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 A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)

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Guru Gloin
New Kid
Guru Gloin

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Join date : 2013-04-02

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PostSubject: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 12:34 pm

Ok, not sure if this is the proper way to post a new interest thread, so someone shout if I've done something wrong. This is a thread I've tried to get off the ground on a couple different sites, but I've never really had enough characters. Still, here we go again. xD

A Modest Proposal
---

“A strange calm permeates the smoggy sky above London as the sun makes its way tentatively through the fog and filthy air to the streets below. As it warms the face of the city, it's greeted only by the agonized moans of those besotted fools daft or unlucky enough to pass out on street corners, and desecrated stares of those not quite lucky enough to awaken. The gutters run red with arterial spray, the mad or desperate running their fingers through the muck as though prospecting for gold, pocketing flesh and hunks of bone when they find them. A wail goes up by an infant here and there, but only briefly; mothers smothering their protests beneath soft words and cotton, lest they attract attention. In the better neighborhoods, dogs yip and growl at urchins clamoring against steel gates whist immaculately dressed menservants make their way to the street's edge with dusky burlap sacks, smelling deeply of formaldehyde and perfumes, their glazed stares betraying their solemn disinterest in the gentle rattle and clack of their burdens.

One by one, the carriages depart, their swift passage leaving those that prowl the streets stumbling and collapsing in their wake, the drivers whipping their frothing and gasping charges into a gallop as the nobles take to the city. The cotillions and galas have already begun. The servants even now make their way to the catacombs with razors and saws in tow, another day of grim work ahead in the race for power. And somewhere, a doomsayer sobs at the top of her tremulous voice that the end of all has come.

Of course, that happens every morning. Some people can get depressed over anything...”


---

Alright all, this is going to be a Victorian style fantasy RP based on the Modest Proposal by Johnathan Swift and the Maori principle of Mana. The gist is that whilst colonizing New Zealand, English explorers became embroiled in a war against the native Maori, expecting to wipe them out by virtue of superior technology, but quickly found themselves on the losing side when the Maori pulled hitherto unknown magical powers seemingly from nowhere.

Through some bribes and some treachery, the Brits learned that the source of the Maori people's power came from a ceremony involving the consumption of human flesh and blood, which granted them apparently supernatural powers. The Brits, with their newfound knowledge, devised several tactics to cut off the Maori from their supply of Mana (burning bodies, capturing serfs, etc.) and pressed their advantage home to take the country. The explorers then brought the ideas and principles of Mana home with them, where it quickly became all the rage amongst the nobles.

I'm not going to lie, this is going to be a pretty dark RP. There are going to be some grizzly bits, some religious and societal aspects and parodies, and probably several bad accents, but hopefully we can get some real drama and atmosphere going, and run things with a bit of bleak humor.

---

Let's see now... down to some Mechanics.

As far as the logistics behind cannibalism granting magical abilities, the general premise was that consuming human genomes (live DNA) in a certain ritualistic manner causes a mutation in the human genetic code (think X-men, but with more gore) the body responds to the act of consumption by unlocking paths of evolution originally written off in human biological makeup. In short, the body believes it is in a desperate situation, in which no other form of nutrient is available to it other than cannibalized flesh. As a response, it alters itself, making it a more efficient hunter of other humans, giving it abilities to deceive or overpower its prey.

(If this all seems terribly complicated, then please say the word "midichlorians" to yourself as quietly as possible, roll your eyes, and move on to the next paragraph)

The practical upshot of this is that the more you eat flesh, the more you develop powers specifically tailored to your genetic code, and style of hunting. Keep in mind, these powers are biological, not mystical; having thermal vision or enhanced reflexes, or even latent psychic powers are acceptable, but if you plan on being able to light a fire in your hand, you will need a decent explanation of how the power actually works.

---

Factions:
Keep in mind, these are just a few ideas as to where your character might find their place in the city. If you already have a character base in mind, then consider the following as an optional extra.

Nobles: If you are a noble, either by blood, marriage, or adoption, you've had all the comforts of the world for a large part of your life. Nobles live in the lap of luxury and their decadent lifestyle is the stuff of legend. Unfortunately, London is a city that has always been ruled by blood, even before the arrival of the principals of Mana. Your family only stays in power so long as its members continually indulge in flesh, creating a caste of their own accomplished magi. If weakness is sensed, your family's assets will likely be bought out by a stronger caste, cutting off your financial resources. Any noble family that can no longer afford the lifestyle becomes part of the riffraff, and is fair game to be consumed both literally and figuratively. Nobles without a cutthroat attitude don't last long, and in desperation, many families turn to unseemly means to maintain their mana flow, from purchasing kidnapped children to looting fresh graves, to devouring their own.

