When man first walked the earth, he did not do it alone. He walked it with the animals, the plants, and most importantly, the demons. He was not the dominant species that he is today no he was a slave to creatures that were beyond understanding. Desperate to be free from the shackles of oppression the humans cried to Mother Earth to save them. She answered their cry, by turning chosen people into half beasts, called Thropes. Humans with the power of animals, these Thropes, killed the demon masters. There was a time of peace as the Thropes guarded over the humans, but nothing good lasts forever. The human race grew paranoid and afraid that the Thropes would take over. The Thropes did not strike back, as was their devotion to the human race. They ran and hid among their animal brethren and were eventually forgotten. In time they rejoined the humans in human guise. They had mastered the power to change between their animal side and the old part of them, that was human. They also still had their warrior form, the side that was both animal and man.
Fast forward to our time. The Thropes live behind the scenes, trying to get by. The government knows about them and doesn't want to threaten the well being of the public or create mass hysteria by reveling their presence. They've sat up an organization called Agency M and given them an infinite amount of resources to get rid of the threat. They see the thing that makes the Thropes animals as a disease. It is in many ways, as a bite from a Thrope can create another Thropes, but not as pure as the first. Agency M has found a cure to the virus but it only works on bitten Thropes and only can be used within the first three weeks after the person has been bitten.
Now the Thropes live there lives staying one step ahead of Agency M. Something odd is changing that. Not only have groups appeared to hunt the hunters but also something old is lurking in the shadow something that could change the world.
Groups: Agency M: Ran almost completely by humans this organization is made for the sole purpose of research, capturing, and killing off any Thopes of any nature. Their main concern is the bitten, as Thopes of this nature are what started the organization in the first place. They do have a few Thropes under command as hunters, task forces that hunt Thropes, but they are very rare cases.
The Pack: Not so much a group as a bunch of Thropes who have banded together to make sure that they don't get caught or killed. They have been known to work with Agency M on occasions but only when a Thrope is going to show its existence to the world.
The Blood Moon: A group of ancient Thropes that no one knows about. Their plans are unknown but they steal priceless artifacts for no reason.
Born or bitten?
Born Thopes have a hard life, their different and either, their parents told them growing up or didn't. Born don't change till puberty. They live their whole life with an animal inside them always wanting to get out. Some live in harmony with it, others usually turn into an animal. Still they have serious advantages such as the ability to turn anywhere from animal to human including the warrior form, which is much like a werewolf only with any animal. The bitten are someone who has been bitten by a Thrope. They can only go into the warrior form and no further. They also suddenly have an animal inside their head that they haven't known all their life. Needless to say that unless a bitten has training on how to control itself, it will be taken out fast.
Character Sheet:
Name:
Gender:
Age:
Race: Thrope or human. If Thrope state what kind wolf, tiger, mouse, etc. Also state if you're born or bitten
Group: if not with a group just leave it out.
Appearance: Give me some details! Do they have short or long hair? Do they tend to walk with most of their weight to one side? I want to be able to really see the person. If your character is a Thrope describe how they look.
Personality: How would a stranger see you? Do you talk differently to people you know? What about the same race as you?
Bio: so who is your character really? Did their life suck growing up? If a Thrope how did they handle the animal inside? Did the other kids see you as a friend or a bully? Ask yourself how is this person a person. I want real people not cardboard cut out people. Keep in mind that the game is taking place in a city called Helta Population: 4,000,000. I'm basing it mostly off of Seattle so the area by the docks are bad but everywhere else is nice.
I'll post my character after I know for sure someone else is actually interested.
I'll join, though I will wait for you to post first.
In without a doubt. Gotta decide how I'm going to play this. I think it's time rollout the new kid on the proverbial block. Also waiting for an initial post.
(OOC: Hmmm...Now THIS...is intruiging. As it kinda eerily describes what I've come to know of myself and what I think I am under the human appearance I wear so that I don't alarm the mundanes. XP If that made any sense. Of coarse, with me, species varies. I suspect you want characters that don't have multiple animal forms XD So that's where the similarities end. Anyway...I'll have to figure out a character before I can fully join. Also...one question...about the bitten...do they absolutely have to become the species they are bitten by? and is it limited to being bitten by another thrope, or can a regular animal bite cause it?)
OOC: Yeah the Bitten have to be bitten by a Thrope and they transform into the animal that Thrope is. Anyway, I was planning on posting my character yesterday but didn't get the time. So here ya go!
Name: Jesse O' Connor
Gender: Male
Age:32
Race: Born Thrope, Wolf
Group: The Pack
Appearance:Jesse stands roughly six foot tall and looks like he hits the gym on weekends. Normally, not enough to get a six-pack, but due to his Thrope background, he has one. His hair is a very dark, near black, brown but looks like it's starting to gray by what kind of work he does. Normally it is short and slicked back with an off brand gel that is odorless. Though when he isn't at work it's often loose and rather unkept. His eyes are yellow, the only thing that would betray what he truly is. Jesse could change them at any time back to their normal blue but prefers to keep them yellow to not only show defiance against Agency M but to also give him an intimidating edge in the work place. At work he is almost always seen in a full three-piece suit.
At home, and with friends Jesse does a complete three-sixty. Often seen in incredibly baggy clothes, hair in a mess, and most of the time not wearing shoes. Jesse seems to be able to cut loose at a moments notice.
When he transforms into he wolf warrior form or animal form he is a Gray Wolf. He gains a foot in height, and his fur is a patchwork of grays and blacks.
Personality: There are two sides to this coin. Anyone who has seen him at work would best describe him as a heartless, cutthroat, businessman who looms in his office waiting to strike upon unsuspecting workers. For the most part it's true. Jesse doesn't need to be there as he owns the company and has the board members run it. He comes in though to make sure progress is being made.
At home he is a nice guy, he hunts, goes to bars, and generally acts like he isn't worth a few million. He hates rich people for the most part, doesn't matter who they are, he hates them. Gets along with humans of any type no problem, but has a few issues with cat Thropes.
Bio: Born and raised in the middle class on the edge of the city Jesse grew up in a family of six as one of the middle children. His mother and his father were Thropes though his mother was bitten and his father was born. Jesse knew from the start what he was. He grew up with the knowledge that daddy and mommy could change into animals but it was a little strange that other people couldn't. This was hammered into him time and time again before he went to school. He was told it was a secret that other people couldn't know.
