[M&M] Pandora’s Door

[HexCursed]

Application: Charity Ann Sellers Character Name: Charity Ann Sellers Nickname: Annie Age: 20 Gender: female Nationality: Fourth generation American - a thorough mix of western and northern European. Physical Description: Height: 5'7" Weight: 132 lbs Hair: Medium brown, naturally straight but curled manually. Eyes: Blue Occupation: Hostess at an upscale, French restaurant called La Panoramique (The Panoramic), located at the top of a 22-floor skyscraper. Powerset: Phasing Phase through matter: Movement - permeate Phase jump: Teleport Phase blast (array): Disrupting blast / touch Disorienting blast / touch Matter is mostly empty space: Senses - vision permeates concealment Backstory: Charity's parents bought into The American Dream and are living their best version of it. After serving as an engineer in WWII, her father started a successful construction business. He prides himself on his work ethic and his role of provider for his family. Marrying a dedicated wife, buying a nice home in the suburbs, new cars, and having 2 lovely daughters, everything that he wanted is coming true. Well... except for his youngest daughter who has a disgraceful rebellious streak. She talks about pursuing her own dreams, though she doesn't seem to be able to formalize what those are except that she doesn't want to live right. Traditionally. Charity was a good student, friend, and citizen. Yet, the teachings of society and the church always rubbed her the wrong way. What the world seemed to be telling her is that she should be happy with a small life of quiet servitude and that what she wanted was really very unimportant. It's hard to dream when everyone around her is telling her how to live. Yet, she stubbornly tries. Still young, she often asks herself what she really wants but has not yet come up with the answers - partially because everything seems too difficult to achieve. For now, she works so that she can have money to do things (and keep her father happy), hangs out with her best friend (to get out of her parents' house, where she lives), and... struggles to understand her new self after the Murd incident. Boons: Things that Charity wants and makes her happy. Independence. Choosing the less obvious option. Being feminine, dolling up, fancy clothing and jewelry, and sweet-smelling perfumes. Flowers, crystal, and silk. (In a word: elegance) Driving on the open road. Small acts of kindness. Loves seafood. Malus: Charity's turn-offs Charity hates children and doesn't want to have or raise any, and would rather not be around them. She finds them annoying, dirty, needy, cruel, and self-centered. She also can't stand the idea of marriage because it means a life of servitude to her husband and not being able to pursue her own goals. Putting herself second seems like a clear way to be unhappy. In her view, hell is a life with no choice. Cursing or vulgarity make her skin crawl. Jokes at somebody else's expense. Cruelty in any form. Contacts: Father - Mark F. Sellers, 42, Construction contractor. Deeply religious, believes in traditional values and gender roles. Mother - Angela C. Sellers, 40, homemaker. Faithful and devoted wife who tries to teach her daughters than happiness lies in pleasing a husband and in turn being taken care of. Sister - Hope C. Palmer, 22, homemaker. Married to Timothy Palmer, 4 months pregnant. Charity and Hope have a fractured relationship based on years of resentment and jealousy - competing for their parents' affection, and Charity "stole" Hope's first boyfriend. Hope holds grudges and is secretly very vengeful. She would love to take Charity down a few pegs. Employer - Henry Dolan, 37, Owner of the La Panoramique restaurant and 6 other properties. Married to Sally Dolan with 2 children (Steven (11) and Jennifer (7)). Started as a chef. Wealthy, self-made man. He has fallen for Charity and aims to possess her. Best friend: Virginia Newman, 21, bank teller. Engaged to Robert Svensen. Charity's friend and confidant since the 8th grade. Pharmacist - Zachary Talbert, 44, pharmacist. Sells Charity under-the-counter birth control pills. Complications: Day Job - hostess (Downtown restaurant, 11 am to 9 pm, lunch and dinner service, Thursday through Sunday.) Family expectations: Live respectably and traditionally, be a good Christian, get married, have kids, family matters most. Societal expectations: Limits of women's freedoms and opportunities. Motivations: Freedom, for herself and others. Doing good, because she believes in kindness but not service. Charity's goals and story: The more that Charity hears about the actions of the government and the fate of the MURDers, the more that she is bothered by people being locked up essentially for being different. She has it in mind to orchestrate a heist to free imprisoned people from government detainment facilities. She's seen the film The Asphalt Jungle, so she is well aware that it will take some time, planning, and effort to make her notion into a reality. Character connections Madelyn "Maddie" Milano: (PalladiaMors) Maddie and Charity are friends from high school. Maddie once saved Charity a lot of grief when she got into a fender-bender in her father's car and Maddie fixed the damage before Charity's father found out. Charity owes Maddie a favor. Writing Sample Charity has set down the curling iron and took one more look at her curls before heading to answer the front door, throwing on a robe to cover herself. Her eyes grew wide at the stranger standing outside. But she had invited her inside as a guest. Dad was out on a job; Mom was out doing the shopping. That meant that Charity was in charge. Though, after the woman's hard-sell of her job offer, the decision to welcome the redhead in had clearly been a mistake. "You seem to know an awful lot..." Charity said. "Care to explain how you know so much about me?" In truth, she didn't really listen to the answer. "Your description of the... job and the attempt at blackmail makes it all sound highly illegal. That's probably not the best sales tactic, unless anybody in their right mind would not be tempted by the offer. And somehow, I almost believe that you would not want to go anywhere near the authorities." She fell silent for a short moment. "Heaven knows that I could use the money..." she said quietly to herself. "Nice shoes don't buy themselves," she added., looking down at her bare feet and sighing. "So... what would I have to do?"

[HexCursed]

That should do it for my character app, pending any tips for improvement. Feedback is definitely welcome. I've only played this game twice... briefly. I've been told that the superhero genre is actually quite different from other RPGs. If I missed anything important, then please let me know.

[Rockerboy]

This is my character application and concept, and I've tried to tie in to some real world events with some names (those in the Mafia); but, if you would prefer to avoid real world connections, to keep it all fiction, I can change those up. Also, huge thanks to HexCursed for the app template I blatantly used (it looked really good and I couldn't do better myself)!

