Character Idea and Background Help Thread

[Eviscerus]

So I came across this idea after helping Angel with her backstory. Basically I see this as the RP version of Shaen's optimization thread. There are some not as comfortable with the setting or what style we're going for, and this will help with that. Also there are some who aren't as creatively minded (and that's okay!) so those of us who write as a hobby or job will be quite willing to help those not gifted in that area. (That's right, I just threw the rest of you writers under the bus!)

So here it is, if you have questions, or want to request help with a backstory or origin idea, feel free to post here. I'll help the best I can and I'm sure others will throw in with their ideas as well. Don't feel obligated by any means to take the ideas here as written in stone. It's your character, put your own spin on it if you got ideas. I don't think any of us will balk about intellectual property.

P.S. If you don't feel comfortable discussing this here, feel free to pm me or anyone else who throws in to help out (if they say it's okay anyways).

[angrydurf]

I'll pitch in my relitively exhaustive research of the FC-verse. Feel free to PM me or hit me up in chat.

[angrydurf]

Sandman asked for some suggestions to help flesh out his ideas for Quark. After talking in Chat here's some ideas.

There were three main areas that were underdeveloped for his current iteration of Quark. Who his people really are. What make Quark different from the rest of them/why is he here. And Why he does what he does here on earth.

Quarks People: The Empyreans

At the hieght of the power of Atlantis there was an elite secto of Atlanteans who forsaw the eventual fall thye knew it was unaviodable but they could not bear to see the knowledge their race ahad garnered being lost to time. They selected the best of their servants to act as stewards of a vast library of all the knowledge of Atlantis. Through great workings of magic they crafted a realm for this knowledge to be stored and took thier trusted servants there to watch over the knowledge and continue its growth. Then the realm was sealed off to await the time when the world was ready once more.

The Servants however bright were not perfect and their culture grew around the preservation of thier accumulated knowledge at all costs. They grew over centuries in the Empyrean realm and continued to study the records and add to them. Knowledge beame an cultural obsesion for the Empyreans and when the gates opened once more and they looked out upon what thier bretheren had becoem they withdrew once more and turned thier back on the duty to bring the knowledge to the world once more.

Further centuries passed as the Empyreans jelously guarded their secrets and driffted further and further into obsesion. Knowledge and its preservation became their whole reason for being and all interactions not related to these tasks were cut away from thier culture. Geneticly engineered cloning tanks replaced family and interactions were sharply limited to the furthering of the knowledge they had accumulated. To us it woudl seem a lonely existance but to those raised within it, it seemed only natural. Those who began to wonder if there might be more to thier duties were invariably cast down.

This of course led to stagnation as preservation became more important than inovation and creative thought nearly ceased to be. Though thier knowledge base is vaster even than the height of Atlantean thought it is also utterly stagnant without hope for growth strangled by the very guidelines designed to protect it.

Sand expressed that his people are knowledge obsessed but still descended from humanity. They have some tragicly human flaws despite thier superior intelect. This also explains why there is basically no contact between the Empyreans and Humanity at this point though leaves room for others like Quark as the story demands.

Quarks beginings in the Empyrean Sphere:

The Empyrean who would come to be known as Quark was unremarkable among his people in most ways. He came about in the usual fashion grown to a semi-mature age by the advanced cloaning facilities of the Empyreans. Taught the advanced disciplines of his people through subliminal teaching, and put to work protecting and studying and preserving the Knowledge Base.

But Quark was different. It was hard to say what had altered him but he was one of the rare few who looked outside of the Knowledge base and dreamed. He had the nearly extinct quality among Empyreans of creativity. He would ask that forbidden question Why?

They tried many things to ensure that he did not disrupt the workings of the Empyrean Sphere with his deviance from the norm. But none of thier re-education seemed to take and he continued to disrupt the normal flow of activity among his people. He was however fully posesed of the vast intelect of his people and put his mind to answer the questions his peers would not even ask. He delved deeper into the Knowledge Base than any of his brethren had for centuries. Therin he found the great lie at the center of his peoples existance. They had a duty to share what they knew as the world became once more prepared, and they had turned thier back on that duty out of greed and hubris.

He knew his people would not be swayed from thier course however unless thier hand was forced. He secretly gathered a few marvels of the knowledge base Earth most needed and set out in secret traveling to earth to try and help. He knew as soon as he left the Sphere he could never truely return and ensured that he had all he would need for his new life among Humanity.

Quark is more Dynamic than his people, hence his ability to invent and his desire for change. This opens him up for plenty of growth as he learns more of how earth works. Also I left the exact preparations intentionally vague so it can cover whatever of his devices and gadjets he wants. this also explains why Quark isn't just smuggling more and more knowledge to Earth he effectively can't retun to the Sphere his trip was basically one way. Though with character growth he has the option of returning for story purposes.

Quark comes to Freedom City:

When he left the Sphere Quark took on his current moniker as he felt it more aptly described his place as but an errant peice of a much greater whole. It was also easier to comprehend than his true Empyrean name.

