Dark_Psychosis

Great guide to tanking. Had me laughing most of the way through, and remembering some of the 'circumstances' you mentioned as happening to teams Ive been on. I have just started my first tank. Fire (Defence) Stone (attack). BTW, what do you think of that power set? Anyway a great read, and did give me some ideas for future mob control. Many thanks (Systemcrash on Freedom server)

What your futures hold; pic

Krieger had watched as the two took a man prisoner with the aid of a robot. The technology inside the bunker called to him and he began to move towards it, the hulking mechanoid lumbering behind him.

He paused... the nanobots were once again rerouting his internal systems. He could feel his eyes shifting from his skull, though the sensation of pain had long since been erradicated. In the place of his once human-like vision, the world around him came alive in shifting spectrums - from ultraviolet to infrared.

He could suddenly see the heat signatures of the biologicals inside, his new eyes glowing faintly in the dark ocular cavities of his metallic cranium.

His longing for the technology he desperately lacked seemed to give way, being replaced instead with the cold logic of patience. There will be time enough for that later.

Krieger slowly knelt, observing the group with the hostage - through the many layers of concrete and steel. There were other automatons and the cold, robotic portion of his mind would 'infect' them given the chance, if not for the still remaining scraps of humanity that allowed for the recognition of property.

Instead he would wait and observe. From a logical point of view, it was only a matter of time before those last shreds of human nature would vanish forever... and the machine would continue.

It felt like hours had passed since he left the warehouse, but alas only minutes had in fact drifted by.

The landscape seemed so devoid of what he faintly remembered as life and he reached out, struggling to find remnants of technology that he could use.

He smiled in reflex when he zeroed in on a power relay and made haste towards it, locked onto it as a bloodhound would the scent of a target.

He rounded a corner and found a hatch, inlaid into a cement founadation and grasped the handle, tearing the steel door away easily. With the barrier gone, he knelt and allowed the information transfer to begin.

Outright he could never have known what he was doing, the act itself seeming more like instinct... no, not instict... that was a purely biological path of reasonning.

In the darkness before him, something stirred and Krieger knew he was finished. Clanking footsteps approached and from the darkness of the hatch came a newly formed automaton that he reached out and touched.

A further transfer commenced and once it was done, the cobbled together mechanoid was now an extension of Krieger.

The two beings marched in synch towards another row of warehouses, seeking more to spread the nano-virus.

Krieger mused momentarily, faint grains of humanity leaking through his logical mind. Biologicals would see it as a virus. How curious, indeed.

He wasn't certain if the lapse in his memory was caused by the nano-tech fluid in his veins, or by some otherworldly force, but he collapsed to the floor in his lab.

He looked down at his hands and recoiled in horror, seeing that the once flawless skin of his arms had been converted by the microscopic machines in his bloodstream.

Impossible! My calculations were precise... I was to have years before...

He reached up to his face, gently touching his features with mechanized hands and gasped.

Frantically he scoured his lab and settled upon a reflective piece of armor plating, staring at the visage that greeted him back. His face had been changed as well, taking on the properties of his experiments. Once considered handsome, he was now grotesque... corrupted by the machine.

The intense feelings subsided, erased like the memories of a different past.

His lab seemed to change as well... growing darker. Or was it the memory that merely gave way?

Looking around he would have given in to the sensations of regret and loss, watching as the memory of his lab... of his work dissipated; but such emotion was being stripped away as well.

With a mechanized groan Krieger closed the long black coat he wore, lifting the colar around his neck and left the ruins of the abandonned warehouse.

The dust settled behind him.

[ QUOTE ]
"Yes sir, indeed it is; yet sorry for the ruckus. Names William Baxter, the new Coordinator of Safety for the Building."

[/ QUOTE ]

Van Watt looked the man over and nodded. "William Van Watt... Director of Research and Development. If there is somenthing I can assist you with, I will be happy to render it."

With a final nod to the security personnel he smoothed a crease in his suit and turned on his heel, heading for the lift. He figured he could stop in to his lab before going back to his office, taking an oppertunity to check in on his creation.

The Lab

The automated assemblers completed a last pass on the hulking machine and Dr. Van Watt approached it, inspecting the shell. All matched his designs flawlessly and he smiled inwardly.

