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Ryslig Application - Vicious
OOC INFORMATION
Name: Gem
Contact: vapeslug @ plurk
Age: 31
Other Characters: NONE
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Vicious
Age: Mid-Late Twenties
Canon: Netflix's Cowboy Bebop
Canon Point: Cowboy Bebop: A Syndicate Story: Red Planet Requiem (Prequel Novel) || Chapter 12: 80 Stories Up
Character Information:
From the moment he was born, Vicious would be bound to Mars’ criminal underbelly. Be it due to being born into one of the most powerful and notorious families on Mars, or being thrown to the wolves roaming the streets of Tharsis, his path was always destined to be one of darkness.
But that’s the thing about destiny– it will be what it will be. And it was what it was.
Whether or not his family cared about him enough to give him a real name is not up for question– only his mother loved him enough to bestow upon him a God-given title. Vicious had a name, and it died with her. His father, Caliban, refused to call him anything other than "boy," and Vicious can count on one hand the amount of times he was granted the pleasure of being referred to as "son." His father never wanted children, and did not hesitate to reiterate the sentiment to his face on a number of occasions. Vicious belonged to his mother and his mother alone. She was responsible for this boy's education and extracurriculars, his health and upkeep, all of which were obviously of the highest quality. Nothing but the best for the richest family on Mars.
So when she passed, all of that went with her.
In his father’s eyes, Vicious was not worth the initial investment (childrearing is pretty expensive) or worth any continued investment without the boy pulling his weight and proving himself to him and the world. Vicious understood at a young age that he would struggle to crest the bar his father was continuously pushing just out of his reach. Being “academically gifted” meant nothing; Vicious could bring home straight A’s on his report card and Caliban was the sort of father who would wonder why every one of them wasn’t an A+, citing second place as being the “first loser,” etc. Caliban wanted his son to not just be an overachiever, but unquestionably the best at anything and everything he ever did. If Vicious wasn’t the best, he was nothing.
Vicious spent his entire life wondering why anyone would bother siring a child he would then have no interest in raising on his own. Outside of the fact that his mother was the only one that wanted children, he could never quite understand what kept his father so distant, why he was never allowed to know what exactly “his father’s business” was. He would come to find that his father had only ever been loyal to his job, and owed nothing to his progeny, not even the knowledge of where– or who, exactly– he came from. Even minor questions about what his father did for work were met with derision.
”I only talk business with men. Not boys. This isn’t some father and son store where they repair shoes and have a laugh after work. This is my legacy. Not ours. Do you understand?”
Where his mother gave it freely and without question, the most basic of his father's respect was going to be earned, like it or not. His mother was the one who provided him with all the proper affection and care that a parent should, nurturing his emotions and talents. His father seemed to work hardest at ensuring every bit of his mother’s work would be undone, attempting to bleed Vicious dry of any sensitivities, to guarantee that his progeny would be unburdened by weak and useless emotions, like sadness, love, or empathy. Or perhaps he simply wanted someone else to torture, since his wife would regularly fall prey to her own “weakness” in her attempts to escape him.
Once, when Vicious was young, his father waited two days to tell him that his mother had attempted to end her own life. She’d made the attempt the same day his father sent him off to The Pits. Had Vicious never called home when he did, he would have likely never even known. One of the earlier displays of the callousness and cruelty his father was capable of, when the boy demanded to know why he didn’t at least call, he responded:
What? So we could hug? So I could tell you everything is going to be alright?” Is that what you want to hear? Or do you want to hear the truth? Because the truth is, you’re just like her. You’re weak, too. That’s why I sent you to Lucky. To teach you how to stand up on your own two feet so you don’t end up writhing on the floor in a puddle of your own vomit, begging for attention like she did. She will do it again. And when that time comes, I will not save her. Neither of us will.”
This would not be the last time she made an attempt on her life. The final time, she would succeed, and Vicious would be forced to watch her jump.
