ENIGMA--transhumanist alien abduction RP interest check

(The game thread is located here, and the discussion thread is located here.)

In the early years of the twenty-first century, mankind discovered that it wasn’t alone in the universe.

As part of its mission to Pluto, the New Horizons probe passed through the orbit of Jupiter on February 28th 2007, and two weeks afterwards it suffered an unexplained, uncorrectable memory error which resulted in the loss of some data regarding the gas giant. Amongst the surviving footage was a curious anomaly—a strange black dot, no larger than a pinprick, right over the center of Jupiter’s famous Great Red Spot.

Though it had been dismissed as little more than the result of a fault camera lens at first, eventually this was found not to be the case; several years later, a number of astronomers rediscovered this anomaly when they saw the black dot through their own telescopes, and repeated observations showed that whatever it was appeared to be growing larger with every passing day. Eventually it was determined that the black dot was not some freak Jovian weather pattern, and in the early months of 2012 a second probe confirmed the truth; it was an object of truly immense size and scale, one that had emerged from within the crushing atmosphere of Jupiter and was now on a course for the inner planets.

What this alien device was, how long it had lain concealed within Jupiter and why it was coming to Earth, no one could say; but in the months it took for the vessel to arrive as debates swept across the planet, there was one thing that people could agree on—this discovery could change the world, and mankind’s place within it, forever...

---

And thus do we have the backstory for ENIGMA, a transhumanist science fiction RP. Taking place in a world much like our own (with the obvious exception of a giant alien spacecraft from Jupiter), our characters would be a group of beings who, for reasons unknown, are abducted early on in the game by mysterious extraterrestrials and brought onboard the titular ENIGMA—a monstrous vessel that is hundreds of kilometres in diameter, if not thousands—where they are subjected to bizarre experiments which provide the characters with strange genetic enhancements and abilities and then left to fend for themselves. Your main goals, at least initially, would be to explore the vast and labyrinthine interior of the vessel, partially to satisfy your curiosity and partly to find some way to escape; but the journey will not be an easy one, for the Enigma is filled with a variety of environments and creatures—and though some are quite breathtaking or bear you no ill will, others will be extremely hostile and cannot be reasoned with...

Fortunately, your characters would not be entirely defenseless; throughout the course of the game, you will be able to acquire Enhancements, special upgrades which incorporate alien biotechnology into them to either…well, enhance one of their senses or physical capabilities to a level far above the norm, or gain special powers that can only be described as superhuman (for instance, an ocular enhancement might give a person the ability to ‘zoom in’ on distant objects with telescopic vision, or allow them to see into the infrared spectrum; alternatively, one might get an enhancement that allows them to shoot bolts of bioelectricity from their fingers).

Note, however, that while these enhancements are used to effectively give our characters superhuman traits and abilities, they are not carte blanche to give them whatever powers you want with no restrictions; there are limits. Each Enhancement that your character receives confers only a single ability (so no, you will not be turning into a Superman-style Flying Brick from one exposure), and it won’t be anywhere near powerful enough to kill any dramatic tension; you won’t, for example, be able to travel through time, control the minds of dozens of people, resurrect the dead at the drop of a hat, or cause nuclear explosions by snapping your fingers. Bottom line, any superpower that shows up on the page for Story-Breaker Power is not eligible as an enhancement.

In addition, the Enhancements—due to being alien technology—will not mesh well with your character’s body at first; though eventually you would adjust to the presence of such foreign material, before then making use of your new abilities can and will cause some side-effects. Exactly what form these side-effects would take, and how powerful they would be, varies based on the nature of your Enhancement; for example, an Enhancement that improves your vision in some way (telescopic vision, or seeing into the infrared) would make it difficult to see for a little while after using it, with the effect’s duration directly proportional to how long you were using the Enhancement.

Finally, Enhancements, due to their alien nature, tend to be conspicuous and difficult to conceal; they are a clear and indelible sign that your characters have been forever altered by their mysterious captors, and the more Enhancements you acquire, the more your appearance gradually becomes more alien. How striking these Enhancements are is left completely up to the player’s imagination, but generally the more powerful an Enhancement is, the more extreme the changes it makes to your body; for example, that ocular enhancement would almost certainly give your character a very strange-looking eye*

, and an Enhancement that allows you to breathe underwater might give you a set of gills.

Once the abduction takes place, all player characters will have one Enhancement of their choice, as a result of whatever experiments were conducted upon them by their alien captors; other Enhancements can be gained as the game goes on.

Now then, some more-general rules:

• No godmodding, no ghosting, no auto-hitting unless permission to do so has been given beforehand, and no meta-gaming.
• Refrain from having your characters trying to kill each other off, and don’t kill another player’s character unless permission to do so has been given beforehand from the person who is writing that character.
• No dropping out without warning; it tends to greatly inconvenience the other players if you just vanish off the face of the earth without explanation, and leaves the rest of us in an awkward position as to how your abandoned character should be dealt with. If you plan on leaving or know that you will have to give the game up at some point, please, tell us so that it can be incorporated and dealt with in terms of plot and characters.
• Keep your actions PG-13, folks; there is no rule against your characters forming relationships and even falling in love with one another, but certain aspects of that are best left to the reader’s imagination. Your characters’ mission is to survive and escape, not imitate a certain James T. Kirk when it comes to first contact.