Jesse had an amazing ability with numbers and facts, something that would be with him all of his life. At thirteen he changed, he knew it was coming, he had seen his older brothers and sisters go though it, so he skipped a few days to keep the secret. He tended to share a common bond with the animal in him and rather than holding it back he found a way to twist it to his own end. A lot of his habits changed to that of an animal, they were minor things like, how he walked or slept. It worried his parents. He graduated at seventeen, angry at how slow school was going. Jesse wanted to be done with it so he could move on to more advanced things.
That's when the Agency showed themselves. They moved to another town before Agency M got too close but a few years later Jesse moved back to get a college education. He got masters in business and then made his company. He made a job out of a bodyguard service centered mainly with Thropes as the guards. It made sense to him. The Agency couldn't pull anything while around humans so put the animals next to the humans. It worked great, not only did he find a job for Thropes that were on the run but also made bank fast as Thropes were asking for Thropes for extra protection. Money rolled in and Jesse found his business, The Helping Hand, expanding out across the city and even to other cities. In a few years he became rich and untouchable. Still the Agency was a thorn in his side so he decided to personally fund two groups. One called the Black Fang was a Pack that stood up to the Agency in his local area. The other he thought up brilliantly as a gang called The Animals who would dress up in animal masks and destroy public property discrediting the reports of rampaging Thropes.
His relationship with Agency M is a rather odd one. He has informants in the Agency, to tell him when things are going down. The Agency both hates him and likes the way he thinks at the same time. Jesse eludes all of their ways of killing him, as they can't do it directly because of his status. Yet, Jesse often gives charity to subsidiary companies that then channel the money to the Agency. Also his street gang helps the Agency along with the Thropes. He is currently on file in the Agency's listing but considered not a threat.
OOC: Before this one gets fully started I may as well post my character profile/bio/whatever here, so that the thing doesn't sink too far down the board...
Name: Maria Julian Magnusson/Julian Monroe
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Race: Born Thrope (Haast Eagle)
Group: None (but could be forming her own)
Appearance: Maria stands at five feet and nine inches tall, but looks taller because she always stands very straight. She's slim, with the build of a dancer, but would more probably be described as lean, since she's also quite muscular. Her hair is thick, obsidian black and glossy, and reaches to just between her shoulder-blades. Usually she wears it plaited, tied back into a ponytail, or held off her face with a headband, only very rarely wearing it loose. Her eyes are hazel, and she has a piercingly keen gaze, probably the result of her particular transformation. Although she's quite fastidious & maintains good personal hygenie, Maria eschews make-up or perfume, preferring to stay natural. Maria's ancestors seem to have travelled to many different parts of the globe, with the result that Maria is very much a mixed-race individual. Her facial features appear to be a pretty mixture of western European and Mongolian, and her skin colour is somewhere between the 'white' predominantly found in western Europe and the 'yellow' that predominates in much of Asia. Another peculiarity of her physique is that she has an unusually high level of face & body symmetry. Although not flawless, it is enough to make people think that there is something different about her looks, even if they can't put their finger on it. A conservative dresser, Maria usually wears boots, jeans and sweaters, with an ankle-length coat over them. That said, she varies the colour of her clothing quite regularly, so her appearance is seldom dull- unless that suits the occasion. Similarly, if required to dress formally, Maria will wear a conservative outfit with trousers, rather than a dress or skirt, since she prefers to be able to run or kick if necessary.
When she transforms into animal form, her plumage is mainly black with some white, a red crest, and a yellow-green tinge to the wing-tips. (The Haast Eagle was native to the South Island of New Zealand & the colour-scheme described here is based on the Maori legends of the Hokio or Hakawai, which are believed to relate to the Haast Eagle. Anyone here who actually has Maori roots- my apologies if I've just messed up spectacularly there!). In warrior shape, the colour-scheme is the same & she goes from five feet nine inches to six feet six inches, or exactly two metres tall.
Personality: Like the eagle she transforms into, Maria tends to be a loner, and can come across as aloof and indifferent, or perhaps blase. Harsh might also be a term used to describe her. However, she is also focused & motivated, and gives the impression of an inner drive & intensity bordering on the obsessive. When she speaks to someone she's not familiar with, she gives the impression of being eloquent, intelligent & capable, but not necessarily warm-hearted or caring. When speaking with someone she knows though, she allows more warmth to show through. This tends to be the same whether a person is a Thrope or a human, Maria doesn't discriminate much, and hasn't been known to exhibit any pet hates.
Bio: Maria was born in the Balkan Peninsula, more specifically in the Republic of Macedonia, to middle-class parents who- aside from being Thropes- could be called average. From an early age, Maria proved to be a very intelligent child, possibly a genius, with a particular flair for technology, martial arts & the performing arts. An only child, she didn't make too many friends, and didn't seem to feel the need to, preferring her own company or the company of her family. As a child of two born Thropes, Maria knew from the outset what she was, and that she could never tell anyone. When the time finally came for Maria to undergo the transformation for the first time though, both she and her parents got a surprise. Whether it was because both parents transformed into members of the eagle family, or because the family had, for generations, spread to different corners of the globe, or something else, Maria turned out to be a throwback: She transformed into the likeness of the Haast Eagle, a member of the eagle family extinct for nearly 600 years. However, perhaps because of the diversity of her family, some subspecies blending seemed to have taken place: Maria wasn't purely Haast Eagle. Haast Eagles were incapable of soaring, and had a wingspan of approximately three metres- short for an eagle that weighed up to 15 KG and stood nearly 3 feet tall. Maria's wingspan exceeded 3 metres by a substantial amount,and her wings had the locking mechanism within them common to other members of the eagle family that allows for soaring flight. With the transformation, the animal within her seemed to come to the fore in a number of ways: Her already sharp eyesight improved, and her eyes took on an unsettlingly keen expression, as though she could look into a person's soul. She began to walk with a graceful stride, but the grace she took on was predatory. Already a loner, she began to spend increasing amounts of time on her own, often in high & solitary places, which seemed to help her keep the peace with the animal within. It is possible that it also affected other aspects of her psyche, such as her outlook and attitudes as well. Other people at her school, perhaps without realising they were doing it, began to avoid her. Maria didn't care: Academically she was soaring, and with her transformation now active she was able to do the one thing she had longed to do all her life- take wing and fly.
