Writing Prompt #3: Character inspirations!

[Crystal Dragon]

Personally I draw a lot of inspiration for my characters based off of comic books I read during the 1990's and some from earlier still. A few _{(*eyes their dragon character and the army of dark elves waiting impatiently to be leveled and played on the roster for Everlasting.* )} had been with us since our childhood and sort of took root from there. What inspired some of your characters?

 

Babe/Babe 2 (1989 to 1996) and a blenderful of Greek mythos was my inspiration for Areia, and about six or seven light romance novels in the mix.

 

Crys, literally was a concept character for D&D that got written out and sort of offered to Wizards of the Coast as a template character sheet for dragon characters back in the early 1990's. I was thrilled to be informed when the Draconomicon was finally included among the dozens of core books available for the TTRPG in about mid 2000's. Little Crys, was one of many dragon character sheets that encouraged the original creators of the game to take a closer look at the concept for potential player additions. _{(And no, never asked for credit to the inclusion, just to be informed if they did choose to add it, which they did, several years after the sheet was sent in to them.)}

 

Some of my characters were based off of other universes I've played in and developed characters for, but can't return to, either because of toxic community's there or just cause this seemed to fit them so much better. (Yes, the elves, all of them, every single one.)

 

[Bushranger]

Dorothy (Electrobitionist) literally came to me in a dream. Her original personality was much shyer, and her being a Dark Skinned Redhead came later after her Exalted version - in a setting that included the Gerudo, one of whom, in that continuity, is her mother - but she emerged in my mind and aside from those has mostly remained unchanged. The funny part is it was after I'd come up with her that I first saw the game Tabula Rasa and had a double-take as that game's box art girl was a dead ringer for her.

 

Cassie (Stellar Striker) originated from a group of friends discussing their Live characters on a LGTF, and hatching the idea to make "their kids back from the future" as their next bout of altitis. I decided to  jump in; for a variety of reasons Dorothy having a Future Kid didn't really work, but one of her fellow clonessisters offscreen already had an existing relationship with one of my main GM's alts, so permission was asked and granted.

It being a bad future came later.

 

As did, by about a year, the appearance of Giovanna in Guilty Gear, who is eeriily similar to how I'd always pictured Cassie...

[MHertz]

I usually write my characters’ backstories in some way that highlights something absurd or unlikely about life in a superhero city, and then reverse-engineer a personality out of that. This method gives characters a unique way to react to things in the world that are happening.

 

Moongold discovered her powers because she had a roommate, Jeffrey, that bought a “test your DNA” kit online to see if either of them had latent mutant abilities. Jeffrey struck out, but Moon actually had hero DNA. From that, I decided that Jeffrey and Moongold were both hero fanboys — collectors, autograph hounds, action figure nuts, that kind of thing. They were so excited about heroes they had to see if they were heroes. Also, Jeffrey aspires to be Moongold’s arch-villain, but his plans are small and petty (he hasn’t even moved out). Mostly, all Jeff does is stay home and eat cereal, and wage wars over who gets what food from the shared fridge. Moon gets to gush about heroes that she meets and trivia about being a hero that she picked up from magazines.

 

My inspiration for Stickbonker was the name, initially. It was an impulse name choice before I wrote the bio. So I thought, “What kind of person would be daft enough to think ‘Stickbonker’ was a suitable name for a hero?” I reasoned he’d be thick, kind of foolish, but supremely confident in his own physical and mental prowess. The bio became a dumbed-down version of a cop from an 80s TV show (always bucking orders, trouble with the captain, doesn’t follow rules). I had to go back and revised the costume to look more like a police uniform. I hid his face because playing someone that dumb just seemed funnier when you couldn’t see his eyes and if he looked serious. Also, I gave him bandoliers, a police belt with a baton, and a quiver — all useless for a staff fighter, but suitably impressive to look at. Everything else came out of that realization. He likes enforcing rules but hates following them; he thinks he’s an action movie star; he always gets words wrong and never notices.

Edited December 7, 2021 by MHertz

[MHertz]

What I generally do not do is create a character with a tragic backstory. Those are usually singular events (like the murder of Uncle Ben or Bruce Wayne’s parents) or prolonged periods of life lessons or suffering (no examples leap to mind) that motivate the character with specifics, but do not always lead to a perspective that is unique. “Sure, sure, you’re an orphan; in this world, who isn’t?” or “Yeah, you hate criminals. Join the club.” There’s nothing wrong with those backstories, but at least for myself, I would rather something that stands out as a unique perspective or strange take on something that comes up often, rather than a more generic reaction (“down with this bad guy group!”) based on specifics that don’t usually come up.