Enigma sign-up sheet

• Name: self-explanatory.
• Age: again, self-explanatory. Characters should not be younger than their late teens, at the very least; anyone less than seventeen years old will not be accepted.
• Sex: hopefully, this one doesn’t need an explanation.
• Appearance: What your character looks like, before the abduction occurs; as the game goes on and they gain new Enhancements, you may want to consider coming back to this and adding some details to reflect their changing appearance. An actual, written description is preferred; a picture may be worth a thousand words, but what good are those words if they're going to be in flux most of the time?
• Personality: how does your character act and behave? What motivates them to do what they do?
• History: a brief biography of your character’s life, up until the abduction; what does your character do for a living? What sort of significant events have they experienced?
• (Starting) Enhancements: for now, put only the first Enhancement that your character will receive once they have been abducted; if and when they acquire more as the game goes on, come back here and add them to this section.

Accepted characters

• Elena Anderson, played by daltar.
• Asher, played by Saturn.
• Zak Blackstone, played by Falkon.
• Thomas "Typhoid" Plank, payed by Stormthorn.
• Leonard Warrender, played by Lemurian.
• Elisabeth Maereo, played by Replica.
• Vladimir Nisimov, played by desdendelle.
• Chester Ridley, played by Nman.
• Guy Gastonbury, played by Colonial 1.1.
• Adam Clarke, played by Bindlestick.
• Ophelia Forsyth, played by Fallen Angel of the Darkness.
• Shanna Cross, played by Wysp.

edited 10th Jul '12 8:09:52 AM by SullenFrog

The Danse Macabre Codex

Hmmm...

I'll see if I can fit a personality and character to the enhancement I came up with, Rana.

Proud member of the IAA What's the point of being grown up if you can't act childish?

Interest.

If I'm sure of something it's that I'm not sure of anything.

Most certainly down with this.

While the breath's in his mouth, he must bear without fail, / In the Name of the Empress, the Overland Mail.

Extreme interest. I'd understand not being let in because of my record, but I'm willing to account for my past transgressions and hope that I'm not lost on second chances, because this really interests me a lot.

Interest, as well.

Avatar from http://x0whitelily0x.livejournal.com/7486.html

Interest shown.

If I may ask, exactly what kind of enhancements are we talking here? Like, what's the power level?

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

From what I understand, the power level's pretty low. You just get one thing and if you use it your shit goes whack.

Also, posting for interest, though Sullen already knows that.

edited 28th May '12 9:07:52 PM by Bindlestick

"You have more than enough potential. So tell me what is the one wish that would make your soul gem shine." -Mitt Romney, probably

You start out with one Enhancement at the beginning of the game, but as it goes on you will be able to gain more through the means of devices called Terminals, which I shall expand upon in a later post. As for what sort of power level we'd have, on the current Super Weight scale our characters would start out at 2 (i.e., Abnormal Weight), and then gradually work our way up to 3 (Super Weight).

If we ever manage to reach Weight 4 (Hyper Weight), and I'm not convinced that we will so that's a pretty big if, that won't happen until very near the end of the game.

edited 28th May '12 9:19:38 PM by SullenFrog

The Danse Macabre Codex

Totally interested. I'll fill out a sheet.

I'm a little sad about the age limit, though. I have no idea how I'll do playing an adult...

Just be yourself but complain about taxes and have a job rather than school.

Note: Im a bad adult to take advice from, however.

edited 28th May '12 9:49:32 PM by Stormthorn

While the breath's in his mouth, he must bear without fail, / In the Name of the Empress, the Overland Mail.

Falkon: Are you one?

Proud member of the IAA What's the point of being grown up if you can't act childish?

Nope, I'm at the early side of teenhood currently.

I see... Any elder siblings? Friends in college?

Proud member of the IAA What's the point of being grown up if you can't act childish?

Nah. Not particularly close friends.

Hmmm... Well, you may have to do some research here.

Proud member of the IAA What's the point of being grown up if you can't act childish?

Well here's my entry into this.

