their figure and form will be by their own design. As the effects progress, the subject's body gains the ability to regenerate injuries much faster than the normal human.
Weakness: The subject is vulnerable to sudden changes in environment, and temperature extremes. For example, they will react slowly and even move slowly in the cold, and will be in a state of constant thirst in dry climates. Darkness, or a long time spent in artificial light will also slow them down (though the subject will rarely tire in daylight). Finally, fire will have a brutal effect on the subject, especially when the physical effects are fully manifest.
Power: The subject's body becomes plant-like in nature, not only allowing flora to inhabit it, but also allowing for the subject to control the plants that "connect" to him/her. The subject also exhibits an ability to "sense" other nearby organisms, flora or fauna. The more accustomed the individual it with the nerve connections, the more control the subject can enforce upon the plants they are connected to, even to the point where they can grow and adapt as the subject wills. The ability to "connect" can also be trained, to the point where the subject can "interface" with larger plants, like trees, and manipulate them for a time.
Physical Effects: Initially, the subject's skin will become a shade of green commonly seen when a human being is ill. However, as time progresses, the subject will resemble a human less and a sentient plant more, down the the cellular level. At the later stages, when the subject is "more plant than human", they will no longer be confined to a humanoid shape. Their figure and form will be by their own design. As the effects progress, the subject's body gains the ability to regenerate injuries much faster than the normal human.
Weakness: The subject is vulnerable to sudden changes in environment, and temperature extremes. For example, they will react slowly and even move slowly in the cold, and will be in a state of constant thirst in dry climates. Darkness, or a long time spent in artificial light will also slow them down (though the subject will rarely tire in daylight). Finally, fire will have a brutal effect on the subject, especially when the physical effects are fully manifest.