By the time she was 16, Maria was tackling degree-level courses, and looked set to have a promising future. That was when Agency M made their presence felt in her life. However it had happened, they seemed to have overlooked her existence for most of her life. But the idea of a genius Thrope making her way into a position of power & influence didn't suit them at all, and they took action. The Agency set a bomb in the family home, planning to take care of all three Thropes. By rights Maria should certainly have been killed along with her parents, but due to an unplanned visit to a nearby computer store, she came home later than usual, in time to see the police and ambulance services surrounding the remains of the family home. Staying at the home of nearby relatives until her parents' funeral had been conducted, Maria then disappeared, vanishing off the grid for the next four years. Where she went and what she did in that time can only be speculated upon. But, at 20 years old, she has resurfaced in Helta city, as a very wealthy individual, calling herself 'Julian Monroe'. Whilst her vast increase in wealth may well remain a mystery, her intentions are very straightforward: Maria is gearing up for war against Agency M, with the objective of 'tearing it up by the roots'. Her reappearance may be indicative that her plans are now matured and she is readying to strike. For now, she is simply testing the ground and looking for potential allies, before launching her offensive. If Agency M has her on their files under either of her names, they will probably consider her a serious threat.
(OOC: Still here. Still thinking. Part of me wants to use an adaptation of a sort of were-thylacine I created once for another RP that didn't get very far...part of me wants to do something completely new. Hmmm...)
OOC: Sorry it took so long guys, I was trying to get back into the RP mood, needless to say, I'm back, hopefully some of you are still with me! Anyway, let's get this thing off the ground, eh?
OOC: No problem Swanson, welcome back! And this looks interesting already, let's hope I don't alter that....
IC: Across town, even as Jesse was sealing the deal, the word was spreading. A man who looked just shy of his 30s, wearing an immaculate suit nervously approached a set of double-doors that led to the penthouse office of the building he worked in. He'd only ever had to come here twice before in the time he'd been here, and he felt just as nervous every time. He'd brought a gift with him of course, in the hope that it would pacify the individual who awaited him beyond the double-doors. Miss Monroe was not an easy person to talk to, he found. Holding tightly to the bottle of Chanel perfume he'd procured, he approached the desk just adjacent to the double doors. Smiling a nervous smile at the young woman behind the desk he said, "Rachel, I'm here to see the boss". The woman called Rachel smiled and spoke briefly on the direct line to the penthouse office, before saying, "go on in". Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, opened the double-doors and entered the office beyond. It was spacious and bright, with large windows which opened out onto a rooftop garden. There was a large desk that dominated the space directly opposite the double-doors, at the far end of the office, but the chair behind it was unoccupied. On the desk- and on shelves around the office- there were boxes containing schematics, plans, statistics, circuit-boards, soldering tools, cables, and other such things. A reminder- if any were needed- that the owner of the office had a flair for technology of all kinds. The whizz kid, the Monroe girl, that was what most people called her- or those that hadn't met her anyway. People who had met her called her-, "I believe you have some news for me Dominic?" The voice interrupted Dominic's train of thought. It was crisp and formal, without a hint of warmth in it, or emotion either, just a suggestion of mild curiosity. He turned in the direction the voice had come from.
Standing by one set of windows was a girl of 20, who, without trying, always managed to make him feel two inches tall, despite the fact that she was probably at least two inches shorter than he was, if not more. She was dark-haired, with piercing hazel eyes, and she moved with silent feet and a grace that put Dominic in mind of a large, predatory bird, slowly circling to strike its prey. Hard to believe that someone so young owned Harpa-Tech, the business he worked for, but he supposed that just went to show what brains and the right connections could do for you. He wasn't exactly sure what connections she'd made of course, but he suspected they were in Europe since that was where her accent seemed to come from. Clearing his throat, Dominic carefully put the bottle of Chanel on the desk and delivered the news. "Its about one of our potential customers Miss Monroe," he said carefully, "the one you were interested in; Luger Corp. They've been bought out just today". Miss Monroe's expression remained impassive, as though he'd just mentioned the time of day. "By whom?" she asked. Dominic hastily consulted the note he'd jotted down. "By an agency that calls themselves The Helping Hand," he replied, "I think its run by..," Miss Monroe finished the sentence for him, "one Jesse O'Conner?" she asked. "Yes," Dominic replied, wondering how Miss Monroe might have heard of him. However, Miss Monroe wasn't forthcoming with that information, instead cupping one hand under her chin as she gazed out of a window. "That's an interesting development," she said eventually, "I shall have to think about this. Thank you Dominic, that will be all". Dominic left quickly, glad to be out of the office as his boss, Julian Monroe, turned her mind to the news he'd just given her.
Julian Monroe was well aware of the purpose of The Helping Hand- most Thropes were after all, and she was no exception. She'd planned to contact Mr. O'Conner eventually of course, but not this soon. She considered carefully what she knew of him. He ran The Helping Hand, he was smart and business-savvy (probably street-savvy too), he was worth a few million and...he hated rich people. The last was a little odd, and maybe a potential barrier to any communication or co-operation that might otherwise have been possible. But then again, maybe not. The man was a business man after all, he probably didn't let pet hates influence decisions that made good business sense. In which case, business was probably the angle to start from, since Mr. O'conner now owned a business that she was very interested in- not just because it had been a potential customer, but for other more personal reasons too. A letter, business to business, asking if the new management were still interested in their products, coupled with a request to meet the new owner probably wouldn't raise any eyebrows, Julian decided. Scooping up the bottle of Chanel, she strode through the double-doors and spoke to her assistant. "Rachel," she said, "you like Chanel don't you?" Her assistant nodded. Julian was of course, well aware that her assistant liked Chanel, as she was aware that Dominic and Rachel had been dating for two of the three months Dominic had been there, and that both knew she eschewed perfume and make up. She gently placed the bottle on Rachel's desk saying, "consider this yours then. And," she continued, "please send a letter to the new owner and proprietor of Luger Corp, congratulating him on his acquistition and asking if he retains any customer-interest in our product line. On that note, please inform him that if he does, he may contact me at any time to arrange a one-to-one appointment with me personally, in order to discuss business matters. Have the letter sent A.S.A.P, and let me know when, or if we get a reply". Not stopping for an answer, Julian strode back into her own office. It was, she thought a curious twist of fate that had given her reason to connect with another Thrope so soon. A bird soaring in in the distance caught her attention and she closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they were no longer hazel but golden-amber, the eyes of a bird of prey. She focused on the bird soaring over the city. It was a hawk. Julian didn't set stock by omens, but perhaps this was a sign of things to come? A positive note after the years of careful planning? a slight smile flickered across her lips at that. "Soon," she said in meaningful tones to the city spread out below her, "soon,"...
