PLAYER INFORMATION NS nation nickname: Lykos
Skill Level (beginner, intermediate, advanced): Intermediate
How often can you post? Daily at best
CHARACTER PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS Character Name: Sidney "Sid" Bechet
Character Gender: Male
Species (nation personification, human, alien, etc): Human
Age: 37 (Born March 27th, 1919)
Appearance: Dark Reddish-brown hair with a streak of grey from his right temple and around his ear., hazel eyes. Medium-dark brown skin, with darker brown freckles dotting his face and practically all over his body. His features are relatively sharp, indeed his whole form is rather tall and gaunt, almost having the appearance of being extreme thin despite the obvious musculature. He lets his hair grow out in rather unkempt tangle of curls that cascade down on either side of his shoulders. Major hat hair. The mass of hair tends to contain bits of twigs and leaves in it, as well. He usually has a flower of some kind tucked into the brim of his hat.
He dresses in a rather unkempt outfit in dark greens, tans, and browns. He wears largely old army gear from the Spanish Civil War. The khaki jacket is either improperly buttoned or left unbuttoned. His dark green pants are very worn, and are tattered and don't quite reach his ankles. The undershirt is practically always untucked too. Over the two he has a long trench coat, tattered at the bottom fringe. He always wears his army boots. Something that keeps his hair down is an old Republican hat with a red star on the front. Unkempt is a common theme. He really needs to find a tailor too.
When going into dangerous situations, Sidney will usually bring along an M1 Garand slung over his shoulder by a strap, along with a colt revolver in a holster on his belt. No melee weapons usually, or armor. Most he has is boxing tape on his fists.
URL to Character Picture, if any: None
Character Occupation: Gardener/ Amateur Botanist, former Vampire/Undead Hunter and Hamon Adept
Character's biggest strength: He's experienced with both the supernatural and mundane, very little can actually startle him. He's also rather experienced at fighting, meaning he's cool in combat. He's also had experience as a battlefield medic, mostly in "How to Keep People from Dying 101"
Character's worst flaw: While he may be experienced, it has been a long time since he's used most of his skills. He's amazingly rusty, and it will take a while to rebuild his skills.
OBJECTIVES AND GOALSPrimary Objectives are what drive's your character's actions and their part of the plot. When not engaged in stories, these are what occupy your character's thoughts or keep them busy. Examples include: acting on a desire to become a powerful and respected leader; attempting to overcome some horrible thing in the past which hinders the character on a day-to-day basis; seeking to break out their shell by overcoming profound shyness (getting involved with stories); comping to terms with a major flaw that inhibits the character from reaching full potential; etc.
Minor Goals. These should be an undercurrent for your character when they are engaged in stories or on their free time. They are what your character does to aid them in achieving their Primary Objectives. Examples include: acquiring weapons and becoming proficient with each one; improving sundered relations with a companion; improving their reading comprehension; mastering news spells; researching a cure for a plague; etc.
Objectives such as "making friends" or "finding love" are NOT acceptable. Please put much though into your character's objectives - they are what flesh out your character and one of the most important aspects necessary to portray the character as 3D.
Primary Objective: Discover all he can about Amaranth, its abilities, and how the apparition works.
Minor Goals: - Settle in to the new environment
- Learn about the flora of Gallimaufry
- Learn about the various supernatural beings of the Building and Galli
- Start a garden to produce food, if one already exists help it prosper.
- Properly befriend Amaranth. The thing doesn't quite like him yet. They did just meet after all
- Re-learn his old fighting skills.
- Refresh his hamon abilities.
- Work on his medical skills, first aid and similar.
- Master manifesting Amaranth
MUNDANE SKILLS These do NOT require points. These are the average, daily things your character can do. Examples are "drive a car", "speak one Foreign Language", "play a guitar", "write poetry". Some mundane skills come from your bio and are freebie. A soldier has gone through Basic training. However, Medic, martial arts or sniper would be a Specialized Skill or Talent.
List Mundane skills here- English Language
- Driving a Car
- Gardening
- Early 1900s American Schooling(High School Level)
- Basic Botany(unschooled, self-taught)
- Ambidextrous for most things. Right hand dominant for guns and firearms.
- Basic Recent History and events
- Basic training - Spanish Civil War Volunteer
- Basic medical knowledge - First Aid
- Hamon Training/basic abilities
SPECIALIZED SKILLS AND TALENTS These are specialized skills that set you apart from the average person. You have 7 points to spend here. Examples are swordsmanship, sniper, coercion, medic, spellcraft, piloting helicopter, manipulate water, etc.
