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rubycitymods) wrote2012-01-12 12:49 pm
NPC Profiles
* * *
Once human but no longer, their individual histories and how they came to be what they are still lie mostly in mystery.
Only one truth can be said for all of them.
They all lie.
* * *Original Name (if known):
Ulysses
Apparent Age:
29
Appearance:
Temper is rather average, the sort of person one would easily pass by in a crowd without a second look. His dark brown hair is kept relatively short. His eyes are his one remarkable feature, a bright, piercing blue, especially set against his pale complexion. He's on the taller side of average height, just shy of 5'11" or so. At first glance, there is nothing at all intimidating about him. But that particular observation falls to pieces after a few minutes in his presence. Perhaps it's something about how he holds himself, a quiet sense of confidence that seems to be unshakable. His face is most often schooled into a calm mask, his expressions very subdued, often just shadows of themselves.
Temper is meticulous in his choice of clothing, well-dressed, but also tending to blend into the general trends of the setting he finds himself in. This said, he is very fastidious and neat in his outfits, and will choose more formal clothes rather than opting for more casual styles.
The main feature to watch out for with Temper is his voice. Though he tends to speak quietly, there is an undeniable power, a compelling tone to his voice. It is smooth and musical and very easy to listen to, a soothing tenor. Of course, this may all have something to do with one of his main abilities being focused through his voice.
Personality:
Temper appears at first glance to be extremely calm and terribly polite. It is very rare for him to visibly lose his temper or show anything more than brief annoyance. Even his more positive emotions tend to be subdued. He is very difficult to rattle; even interruptions to his carefully laid plans are typically dealt with without much more than a brief pause and a mental adjustment. Much of this is a carefully held facade; control is exceptionally important to him -- control of things, others, situations, but most crucially, control of himself.
Beneath this tranquil veneer, however, Temper does not hesitate in actions that others may consider cruel. He sees the world as little more than something to be studied, to be judged for how it can fit into his purposes. The concepts of affection and attachment are largely alien to him; he feels at least some connection and protectiveness to the other members of his "clan." Tim he trusts to fulfill his purposes with efficiency. Chari he views as troubled and in need of significant guidance. Chassie he regards as the child she is. And Gene, he meets his needling and sarcasm as though he's a reluctant participant in an ongoing battle of wits.
Outside of these ties, he views others only in how they are of interest to him and how they fit the purpose he was created to fulfill. He respects power and intelligence, but even this respect is capable of being pushed aside for the benefit of his curiosity or his greater plans. The fact that others may suffer because of his actions is not a primary concern; on the contrary, it's most likely to amuse him and is sometimes his motivation in general. However, if you manage to get his attention and keep it, he is not not above viewing individuals as pets of a sort and playing favorites. In fact, he can be genuinely pleasant and congenial when given reason.
This said, Temper is quite pleased to have conversations with people who are interesting and capable conversation partners. He enjoys talking, if there is something to speak of, but does not have any tolerance for poor manners. Yelling or insults are typically met with little more than a polite dismissal and an ending of the conversation. But if there is information to be gleaned or emotions to be explored, his attention will almost certainly be held. He is curious by nature, though this curiosity often manifests itself with a childlike disregard for ramifications for others.
Temper does have a sense of humour, though it is quite dark. Outright laughter is rare, but has been known to occur when he's thoroughly enjoying himself. As much as he enjoys inflicting his designs and games on people, he's also happy to sit back and watch people tear themselves apart in the aftermath. He's seen it too often, after all, not to appreciate it as a part of human and often inhuman nature. Just as he can be noticeably happy, he can also experience a dark and very vibrant rage. This is even rarer than the laughter, however, and results in a total loss of the control he so carefully cultivates. It is explosive and dangerous for nearly anyone in the vicinity, friend or foe.
Abilities:
His most notable talent is that of vocal persuasion. Temper's voice can provoke a very strong need to do what he is telling someone to do, even if it results in physical harm to them or those around them. This technique does not remove awareness from the individual it is being used on, but rather forces their hand while they remain aware of their actions. Temper also has the ability to remove powers and abilities from individuals for a set amount of time, or permanently. This skill can also be utilised in creating small trinkets which can be used to suppress or enhance the powers of the wearer. However, he only does these favours for a price.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
While his strengths lie in his cool temperament and high intelligence, Temper is physically weak and can be easily injured by direct attacks on his person. If you can get close enough.