(OOC: Oh hey...so this HASN'T died. Cool. But my mind is still torn as to what character I want. I think I want to be a member of that resistance group, but the character still hasn't come to me)
OOC: That's cool Violet, take you time, I'm just glad you're interested. Gema, I intend to reply to your post soon I just want to wait and get a feel for who still wants to do this.
Name: Jake Kimanu
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Race: Wolf thrope. No group. Born.
Appearance: Tan but not brown skin, usually shirtless. Also often wears trunks. Spiky hair. When warrior, has the head and legs of a wolf, but the upper body of a strong, muscular man.
Personality: Cool, outgoing, very intelligent and knows alot about science. He makes alot of friends and has a girlfriend, and was the popular kid in school was great at sports because of his born running skill.
Bio: When Jake was a baby, he could go thrope form on accident... he was very bad at controlling his power. For the first 6 years of his life, he was hidden by his mother. He would never go outside, and was often left alone in the house. Since he was born relatively intelligent for his age, he knew education was important and would often study textbooks bought for him by his mom whenever she had to go to work or run an errand. She hid him because she didn't want him to lose control of his thrope form when in a public place. Jake never had a father. His mom and dad got into it too early, and when Jake happened, his father left. He went to New York, and neither Jake nor his mom ever saw him again. So it was a lonely life. But, when he got bored from studying, he would practice his form. He would eventually learn how to control it at age 7 and went out of the shadows and into the schoolhouse. After a few years of being the awkward loser freak he was for spending alot of his life without friends, he eventually caught on, came out of his shell, and was a really cool person. When he moved to Helta, he enrolled in sports programs and was very popular from then on. That's how most of his life continued.
(OOC: Got something...I think. Also...Random name is random.
Name:
Hellen Radburry
Gender:
female
Age:
20
Race: Star-Nose Mole Thrope; bitten
Group: one of the resistance groups
Appearance: Stuck permanently in warrior form; cannot resume human appearance. Scars all over her body, and a few scattered wire stubs. Her star-nose is missing a few of the points. Large scar across her right eye. Smaller than her previous human form; about 3'5''.
Personality: self-effacing and unsure. Tends to keep to the shadows. This does make it easier for her to be a spy for the resistance, however. Has NO love for Agency M, in fact, she hates them for what they did, so she takes it as her responsibility to Thrope-dom to spy on the Agency and sabotage them whenever she can.
Bio: Born a 'normal' human, she had always loved animals. At the age of 7, this love of animals caused her life to change drastically. She found a mole by the side of the road, injured, she picked it up, wanting to help, but it bit her out of fear. At the time she didn't panic, she thought she understood why it bit, but she still wanted to help. So she took it home and cared for it until it was well again.
Once day, she was surprised to see a person where the mole had once been, and even more surprised (and frightened) to find that she was changing. The mole thrope before her then explained what had happened, and that he was sorry he had bitten her, as it meant her life would be completely turned upside down. He warned her to get away, that it wasn't safe to stay in her home anymore, but she just couldn't believe that anything would change between her and her family. Now fully healed, the thrope that had bitten her made one final plea that she should get away before he himself had to leave or risk discovery.
She was able to hide the changes for several months before they became too drastic for others NOT to notice. She finally told her family what had happened. They promised to keep the secret, but...her father was greedy, and knew Agency M would pay a lot of money for thropes, especially bittens. He ended up selling his own daughter to the agency, for which she never forgave him.
Imprisoned by the Agency, she endured terrible torture, and because of the experiments, lost the ability to change from warrior form back to human. The day before they were to actually kill her, she and several others escaped, aided by the same thrope that had innitially turned her. He lead them to the hideout of one of the resistance groups, and that is where she stayed.
There. IC will be later)
Interesting character Violet, glad to see we got a bitten! As for Episonic, I understand you're new to RPing so I'll try to help you out. First, thanks for the interest and hopefully this doesn't scare you away. Your character is decent for a first try but he needs some fleshing out in a couple areas. The appearance could be a bit more descriptive, for instance what kinds of trunks does he wear, facial features, stuff like that. Also, how can he get away with being shirtless most of the time when he goes to high school? His personality could also use some more description, being cool isn't really a personality trait, look at mine, Gema's, or Violet's for help on both these sections. Also, being popular and having a girlfriend, are not part of a person's personality. Finally, the bio, the key word for all of this is being descriptive, the biggest problem with your bio is that it doesn't really make a interesting character, he just seems like a generic dude. Notice how all of our characters have interesting backgrounds and motivations, that's what you want to shoot for. Other things to remember that your bio made me concerned about, you mention Jake being able to turn Thrope on accident, which is a good idea, you said he could do it since he was a baby. I mentioned in my original post that Thropes aren't able to turn into their animal forms until puberty. The other thing, is that your bio kind of just trails off at the end, it doesn't really give your character a reason for being involved with the rest of the group, he's just a semi-normal teenager who happens to able to turn into a wolf, that doesn't work. Why would any of our characters want to use a untrained, unmotivated, teenager to help us take down Agency M. He needs to have something...extra. Hopefully this all helps you, try fixing your profile up a bit and we'll see how it goes.
Ok.. I agree. How about I just change my char completely. Here's my other idea.
Name: Cory Jameson
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Race: Born Wolf Thrope.
Group: The Blood-Red Rebels- a group of 5 born wolf thropes, led by Cory, who silently try to combat Agency M, but are struggling of course, and seek help from other rebels...
