The All-New One Universe RPG: Sign-Up/OOC Thread

[Batman]

The All-New One Universe RPG

​

"Gods among men" is what they've been considered. From the war-torn shores of the 1940's, where the superhuman soldier Captain America originally took up his mighty shield against the Axis, to the modern era, where the citizens of Metropolis first looked up in the sky to witness the coming of the Superman, the world has changed in the last century far beyond what anyone could've predicted. Those who have been unwilling to accept the growing step forward in mankind's evolution have either hatefully hunted down those that they deem "the mutant race", instilling their existence as an entirely separate entity from themselves, or lived crippled by fear of those who strike out at criminals from the darkness, such as the Gotham City referred in hushed tones as The Batman, the enigmatic Devil of Hell's Kitchen, or The Daily Bugle's targeted wall-crawler known to some as The Spectacular Spider-man.

Further still, some have come to consider these benevolent crusaders for their own self-styled brand of justice to be heroes, even figures of a contemporary legend, such as The Mighty Thor of Asgard and Diana of Themyscira, for whom the public has rechristened Wonder Woman. And in a moment where the paradigm truly shifted, these often anonymous superhumans have periodically come together to protect the world in times of extreme crisis in many forms. From the original Justice Society of America to their modern equivalent, The Justice League and The Mighty Avengers, the mutant peacekeeping group known as The X-men, and even adolescent offshoots such as The Teen Titans and Young Avengers.

But there is a change beyond those who don capes and cowls that is coming, as the world now begins to reflect the state of emergency that these mutants and metahumans have unwittingly imposed on the rest of society. From shadowy government organizations, such as the illuminati group Checkmate and the Weapon Plus Program, looking to exploit the powers' for their own nefarious schemes with the creation of spec-ops teams such The Suicide Squad and Weapon X to the implementation of counter-measures in the event that these heroes go rogue, such as extraterrestrial defense SWORD and the ever-illusive intelligence and defense powerhouse codenamed SHIELD, the question of a clash between rival factions isn't a matter of "if", but a matter of "when".

First, there were the so-called supervillains that challenged them directly. Now, the threat of a cosmic-level event is even whispered to be imminent, forcing even the brightest scientific minds such as Reed Richards and billionaire Lex Luthor to begin shifting their attention to the growing hostility surrounding the subject of what is continually being referred to as "The Superhuman Problem".

Can the heroes prove themselves worthy of trust under this level of never before seen scrutiny, or will humanity turn against their guardians... in some cases, their Gods?

All eyes are to the skies, awaiting the answer.

Welcome to The All-New One Universe RPG, where the methods are different but the goal is the same: take on the role of a central character, write that character within The IC Thread, and utilize that character to interact with fellow players. The difference this time is that you're not just taking on one character: you're taking that character's portion of this entire universe. The storytelling possibilities are now endless, as you drive the narrative and form your character's story as a whole: under the mantle of your chosen icon from the worlds of DC and Marvel, face your greatest enemies, push your allies to their absolute limits, and either strengthen, or even destroy, the relationships that define you. While it's imperative to play well with others, it's ultimately all in your hands.

RULES

• Firstly and without any need to repeat, all regular Hype rules still apply. If you wouldn't post it outside the RPG forums, don't post it here. That can include everything from lewd or inappropriate images to insulting referendum that can potentially lead to fights. Failure to adhere to this not only automatically outs you from the game, it can getcha temporarily or permanently banned. The point is, play nice... 'kay?
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• You're allowed a maximum of TWO central characters only. Central characters mean the character that you're generally going to frame your posts around - you can have a maximum of two of those. The characters they come with that are available at your disposal, however, can be virtually unlimited.
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• ...however, if you wish to play a character already heavily associated with a primary hero, such as Supergirl is to Superman or The Winter Soldier is to Captain America, you may do so with the permission of the player inhabiting those roles if they're already filled.
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• If you're looking to play one of the bigger guns, but see that one of your potential side characters are already taken, they get the predominant say into who you're allowed to use in your main storyline. Essentially, they get first dibs. But collaboration is key, so remember to be as courteous as possible.
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• For the time being, you cannot play a villain. All villains are considered NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) for usage by all characters in the game, even as far as being playable in posts without a prior application for fight scene collaborations and the like. You can state your intent to utilize certain villains in your main storyline, but unless those are stated in your application, you cannot throw a hissy-fit when another player uses a villain you didn't think to mention.
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• While the number of interactions that you're allowed are infinite for as long as the game is running, you're only allowed a maximum of one solo storyline. This pertains to a storyline void of interaction or requiring limited interaction. Once you've completed that storyline, you're effectively either there to interact... or you've completed the season and must relinquish your character for another person to play.
• You can travel off-world, enter other dimensions, or engage in storylines set either in the past or the future. You can also engage one another in fights, team-up against a number of enemies, all of that good stuff. Virtually nothing is off-limits, so long as it's within the realm of possibility for your character. IE: Batman can't suddenly have out-of-character superpowers or unrealistically take down another player character "because he's Batman".
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• Think of the parameters of this game in the terms of running a solo comic book - you're telling a story, and through collaboration with other writers (a crossover), you can interact with others. An "Event" requiring multiple major player characters must be conditional, however, and fully up for decline per the player's discretion. No one should be forced to do anything they don't want to.
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• You must post a minimum of at least once a week to be considered still apart of the game without sufficient reason for delay. One week without a word from you will shift you into a probationary period, adding a "strike" to your standing in the game. Two weeks or three strikes? You're out and your character is up for grabs. This is non-negotiable.
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• Lastly, have some goddamn fun. We're here to play a silly game about pretending to be superheroes while writing to the best of our ability, so let's focus on that!