Application: Vincent Santoni Character Name: Vincent Santoni Nickname: Vinny Age: 26 Gender: Male Nationality: American-Italian Physical Description: Height: 6'0" / 7'0" (armored) Weight: 200 lbs / 500 lbs (armored) Hair: Black Eyes: Gray / White (armored) Vinny tends to wear nice suits, not expensive but well-made, and tries to keep his appearance respectable and clean shaven. He is also physically fit, muscular even, due to his boxing and upbringing. After the MURD incident, Vinny has had to wear baggier clothing, so he can 'grow into' what he's wearing without tearing out of it through transformation (as he increases in size and density by a foot). Vinny usually has a smirk on his face and has a habit of adopting a casual posture with both hands in his pant pockets. Occupation: Former Fixer for the The MafiaChicago Outfit, now indebted and owing money Powerset: Essentially Colossus from X-MenOrganic Steel Alternate Form Density Increase Growth Massive Armor Impervious Toughness Mighty Strength Enhanced Attribute & Speed Living Metal Immunity Backstory: Vincent Santoni was born to Italian immigrants, Piero and Luciana, who had moved to the United States in the late 20s, to escape the aftermath of the World War. The goal was to start a new life, to claim the American Dream™, and begin a small family business as shoe repairers. Unfortunately Chicago around that time wasn't ideal for non-native English speaking immigrants, and Vinny's folks had to adapt, with his father becoming a construction worker. Vinny grew up in a rough neighborhood, on Taylor Street, and spent most of his younger years skipping school, getting into fist fights and dreaming about making it big. By the time Vinny was a teenager, he was basically out of school, working alongside his old man at the construction sites, and had given up on his dreams. He vented his frustration with boxing, and actually got pretty good at it, too, but in the end he had a good gig lined up on the work site. Even his old man kept reinforcing that a steady, boring job was better than any wannabe fame or spotlight, because in the end it just chews you up and spits you out. Still, Vinny had goals, he had to become someone. He was a good looking kid, he was broad shouldered from training, and he had his share of fights to his name (though less than legal ones). And it was during one of those underground matches that Vinny's life changed - though, whether for the better remained to be seen - as he met Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo. The head of the Chicago Outfit. Accardo saw the potential in the youth and proposed an offer too good to refuse. The Outfit needed some more muscle, the kid was in a deadend lifestyle, and the Mafia could improve that for Vinny and his whole family. There wasn't even a hesitation, as Vinny said yes, and was welcomed into the arms of the Chicago-based crime family. His want to become someone important, combined with his dislike of construction, all fed into the desire to become a Mafioso. In a whirlwind of money, cars, women and blood, Vinny was thrown into the up-and-coming Chicago as a fixer. The 50s were when Chicago was thriving, with the Outfit having fingers in numerous skyscraper developments and building projects; and it was through Vinny's old man that rumors and plans could be shared, earning Vinny a solid place in the family. And as a result, Vinny was given more responsibility, and soon became the 'go to' for any problems the Outfit faced on a street level. Yet, Vinny had his own side hustles; he provided protection rackets and was a club bouncer every so often. That was also why Vinny found himself there that night, at the Olympus Power Corp unveiling, as he had finished collections for the Outfit - taking a sizable sum to deliver to the family - and saw an opportunity to get some extra cash for himself, before returning to drop off the collections. That turned out to be a bad idea. Vinny was caught up in the chaos of the Olympus Power Corp incident, the MURD explosion, and his business car - and all the money in the trunk - was demolished; and that left the fixer with a very big bill to pay. Vinny knew he was in trouble, his savings could barely cover a portion of the owed money, and the Outfit weren't exactly charitable when it came to those who couldn't pay. But, thankfully, Vinny was on good terms with Accardo... but it was also around this time that Salvatore "Mooney Sam" Giancana took over the Outfit, mere days after the explosion, and was someone who didn't particularly like Vinny. Vinny was in a tough spot; he was on the down-and-out owing big, he had messed up by putting his own interests before the family, there had been a new head of the Outfit anointed, and on top of that Vinny had become really sick and ill after the incident... Aces. Boons: I Know You: Vinny has dreams of becoming a 'somebody', whether it's someone famous or feared Color Green: Vinny wants to earn wealth, he wants to elevate his position in life, and wants to provide for his loved ones Learning Time: Vinny wants a proper education, he doesn't like feeling like the dumbest guy in the room, and he regrets not finishing schooling Behind the Mask: Vinny might give off the impression he likes the "fast life", but he's fairly traditional when it comes down to it; he wants a nice lady, a few friends he can meet at the bar every week, and enough money to not have to worry about the small stuff Keep 'em Coming: Vinny likes whiskey and cigarettes (though he's heard PSA's about cigarettes not being healthy?) Dream Car: Vinny wants a 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster Malus: Family: Vinny is afraid of losing his mother, first and foremost, especially if he falls short of his debt Pull Me Back In: Vinny is worried the Outfit won't let him go, even if he can pay back what he owes, and whether he can push through with Mooney Sam trying to make life miserable Trust Me: Vinny acts like he knows what to do, like he has the answers, but really his life has spiraled out of control filled with violence, danger and consequences he never considered; the very last thing he wanted was to endanger his family or loved ones, and had been naive about joining the mafia for his own needs and getting out even Is It Worth It: Vinny has started to see that the risks he's taken, the sacrifices, especially for the Outfit have put him on the fence about it all - he's not sure if he should get out proper, making his goals harder to achieve, or dive in headfirst and run the risk of winning or losing big My Clothes: Vinny's body might be super durable, but his clothing isn't and it's not uncommon to see it ripped and shredded; not to mention Vinny has to wear baggier clothing, so he can 'grow into' what he's wearing without tearing out of it Contacts: Luciana Santoni (58) - Mother - someone that Vinny will do anything to keep safe, she has dedicated her life to raising him Leo Rosso (26) - Friend - someone Vinny grew up with on Taylor Street, they have kept in touch over the years, and Leo even started his own butcher shop Rosalia Bruno (24) - Friend - someone Vinny grew up with on Taylor Street, she was his crush for a while, before Vinny went a different direction in life; from what he's heard, Rosalia has become a waitress at a local restaurant, and has been seen talking to some Outfit thugs from time to time Salvatore "Mooney Sam" Giancana - Mafia Head - Reluctant Acquaintance - someone who doesn't like Vinny and gives the impression the only reason he's not dead is because of the money Vinny owes Officer Aaron Harris - Reluctant Acquaintance - Chicago Police Department - someone who Vinny's had dealings with for the Outfit, a corrupt cop that was forced into helping the mafia, who might have a bone to pick with Vinny now that the ex-fixer is on the out Charlie "Myndo" Marton (34) - Acquaintance - someone that Vinny ran into several times in the Outfit, though the latest meeting involved some really weird mind mumbo jumbo, and it made Vinny realize that things weren't all daisies and picket fences - there was something new, something beyond the Twilight Zone kind of weird, rearing its head in the world... and maybe Myndo was someone Vinny could talk to about his own situation with weirdness? Rudolf 'Rudy' van Weerd (35) - Acquaintance - someone that Vinny knew through the Outfit and someone who landed in the same boat after the MURD dust settled; both of them had been caught up in the incident, and it seemed both had lost something important to the Outfit, which was revealed after Vinny was made to try and strong-arm Rudy... so maybe, just maybe, the pair have avenues open to work together, if things get dire? Madelyn "Maddie" Milano (19) - Acquaintance - someone Vinny met on the up-and-coming Chicago racing scene, and he was impressed with her know-how under the hood of a car; he figures she's a good person to know, in case an automobile needs repairing Dr Augustus Holland (42) - Acquaintance - someone Vinny met a time or two, the older man seems suspicious, like he's some kind of commie spy or something; it remains to be seen if Vinny can get anything out of Augie, or if he's just some foreign nutjob - there might be an angle here? Rebecca Silber (23) - Professional Friend - someone Vinny met at Olympus, where he was employed every so often as a third party security worker, though he appreciated Rebecca's work ethic and professionalism; she is a pretty gal, too, though gives off the no nonsense aura Bridget Donnelly (27) - (Reluctant) Acquaintance - someone Vinny has run into on several occasions, usually for the Outfit, and keeping their business out of the paper Bridget writes for; and in the past, Vinny has blocked her attempts at sourcing gossip, and even been sent to try strong-arming her a bit, into telling a story from a 'certain point of view'. Complications: Big Debt: Vinny owes a lot of money to terrible people and has fallen out of the Mafia's good graces, but has the potential to turn it around He Doesn't Like Me: The current head of the Chicago Outfit (Salvatore "Mooney Sam" Giancana) doesn't particularly like Vinny, even disliking or hating him, due to a potential past incident Keep Safe: Vinny needs to protect his mother and what little his family has left Desperate Times: Vinny is considering some desperate options, especially with his "abilities" developing; what's a bullet-proof metal boxer to do? Dominate the ring or rob a bank or take on the Outfit directly? Motivations: Mia Mamma: Keep his loved ones safe, specifically his mother Get Rich: Earn enough to get what he wants out of life That Debt: Either pay back what he owes, somehow... Taking Care Of Business: Or 'handle it' so the Outfit isn't a problem anymore, but that would be crazy (right?) Writing Sample Intro   It had been a few weeks since the MURD incident. The papers were ablaze with it, like there was nothing else going on in Chicago at all, and even Vinny's parents were often overhead talking about it. For his own part, Vinny had mostly been bedridden for that time, recovering from the injuries and shock of it all; though, maybe he was also hiding, keeping his head low and avoiding his bosses. In the small bed of his childhood room, Vinny sat up and rubbed his face with both hands. He sighed. He also felt stumble, rough to his fingers and palms, and knew he had to shave and get presentable. But maybe only once his insides stopped churning, feeling like a bunch of snakes were in there or something. Like a loving mother, Luciana had been keeping her only child under careful watch, and despite being in her 50s was through the bedroom door with food on a tray at Vinny's subtle movements. "Eat, Vincent, eat," she said without care for anything other than providing food for her sick boy. "You eat, you feel better, yes?" "Okay, okay, SÌ mama," Vinny said as the tray was thrust onto his lap and he balanced it. "Thank you, this looks delicious." The tray had some buttered bread, some water and a bowl of Pastina en Brodo di Pollo. Chicken and pasta soup. It was one of Vinny's favorites, truth be told, and always helped to make him feel better. For a moment, Luciana watched her son eat, before she turned at the sound of the doorbell. Vinny frowned, mid bite of his spoon. Below, there were muffled voices, Piero's and some others, before things escalated and shouting was heard-- *Bang, bang* --and Vinny was up and out of the bed the moment the gunshots were heard. He pushed past his mother, the tray scattering over the bedroom floor, and was down the narrow stairs of the family home four at a time. Below, in the front doorway, Vinny saw his father on the ground in a pool of blood, and two Outfit fixers leaving the stoop. "Pa!" Vinny crouched down, he checked his father's pulse, heard the ragged breathing. "Just hold on, pa, we'll get you to a doctor!" "V-Vinny... my boy..." "Don't talk, pa, save your strength," the young man reached under Piero's head and hips, and went to lift him up... but it was too late, as the older man sighed and his eyes went distant and dull. "No... no, no, no!" The pair turned back and one pointed to the ex-fixer that owed them, gloved hand spattered with blood. "You got three months, Vinny. Tha's all. If ya haven't paid up by then, next body will be your mother." Vinny snarled, his eyes stung, but he managed to stare with rage-filled gray eyes as the thugs entered a black sedan and started to drive away... Writing Sample Continued   It had been two months since Vinny's father had died. The young man was back in his apartment, rested on the windowsill as he peered out into the street below, a cigarette in one hand. It had been a tough time, on him and his ma, and the rapidly approaching deadline for his debt wasn't helping things. There had also been some unexpected developments, ones Vinny couldn't explain and didn't know if anyone could, really. One that he couldn't share with the people in his life, one that... well, one that let him turn into a freak of nature, by transforming into freaking metal. It's been enough ta make me go crazyflip me lid. Vinny inhaled some of the cigarette; at least he had that to keep him healthy. The situation could have been all the answers Vinny needed, but he wasn't confident about his metal body, he hadn't ironed out the details or even knew just how hard he was. Could he stop bullets, like that kids caped hero in the Action Comics? Could he risk trying it? Still... if Vinny could be bulletproof, that opened a lot of doors for the man, especially the dangerous ones. There was a knock on the door. The irony. With a sigh, Vinny ashed out the smoke and walked across the small living pad. He hadn't been expecting anyone, so he instinctively grabbed for the piece on the table, and tucked the revolver into the back of his belt. Dressed in his white undershirt and black slacks, Vinny figured he was as ready to face the door knocker as he could be - especially if it was more Outfit goons, ready to throw some threats. The knock sounded again. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here--" Vinny said as he opened the door and pulled it open, ready to throwdown. "--don't flip... ya top?" Unexpected, a very attractive redheaded dame stood in the hall, all smiles and eyelashes. Vinny raised an eyebrow. He was unsure of what to do, but at least it wasn't a pair of mooks in hats with more threats. "Mr Vincent Santoni, a pleasure," the woman said with a smirk, as she stepped through the door, the perfume wafted along. "If you don't mind, I need a moment of your time." Vinny blinked, then spun and stomped after the mysterious woman, as he slammed the door. "Wait a sec, doll, who do ya think you are bustin' in here like that?" "An opportunity, Mr Santoni," she responded cooly, as she stopped midway in the living room and turned to face the other. "And let me begin by saying I am aware of your powers, and your situation with the Outfit, and aim to reach an agreement. You will not need the gun in your belt loop." "Huh," Vinny sighed as he also stopped, hands on hips. "So, what, you wearin' a wire or somethin'? Ya tryin' to hoodwink me, miss...?" "You do not need my name, not yet. And no, I am not," she cleared her throat and took out her own cigarette, lighting it. "I am offering you a job. I am putting a team together, one composed of individuals similar to yourself, those with gifts." Suspicious opportunities, it seemed. Not to mention talk about Vinny's developments... "I dunno what ya talkin' 'bout, lady," he said with a shrug. "You some kind of weirdo? Powers, what?" "This opportunity will return great dividends, Mr Santoni," the mystery guest laughed, then pushed on, whether because of confidence or familiarity with the reaction, it was unknown. "And given your circumstances, I would suspect making some money would be sorely needed?" Vinny couldn't deny that. She didn't seem the type to be a spook, she used bigger words and seemed smarter than the suits, which made him wonder if she was the real deal. There was the possibility she was Outfit related, but Vinny had never seen her around before, so he felt confident it wasn't some loyalty test or double cross... "I ain't agreein' to nothin' 'bout no powers or whatever," Vinny said as he crossed his arms. "But I like the color green. So I'm gonna humor you." The redhead smiled, then motioned to the two-seater couch. "Acceptable, for now. We should sit, so I can explain in further detail." Dangerous doors. "A'right, sure, why not." Vinny joined the mystery dame on the seat and listened...