Vicious knew his father was heartless, he even called his father a monster, but it seemed that with every passing day, his dad would set a higher bar for what constituted monstrosity. How evil does someone have to be to speak so cruelly about their own chosen life partner, his wife, as she lay dying in front of him? About as evil as they would have to be to send their own flesh and blood child into a metaphorical pit of vipers, to see if he would live or die.
The Pits were an underground adolescent fighting ring where Mars’ richest and most depraved citizens came to bet on the children who were matched against one another to fight (sometimes to the death) for money and meals. Caliban sent his young son into this living hell to, quite literally, have his humanity beaten out of him, to make him a “stronger man,” or to die. Whichever came first. The majority of the boys there had no names, no families to report home to, no roof over their heads, and this was the only place they were at the very least guaranteed to have a way to keep themselves out of the cold for the night. The only thing he had in common with these boys were the numbers they’d been assigned, (Before he was “Vicious” he was simply “Thirteen.”) but otherwise he had never once lived a day without a warm meal or a bed to sleep in, and the boys could tell. Which explained why they didn’t take too kindly to a “spoiled little rich boy” being placed among their ranks.
Living his life under his father, Vicious learned to minimize his existence, speaking quietly, tending to shrink into himself and otherwise make himself as sparse as possible. On his own, he was an educated, well-spoken child with a lot to say, but when displaced from the comfort of his home, he would attempt to keep a low profile and his mouth shut. He shaved his head prior to entering the pits, as to not stand out amongst the other children with his stark white hair. He wore dirty clothes, kept his head down, and otherwise succeeded in blending in amongst the other, less fortunate children. He knew what it took to go unnoticed, but his father sent him in brand new sneakers, making him a target for the other boys almost instantly. Vicious would relent to the first boy (a boy much larger than himself) who demanded those shoes from him, handing them over without a fight. This is the sort of passiveness, the “weakness” his father ridiculed him for and sent him here to ”fix.”
Young Vicious did not find himself completely alone in this hellscape, at least. As fate would have it, he would meet a boy of similar age and unparalleled skill, who would take him under his wing and teach him how to defend himself. The other boys were too afraid to speak to this dark-eyed, expressionless, possibly mute fighter, but would warn Vicious of his abilities, (which Vicious was able to identify as Jeet Kune Do, from his hundred of rewatches of the film Enter the Dragon) suggesting that he too keep his distance. They called him Fearless. He spoke to no one, showed mercy to no one, and never once lost a fight in the months he had already spent in this place. Vicious could only see another quiet boy, whom everyone feared and kept their distance from (which he found...relatable) and sought to challenge that perception. He would befriend this Fearless kid, no matter what these other boys had to say about it.
The lifelong bond formed with this boy appeared to be the only other driving force in Vicious’s life from then on. They would be attached at the hip for nearly two decades. After teaching Vicious the basic ins-and-outs of underground street fighting etiquette, Fearless would allow his new best friend to best him in a match that his father was attending, propping him up and finally giving his father something to be proud of him for. This act set the tone for their entire friendship, and it seemed every person they would meet from then on would come to the same conclusion: Fearless was there to make Vicious look better, more competent, stronger than he was. No one really believed Vicious was truly capable of earning all of his accomplishments. Everyone had all assumed they were being handed to him, like everything was handed to spoiled little rich kids.
Vicious would spend his whole life fighting that perception, while only Fearless would know the truth behind Vicious’ strength. As The Pits granted Fearless his moniker, his time there would bestow upon him the name “Vicious.”
“That’s how you beat me. That’s how you beat anyone. You take it from him. You be vicious."
And Vicious, he became.
Harboring the knowledge that he was guaranteed no inheritance, no love, no respect, nothing from the family he was born into, his father would continue to perform baseline parental duties for him, as he deemed necessary. Unlike Fearless, Vicious did have access to a home and a bed, food and clean clothes, because society knew Caliban had a son, and if they were to see him unkempt or uncared for, for any reason, they would assume Caliban was a neglectful parent. They would still be right, but for other reasons. He still kept his son in an ivory tower, whittling away at his sanity and humanity. What’s the benefit of living in a penthouse full of untouchable, priceless items that no one ever comes to see? After a while, one would start to feel that they are as pointless as this glorified storage room.