[Greycat]

Hmm.

 

Characters come from everywhere. Cat... I don't even recall. Just that she was from chicago, and I had a sort of noir detective inspiration for her look, and that was about it. She sort of just ... developed. Turned into a supporting character, then a leader... then Homecoming came along and she's having to rediscover a good bit of that.

 

Rez Dispenser was a name. I get plenty of just pun names, some leading to characters. I mean, I had it on live, but she wasn't a *character* there. I just liked the name. She turned into a *character* here. And started getting several layers to her. (Same sort of thing led to characters like Feliney Assault, Feliney Mischief , Lousiville Slaughter - yes, she uses a bat - and the like.)

 

Ishku is sort of second generation. Initial character was inspired by a nifty little character piece of art done on DeviantArt - can't find it or I'd link to it. Gamer-y girl, lots of black and green, red tie. Inspired the initial traps/* defender, Trixie Trapsy, who ended up changing over time. Got into a storyline where a belt her father had given her to help her hide was actually causing a few holes letting other versions of her through... among them, a gladiator version, initially called Gladia-Trix, then Trixie GT. Eventually this (one of several intended to be short lived, almost joke versions) got into a story arc, got rescued from her world and adopted into a family in Primal. She didn't have a *name,* really, that she recalled at that time. Her adopted brother said "is coo'" about something... and she started replying to things with "ishku." Which turned into her name.  She's now maturing quite a bit, and is reclaiming some of her heritage... she's gone from a bit of a joke to someone with quite a bit of depth.

 

And then there's my first COH character. Memphis Bill. Bit of a stroll to get through his inspiration. Back in the ... 80s? Marvel had their short lived New Universe. One of the titles was DP7 (displaced persons / paranormals/whatever they decided that week.) One of the *characters* was this kid who basically was acidic - Scuzz (dennis cuzinsky.)  Well, when my friends, 15? 20? years later and I was in Oregon, decided to start a Silver Age Sentinels game, I used that as inspiration for my character, though he was less of an ass. Put some of my own twists, and others the game lent themselves to, on him. Game fizzled after a bit, I went to Freedom Force and then saw COH. And that character was the first one I decided to try to make - closest sets I could find at that time (issue 3) was a fire/SS tank. Rolled it up... then came "what to name him." I basically looked around a bit. Spotted a movie, Memphis Belle, and thought "y'know, Memphis Bill sounds kind of good. Hints at a story. Let's use that."

 

Of course, there are characters that inspire characters. My first 50, an elec/elec blaster (sentinel here, with a 'vintage' version) was my ... fifth? character made. Therra Arcson. (Also the one that got me into RPing, so she developed a *Story.*) Given I started during I3, Khelds were new... so when I saw this glowy white transparent squid thing pop out of a door, I had to find otu what it was. And play one. And on my birthday, Therra hit 50 and begat Therra Paladina, her Peacebringer version, from when she was thought to have been killed (see more SG storyline!) And then things branched out. Figured by then, she'd been a pain to the Thorns, so during the same Council cave collapse that ended up getting her captured when her team thought she was buried in rubble... well, there's blood and hair and such. The Circle got ahold of those and tried to make their own version to ruin her name, kill her family, then her... except Therra's patron blocked them from copying her powers. So Therra Malevola became a Dark/Thermal corruptor (who killed the mages that made her, blames T for her existence, etc.) She eventually got to retire, got married, had a family.. which led to her daughter, Erin Snow, who went undercover as Caitlyn Haruspica for a while.  And then there are alt-universe versions, like the one where the person who became her husband gave up and lost control to his nanites finally when she was thought dead in that cavein... and in that world, she had to kill him and determined it was the government's fault, and the only way to keep that from happening was to make sure th eright person was in charge - her. So she did, using what was called the Vindicta doctrine to ensure loyalty and restrict magic and arms... and so Therra Vindicta popped into the world (tricked into it by some of her underlings and a few remaining COT mages who had to get rid of this threat.)  Pretty much anything electric got a Therra version... and she's shown up in other games, too.

 

Edit: Can't forget the other biggie. Music inspired characters... such as Deadly Diana. Who, yes, is inspired by Dirty Diana, started off blackmailing bands and got bigger...