- Ability 1 and Points Spent: American (NYC) Boxing, switch-hitter out-boxer :: 4
- Ability 2 and Points Spent: Guns: Pistol :: 2 (Rusty)
- Ability 3 and Points Spent: Guns: Rifle Marksman :: 1 (Rusty)
OPTIONAL SUPERNATURAL CHARACTERISTICS You have 7 points to spend here on supernatural skills or abilities. Sonic Scream, Levitation, Spell Casting, Shape Shifting etc. Superman MUST have his kryptonite thus weaknesses are things which inhibit the ability. Restrictions are what can't they do with their power or what balances it. They can only use it when they genuinely need it? They can't use it for more then five minutes without
serious side-effects? Some things are allowed without points. A pegasus has wings thus it can fly. A raptor is fast thus no points are spent in speed. These "natural" abilities should be listed here, however. What isn't allowed: teleportation beyond a few feet; the ability to alter or go back/forward in time. IMPORTANT: You might need a knowledge in Specialized Skills and Talents in order to work these abilities. Example: you'll need "manipulate water" to do just that, and this section is where you record what water manipulation abilities the character has.
Note for Hamon (Ripple) abilities: While largely only effective against Undead, Vampires, and certain supernatural entities, most powers involve a physical component that can hurt mundanes as well. Concentrated hamon abilities can also burn or even heavily injure a mundane too, similar to a concentrated burst of solar energy. This is heavily dependent on Sidney's breathing, and if it is interrupted or Sid is rendered unable to breathe period he cannot use hamon in any form.
- Ability 1: Hamon Bullet Charge
Power Level: 0 (Unused for years, only remembers theory)
Strengths: Either while he loads the gun, or transferring through the gun, Sid charges the bullets full of hamon before launching them at their target with pinpoint accuracy. He can also apply this ability to launching bits of wood or other projectiles, though the metal of the bullets carries the charge the best in his experience. Impact leads to an explosion of Ripple Power on and in the target, melting the undead and piercing tougher hides.
Weaknesses: If the bullet hits anything prior to its target with better hamon conductivity, the charge is lost. No Ricochet attacks. The time between the charge and firing must be very fast, or risks the charge diffusing into the weapon instead of going with the bullet. Bullet causes normal damage regardless of charge.
Restrictions: Like other hamon powers, relies on Sidney's breath. If he can't breathe he can't use these abilities. This one in particular is so rusty its almost usless. At most he could tickle an undead with this.
- Ability 2: Hamon Overgrowth
Power Level: 2
Strengths: Sid charges the environment around him to promote the growth of any plants in a certain radius, up to twenty meters. The plants grow in a manner he desires, meaning he can create shields from trees and weapons, though at its strongest he just has the plants grow wild, creating difficult terrain to fight in.
Weaknesses: Small radius, and doesn't work where there is no plant life. Difficult to direct plants more than "Grow in this direction" and intense strain to Sidney. More effective in short bursts.
Restrictions: Like other hamon powers, relies on Sidney's breath. If he can't breathe he can't use these abilities.
- Ability 3: Hamon Healing
Power Level: 1
Strengths: Similar to the forced hamon breathing technique(Jab someone in the diaphragm to make them breathe in a desired way), but performed in a less aggressive manner where Sid simply touches and charges the recipient full of hamon to accelerate their healing. Its not quite as effective as forced hamon breathing for instantaneous results, but the improved metabolic rate accelerates the healing process and dulls pain at the expense of a large sum of energy either on Sid or the recipient's side. Can be reversed to stop a heart and put someone out of misery.
Weaknesses: Involves direct contact, and expenditure of large energy. Does not regenerate missing limbs or body parts. short contact only transfers a small amount of energy, longer contact helps healing faster but is more draining.
Restrictions: Like other hamon powers, relies on Sidney's breath. If he can't breathe he can't use these abilities. Distance range is short.
- Ability 4: Hamon Boxing
Power Level: 2
Strengths: In simplest terms, Sid's background has lead to him combining his youthful interest in boxing, before his radicalization and time in Spain, with his current skill at Hamon. He charges his limbs and head with hamon, increasing his speed and power. He fights with a more aggressive and street fighting sort of style, no limit to kicking, headbutts, or chokeholds, pretty dirty fighting in general. Like his normal boxing, he fights ambidextrously, and with focus on movement and quick hitting over decisive blows.
Weaknesses: He's older and slower than he used to be. Rather draining in a prolonged fight. Leaves him vulnerable to counter attacks and methods to dispel ripple energy without harming the individual involved.