“The life of someone who values things more than people. Possessions more than feelings. Like that couch you’re sitting on. You see, that couch is a perfect design. Every stitch. Every seam. But people, people aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. They don’t live up to expectations. Quite often, they let you down.”
“But that’s human nature…”
“The thing is, you can fix furniture. But you can’t fix people. No matter how hard you try, or
where you send them...”
Caliban, as the only remaining member of his family, seems to be the only person in his life whose opinion and respect ranks above Fearless. Vicious spends his entire life putting every bit of effort he could muster into working himself up from nothing, to prove himself worthy of his father’s respect. The bitterness and anger from the loss of his mother (and his father’s willingness to neglect his family’s emotional needs) serve to fuel his desire to reach his ultimate goal: earning his father’s respect, or else.
Despite starting “at the top," with the level of privilege he had been born into, Vicious actually began his syndicate career climb at the very bottom rung, having him cleaning up the messes left behind by assassins. The kind of “janitorial” job one would expect to have in the mob, rolling up marks in priceless oriental carpets and dumping them in industrial compactors to be ground into pulp. Spoiled kids don’t like to get their hands dirty, so point one for Vicious, he would prove that he's perfectly willing to get his hands as dirty as was required to move forward.
By his point in canon, Vicious and Fearless have been tasked with a simple dropoff that turned sour, and framing Vicious for the murder of the most notorious drug dealer in the solar system. A hit has now been put out on Vicious, and Vicious alone, leading him and Fearless to run for their lives while pursuing the one who set them up. After staking out his home and following his every move for days, they come to the conclusion that it must be their own boss, the capo, Dodd, who double-crossed them. He was the one who sent them off on this wild goose chase to begin with, and Vicious’ investigative skills led them right to his door.
After enlisting the help of some ‘friends,’ they were able to get Dodd in their car and back to Vicious’ penthouse, where he would then be tortured for answers up until Vicious accidentally defenestrates him, dropping him out the window, eighty stories high. Members from another gang, the Europa Crew, have begun to swarm the penthouse, with a syndicate sniper aiming at them from a few buildings over. To escape, Fearless has insisted they shimmy their way along the outside of the building and Vicious, disagreeing with his entire being, is frozen on the ledge, paralyzed by his fear of heights. Insisting that this will not be the way they die, Fearless takes a hold of Vicious and makes a leap of faith.
Personality:
Past a certain point, spite does become what drives him. His desire to Prove Himself above all else spurring him towards achieving his goals, no matter what it takes. From the outside, it seems almost every move Vicious makes is towards rising up through the ranks of the syndicate to eventually, to prove to himself and his father that he can be somebody. Not just anybody, but someone to be feared and respected. Truthfully, Vicious has other, much more important goals than simply taking control of the Red Dragon Syndicate. He wants to take control of his life.
While Vicious is a fairly level-headed guy on a good day, he can be triggered into episodes that can result in full-blown panic spirals, sudden bouts of depression, or worse; pure unadulterated rage. His mood doesn’t so much swing as much as it… pivots. He's absolutely fine! ...until he isn't. He’s a sensible person, and can reason with himself when it comes to minor inconveniences– he’s not about to toss a table over an undercooked steak– but blatant disrespect and calling his upbringing or integrity into question can summon the more… sinister emotions to the surface, almost instantly.
Fearless gave those emotions a name, calling it “The Darkness,” for the way Vicious’ entire demeanor seems to shift into something darker, almost villainous. The darkness overshadows Vicious’ rational mind, allowing him to sink into the more malicious side of himself and exact revenge on those who have wronged him more easily. Vicious seems to have very little control of himself when the darkness is at the helm, leading him to make more impulsive or extreme choices when it comes to how he inflicts his punishments on others. He will beat his targets to a pulp, remove digits or limbs, sometimes even taking tattoos as trophies. There’s always a reason for it, however, he isn’t indiscriminate in his rage– if there is anything in the way of him getting to his mark, he will remove it– but he is far from existing as a being of chaos. For either side of Vicious, when a clear goal is in sight, he intends to achieve it, by any means necessary.