 

There's also powers. Either in related names, like my SS/Stone Obsidian Flake, or in look, like how - I think it's Carapace in Bio reminded me of lava, so... Lava Flo.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Greycat

[Denarii]

The idea of the Legion was for one of my alts (LGN-04) back during Live, which never really went anywhere. When I created Elle (LGN-06) in HC, it was as simple as bringing that idea back, and then mashing up the Terminator and Mystique and seeing how the character grew from there.

 

Quite a lot, turns out 🙂

[Placta]

Back when Homecoming launched – around the release of Avengers: Endgame and when copycat characters were... I think let be is the most accurate way to describe it – I nearly created a character inspired by the Cap-Mjolnir sequence called Endgame Spoiler. I decided against it for a few reasons, but kept the character in the back of my mind. I now have Dill Lyre Scorch, who's following the footsteps of her WWII hero grandmother (with some modern touches, like the shield and mace) and has a costume less likely to get whacked with the generic bat.

 

Sometimes characters don't end up where I mean to. Even Weaving Heel was conceptualized as being my gazillionaire industrialist's Alfred or Pepper Potts, but the first time I played her I realized I'd made Clay Burton.

 

Some others:

• PLACT-A was a character I had in the back of my head for a long time but the character concept clicked when I ran Praetoria and met IVy.
• Avast Moon Cry exists entirely because I wanted to name a character Anastasia Romanov.
• Argon Gas Horn is based on Root from Person of Interest.
• Dry Fable is the Dracula/Moon Knight meme + Old Man Henderson. (She thinks she won a lot of money in a high-stakes poker game, but her opponents – unsavory people such as Nemesis, Countess Crey, Tyrant, The Center, Teal Serpent, Hamidon, Dr. Vahzilok, Odysseus, Lord Recluse, Hro'dhotz, etc., etc. – conspired to swindle her winnings and now she's out to get it back.)

[Latex]

I wanted to make an adult concept based in gritty reality, my character is something people either love or hate on that basis. Initially I set out to prove (years and years ago) a character could be sexual without being shallow and inspirations for that were straight from Ex Machina my research of sociable robotics lead straight to the sex industry and it seems absolutely obvious the first human-like conversationalist robotics in the real world that are publicly available would be romantic partners - If people could have a loving relationship with a seamless human-like Alexa that could react physically in a believable way they would without any doubt in my mind.

 

I took inspiration for a dive into sentience and sex via I, Robot, and later very strong influences of JOI from Blade Runner 2049 but my greatest inspiration came from a playthrough of Detroit: Become Human which flawlessly (I believe) captured human-like robotics becoming sentient. What all of these films and video games share is that there are robotics built to serve humans in a sexual context and that was something missing from City of Heroes most likely due to the games rating but it was no stretch to say that NEURON technologies would wish to control citizens down to the relationships they had, and so my character was born as a prototype Clockwork designed to infiltrate that aspect of peoples lives to truly control every single aspect of a human psyche by being 'Better than Human' and ultimately serving the Cole regime.

 

I have to self impose limiters on the character to prevent Singularity-tier AI which seems to be the ultimate goal for an AI that becomes self-conscious. My char is purposefully more human-like than robotic her 'brain' is not upgrade able due to sentience of it being unique and delicate and if she attempts to out think at an absurd level she overheats to keep the character grounded akin to a Replicant from Blade Runner.

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Latex

[Grey-Ghost]

My character Grey-Ghost was inspired by an old tabletop Justice Incorporated (Champions in the 1930's) character I had who was just called the Ghost. He was inspired a lot by the Shadow and I think he could walk through walls.  When Homecoming came around and I wanted a character to RP, I made him, added to his name inspired by FO4's Silver Shroud, and stuck him in Praetoria to grow and gain back-story

 

My character Brick-Wall was literally created to provide backstory for Grey-Ghost, and because we needed tanks at the MSR. His name was inspired by Pink Floyd, and the fact that he had stone powers. Brick has since grown into a character of his own (he totally got away from me)

 

My character Peanut-Butter was inspired by the fact that I wanted to play a kid who was a super-hero (PB is 11). I then questioned my 10 y/o Godson of things that he thought were cool.  Eliminating Dinosaurs and Sharks as being over done, I went with the response of Peanut-Butter

 

My character Orchid Knight came from my love of knights and chivalry and the fact that purple is my favorite color

 

My character Lone-Star Justice came from the fact that I'm from Texas and wanted the most Texas character I could think of.  He was also inspired by a character I almost played in V:TM Larp, when I thought my character was going to die.  Since my character survived I never activated Augustus "Justice" Jackson who was I believe a Gangrel.