Personality: Very witty and outgoing. Has a positive attitude, but is very sensitive about family and friends and their wellbeing. He would die instantly or bite off more than he could chew without thinking TWICE if it were to save a friend in need. He is also very determined, and will go to the end of the earth to... complete a mission, or prove a point. He is also very skilled with combat.
Bio: He grew up under an over-protective, thrope mother. He had a brother and sister, too. They were wealthy, but for many years their mom would not allow them to do anything that could be slightly dangerous... such as, riding a bike, or jumping on a trampoline. So, basically, he was born a softie. One day, his mother was seriously ill. She was turning back and forth between animal and human form. Some agents from Agency M managed to capture her, and after years of battiling mental issues, Cory managed to group up with other thrope wolves to start a group of rebels to battle Agency M and avenge his mother. But, alas, of course... they did not turn out well. He's been seeking alliance with other, bigger rebel groups. He hasn't found any luck, and now has more friends to fight for.
Thats all I have so far. Does that work?
That's a much better improvement, Episonic! I like the character! Anyway, I suppose we can get this RP underway finally, if anyone else wants to join in later *cough*Rico*cough* feel free.
OOC: Thanks. I think I'll post an IC.
IC: "Hahaha," Cory chuckled. He gripped the newspaper in the palm of his hand and ran, ran as fast as he could run... he ran into the forest where the rest of his group, the Blood-Red Rebels, were hiding out. He leapt into his wolf form and hit amazing speeds as he tried to find his brethren. When he got there, he told them what to do. "Turn Human, guys." He instructed, carrying out the action himself. He handed the newspaper to his brother, Alex, who is also a part of the Blood-Red Rebels. "Luger Corp. Bought Out by Organization 'The Helping Hand'"? he read aloud, then continued to read the article silently, to himself. "Hey, isn't Luger Corp. the guys who fund Agency M?" Cory's sister, Bianca, asked. "Speak in the past tense, sis. Check out the guy who, now, owns Luger Corporation."
Alex flipped through the newspaper, then exclaimed, "Aha! Buying out Luger Corp. is organization, "The Helping Hand", owned by Jesse O'Connor." Cory smiled, and Biance wore a big-eyed, surprised look on her face. "Jesse O'Connor is one of the most famous modern thropes. If he owns Luger Corporation now, why would he fund the very agency that destroys his own people?"
OOC: Sorry it's taken so long for me to post, school has been kicking my butt.
OOC: You gave me an opening...sorta. If there's anything wrong, I can take this out, although that's gonna be hard until next Friday, as I will be without net until then. Hopefully you don't mind having my character snooping around...as that kinda is her role...)
IC:
Unknown to the Agency, they had a mole in their organization. Literally. Helen Radburry sat hunched in an air vent, the feelers on her star nose quivering slightly as she listened to the rather heated conversation below. Her whole body was tense. She hated coming back here...but...she HAD to. SOMEONE had to keep tabs on the movements of the agency, and she had trained herself to be the perfect spy...Well, ok, maybe not perfect, and if she ever was discovered, it would almost certainly mean instant death, since she was stuck perminently in her warrior form. They had tried to kill her before, but thanks to her mentor, she had been able to escape. She now saw it as her duty in life to discover and report on all movements the Agency made.
She gasped lightly as the human made his adament declaration. She HAD to warn the others! Jesse was one of the main reasons Thropes had not been driven to extinction yet. If the Agency succeeded in getting to him...
She finished placing the bug, and crept as quietly as possible back along the vent until she reached her entry point in an alley behind it. She uncovered her hastily disguised hole and retreated back into the earth, replugging it behind her as she made her way through her tunnel back to the HQ of her small resistance group. She had no idea whether or not they'd be able to get a message to Jesse at all, let alone in time...
TBC
(OOC: yeah, the air vent thing is a little unoriginal. *shrug*)
Julian was busy assembling a prototype for her latest idea, a piece of hardware that could well come in useful in days ahead, when there was a knock at the doors to her office. Julian smiled slightly when she heard it; she knew that knock. That was the way Rachel knocked whenever she had news she knew Julian would like to hear. Setting aside the object she'd been working on Julian called out, "come in Rachel". Rachel entered, carrying a few pieces of paper with her, presumably things that needed her boss's attention. Once she had reached the desk Julian asked, "well Rachel, what do you have for me?" Her assistant shuffled her papers for a moment before answering. "You told me to let you know the moment you got an answer to the letter you sent to Mr. O'Conner," she said, "well an answer came back just a moment ago". Julian nodded, her eyes not leaving the eyes of her assistant, "and what answer did I get?" she asked. Rachel shuffled the papers again. "He- or rather the person who called for him- said to let you know that he has no prior engagements this evening if you wish to talk business," she replied. Julian nodded again, a thoughtful expression in her eyes. Although she'd been quick- maybe even the first- to send a letter to the new owner of Luger Corp, the answer had come more swiftly than she might have anticipated. She'd hoped of course, that Jesse O'Conner would answer quickly, but had half-expected him to keep her- and whoever else would send him letters over the next few days- in suspense while he deliberated over whom he might answer and how he might answer. The swift response was encouraging. She issued her instructions to Rachel again.
"Rachel, send a message back to Mr. O'Conner," she said, "informing him that I too have no prior engagements this evening, and can meet him to discuss business at whatever time and place might be most convenient to him- and thank him for his swift response to our letter. I think this evening should be an interesting one". Her assistant nodded and made a note. When she didn't immediately go to carry out her employer's instructions however, Julian asked, "Rachel is there something you need to ask me?" Rachel looked a little awkward as she asked, "are you certain you don't want me to go with you to meet Mr. O'Conner Miss Monroe?" Julian was momentarily nonplussed by this. "I think I can handle business talk by myself Rachel," she said, "or do you perhaps have a crush on Mr. O'Conner?" Rachel blushed at this suggestion, "it isn't that Miss Monroe," she said, "but, um, well- well you are a pretty young woman and even if its business talk you are going alone to meet a man you don't know. Are you sure you don't want me to come along?" Julian was momentarily left speechless by this question. "That's a very touching offer Rachel," she said eventually, "but even if I am very nearly a decade younger than you, don't worry that I can't take care of myself, or might do something stupid. I haven't been a little girl now for a long time. You don't need to play mother to me".