[ArcZero]

Character Concept Farrah Marshall Character Name: Farrah Marshall Aka the Bitter Bombshell Age: 27 Gender: Female Nationality: 3rd generation Chicagoan, largely from the Caribbean. Most of her family arrived in America post-civil war but there are a few members on her father's side who endured slavery. Family has roots here, she's not going anywhere. DM's Note: You said it's a darker game, so I'm okay with playing this more realistically with whatever animosity you're comfortable portraying for the time period. Otherwise handwaving away such tensions are fine with me too. Physical Description: Blue-green eyes, cocoa skin and a signature style with pinned curls and horn-rimmed or catseye glasses would make Farrah a head turner if she wasn't so busy turning pages. A quiet, girl next door kind of beauty. At 5'4" with a small pear-shaped frame, she's pint-sized. She has a fine figure but she prefers to wear plain clothes that don't draw too much attention. That doesn't mean she doesn't take pride in her appearance, she just likes to be proper. When her emotions get high, the color drains from her eyes and hair, as it becomes much longer. Now heavy, soot-like and with a distinct brimstone smell, her hair can flash crimson, white or yellow depending on her mood. Her manner shifts from withdrawn and composed to fiery and impulsive. All together, this has a Clark Kent effect of making it easy for her to be unrecognizable to all when her powers are in effect. Occupation: Recently a librarian at the Hall Branch of the Chicago Public Library. Needed for bigger and better things, she was given the choice between becoming a manager or heading to the larger T. B. Blackstone library as her current position of reference librarian. She does so love the Hall Branch, but she wished to keep helping people directly with their quest for books. It also meant going from a largely black library to one that serves the broader population. That's just a welcome challenge to Farrah. The Bitter Bombshell? Powerset: Farrah will gain the powers of duplication and dense, sooty hair that provides defense and explodes! Both come into effect based on her state of mind: scatter-brained and trying to do too many tasks at once? Whoops there's four of her. If anything so much as a book goes missing, she finds her anger swelling and hair sparking like a dynamite fuse! Backstory: Farrah, her sister Dara and their three other siblings grew up during the Great Depression. She was born just a year after it started. Being the youngest, there was always a bond of camaraderie between the girls. From a young age, Farrah understood that she wasn't owed anything. You had to earn what you got. She's always had a strong moral compass and work ethic, but little drive to ask for things herself or to take more than she was owed. Was it partially a response to being overlooked by siblings embroiled in their more grown-up lives or busy parents who loved them very much but had a tough love approach? Industry had continued in the Windy City, but many of the fancier new buildings were being placed on the North side. For these sisters, getting the best options meant attending Chicago Teacher's College (now known as Chicago State University). Farrah kept her head down and thrived in her studies from a young age. Any assignment where she could organize her thoughts, research and report them concisely made her happy. She indeed capitalized on her acumen and attended the school for library science. She was not the first African American woman to blaze these trails and she would not be the last. Even before graduating she had the chance to intern at the Hall branch of the Chicago Public Library system. Getting to spend all her time around books was a dream come true. Bullying certainly happened for her but her sister took the worst of it and struggled more with school in general. Despite being the youngest sister by two years, this made Farrah very protective of her. Not that she could stand up to big kids in a fight, but she could boost her sister's spirits and have her back. Deep down Farrah may have wished to give them what for, but her small frame and second class status always made direct confrontation a non-option in her mind. The expectations of the Marshall family weren't so different with some members falling on hard times and others succeeding. Only by sticking together could they all get through it. With few other aspirations, Farrah had little luck in love being consumed by work as she was. She had her parent's praise and she wouldn't give that up for anything. When she got the offer to be promoted to manager or to make a lateral move to a larger library, she took it. Her uncle and mother were so proud seeing her pay her dues that they scrounged together to get raffle tickets for a better shot at seeing the MURD event in person. Her uncle worked at Olympus Power and they were lucky enough to get two employee tickets to the event. Farrah was so happy to attend with him. Technology may not be her favorite topic, but this was undoubtedly an event on the precipice of a new era. Her parents insisted that is where she was in her life as well. Unfortunately, the event wasn't anything like people expected. Though she was introduced to the dazzling Michael Williams, a well-to-do and single engineer at Olympus Corp. Having met only twice since the incident, it is still unclear if they will simply be acquaintances or romantic interests. He has asked several times if she's experienced any malodorous effects from that day. As hard to reach as the busy man is, he may be her main lifeline to helping her uncle recover from his coma. The way her unbidden powers are shaping up, she won't be able to lie low in her quiet life for much longer. The feelings and emotions that well up in her since the MURDering are so strong they're almost unrecognizable to the wallflower. They push her to get even and get mad at those she never would have before, quite at odds with her turn-the-other-cheek temperance view. And once this pseudo-alter ego of hers learns it can just blow up whatever gets in her way, honey, she has a big storm coming! Boons: Farrah wants to read every book and try every cocktail. A casual mixologist in her free time, she will often pair an Irish whiskey or spiked iced tea with a whole stack of references that she needs to get through. She may like her own company best on a quiet Saturday afternoon, but she also loves nurturing young and old minds alike. In her dream library, there will be no misplaced books and she'll recognize each one like an old friend. A long line of young, starry-eyed readers coming in for the first time and leaving excited to try a new book. Fine apparel and hairstyles also catch her eye, even if she likes to wear plain clothing, having a fine evening gown or five is a young lady's prerogative. In addition to these, she loves puzzles. The Times crossword puzzle, the conventional sort, Scrabble (it was only 20 years old at this point), dominoes, she enjoys it all. Only she is repulsed by betting games. Losing or winning money is very unlady-like in her opinion. In keeping with this, she is a god-fearing woman with her family almost entirely going to Methodist churches. This drives her to do good and serve as an example more than it pushes her to proselytize. Malus: Disorder is her enemy. She can't leave a book out of place or a drink without a coaster. As independent as she can be, she fears being alone. She rides the tram and goes to diners wishing to meet people but often finds books better company. Confrontation is a stressful thing for her. If possible, she would rather just work harder to shoulder someone else's burden. And as silly as it is, deep water and sea creatures scare her, be it whales, octopi or sharks. On top of all that, this Bombshell business is about to become the most nerve-wracking thing in her life. Complications Motivation: Perfectly Proper Farrah is a perfectionist in all things from cooking to how she laces her shoes. If she can't do something correctly, she'll either give up or work hard to get it right, often obsessing over things others glaze right over. She also strives to be a model citizen and a proper (unmarried) lady. It seems to be less in order to avoid racial animus from others and more because she simply respects order and being a decent, stand-up person. Her parents raised her right. If she says she's going to do something, by Jove she's going to do it. Power Source Farrah's state of mind and emotions fuel her powers. If she's in danger or stressed, she can't help but use them. If the stakes aren't high enough, she may struggle to mount an offensive at all. Doubtless this will cause problems in her work and personal life as well as any theoretical caped crusading. Family Farrah's family is very important to her. Be it a backyard get together, picking up a niece or nephew from school or preparing a speech on a family member's behalf, there's no end to the demands put on her as part of the Marshall family. It's not all bad though, they can also be a very loving family. If they were ever in danger, she would move mountains to protect them. Uncle In A Coma Farrah will spend many an evening at her uncle's comatose side, bringing flowers and reading books and the newspaper to him. She feels responsible since he and her mother worked hard to put her at the MURD unveilling. And she will spend sleepless nights in the library digging up anything she can that may lead to explaining his condition and what happened that day. Wallflower/Hellcat Farrah is very sweet and mild-mannered, often putting others over herself. This means she can get saddled with the busy work and struggles to shine in social situations. On the other hand, when her powers are in effect, her emotions are much stronger than she's used to. They rip through her, driving her to confront others over minor offenses and get even on her grudges. Whatever doesn't sit right with Farrah is sure as sassafras going to be brought up by the Bombshell. It's almost like she's a different person when her hair's smoking... Player Connections Anne Ritter by Ysolde: Ever since the MURD unveiling, Farrah hasn't gotten much restful sleep. Her uncle being in a coma from his exposure to the explosion has her worried sick. Luckily Dr. Ritter is one of the doctors (or the primary) in charge of his care. The fair-skinned, no-frills woman is probably shorter than Farrah but she seems extremely