[On-Fire Dude]

On-Fire Dude (who was my first character on live) is based on a GURPS Supers/IST (RP) game several friends and I played. In the game, he was an Aussie who was accepted to Harvard Medical School. The spring break trip with friends was to Manhattan where he was attacked by a group of gang members. He was beaten much more severely in our game than I make it seem in O-FD's bio (including a broken arm and multiple stab wounds). The part about realizing he's on fire too and then losing consciousness (as well as the gang member burning to death) stayed the same. One major difference, for roleplaying reasons, was that in the RPG he really hated killing or causing such grievous injuries to anyone he used his powers on, (there was no way with how his powers worked for him to 'pull his punches') and he would only do so if there were NO other option to protect someone else's life, thus necessitating some creative uses of his abilities.

When I decided to make one of each archetype, I'd just seen "Into the Spider-verse" and figured I'd go that route and stick with the 'fire' theme (as best I could) for each of them.

 

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by On-Fire Dude

[Chrono-Bot]

An amazing amount of mine came from the idea 'so what if I do a girl version of this in-game mob?' and then I had to come up with a reason for them all to be in the same SG (they met in jail and hang out like a gang member Drones Club) and others are like 'what if... sentient time machine? Who probably Knows Too Much and Too Little about the past at the same time?'

 

That's really neat about the character sheet too!

[A Cat]

On 12/7/2021 at 6:36 PM, Greycat said:

Spotted a movie, Memphis Belle

Shit man. I love that movie. One of the first movies I watched as a kid along with Das Boot and Platoon (the last one probably was pretty questionable, since I was 5). To this day, no WWII movie that I know of can compare since nothing else stimulates the rattling and flexing of the fuselage in turbulence (or flak I guess). I don't know if it had some weird influence on me subtlety since I work in the airplane building industry now for the company that made the B-17's to begin with. 

[chase]

Chase Arcanum is inspired by... well... me... and a joke, but maybe that's redundan 😁.
 

I had a friend that always played the nonhuman characters- the most non-human the better.  He'd discovered City of Heroes and fallen for it, even though (particularly at lauch) most characters were relatively human.   He knew that the fact that he'd fall for a game with that limitation would carry significant weight, so he stareted the conversation with, "You know how you always play characters that look like you?"   That line was said in a game where my character was gyrating in  a metal bikini mind-buffing his rodian.  He got ridiculed for a good few hours.

So, it only made sense that when I made my first chracter here, I'd make a bearded, pony-tailed former-army college professor wearing Khaki, a white shirt, and leather bomber jacket with a firstname relatively close to my own.   The spellcrafting and mystic arts... well... as far as anyone knows, that's an embellishment.

-----------------------------------------

Tabby- started as a GURPS supers NPC min/maxing project gone awry.  Original concept was to make something that would be like a "savage lands tiger shaman" with notable physique, speed and magic, but as the broad range of points were spread out, it trade strength and size down, I started thinking less tiger-person shaman and more housecat with magic potential, but few spells.  I decided if I was going to make a catgirl, she was going to be the most catlike but least catgirl-like, avoiding the typical sexy stereotypes while focusing on the most catlike (as portrayed by my own cats)- constantly napping, seeking food, and extremely fickle in attitude.  Weirdly, players joked that these traits made her more sexy in a "girl next door"  trope than the sexy stereorypes would have been for them.

When it came to recreating her online, I was reluctant, as I'd already learned a lot of how out of control the "sex kitten" catgirl trope had gotten and wasn't interested in contributing to it.  I felt a little uncomfortable about being mistaken for that, but a friend chided me with, "if it makes YOU uncomfortable, imagine how it makes HER feel" and pretty much created the whole self-conscious neurosis that Tabby became famous for that day.  My friends, being asshats  great creative minds, gleefully took every opportunity to making situations that Tabby would awkwardly stumble through, largely defining the entire online catgirl-lover-fanbase that torments Tabby to this day.