Upon his arrival on Earth Prime he immediatly made his way to Freedom City he knew that this was where his knowledge could do the most good. through various means he was able to spread key inovations into several industries and aquire sufficient currency to thrive. He als was able to see to the aquisistion of an official identity, Darian Cale. The records where exceptionally complete though there are elements of disonance that those skilled enough may be able to uncover.

His work on Earth begun Quark began to explore this new realm and found that it was not as simple as he had imagined. Raised in the austere Empyrean Sphere he was ill equiped to deal with the myriad of social norms that Earth children learn as they grow. He arranged enrollment at the Claremont Academy to learn more of how normal Humans his age interacted and remains there trying to master the intracacies of these interactions while doing all he can to continue to help Humanity hopeing in time his people will see thier true path once more.

Quark really is a stranger in a strange land he has an academic understanding of normal interactions but the aplication is very alien to him hence the low charisma. This leads to story opportunities as he stumbles with his attempts to interact normally as well as growth if he wants Quark to master the interactions at some point and buy up appropriate skills and charisma. I left vague what he has shared of his knowledge but used it as an explanation for his civilian ID as well as his ability to be on his own despite his youth. There is also the option that his past incarnations and backgrounds are merely red herrings drawn from his fabricated Earth ID. Story opportunity with people discovering that Quark is more than he appears to be.

[Angel]

That looks really nice what you did for Sandman. I would like to see what you guys could do to spruce up Angel's story

[Eviscerus]

I don't think I could have done much better than durf, though our ideas are basically congruent so I'll see what I can do for Angel here.

What exactly are you looking for in your backstory that's missing?

As a thrill seeker we could maybe put some of her crazier exploits into a story for her news thread, or even something of her training in Capoeria. Maybe do a flashback to her Batizado or something. Tell me what you really would like to be explored and we'll see what we can do.

[Angel]

Look at your backstory, it looks all nice and thought out. Mine looks like it was crunched together on a single sheet of paper. I wish for my story to fleshed out like yours. Adding a little bit to everything and such.

[Eviscerus]

Alright, I'll do what I can. I'll take what you've got as the basic premise for your backstory and basically re-write it as I would have told the story. It worked for Lovecraft so why not me right? ;)

[angrydurf]

You're going to add fish monsters? *shrug* not the way I might have gone but could be cool ;)

[Eviscerus]

Not just fish monsters, TENTACLE-Y fish monsters durf!

[Eviscerus]

Okay Angel, as promised. Here is a re-telling of Angel's backstory. Tell me if it does what you want it to do.

Growing up with money, Angel Marks found little excitement in what most people accomplish. Simple things like making your first dollar in a business, or receiving your first car when of age would have brought a yawn to her tanned visage, instead of the normal smile of joy or gasp of heady pleasure. When she was old enough for a car, she already had her own chauffer, and cars abound to take her places. Lacking the thrills of mundane life, Angel sought her own. Base jumping and free climbing, Capoeria and gymnastics took the place of common day activities. She needed the thrill, the rush of life one felt while defying death. Soon she was addicted to it. "The Rush" she'd call it. It was only a matter of time before her need for adrenaline and her Uncle's eclectic inventions set her off onto the path of heroing.

Carl Marks was more father and mother to Angel than her own parents, as they were in the business of making money, and had little time for their offspring. Little does Angel know that only part of what her parents’ empire, and her inheritance rests on, is a legitimate business. Having been taken in by the mobsters of Freedom City, the Marks family has become wealthy and prominent, while the lower class suffered for it. Angel was oblivious to this, however. Her obsession with the next thrill ensured this. Soon simply risking her life wasn't enough. She needed more, something dangerous that promised a sense of accomplishment. She had dreamed long hours of taking up the role of superhero, idolized the caped heroes of her childhood, and envied those that had done so in her generation. With the help of her Uncle's inventions, she too could take up a cowl and defend the city (and if she got to beat the crap out of some villains and feel the fire of the rush simultaneously, all the better). These thoughts remained flighty dreams until one night when destiny and circumstance made a bid to alter Angel's path.

A mugger, armed with a gun and desperation, cornered Angel and demanded her money. Though the money meant little to her, as she was an heiress and if the man had just asked instead of brandishing a gun she might have given him the money, she was not one to take being threatened lightly. She disarmed the man and beat him to an unconscious pulp. Excited by the exertion and the thrill of mortal danger, the likes of which she had never known, Angel's mind was racing as she hurried home to recite her tale to her Uncle. She then explained her want to better humanity by taking on the criminal element. Uncle Carl didn't really approve, in fact, he found her wants and psychological need for danger unbalanced. But as all fathers do, pseudo fathers or not, he agreed to aid her, and does to this day. Giving Angel a few inventions geared more towards the reckless side of life and crime fighting, she began her career as one of the points of light in the darkness, a protector of the innocents, and bastion against evil forces. Now Angel takes on the darker side of the world, one adrenaline pumping rush at a time.