rambler
The Travelling Storyteller
Louisiana... total number of serial killings - 276, adjusted number for serial killings per one million - 7.35
New Orleans, Louisiana... murder rate - 41.7 per 100 000, violent crime rate - 949.6 per 100 000
| Society prepares the crime, the criminal commits it. Henry Thomas Buckle |
"The capacity to engage in acts of violence is a potential possessed by every human. It is a vestige of our species' previous evolutionary adaptability in the days of necessary tribalism. However, in this current age of communication and globalization, inherent cruelty has become frowned upon, and rightfully so since it contributes nothing to our development, but instead hinders it. Aggression and abnormalities of that sort are now controlled, and sometimes even purposefully hidden. As a result, statistics show with no doubt that the average life expectancy has increased, education has become almost universally accessible, and crime rates have drastically dropped. We are living in the safest, most peaceful era so far in human history.
However, a strange phenomena of modern society is a morbid fascination with the grotesque - we have allowed ourselves to be sold fear. Every single day we are bombarded with horrifying news that would lead us to falsely believe that violence out on the streets is only increasing. Curiously and inexplicably, a lot of us are prone to buying into such negative stories, and so unbeknownst to us we feed a system that commercializes and profits off of tragedies. The media breeds crime. Sometimes, it even romanticists or sensationalizes the most vile of criminals, hence pushing fame-hungry individuals to follow in the steps of these killers. And so, the likes of Ted Bundy have been essentially fetishized.
There is no such thing as a "natural born killer" - we are defined not only by genetics, but also by our environment. And that is where the community's influence comes in. "Society prepares the crime, the criminal commits it." And then we clean up after the mess... Brutality is a part of humanity that we cannot free ourselves from, for that is a utopian idea. There will be more John Wayne Gacy-s and Richard Ramirez-s for years to come, yet at the very least we can strive to decrease their numbers or rehabilitate them. Crime prevention is everybody's responsibility.
So, I ask you, do you wish to join us?"
In New Orleans, the voodoo capital of America and one of the most criminally active cities in the nation, are located the offices of a detective group known as "Alastor - Private Eye Agency." Many would refer to its members as vigilantes or avengers, owing to the Greek god Alastor that they have adopted as a patron, and it is true that their job is to take the law into their own hands and reinforce it. So far, their small team of 8 people has been surprisingly successful in solving mysteries that other government organizations could not handle. As a result, they've won the support of locals as well as the Louisiana state police, with whom they occasionally work.
The agency's extraordinary notoriety lies in its employees' unique abilities in unraveling crimes. All 8 active detectives were handpicked by the founder of the company, and he selected them because of their potential. Although some of them might be outcasts that don't fit into society, their investigative talents are undeniable...
So, as you might have already guessed, this is supposed to be a detective roleplay following the events surrounding 8 individuals with amazing skills, with which they solve crimes. This will be a detailed and very invested project on my side, so I would request the same from anyone that wishes to join. The total number of places available is 8, and there will be only one character per roleplayer. Although there are no predetermined roles since I value creative freedom above all, I have specified 8 "abilities" (for lack of a better word... warning: they are not and cannot be supernatural) for the respective detectives. So, make your spot claims through stating the "ability" you would like. Know that I don't go by "first come, first serve." If two or more people are competing for the same spot, the one with the better character gets it. Additionally, the genres for this roleplay will be mystery, detective and (mild) horror, though I will allow and support romance if it happens. I can only expect that it will eventually occur, since the characters will be organized into teams of 2.
I go into more detail regarding rules and requirements bellow, while the aforementioned "abilities" are listed in the section about the mechanics of the game. I'm sorry if I will come off as too strict in this roleplay pitch, I promise I'm not. I simply tried an idea like this once before on a different forum, and am not proud to say I gave up soon after starting it because there were some outright awful characters (and back then I was a kid that was too nervous to speak up...). Please, give me a chance to do this right!