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Original Name (if known):
Hayden
Apparent Age:
28
Appearance:
Tim's hair is a platinum blonde, nearly to the point of being white. The almost bleached-looking locks fall in messy, uneven lengths, sometimes falling into his dark grey eyes. Beyond their colour, the remarkable thing about Tim's eyes is how focused they always seem to be. His gaze is direct and cold and on occasion, somewhat frenzied and wild.
Though he is rather tall, just over 6' even, Tim's build is almost deceptive. He is lean and rather spindly, but his body is the body of a runner, all coiled muscle and quick reflexes. He's very athletic but not overly large. Tim carries himself with a self-assured manner, though many of his movements are a bit strange, too fluid or not fluid enough, quicker than they need to be. He is not human despite how he appears, and observing him for a length of time will make this very clear.
Tim dresses rather casually, opting for comfort over fashion. Worn-in boots and jeans are often completed by nothing more fancy than a t-shirt. He does not enjoy things that constrict his ability to move or fight.
Personality:
There is something very off about Tim Lear. Though he obviously functions perfectly fine -- perfectly lethally in most instances -- there is a disconnect between him and what would be termed actual sanity. His reactions are often not what one would expect, and it is not uncommon for him to seem more preoccupied with the discussions in his mind rather than reality as it occurs. Whether or not he actually hears voices speaking to him is a question one would have to ask, but Tim is not really one to engage in pleasant conversation. Something has eaten away at Tim's sanity in the time since his creation. That said, very little gets past him regardless. He acts reflexively and reacts to many stimuli with violence before thought.
Tim is extremely efficient, and does not believe in failure. Under normal circumstances, he operates fairly logically, so long as he is calm. When he is angry, however, he tends to lose control. When fighting he is vicious and remorseless, taking quite a bit of pleasure in the suffering he inflicts. Tim is not afraid to spill blood and actually has a bit of a flair for it. He thrives on the fear of others. To him, people are little more than toys to be played with or broken. When he is fighting, there's an excitement and glee that he is unable to suppress. He legitimately enjoys who he is and what he does, even if parts of his mind are little more than a wasteland, struck barren with ever-changing winds that make him extremely volatile and unstable.
Despite being a bit unbalanced, Tim is quite dedicated. He is protective of the other members of his small clan, especially Temper. However, his motivations are his own. Crossing Tim is a terrible idea; he is vengeful to a frightening degree. He will come back at anyone who has hurt him or those dear to him ten times worse, and will not rest until he sees them suffer.
In quieter times, Tim tends to be a loner. He enjoys the quiet -- there is enough turmoil and commotion in his mind that he appreciates stillness. He enjoys the outdoors and is likely to wander through the park or spend time near the river, though he liked it better when it ran red. When other people are involved -- even his clan -- Tim seeks out calmer individuals, unconsciously gravitating towards a stability that he lacks.
In general, there is an eeriness to Tim Lear. Speaking to or interacting with him is a bit like walking blind through a minefield, though in this case, the mines are generally hoping to have the opportunity to explode and tear off a limb or two.
Abilities:
Tim's ability lies in manipulation of the one resource that he always has to hand - the blood running through his veins. With the smallest cut he can draw forth weapons from his own body to use against anyone who might attempt to attack him. This has the additional effect of being very disturbing to most, which can offer him an immediate advantage in confrontation. He is also possessed of an explosive temper, quite literally. When pushed to breaking point, it isn't beyond him to cause great amounts of localised destruction in a sudden burst of unleashed energy.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
The nature of Tim's abilities are physically wearing, and his tendency towards the dramatic often leads in him exerting more energy than he needs to. Though he is a dangerous opponent, if he can be dodged or blocked for long enough, he will simply collapse from blood loss.
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Original Name (if known):
???
Apparent Age:
8
Appearance:
The youngest of the seven, Chassie presents as a typical eight year old girl with a round face, small nose, large blue-green eyes and dark blonde hair. She typically has one tooth missing, but it isn't always the same one. Standing at around four feet, she is easily the least intimidating of the city's overseers and unlike her older brethren does not carry herself with any particular grace, still lacking the delicate level of coordination that comes with a more mature age.
Chassie fidgets often, usually twisting her fingers together or chewing on her lower lip while she thinks about things. Unless deliberately holding herself straight, her feet are often turned towards each other at the toes when she stands still, and she doesn't exude any particular confidence. She is usually dressed in purple or blue, or a combination of both, and carries a teddy bear (named 'Baron') with her at all times.