Rachel didn't look convinced by this, but left Julian's office to send a message back to Jesse O'Conner as instructed. Julian had a thoughtful look in her eyes as she started work on her prototype again. The other reason she couldn't allow Rachel to come, the main reason, was that Rachel was completely human and blissfully unaware of the existence of Thropes, or of Agency M, and of the ongoing hostility between the two. That was an aspect of business that Julian could only discuss with Mr. O'Conner tonight, and with a select few members of her staff who were Thropes, either born or bitten. There would be a lot of work to do in the days ahead. With that thought in mind Julian set herself to working on her prototype again. The more well-prepared she was for that work the better...
OOC: Oh, no, that wasn't meant as a serious question when he asked, "Now why would he fund the very organization that destroys his own people?" It was meant more as a way of saying, "Luger Corp wont be funding Agency M anymore."
OOC: Well, took longer than I wanted but I'm back! I was totally going to do those 2 profiles but then I decided not to, instead we'll just consider those 2 characters I plan on having show up NPC's of sorts, which means they're free for everyone in the RP to use. The first one is Commander Ronald Turk, leader of Agency M and the second one is Alexis Vance, leader of the Blood Moon.
As Jesse drove towards the resteraunt he'd arranged as a meeting place, Julian was on her way too. She'd been quietly impressed with Mr. O'Connor's location of choice: an opulent resteraunt in one of the more affluent districts of the city. She gazed out of the window of the chauffeur-driven Bentley that carried her, silently composing her thoughts and suppressing what agitation she felt. It wasn't really the upcoming meeting with Mr. O'conner that was causing her agitiation, she knew that. Julian had met plenty of businessmen- and women- to discuss matters of great importance before, and knew the minor nervousness that she felt before those meetings. But this was something different. Perhaps it was because of the nature of the matters they had to discuss tonight, but more probably, Julian suspected, it was being in a car that causing it. Julian did not like travelling by car, a dislike that had developed as a result of the way she'd spent her childhood and her adult life. When she'd been growing up in the suburbs of her home city, she'd walked- or run- almost everywhere, since everything was within easy walking distance. As an adult Thrope, with her transformation active, she'd been able to leave the ground beneath her and travel great distances on the wing, borne aloft by the thermals. Travelling by car she found an uncomfortable medium: neither the easy pace of her own feet, or the exhilirating rush of soaring in the heavens but instead, a sensation that sat uncomfortably between the two and irked her horribly. That was why she'd opted to be driven, rather than drive herself, since driving a car was the one thing thus far that she found more irksome than being driven somewhere in one.
Pondering all the possibilities that might open up as a result of tonight's meeting, Julian's awareness was recalled to the present moment by the change in pace of the vehicle and the view from the window. She fastened her keen eyes on her new surroundings. Their destination was in sight: A large building that housed the resteraunt, with an opulent yet elegantly understated beauty to it that somehow made it seem more inviting. And, she noted, valet parking- not that she would have need of that. As the bentley pulled up at the doors, Julian addressed the chauffeur. "Thank you for your services," she said in a crisp but not unfriendly voice, "I shall call you later tonight for the return journey. For now, here is your fare". So saying, Julian paid her driver and, as a valet opened the door for her, emerged from the car. As she entered the resteraunt, Julian's keen eyes saw more than one head turn her way. While the Thrope side of her nature warned her that the attention might represent a potential threat, she believed- hoped even- that she was drawing stares because she stood out a little more than other customers might.
Though she knew nothing of the effort Jesse had gone to in preperation for the evening, she had herself deliberated over her choice of attire. In the end, she had gone for some garments she had picked up in the far east. She was wearing a long-sleeved qipao, that was a deep, rich red colour with small gold-thread floral patterns embroidered upon it and that had a split-seam on either side from the hip down. Beneath that, she wore some snug-fitting trousers of similar colour, with the gold-thread floral pattern embroidered onto the outside seam of either leg. Over her feet she wore simple, sensible black boots of soft, supple leather. The combination of her garments with her mixed-race appearence, Julian suspected, probably made her look a touch more exotic than most customers that came through their doors. Her plaited hair bounced lightly against her back as she strode over to the main desk, located just outside the resteraunt proper. "I have a reservation here for seven this evening," she informed the man behind the desk, "a table booked under the name O'Conner?" The man consulted the list of reservations. "You are Ms. Monroe then?" he eventually asked. Julian gave a simple nod in reply, and was shown to the table. Once seated, she began to skim the menu as she awaited the arrival of Mr. O'Conner- and reminded the eagle side of herself that its favourite dish hadn't been on the menu for the past few centuries...
(OOC: Aaaaand now that I've entered...I'm not sure what to do with my character XD;; )
OOC: Well, I suggest that you and Epi find some way to join in the current affairs going on at the restaurant, hopefully this next post will help.
(OOC: ...*lightbulb!* Let's see if this works...Wait...which alley is he in? the one behind the Agency, or one behind the restaurant? I'm gonna assume it's the one behind the Agency for now, and change it if it isn't...)
IC: Hellen had bugged every entrance hole she made..in case of trouble...ESPECIALLY the one in the alley behind the Agency's headquarters. And it was now proving it's usefulness as she listened to the plotting humans from the safety of deep within her system of tunnels. I've got to warn them...but HOW? I can't go into that restaurant...I'd blow their cover AND mine...Since I can't change... Her nose tendrils twitched nervously as she made her way toward the restaurant through her own personal Underground.
TBC
(OOC: Eh. But it's better than nothing I guess.)
OOC: Ugh sorry, I forgot to explain which alleyway he was in, yeah it was the Agency one so your post works. I'll wait for Gema and Epi before posting again.
Julian looked up as Mr. O'Connor arrived, giving him a polite bow of her head, as he slid himself into the seat across from her. Her piercing hazel eyes settling on him for almost a minute, as though measuring him against some unknown, inner standard, before she spoke. "I had half-expected," Julian eventually said, "that you would keep me in suspense for a day or two before responding to my letter Mr. O'Connor, rather than responding within two hours, as you have- for which I thank you. By that reckoning, you're not only not late, but more than 24 hours early- and business is indeed business. On the other hand," she continued, "you have the cars, the suits and the money and you're giving me- a girl you don't know who's maybe a decade younger than you- compliments on her looks. Those are often considered the signs of an oncoming mid-life crisis. Perhaps I should be careful around you?" This last remark, although delivered with a completely serious tone of voice and facial expression, was belied by the spark of humour that plainly showed in the hazel eyes. Hoping that Mr. O'Connor wouldn't take the last remark personally, but simply as the joke it was meant to be Julian spoke again.