ONGOING STORYLINES

007
by Byrd Man

CAPTAIN AMERICA
by Carnage27

DAREDEVIL
by MST3K 4ever

GREEN ARROW
by Eddie Brock

NIGHTWING
by Andy C.

SUPERMAN
by Andy C.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
by Carnage27
​

Character Application

The ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

Primary Character:

List Of Essential NPC's (Vital To Your Story):

List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):

Your Main Storyline's Premise:

Why Are You Applying For This Character?:

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Andy C.]

The ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

Primary Character: Superman

List Of Essential NPC's (Vital To Your Story):
Lois Lane-Kent, fearless ace journalist, Clark's wife
Jonathan Samuel Kent, Lois and Clark's son
Jimmy Olsen, Clark's pal, award-winning photographer, and often hapless victim of crazy circumstances
Mr. Mxyzptlk, a nigh-omnipotent trickster from a higher plane of reality
bIzaRrO, a warped duplicate of Superman

List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):
Lex Luthor, trillionaire megalomaniac and Superman's arch-rival
(The rest of Superman's enemies, for that matter)
Supergirl, Kal-El's cousin from the planet Krypton
Power Girl, Supergirl's duplicate from a parellel universe
Superboy, human/Kryptonian hybrid clone
Steel, genius inventor and long-time ally of Superman

Your Main Storyline's Premise:
Rather than the usual "inspiring" feel-good story or some heavy meta-criticism on "what it means to be Superman" (or taking thinly-veiled pot-shots at whatever I don't like that they're doing with the character at the moment), I'm going to try my hand at doing a bit of horror-comedy with Supes' two most deranged enemies. As much as people go on and on about whether Clark should be a serious character or a light-hearted G-rated experience, most people kind of ignore the fact that Superman's world is f***ing insane, so I'm gonna go full-bore on it, hopefully landing somewhere between Gravity Falls and In the Mouth of Madness. Strap yourselves in, kids. This is gonna get weird.

Why Are You Applying For This Character?:
Because it's Superman and I am literally not allowed to not apply for Superman.

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

Spoiler

"Well, I am stuffed," Clark said, patting his stomach and leaning back in his chair, his plate clean of the meatloaf and roasted vegetables that had been piled high moments earlier. With both of them constantly chasing headlines at the Planet, on top of his duties outside of work, it was harder and harder to make time for each other, but Lois and Clark Kent made it a point to sit down and have one hearty home-cooked meal as a family every week. The fact that this one wasn't overcooked or missing ingredients certainly didn't hurt. "Where'd you get that recipe, Lo?"

"The internet," Lois answered between bites. "I'm no chef, but I can follow simple instructions."

"Tell that to Perry," her husband joked, before a sour look quieted him down.

"Jonathan, you've barely touched your food," Lois looked over at their son, who was picking at his meatloaf with disinterest.

"I'm not hungry," the boy said flatly. "I thought you said we were gonna go flying tonight, Dad."

"You know the rules, Jon," Clark said, peering over his glasses, "No super-power lessons until you clean your plate and finish your homework."

"Fine," Jonathan said with annoyance, before he became a blur of motion. Half a second later, the meatloaf and vegetables were nowhere to be found, practically inhaled by the young half-Kryptonian. For added measure, he downed his tall glass of milk in a single gulp, wiping the white moustache from his upper lip with his sleeve. "Now can we go flying?"

"Jonathan! Manners!" Lois chided him. After a second, she added to herself under her breath, inaudible to someone without superhuman senses, "Oh God, I really am turning into my mother now."

Clark took his wife's hand reassuringly, then looked back at their son. "And have you finished your homework?"

"Yeah....." Jonathan said uneasily.

His father raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, most of it......"

The eyebrow didn't go down, practically etched onto the man's face like that. Superman was famous for being able to tell exactly when someone was lying, hearing their pulse or even looking at their brainwave patterns like a CT scan. He didn't need any of that here, however-- he knew his son.

"Okay, okay....." Jonathan resigned, getting up from the table and heading towards his room to do his homework.

Back in the dining room, Jon's parents were cleaning up the dinner table, and he heard his mother's laughter-- probably from one of his dad's corny jokes. Jonathan grumbled to himself, frustrated and annoyed.

"Stupid math, stupid meatloaf," he muttered. "What am I gonna need to know math for? I can already fly, I'm gonna be a superhero! I wish I could just go somewhere where I could just use my powers whenever I wanted. No math homework, no meatloaf, no chores......."

He felt a sudden chill. The air around him felt.......wrong somehow, like.....like there were a million invisible bugs crawling all over everything. The color in the apartment's hallway seemed to drain from the walls, sinking into a shadowy hole around the window, where the moon had gone full and white.

Jonathan blinked, and a black spot appeared in the center of the moon. Rivulets of red crept around its edges and a ring of purple seeped out from the black spot, until the moon itself was no longer the moon at all....

....but a colossal, bloodshot eye. Staring at the ten-year-old boy.

"Funny you should say that, kid," came a voice, ringing out from nowhere and everywhere at once. "I think I know juuuuust the place......"

For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Andy C.]

The ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

Primary Character: Nightwing

List Of Essential NPC's (Vital To Your Story):
Oracle, the former Batgirl, has a 'complicated' relationship with Dick
Starfire, former member of the Titans, another of Dick's on-and-off lovers
Raven, another former Titan, Dick's former best friend
The Red Hood, the formerly slain Robin resurrected as a bloodthirsty gunman
Bane, the Man Who Broke the Bat

List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):
The other former Titans (Beast Boy, Cyborg, Wally West, Donna Troy, Roy Harper, Aqualad)
Pretty much everyone else, for that matter

Your Main Storyline's Premise:
Dick is still trying to hash out his own identity as a hero when he's pulled back to Gotham by the return of the Red Hood. As the two former Robins duke it out, Dick will deal with whether he can ever truly be his own man, or if he will always be in Batman's shadow. Ultimately, though, the character-driven navel-gazing is just going to be the setup for what will hopefully be a really fun and crazy tornado-tag-team match. Also, I plan on going into Grayson's rather prolific romantic history, so, y'know. Sex and stuff.