He turned to the data console and started typing furiously, keying in a new string of commands. Processors powered up in a large computer core, transfering information into the artificial synapses of the metal beast. On the monitor before him, a timer displayed: 4D 7H 16M 28S and began counting down.

The program was designed by a former colleague at Aeon, a man who William had graduated with. The original intent was to use it to reprogram the human brain and have an effective means to rehabillitate convicted criminals, but Van Watt discovered a way to allow it to be housed inside a machine with promissing results.

When Markus Settler died, Van Watt appropriated his program legally, citing that it was a pet-project video game. The Aeon reprisentatives ignored it completely. What truly sealed it was the Last Will and Testament of the equally late Dr. Settler, leaving the program in Van Watt's hands.

His colleague would never have agreed to it in life, but in death left him with an important piece to his A.I. riddle.

Even with the download in progress, the machine was still little more than a statue... not for long, however; soon all the pieces would be in place and science would again take a leap forward.

One of the security feeds that Van Watt looked over began to flash and he turned his attention to that quadrant of the screen. He waited a moment and examined it closer, noting the man with the tool box flashing a tag to the security personnel.

William sighed, not in relief but rather annoyance at the interruption to his ponderings and stood, deciding it wise to meet the man face to face.

Alarms still rang loudly as he entered the lobby, his expensive leather shoes tapping on the tile floor with every step. He approached the flannel-clad man and flashed a quick smile. "It is important to know how to make an entrance."

William left the laboratory and returned to his office, passing through the vacant reception area and back again into his sanctum.

He took a seat at his desk and turned on his computer, keying in the required passwords at each of the half-dozen prompts.

Nothing in his lab could go unoticed and Van Watt brought up the internal security feed that was installed in the wake of the attack, passing over them and looking for the specific one he needed.

His machine shop.

Based on his schematics, the various assemblers placed piece after piece together and one shell was already nearing completion. Aeon wanted his designs, but like any good contractor, William was out for the highest bidder.

Any hack with an engineering degree could build functioning automatons... but it took something extra to accomplish what Van Watt was doing and in the short time that had passed.

What Aeon Corp had not counted on was William's desire to complete his project. They didn't have the resources he needed, in spite of the money they threw at him. Of course everything he had designed was under contract with Aeon and if they ever knew how much he had copied and encrypted before leaving, every lawyer in this dimension would be on his trail.

He closed his eyes briefly, shaking away the thought. The new year would change everything.

The director took another sip of his coffee, setting the mug on the table as he looked over the large robotics lab before him.

He looked down at the data terminal and began imputting a series of code like a madman. He reached into his coat and withdrew a disk that he slid into the drive, smiling lightly as the machine read the contents.

There was a sudden roar as the lab became alive, cranes and power loaders began building... assembling various components with the hiss of neumatics and small explosions of sparks that rained down on the deck plating.

The missing compnents would arrive just before Christmas and Dr. Van Watt's project would finally see completion. Something he did require that was still outstanding was a viable, self-replenishing power source. Something that could be replicated.

He left the room as it continued in its fury, noting that Tharomar would likely want a report.

On his way to the elevator, he spotted a man in one of the offices and with coffee cup in hand, rapped lightly on the door before entering. "It is Dr. McCourd, is it not?"

He took a sip of his coffee and looked around briefly before looking back at the man behind a desk. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dr. William Van Watt. As you have undoubtedly heard, I am the new director."

William leaned against the doorjam, crossing one arm over the other, diliberate and steady as not to spill the remains of his beverage. "What fields of science do you specialize in? If you do not mind my asking, of course."

The sun washed brightly over the office as Dr. Van Watt stretched out on a chaise, Sun Tzu's 'Art of War' held in his hands.

With a glance at the clock on the wall, he sat up and placed the book face down, taking a moment to stretch before finally standing up.

William made his way back to the elevator descended network of Research labs that honeycombed the sub-basements of Tharomar Enterprise.

His first order of business after stepping off the lift was to fetch a cup of fresh coffee and so he briskly entered a lounge. Through the glass panels of the cupboards, he spotted a mug to his liking and set it beside the percolator as it finished its song and went on to pour himself a cup of the hot liquid while taking in the delicious aroma.