If pressed to anger, however - a rare thing in itself - her expression can change to something fierce and dangerous. Few people have seen this, but it points to there being much more to little Chassie than meets the eye.
Personality:
First and foremost, Chassie is a young child and she acts like it. She gravitates towards parental figures and stubbornly protests against being told what to do, even if she knows it's the sensible answer. Her sense of logic is lacking, and though she can form simple arguments when the facts are placed openly in front of her she often seeks the simplest solution to a problem without considering that it might have wider implications.
She is the most reluctant to talk about the past of the group as a whole, not because she doesn't want to but because she truly doesn't remember a great deal of it. Though she will try, if asked sincerely, to remember what came before she is easily upset by thoughts of missing her parents and her old home, which seem to be the only things she can recall clearly.
The girl has a firm sense of wrong and right, though it can often be misguided. She dislikes being lied to when she is able to realise that it's happening and dislikes being manipulated even more.
Chassie rarely wishes harm on anyone, but she enjoys 'games' and has enough of a grip on her abilities - however tenuous - to use the residents of the city as her playthings with relative ease. Her moods can swing rapidly between having 'fun' and realising she is causing harm, resulting in numerous and often tearful apologies. This, however, is something she does not appear to learn from... as she will just as quickly do the same thing again.
Abilities:
Though the youngest of the group, Chassie is arguably the most powerful overall. Her powers lie in the manipulation of reality itself, allowing her to recreate the entire city on a whim and shape it to her liking. In the hands of a small child with a tenuous grasp on reality as it is, this can quickly spiral out of control in sometimes fun, but often dangerous ways.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
A strength very particular to Chassie, and one that she remains entirely unaware of, is her ability to gain the trust of others simply because she is non-threatening. However, she is also easily hurt. Chassie has never had full control over the powers that she carries and occasionally loses grip on them, usually injuring those around her as a result.
Making physical contact with her is uncomfortable for most people and results in a sensation not unlike a low-grade static shock, along with a small dose of nausea. The longer contact is maintained, the stronger the sensations become.
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Original Name (if known):
Harper
Apparent Age:
24
Appearance:
Chari is a slim young woman of around 5'5", with long blonde hair that kinks in slight waves and green eyes through which her thoughts can often be easily read. When the shutters come down behind them, it appears very much as if no one is home even as she continues to talk. Her skin is peppered with freckles which fluctuate in intensity throughout the seasons and she often dresses in white, though she has been known to coordinate her clothing as a reflection of the attire that her intended conversational target is wearing.
Her expression is constantly shifting, making it difficult to tell at any one time what her exact emotions might be. While she speaks, her fingers often flit in small animated gestures that only grow with her level of enthusiasm. Her fingernails are stunted, displaying a long term habit of biting them, though no one would ever see her doing it.
Though at first she seems unblemished, closer examination of Chari reveals small scars on her hands and fingers, none of them more than a centimetre in length and showing various ages by their colour. Another small line marks the skin just above her upper lip, only visible in the right kind of light.
Personality:
Chari comes across to most as a sunny, bright young woman with a bubbly disposition. She is highly tactile and can easily connect with anyone that she comes across, resorting to a variety of different tactics to work her way under a persons skin. Her exuberance can push to a point where it seems forced, however, and it is only then that the cracks begin to appear.
She is unfailingly generous even if she always expects something in return - usually a favour or some abstract task to be completed - and will often go out of her way to help someone even if she doesn't particularly like them. While eager to get to know people, she doesn't often reveal much about herself and may shut down entirely when pushed to talk about her own history or that of her kin. However, Chari becomes attached to individuals with far more ease than any of the other six, even to the point of once being in a relationship with one of the city captives.
She is one who can be easily taken advantage of if someone is so inclined, but anyone trying it had best hope that she never finds out. While not violent, she has other ways to make people suffer. Chari is unstable, easy to press into sudden mood swings and just as easy to persuade into doing things that she might not have initially agreed to through this method.
Her behaviour, much like that of Gene, is typical of a person putting up a front. Chari's veneer is much more delicate, able to be broken by a badly placed word or something done in just the wrong way at the wrong time when she is already close to shattering. Under this light, all of her other actions taken on a second layer.
Abilities:
Not a particularly powerful person, Chari often turns to other members of her 'family' for help with requests that are made to her. She is capable of supplying almost anything to those who ask, unless it happens to be a living person - something she is often saddened by not being able to give.