capable. Farrah's been picking her brain endlessly for answers on her uncle's condition. Bridget Donnelly by Lorelei: While researching out of the way in a library, Farrah came across Bri and insisted on helping despite the material's sensitive nature. The fiery reporter who cuts past red tape and the dilligent worker who stays out of trouble could hardly be more different but they both have a profound respect for the truth. Farrah has been helping her with occasional research on her stories for a year now, but Farrah may be forced to ask the journalist some dangerous questions of her own. Dermot Walsh by DraconigenaArma: Since Farrah started working at T.B. Blackstone library, she's noticed an interesting man hanging around the fiction section. He has made requests for baseball biographies and pulp serials. Apparently he's on the lookout for books to read to his wife. How charming! They're only acquaintances, but in the wake of the MURDering it will be a welcome distraction to find books for this unassuming man. Duncan Mercer by Hound: While assisting with one of the Hall Branch's public service classes on basic cooking, Farrah met Duncan, an absolutely hopeless man who knew nothing but heating a can on a stovetop and eating out of it. Despite his brusque manner and long braids and a beard in the post-war era?!?unusual style, his determination to learn and keep trying endeared him to her. After two months of attending the life skill classes offered at the library, he's now able to make a decent meal for himself. They have a budding friendship even if his macho bullheadedness drives her up the wall. Contacts   Family Uncle Aaron: A hardworking man on her father's side. He's never missed a day at Olympus Power until the accident. Luckily they both survived but Aaron winds up in the hospital for weeks, his recovery uncertain. Farrah and Dara go out of their way to wait by the side of their favorite uncle. Sister Dara: Always funny and well-meaning, her life is a never-ending cavalcade of half-disasters. Wrongful arrests, cases of mistaken identity, a piano falling on her car out of a seven story building, it's all happened to her. It's likely this misfortune is going to get her in trouble with her job or a harmless "what if I gamble a little" mishap that turns into her being seriously in debt. One way or another, her younger sister is doubtless going to be needed to save her. Mom and Pop Marshall: Mom was a nurse and Pop a fireman. Service to the community, family and church was a never-ending litany in their house. They refused any attempts by their children to take the easy way out or play hooky. Sunday dinners were had around the tiny TV. It could be a good talk or a bad talk, that was the choice you got. The only thing that they're unhappy with Farrah about is her moving out on her own before wedlock. Big Cousincuz Liam: Liam is from her mom's side. Her other uncle married an Italian woman from New York and they run their house very differently that her own. He's a hothead and never one to take crap from another, be it figures of authority, a counselor or family members. He felt alone growing up and had to do things on his own with his dad drinking heavily. As a result, Liam makes his own rules in a very un-Marshall-like way even as he's one of Granny's favorite grandkids. He's even made it clear to Farrah that he doesn't intend to stay within the legal bounds of society to make a living. And what if this organization has MURDers and illicit munitions at its heart? Setting him on the straight and narrow won't be so simple. Granny Lakresha: The full-blooded Jamaican matriarch of the Marshall family. Old as stone though she doesn't look much older than her daughters. The main way she shows her wisdom is the deliberate way she speaks, her gentle smile and the terrible eye she can cast upon you if you act out of line. Work New manager James Thurgood: A pristine man of English descent, James is still new to Chicago with his Yorkshire accent intact. He says no errors are allowed, but there is usually a little twinkle in his eye when he says this. He just wants to hear what odd story resulted in their current predicament. If life post-MURD is going to be as chaotic as Farrah expects, this man's temperance and good humor will be essential to her survival at this new position. Librarian's Assistant Eli: A thoughtful but easily distracted Jewish man. He and Farrah get along very well, able to trade references on book locations. They often play a game of guessing the exact place in the Dewey Decimal System a given book will be. He may be a forgetful putz, but his memory for books is comparable to Farrah's. Rival Librarian Ruth: Ruth Albrecht is just a catty person all around. She thinks Farrah is too big for her britches and doesn't let her forget it. While others are very kind in this hardworking library environment, it is largely Ruth and the hecklers who prefer to gossip and hold grudges rather than simply wiping the slate clean and getting their work done. As far as Farrah knows, she's a normal human, but her superhuman capacity for pettiness rivals any of those stories heard about masterminds in pulp serials. And if she happened to be at the MURD unveiling? She wouldn't hesitate to make it personal and try to ruin Farrah's day and life with her Doubtless sonic-based and giving her a super-persuasive voice which she will abuse in the most destructive of ways.newfound powers. Who cares if as far as she knows Farrah is a normal human and she'd be a MURDer bullying her, Ruth is that petty. Friends and Acquaintances Big Mack: The black owner of the Big Mack Burger Shack. He is as gregarious as he is rotund. On her frequent visits, Big Mack often serves up more rumors and dating prospects to her than he does food! Pastor Lyndon: The kind pastor of their Methodist church, Pastor Lyndon is the first to ask how Farrah is doing. A beacon of peace in a tumultuous world. He's also the first to ask her to use her "way with words" and "gentle grace" to nudge a troubled member of the congregation in the right direction. Loretta Ann: A childhood friend of Farrah's. They still get together for coffee or tea bi-weekly. She is a big proponent of "A smokin' gal like you getting married to a strapping man in Accountingfigures like I did." Her current agenda is hearing everything about this Michael Williams. Michael Williams: A well spoken and surprisingly high-ranking African American engineer of Olympus Corp. A man of means and 34 years old, he has some strange theoretical physics or engineering job or the like. Uncle Aaron introduced him to his niece Farrah on the night of the unveiling. A brilliant wit and intellect to be sure, his continued interest in Farrah seems to extend beyond just dating. He's enigmatic and a very busy man, but her best dating prospect so far. Writing Sample   Farrah Marshall's been living on her own for two weeks since she got the Reference Librarian position (and one week post-MURDer). It's enough to get by. She values her independence and she's careful who she gives her address to. So when a strange redhead shows up acting officious and rattling off secrets so painful that Farrah hasn't told anyone yet, all she can do is stare in disbelief. She seems to know more about her MURDering powers than she does herself. She even has the temerity to offer some strange mercenary position to her. Likely criminal activity or some clandestine three letter agency. Gingerly, Farrah holds up a hand as she presses into the back of the door and tries to explain, "That is wonderful news, ma'am. I appreciate the offer but I am afraid I just entered a new position and I will... need to... stay there." The woman's withering glare cuts right through Farrah's excuses. The dossier in her hand makes it clear that she's been hand-picked for this. None of it makes sense. The woman sweetens the deal by mentioning handsome monetary opportunities. Farrah's first thought is mentioned almost right away. Her nerves are rapidly fraying and she feels the irresistible urge to lash out. A last hope, she inquires, "Is this a salaried position? Do you have people that I can reach out to about your credentials?" Not only does the redhead's only answer consist of a smirk, she raises the stakes dramatically by making it clear she is willing and able to report her to the authorities. So far Farrah has done a fine job of ignoring this "new life" of hers and gone about working at the new library. Surely if she doesn't acknowledge these strange abilities, they will go away on their own. The threat pushes her well over the edge. The quiet Farrah grits her teeth, hair slipping free of her pins as the smell of brimstone wafts over them. Palpable heat and smoke begins to pour from the woman as she rips her glasses off her face for fear of melting them. She raises a hand, about to point. She heavily considers it, trying to contain herself as the redhead simply smiles. This mutagenic reaction is all the evidence she needs to show this is a genuine MURDer in her presence. The redhead's arrogant look is the final straw. Two more Farrahs emerge from the first one, a big pile of acrid, scorching hair. They gesticulate wildly at the intruder, stopping short of cussing. Farrah raises her finger and shakes, hair lighting yellow and sparking, an explosion mere moments away. Finally the redhead realizes the situation she is in. As cunning as she may be, she's not ready to die here on a suburban doorstep in South Chicago on a talent scouting. She holds up her hands, mostly keeping her cool, "Ah you are right. I didn't mean that last part. Made it all up. Just please, take this card and reach out. You will be very impressed and I swear we are on a mission for good." Oh. Chests heaving, the three Farrahs fume in unison. Logic slowly trickles through their heads. They would really like to not destroy their apartment! They take a few deep breaths and look to each other. One goes to the kitchen to make a pot of tea, another goes to the closet, hand casually resting on the trusty baseball bat contemplating revenge. The third Farrah still clings to the door that now has a fine coating of soot. Her eyes grow tired and she simply nods, grabbing a metal tin on the entry hall table that the business card can be pitched in. She mutters, "I'll speak to them, but please don't scare me like that again ma'am..." She won't give up the job she has for anything, but this does seem to be a very pressing issue.