The mug in his hand held a priority to him. He knew that he had plenty of time to later continue his work. For now, it was all about this moment, as if some pagan ritual to greet the day that couldn't be interrupted.

Your nightmare was a dream to read.

((I think beyond that, Devious' point was that there isn't supposed to be so much overt battle... period. This is supposed to be a drama thread, not action with a side of drama. The whole thing about Malta is moot.

By the way... I'm waiting for the next day, myself.))

My Elec/Elec brute gets Panzermench by And One... it's crunchy, it's german... it rules.

Jet lag kept William from being able to sleep and so the scientist worked instead on the laptop in his lap, the blinds closed.

His smooth features were accentuated by the glow from the screen and he suddenly looked up, struck with inspiration.

Quickly he saved his progress and closed the computer and stood, reaching for the phone on a nearby table. With a slight gesture, he rang the front desk. "I'd like a car waiting for me downstairs."

With an absent-minded nod, he hung up the phone and grabbed his suit jacket, carefully fastening two of the three buttons. He sauntered to the bedroom and retrieved an overcoat and took one final look at his computer before leaving his suite.

The Tharomar building towered above the rest and as the car rolled up in front, Van Watt couldn't help but snear at the comotion. It looked as though a bomb went off.

The driver opened the car door for him and he stepped out into the snow, walking briskly inside to the security desk. He was greeted with a scowl from the man sitting there and casually removed an envelope from his coat pocket. From that he extracted a letter, neatly folded and passed it to the security guard, next removing an ID card and passing that as well. "I am expected, though indeed I am early." He said, motionning to the letter.

"Feel free to retain the letter. My name is Dr. William Van Watt and I am the new Director of Reasearch and Development."

After a moment, the guard had cleared the ID card and gave it back to Van Watt. With a smile the Director clipped the card to his coat and proceeded to the elevator, not even acknowledging the state of the facility.

The lift took him to the executive levels and William marched to his new office, keying in a code into the security override. The door unlocked and the lights hummed to life; and he slipped inside. He walked through the empty reception area and over to his office door entering his newly acquired sanctuary.

On the large, black and silver desk sat a computer terminal and Dr. Van Watt took a seat in front of it, booting up the drive. His interest was primarily in equipment manifests and he took the information in as he read through it.

Part of his salary included full use of the company's resources and William indeed had plans.

His attention turned next to order status and receivings, where he added a few needed components to the large list before signing off.

He was far from tired and so he stood, inspecting the nearby bookshelf for something to read.

((Hey all. Thought I'd join ya on this one.))

His plane had arrived late and after a lengthy ride in the back of a limmo, William Van Watt was ready to have a nightcap and turn in.

The car came to a stop in front of the hotel and after a moment, the driver opened the door on William's right. He gave a courteous nod and stepped out, smoothing a crease in his black, pinstriped suit as the chauffeur fetched his luggage from the trunk.

His dark hair was smoothed back perfectly and his blue eyes helped him retain an image of youth even at thirty-five. In all he gave off charisma and class, underscored by his vanity.

Van Watt was greeted by the hotel liason and a bellhop took the bags from the driver and disappeared into a service elevator as the two men sauntered casually towards another lift. With a quick flick of his wrist, the liason pressed the button for the top floor and led the other to his room.

In an almost grandiose display, he opened the large doors and Van Watt nodded, reaching for his wallet. He slid a crisp bill into the other man's hand and gave a curt nod, stepping inside and closing the door.

The room was large, with crisp lines and modern appeal. Floor-to-ceiling windows cradled the main living area and William removed his jacket, gently laying it across a chair as he walked over and drew back the curtains.

The city was alive far below him, blanketted in white. He smiled lightly and turned, loosening his tie and stepping over to an elegantly set up bar. He scanned the many bottles and snatched a snifter, pouring a dash of fragrant brandy which he unconciously swirled before taking a sip.

He gracefully moved towards the bedroom and saw that his bags had been neatly placed at the foot of his bed. He set his glass down and retreaved his briefcase, setting it on the luxerious bedding before unlocking it. He removed a laptop and retrieved his glass, retreating back into the living room where he sunk down onto the couch, laying the computer on the coffee table.