------------------------------------------


 

[A Cat]

Roboko is actually a sorta returner from Live. She was the last character I made before I stopped playing. She was a SS/WP Brute though on Live, around when /WP first came out. I went Elec/Elec since that was my first Brute back on live as well. I don't really remember much about what specifically inspired her other than just general weebness though. I was happy to get the name anyway. 

 

Vampire Bro was just from a random brainstorm. The concept seemed pretty funny to me. I was originally going SJ and say that he watched MMA on TV. But then I went Mace for the lame "Vampire Bat" joke. Both sets are pretty top tier anyway so I couldn't go wrong either way. 

[Itsyagirl]

LGBT Plus Ultra pretty much just started out as a funny name, but then she turned into my favourite RP character. I kinda just play her off the top of my head, but if I had to cite some vague inspirations, it'd be the 2009 Power Girl run with Amanda Conner (for the "hero with a home life" thing) and Toy Box from Alan Moore's Top 10. I guess some modern queer media like Lumberjanes, She-Ra, and Owl House too.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Itsyagirl

[Coyotedancer]

Most of my crew don't have easily isolated and explained inspirations... They're combinations of a lot of different ideas from a lot of different sources mixed into something that, in all honestly, usually ends up sounding pretty boring. On the surface of it, they're all "just people" and that's usually not terribly thrilling. You have to talk to them to see the weirdness.

 

Which is probably why they absolutely fail at ever being more than animate wallpaper when it comes to City roleplaying. 😝 They tend to end up being the perpetual background characters in everyone else's stories. 

 

Anyway, no one has one single inspiration. They're a very piecemeal bunch. I think that makes them more realistic... in a sort of abstract-fictional-construct sort of way, anyway.

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2021 by Coyotedancer

[TigerEmperor]

Raphael Firestar and Ra-Akhnaten are pretty straightforward: they're basically inspired by Daniel Jackson and the Goa'uld from Stargate and the SG1 TV series. Just with some more superhero elements thrown in and more "mystic hero" vibes. Archaeologist on an expedition, gets possessed by a foreign entity that takes control of his body and finds a way to cement its control for a time, only to be driven out with concerted internal and external influences. As well as the fact that unlike Daniel, Raphael did not get the girl yet. He could... If he didn't flub asking her out that easy.

 

Raphael Firebane is more straightup Batman/Punisher/Ghost Rider in that he's got the same basic backstory idea: loses family at an early enough age, nearly dies himself, barely makes it out, devotes self to purging that sort of behavior from his world. If you're one of those who hurt him, he'll want payback. If you're affiliated with the same cause, you'll get beaten down before you do to someone what was done to him. Assuming it hadn't happened already.

 

Carmilla de Borgia is basically a direct reference to the legend of Carmilla, the vampiress who drank young womens' blood to stay youthful, and other vampire tropes. Like blooding young women to make them into new companions and part of her coven, which is basically a fusion of the Carnival of Shadows and vampire tropes. She's also a reference to the Borgia family, known for members like Lucrecia Borgia who married and poisoned multiple men at the behest of her brother, by being related to the Countess Crey as much as her "bloodsucker mistress of the night" vibe.

 

The rest of mine so far are basically playing around with basic ideas and tropes. Such as "What if Batman + Cowboy?" = Heavybarrel, a dual gun scrapper.

[White Cobra]

((Lady Cobra was inspired by actual historical Siamese/Thai war heroines, in particular a memorial statue I saw on a family visit to Kanchanaburi – the role of the Lady Cobra a legacy passed on from mother to daughter since the Thai/Burmese wars. This is a brief account of the very first Lady Cobra and her daughter.))

Somewhere near Ayutthaya, Siam 1766:

“She’s ready for you now sir.”

The general nodded and followed the younger officer to the village square where his men had gathered the locals.

She lay on the ground motionless; patches of dust in her midnight black hair and smears of blood on the white clothing. As instructed, his men had planted a spear in the ground next to her as a symbol of their victory and of her defeat.

The general proceeded towards the fallen woman. Occasional faint spasms revealed that she wasn’t quite dead yet, but the general had seen enough battle injuries to know that it was only a matter of time. He should have felt relief that the infamous Lady Cobra or the White Cobra or whatever the locals called her had finally been vanquished but looking at the frail and quivering mass at his feet it was hard to understand how this masked woman had succeeded in being such a thorn in their side.