[Remorazz]

Myndo Character Name: Charlie "Myndo" Marton Age: 34 (but looks at least 10 years older due to stress) Gender: Male Nationality: American of Hungarian descent Occupation: Used to work in a bank, now employed by mobsters Powerset: Telepathy shenanigans (Mindreading, Memory Alteration, general telepathy) Physical Description: Short, bug-eyed with mild strabismus, with a few extra pounds and he's starting balding, quite rapidly it seems. Charles was definitely not lucky in the appearance department. He always looks nervous and sweaty, which he usually is, ad talks with an acute voice that gets a bit stutter-y when he's stressed. Backstory: Charlie Marton was a clerk at the Lorre Bank when the CEO got caught stealing millions for the investors. The bank went down, just before christmas, and everyone that worked there became radioactive, in terms of hiring for financial firms (not actually radioactive). That was a big problem, huge. Charlie's wife, Dolores, loves money, and loves Charles when he buys her pretty things and takes her out to nice restaurants (she's a terrible cook, by the way) and hates.. well.. when he doesn't do those things. They had plans to see the big MURD thing together, but she was nowhere to be found that day. He hoped to see her there, or the denial in him hoped that. Then the whole shabang happened. It was utter chaos. Charles ran home partially pushed there by the mass of panicking people. Dolores wasn't there, but with the shock, both physical and emotional of witnessing that explosion, he fainted on the sofa. The morning after the smell of burnt coffee woke him up. Dolores was there and wasn't impressed by Charlie's tale. She didn't feel like explaining her abscence either, but that's where the powers kicked in. Charlie saw her cheating on him almost like he was there and heard her voice almost like she was talking to him *..you'll never know what I did..* Shocked, he bolted out of the apartment and still in shock, he roamed the streets. As he wandered aimlessly, he noticed more and more that when he focused on someone, he could read their thoughts, but incredibly, that was less important than winning back the affection of his wife. Money, he needed money. As he was about to venture in the shady part of town he remembered that a colleague of his mentioned a bar that was a front for a gambling den. Poker and mindreading? Ka-ching! Best idea ever! Unfortunately he went in too hot and the gangsters overseeing the den became suspicious of this nerdy nobody that never lost a hand and was cleaning up everybody. As the not-so-polite gentlemen were about to break his arms and legs, Charlie saw no alternative than to spill the beans. Actually oversharing quite a bit. After a few demonstrations, he was left in a closet with a gag over his mouth, being taken out a few hours later as a new gangster, clearly more important, wanted proof. And so, Charlie became Big Mo's truth-finder. Whenever the mobster needed to find the truth from his own men or from someone that didn't respond to the usual.. techniques, he would ring up Charlie, in code Myndo, to see who was naughty and who was nice Boons: Cigarettes (ehi, it's the late 50s!), Big ballons at the parades (definitely something about freedom there), the idea of the classic american family as portrayed by the ads on tv, reading, Dolores, getting out from under Big Mo's thumb. Malus: Violence, blood, being trapped, Dolores Contacts: -Big Mo: Italian mobster, ruthless, but overall a reasonable monster, currently a benefactor and tormentor of Myndo (Big Mo came up with the great name) -Richie "The-Slap": Lower level mobster, the guy who 'discovered' Myndo, owes a debt of gratitude with Charlie as he helped Richie with some family (as in blood-related family) business, but wouldn't step on Big Mo's toes for it -Dolores: Ugh, talk about toxic relationships.. Charlie's wife and terrible human being -Steven Myers, ex-colleague, Charles helped him find a new job (legal) with his new skills, without steven knowing the last part, of course Complications: The aversion to violence is a self-fulfilling prophecy here.. but aside from that we have Big Mo that feels like he can order Charles around on a whim and Dolores that .. well.. the same, really, but can also inflict terrible emotional damage just as easily Writing Sample: The Red woman "What do you w-want lady?" Charlie asked when he understood that it wasn't a courtesy visit. "If you are who I'm looking for you don't need to ask, Mynd-o. Terrible name, by the way." the woman entered the flat with the confidence of a bowling ball. Charlie gulped as she mentioned his made-up name "I-I didn't have a choice.." he muttered and closed his eyes to focus on her *..damn.. it's so much harder if I can't see their eyes..* but after a second he decreed: "I-I can't. Mr. Mo wou-""Don't you worry about Big Mo." she interrupted as she sat down at the dining table. "Me and Mo have angreement, I can rent your services as long as I don't interfere with his business." "Th-that doesn't me-mean that..""Oh yes it does." she interrupted again as she lit up a sigarette and watched the sweaty man tremble as he was feeling trapped. *..a bit of the carrot now..* "Word around town is that your wife has an expensive taste. I have big money on the table, and a slice of that can buy a lot of pretty things.so what will it be?" He bit his lip the things he seen in the months he started helping out Big Mo in the last months still made his stomach turn, but it's true, he needed the money. "I'll do it." he said, resigned as bitter. "Splendid honey. I'll be in touch with the details. You'll meet with some other special MURD-ruffians to help with task. Toodooloo!"

[Remorazz]

By the time I saw the ad and made my application there were two new one!

Good sign

Btw, what edition are we in?

[Boss Nadar]

Ho boy, what a flurry of activity! Lets see what we've got!

BlackDragon0 That helps a lot, thank you!

EMIW Re: contacts, that looks good! And as for relinquishing control over your powers to me?

DraconigenaArma Huh, look at that. The Cardinals were a Chicago team until 1960. You learn something new every day. My only concern is that, as written, Dermot doesn't really have a "pull" to get involved-no ties to the mafia, Olympus corp, or motivation beyond living a good, quiet life. As a sandbox game, if Dermot is determined to keep his head down, and has a power as subtle as he does, he's likely to succeed. Sure, some trouble could come to his neighborhood that he has to get involved with, but if threatening that idyllic lifestyle is the only way to rouse him to action, then I'm gonna have to threaten them nearly every day and twice on Sunday to keep you engaged!

Hexcursed Looks good! Only thing that's blatantly missing is a reason for you to be at the MURD event-you could say that your job was near the harbor and you were working that day, but if that's the case, you might be out of a job after it goes off. Otherwise, it'd be your day off, so perhaps you were there with friends, or a 'bad influence' sneaking out? Just some suggestions, how you want to start your superpowered career is up to you!

Rockerboy While I intend to take some creative liberties with history for plot purposes, I do intend to keep things as close to historical as can be pre MURD, so if you reference real world events, I'll probably use them. Other than that, I see you went in a different direction with the writing sample, but I liked it regardless. You may want to change some of the timescales, however, as after the prologue, the campaign's gonna have a 3 month timeskip- with a 2 month deadline after a few weeks of rest, that day will either have already passed or be literally around the corner by the time the campaign proper starts. Finally, given EMIW's link to the outfit, you might want to talk with them and see if the two of you might know each other. Its not required, but could create an organic reason for the two of you to meet up.

ArcZero Racism (and sexism) is sadly alive and well in the 50's, but has mostly been eclipsed by the fear of MURDers. You can probably expect a few remarks, maybe the occasional bout of blatant bigotry, but most people will have too many other concerns to be worried about. As for post length, two detailed, thought out posts a week is a perfectly acceptable rate for me, but oftentimes during combat and in conversations, posts might be shorter and back-and-forth, so the level of detail will vary dynamically as the campaign progresses. Everyone will be starting in their own separate threads, and you could go quite some time without ever meeting another player. However, I don't plan on making any of the threads secret (though a few posts may be if a player is doing something they want to keep secret!), so you will be able to read up on what all the other players are doing-keeping them separate is simply a logistical measure, to make it easier for me to read and separate all the different stories. Of course, I expect players to avoid metagaming, and if you're worried about being able to separate player and character information, you can always choose to simply not read the other threads to avoid the temptation. And don't worry, you'll not be at PL6 very long-the idea is just to capture the "growing phase", where you're all still figuring the ins and outs of your powers. You'll be PL 8 before you know it, and I expect the campaign to get to PL 10-12 for the main body, but the avengers all had their individual comics before the team-up! In regards to your application itself, bravo, I really like what you've written. My only concern, which you did touch on yourself, is that her motivation to keep her nose to the grindstone and just move on with life quietly does mean trouble will have to mostly come find you rather than the reverse. However, your uncle working at Olympus does give me at least one thread I can pull, and hopefully once the Bitter Bombshell is dragged into the Chicago MURDer scene, she'll find it difficult to leave.

Remorazz Activity certainly seems to come in bursts, doesn't it? I certainly won't complain. To your question, we will be using 3rd edition MnM rules. Onto your application! I'm getting strong 'Arnold Wesker' vibes from him-how much more pressure can the poor man take before he pops? Are you planning on having Charlie undergo such an event? Maybe developing some sort of psychosis? Or are you going to play it straight and have him be the mighty meek for most of the campaign? Either way is fine, just curious as to what I should expect. Also love that you have Dolores listed as both a boon and a malus. I was going to suggest that you talk with Rockerboy since you both are involved with the mob, but since he's basically out following the MURD, and the aftereffects of the MURD is what got you involved in the first place, the two of you will have just missed each other. Still, it certainly creates opportunities to have you awkwardly meet .

Everybody Now that we have a stockpile of excellent apps, I feel confident in putting an official due date of 23:59 Central Time, November 24th.. A bit under 3 weeks before I make my final selections, and invite you all to step through Pandora's Door!

[HexCursed]

Originally Posted by Boss Nadar

Being there seemed natural because it was the biggest event to happen in Chitown. Going with some friends (mixed company... but don't tell daddy) would probably have been her reasoning. They were intending to make a social fathering out of it - a shared experience with friends. Going on her day off would make the most sense, though if the even was in the early to mid-morning that could work too.

[ArcZero]

@Boss Nadar Ah fair enough, a greater threat unites us kind of thing? Just some occasional trouble works. . Being able to read but separate threads definitely works. Sweet, I do enjoy those first baby steps of power, as long as it's not something that needs to be perfectly balanced like worrying about always having your defenses and attack/damage capped for you power level. I feel like there is a lot of potential for M&M to worry less about the exact balance and focus on a new power that's having an effect on their life.

I don't know the ins and outs of it, if only those there at the event can develop the powers but I left it pretty open for the cousin to get involved in something nefarious. If she learns that he's in a gang that could pull her in to trying to stop him. Her sister may fall on hard times and I leave it up to you if the uncle develops something after his recovery/coma. I like having those possibilities but not dictating to you who or what and kind of discovering along the way.

I wrote that scene as her being very new to it, but clearly she's in denial if she thinks she can hide something so explosive. It's just a matter of time for her to have a meltdown at work or something. So I see some Daily Planet shenanigans happening. Trying to stay normal at work but ultimately being unable to hide it.

