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Entry tags:
[ abraxas - application ]
OOC INFORMATION
Player Name: Faith
Are you over 18?: yes
Contact: ragemarshmallow @ discord ( pref ) or![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
varooooom
Other Characters in Game: n/a
IC INFORMATION
Character Name: River Tam
Canon: Firefly/Serenity
Canon Point: post-Firefly, pre-Serenity
Age: 17
Background: the firefly/serenity fan wiki!
Arrival Scenario: Thorne
Suitability: It was really hard to decide on one faction because River would be thrilled to engage with every single part of Abraxas' world and plot. In the Free Cities, she would delight in exploring the boundaries of science through magic and would probably get involved with people working on new inventions in any way possible. Solvunn was also really tempting because spooky vibes are totally her thing, so navigating a strange religious culture and trying to solve the mysteries behind the commune would be a thrill.
I'm ultimately going with Thorne because I think it's a really perfect fit for what River imagined the Academy would be like in canon. She is always eager to learn more, especially as a child genius that grew bored very quickly even in advanced studies. She will love to dig as deep into the Academic Magic as she can go, and I see it as a good parallel process for learning to control her canon abilities that are only a source of pain right now. The opportunity to dive into the impossible will be a dream for her - and I really want an excuse for her to touch the Singularity. Y'know, for science!
Even the royal formalities will be faintly familiar to her through the Tam family's position as pseudo-aristocrats vying for power in canon. She won't care for it herself, and could inadvertently get into some trouble for her lack of propriety. It's the sort of thing she might've poked fun of in her games with Simon as a child. This could be a good way to engage with any NPCs or courtly affairs. Don't mind the spritely human girl running around Castle Thorne barefoot, she's just off on another adventure!
That said, I think it could be super fun if she can defect to one of the other nations after a good amount of time. Even though she's generally immature and won't be interested in the politics of Abraxas, she still has a ( perhaps naive ) sense of justice and may grow disillusioned with Thorne's heavy-handed control and the way people struggle to survive outside of its major cities. She's also deeply dependent on the people around her for stability, so it's possible she might fall in with a group and want to be closer to them, regardless of where they are on the map.
I'm actively interested in this OOCly because I selfishly want to play with more of the world's setting and lore lol but ICly, River won't be outright seeking to escape Thorne. It would take something making her believe she would be safer somewhere else, which is a challenge when she doesn't feel safe anywhere without Simon. All of Abraxas is theoretically equally dangerous without her anchor, so it would take something significant happening and/or finding people she can trust to decide where she wants to be.
Still, it could be a cool way for her to engage with the different environments that exist across the world as she tries to find her place in it!
Powers:
PERSONALITY QUESTIONS
Describe an important event in your character's life and how it impacted them.
The most important moment in River's life is when she made the decision to go to the Academy. As a super-genius, she got bored of her studies by the age of 14 and wanted something more exciting to do. Attending the Academy was her choice and it obviously Did Not Go Well. She lost everything.
She was tortured and experimented on for two years, which has left her mentally impaired and incapable of self-regulation. Her emotions are volatile, she can have violent outbursts out of nowhere, and there is no real cure for the damage done to her brain. Simon is treating her and things are slowly improving, but it's very likely she will never be able to live a "normal" life.
She lost her home and her family too. Her parents didn't believe Simon when he told them she was in trouble, and they disowned him for trying to save her, because he was disgracing their family by breaking the law. Simon gave up his highly promising career as a doctor and spent every penny he had to rescue her, which has left her feeling guilty, knowing what a burden she must be. And now they're both fugitives from the Alliance, hiding in the farthest reaches of space to avoid being caught. They went from living wealthy in the Core to scumming it along the Rim - River knows her decision has effectively ruined their entire lives.
This is why I've chosen The Fool for her sign, but more on that later!
Does your character have a moral code, or other set of standards they try to live by?
It's hard to say that River has any kind of moral code. If I had to assign a character alignment for her, I think it would be chaotic neutral. She has a very childlike mentality where she doesn't quite grasp the nuance or gravity around a situation. She is emotionally stunted as a result of being tortured and treats a lot of life like a game they're all playing, even in the middle of combat. It's not that she doesn't know right from wrong, but she's not particularly motivated by morals in such a clear cut way and can out on impulse in sometimes violent ways.