"On the subject of business," she remarked, "allow me to extend my congratulations to you again for your acquisition of Luger Corp". Jesse acknowledged this and Julian continued. "For whatever reason," she said, "Mr. Luger was very interested in my product line. Whether he knew what I was, and thought business was the best way to give the Agency a look at my toys, or he didn't know and simply was impressed with my sales record, or knew and found the irony of using technology developed by me to destroy those like us amusing I don't know, but he was interested whatever his reasons. Since you now own Luger Corp, and have- I assume- altered some of their previous financial arrangements, I am curious as to whether or not you might consider redistributing those funds towards some joint business ventures? I have- over the past four years- refined several projects in their theoretical and academic stages but, for numerous reasons, not least of which was lack of a suitable business partner with the correct connections, been unable to give the go-ahead to the developmental and other practical stages. Where funding for the projects I have in mind is concerned," Julian elaborated, "you need not worry. I would not require from you an ungodly amount, and am capable of contributing a considerable sum myself. The other main obstacle that stopped these projects from becoming a reality," Julian informed him, "is that many otherwise suitable potential partners lacked the- shall I say- correct 'background' to fully appreciate their worth. That, I believe, would not be an issue with yourself. Which is why I wished to discuss business with you," Julian concluded, "and make you aware of the options potentially available to you through my own company and to which I believe your own areas of expertise would be an invaluable addition". Having said this, Julian noted that a waitress was headed towards their table. "But perhaps before discussion of those options," she remarked in a lighter tone of voice, "you could assist me with some more tangible options, and recommend to a relative newcomer in Helta City any house specials that might be on this menu?"
OOC: Whew....it's been quite a long while, too long, anyway I'm planning on starting this back up but is anyone still around/interested?
OOC: Still here, still interested. This thing was looking very promising before the long hiatus, I still want to see how it develops! ^_^
(OOC: Still interested...it's just crazy around here right now...may not be until the holidays are over)
OOC: Well, it's almost been a year but I'm going to attempt to revive this RP and with luck I'll actually be able to keep up with doing it! Sorry to Gema and Violet for making you guys wait so long for this, hopefully you guys are still up for it. And for anybody who just happens to want to join in, feel free!
IC: O'Connor kept his eye fixated on Ms. Monroe as he entered the seat across from her, he wasn't lying when he said she looked lovely. Her hazel eyes seemed to go right through Jesse's own and down to his own innermost thoughts, he wasn't sure how that was possible but he was freaked out nonetheless. Attempting to stare back at Julian with his equally piercing yellow eyes.
He smiled at her joke, he had caught it despite her tone not changing at all. "Well let's hope for both our sakes that this isn't a mid-life crisis, I rather enjoy living and I'd hate to think that the ride is halfway over already. And you'll excuse me, I'm sure if I seemed urgent but I feel that the time is right to begin to...make a stand, if you will." His smile turns into a more serious expression once the overall business is brought up but almost as quickly turns back to a smile with dinner being brought up. "It depends on your mood, feeling light today than I recommend the Chicken Caesar Salad, one of the finest I've ever had. But if you're feeling more...adventurous I'd go with the shrimp Alfredo, a bit unique but still exquisite."
The waiter comes to the table setting down a glass of wine. "I took the liberty of bringing your usual bottle over Mr. O'Connor." The man said pouring them both a glass. "Now what can I get for you two this evening." Jesse gives the man his order, the Raspberry Chicken and waits for Julian to give hers before continuing the conversation at hand.
"Now then, where were we. Ah yes, Luger Corps. Yes it's a fine company, especially now that I'm running it, and I can tell you with little doubt in my mind that Luger knew what you were. But that's not important now, what's important is your proposal. As you probably know, I tend to have interests towards further the goals of...like-minded individuals. So I'm assuming your partnership would have something to do with that, yes?"
OOC: Still interested, but my comp is temporarily out of action so I'm confined to library comps. Hopefully I'll have that sorted soon though and have an IC reply up when it is ^_^!
(OOC: Still interested, but low on ideas right now. *shrug*)
OOC: Yeah, I can understand that since not much is actually happening that you can get in on but I just want to let you know that I have plans that will hopefully get you more involved in the future.
OOC: Comp is back up and working, so let's see what we can do here!
IC: Julian allowed the ghost of a grin to cross her lips as Mr. O'Conner picked up on her joke- as she had hoped he would. Her expression became more serious again as she digested what he told her and mulled it over. As the waiter asked their orders Julian took Mr. O'conner's advice and went with the shrimp Alfredo- a taste of poultry would probably stir her eagle side to making demands of her. As they began to discuss business again, Julian answered Mr. O'Conner's question.
"A most astute guess Mr.O'Conner," she confirmed, "my proposed partnership has a very great deal to do with our mutual interests, particularly where an agency we need not name is concerned. Like yourself, I believe the time to make a stand is close, if not already at hand. To that end, I am prepared to comit a great deal of my resources. As you are probably aware," she continued, "my company is an innovative- and inventive- developer of a great many forms of technology. Though we operate primarily in civilian and domestic technologies, we do occasionally take on military contracts. That last factor has allowed me to learn a great deal about the manner of arms, armour and other more subtle cutting-edge technologies our- common detractors if you like- have at their disposal. I know how to equal those technologies," Julian continued before adding in a near whisper, "and in many ways, how to surpass them".
Having said this, Julian paused briefly before continuing. "In spite of that," she said softly, "I am aware of the depth of the agency's pockets. I doubt it would take long for them to start developing technologies to rival mine. I have no desire to initiate an arms race between us given what I know of their funding. However, this brings me to the subject I especially wish to discuss," Julian revealed, "since- despite my efforts to make it otherwise- my knowledge of the inner workings of the agency is very limited. However, I have been informed that you have contacts who have infiltrated the agency and thus have a far greater understanding of it. It is my hope," Julian concluded, "that- should we be able to establish a partnership- then we would be able to wage a well-informed, well-equipped and very effective war against the agency. I understand that you will doubtless have things you wish to discuss and plans of your own, but that is the gist of the business I wish to conduct and my underlying reason for wishing a partnership. And so I hope that we are very...like-minded in this matter".