Anyway, I hope people will participate. But thank you anyway for simply reading through this interest check~
- Be Detailed - this will be a detailed roleplay, and I'm not talking necessarily length-wise. I don't expect people to write novels every time they reply (that will only take away from the flow of the story), yet I wish to see dedication above all. Minimal length requirement will be 2 paragraphs, 1 paragraph in special cases where the situation is more dynamic. Quality over quantity - be ready to put in effort so that we'll all have a good time.
- Be Active - real life will always be more important than any online "duties". I won't put pressure on a person to reply every single day, but just know that the way the roleplay is set will mean that a new case will have to be solved in the span of 5 days, in real time. The thing I wish to emphasize most is engaging with your fellow roleplayers instead of waiting to be interacted with. Put effort into solving the crime! Additionally, if you plan on going on a hiatus or have become bored with the story (which I will understand), I implore you to contact me beforehand, so that when a person finds themselves without a partner my character can serve as a replacement until the spot is filled again.
- Be Literate - at least try to have good grammar and decent sentence construction. English is my second language, but I put in as much effort as I can, and so I request the same. If your language skills are too rusty I will unfortunately not accept you.
- Be Kind - don't be rude to your fellow roleplayers OOC, and don't start pointless drama. Rivalry and even hatred can be interesting IC, but antagonism will have to be confined within the realms of fiction. If an issue does arise between participants, don't involve everyone else. Instead, resolve the situation like adults or come to me for help.
- Be Realistic - one of the main issues with my previous roleplay of this kind was that some characters were outright "psychopaths" (done very poorly and offensively...), borderline murderers (that preyed on animals...), ex- or current hit-men, and, frankly, I will not tolerate such personages, since they make no sense! You are more than welcome to submit someone with a traumatic past, a mental disorder, a weird personality, unpopular or controversial opinions, etc. Also, antisocial disorders are more common than we think (and much less dangerous...), yet in all of these cases PORTRAY THEM RIGHT. Also, go easy on the angst and edge...
- Be Humble - do not, under any circumstances, overestimate your character's ability. The outcome of them using their skill is based on the amount of evidence they posses, and in the end I will be the one that will describe their findings to you (more on that in the mechanics section...). Additionally, metagaming and bunnying will not be tolerated.
The roleplay will follow the efforts of 8 private detectives (you, roleplayers) divided into 4 teams of 2 as they try to solve criminal cases. A new crime will be presented at the start of each week, and it will have to be solved in the span of 5 real-life days. Put simply, the mystery starts on Monday and finishes on Friday. The weekends will be reserved for interactions between the characters so that they may get to know each other. That involves both joint activities and one-on-one time, whichever you choose. The point of all this is for you to develop your personages even further from the initial CS.
Nevertheless, your main role in all this as a participant will be to use your wits (and your character's designated ability) to piece together a puzzle that I will have come up with. My job as a GM will be to control your environment - I will present you with crime scenes, clues and occasionally misleading information in order to make this brain exercise more challenging. I will describe the scenery and progressively reveal to you more secrets based on how well you're doing with finding the truth on your own. Additionally, I will be roleplaying all NPCs (police officers, medical examiners, witnesses, relatives, victims, criminals, etc.) as well as two characters of my own - the elusive boss of the company and one ex-detective, who currently manages the "Alastor" offices and gives you your cases. You have to report back to him with your answer(s) to the mystery once you're sure you've discovered the truth. On a side note, when in need, you can come to him for advice. If anyone should find themselves without a partner, he will serve as a temporary replacement.
Most importantly, I will be monitoring the way your ability works... First of all, what is an ability? An ability is a certain "virtue" that your character will be granted, which will help them in a very specialized way to untangle a mystery. Different skills work off of each other exceptionally well. On the other hand, some hinder one another. I will allow for roleplayers to pick each other as partners mutually, though with every single ability described bellow I have provided my opinion regarding what pair of powers will correspond better or worse. In the end, however, the choice of whom to work with is entirely up to you. You will notice I've also listed the positive and negative sides to each ability - that's supposed to give you suggestions for character development, though you needn't abide by what I've stated. I am merely speaking my mind, yet I will require that every skill have an upside and a downside (either take my advice or come up with something yourself). Other than that, you are granted unadulterated creative freedom. Abuse that privilege.
