Chris Carpenter
Jul 26, 2011 20:52:53 GMT -5
Post by Chris Carpenter on Jul 26, 2011 20:52:53 GMT -5
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The Basics
Name: Christopher Michael Carpenter
Nicknames: None
Age: 13
Orientation: Heterosexual
Desired Rank/Job: Student
Powers: Super speed (would like to use a couple of my own disadvantages here. Chris is prone to bouts of hyperactivity where he has trouble sitting still and tends to want to rush off and DO something. Second, using his powers for long causes a drastic drop in blood-sugar, causing him to feel faint if he doesn't eat soon. He usually carries life savers or a couple of small candies on him for a quick boost)
Play By: Adam Hicks
The Details
Hair Color: Red
Eye Color: Green
Any Piercings? No
Any Tattoos? No
Any Scars? No
General Appearance:
Chris is average height for his age and has the lean build of someone built for sports. His bright orange-red hair is curly and unmanageable, resisting all attempts to get it to lie flat for more than a couple of hours or so before it seems to almost mystically spring up in every direction. Friends have teased him about this being one of the lesser-known metahuman powers. Chris refuses to dignify that with a response. His face is almost coated with freckles, something that make older women refer to him as 'cute' which only serves to annoy the independent-minded teen more.
His parents not having much in the way of money, Chris generally dresses in simple jeans and plain shirts, and often the clothes are patched or torn, showing signs of neglect. He has an old jacket to wear during the winter months, a hand-me-down from his older brother who outgrew it, and one set of 'nice' clothes for more formal occasions, a button-up shirt that's about a size too small for him and a pair of khaki pants.
Chris is usually dirty or dusty from having been rushing about playing and getting into trouble. He almost seems to attract dirt, though he's reaching the age where he's starting to take a little more care with his appearance, taking care to at least comb out most of the tangles in his hair and shower regularly, something he didn't bother with so much when he was younger and didn't care...and had no one to insist he do it.
Rebelliousness seems to insist that he find tattoos and piercings 'cool', but Chris has no interest in getting them himself. For one thing, the idea of being poked with sharp objects really doesn't appeal, and for another, he knows that there are some things he couldn't get away with until he's older. Perhaps in a few years, he'll consider it.
Despite neglect and a difficult childhood, Chris was not abused and has never really been in a violent situation except for the occasional scuffle with friends. The standard childhood accidents have left few obvious marks. He has no scars of any sort unless you were to count the preponderance of freckles.
Personality: size]
Chris had a difficult time growing up, but he isn't the sort to make much of it. In fact, he tries not to show what he feels very much, hiding his feelings behind teenage bluff and bluster that he considers tough-talking but others really mostly just find amusing. He comes off as the textbook rebellious teenage problem child with a hyperactivity problem who might go far one day if he can ever learn to keep his smart mouth under control.
In reality, Chris has strong senses of justice and right and wrong, and a serious hatred for bullies and anyone who tries to take advantage of those weaker than themselves. He doesn't like to admit this, though, so if he steps in to help someone, he usually downplays it or tries to act like it wasn't a big deal. He'll try to help in subtle ways if he can, prefering not to draw too much attention to himself with any good deeds, though he's quick to bluster and brag about his capabilities normally. Also, though he hates to admit it, after watching a younger boy being attacked (see background) and fleeing rather than fighting, Chris is half-convinced that he's a coward at heart. Much of his bluster is attempting to compensate for that.
A little on the macho side, Chris has never quite shaken the 'boys are stronger than girls' idea. In part, this is because he's mostly hung out with boys his own age and never had an older role model in his life to tell him differently...at least, not one who cared enough to do so. One day, some tough young woman will probably put him in his place...likely earning his admiration and a teenage crush while she's at it.
Despite his 'tough' attitude, Chris really just wants to be accepted, especially by those older than himself, and he's quite impressionable. He could be easily led into a bad crowd if he was convinced no one was being harmed and that he would be accepted by the 'cooler' kids.
Your Vices
Likes: Independence, friends, running, competition, sunny days, small furry animals
Dislikes: Being treated like a child, his older brother, bullies, most authority figures (on principle, this changes if an authority figure proves him or herself to the boy)
Strengths: Athetics/sports, picking pockets, english, history, home economics (not that he would ever admit to it)
Weaknesses: expressing himself, fighting (untrained...this may change with time and it won't stop him from trying), math, science
Fears: Abandonment, trusting others only to have them leave him alone. Chris is also, though he won't admit to it, afraid of the dark.
Secret: Chris is an accomplished pickpocket, though he doesn't like to use those skills and he certainly doesn't use them to enrich himself. He's actually a bit embarrassed about these abilities so he doesn't advertise them. Also, Chris is, as said above, quite insecure though he tries hard to hide this.
Family Ties
Father: Harold Carpenter
Mother: Martha Carpenter
Siblings: Older brother, Philip Carpenter
Any Other Important People: Sean Mandragora (See background)
History
Chris was born in New York City to his parents Harold and Martha. The problem was that they already had one son and really hadn't planned on having another.
When Martha found that she was pregnant again, she and her husband discussed 'the issue' at length. They were not a well-off family. Harold was a freelance reporter who had no real interest in settling down for a job with a major newspaper, though with his talents he'd been offered several. Martha cleaned houses and managed a small paycheck. Together, they were getting by with the child they already had but weren't sure if they could manage another.
They discussed abortion, but Martha came from a strong catholic background and while she didn't hold to the faith anymore, she still felt that an abortion was wrong, and after months of arguments, her husband grudgingly accepted this. They discussed adoption, but by this point the baby would be coming shortly and it was decided that they would 'give it their best'.