[AlphaZ]

I had this one character, a long time ago... things have changed a lot since then. But some things always stay the same.

Dr Holland Character Name: Dr Augustus Holland, aka Sandman Age: 42 Gender: Male Nationality: English Physical Description: An English gentleman if there ever was one, Dr Holland is always well groomed and sharply dressed. Dark hair contrasts his light complexion while glasses frame his aging but inquisitive eyes. Around his neck he wears a pendant often used in his hypnotherapy practice. Occupation: Augustus is a doctor of psychology in England, pioneering the fields of hypnosis and dream therapy. He's reasonably successful and well-known enough within his niche, but to the layperson his work would at least qualify as obscure, if not absurd. Powerset: psychic powers, altered physiology Backstory: Augustus was born into money, and indeed enjoys the benefits of a fairly generous estate, but family money is not the same as personal money, and England is quite far from Chicago. Still, this afforded him a high quality education that lead to his current experimental research into hypnosis and dream therapy. The subconscious, he believes, holds more power than the conscious mind can even comprehend. It need only be accessed in the right ways. Whether or not it's true, the books he's written on the subject are both a conversation piece and status symbol among English well-to-dos. When he was younger, Augustus was involved with a maid working at the family estate. Though they turned a blind eye at first, when the maid came up pregnant, she was sent away to America to sweep the whole thing under the rug and avoid public embarrassment. A few years ago, feeling the need to atone for the past and consider his legacy, he sent a man to find the daughter he never met. It took time, but he found her living in Chicago and working for Olympus Power. After some deliberation he set sail for America and set out to make amends. As it happened, the unveiling of the MURD was scheduled the same week. If he hurried, he could be there to support her in this historic moment. But things didn't go quite to plan. When he arrived, unexpected and unannounced, they immediately began to argue. Augustus took a walk along the beach to clear his head. And that's the last thing he remembers before the incident. Boons: The Finer Things - Augustus is accustomed to a certain level of comfort. Old Churches - Although not religious, Augustus appreciates them for their architecture and as a quiet place to think. Books - He's well-read and enjoys little more than some quiet time with a good book. He prefers non-fiction. Family - He came to America to find his daughter, and now she's gone missing. He wants to find her and bring her home to England. Appearances - He needs to keep his altered nature a secret. Not just to evade police, but to avoid scandal that could complicate his established family and career. Malus: Communism - Coming from an established family, he generally finds communists to be little more than jealous mobs. Religion - His mother is a devout Catholic, but he is himself an atheist. He can agree with Marx on that point at least. Criminals - Whether petty thieves or crime families, he has no taste for those who harm others or pursue ill-gotten gains. Parties - He doesn't mingle well. Unless it happens to be a party for psychologists. The water - He doesn't like being wet and gets seasick easily. The journey over was made possible by valium. Contacts: Emily Holland - hard-nosed matriarch of the family and Augustus's own mother, Melinda fiercely guards the family's reputation and social status. She dresses like she's trying to one-up the queen. Deborah Wright - personal assistant to the VP of planning at Olympus Power and Augustus Holland's daughter. He just showed up in her life one day when she was very busy. Poor timing for a man she had no care to meet. Henry Lawrence - do-it-all man for the Holland family. He tracked down Deborah for Augustus. He grew up in Atlanta, so American cities come easy to him. He's tracking down a pickpocket that has temporarily deprived Augustus of his money and resources. Complications: Away from Home - He's not in England anymore, and as such he has fewer contacts and resources to leverage. His local knowledge is also limited. Missing Daughter - The last and only time he spoke to his daughter, they had a bit of a fight. Now in the wake of the MURD incident she's gone missing. Mr Lawrence - Henry left America years ago, but never spoke about why. Now that he's back, he might find his past still waiting for him. That could be an issue for Augustus. Nearsighted - He's not blind without his glasses, but things do get a bit blurry past arm's length. Writing Sample: Lightning flashes against the rain-streaked windows of his upstairs study as Augustus paces the soft cashmere carpet in polished black-leather oxford shoes. Already the sun had set, leaving the study dark but for a desk lamp and the occasional lightning from the storm. He walks quietly back and forth, pondering the implications of his latest discoveries. At least, that's what he should be thinking about, with a half-finished manuscript languishing on his writing desk for weeks now. But his mind always drifts back towards his daughter. A sudden knocking at the door splits his concentration. Hurriedly he moves for the door and twists the knob, pulling it open expectantly. "Did you hear anything--" He starts to ask, before realizing this is not his man. In fact it is not a man at all, but a tall and slender beauty with flowing red locks and a coy smile. Quite beyond the indiscretions of his youth, Augustus is more cautious than intrigued. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" Of course he didn't really have to ask, not anymore, but it's still polite. The woman introduces herself and lays out her offer, all the while Augustus probing for the truth behind the words. The fact that she'd come across the ocean carries a certain weight. She could be attempting to trick him, to bring him back to the American authorities to be dissected and studied. But no, she wasn't lying. Her threat feels a bit empty, but even if they couldn't disappear him from the relative safety of his family's estate, the scandal could define the rest of his years. It's a complication he doesn't need. "I'll consider your offer, but consider mine. I don't need the money. What I need is to be left alone. Whoever you are, and however you found out about me, if I do this job, you must burn your records and erase my name from everything. I do not exist to you. I am not, and will never confess to being, what you accuse me of. But I will help you if you can agree to this." He says, even with due suspicion yet weighing on his mind. But one other thing weights heavier. "And one more thing: you must help me find my daughter."

Connections (verified) Vinny - An ambitious, desperate former mobster like Vinny could spot a well-off fish out of water like Augustus from a mile away. The man is clearly not from around here, and he's digging deep looking for something. If Vinny can fleece this guy and spin it as protecting the family from some kind of snoop, that might be his whole ticket out of trouble. Henry Cobb - The Holland family in London is well established and likely rubs elbows with the Cobbs, or at least claims to. In truth the Hollands are comfortable old money, not ultra-wealthy ostentacious American capitalists, so their circles likely do some turning up their noses at each other. Even so, an amount of name dropping and declined invitations are expected. Aleqasina Smith - Just before the MURD incident, a street urchin picked Augustus' pocket and left him in somewhat of a bind. Henry is checking every dark alley within 10 miles looking for her. In the meantime, Augustus is stuck squatting in his estranged and missing daughter's apartment and driving her car.

Connection ideas (unverified) Bridget Donnelly - An investigative journalist might just have the chops to help Augustus with his search. Once he shares his plight and opens his pocketbook, he's sure she'll be willing to find him some leads.

[Rockerboy]

Originally Posted by Boss Nadar

I can make adjustments, for sure, I'llmake it 3 months to align with the prologue. I had considered keeping Vinny in the Mafia proper, but thought having the potential to go either way (he does well and gets back in, or doesn't and things get worse) gave you the most to work with, if he's selected.

And more than happy to connect with EMIW's character, having IC connections is always fun!

And the sample was mainly just to add some grief and tragedy to Vinny's potential start, but also to establish his crossroads situation; but if you have a preference on the Mafia angle (being in fully, or being on the out like the bio sits currently) I can adjust and provide the meeting sample instead. Just let me know and I can make changes, no problems!

@EMIW: Would you be interested in Vinny having xrossed paths with Rudy? Maybe he was sent to strong arm or something? Or maybe they were both caught up in the Mafia leadership change that caused some mutual recognition of their situations? Or maybe when they were both on the out, they could have found some common ground and formed more of a friendship (like the Mafia outers frequenting the bar)?

@Remorazz: What if Vinny was interrogated by Charlie, back when the incident took out the cash/car of the Mafia, because the head honchos wanted to make sure Vinny hadn't stolen it? It could also be a chance for Charlie to see/glimpse that Vinny wasn't happy with how things were going, or the way he was being treated by the new head of the family, which could provide a mutual "our situation sucks and needs to change" connection?

[DraconigenaArma]

You make a good point, I suppose, if staying unknown remained his primary influence the entire campaign. That would be kind of dull, plus I don't think it's fair for everything to just, "go back to normal" after the first major threat to his family/community. Someone'll find out something, somehow and that will move things. Plus I don't foresee him keeping a secret from his wife for too terribly long, especially a fiery spirited ride-or-die Irish catholic one. So the focus would likely switch more from avoiding exposure in his community to protecting his community, to enriching his community.

Also other details are fluid, such as he could have worked for na Olympus Corp. factory when he has a kid and still does a lot of shipping for them. He could also be in the Teamsters, there's no strong reason he can or can't, and they have always had covert and overt ties to the mob.

[BlackDragon0]

I hope this is M&m 3e. It's the only book I have. Let me know if my ch needs anything else. Or if you just have a idea to throw at me...

[Ysolde]

Character Name: Anne Ritter

Age: 33

Gender: Female

Nationality: Naturalized American (Formerly German)

Physical Description: Anne has short cropped black hair and fair skin. Her eyes are a deep brown and she stands just above five feet. She would smell clean and wear the minimal amount of makeup and even that would only be when she is not working. She doesn't wear any perfume and would most likely smell of the soap she is often using to ensure cleanliness. When not at work she would wear slacks, a blouse, and sensible shoes that are good for walking in.

Occupation: Medical Doctor

Powerset: Biological Manipulation (Heal, Daze, Sleep, Suffocate, (De)Age)

Backstory: Anne grew up in a Jewish household in Germany. She had dreams of being a doctor just like her father and so she went to med school. She finished her residency in 1936 and couldn’t find a job even as a nurse. She emigrated to the United States living with her aunt and uncle in Chicago. She tried to convince the rest of her family to emigrate as well, but they never did so other than her aunt, uncle, niece, and nephew her family is all gone killed by the Nazis.