She doesn't mean to harm anyone, though! She's unstable and can't completely control her actions. She's a threat to herself and others, and it's not the way she wants to live. Instead, I think she looks to Simon as her moral standard. He is so overwhelmingly good that if he says something is right, then it must be so. He's a doctor, a healer, a savior of countless lives. He's compelled toward good, while she's still trying to learn how to be a person. She struggles with social niceties and Simon often has to try to explain why certain things are bad or dangerous. She can be stubborn when she doesn't agree with him, but ultimately, she'll end up following her brother's lead.
What quality or qualities do they admire most?
River likes to see people when they light up. Whether that's from happiness, a spark of creativity or passion, an excitement about life - she's drawn to these elements in the people around her. Maybe it's because of her extreme empathic abilities, but she seems lightest when she's watching others have fun, and she often ends up wanting to join them. This is a quality she enjoys in people, when they have a sort of brightness or energy to them. It doesn't matter what it's about, she feeds of off people's enthusiasm.
On the flipside of this, something she admires is simply a sense of calm. Her whole world is chaos and noise; seeing other people peaceful and content is the closest she may ever come to it herself. She likes Inara for having that calming presence on the crew, and she seems to have the most success watching River when Simon is off of the ship. I think this is also why she enjoys being around animals. Their lives are more simple, straightforward, and they can just exist. A good, happy life that she wishes she could have.
Lastly, she truly adores people that do things for the right reasons even when it's messy or hard. Again, this isn't out of her own drive to be a force for good in the world. It's more like she sees the virtue in others and it makes her smile, to know that there is goodness in the world. Mal is a perfect example of this. He's seen the worst of humanity and he's an outlaw, but he'll still do the right thing when it comes down to it. She looks up to him a lot, even knowing his distrust for her. If anything, it's more evidence to the point; he's not 100% about her but he doesn't hide that fact and he still keeps them safe. He's a Good Man and that gives her hope.
She likes people that are bright, calm, and good. So basically: Simon. :') Her entire world and everything good in it. There is no one she admires more than her big brother.
Do they have a part of themselves they dislike?
Without a doubt! River knows she ain't right and she hates it. She's a burden on Simon, she puts the crew in danger, and she can't communicate in a way that isn't confusing or off-putting. I don't think she craves normalcy because she was never a "normal" child, but she knows she's broken and wishes things were different.
She craves human connection, which is incredibly challenging when she immediately reads everything about a person just by being in proximity to them. The things she says can be upsetting; people often respond with anything from fear, confusion, or outright hostility, even when she's just making what feels like a simple statement. Most of the crew is afraid of her on some level, including Kaylee, who is essentially her closest friend. It's hard and it's lonely, feeling like she has no place in this world save but to take away from others.
So she wants to get better and she's trying. Most days are harder than others, but she hopes that someday, with Simon's help, she might become a real girl again.
What is their sign, and why?
River's sign is the Fool! "Free spirit" basically defines her in a nutshell. She's had her head in the clouds from day one, always looking beyond what's directly in front of her to find the next challenge or adventure. It's hard to feel tethered to anything when her mind is so far ahead of everyone and everything around her - and then the Alliance severed what little tether she did have so she wouldn't have a choice anymore. She can't slow down, can't stop, can't regulate her emotions enough to simply be content at any given moment.
Routines bore her and she has no need for a map when she can see everything in her mind. She's more likely to ruin a plan than to make or follow one, although she can be crafty in her own ways. And no matter where she is or how inappropriate it may be, she always wants to explore her surroundings in search of new exciting things. It constantly gets her into trouble, and often the crew by association. She's a troublemaker but she just can't help it! She's a bright-eyed kid that just wanted to explore the world and all its mysteries.
SAMPLES
Samples:
Player Name: Faith
Are you over 18?: yes
Contact: ragemarshmallow @ discord ( pref ) or
Other Characters in Game: n/a
IC INFORMATION
Character Name: River Tam
Canon: Firefly/Serenity
Canon Point: post-Firefly, pre-Serenity
Age: 17
Background: the firefly/serenity fan wiki!