Vicious is fairly touchy about his upbringing, since it would seem people already know where he comes from before he has a chance to say anything, himself. They know he lives in a penthouse despite being a “janitor,” they see him as being too well-spoken and sensitive for this line of work, and clearly had to be lowering himself to these standards for the experience. Vicious insists he just has a high work ethic, and that his upbringing should have no impact on how others see him. He works in this business to prove that he can, not just because he’s some rich playboy looking for a thrill. Besides, what the hell’s supposed to be so thrilling about tossing bodies into rivers and driving slimeballs through the streets of Tharsis?
Vicious isn’t as self-important or snobbish as people would expect someone from the affluent side of Tharsis to be, as it was difficult to really enjoy the privilege granted to him with his father berating him about every little thing he did. Vicious did take after his mother in regards to her sentimentality and natural empathy, but he’s also never learned where to direct much of that side of himself without her around. As he’s grown, he’s become a bit of an open book, tending towards sharing overly honest facts about himself, sometimes far too many, and often to the wrong people. Those people usually suggest that he instead see a therapist instead of trauma-dumping on strangers and drinking himself to sleep. This kind of straightforwardness is also a pretty good way to gauge whether or not a ‘new friend’ would be willing to take on such a… project, by befriending him.
Before Fearless, he only had friends that he made at the camps his mother sent him to, but none ever really stuck long-term. After meeting him in The Pits, he and Fearless became fast friends, having bonded through their mutual hardships during their time there. For years to follow they would find odd jobs together, living on and off the streets, committing petty crimes to ensure they would eat, essentially living the street rat life together, save for the occasional time his father would call him home for whatever reason. Every other waking moment, though, was spent with Fearless. By this point in his life, Vicious can’t remember a life without him by his side.
Outside of the validation he sought from his father, the only loyalty Vicious knew prior to entering the syndicate was his steadfast relationship with Fearless. Any choice made, they made together. They would take the fall for each other when necessary, pick the other up when they stumbled. Where one went, the other would follow. Vicious was an only child, but Fearless was his brother.
As brothers are wont to do, they pick petty, pedantic fights over phrases and terms to use when describing things (blood splatter vs. blood squirt) or what the better metaphor to use in regards to stealth (covering oneself in honey to hide from bees when trying to steal the queen, or tying meat to oneself to poach a cub from a pack of lions) to fill most of their idle time. More intense fights with harsher tones and sharper words that would normally result in a physical fight between them are usually quickly resolved with Vicious relenting to Spike’s temper, apologizing for his missteps to clear the air. Fearless doesn’t quite believe in apologies, and Vicious says he’s sorry for things he didn’t even do.
Their balance as friends rests in being surprisingly similar to one another, while varying wildly with their problem solving skills. When one is too brash, the other smooths the situation over. When one is floundering, the other fills in the blanks almost seamlessly. Tossing imperceptible glances at one another that only they can decipher, having full conversations with looks alone. For lack of a better comparison, they share one brain cell, passing it back and forth when the other needs it.
Despite their differences, Vicious believes they are of the same blood; two angels cast from heaven, two devils making the best of hell.
5-10 Key Character Traits:
-Goal-Oriented
-Codependent
-Loyal
-Moody
-Introspective
-Pedantic
-Cunning
-Vengeful
-Acrophobic
Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, EITHER, or opt for 100% RANDOMIZATION? Fits, please~!
Opt-Outs:
Lich
Simulacrum
Goblin
Troll
Slime
Arachne
Roleplay Sample: From January's TDM
REVISION
Upon further consideration I would like to remove the two non-traits as well as "moody" because the justification for it is actually related to his introspection. I’d also like to replace “cunning,” as it was absolutely the incorrect descriptor. Instead, I’d like to add Spiteful in its place.
Spiteful- Almost everything Vicious has achieved, he’s achieved out of spite. His exemplary grades were from his father insisting that he was stupid; the scores would beg to differ. His father said he was weak and useless, he would survive The Pits to show his strength and resilience. Even his choice to join the syndicate was one made out of spite, as he could finally find the power and control necessary to stand above his father there. Basically, if someone says Vicious can’t do something, he will go to great lengths to prove that he in fact can and will.