Why Are You Applying For This Character?:
Dick Grayson is far and away my favorite Gotham City character, and I had a blast playing him way back in the day. While UDC is dead and buried and I can't exactly pick up where I left off, I still have a soft spot for the guy and would love another opportunity to play with some Dick.


.....no, I am not rephrasing that.

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

Spoiler

"Any word on why Hood's back in town?" I ask, the cold night air rushing against my face as I vault across rooftops towards the docks. It'd be refreshing if the air in this city didn't stink so badly.

"You tell me, Nightwing," says Oracle, careful as always to use our codenames in case unwanted ears are listening in. "He's your nemesis, after all."

"Jas--...Red Hood isn't my 'nemesis,'" I say, throwing out a grappling line towards a tall crane. "He's just....kinda messed up these days. And he really seems big on killing me, specifically."

"Right," Barbara says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, I'm looking at about fifteen hostiles on board that ship. Four above deck, ten more below, one sniper at the top of the conning tower. Looks like Hood's guys are former Penguin soldiers, so they're all armed to the teeth. Haven't spotted Hood himself yet, but you can expect he'll be around."

"Understood; I'll keep my eyes open," I say. "Man, what I wouldn't give for some air support here."

"Couldn't convince Starfire to come give you a hand?"

"Star and I are, well.....we're not really on great terms right now," I say, my face getting hot with embarrassment.

"Another tally on Nightwing's Great Big List of Broken Hearts?"

"Oh come on, that's not fair!"

"I know, you just can't help yourself," Babs needles me without mercy. "I mean, you've got all those options to choose from. Starfire, Huntress, Rocket, Raven--"

"Hey, Raven and I were just friends, we never--"

"Sure you didn't," she sneers. "And what's this I hear about you and Zatanna?"

"That was just...." I stammer. "We didn't--....it was just second base, okay? First and half at most."

"And let's not forget you and Donna Troy...."

"Hey, that doesn't count, we'd been gassed with Poison Ivy spores," I say defensively. "And I don't hear you giving Batman this kind of grief with all the different women he's had hanging all over him."

"That's because his butler does that for me," she jokes, continuing to twist me around her little finger. "Besides, Batman wouldn't know how to show affection if he had step-by-step instructions. You, though? It'd be one thing if you were just some Don Juan going out there and getting your 'game' on. I could get my head around that. But you, you're most hopeless romantic I've ever seen. You actually have fallen in love with every girl you've ever been with, haven't you?"

"You know me better than that," I say, readying a shuriken to throw at the sniper on top of the ship's tower. "I don't fall in love.......I swan dive into it."

"I hope you know I'm rolling my eyes as hard as I can right now," Oracle says, holding back a laugh.

"I'd be disappointed if you weren't," I say with a grin. "But enough banter. Time for the main attraction!"

With a flick of the wrist, the metal blade whips through the air in a graceful arc. A second later, it embeds itself into the sniper's trigger hand, causing him to yell out in pain. By the time the other gunmen above deck hear it, though, I'm already swinging down on a wire, catching two at once with a wrecking-ball kick.

As fun as it is catching up with Babs, I'm not here in Gotham for the fun of it. There's work to do.

It's showtime, folks.

For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Byrd Man]

The ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

Primary Character: Agent Graves


List Of Essential NPC's (Vital To Your Story):

Dashiell Bad Horse (The Indian): Former Minuteman and Graves' protegee.
The Colonel: Current Warlord for the Trust.
Ethan Roark: Head of the Roark Family, voting member of the Trust.
Augusta Medici: Head of the Medici Family, controlling member of the Trust.
Tracy Lawless (The Solider): Former Minuteman turned mob enforcer.
Parker (The Thief): Minuteman turned criminal.
William Roque The Colonel's right hand man.
Forever Carlyle: Member of the Carlyle Family
Berta Tubbs (The Girl): Newest Minuteman Initiate


List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):

Can't think of any at the moment.

Your Main Storyline's Premise:

Essentially, I'm doing a version of 100 Bullets. The early structure is, to wit "Graves approaching someone who has been a victim of a terrible wrong. Graves gives them the opportunity to take revenge by providing a handgun, 100 bullets, and documentation about the primary target responsible for their woes. He informs the candidate the bullets are completely untraceable by any law enforcement investigation, and as soon as they are found at any crime scene, investigations will immediately cease." Graves will serve as a catalyst, supporting character, and maybe even an antagonist to characters and stories that are loosely connected.

To quote wiki "Agent Graves was the leader of a group known as The Minutemen, a group of seven men (plus one "Agent") who serve as the enforcers and police of a clandestine organization known as The Trust. The Trust was originally formed by the heads of 13 powerful European families who controlled much of the Old World's combined wealth and industry. The Trust made an offer to the kings of Europe by which they would leave the continent and their considerable influence and holdings, in exchange for complete autonomy in the still unclaimed portion of the New World. When England ignored this proposition and colonized the Roanoke Island late in the 16th century, the Minutemen were formed. The original Minutemen, seven vicious killers, eradicated the colony and all of its inhabitants, leaving behind only the cryptic message "Croatoan" as a warning, reclaiming the land for the Trust. Since this time, the Minutemen's charge has been to protect the 13 Houses of the Trust, serving as their force against outside threats and more frequently as police of the internal conflicts between the Trust families themselves. The groups' interactions are often facilitated by a person holding the title "Warlord" for the Trust, who serves as the Houses' liaison to the Minutemen.