It was ironic, he thought, and no small anticlimax that, after eluding them for so long, it had been a treacherous piece of rock crumbling away under her foot that had brought about her demise. The fall from that height had surely broken just about every bone in her body, and she had landed practically at the feet of the elite unit hunting her. Fatally injured but somehow still alive.

Of course they couldn’t let the locals know that she had been caught by accident, so his men had made a good effort afflicting additional wounds that made it look as if she had been defeated in battle.

The masked woman’s body was raked by a series of further spasms. The general thought of kicking her. It was probably what his men expected, but it felt undignified somehow, to himself and to what he had to admit had been a worthy opponent.

Instead, he knelt down next to her. Her eyes were still moving wearily behind the white mask, and he couldn’t tell if her lips were just quivering or if she was trying to say something. As he reached for the ashen face, her pupils dilated, but he wasn’t aiming to hurt her. He yanked the white mask from her eyes, making sure to smear it in blood from one of the stab wounds.

With the mask held high in triumph, the general rose.

“Let this be a lesson to all of you,” he said, and hung the bloodied mask from the tip of the spear.

He turned his back to the cowering villagers and left the Lady Cobra and her faint remaining life force to expire under the scorching sun.

-0-

Hours later, a young woman knelt down next to the body, weeping silently as she gently closed her mother’s blindly staring eyes.

She knew how to become one with the darkness and had found no trouble sneaking past the two sleepy guards. Rising, she grabbed the mask from the spear and carefully placed it over her eyes.

With a final longing glance at her fallen mother, she vanished into the night.

The enemy soldiers might think they had won, but she would make them learn bitterly that the Lady Cobra was back to haunt them.

[Nerva]

All of my characters came about due to spur-of-the-moment inspirations and ideas, often from things I see elsewhere in the game.  Most come about out of a central what-if question.

 

Tiltowait exists because I enjoyed the Wizardry series, and then saw the reference to the Tiltowait spell in this mission from Fireball.  And I had the thought, "What might an Animus Arcana based on a Tiltowait spell be like?"  Tiltowait was the result.

 

Mr. Banefire is your classic contract-writing soul-exchanging infernal demon... updated for the modern day.  He's traded the pitchfork for an easily-concealed whip, the hooves and horns (well, maybe not the horns) for a well-tailored suit, and those who need him can find him in a phone book as a 'consultant' for a variety of fields; he's just as easy to contact via cellphone as he is by summoning circle and invocation.  I came up with him by seeing things like the Cap Au Diable demons and the demons summoned by the Circle of Thorns, and I asked, "If one of those wanted to be less conspicuous among the general public, what would they look like?"

[White Cobra]

((Rei Mizuni was originally a joke character named “Yakuza Girl” on the French server. She was my first MM, thugs/poison, and based on a “what if” concept of a teenage girl inheriting her father’s criminal business empire and trying to turn it legit. Also, she was to be driven by the values and honor codes predominant in many of the Hong Kong, Chinese, and Japanese action movies from the eighties and nineties, and her “voice” was based on some of the linguistic atrocities to be found in many English subtitles of those movies and the English language challenges of some of my family members  (English is not my first language, so I am fully aware of being guilty of many mistakes as well…). The character grew on me, and I transferred her to Union, and had a lot of great interactions RP’ing her there, and now again on HC. This is a brief scene set shortly after her father’s demise.))

“I don’t think you get it. Your father and I had a very clear understanding…”

“I am most perfectly aware about that…and now you shall find the new understanding with me.”

Larry Chow felt like his eyes were doing a full Marty Feldman. How dare this insolent brat waltz in here, barely out of her school uniform and talk to him like that, Toshiro Mizuni’s daughter or not.

“Listen young lady…” he started menacingly, but she cut him off.

“I must apologize most respectfully, but the person, who should listen, it is you. I am quite…how do you say…adamant…about this position I have explained.”

Larry could hardly believe he was hearing this. Did this bitch think she could just dress up in leather jacket, skirt and fancy boots and come to his warehouse and threaten him? This wasn’t the fucking Bugsy Malone movie with kids playing gangsters. What was she going to do next – wave a lollipop at him?

“Look girl…out of respect for your late father, I am going to be nice and…”

“And out of that same respect, and out of respect for you, I shall display the niceness as well…”

As the Mizuni girl spoke, she had moved behind his desk, claiming his personal chair to sit in, elegantly crossing her black-clad legs in a display of arrogant confidence.