Chari is able to phase through walls and other solid objects, though it is yet to be seen if this is an ability that she can use aggressively.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
While her phasing ability means that she is very difficult to harm, Chari's personality means that a person does not have to physically touch her to hurt her. If someone requires an 'in' with the group of overseers, Chari is always their best bet.
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Original Name (if known):
Theodore
Apparent Age:
30
Appearance:
A tall man (about 6", if one were to hazard a guess), more wiry muscle than outright strength or bulkiness. His hair is short and dark (brown bordering on black), sometimes left growing over his forehead, sometimes trimmed back out of the way. Unshaven stubble can be seen on his jaw, though sometimes he gets in the mood for a switch and shaves clean. His eyes are grey, oddly hard and at odds to the smirk or grin he usually wears on his face. Those eyes are the eyes of one who is wearing a mask.
He's often dressed in a neat sweatervest (decorated with dark diamonds over pale grey fabric) over a fancy white dress shirt, buttoned up right to the collar, though with the cuffs left loose about his wrists. His slacks are crisp and quite obviously ironed, shoes polished ever so carefully. Heat has him abandoning dress pants for jeans, sweatervest for just the shirt, with its sleeves rolled up to the crooks of his elbows. He's remarkably unmarked by blemishes or scars, and seems almost too put together.
Well, that? That's on purpose, of course.
Personality:
Gene's all snark and quick talk, eager for a chance to talk and talk and talk some more. But, of course, never about something someone actually wants to hear about. No, he loves the sound of his own voice and seems to think that everyone should share the same love. But even though he talks and grins and taunts people (taking a particular like from needling them into anger or frustration), never does his tone of voice seem to be honest. Never does it seem any more than...condescending.
Of course, he enjoys those who can talk back, who present a challenge intellectually, who try and wheedle information (most often unsuccessfully) out of him. People who he finds fascinating. His relation with his 'kin'? Well, that's in the dark, at best. He doesn't talk and he doesn't answer others. He seems to observe them all fairly fondly, if not with some bit of disdain. Temper, in particular, seems to be a target of his for needling and taunting, trying to coax out reactions by any means possible.
That's what he's all about. Reactions. It doesn't matter what they are, he just wants to see them. Why? Well. That's his little secret.
Oddly, though, he seems not to possess the same sort of bloodlust as others of his kin, preferring to sit back and watch more amusing chaos. Perhaps it's because he hates getting his hands dirty. Or perhaps there's another reason. Who can say? Little honesty is to be found in those oddly hard eyes of his.
Abilities:
Gene does not possess any 'active' talents like the rest of his kin. His own ability lies in luck, and how he has all of it.. and you don't. Things always seem to go his way, even when the odds are incredibly stacked against him - a card drawn at just the right time, a roll of the dice going just the way he wants it to, or the swipe of a blade that just misses when it should have hit.
A frustrating ability for others, but one that serves him very well. Gene doesn't typically exploit his influence over Lady Luck, but uses it in the form of small nudges in situations that might otherwise go poorly.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
Things rarely go wrong for Gene, but when they do, they go very wrong. Toying with chance and fate too much builds up a debt that has to be repaid. Thus, his talents can only be used sparingly, with overuse leading to.. dramatic results.
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Original Name (if known):
???
Apparent Age:
17
Appearance:
Dil is of average height, though her long legs and propensity for walking on her toes make her seem taller than her actual height of about 5'7". Hair that's not-quite-black falls about halfway down her spine in a thick, glossy wave. Dil's eyes are her most striking feature, an ice-blue so pale as to almost seem white, and their effect is only intensified by the way she tends to look through rather than at her targets. Paired with the way her fine-boned features tend to remain fashioned into lofty expressions of either amusement or disdain, the overall impression is undeniably that of someone who knows something you do not.
She tends to dress without any regard for fashion whatsoever, though her usual default is a gauzy white sundress paired with bare feet. She's more concerned with freedom of movement than with actual design, and dislikes bulky clothing.
Personality:
Capricious to a fault, Dil makes no secret of who or what she is. As far as she's concerned, the captives of Ruby City are there to serve their purpose whether they like it or not-- And anything she might see fit to inflict upon them is a perfectly fair means of "encouragement." These might be good things or they might be bad things, and it's entirely likely that one will be disguised as another. She's not above playing nice as a means to confuse those she dislikes, or acting cruel in the hopes of spurring one that she's taken a fancy to. Sly and not a little sadistic, Dil plays her cards close to her chest. There really is no predicting her motives, as even the other captors will attest.