Sometime in the early 21st century, the Minutemen were betrayed by the Trust and disbanded after Agent Graves refused to reenact "The Greatest Crime in the History of Mankind" (a re-expansion of the borders of the Trust). The Minutemen retaliated with the assassination of a hooded figure in Atlantic City, and they were then sent into hiding. Most of the Minutemen of that time were 'deactivated' by Graves. These former Minutemen had their memories repressed for their own protection and were returned to 'normal' lives. These events occurred prior (presumably some years) to the beginning of 100 Bullets."

Interwoven through Graves and these characters are a story of a secret society that lies at the heart of America. It is crime, it is politics, it is espionage and intrigue, it is history, and it is all blended together to make something very much me.

Why Are You Applying For This Character?:

Because this is a story I wanted to tell.

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

Woonsocket
Rhode Island


A car passed by Blake and splashed slush on his pants.

"Mother****er!" He yelled at the car, kicking the frozen mess at the car that had long since passed.

His hands, red from the cold and wind, shook as he gripped the sign advertising oil changes at the low, low price of 19.99. He was on the corner as the mixture of snow and rain fell around him.

"You've fallen far," a voice said from behind him.

He turned and saw the old man, bundled up in winter clothing and wearing sunglasses. He carried a briefcase in his hand and had a soft smile on his lips as he spoke.

"From managing hedge funds in Boston to... this."

Blake shrugged and turned away from the man. Three months since he got out of jail and people still recognized him. Even though he made the papers four years ago, it was still a huge story through New England that his image -- the slicked back hair, the smart suits, the smirk -- had been ingrained into everyone's brains. Regardless of the fact that the hair was long and unkempt, the smart suits were a thing of the past, and the confident smirk was long gone.

"You were pulling, what, a few million a year?"

"Leave," Blake said in a hoarse voice. "Please."

"After I'm done here," said the man. "I'm Agent Graves--"

Blake turned on him with a snarl on his face. "Not another ****ing fed. I'm on parole and I'm working, okay? So how about you **** off?"

"Not that kind of agent," said Graves. "More like an agent of... retribution."

Graves held the briefcase up and popped the locks.

"Inside this case, Blake, is proof that you were framed for all those crimes. Supplemental to that are the tools to do something with that proof."

"What are you talking about?" asked Blake. "What kind of tools?"

Graves opened the case. There was a folder marked with Blakes' name stamped on it. Beside the folder was a Glock and a box of ammunition. 100 bullets, to be exact.

"You're an investor, Blake," said Graves. "How about you invest in lead?"

For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Batman]

The ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

Primary Character: Batman/Bruce Wayne

List Of Essential NPC's (Vital To Your Story):

Damian Wayne, son of Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul
Unspecified Original Villain Character, whose true identity is shrouded in mystery
Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's butler and surrogate father
Catwoman/Selina Kyle, Batman's oft-morally gray romantic interest
Ra's Al Ghul, often an enemy of Batman, immortal cultist obsessed with immortality
Talia Al Ghul, mother of Damian Wayne and former leader of The League Of Assassins

List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):

The Good

Red Robin/Tim Wayne, Bruce's adopted son and a key soldier in Batman's war on crime
Oracle/Barbara Gordon, formerly Batgirl and now one of the world's foremost computer hackers
Commissioner James Gordon, one of Batman's most trusted allies
The GCPD, including but not limited to Captain Renee Montoya, Detective Harvey Bullock and newly appointed Officer Ellen Yindel
Batgirl/Stephanie Brown, the third to wear the mantle and Barbara's apprentice
Orphan/Cassandra Wayne, supreme fighter, Bruce's adopted daughter and an experienced member of the Bat-family
Lark/Duke Thomas, Barbara's other work-in-progress and fellow victim of The Joker's cruelty
Batwoman/Kate Kane, Bruce's cousin and lone vigilante of her own making
Various Gotham vigilantes unassociated with the Batman's inner circle, including The Huntress, Azrael, and a more recent visitor to Gotham... Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher

The Bad

The Joker, fully-functioning homicidal artist and perhaps Batman's greatest enemy
Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzell, lover of fully-functioning homicidal artists
The Riddler/Edward Nigma, brainteaser extraordinaire
The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot, Blackgate Prisoner and Gotham Gunrunner
Two-Face/Harvey Dent, two halves of the same evil whole
The Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane, master of all fears except his own
Mr. Freeze/Victor Fries, cryogenically dead inside
Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley, more plant than woman
Hush/Thomas Elliot, faceless childhood friend of Bruce Wayne turned psychopathic manipulator
Lady Shiva/Sandra Woosan, feared agent of The League of Assassins
And all of the other denizens of Arkham, to a much lesser extent

The Ugly

Basil Karlo (Sorry, Basil.)

Your Main Storyline's Premise: The mystery villain element is one I've had in my head for awhile, but the main crux of the story I want to tell is about Batman's relationships: his family, his friends, his enemies, and where each one of them stand. How they help define him, why they remain factors in his life, and ultimately, why he's determined to shed the misconception that he's defined by his enemies. Bruce has spent alot of his life putting off letting anyone close, and now that he's getting older, it's time for him to re-examine that. And it starts with his son, Damian.

Why Are You Applying For This Character?: I live and breathe Batman. It isn't so much a question of why I'm applying for him as to why I can't stop. I've played him over a dozen times at this point, perhaps infuriatingly, but both the character and his world never become less fascinating for me to explore.