Arrival Scenario: Thorne
Suitability: It was really hard to decide on one faction because River would be thrilled to engage with every single part of Abraxas' world and plot. In the Free Cities, she would delight in exploring the boundaries of science through magic and would probably get involved with people working on new inventions in any way possible. Solvunn was also really tempting because spooky vibes are totally her thing, so navigating a strange religious culture and trying to solve the mysteries behind the commune would be a thrill.
I'm ultimately going with Thorne because I think it's a really perfect fit for what River imagined the Academy would be like in canon. She is always eager to learn more, especially as a child genius that grew bored very quickly even in advanced studies. She will love to dig as deep into the Academic Magic as she can go, and I see it as a good parallel process for learning to control her canon abilities that are only a source of pain right now. The opportunity to dive into the impossible will be a dream for her - and I really want an excuse for her to touch the Singularity. Y'know, for science!
Even the royal formalities will be faintly familiar to her through the Tam family's position as pseudo-aristocrats vying for power in canon. She won't care for it herself, and could inadvertently get into some trouble for her lack of propriety. It's the sort of thing she might've poked fun of in her games with Simon as a child. This could be a good way to engage with any NPCs or courtly affairs. Don't mind the spritely human girl running around Castle Thorne barefoot, she's just off on another adventure!
That said, I think it could be super fun if she can defect to one of the other nations after a good amount of time. Even though she's generally immature and won't be interested in the politics of Abraxas, she still has a ( perhaps naive ) sense of justice and may grow disillusioned with Thorne's heavy-handed control and the way people struggle to survive outside of its major cities. She's also deeply dependent on the people around her for stability, so it's possible she might fall in with a group and want to be closer to them, regardless of where they are on the map.
I'm actively interested in this OOCly because I selfishly want to play with more of the world's setting and lore lol but ICly, River won't be outright seeking to escape Thorne. It would take something making her believe she would be safer somewhere else, which is a challenge when she doesn't feel safe anywhere without Simon. All of Abraxas is theoretically equally dangerous without her anchor, so it would take something significant happening and/or finding people she can trust to decide where she wants to be.
Still, it could be a cool way for her to engage with the different environments that exist across the world as she tries to find her place in it!
Powers:
- psychic abilities/mind-reading: River is a mind-reader with an unknowable depth of understanding. From an uncanny knowledge of the past, present, and future to mapping out entire buildings and battlefields just with a glance, she has a way of absorbing all of the information in her surroundings in an instant. This includes using any weaponry she picks up with an innate mastery and even learning how to fly Serenity just from watching. She can know virtually everything about a character, including their darkest secrets, just by looking at them.
This frequently gets her into trouble in canon, including that fun time a small religious commune tried to burn her at the stake for being a "witch." She knows things she can't and shouldn't know, and she has no way to stop it. - superior combat capabilities: At the Academy, she was conditioned to be a perfect assassin. She is strong, fast, and has a virtually non-existent response time when she can read everything and everyone in the space around her. She's seen in canon fighting dozens of enemies at once and seemingly taking no damage; she even shot a handful of folks with her back turned and eyes closed.
- limitations: She has virtually no control over these powers. :(b This is largely due to the physical and psychological torture she experienced at the Academy between the ages of 14 and 16. They stripped her amygdala, which left her with no control over her thoughts or emotions. The influx of information from her reading is often overwhelming to the point of being debilitating because it's too much to process and she can't make it stop.
It also seems that she doesn't go into this ultimate combat state until she's "activated" by something. Literally, in the case of the codewords the Alliance uses to trigger her, but also in moments of desperation (like when she and Kaylee are pinned down in War Stories and after Simon is shot in Serenity). Otherwise, she's just a very scared little girl that's more like to hide than pick up a gun.
In essence, she's been tortured and brainwashed and now her "gifts" are more of a curse. In gameplay, this means I always have an opt in/opt out post to know which characters are okay with having their minds read. I also try to be super vague with how much she knows about them, both to keep things relatively fair and also because IDK anything about their canon materials lmfao fanwikis are my best friends.