Menservants: Only serfs and indentured workers that prove themselves of worth become menservants. These esteemed workers are practically extended members of the noble families, from their most trusted advisers and consorts to loyal childhoods nannies and butlers or adopted children. Their position is less tenuous than the riffraff, but a desperate noble will not hesitate to devour their menservants in times of need.

Toppers: With the dissolution of Scotland Yard came the rise of mercenary groups and thugs, each vying for supremacy in the lower levels of the city. Typically, toppers come in three varieties: Shivvers (those that act as impromptu spies, cat burglars or assassins) Gobbers (typically hired for intimidation work and as bodyguards or enforcers) and Wakers (flesh hunters employed by noble families to do their more disreputable work, from snatching children off the street, to pillaging other nobles' cemeteries.)

Urchins: The lost children of London. When the practice of adopting children to use them as food began in earnest, the system of orphanages and child laborers in the basest levels of the city fell apart. As of now, the streets in the slums of London practically swim with pint-sized pickpockets who run intricate tribal societies of their own, often gaining their own brand of minor magical powers from scraps thrown away by nobles. Or from hapless passers-by caught unawares.

John Bulls: Every good noble family needs its own private police force. John Bulls are primarily ex-military officers or experienced shivvers hired on as permanent affectations to noble families.

Harlots: London's working girls still prowl the streets, unaccosted by all but the most foolish. Harlots run highly organized crime rings to rival those of the Toppers, and still maintain a roaring trade throughout the city. Not above devouring the occasional client, the Harlots cultivate potent stores of Mana in their own rite.

Riffraff: Everyone else. If you're a struggling meat pie shop owner, a homeless tramp, a disgraced noble, or a doctor running a clinic in a back alley somewhere, you're with the riffraff.

---

Character Sheet

Name:
Age:
Gender:
General Appearance: (A description or a picture works fine)
Inventory: (Just what you have in your pockets, please. We don't need to know all your earthly possessions)
Faction/Back story: (A paragraph or two works fine, but if you'd like to elaborate, feel free)
Powers: (If any)

You may run two characters if you like, but I'd like to limit it to that.

If there's anything I've left out, if you have a suggestion or question, or want someone to read over your plans for a character, then feel free to PM me.
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Erie, Man of Danger
Paranaturalist
Erie, Man of Danger

Posts : 2026
Join date : 2013-03-26

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 12:55 pm

I'd be in, but I think you should get this checked out with the higher ups first. Not exactly safe for work, or paranatural related.

Also flarping is banned. I hear its a like a homestuck thing, but it could also be forum larping.
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Guru Gloin
New Kid
Guru Gloin

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 12:58 pm

Sorry, I'm not a homestuck fan, got no idea what flarping is. ^^;

I'll go ask W!tch to take a look at it. Better safe, right?
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Erie, Man of Danger
Paranaturalist
Erie, Man of Danger

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 1:40 pm

Character Sheet

Name: Jack Knife (Alias: Real Name unknown)
Age:17
Gender: Male
General Appearance: Dirt Blonde, Tall and Skinny, Slightly Muscular, but not noticibly so. Wears dirty worn clothes.
Inventory: 4 small concealed knifes, lock-picking kit, hand-full of money. One larger razor (for shaving, mostly)
Faction/Back story: Riffraff/ He was a homeless orphan child living off the street. Jack learned the hard way he had to fend for himself if he wanted to survive. He became a small time thief, expert and pick-pocketing and lockpicking. He avoided causing physical harm to people unless he had no choice and only to give him a chance to run away. Whether by fate or luck he met a rich Noble girl and the two fell in love dispite their differences. What he didn't know was the girls parents had connections to the Criminal element in the city and tried to have him killed. The girl got in the cross-fire and was brutally murdered, while Jack got away. Angry and desperate, Jack decided he was going to make those responsible pay, by any means necessary and stole ritualized meat to give him the power to do so. Now harmed with telekinesis, he makes his ploy for revenge.
Powers: Telekinesis
He mainly uses it to control multiple knifes in combat and to enhance his manuverability, such as enhanced jumps and slowing falls.
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Guru Gloin
New Kid
Guru Gloin

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 1:52 pm

Accepted! Assuming everything goes well with the higher-ups...
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Erie, Man of Danger
Paranaturalist
Erie, Man of Danger

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 2:33 pm

Guru Gloin wrote:
Accepted! Assuming everything goes well with the higher-ups...
I hope it goes through, I enjoy making characters, should probable put a slot for personality on the character sheet though.