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

Spoiler

"Sir, you'll be happy to know that the drones have located Mr. Nigma's bomb precisely where you had guessed he'd hid them. I'll alert Miss Cassandra immediately, as she's within the closest vicinity."

What kEEps you in the mirror all day, kEEps you awakE all night, and is thE prEcisE rEason you'll nEvEr answEr this corrEctly?

That was scribbled on the note left to the GCPD's Major Crimes Unit four and a half hours ago. Jim and Bullock lit the Bat-signal five hours ago to inform me that Dr. Neal Gardner, a premiere botanist and former subject of Poison Ivy's hormonal manipulation during her last crime spree, had been taken from his home. His wife was frantic and told the police that her husband suffers from residual post-traumatic stress from Ivy's kidnapping, creating just the right amount of immediate accusations to surface of a second attempt to enact her previous scheme. Ivy had intended to utilize Gardner's renowned botanic achievements in their shared field to spread a massive and potentially fatal pathogen over Gotham, mutating the pollen already present in the air through advanced biochemistry.

To most, Ivy is still the obvious suspect in Gardner's second disappearance. But a few key elements of the kidnapping immediately strike out any potential chance of her involvement - for one, Ivy acts on a predatory level by making sure that her victims act as completely normal as possible whenever they're under the effects of her abilities. They wouldn't act out of character. Gardner wasn't answering his phone whenever his wife and daughter called, immediately indicating something was wrong. Ivy wouldn't be that careless.

Two, the timing is far too coincidental for me to simply ignore. One man, a former victim of an already high-profile Arkham inmate, disappears just as another makes himself known through his seemingly innocuous modus operandi. The riddle is too simple on it's own and doesn't match Nigma's pattern of schemes. Whenever he sends out a riddle, he's likely doing one of three things: holding someone to ransom, robbing a bank, or his personal favorite, hiding a bomb somewhere in Gotham City. He's obsessed with the idea of the "Bat-scavenger hunt", as he refers to it, because of the time crunch and high stakes involved. Anything to make me sweat that much harder to bring him in.

Three, and this is the most important detail: the riddle was written with each 'E' capitalized. Easy to write off as a symptom of Nigma's insanity, but I know him better than that. He was deliberately leaving a clue within the clue, and 'E' - when added to Gardner's name - is 'Gardener'. The fifth letter, specifically, and there are thirteen 'E's. Both odd numbers.

One of Nigma's other favorite, and perhaps most infuriating tactics, is the use of irony in his puzzles. And a man named Gardner being kidnapped by a woman whose obsessions stem from mania derived from her forceful mutation into a human/plant hybrid?

He would never have passed that one up.

"Your bomb's been located, Riddler.", I growl upon hearing Alfred's confirmation. "You shouldn't have made it simple."

Riddler coughs up a swatch of blood and winces as a dislodged tooth slides down a trail of it, past and over his chin. By the time the tooth hits the floor, I notice his fingers reaching for the detonator in his jacket. He giggles through pain, perhaps at his own expense, staring back at me through a slight daze after I laid into him. Didn't give me much of a choice after attempting to subdue me with his electrified cane.

"Oh... but did I really?", he retorts, producing the detonator as if I hadn't expected it. "For you see, you whimsical nimrod in a cape, I still hold all the proverbial cards in this scenario! One of your copacetic child cronies may have located my explosive in question, but the real question is this, Batman! Can they really defuse it in time?!"

I look to Gardner, tied up in a chair behind me, already lost in another world. He'd been going to regular therapy sessions ever since Ivy's attack. He'd even reached out and volunteered as a guest speaker for an Arkham Trauma Recovery class held at Leslie Thompkins' clinic every Friday. A solid year of hard work and suffering - and it's completely undone by this degenerate madman's compulsive need to throw the police off of his trail.

Once he's regained his faculties and resumed a normal life, if at all possible, Bruce Wayne will be sure to send a sizeable donation towards his research and development to ease the transition back into that cycle he'd been trying to break.

As for Nigma, I send a hard strike to his ribs so fast that he immediately drops the detonator on impact. One of them cracks, and I almost consider it worth it. As he howls in pain, I slam him against the wall and produce a pair of electromagnetic handcuffs to subdue him with.

He struggles, of course, but finds himself magnetized into place once I press the button. For measure, I grab him by the collar and lift him just high enough to dangle until the GCPD arrive to arrest him.

"You're a fool, Edward, to have escaped Arkham over this miserable excuse for a scheme."

"Damn you! Every time!", he shouts, his voice shrill. "I had the answer to the riddle itself within my grasp, and you sucker punched your way to victory, just as you always do! A cheating typical response from a typical hypocrite of a vigilante! You didn't even have the mental fortitude to solve my initial conundrum, you dimwitted defender!"

"I solved your riddle in less than a minute, actually. And typical of you, it was inaccurate."

Before he has time to scream any further, I've headbutted him into unconsciousness.

"Vanity keeps you in the mirror all day, and keeps you awake all night. But it was never cause for me to answer incorrectly."

Disgusted with the sight of him, I turn to free Nigma's hostage.

"It was the reason I could."

The bomb was hidden underneath Gordon's car, placed at the exact same time that the note was delivered to the GCPD lobby. It's front end likely facing the vanity plate, for added measure.

The real answer was The Riddler himself.

Vanity at it's purest.

For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Batman]

Andy and Byrd, in regards to Superman, Nightwing, and Graves...

I've decided since this is a limited season game and we're only likely to get eight players at the most, right now, there's no reason to instill a 24 hour waiting period. Free for all, first come first serve, all that jazz.

 

[Byrd Man]

Now we just need the other sum*****es to tag along.

 

[Andy C.]

Seriously. It's been a whole day, guys; step up your game.