These days Anne works at the Mary Thompson Hospital for women and children as a doctor. When she has free time she helps take care of her niece and nephew.

Boons: Anne has a deep seated desire to help people. Anne would do nearly anything to ensure that a child or puppy would not suffer. Anne deeply loves her family her aunt, uncle, niece, and nephew mean everything to her.

Malus: Anne hates Nazis, she despises anyone who shows any sort of bigotry. She is a staunch feminist and lesbian who won’t accept being second place or being treated as lesser. Anne is afraid that the government will come for her just like the German Government did, she’s seen pictures of the death camps and has nightmares about showers, so much so she is more likely to take a bath.

Contacts:
Positive Heinrich Ritter, his wife Elspeth, their daughter Ruth, and son Noah. These are all that is left of Anne’s family. Anne’s uncle is a manager at a branch of the First Chicago Bank. He’s thrifty with his money but he knows a lot of people in the financial field. He and his family took Anne in when she came to America.

Positive Doctor Alan Reed - Alan and Anne are good friends who often pretend to be each other’s boyfriend/girlfriend. Alan is gay just like Anne and he, like her, knows that they must keep that secret or potentially lose their jobs. Alan is usually the first person Anne will go to when she needs a surgical consult.

Positive Elaine Frobisher - A nurse at the hospital and Anne’s best female friend. Elaine wants to marry a rich guy but she often has two or thee boyfriends at a time and is always using them for the gifts. She will often try to set Anne up with someone.

Negative Doctor Daniel Becker - Daniel is a somewhat older Jewish surgeon in the hospital. He thought he could just get Anne without a problem but she said ‘no’ and keeps saying ‘no’. He is pretty sure that her and ‘dating’ Alan Reed is a farce but he thinks it’s just so she can avoid him. He’s petty and vindictive.

Negative Doctor Lisle Monroe - Lisle is the head of the Obstetrics unit. A woman came into emergency and he misdiagnosed her. Anne was, at the last minute, able to save 5he woman and her baby’s life. Lisle has never forgiven her despite the fact that her actions saved him.

Negative Chicago Sun Reporter Bradley Himes - Bradley is another rejected suitor and now he has written a few articles about Anne and her participation in various feminist rallies. He also followed her to a local lavender club, but couldn’t get a picture. If he can he will ruin her life.


Complications:
1. Anne has a weakness for pretty women (except when doing her job)
2. Anne’s family doesn’t know she’s gay and knows nothing about her power
3. Anne agrees to watch the kids often and can be called on short notice

Writing Sample: I have asked the woman to sit and given her a drink, appropriate hosting finished I listen to what she has to say. When she is done speaking I stare at the woman a few moments, possibly longer than is polite, but she is attractive and the request she has proposed deserves a few moments of my attention. Deserves more than a few moments with the threat involved.

I sip my drink, my hands shake, but I feel I manage to disguise my fear. Some of the disguise is anger though and that comes through first. “I do not need the money and do not appreciate the threat miss. I very much do not look kindly upon informants especially after what happened to my family.”

I calm myself some taking a breath as I say, “However, I understand that sometimes good people say the wrong thing or make suggestions they did not intend. If this job is of good moral character then I may be convinced to assist you.”

I wait for her response feeling my power, so far I have only used it to heal. I know very well my Hippocratic oath, but I will not allow it to kill me. I will not end up like my father and mother, like my grandparents and my brothers. If she forces my hand I will fight.

[PalladiaMors]