Thus, Chris was born into a family that didn't especially want him. His mother found him a burden, his father mostly ignored him, and his older brother, though the favorite, still resented no longer being an only child. He wasn't abused, but his parents had little interest in truly raising him and mainly left him to his own devices once he was able to look after himself a little.
Chris realized fairly young that he wasn't wanted by his family, especially not by his older brother who liked to bully him and make him feel unwanted. In typical stubbornness, Chris decided that he didn't want them either. He started skipping school when he was ten years old, making excuses and only going when someone forced him...and unless a teacher or other adult took an interest, no one did. During this time he developed something of an inferiority complex, which he masks by brash and boastful about his abilities, starting fights (or trying to), and being generally confrontational with authority figures.
Eventually, as was inevitable, Chris fell afoul of those with less-than-honest intentions. Specifically, he met a man named Sean Mandragora who saw himself as a modern-day Fagen from Oliver Twist. A usually refined individual, Mandragora was a smoothe talker who was good at convincing willfull and rebellious children that the world owed them a living and that rules were made to be broken. Chris met the man when he was dawdling on his way home from a day at the arcade and when Mandragora asked why he was not at school, Chris's rough response made him laugh. Amused by the boy's presumption, Mandragora took Chris under his wing and began to teach him things like how to pick a pocket or open a lock.
Chris took to the training well enough and after a couple of years of work considered himself (incorrectly) to be one of the best though he'd never actually gone out and robbed anyone yet. He was sure of his abilities, and his overconfidence amused the master thief even more.
It couldn't last. It didn't last.
Chris was starting to have reservations by the time his training was done Egged on by a desire for the approval of the only man he considered a father-figure in his life, he was nonetheless startint to wonder if he wasn't in too deep. Theft had seemed like a fun game when he'd started. He liked having something that he was good at and his mentor's praise excited and pleased him, but the more he thought about it when alone at night, the more he listened to older boys laugh about stupid tourists they'd relieved of their wallets, the more Chris began to feel that what he was doing was wrong.
Confused and disheartened, afraid to tell his mentor that he was having second thoughts but afraid to start stealing for fear that there would be no going back.
Finally, he made up his mind. It was time to go to his teacher and tell him the truth, apologizing for wasting his time.
He came to the decision late at night and, knowing that his teacher was likely still awake, he slipped on his shoes and crept silently out of the house, a flashlight his shield against the darkness. He knew all the shortcuts by now and reached his teacher's home.
A light was on and Chris slipped inside the old townhouse where Sean Mandragora lived and from where the man commanded his crew of pickpockets and thieves. Chris had opened the door and stepped inside when he heard cries of pain and thuds of flesh striking flesh. Frightened, but determined that a man had to be brave...besides, his teacher could be in danger...Chris strode forward to see what was happening.
The sight that met his eyes was not wh at he expected.
In the room were four figures. Sean Mandragora stood back, watchind dispassionately as two of the older boys ruthlessly beat a smaller one, calmly telling the victim that holding out the teacher's share could have unpleasant consequences.
Looking at the scene from the shadows of the doorway, Chris felt his illusions shattering. Mandragora was no kindly father figure. He was a cruel and ruthless profiteer.
He must have drawn in a breath of surprise because his teacher looked up and saw him. At that moment, Chris bolted for the door despite orders to stop. Frightened and confused, he simply wanted to get away from that place as fast as possible.
At that moment with the sounds of pursuit in his ears, Chris felt his feet flying over the ground, in his moment of desperation, his latent metahuman powers had awoken and now he was running faster than the older boys could keep up.
Though he easily outdistanced his pursuers, Chris found himself growing light-headed after a few moments and then passed out on the street still several blocks from home.
Found by some passers-by and taken to a hospital to recover, Chris found himself being visited by agents of The Hammel Institute who encouraged him to come to their school. Determined to get away from the likely-vengeful Mandragora and at a loss for what to do with his life and how to cope with these sudden new powers, Chris accepted. His parents eagerly signed the paperwork and sent him on his way with barely a word of farewell.
Roleplay Example
(I hope this isn't too short, I just wrote that huge history)
Chris looked out the plane window, shaking his head as he watched the land below him start to grow larger as the plane descended. Of all the places to put a secret metahuman training school, why did it have to be Vermont? Why couldn't it be somewhere...oh...civilized? Like L.A., or Seattle? Somewhere that there were actually places to go and interesting things to do...not Vermont, State Motto: Nothing To See Here.
Of course, it had crossed his mind that this was entirely the point of the whole thing, but he wasn't going to let a little thing like that stop his internal complaints. At least his psycho of a former mentor wouldn't think to look for him all the way over here. The last thing he'd heard, the man was still on the loose. What had convinced him to go along with what the man had wanted to begin with? He wasn't a thief, not really. Mr. Mandragora had made it sound so...simple, so exciting. He'd felt almost like he had to go along with it.
Best not to think about that right now. It led his mind in uncomfortable directions.
The flight attendant came down to see him. "Hi honey, we're just going to land..."
"Don't call me honey," he said automatically, though his heart wasn't quite in it as his mind was still occupied by too many thoughts. "Whatever." He put his tray in the upright position and shot an annoyed look at the flight attendant's back. Who did she think she was? His mother?
Not that his mother had ever called him that either. Not that he cared.
He looked out the window, buckling up his seatbelt. He wondered what the Hammel Institute would be like, and what awaited him there...
)What About You?
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Name: Justin works, that's my real name
Age: 31
Experience: I've been roleplaying since I was 11 years old and roleplaying on message boards since I was around 16.
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