Vengeful- Vicious seeks justice and enacts punishments on those he perceives to have wronged him, his loved ones or the entity for which he represents, i.e. the Red Dragon syndicate. Even in youth he was vengeful, a proponent of the “eye for an eye” mindset he would carry throughout his life. A boy from the pits stabbed Fearless with a hunting knife for breaking his face open in his attempt to save Vicious from his bullying. Vicious took it upon himself in that moment to punch the boy square in the forehead, busting open the stitches there and knocking him out. The boy had a stick-n-poke tattoo of a skull on his arm-- the key word there being "had"-- because Vicious decided to carve it out of him and "keep it as a souvenir." Fearless told Vicious not to kill him, so he didn't, but he wanted to make sure the boy wished he had.
Introspective- Vicious is well aware of his problems. He knows. He just… should also probably be paying someone to talk about them instead of dumping the contents of his mind into the laps of unsuspecting individuals. He is far too aware of how other people see him, and seeks to mitigate their opinions before they can prove correct. Fearless gives him the It’s-Okay-To-Be-Born-Into-Generational-Wealth pep talk (like always) when he begins to spiral over their boss's opinions on his upbringing vs. his work ethic. Everyone around him can tell he comes from money, but he doesn’t want that to color their opinion of him. He works very hard, and didn’t really get to enjoy the privilege he was born into, so he feels the need to over-explain himself to anyone who will listen. Vicious also spends an alarming amount of time in his own head, processing and planning his reactions, analyzing the situation as thoroughly as possible before proceeding. When he can’t plan for something, he tends to shut down, overwhelmed by indecision. It’s a double-edged sword; the ability to critically analyze situations can be incredibly useful in navigating the world he lives in, but critically (over-)analyzing emotions is just a recipe for an anxiety attack.
Reliable- I would also like to change “loyal” to “reliable,” because the loyalty itself is less important than the follow-through. His drive to prove himself means that he will perform whatever task is required of him. When his job was adjusted to include chauffeuring, his position then hinged on punctuality, showing up at [x] place at [x] time, and he would be there fifteen minutes early with bells on. If he’s expected to be a good employee, he will follow every rule to the letter. Similarly, if he’s expected to be a good friend, he will listen, give advice, and pal around within the parameters of the relationship. If he’s expected to be a good partner or lover, he will shower his partner with gifts, provide comfort and security, love and affection. If Vicious says he’s going to do something, by god you’d best believe he’s going to do it, and do it well.
The altered trait list is now:
-Goal-Oriented
-Introspective
-Reliable
-Pedantic
-Vengeful
-Spiteful
Name: Gem
Contact: vapeslug @ plurk
Age: 31
Other Characters: NONE
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Vicious
Age: Mid-Late Twenties
Canon: Netflix's Cowboy Bebop
Canon Point: Cowboy Bebop: A Syndicate Story: Red Planet Requiem (Prequel Novel) || Chapter 12: 80 Stories Up
Character Information:
From the moment he was born, Vicious would be bound to Mars’ criminal underbelly. Be it due to being born into one of the most powerful and notorious families on Mars, or being thrown to the wolves roaming the streets of Tharsis, his path was always destined to be one of darkness.
But that’s the thing about destiny– it will be what it will be. And it was what it was.
Whether or not his family cared about him enough to give him a real name is not up for question– only his mother loved him enough to bestow upon him a God-given title. Vicious had a name, and it died with her. His father, Caliban, refused to call him anything other than "boy," and Vicious can count on one hand the amount of times he was granted the pleasure of being referred to as "son." His father never wanted children, and did not hesitate to reiterate the sentiment to his face on a number of occasions. Vicious belonged to his mother and his mother alone. She was responsible for this boy's education and extracurriculars, his health and upkeep, all of which were obviously of the highest quality. Nothing but the best for the richest family on Mars.
So when she passed, all of that went with her.