Restrictions: Like other hamon powers, relies on Sidney's breath. If he can't breathe he can't use these abilities. Distance range is short.
- Ability 5: Stand Manifestation - Amaranth
Power Level: 2
Strengths: - The Hiding Amaranth (Chloro/Xylokinesis): The Stand itself has the ability to create and manipulate plants and wood to create practically anything, though the range of direct manipulation is limited to about ten meters around the stand or the user. It can create anything either the user or stand desires, from houses to constructs to weapons made of wood. The combination of this along with 「The Never Fading One」 means they rarely lack the material to use this ability.
- The Wandering Pack (Chloro/Xylokinetic Constructs): These are practically anything the stand creates that have a distinct form, from houses to animal constructs. The constructs when created in the form of an animal take on aspects of that creature. Wolves run on all fours and hunt in packs, birds fly through the air and tweet. But they ultimately listen to orders from the stand user and stand itself. These are created from real materials and are vulnerable to both physical and stand attacks. When far away from their master they work under their own direction and the orders previously given, and most are intelligent enough to improvise, but aren't particularly smart enough to puzzle out anything complex.
- The Never Fading One (Forest Creation/Manipulation): This is a largely automatic ability under the stand's control, where it creates forest and jungle wherever it goes. These are usually dark and dangerous, full of traps and dangerous terrain such as brambles and nastiness. Usually the epicenter is the safest place and the location of the stand. Given these are real plants and trees, they will stay even as the stand moves on, potentially creating miles of forest maze around itself before creating a proper center where it would wait with its user for any approaching dangers. They tend to also create dilapidated houses that look like they're from a forgotten, ancient era.
Weaknesses: Fire can damage, and affects the apparition like if it was made of wood. The constructs are independent and he cannot see through them so they work under their own power. They are generally fairly weak but have numbers. His stand itself is lumbering and rather slow, and the spread affect goes slow for forest creation. The forest itself is physical, not a stand manifestation, and so are most of the constructs, thus can be hurt by physical things.
Restrictions: Not under Sidney's control at all. Independent minded and still getting used to its new stand master. Very few can fully perceive it. Supernatural beings can in some way. Stand Users can as if they were normal, while the stand is manifesting. Gods and Greater Beings are able to as well. Mundanes are entirely unable to perceive a stand.
Stand Appearance: Eldritch monster of wood pretty much. This thing is giant, nearly three time the size of a normal person at its largest size, though it can change its size to a normal human or smaller to fit into smaller areas. It tends to just outright blend into forested areas. This stand is also an inheritable one, given that it largely has its own personality. Upon Sid's passing it would pass to either a child of his or someone close, usually slightly changed.
Stand Personality: Amaranth is cranky, old, and uncooperative. It feels protective of wildlife and forests, especially old growth ones. Its fond of those who care for similar things, and while its demeanor is usually rather stiff and unwavering, it can learn to accept new things. It is highly curious of newer technology, but dislikes heavy industry and things it believes are spoiling the world. Behaves like its some sort of old nature god, even if it isn't.
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MAGICAL OR SPECIAL ITEMSIf it's not on this list, your character doesn't have it. Magical items are rare and hard to come by. Please list what they can/can't do - treat them like a supernatural thing. Items not allowed: anything that can alter time; anything that allows a character to teleport beyond a few feet.
List: None Magical
EQUIPMENTThis is what your character has
on their person at the very moment when they are pulled from their home dimension. Laptop? Firearm? Cigarettes and matches? Don't abuse this. They won't be clutching an entire bunker.
List: - Analog wristwatch
- Colt Revolver & holster
- Round Canteen
- various plant cuttings and seeds, plants native to the northeast USA
- Gardening Tools, a small toolbox's worth.
- a dozen clips of revolver rounds, in a bag.(He usually liked being prepared)
BACKGROUNDBe detailed please. You must explain how your character acquired their skills, talents, abilities, and special items. Wrap your primary objectives and goals into it.
Education or Training: American High School, Hamon training with Mentors, Gun training with during Spanish Civil War
Character Background/Biography: Having a calm life before the appearance of his hamon abilities, he lived in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. His family was supportive, and his father being a hamon user himself took it upon himself to teach Sid. They usually trained outside of the city in some of the remaining forests, building Sid's love for the wilderness. The style he learned was one that was a mix of Native American and European styles, with a focus on the natural world and plants.
He became a huge fan of the boxing scene of the time, practicing it with his friends and realizing he could apply his hamon to it at this time. Sid also realized his ambidextrous nature young, and used that to his advantage when learning boxing. It was difficult to fight a boxer who constantly switched up his stance so easily. He made bits of money from street boxing, and started having ambitions to join a proper league once he was grown.
