Difficulty coming up with a story...

I hope this is the right place to write this:

I made an Ice / Thermal Controller on Virtue with Science as an origin. I was thinking of making her abilities be the result of some sort of genetic manipulation, but I'm not entirely sure I want to do that, or how to go about creating an interesting background.

Aside from the Ice / Thermal powers she of course will have the Fitness pool (which I can easily RP by saying it's a result of genetic manipulation). She also can fly, though how I'm not sure.

Here's the basic progression I want to take her through:

She starts off looking mostly human, just with pale blue skin (ice' influence). Her hair is also blue, but you can vaguely see some red showing through.

I want to slowly, as I get more costume slots, cause the result of the genetic manipulation transform into something less then human. Over time she'll be able to revert to her original self before the experiment / whatever transformed her (probably the last costume slot).

Here's what I'm avoiding (for obvious reasons): IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT! No accidental scientific mishap, she didn't fall into a vat of chemicals, she wasn't forcibly transformed, she brought it on herself for some reason.

I was thinking of doing something weird, like maybe making her a chimera in a sense, created by integrating her genes with that of fantasy like characters (like perhaps faeries of some sort, or a dragon, etc. to give her some wings later or a more reptilian form) but am at a loss at how to go about RPing that.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I don't want anyone to create a story for me, but I could certainly use some help getting the ball rolling. I typically have a concept and story by the time I'm level 5, but I'm level 16 already and still cannot come up with anything.

Thanks in advance!

Might have been the result of her trying to solve some genetic anomaly within her own cellular structure - the more she experiments, the more obvious the changes.

Could also be that, say, she has a twin who has powers. Their DNA is JUST different enough that one got them, one didn't. Your character has since been trying to unlock the genetic 'marker' that gives her powers.

Just a thought.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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Might have been the result of her trying to solve some genetic anomaly within her own cellular structure - the more she experiments, the more obvious the changes.

Could also be that, say, she has a twin who has powers. Their DNA is JUST different enough that one got them, one didn't. Your character has since been trying to unlock the genetic 'marker' that gives her powers.

Just a thought.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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Oooh, I like that. I do have a spines / regen scrapper that had her mutations go out of control (cliche I know =P) as she leveled. Perhaps they could have been sisters and perhaps she became obsessed with why she had not mutated at all.

I'm going to continue to watch this thread, after only about 20 minutes I got an awesome reply, I can only imagine what ideas others may come up with. Thank you in advance to anyone else who contributes an idea or two =D

I is a writer and creative geek.

Doesn't mean someone else won't come up with a better response, so I hope you do get one you like.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Well, the easiest response I can think of is saying that she just WANTED to be a superheroine. However, she never considered the extent of what the genetic tampering would be. So, while she has great powers and is able to be a hero like she wanted, she's slowly losing her humanity.

A real source of dilemma is when she starts to realize that she has very little, if anything, in common with the average man, woman or child. Every time she looks into the mirror, she sees less herself and more the thing she's become.

Will this break her, or will she use the experience to make herself stronger? Will she look for a way to restore her humanity? If she does, will she risk losing her powers in the process?

This is why I like the science origin. There's control there, but it's control with consequences. With natural, tech and magic, the characters can (normally) just stop and everything's hunky dory. With mutancy (and some natural origins), the powers will always be there, and the character has NO control over anything. A character with a science origin can change, repeatedly, and it can always be explained as "unforeseen consequences."

I know it sounds like a cheat at the end. If it's done well, though, who cares? It sounds like you've already got half the story. The why can be revealed to you through play. Sometimes, it helps to let the game inspire you as well.

The first thought that came to my mind is she is a genetic scientist. She became obsessed with the next evolutionary step of meta-humans. Particularly in fire/ice control. So she began conducting experiments on herself. Highly dangerous, highly unethical, so if she is a hero she is not black and white. You know what I mean? She is good but not without her flaws.

She has always been a mutant. Her powers have been less then spectacular. Tests indicate she is evolving into the perfect human specimen. She'll be able to run fast, jump farther, heal quicker and endure more hardships than a normal human.

A vial of purported Elemental DNA finds it way into her possession. After further research she suspect her body would be able to absorb the reactive substance. Not sure she truly believe its origin she administers it to herself. At worst she be sick a couple days and her body will work it off.

Her body accepts the recombinant and begins her transformation. Her emotional state seems to become entwined with her powers.

The rational side is calm, cool, and collective. Manipulating ice she can control her surroundings. Patience is her virtue.

The irrational side is more chaotic, tied to anger and aggression. This side she is fed up with waiting. Action is taken now and is final.

With these powers emerging she is now struggling to find a balance or become lost to the element pull of fire and ice.

Thanks everyone for these awesome ideas =D I think I'm about ready to put them to work, everyone's suggestions here are definitely going to find their way into my character's story.