In his father’s eyes, Vicious was not worth the initial investment (childrearing is pretty expensive) or worth any continued investment without the boy pulling his weight and proving himself to him and the world. Vicious understood at a young age that he would struggle to crest the bar his father was continuously pushing just out of his reach. Being “academically gifted” meant nothing; Vicious could bring home straight A’s on his report card and Caliban was the sort of father who would wonder why every one of them wasn’t an A+, citing second place as being the “first loser,” etc. Caliban wanted his son to not just be an overachiever, but unquestionably the best at anything and everything he ever did. If Vicious wasn’t the best, he was nothing.
Vicious spent his entire life wondering why anyone would bother siring a child he would then have no interest in raising on his own. Outside of the fact that his mother was the only one that wanted children, he could never quite understand what kept his father so distant, why he was never allowed to know what exactly “his father’s business” was. He would come to find that his father had only ever been loyal to his job, and owed nothing to his progeny, not even the knowledge of where– or who, exactly– he came from. Even minor questions about what his father did for work were met with derision.
”I only talk business with men. Not boys. This isn’t some father and son store where they repair shoes and have a laugh after work. This is my legacy. Not ours. Do you understand?”
Where his mother gave it freely and without question, the most basic of his father's respect was going to be earned, like it or not. His mother was the one who provided him with all the proper affection and care that a parent should, nurturing his emotions and talents. His father seemed to work hardest at ensuring every bit of his mother’s work would be undone, attempting to bleed Vicious dry of any sensitivities, to guarantee that his progeny would be unburdened by weak and useless emotions, like sadness, love, or empathy. Or perhaps he simply wanted someone else to torture, since his wife would regularly fall prey to her own “weakness” in her attempts to escape him.
Once, when Vicious was young, his father waited two days to tell him that his mother had attempted to end her own life. She’d made the attempt the same day his father sent him off to The Pits. Had Vicious never called home when he did, he would have likely never even known. One of the earlier displays of the callousness and cruelty his father was capable of, when the boy demanded to know why he didn’t at least call, he responded:
What? So we could hug? So I could tell you everything is going to be alright?” Is that what you want to hear? Or do you want to hear the truth? Because the truth is, you’re just like her. You’re weak, too. That’s why I sent you to Lucky. To teach you how to stand up on your own two feet so you don’t end up writhing on the floor in a puddle of your own vomit, begging for attention like she did. She will do it again. And when that time comes, I will not save her. Neither of us will.”
This would not be the last time she made an attempt on her life. The final time, she would succeed, and Vicious would be forced to watch her jump.
Vicious knew his father was heartless, he even called his father a monster, but it seemed that with every passing day, his dad would set a higher bar for what constituted monstrosity. How evil does someone have to be to speak so cruelly about their own chosen life partner, his wife, as she lay dying in front of him? About as evil as they would have to be to send their own flesh and blood child into a metaphorical pit of vipers, to see if he would live or die.
The Pits were an underground adolescent fighting ring where Mars’ richest and most depraved citizens came to bet on the children who were matched against one another to fight (sometimes to the death) for money and meals. Caliban sent his young son into this living hell to, quite literally, have his humanity beaten out of him, to make him a “stronger man,” or to die. Whichever came first. The majority of the boys there had no names, no families to report home to, no roof over their heads, and this was the only place they were at the very least guaranteed to have a way to keep themselves out of the cold for the night. The only thing he had in common with these boys were the numbers they’d been assigned, (Before he was “Vicious” he was simply “Thirteen.”) but otherwise he had never once lived a day without a warm meal or a bed to sleep in, and the boys could tell. Which explained why they didn’t take too kindly to a “spoiled little rich boy” being placed among their ranks.
Living his life under his father, Vicious learned to minimize his existence, speaking quietly, tending to shrink into himself and otherwise make himself as sparse as possible. On his own, he was an educated, well-spoken child with a lot to say, but when displaced from the comfort of his home, he would attempt to keep a low profile and his mouth shut. He shaved his head prior to entering the pits, as to not stand out amongst the other children with his stark white hair. He wore dirty clothes, kept his head down, and otherwise succeeded in blending in amongst the other, less fortunate children. He knew what it took to go unnoticed, but his father sent him in brand new sneakers, making him a target for the other boys almost instantly. Vicious would relent to the first boy (a boy much larger than himself) who demanded those shoes from him, handing them over without a fight. This is the sort of passiveness, the “weakness” his father ridiculed him for and sent him here to ”fix.”