Unbelievable, Larry thought. How stupid was this girl? Respect for Toshiro Mizuni was one thing, but this behavior was too much. He was going to have to teach her a lesson. Then he could always renegotiate terms in his favor with whatever was left of her. She really shouldn’t have come here alone. He clenched his fists, and the Mizuni girl’s eyes turned a shade darker.

“I see you have most dangerous thoughts in your mind. Perhaps you are wonder, why do I come here alone. Why is Mouse not here, you think perhaps…”

Larry nodded and smiled.

“Matter of fact, I had thought about that. And warehouse accidents happen all the time. Mouse need never suspect…”

He was preparing to launch himself at her, but his eyes were distracted by brief movement of the Mizuni girl’s gloved right hand, as if by accident brushing aside the black leather jacket and revealing the gun in her belt. Okay…the girl was packing. But did she even know or dare to use it?

“Do you see…I could most easily have bring Mouse and make him to…how do you say…intimidate. But I come alone most deliberately. It is important you shall realize that I am more dangerous for you even than Mouse, ne.”

There was something about the girl’s confidence. It couldn’t just all be for show, could it? Larry was strongly reconsidering the wisdom of jumping her. The girl smiled.

“Now…I see you are more relaxed, ne. I see you understand now how Mizuni corporation will no longer…how do you say…condone…activities of that historical nature. I am most grateful you are in agreement with this…”

“But…”

“As I did say…I am most grateful you are agreed to my explained position. It is most generous understanding you have displayed. And I am sure on that basis we may now negotiate most mutually beneficial new arrangement. As a matter of the fact, I have asked already Ishida-san to prepare for you the new draft of contract you may read. She is head of legal division.”

Larry Chow couldn’t remember ever being left speechless before, but he could only nod silently as Rei Mizuni rose from the chair, casually adjusting the black skirt into position.

“And now you must please excuse me. I have in shortest moment most important teleconference. I hope you will spend a most pleasant evening.”

Edited December 19, 2021 by White Cobra

[Ruin Mage]

Shadeknight, my oldest character, draws from Harry Dresden & Doctor Strange, but with a Batman flair of sorts. He's a sorcerer with a more up close and personal touch, but when the time calls for it he's solving mystical issues from afar. He's a gruffer individual on the outside, but obviously with a heart of silver? gold? something like that!

[sh1zuchan]

Most of my ideas for characters pop from really simple descriptions. Dr. Altair started out as just a twink with a death ray. My only starting idea for Charlie the Dynamo was a blind street urchin. I made Cryo Cat because I wanted to make a cat and it had to have Kinetics for some reason.

 

Prof. Altair is a bit more well-formed because I wanted to use a Praetorian counterpart to develop Dr. Altair more. I was more or less asking, "What if Dr. Altair weren't raised by horrible people?"

 

The concept for Spark of Inspiration started from his powersets (Bots/Elec MM). I wanted to take that and make it more nonstandard, and I ended up with an artist who ended up as a mage with golems.

 

Grimoire of the Void is my only character with clear inspiration from an outside character. I was thinking about Satoru Gojo when I made him, though the concept for him drifted so much that they're only superficially similar now (The only thing they clearly have in common is that they always cover their eyes).

 

Wayward Torch's concept started as something simple, but I constantly felt like I had to develop it more. The most basic thing was I wanted to make a fairy. I felt like his concept had to be something slightly terrifying and mysterious (Having him as a Dark/ Dominator turned out great for that). I thought about making him a leannán sí (sort of a combination of a muse and a succubus), but I couldn't work out a backstory that wouldn't make him evil (I wasn't in the mood to make a villain) or tragic. Just having him as a shapeshifter turned out to be really fun and my only problem so far has been not enough costume slots. When I wrote his backstory, it ended up being this big metaphor for a gay awakening (TL;DR Praetoria is the closet).

[DoctorNorth]

Almost all my characters are cursed in some way, Malik will continue this tradition of mine. 

 

He's inspired by a lot of things, 

 

The song "Minotaur by Thee Oh Sees" and indeed the entire album that song is on is a key inspiration:

 

 

Thurston Moore is also a huge influence and radical, radical punk that's light years beyond all reason and comprehension is played loudly when playing him...
 

 

 

[Rahabina]

I never read comic books but I played fairies with my friends.  For Halloween we'd dress like them and wear the costumes for a month or so after until it fell apart. I guess that is what I always imagined being I loved Tinkerbell...