I make sure she doesn't godmod information about the world beyond vague impressions or things everyone already knows, and I have also greatly enjoyed working with mods to get permission for her to pick up on things throughout the game-verse. There is so much juicy lore to play with in Abraxas that I would love to explore whenever possible!
PERSONALITY QUESTIONS
Describe an important event in your character's life and how it impacted them.
She was tortured and experimented on for two years, which has left her mentally impaired and incapable of self-regulation. Her emotions are volatile, she can have violent outbursts out of nowhere, and there is no real cure for the damage done to her brain. Simon is treating her and things are slowly improving, but it's very likely she will never be able to live a "normal" life.
She lost her home and her family too. Her parents didn't believe Simon when he told them she was in trouble, and they disowned him for trying to save her, because he was disgracing their family by breaking the law. Simon gave up his highly promising career as a doctor and spent every penny he had to rescue her, which has left her feeling guilty, knowing what a burden she must be. And now they're both fugitives from the Alliance, hiding in the farthest reaches of space to avoid being caught. They went from living wealthy in the Core to scumming it along the Rim - River knows her decision has effectively ruined their entire lives.
This is why I've chosen The Fool for her sign, but more on that later!
Does your character have a moral code, or other set of standards they try to live by?
She doesn't mean to harm anyone, though! She's unstable and can't completely control her actions. She's a threat to herself and others, and it's not the way she wants to live. Instead, I think she looks to Simon as her moral standard. He is so overwhelmingly good that if he says something is right, then it must be so. He's a doctor, a healer, a savior of countless lives. He's compelled toward good, while she's still trying to learn how to be a person. She struggles with social niceties and Simon often has to try to explain why certain things are bad or dangerous. She can be stubborn when she doesn't agree with him, but ultimately, she'll end up following her brother's lead.
What quality or qualities do they admire most?
On the flipside of this, something she admires is simply a sense of calm. Her whole world is chaos and noise; seeing other people peaceful and content is the closest she may ever come to it herself. She likes Inara for having that calming presence on the crew, and she seems to have the most success watching River when Simon is off of the ship. I think this is also why she enjoys being around animals. Their lives are more simple, straightforward, and they can just exist. A good, happy life that she wishes she could have.
Lastly, she truly adores people that do things for the right reasons even when it's messy or hard. Again, this isn't out of her own drive to be a force for good in the world. It's more like she sees the virtue in others and it makes her smile, to know that there is goodness in the world. Mal is a perfect example of this. He's seen the worst of humanity and he's an outlaw, but he'll still do the right thing when it comes down to it. She looks up to him a lot, even knowing his distrust for her. If anything, it's more evidence to the point; he's not 100% about her but he doesn't hide that fact and he still keeps them safe. He's a Good Man and that gives her hope.
She likes people that are bright, calm, and good. So basically: Simon. :') Her entire world and everything good in it. There is no one she admires more than her big brother.
Do they have a part of themselves they dislike?
She craves human connection, which is incredibly challenging when she immediately reads everything about a person just by being in proximity to them. The things she says can be upsetting; people often respond with anything from fear, confusion, or outright hostility, even when she's just making what feels like a simple statement. Most of the crew is afraid of her on some level, including Kaylee, who is essentially her closest friend. It's hard and it's lonely, feeling like she has no place in this world save but to take away from others.
So she wants to get better and she's trying. Most days are harder than others, but she hopes that someday, with Simon's help, she might become a real girl again.
What is their sign, and why?
Routines bore her and she has no need for a map when she can see everything in her mind. She's more likely to ruin a plan than to make or follow one, although she can be crafty in her own ways. And no matter where she is or how inappropriate it may be, she always wants to explore her surroundings in search of new exciting things. It constantly gets her into trouble, and often the crew by association. She's a troublemaker but she just can't help it! She's a bright-eyed kid that just wanted to explore the world and all its mysteries.
SAMPLES
Samples:
- sample one: tdm @ abraxas
- sample two: intro log @ ataraxion