Dark_Respite, I like the idea that she have a twin/sister that is a mutant. In fact, now I'm going to tie their two stories together (something I hadn't even considered). There will be a definite sense of jealousy between her and her sister. Her sister is struggling with her own issues (uncontrollable mutations) but is kind and sympathetic to the this character, while this character is resentful that she was not blessed with these gifts innately (other then being slightly more healthy and stronger then an average person).

This brings me to some of the ideas that Ockham has suggested, though the relationship between them is swapped. Her Thermal powers represent her personality prior to her experimentation. Since they mostly focus on healing / protection, they represent her warm and kind heart, and her willingness to help others. Her Ice Controller powers symbolize her desire to be in control of her own body and destiny (not to mention the cold and bitter person she is becoming), but since they stem from negative feelings they manifest themselves in more offensive ways (even if they are not damaging powers). She uses them to physically manifest her feelings in such a way that they literally freeze her targets in their tracks.

This then leads me to what Blood_Wolfe suggested, her experiments are not exactly ethical (though because she is a hero they never kill anyone or do anything that's so bad that she would descend into pure villainy). Though I haven't determined how exactly she may come close to crossing the line, she will definitely be participating in some questionable activities in an attempt to perfect herself.

And lastly, Mr. Grey, I think you figured out how I want to role-play this character. It actually ties in very much with her sister. This character strives to become the perfect creature, everything her sister is and possibly more. She wants to have power, and at some point when her "transformation" is complete only then will she realize that she has pretty much transformed into something that is far less human and perhaps something hideous and even borderline evil.

Her sister however, has been an outcast all her life due to her powers. She began transforming into a freaky abomination early in life, and struggled all her life to fit in. Finally, in control of her powers, her sister looks back at her life and has realized all the lives she has helped and all the people she has saved. She realizes that despite her disturbing appearance, she has made many friends and is heralded as a hero by many. In reality, her sister is more human they she ever though, her problems were just physical rather then mental (and of course my science origin's character's problems are mental, and not physical).

This is about when of course, the two sisters come together. One thought she was never human but in the end discovers that she was human all along. The other wanted to be more then human, but realizes that she gave up everything she once was to attain it.

Sorry to ramble here, and sorry if that sounds a bit cliche (I'm sure it's been done before at least in some capacity) but I think I finally found a story I like...not just for one character but two! Thanks for all your help, figured you all would like to know what I was going to do with your kind suggestions. I'm impressed by the community here, and always thankful for your help and support. Perhaps we'll meet someday on Virtue if any of you play there =).

EDIT2: I have a sense that this community has some bad apples, figured I'd remove my character names to save myself some grief in game. While I may enjoy slinging mud on a forum, I like to have a peaceful time when I'm in game.

kek.

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kek.

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Sigh, guess I spoke too soon about the community eh? Though seriously, I'm happy you were able to laugh about something. Especially this thread, who knew that I'd be able to make a troll laugh about something...wow, such an honor =D Hope this fed you enough, keep going.

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Well, the easiest response I can think of is saying that she just WANTED to be a superheroine. However, she never considered the extent of what the genetic tampering would be. So, while she has great powers and is able to be a hero like she wanted, she's slowly losing her humanity.

A real source of dilemma is when she starts to realize that she has very little, if anything, in common with the average man, woman or child. Every time she looks into the mirror, she sees less herself and more the thing she's become.

Will this break her, or will she use the experience to make herself stronger? Will she look for a way to restore her humanity? If she does, will she risk losing her powers in the process?

This is why I like the science origin. There's control there, but it's control with consequences. With natural, tech and magic, the characters can (normally) just stop and everything's hunky dory. With mutancy (and some natural origins), the powers will always be there, and the character has NO control over anything. A character with a science origin can change, repeatedly, and it can always be explained as "unforeseen consequences."


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I like this idea.

If fact, I like the thought she wanted to have unusual powers, so she sought to get them from an unusual source.

My thought, her dad works in the reptile house at a zoo. She thus sought the most impressive and unusual reptile there... the komodo dragon.

komodos don't just look strange; their genetics are virtually unigue (even in the realm of reptiles).

one example; if a female does NOT mate, she still lays eggs and half of those eggs will hatch... all male. This will happen no matter what the tempurature is.

in the komodo genetic sense; the FEMALE has differing chromozomes, not the male. Instead of XY in the males of other species; the komodo female has ZW. Her ova separate as they do in all females (into a 'Z' and a 'W' each); then wait for a male's 'donation'.

if a male does NOT donate; the ova chromozomes 'double-up'... becoming 'ZZ' eggs and 'WW' eggs. The 'ZZ' hatch as males and the 'WW' becomes food.

THAT is just one unusual aspect on the world's largest land reptile.