• Name: Elena Anderson
• Age: 22
• Sex: Female
• Appearance: Elena has long black hair, blue colored eyes and fair white skin. Slim, slightly athletic build. Average height, Caucasian features and she also wears glasses. Pretty face, though she doesn't have any striking features.
• Personality: Easygoing, calm and composed in attitude, subdued in expressing her emotions, though as far as feeling them, she's just like everyone else. Very determined, driven and stubborn when fixed on a goal, though she tends to have problems finding a goal to latch onto.
• History: Elena has lived her short life in almost complete normalcy. She was raised by a single mother and never knew her father... a situation which made her mother have to abandon her dreams and aspirations to raise little Elena. Because of this, even though Elena isn't the most ambitious girl ever, she made the resolution to pursue with all her soul whatever catches her interest... to take all the opportunities which escaped her mother. In middle and high school she ran track and right now she's pursuing a degree in Network Engineering.
• (Starting) Enhancements: A new set of legs. There are completely black in color and feel soft and slightly rubbery to the touch, though the material they are made off is more akin to metal as far as resistance comes. These legs can bend both backwards and forwards and end up in long and sleek 'feet' with a pointy end instead of toes. Elena will find that she can comfortably walk on the point of her new feet, though until she gets used she walks as akin as possible to normal. The black legs are stronger than normal legs, making her able to run faster and for a longer period of time, though if she pushes them to the max she will become incredibly fatigued after a short sprint. The legs are also more resistant than normal humans legs, so they can withstand more damage and probably pack a strong kick.

edited 28th May '12 11:46:28 PM by daltar

If I'm sure of something it's that I'm not sure of anything.

• Name: Sister Anna
• Age: 26
• Sex: Female
• Appearance: A very attractive mid-twentysomething, with an hourglass figure that makes it clear she put an emphasis on taking care of herself and her appearance. Possesses a face that can be described as either stern, calm, or angry depending on the mood. Dresses in what one might call a nun's habit, but after her recent mental makeover, it looks more like something out of Anime Catholicism. Possesses white hair, although this is likely more a product of some extreme bleaching process used during surgery, although god knows why. Goes barefoot now.
• Personality: Once a kind and gentle soul, lost and looking for purpose through religion, Sister Anna... has not had a good time of things aboard ENIGMA. Once she was kind and gentle, once she was lost and looking for purpose, but now? Now she's just concerned about surviving the next day. Anna's undergone changes, very drastic ones. She no longer believes a word of what she once preached, and has become hardened, angry, and cynical. Wrathful, even. She no longer cares about the values and principles of her previous life, and now prefers to do whatever she damn well pleases. And you have no right to tell her otherwise. She's still got the same heart she had before the ENIGMA, but it's buried under layers of caked over grime and blood.
• History: One of the first taken aboard the ENIGMA, Anna received a very invasive Enhancement... and unfortunately, was not compatible with whatever anesthetic they tried to use to put her out. She was awake for every second, restrained and fully conscious for all the violations and horror that comes with waking surgery. It hurt like she imagined Hell would hurt. She even had a near death experience. Multiple times. And each time she came back to the world of the living, she began to see things a little clearer. Everything she'd clung to for comfort and purpose was a lie. There was no God, there was no Holy Spirit. No goodness, no justice, or purpose or mercy. All of it was just a lie. A human construct bringing false hope to a universe infinitely larger and uncaring than the little ball of rock she called home.
• (Starting) Enhancements: Supercritical blood. Or more accurately, blood substitute, one far more efficient at supplying oxygen. Anna's blood is comprised of supercritical fluid, meaning it possesses the properties of a liquid and a gas simultaneously. This allows the blood to effuse through solid objects, dissolve objects, retain a semblance of solidity, and be compressed all at the same time. And it's evident that there is quite a lot of it in her. So much of it is held inside her in a compressed state that its amount may as well be endless. While she has no control over her blood, it's incredibly hot, meaning if she bleeds, things will start to melt. It's unknown where this heat comes from, as there seems to be no sign of it anywhere else in her body. But if the blood leaves, it will eventually begin to cool, and return to a gaseous, and eventually liquid state.

edited 29th May '12 12:12:09 AM by KSPAM

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

Something tells me that this isn't going to fly...

Proud member of the IAA What's the point of being grown up if you can't act childish?

As mentioned before, reserving a slot. I'll have an SU up later.

edited 29th May '12 3:06:20 PM by Lemurian

Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!

Hesitant interest.

The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground

@ daltar: Elena is accepted; glad to have you aboard.

@ KSPAM: while I have no issues with your character's Enhancement (in fact, I find it quite novel), I do have some issues with Anna herself. Let me draw your attention to one of the rules I laid out in the first post:

That extends to fanservice as well, and as such I'm a little concerned about a character who "does whatever she damn well pleases," as you put it. She'll require some toning down in terms of personality.

The Danse Macabre Codex

What, so no mention of sex or anything like that at all? Even left to the viewer's imagination? That seems a little harsh compared to the usual rule around these parts...

And while I'm not going to deny that that is certainly an aspect of it, that's not the primary focus behind her change in personality >_>

edited 29th May '12 11:30:50 AM by KSPAM

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

Also, you made a nun just to break her. The Hell?

Proud member of the IAA What's the point of being grown up if you can't act childish?

True, but you'll forgive me for being cautious given the current state of affairs on this site. Be that as it may, this is not up for debate; if you want to join with Anna, I would suggest you tone down her nihilistic outlook on life.

@ Col: that too.

The Danse Macabre Codex