Second of all, how will I meddle in your ability's usage? At the start of an investigation you will be presented with initial clues to give you a general sense of direction. Yet, the fun part takes place throughout the course of a case - your character will be tasked with collecting as much additional evidence as possible via a series of methods (interrogation, interview, infiltration, search, recreation, etc.). Based on the amount of "puzzle pieces" you have, you can decide to use your ability. This can happen whenever, you needn't know all the secrets. Of course, that means you'll have to take risks and receive results that vary in their success rate. Each ability has its specifics (regarding HOW it works and WHAT you could uncover with it), yet I will personally PM them to the respective roleplayer once their CS is accepted. As a matter of fact, PMs will be central to this game - when you want to use your ability you have to message me personally so that I may describe your finds. Afterwards, it's up to you whether to share the information you have gained or keep it to yourself...
Well, these are the basic mechanics that shall govern the roleplay. Bellow are listed the "abilities" I've been rambling on about. Please, take your time to read through them and hopefully you'll find one that you fancy. Claim a spot by including the name of your skill of choice in your reply (know that more than one person can go for the same ability - the roleplayer with the better character gets the role).
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Complete Empathy
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Complete Empathy is the ability to fully empathize with another person, placing oneself in their shoes. An individual with this skill would be able to understand the people involved in a case - the witness(es), the victim(s), the perpetrator(s) - through observing various clues presented before them. They would be able to reconstruct a crime in their mind due to an overactive imagination, and then piece together a psychological profile of the criminal at large - their likely background, gender, race, mindset, incentive, etc. The downside to this skill is that excessive empathy can be a disorder - an individual possessing it, if pushed over their limits, might lose their sense of identity and instead start envisioning themselves as insane, or as the malefactor they are tracking down. This person might not have a high threshold for gore or pain, would be overly sympathetic and more easily manipulated.
Best Partner Abilities: Blissful Dissociation and Hawk Vision
Worst Partner Abilities: Psychological Manipulation and Obsessive Persistence
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Blissful Dissociation
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Blissful Dissociation is the ability to disconnect from a traumatic situation so as to not bear its consequences. An individual with this skill would be able to separate their morbid work routine from their everyday life, as a result leading the latter unobstructed by the prior. They would be able to withstand shocking displays of violence and death without experiencing nausea or other unpleasant effects, hence receiving an unbiased and clear-headed opinion of a crime scene while additionally having the capacity to delve into its most controversial leads. The downside to this skill is the fact that it requires apathy above what's socially acceptable. If one loses control of their dissociation they can easily come off as unfriendly or asocial, in the worst cases even as antisocial or a sociopath. Such an individual might be quite unpopular, having been deemed unnerving. They would have an easier time working with the dead rather than the living.
Best Partner Abilities: Complete Empathy and Psychological Manipulation
Worst Partner Abilities: Obsessive Persistence and Motor Intelligence
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Psychological Manipulation
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Psychological Manipulation is the ability to charm and influence people, hence persuading them with ease. An individual with this skill would be able to integrate themselves into social circles through mimicking the members of said groups. Furthermore, this person would be able to coax others into following their whim due to understanding social dynamics - their specialty is shaping the hierarchy of a community without being burdened by sympathy. They would be a master of disguise with an affinity for the human psyche. The downside to this skill is that a manipulator is often conceited, which would prevent them from forming normal human relations. They might possess a superiority complex, which would lead them to toying with the weak and defenseless out of vanity or insecurity, whilst at the same time viewing those with intelligence equal to theirs as competition in fear of being found out.