Her 'kin' are plainly a source of many headaches for Dil, though she shows an alarming affection for Tim. When the two work in conjunction with one another, it is rarely a good thing for the city's inhabitants, and they've been known more than once to frighten even the other captors with their antics. But so long as the job gets done...
Her favoured targets among the city's residents tend to be the bold, the hardworking, and the determined-- Though she's been known to take a shine to those who have their light hidden under a bushel. If there's potential, she's keen to encourage it... Though those in question might not necessarily appreciate her means.
Abilities:
Dil is uniquely capable of levitation and can also produce matter from nothing - though she can disintegrate it just as easily. Nothing that she does appears to wear on her, though much like Tim she often puts more into her efforts than might truly be required, either out of frustration or impatience.
At one point, her abilities allowed her to reduce the entire realm of Ruby City to nothing and rebuild it over the course of a week.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
If Dil has one failing, it is her lack of patience with those who test her. While not given to tantrums, her no-nonsense attitude translates to performing tasks before others do because she simply can't give them the time to decide how they want to do it.
She likes things done her way and gives little room for much else.
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Original Name (if known):
???
Apparent Age:
18
Appearance:
He has blonde hair, often varying from short and spiked around the back to longer, sometimes with black bangs. His manner of clothing is somewhat teenage-like, but with dress shirts and leather jackets. His colour schemes are pretty much narrowed down to black and white most of the time.
Wherever it is that the Virtues exist in company of their kin, he is often seen with a lab coat and gloves as well. But that's because he spends most of his time conducting strange experiments.
Personality:
As has been gathered by some of the residents and most players who know him, Atien is nothing short of sadistic. If you want a correct term for this, "sociopath" fits as he feels neither guilt nor true empathy for others around him. He may want to connect, however it is more out of morbid curiosity and less out of a genuine feeling of friendship and companionship. He is rude, in his passively-aggressive sort of way; he doesn't raise his voice or act on impulse and his words are slow and well thought of before he says them.
Atien is plain and simple a living, breathing, walking warning sign: do not get too close. For some reason he attracts the chirpier residents of the city, some of which have, despite his efforts, failed to notice that he honestly would rather run his ears through a meat grinder than to "hang out". But as it is, Atien is also aware that he cannot simply raise a hand to hurt a resident unprompted without his kin falling back on him. It is bad enough that Tim Lear is his outlet of negative emotions; Atien says he cares, that Tim has always been the closest he has to a friend, yet he treats him as little more than a beast to be tamed, wholly encouraging his destructive behaviour.
Atien is the kind who would imprison animals and residents alike for the sake of his experiments. He's dawdled for too long as his former self and is hell-bent on using means available to him to conduct his studies and to take them a step further. At first he told himself he only wished to find a way to regain his humanity, but by then his morals were already so warped that it's impossible to be sure if he truly meant it, or if he used it as an excuse to hurt some of the wild beasts roaming around the city. Now, it is almost needless to say he takes true delight in others' pain though he takes no delight in causing it with his bare hands. He still does not act on impulse and finds mental games and manipulation to work best in his favour. He is not a happy camper, he is not friendly, and he is not the kind who will hold on to the friend falling from the edge of the cliff unless they can prove themselves interesting.
His change came in the form of a betrayal - and that is why he hates humanity so, nowadays. That is why he loathes those empty promises and the idea that things last forever when, evidently, they do not.
The only true creatures he has taken to treating better, are beasts. Even his test subjects, though put under great stress at times, are treated with more dignity than Ruby City's residents and, to an extent, even some members of his kin.
Abilities:
Atien has the ability to control the flow of time, essentially accelerating or slowing it down. He moves slowly and speaks slowly and with pauses, but if attacked, he need only make use of his powers and make it seem like he has super speed or something equally amazing. He doesn't really make use of his abilities unless he needs to be in the city and doesn't wish to be seen for too long until he can leave.
Since his ability allows him to slow down time while he himself moves normally, that raises a bit of question on how many hours, days, weeks or months older he is, logically, than he assumes to be.
Strengths/Weaknesses:
His level of patience is a force to be reckoned with, but also forms itself into a weakness all of its own. Atien thinks things through thoroughly before he acts, but this can lead to missed opportunities and a kind of rigidity in planning that makes it difficult for him to adapt.
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