Suuuuuper genius! Name: Madelyn (goes by Maddie) Milano Age: 19 Gender: Female Nationality: All-American, Chicago born and raised, even if the Cubs, Bears, and Cardinals stink this year. At least the Sox are good. Kinda. Occupation: Assistant mechanic and tow driver at Milano's Auto Shop, located in north-central Chicago. "You can drive with confidence with Milano's by your side" as they say on the radio. Powerset: The MURD event may have made Maddie the most intelligent person on the planet. Her intelligence dwarfs that of the average person, she can perform complicated calculations instantly, has perfect photographic memory, and can perform minor feats of precognition based on observable data just as a few examples. But as she has no scientific knowledge or skill beyond fixing cars, any more complicated applications of her power could be a bit unorthodox.   Maddie is a young, attractive woman who tends to defy the cultural norms of the time with her manner of dress and behavior. She's a bit taller than average at 5'6" with a slightly athletic, tomboyish build. Her long, curly, dark brown hair is typically worn loose and wild unless she ties it back while working, with dark brown eyes peeking out from behind her bangs and beneath the brim of an ever-present baseball cap. A pair of overalls, work boots, and t-shirt or tank top are her normal attire when working, along with one of many baseball caps from all over the country that her father keeps in the shop. Otherwise she tends to wear jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket in a combination of the "greaser" look and that of the late James Dean, whose poster she still has hanging in her room. A tomboy through and through, Maddie treats skirts and dresses with great disdain but will relent and wear them for truly special occasions, cleaning up nicely when she does.     Maddie is the third daughter of Greek and Bulgarian immigrants who fled Europe as the decades ticked over into the 1930s. Her older sisters Phoebe and Elena were born in New York City, but the family moved to Chicago before Maddie was born, making her the only true and native Chicagoan of the family. Her father Stefano naturally wanted a son, but it seemed it just wasn't in the cards. Nonetheless he loved his daughters and would do anything for them, moving all the way to Chicago to open up his own auto repair shop and buy a house for the family after working as a grease monkey in a shop in New York and living in a small apartment, saving every penny he could along the way. Phoebe and Elena were the epitome of the all-American girl of the 1950s. They wanted to be Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn and squealed over the likes of Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers. Poodle skirts and colorful blouses were the norm, with both girls always wanting to dress like Marilyn and Jayne from their latest movies only for their parents to emphatically tell them no. But this wasn't the case with Madelyn. Maddie, as she very quickly insisted on being called, would fidget in skirts, roughhouse with the boys in the neighborhood, listen to baseball and football games on the radio whenever they came on, and would go out to the driveway to watch her father work on cars, handing him wrenches and other tools that he would ask for. Her mother didn't approve, but since Maddie's father never had a son, he was content to have a tomboy, figuring it wouldn't last and that Maddie would grow out of it. She's nineteen now though, and still hasn't. Maddie would watch the adventure movies of the 1940s with her father when she was a girl, moving into the sci-fi flicks of the 1950s. She went to the Cubs and Bears games with him at Wrigley field, and even caught a home run ball hit by Hank Sauer once. Her mother's disapproval of these "unladylike" behaviors softened over time. She had two ladylike daughters after all, it was only fair that Stefano have a daddy's girl. Maddie learned all about fixing up cars from watching her father work, and was working as an assistant in his shop when she was thirteen. Her father even taught her how to box with a speed and heavy bag in the back of the shop, but that part they swore each other to secrecy on. Overall life was pretty good for the Milano family. Stefano's auto repair shop had built a reputation for service, quality, and trustworthiness and business was good. He even moved into a larger building with more garage space in 1948, where the shop has been ever since. After graduating from high school, Maddie took on a full-time position as a mechanic in her father's shop, often driving the shop's tow truck or her own jeep out to bring cars into the shop or perform house calls. Many people have doubts about a woman servicing their car but her father is solidly behind her and she lets her work speak for her.   The day of the MURD event started much as any other. Maddie's father was already at the shop with two cars in the bays that needed work. Her mother and her older sister were excitedly making plans for Elena's upcoming wedding, much as Phoebe had done a few years earlier. Maddie's mother would make some not-so-subtle hints that Maddie should be doing the same and moving out on her own as well, but Maddie ignored her nagging. She had a scheduled pickup across town to take care of and was wolfing down some eggs and a bowl of Frosted Flakes, washing it down with a bottle of A&W. Not an appropriate breakfast drink, her mother would scold. Maddie continued to ignore her, she knew what she liked. She rinsed her dishes and was out the door, root beer in hand, hopping into the tow truck in the driveway and pulling out. She hooked up the dented and scraped 48 Lincoln with an engine that wouldn't turn over, got the contact information from the owner, assured him her father would be calling him in the next day or so with an estimate, and hauled it back to the shop, skillfully maneuvering it into one of the remaining bays. One of the cars her father had been working on earlier was done, an arrangement made for Maddie to drive it out there to deliver it with the owner driving her back. That took about an hour at which point she was asked to take her own Jeep to make a house call to fix a busted headlight. It was a busy day, but nothing too bad, and the day passed quickly. That evening Maddie was upstairs listening to her Jerry Lee Lewis record and reading a book when a fateful phone call rang in the house. Her mother answered it, loudly calling up the stairs for Maddie after she did so. Maddie raced downstairs but disappointment washed over her features as she recognized the voice of her sister Elena on the other end. Elena's fiancee Robert was a technician for the Olympus Power Corp and they were having some fancy demonstration tonight that the pair was attending. And naturally Robert, being a technician and engineering marvel, had locked his keys in his car. Maddie really didn't want to deal with going out there to jimmy it open, but she even less wanted to listen to Elena complain if she didn't. After insisting that Elena owed her one Maddie grabbed another A&W from the fridge, shoved her shoes on, grabbed her keys, snagged the first ball cap she came across, and hopped into the tow truck. She found the pair frantically waving her down by Robert's '55 Bel Air. She took a look inside the window to see that sure enough, the keys were right there in the front seat. The trio talked for a bit, Maddie taunting Robert and asking how someone smart enough to be some fancy engineer could keep locking his keys in the car, but it was the friendly taunting of a brother to sister in law relationship. Some fanfare from the site signaled that the grand event was about to begin and Maddie shooed them off so they wouldn't miss anything. She would lock the door and hide the keys behind the right rear wheel she told them, teasingly asking Robert if he knew his right from his left before they left. Once they went inside there was only a quick examination of the lock before she went back to the tow truck. She leaned down to open the box in the floor on the passenger's side where a number of tools were stored, including a Slim Jim. The last thing she thought was that it was crazy how many calls the auto shop got just because some fool had locked his keys in his car. And that was when all hell broke loose. The blast that leveled the auditorium reached all the way to the parking lot, blasting the tow truck's window out with enough force that if Maddie had been sitting upright the shattered glass would have cut right through her like knives. The truck was pushed backwards and over several other cars, rolling and finally landing on its side. There was no sound other than a resounding echo for a moment before debris began to rain down. Chunks of metal and concrete began to fall from the sky, crushing cars all around her. Several landed on the tow truck, crushing various parts of it, but miraculously Maddie had been wedged across the front seat and was protected by a combination of steel and luck. All the street lights went out and an eerie calm washed over the scene for a moment before the screaming began. Maddie had escaped with only a broken forearm from being thrown around in the tow truck. But her sister and Robert weren't so lucky. There weren't even bodies to identify, they were just... gone. The family went into mourning, Maddie attending her sister's funeral with her arm in a sling. They certainly weren't alone, and though everything pointed to the Olympus Power Corp, the silence coming from the company was deafening. There was definitely a cover up in play, with money thrown around to buy silence. But Maddie was certain of one thing - her sister was dead because of them. Despite their surface differences, they had always been close, but in the blink of an eye, because Olympus did something wrong, Elena was just gone. The family didn't even have anything to bury. Maddie wanted to know who was responsible. She wanted to know who to blame. Her parents felt the same, and could only offer prayers of thanks that at least Maddie survived with what was a minor injury compared to what had happened to some who had survived the blast. But there was a great feeling of helplessness and powerlessness. None in the family knew where to begin. It wasn't long afterwards that Maddie began to notice changes. She was far more aware of things than she had been before. She could read the pages of the Tribune in seconds. She took one look at the crossword puzzle and solved it. All of it, with just a glance. Sometimes it felt that she was moving in slow motion as her perception was far faster than the physical world around her. She took a trip to the University of Chicago, visited the library, found the most advanced book on physics she could, and read it. She realized she understood every word of it and could write the contents out from memory with a piece of paper and pencil. These changes didn't happen instantly, they developed over time, but as tales began to emerge of people from the MURD event with extraordinary abilities she was easily able to put two and two together. It wasn't hard for someone of her intellect. Maddie knew what she had, and realized that with these new gifts, she might be able to get to the bottom of what happened and why her sister had died. After all, no matter how intelligent the scientists and lawyers of the company were, she now towered over them on an intellectual level. It would just be a matter of time and finding the clues.     Maddie was born to hold a wrench. She loves fixing and working on cars. She's a big sports fan and has the radio on whenever the Cubs or Sox play. Not quite as excited for football, but she'll probably listen to the Bears if they're on. Otherwise she's a big fan of rock and roll. Elvis is fine, but she prefers the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and this new Johnny Cash guy. Bet he'll go places. She likes movies too. Sci-fi and adventure movies thank you, none of that romantic stuff. Maddie is a soda junkie. She has had the fortune of largely being able to do what she wants with her life, and it's something she doesn't intend to surrender. Dogs, but honestly that should go without saying.   Onions. Maddie HATES onions. She rejects them on sight and if one manages to find its way onto her burger she will remove it by pinching it with her fingers and holding it at arm's length to dispose of it. Being feminine, dolling up, fancy clothing and jewelry, and sweet-smelling perfumes. Maddie hates not being taken seriously when it comes to matters that she's very competent in. This problem might grow along with her powers. Well face it, it will. Maddie hates and fears flying. Her family took a flight to New York when she was young and she hated the entire trip. Cars make sense, but how the hell do planes even stay in the air? She really hates being told what to do. Having her dad tell her to do things as part of her job doesn't count. The Yankees, but honestly that should also go without saying.   Positive - Her family. Maddie is closest with her father Stefano obviously, but is also close with her mother Sofia even though she nags constantly. She's never been that close with her sister Phoebe but they aren't distant either even though Phoebe and her husband moved to Lansing years ago. Their son Joshua loves "Aunt Maddie" when they visit though. Positive - Ian Carroll, leather jacket wearing "bad influence" and street racing enthusiast. They met when Ian brought his prize 1952 Fiat to Milano's for a tune up and Stefano assigned Maddie to the task. Ian was skeptical at first but was quite impressed with her work. She assured him she could improve the racing performance and he took a chance and told her to go for it. A few modifications later and she was proven correct. She attends his races sometimes, to check out her handiwork she insists. They are good friends, always hovering on the edge of something closer, but it just hasn't quite clicked. Positive - Amy Baker, Maddie's best friend from high school. The pair couldn't be less alike, but that's often how these things go. Amy is a smart, mousy girl who helped Maddie with her homework while Maddie would help her with... well... about anything that required any amount of charisma. Today Amy works for Sears and sometimes gets Maddie things at cost using her employee discount. Maddie keeps Amy's '46 Buick running even though Maddie insists it should get the "Old Yeller" treatment. Negative - Bobby Coombs, former classmate. Bobby Coombs was something of a loudmouthed bully in high school. He was on the football team, full of himself, picked on anyone smaller than himself, and thought he was God's gift to women. He would often make fun of Maddie for her "unladylike" manner, which she ignored until she couldn't. One afternoon while he was insulting her and many other students around her she just got fed up and punched him. He yelled. She punched him again. He insisted he wasn't gonna hit a girl, she replied "well I am" and punched him again. He started fighting back, and lost. Maddie echoed Patterson in knocking him down, and he never recovered. Well physically he did of course, but his career as a school bully or as anyone of importance at all was ruined after getting beaten up by a girl. Maddie has forgotten about him but Bobby hasn't. Today he's working for a bank under his rich father, the ideal example of the worst parts of nepotism. Negative - Dixon's Auto, another auto repair place. It isn't a personal dislike, but "Eddie" Dixon has always resented the competition. Dixon's doesn't have the best reputation and some people believe Eddie is involved with some rather nefarious characters. Might it be a front for a mob chop shop? Maybe. Or that might just be rumor. What is known is that Milano's gets a solid 4.5 stars in Shell's travel guide while Dixon's is lucky to get half of that, and Eddie Dixon doesn't like it.   Motivation - Justice: Maddie's sister and would-be brother in law were killed during the MURD event and she blames the Olympus Power Corp for it. She's driven to prove that they were either careless, complicit, or malicious and that hundreds of people died for it, not just for her sister, but for everyone else. Motivation - Responsibility: Maddie was "raised right" and feels the need to do good with the powers she has been given. In a way she feels her sister died to give them to her, and she's determined to not betray that idea. Identity: Maddie hasn't told anyone of her superhuman abilities and plans to keep it that way. Fortunately her powers are of a nature that no normal means should be able to detect them, as she can always just play dumb. But it's still always in the back of her mind. Responsibility: Her father counts on her help with his business and her job is something that Maddie still needs to keep up with. Relationship - Family: Maddie's family still has need of her and with them already suffering a great loss due to the MURD event, she's become protective of those who remain.   Rudy van Weerd: Rudy sometimes finds himself needing to bring his car in for repairs, and takes it to Milano's because they do good work. The pop is the master of the operation, but his daughter Maddie is nearly as good. Though she does work a bit faster, advantage of youth and all that. She'll also make house calls. Charity Ann Sellers: Charity and Maddie grew up in the same suburban neighborhood and have been friends since they were kids. Maddie once pulled an all-nighter fixing the fender on Charity's father's car after Charity got in a small wreck with it, and Charity owes her one. Vincent Santoni: Vincent ran across Maddie at a street racing event. Initially thinking her one of the racer's dolls, he couldn't help but take notice when she was the one who popped the hood of her racer and went to work on it.   Maddie just gave the woman a blank stare. To an observer it would seem that she was at a loss for anything to say, but the truth was that there were countless thoughts all going on at the same time within her head. She studied every movement the woman made, even those that were subconscious. Such things could tell a lot about whether or not she was lying and what she was lying about. Maddie looked past her to see if there was any sign of movement, even a flicker of a shadow. She studied the woman's stance and how she was standing. Within a moment she had a plan formulated for what to do if things went badly and had figured out the optimum place to throw a punch that would have the most impact. Yet the dumbfounded look remained, and her silence only lasted a second or so. "Uh... look lady, if your car needs work, it's best if ya make an appointment. And contrary to what people might think, bein' able to take apart and put together a Chevy engine blindfolded ain't some kinda 'power', it's just bein' a good mechanic. I dunno what kinda game you got goin' on but I think Dixon's is prob'ly gonna be more your speed. And you're gonna tell the authorities what exactly? That I snuck into Wrigley while the Cubs were at practice and stole this hat?" she asks, pulling the Cubs cap from her head for a moment before replacing it. "Uh oh, guess I'm in trouble. Seriously lady, scram. I ain't interested in whatever the hell you're sellin'," she shrugged, pushing the door shut in spite of any objections. Once the redhead left, she'd tail her. What was the woman talking about anyway? The lady knew about Maddie's power? And would tell the authorities? Tell them what, "oh hey that woman who fixes cars is really smart". For one, the cops are just gonna shrug and say "so what?" For another, Maddie had a lot of experience at playing dumb. Nineteen years worth actually. She knew the MURD event had given other people abilities, but those were quite obvious. People flying around, picking up cars, shooting fire from their hands. But Maddie? There was nothing. No tell-tale signs, no light bulb over her head when she got an idea. Which means if this woman did somehow know something, Maddie wanted to know how.