Dissposition: Sarcastic, has a dark sence of humor. Looks after himself first but is reluctant to hurt others. He's a jerk with a heart of gold. His eating of the ritual flesh though will take his toll on him, but for now it is the price of power to avenge his love and he will pay for it later.
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Guru Gloin
New Kid
Guru Gloin

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 2:45 pm

Sounds like we're clear. Hooray!
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Tren
New Kid
Tren

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 7:36 pm

Eragon5055 wrote:
Also flarping is banned. I hear its a like a homestuck thing, but it could also be forum larping.

Seeing as we aren't psychic trolls from the planet Alternia and we aren't out to murder each other, I think a harmless text RP should be fine.
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Wealthy Lord Asssprite
Paranaturalist
Wealthy Lord Asssprite

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeTue Apr 02, 2013 7:43 pm

Flarp is an in-universe alien real-world MMORPG where if you die in the game, you die in real life. Luckily, the consequences for forum roleplaying are much less severe.

I think Ill just sort of roll up a character, but all I have set so far is that I wanna be a noble.
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Guru Gloin
New Kid
Guru Gloin

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeWed Apr 03, 2013 10:32 pm

Oooh, we have a noble in the works! Can't wait to see what ya come up with Sprite.
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Baron Von Aardvark
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Baron Von Aardvark

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeWed Apr 03, 2013 11:06 pm

How's this? I don't do this sort of thing much, so sorry if I went a little over the top.

---------------------------------------------
Name: Trent (No Surname)
Age: 23
Gender: Male

General Appearance: Unnaturally tall, somewhat muscular. Pale white skin, ink black hair. A somewhat rough, yet not unpleasant face, and a single silver earring on his left ear inlaid with a purple gemstone. He dresses like an average middle class member; but while on contract, he wears only black clothing save for his signature deep purple cloak.

Inventory: 3 concealed utility knives, a 9 inch steak knife, a small first aid kit, two concealed pairs of brass knuckles, and twenty British pounds in small change.

Faction/Back story: Toppers, Shivver: Born a noble, he was estranged by his peers when the mana revolution hit due to an unwillingness to cannibalize the lower classes. He was eventually expelled from his own home for the same reason. After about a year of living on the streets, he was traumatized when his parents, now merely shadows of their former selves, mistook him for a common urchin and attempted to eat him. He ended up killing them in self defense, at which point he snapped. He faked his own death, hid away for several years, and took on the name Trent to cover up his origins. He now owns a small, low profile clothing store during the day; at night working as a hired assassin, devouring the flesh of his targets and using the power he receives in his personal silent war on the noble class. It has become somewhat well known that the brutish assassin known as "Cloak" gives big discounts if you take out contracts on nobles. Even with his recent change of heart, however, he still despises people who hide behind their powers, especially powers he deems as cowardly- long range powers such as telekinesis.

Powers: Greatly enhanced physical attributes, especially leg strength, to the point where he can jump from flat ground to the roofs of small buildings. all around top-notch reflexes and close combat skills. Secretly- and to his great shame- practices some meager, low level telekinesis for emergencies.


Last edited by Von Aardvark on Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:12 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Add some stuff!)
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Erie, Man of Danger
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Erie, Man of Danger

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeWed Apr 03, 2013 11:28 pm

I've got a question, do powers run out if you don't eat the flesh, how stong do the powers get, is it more like a time limit? I think I need more details on them.
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Wealthy Lord Asssprite
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Wealthy Lord Asssprite

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PostSubject: Re: A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London)   A Modest Proposal (Or: Cannibals in London) Icon_minitimeMon Apr 15, 2013 1:13 pm

Name: Adelmund Blackmore
Age: 19
Gender: Male
General Appearance: Tall, with features that are lean but clearly well-fed and healthy. Very pale. Wears a lot of clothing, with inner layers dyed expensive colours and made of fine, comfortable silks and black felt overcoats. Wears a large silver ring with his initials engraved on his right middle finger.
Inventory: A rather fat coinpurse and a rapier, which he does not use.
Faction/Back story: As a noble, he has been feasting on various children since a young age, and sees nothing wrong with it, nor does he have much empathy; his family owns a slum, and accepts a child as payment for rent with the weight of the child determining how many months reprieve it earns the family. Also, any time anyone in the family has a bastard, it is cooked and eaten to preserve the families good name.
Powers: Low-level pyrokinesis, heals quickly, powerful and well-practised telekinesis, extremely low-level prescience.
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