Unfortunately, Sidney's father passed away young from a car accident, so after a certain point most of his Ripple knowledge came from his own practice and experimentation. He also had to give up Boxing dreams to take care of his family. He took up odd jobs, along with simple service industry jobs. Given their already rather middling state the great depression hadn't affected his family overly much.
When growing up, he increasingly fell in with the communist/socialist scene of New York, admiring the general lack of any sort of racism among the members, and his political views eventually became rather socialist. Around the time the Spanish Civil war broke out, and the rise of the fascist governments of Europe, Sid and various other members decided to volunteer to fight in the war on the side of the Republicans. Whatever happened during his time fighting, he came back with a limp and a slightly more bitter attitude.
He only reappeared in New York around the time it was obvious the war was going against the Republicans. His time among the Spanish Hamon users had also taught him his Bullet Charge ability, for use against vampires who had infiltrated the Nationalist front of the Civil War. Vampire activity had been picking up since the close of the first World War, and Sid had seen that first hand in Spain.
He bought a house on the outskirts of New York City, and reconnected with the local Hamon community with the intent of helping them fight vampires and their kin in America. This move was a bit strange, considering he'd never been very passionate about this fight until his return from Spain. For a few years he practiced his skills, and honed them. Aside from that he largely kept to himself, with his few childhood friends being the only ones allowed to visit his home.
Around 1938 Sid, among various other hamon users from around the world were called together on what promised to be one of the last major purges of Vampirekind ever needed. The potential source for Vampirism and the undead scourge had been discovered in Egypt. After a few months, and some really stupid and strange shenanigans, the hamon users and a few allies managed to defeat this threat and went their separate ways. Sid became pen pals with a French Hamon user, but contact was lost with the outbreak of World War Two. While Sid would have loved to enlist to go fight the fascist scourge in Europe, sickness among his family kept him in New York.
With the War's close he would lose his mother as well. By then the last vampires were either going into hiding or being slain, and most hamon organizations were drifting apart. With no real enemy there was no reason to keep together. There was also no real reason except tradition to continue teaching the art of using hamon either, so its use dwindled. Sidney went years without using a bit of ripple energy, and would start to forget many of the finer techniques he had refined.
So He settled into suburban life, starting a greenhouse and garden in and around his home. He never married, but did have a few flings here and there. But it was a rather boring life. Sidney got into botany, learning the science behind the plants he'd often used to help trap and defeat vampires. While he was too old to go to college by that point, nor had the money for it the aging hamon user started learning through books and directly studying his plants.
It was about the mid fifties when things started to get interesting again for Sidney. While tending to his plants he began hearing a voice, Old and creaky sounding, right in his ear. Giving him advice about gardening and caring for plants, for whatever reason. Sid thought he was merely going crazy, until he started seeing the apparition too. Given his background among the supernatural of his world it wasn't too startling. He'd apparently inherited some sort of power from a recently deceased comrade from the Spanish Civil war. A Spanish National who'd moved to the USA following the collapse of the Republican front, much like Sid. Unlike Sid the man hadn't shown much supernatural influence except maybe an excessively good green thumb.
Turns out his green thumb was magic after all.
As its like to do, stand users are gravitated to other stand users. Luckily the ones he met were rather nice. They explained the power to him and the rules they'd figured out, and parted ways. Rather uneventful. Sidney thought himself much too old to really get into any sort of fight against evil with supernatural abilities, so he and Amaranth tried getting used to now being attached to each other. Neither liked the disruption of their routines, but luckily for them:
Things were going to get much, much more interesting. And a bit more insane.
OTHER GAME MECHANICS URL to Apartment Picture: (What's the inside of their apartment look like) url=http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/03/sro-vertical-garden-3.jpg]Greenhouse Brooklyn[/url]
Link to RP examples: (this MUST be a
DIRECT LINK to your
IC post in an RP, NOT a link to the RP thread itself. If you don't have examples, make your biography good.)
IMPORTANT FINAL STEP: One paragraph that sums up your character. This paragraph is what we'll use on your player tab on the first page of the thread. This MUST be brief. Your tab will contain a link to your application so people will have full details.The nickname you go by on NS: Lykos
Character Name: Sidney Bechet
Image Link: N/A
Brief Description for Bio: An aging vampire hunter, Spanish Civil War Veteran, and adept in an ancient martial art, that was born in New York City and is currently followed around by an even stranger companion.
Please direct questions to the OP or the CoOPs. Thanks for applying. Bear in mind that it can take several days for applications to be approved; check back often.