 

[Carnage27]

Character Application

The ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

Primary Character: Captain America

List Of Essential NPC's (Vital To Your Story):

Allies
Sharon Carter Rogers: Steve’s wife, formerly SHIELD’s Agent 13, and currently pregnant with the couple’s first child.
The Falcon/Sam Wilson: Cap’s closest friend and companion.
Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff: Mutant and member of The Avengers, Wanda was saved by Cap as a teenager and owes him her life.
Jay Garrick: The first hero to take the Flash mantle and former Invader alongside Cap in WWII. Thanks to the Speed Force, Jay has had an unnatural long life, and Steve enjoys visiting with him in Keystone City.
Enemies
The Winter Soldier: A mysterious and powerful assassin who has his sights set on Cap and those closest to him.
Crossbones: Red Skull’s body guard and personal assassin
The Red Skull: Captain America’s greatest enemy and leader of Hydra, which was believed to have been destroyed years before.
Batroc the Leaper: The leader of Batroc's Brigade


List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):

Nick Fury: Director of SHIELD
The Avengers: Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, The Hulk, and Vision
MODOK
Taskmaster
Deathstroke the Terminator

Your Main Storyline's Premise:

Captain America is almost always shown as the stalwart hero, always leading the Avengers into the fray. I’d like to tell a story where Cap is ready to get out of that. With a wife, a child on the way, and a new generation of heroes able to protect the world, Steve has made the decision to step away from superheroics. This will be set against the cosmic threat coming as well as the emergence of the Winter Soldier. This will represent one last adventure before Cap rides off into the sunset.

Why Are You Applying For This Character?: Cap’s my favorite character, and the one I think I’ve done my best writing with. I’d love to be able to cap off his adventures.

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

Steve held his breath and could feel his heart thumping against his chest. He had fought against the greatest evils this world had ever faced time and time again, but he was never as nervous as he was then. The bright, antiseptic light felt like the one of Hydra’s energy weapons blasting down on him. It was intolerable. This was the moment that was going to define the rest of his life, and he wasn’t sure what that was going to mean.

Next to him, Sharon gripped his hand harder than she ever had. He looked down at her and smiled reassuringly. Neither of them ever expected to be here. In their line of work, it was never a guarantee they’d see each other the next day, let alone get to plan a life together. Yet they had defied all expectations and made it.

“Well?” the doctor asked. “Are you ready?


They looked at one another and nodded.

“Give it to us straight, doc,” Captain America smiled. “We’re ready.”

“It’s a girl.”

“I so told you!” Sharon yelled with joy and punched Steve in the shoulder. “Carter-Rogers one million, Rogers zero.”

Steve leaned in and gave his wife a happy, passionate kiss before saying, “Come on, I think I deserve more than zero.”

“Maybe if I was Hydra. You haven’t beaten me yet,” Sharon responded slyly.

“Pretty sure you said you weren’t the marrying type back in the day,” Steve smirked.

“Fine, you get that one,” Sharon grumbled.

Before either of them could say another word, a knock came at the door. It swung open and in walked Sam Wilson, Steve’s best friend and fellow hero. He smiled as he caught a glimpse of the sonogram, “Sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation. Fury wants you to suit up.”

“Duty calls,” Captain America sighed and looked at his wife. He leaned in, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and whispered, “But not for much longer.”
With that, Captain America and the Falcon headed out the door and towards their final adventure.

For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Carnage27]

Sorry for the weird formatting there. Site is not cooperating with me.

 

[Andy C.]

Clark vs Steve vs Bruce: DAD-OFF

 

[Eddie Brock]

Clark vs Steve vs Bruce: DAD-OFF

You know, I could be totally shameless and pick up Wolvie just to get in on all the dad action with X-23...

 

[MST3K 4ever]

It's so strange getting ready to apply for a character here for me, and not use the name "Rhiannon Palmer" in the title.

Working on CS at the moment.

It's good to be home again...

 

[Carnage27]

Clark vs Steve vs Bruce: DAD-OFF

The Parental League of America: Coming soon to OU

My second character will not be a dad, if that makes everyone feel better haha

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Character Application

The ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

Primary Character: Daredevil

List Of Essential NPC's (Vital To Your Story):

Foogy Nelson: Partner at the Law Firm of Murdock and Nelson

Karen Page Murdock: Matt’s wife, but a very troubled soul.

Mary Murdock: Matt & Karen’s six year old daughter.

Dr. Curt Conners: Scientist at Empire State University and friend of Matt Murdock.


List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):
Street Level Allies:
The Defenders (Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones)

Spider-Man

Green Arrow: They have crossed paths from time to time and they are willing to work together.

The Punisher

Enemies:
The Kingpin

Harvey Dent/Two-Face: They attended Law School together and became friends.

Bullseye

Your Main Storyline's Premise:
Matt hung up his costume almost five years ago, because of a medical issue. Then his daughter Mary was killed in a robbery along with his wife Karen. This event made Matt decide to put the costume back on, and after five years he is pushing himself to the breaking point to prove he can still be Daredevil. Even with intensive training from The Defenders and Ollie Matt feels like he needs to do more.

Why Are You Applying For This Character?:
He was the first hero I ever played here, and I’ve missed playing him.

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

Matt stood over Karen and Mary’s graves as the wind blew around him on the cold gray fall morning. He pulled out from his trench coat two red roses, and kissed a petal on each one. Matt dropped them one on each grave and he bowed his head. After a moment of silence Matt raised his head and took a deep breath. He said, “Well, I’ve given it a lot of thought and…” exhaling he said, “I’ve decided to resume my life as Daredevil. I know I promised you both that I wouldn’t do it again, but after what happened to you both two years ago and hearing about all the other crimes that I could’ve stopped…” Matt shook his head and was starting to lose his composure. He steadied himself and said, “ I can’t stay in the shadows anymore. Pete, The Defenders, Ollie, and yeah even Castle have been asking me to come back that there is always a need for Daredevil. Every time I’ve said no because of you two and my medical situation. Now though, I can’t stay away from it. I need to make a difference on the streets again.”