Best Partner Abilities: Blissful Dissociation and Motor Intelligence
Worst Partner Abilities: Complete Empathy and Associative Thinking
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Associative Thinking
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Associative Thinking is the ability to find relations between different concepts, in turn linking them. An individual with this skill would be able to use logic and reasoning to organize clues into a cohesive system. As a result, they would be able to drawn definitive parallels between at first glance unrelated object or events, hence constructing a complete picture of a crime. They might also foretell the sequence of future events after considering various probabilities, and discovering the most likely outcome. The downside to this skill is the fact that association can sometimes go in a wrong direction - a person with this way of thinking would be prone to making connections where there are none out of sophistry or being fed false information by a third party. They would abide by the laws of logic solely, as a result coming off as dull or stubborn, and might be intolerant towards opinions different than theirs.
Best Partner Abilities: Photographic Memory and Obsessive Persistence
Worst Partner Abilities: Psychological Manipulation and Hawk Vision
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Photographic Memory
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Photographic Memory is the ability to retain and recall with great detail large amounts of visual information. An individual with this skill would be able to compartmentalize in their mind events and scenes as vivid images that can later be brought to the consciousness's surface and inspected in their preserved state. They would be able to remember an array of things - indoor and outdoor spaces, noises, sounds, temperatures, weather conditions, faces, etc. - precisely as they were at the time of being initially observed. The downside to this skill is that it can overload a person's memory. An individual that is unable to forget might try to escape from their brain through daydreaming, as a result becoming absent-minded, often at the most inappropriate of times. On the other hand, they might be unwilling to view crime scenes or to be active in general out of a need to avoid useless memorizing.
Best Partner Abilities: Associative Thinking and Obsessive Persistence
Worst Partner Abilities: Hawk Vision and Motor Intelligence -
Hawk Vision
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Hawk Vision is the ability to spot even minor clues, as well as to possess immense precision and meticulousness. An individual with this skill would be able to perceive overlooked hints and leads, owing to their sharp eye and equally sharp mind. They would be a gifted "blood hound" that leaves nothing unturned and sets an investigation on the right track. More than anything, their job would be to pick things clean after everyone else, thought they would also have a knack for firearms due to good eyesight and a steady hand. The downside to this skill is that a person possessing it is likely to be unhealthily obsessed with perfection - their thoroughness might result in them searching for a missing link that isn't there in the first place. Furthermore, this individual might suffer from compulsive habits and ticks that would put pressure on their everyday life, thus they would find solace in being a workaholic.
Best Partner Abilities: Complete Empathy and Motor Intelligence
Worst Partner Abilities: Associative Thinking and Photographic Memory
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Obsessive Persistence
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Obsessive Persistence is the ability to devote oneself to a particular goal and use all resources to reach it. An individual with this skill would be able to focus all their energy into a single task, which they are willing to do everything to see through. They would be a "jack of all trades", who is average in all areas, but truly shines with their devotion, relentless courage, and ability to do research on their subject of interest since they know where to look for answers. They might be good to assume a leadership role and organize others' work. The downside to this ability is that it makes a person single-minded. An individual with an obsession for a case would easily, yet unknowingly, neglect their outside duties, their loved ones, and possibly themselves - their health, appearance, and reputation. Eventually after a manhunt for a criminal comes to a close, they might discover they have no personal life to come back to.
Best Partner Abilities: Associative Thinking and Photographic Memory
Worst Partner Abilities: Complete Empathy and Blissful Dissociation -
Motor Intelligence
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Motor Intelligence is the ability to hone one's physical capabilities, as a result having superior reflexes. An individual with this skill would be able to train their body to do various martial arts and other styles of fighting, additionally having an easier time wielding weaponry. Above all, they would be agile and flexible, able to think on their feet and react in the best way possible to an emergency. Chases and take-downs might be their specialty, though their mind wouldn't fall far behind their body - they would be a tactician and interrogator. The downside to this ability is that it might lead to harmful spontaneity - charging head first alone, making impulsive and aggressive decisions, starting fights, being naively brave and cocky, various irrational behaviors. Furthermore, a person that recognizes this intelligence in themselves might become resentful towards those that do not posses it, viewing them as lesser.
Best Partner Abilities: Psychological Manipulation and Hawk Vision
Worst Partner Abilities: Blissful Dissociation and Photographic Memory
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