(OOC: Hmm...forget the previous riddle idea. I just don't want to bother with it right now XP But...still debating on how my character can get her message to them...without using the oh-so-cliche air-vents...)
O'Connor returns Julian's tiny, almost invisible, smile with a much more noticeable one of his own. He opens the glass of wine while listen intently to what Julian is saying. He pours them both each a glass, taking a sip from his before he responds.
"Miss Monroe, I have it under good authority that you are an excellent businesswoman and, from what I understand, a very unique one." He stated, his eyes glancing at the tables around them, he can get a bit jumpy when dealing with affairs such as this. "Not just in the way we both are, what I mean is, you obviously have a gift, you've accomplished almost as much as I have in less than a third of the time, you're remarkable." He paused briefly to take a sip of his wine before speaking again. "Which is why I have no doubt that you can accomplish everything you say you can and I'll be glad to lend my assistance where I can." He continued, "Which leads me to the only question I really have. What exactly does this plan of yours entail for me? I'm more than willing to help and give you all the info you require on Agency M, but I wish to know exactly what will be required of me before I wholeheartedly agree to this...mission."
Julian took a sip of the wine herself as she considered Mr.O'Conner's words. She seemed to be considering exactly how to phrase the proposition she wished to make. After what seemed and eternity to her, but was probably in reality not more than a minute, she spoke again.
"There are, out of the number of items I would require from you, two which are of paramount importance," Julian began. Following Mr. O'Conner's own example, she lowered her voice a little more as she continued. "The first I have already mentioned," she elaborated, "namely information. Before I can begin to...take the offensive as it were, I need to know more about the workings of Agency M. That intelligence determines the manner and method by which we conduct our camapign. Since you have said you would be hapy to supply that need, let me address the other item that takes precedence: Experienced fighters. I am only too aware," Julian continued, "that the agency does not pull its punches. They are ruthless, motivated and efficient. However, I'm sure the same could be said of the two of us. The difference," Julian elaborated, "is that, of the two of us, only you have any experience of directly engaging the agency- or of forming groups with which to do so. Whilst I have adopted your policy of incorporating members of both Thrope and human races into the ranks of my employees," Julian revealed,"the greater percentage of my staff remain fully human. Also, of those who are like us, most of those are people who are simply trying to live- to escape the agency rather than confront it. As a result, such actions as I have taken against the agency, have largely been in the form of information warfare".
Julian again paused briefly, before continuing to detail her business proposal. "I need Thrope fighters who are well-versed in engaging the agency," she explained, "not because I intend to immediately confront the agency but because I need exactly such individuals to train my own personnel. It isn't enough that those I have who are willing to fight are taught to fight; they must know their enemy and how to deal with that enemy. Any personnel you could supply to meet that need would be very greatly appreciated. More though, in connection with those joint projects I mentioned," Julian whispered, "I need Thropes of varying types who know how to draw every advantage out of their warrior forms- and animal too where that applies- and who are aware of the weaknesses of those shapes and how best to compensate for them. With the wealth of detail those Thropes could provide," Julian revealed, "I could begin a programme of R&D work to provide ordinance and armour specifically tailored to reduce the weaknesses of the differing warrior forms of Thropes and playing to their strengths. For as long as the struggle between our kinds has existed," Julian concluded, "mankind has relied on their burgeoning technology, while we have had to rely upon our innate gifts. I think it is about time we levelled the playing-field on that account".
(OOC: Aw man...i so could do something with that...if I wasn't suffering from an inability to figure out how to get my character in contact with either of those in the restaurant...)
Jesse lets all of the info thrown at him, by Julian, sink in, nodding when she pauses and taking a sip of wine, he waits a minute before replying.
"Information, I can provide it's the second thing that's a bit tough. While I am experienced in fighting the agency using various gangs none of them have the knowledge you seek. The majority of people in those gangs, and a good number in my company, are refugees as opposed to actual members of the rebellion. While I find The Pack, as they like to call themselves, good at what they do they aren't very good at what I do, which is business warfare." He paused, taking another sip of wine. "So I'm not sure I can accurately provide you with fighters. But I'm sure we can find one of the various people who claim to lead The Pack and get some..."
Jesse never finishes his thought, almost as suddenly as he was awake he is asleep. Seems something foul was in the air, or perhaps the wine, and depending on how much of the glass Ms Monroe drank, she might be in a similar predicament.
Julian blinked, surprised at the way Mr. O'Conner suddenly lapsed into unconciousness. Surprise was rapidly replaced with suspicion though as she began to realise what must have happened. They'd been careless- or someone else had been clever. Perhaps both. The agency didn't much like either herself or Mr.O'Conner- they certainly wouldn't like the idea of the two of them in co-operation. Swift on the heels of that thought came the realisation that she was starting to feel a little light-headed herself. If Mr. O'Conner was anything to go by, she didn't have long before whatever it was took full effect.
Faced with the realisation, Julian did a rapid mental inventory. Had the agency released something into the air? If they had it would have to be something tailored to affect Thropes only- but that seemed too risky an option. After all, there might well be Thropes here that were not on the agency's lists and to have a percentage of the patrons suddenly collapsing would draw attention, even if the if that percentage was small. It must be the wine, Julian realised- it was the only thing both Mr.O'Conner and herself had touched. She compared their glasses. He had taken more than she had- wanting to keep as clear a head as possible, she had only taken a perfunctory sip. She discreetly flexed her limbs, testing her reaction time. Her reactions were still good, but already noticably slower than normal. Not good. Still, the single sip she had taken didn't seem to have been enough to knock her out. Perhaps she could play possum then, and draw the agency out? It was worth a try, and would give her those precious extra moments to fight off the drug. Regulating her hearbeat and breathing to try and slow the spread of the drug, Julian let her body slowly go limp as though she were drifting out of conciousness- something that didn't take too much acting unfortunately- as she watched through half closed eyes to see who would make a move and when