Without even turning around Matt said, “Hello Curt. Thanks for meeting with me.”

Dr. Curt Connors approached Matt and stood next to him. He said, “Hello Matt, how are you doing?”

Matt replied, “All things considered…” He shrugged his shoulders and said, “It was two years ago today I lost everything, and now I’m ready to do what I can to make sure others don’t suffer the way I have. Walk with me Curt.”

The two men walked in silence for about two minutes and then Matt said, “I realize that the radiation in the chemicals that gave me my powers is still trying to kill me, but my last check showed that the radiation levels in my blood last year had decreased, using your words, dramatically thanks to my treatments in the neogenics lab.”

Curt shook his head and said, “Matt, that is because you haven’t exacerbated your condition by using your powers. Not to mention the booze and pain-pills you were popping didn’t help you either. You go back out there and start this all up again then it’ll only be a matter of time before you cross a line and the treatments won’t help you.”

Stopping Matt turned to Connors and asked, “If you had someone come to you who needed help, and they had no money no way of ever repaying you would you help them?”

Connors replied, “Of course I would, and I understand what you’re trying to say Matt, but Matt my way of helping doesn’t include the possibility of me getting killed or make my own body rebel against me.”

Putting his hand on Matt’s shoulder Connors said, “Matt, I know you think that this is the only way to make your pain go away, but Matt don’t throw what’s left of your life like this.”

Matt steadied himself and said, “My life was taken from me two years ago. They were the reason I stopped more than the medical reason. Now, I’ll admit you make sense and most cases I wouldn’t dream of doing this, but if I don’t do it I still am alive but at the cost of what’s left of my soul.”

Connors let an exhale and said, “Stop by the lab twice a week for treatments, but remember there will come a point that they won’t work and once that happens the countdown on your death will start.”

Matt nodded and replied, “Noted. Thank you Doctor.”

Matt stuck his hand out and the two men shook hands and Curt said, “Good luck Matt.

For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Carnage27]

Another dad to join The Parental League of America!

 

[Batman]

Captain America and Daredevil are both...

Bringing the roster as it stands to be Andy as Superman and Nightwing, Byrd as Agent Graves, me as Batman, Carnage as Cap and MST3K as DD. Not bad, but we can do better.

The IC thread's coming tomorrow, people! Let's see those apps!

 

[Carnage27]

I'll have Star-Lord up tomorrow.

 

[Eddie Brock]

The ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

Primary Character: Oliver Queen / Green Arrow

List Of Essential NPC's (Vital To Your Story):

Mia Dearden: A troubled young girl who happens to cross paths with Oliver Queen.
[BLACKOUT]Mister Negative[/BLACKOUT]: A mysterious crime lord on the rise in Star City.
Sam Bullit: A candidate for mayor of Star City with a reputation for being tough on crime.
John Diggle: Head of Oliver Queen's personal security.
Danny "Brick" Brickwell: Notorious metahuman kingpin and longtime thorn in Green Arrow's side.
Walter Steele: CEO of Queen Consolidated, handles the day-to-day business of running the company for Ollie.

List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):

Roy Harper / Arsenal: Formerly Green Arrow's sidekick, now a hero in his own right.
Dinah Laurel Lance / Black Canary: On-again-off-again partner/girlfriend to Ollie.

Your Main Storyline's Premise: When the aging Mayor Altman steps down from his post, Oliver Queen sees an opportunity to effect change in Star City on a much larger scale than ever before. To do so, however, he will have to win a fight without throwing a punch or loosing a single arrow for once. As if his Republican challenger, former SCPD Lieutenant Sam Bullit, wasn't enough, Ollie must also unravel the mystery of Mister Negative, a new player in the Star City underground, before the crime lord's nefarious plans for the city come to fruition...

Why Are You Applying For This Character?: In this latest string of Hype revival attempts, I want to challenge myself to tell a complete story for once. No elaborate plans, no sticking pins for later, no getting ahead of myself; I just want to write a bounded story, start to finish, and have a finished something that I can look back on with pride.

To that end, I picked Green Arrow -- rather than some of my usual staples -- because he can keep me grounded in the moment. Plus, I still have fond memories of my brief UDC (2.0?) run with Ollie, and I'd like to revisit the character now that I'm older and (presumably) wiser.

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

There's a bite in the air coming off of the harbor. A light breeze, blowing about twenty degrees north-by-northeast. It carries with it the briny smell of the sea. I make a mental note to adjust my aim accordingly. It's taken me a few weeks to track down which pier the Triads have been using to smuggle their heroin into Star City. They should be commended for their work in hiding this place. But no more. Tonight I strike the final blow and topple their house of cards. Balancing on the balls of my feet, I dart across the stack of shipping containers. When I come to the end of the line, I throw myself across the gap and land gracefully on the steel support beam of a nearby shipping crane. I've got a full view of the pier from here. I crouch as my hand tightens around my bow.

A car pulls up. Sedan, black, unmarked. All four doors open at once, and out step gentlemen of ill repute in matching blazers. The driver is a good head taller than the rest, and the passenger wears sunglasses. The rear two are armed, semi-automatics hanging from leather straps around their chest. I'm in the right place. With a whistle, the passenger signals to the guards, who promptly fan out. Luckily for me, they don't look up. They never look up. You'd think they'd learn eventually. One of the two guards passes beneath me, and I silently follow. When he rounds the corner out of view from the car, I drop down, landing in a three-point stance in the gravel. I charge him from behind, dropping him with a choke hold before he can so much as gargle. One down.