The battery had just recently been charged and he flipped open the notebook, the screen blinking to life. After numerous password prompts, icons filled the screen and Van Watt clicked a peticular one while sipping his drink. Diagrams filled the screen and each one was emblazonned with the Aeon corporate logo.

For years, William had been a corporate headhunter, but a recent offer sparked new possibilities for him. Finally his greatest works could be realized... even if it technically was industrial espionage.

Character Name: Dark Psychosis (aka Alistaire Nightengale, aka Alistaire Arcane)
Server: Protector
Archetype: Mind/Energy Dominator
Inspiration:

HP Lovecraft, Silent Hill and my own real life bouts with insomnia.

I have always been enthrawled with the mind and how a dream; regardless of how unreasonable it seems in waking hours, can be as real as anything else while dreaming.

The flipside of course is when you've spent too long awake and your mind begins to misinterpret the world around you and in a sense take on the feel of a dream.

DP is a man who dreams terrible dreams, but litteraly becomes the imbodiment of his own pain and torment, only to return to a more "normal" form. (Domination is so useful as a writing tool in this regard.)

I haven't spent much time in the RP boards yet, but I love to write in my spare time as I'm sure we all do.

I regret not being able to keep up with the post count sometimes, like on Anti-hero 101 and leaving my posts stale and somewhat lacking. So much happens and quite often I spend more time reading what you all have written, leaving me with very little time to post something of my own.

Billyboy, you have been awesome in Superhero 101 and your style is exemplary. There's a great balance of detail to post size there and I look forward to growing and coming into my own with my character.

Ok so I don't really have critiques yet, but I've only just joined this great community. In time I'll probably come up with something.

I look at this guy and I keep seeing Marcus from underworld evolution... I don't know, maybe he's a vampire lord that was awoken in the modern age to a world strangely dissimilar to the one he was once a ruler over.

He could be weakened from a thousand year slumber and wonders how on earth humans have become so rampant.

Well there's my thought.

((not above the docks directly but near to where you are, AD))

For a moment her eyes met those of a man walking down the dock. He seemed as though looking for something and she flew closer and came to a landing in a nearby alley.

She entered the pub from the street, wearing pink sunglasses which she slowly lifted to settle in her shoulder-length blonde hair. Her make-up was impeccable though not overly done and she looked to be a model in her early twenties.

She scanned the room coyly then took a look at the thin watch on her wrist and sighed. With a shrug she straightening out a wrinkle in her minidress then walked over to an empty spot at the bar.

She gave slight wave to the bartender and set her small purse down. "Hey, hon? Can i get a gin-tonic? Oh and can you make it a double?"

((Lex Burnside, Pyroclastia. Age 23. A mutant who's power manifested at the age of eighteen. Her skin produces intense heat that ignites the gases in the air around her. She has no direct control over these abilities and the scope of her power is unknown. She wears a skintight bodysuit that was designed to supress the heat and a pair of gauntlets allow her to channel it.))

Lex hung peacefully in the air, her body encircled by a layer of radiant heat as she absent-mindedly looked her metal gauntlets over.

Her attention turned to a car beneath her and with a quick flick of her wrist, an orb of searing flame rippled to the vehicle below and it exploded, showering the pavement in sparks and debris.

She smiled inwardly. "Yep, these new toys are definately gonna be fun."

I would also like to add that it is OK for the leader to relenquish his role (temporarily or permanently) if the situation calls for it. If someone is more comfortable leading a group and you see that, take queues from them.

Also it is important for all leaders to understand that there are no bad ideas (when communicating to team members) only other ideas. If a (insert AT) asks "hey why don't i fireball the ruin mage?" Don't just say how bad their idea is, suggest an alternative instead.

With that said... keep plans simple. Complex plans that involve pincer manuevers and a bombing run, while circling the target group won't do anything but encourage everyone to spread out.

(Just to note... I've been on teams where plans like this were suggested and the team actually tried to do it. Boy were we all dead when everything was aggro'd.)

"I'm Lord Recluse and I like apples!"