With my back pressed against the shipping container, I peer around the corner. The second guard is walking away from the car, humming to himself. The other two are drifting farther and farther from earshot. I reach for my belt, drawing out a small dart. With a flick of the wrist, I send it sailing after the guard. It catches him in the back of the neck, and he hardly has a second to reach for the skin before he topples face-first. His gun clatters beneath him. For a second, I worry the others might've heard, but their backs are still turned as they continue moving away. Two down.

I clamber back on top of the shipping container as I stalk my remaining prey. They lead me down towards water's edge, where a dormant eighteen-wheeler sits waiting. The driver hangs back a step while the passenger steps forward. I inch closer to get a better view. The passenger twists a handle, and the rear door of the truck slides open. Lining the inside of the truck, stacked from floor to ceiling, are large brown boxes. The passenger looks back and nods at the driver, who lumbers up into the truck. He lowers one of the boxes while the passenger produces a knife. A few seconds of tearing later, and the passenger holds up a bag half as thick as his head.

Reaching for my quiver, I let my fingers run across the various fletching. Nope... nope... not that one... there! Drawing the desired arrow, I rest the bow on my knee as I fit the nock to the string. The end of the arrow is not tipped; rather, it ends in a small cylinder full of swishing liquid. Raising the bow, I draw the arrow back. The yew gently creaks as the bowstring is drawn taut. I inhale, feeling the way the breeze brushes past my face. The arrow drifts slowly as I make the appropriate compensations. In the moment before I shoot, the world goes quiet. In the same breath, I exhale and loose the arrow. It sails through the night, whipping past the two men and finding its mark deep inside the belly of the trailer. Suddenly, there's a flash of light as the cylinder breaks on impact, the liquid inside mixing and catalyzing. Before the thugs can process what's happening, the trailer goes up in a blaze. The driver has to dive out of the way to avoid the sudden backdraft.

The passenger twirls, reaching for his waistband. He receives an arrow to the back of the hand for that one. Yelping, he drops the pistol at his feet, lucky that the safety was on so he didn't blast off a toe. Before the driver can scamper to his feet, I have another arrow drawn and aimed at his chest. All of his courage wilts at the sight of that. "Gentlemen," I say genially, "your shipment is lost. Save one box, that is, which I'll be keeping for evidence, of course. Now, we could see if one of you can get to that gun before I turn you into a pincushion, or you could leave now and go tell your boss that the Triads are finished in my city." They glance at the gun, then each other, before turning tail and breaking for their car. With a smile, I call back, "Good choice!"

For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Hound55]

ONE UNIVERSE RPG Application

THE INEVITABLE IRON FIST

Primary Character: Iron Fist

List Of Essential Characters (Vital To Your Story) See parentheses for added relevant information to their portrayal within if necessary:
Danny Rand
Lei Kung (formerly “The Thunderer”, now Yu-Ti the immortal ageless leader of K’un L’un)
Davos the Steel Serpent (protector of the egg of Shou-Lao the Undying)
Sparrow/The Thunderer (current wielder of the title of Thunderer, martial arts master tasked with training the people of K’un L’un - daughter of disgraced former Iron Fist Orson Randall)
Richard (formerly Richard Dragon, gave up his earned surname due to K’un L’un’s reverence for the sacred Shou-Lao the Undying - having reached the extent of teachings on earth he made a pilgrimage to the Heavenly City of K’un L’un where he now lives, learns and occasionally converses with other prominent citizens, such as Yu-Ti and the Thunderer)
Nu-An (now in hiding, formerly Yu-Ti of K’un L’un - fled the heavenly city and has not been seen since)
Qi Huo Bing (An Original Character… you’ll get nothing out of me!)
Tales of Various former Iron Fists

Semi-Essential NPCs (Please enquire… I can re-work and even use alternative characters, but will likely be required at points)
Luke Cage
Misty Knight
Colleen Wing
Jeryn Hogarth (still representative of Danny Rand’s business concerns)

List Of Non-Essential NPC's (Open To Widespread Use And Play):
Pretty much anyone else… your general Heroes for Hire nemeses like Bushmaster, El Aguilo, Constrictor, Cottonmouth and Diamondback, Ferocia, etc. Other Heroes For Hire Characters and the other Immortal Weapons.

Your Main Storyline's Premise:
Out of the wake of events occurring in Immortal Iron Fist the world has changed. Davos has been tempered with fresh purpose and the City of K’un L’un has a new leadership base who happen to be more pure of heart. Meanwhile, Danny Rand fights for the weak, for those in need of protection in the far off city of New York.

All is well in the Heavenly City… or it has been, up until now.

Why Are You Applying For This Character?:
I’ve had this idea which answers questions I’ve had regarding Marvel’s handling of this segment of the universe for some time. Hopefully you’ll like it.

Please Provide A Short Sample Post Using Characters From Your Intended Storyline (At Least Two Paragraphs And A Single Line Of Dialogue):

Still to come...


For Reference, Post A Picture Of How Your Character's Going To Look:

 

[Byrd Man]

Meh. Cashing in on the TV show hype?

 

[Andy C.]

I dunno if overwhelmingly negative critical response qualifies as hype (insert DCEU joke here).

 

[Byrd Man]

I think I can use hype in this context as it pertains to promotion and publicity of a thing and not the quality of said thing.

 

[Hound55]

Meh. Cashing in on the TV show hype?

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song." - Chinese proverb

 

[Byrd Man]

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song." - Chinese proverb

"It is good to meet girl in park, but better to park meat in girl." - Chinese proverb