Young Vicious did not find himself completely alone in this hellscape, at least. As fate would have it, he would meet a boy of similar age and unparalleled skill, who would take him under his wing and teach him how to defend himself. The other boys were too afraid to speak to this dark-eyed, expressionless, possibly mute fighter, but would warn Vicious of his abilities, (which Vicious was able to identify as Jeet Kune Do, from his hundred of rewatches of the film Enter the Dragon) suggesting that he too keep his distance. They called him Fearless. He spoke to no one, showed mercy to no one, and never once lost a fight in the months he had already spent in this place. Vicious could only see another quiet boy, whom everyone feared and kept their distance from (which he found...relatable) and sought to challenge that perception. He would befriend this Fearless kid, no matter what these other boys had to say about it.
The lifelong bond formed with this boy appeared to be the only other driving force in Vicious’s life from then on. They would be attached at the hip for nearly two decades. After teaching Vicious the basic ins-and-outs of underground street fighting etiquette, Fearless would allow his new best friend to best him in a match that his father was attending, propping him up and finally giving his father something to be proud of him for. This act set the tone for their entire friendship, and it seemed every person they would meet from then on would come to the same conclusion: Fearless was there to make Vicious look better, more competent, stronger than he was. No one really believed Vicious was truly capable of earning all of his accomplishments. Everyone had all assumed they were being handed to him, like everything was handed to spoiled little rich kids.
Vicious would spend his whole life fighting that perception, while only Fearless would know the truth behind Vicious’ strength. As The Pits granted Fearless his moniker, his time there would bestow upon him the name “Vicious.”
“That’s how you beat me. That’s how you beat anyone. You take it from him. You be vicious."
And Vicious, he became.
Harboring the knowledge that he was guaranteed no inheritance, no love, no respect, nothing from the family he was born into, his father would continue to perform baseline parental duties for him, as he deemed necessary. Unlike Fearless, Vicious did have access to a home and a bed, food and clean clothes, because society knew Caliban had a son, and if they were to see him unkempt or uncared for, for any reason, they would assume Caliban was a neglectful parent. They would still be right, but for other reasons. He still kept his son in an ivory tower, whittling away at his sanity and humanity. What’s the benefit of living in a penthouse full of untouchable, priceless items that no one ever comes to see? After a while, one would start to feel that they are as pointless as this glorified storage room.
“The life of someone who values things more than people. Possessions more than feelings. Like that couch you’re sitting on. You see, that couch is a perfect design. Every stitch. Every seam. But people, people aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. They don’t live up to expectations. Quite often, they let you down.”
“But that’s human nature…”
“The thing is, you can fix furniture. But you can’t fix people. No matter how hard you try, or
where you send them...”
Caliban, as the only remaining member of his family, seems to be the only person in his life whose opinion and respect ranks above Fearless. Vicious spends his entire life putting every bit of effort he could muster into working himself up from nothing, to prove himself worthy of his father’s respect. The bitterness and anger from the loss of his mother (and his father’s willingness to neglect his family’s emotional needs) serve to fuel his desire to reach his ultimate goal: earning his father’s respect, or else.
Despite starting “at the top," with the level of privilege he had been born into, Vicious actually began his syndicate career climb at the very bottom rung, having him cleaning up the messes left behind by assassins. The kind of “janitorial” job one would expect to have in the mob, rolling up marks in priceless oriental carpets and dumping them in industrial compactors to be ground into pulp. Spoiled kids don’t like to get their hands dirty, so point one for Vicious, he would prove that he's perfectly willing to get his hands as dirty as was required to move forward.
By his point in canon, Vicious and Fearless have been tasked with a simple dropoff that turned sour, and framing Vicious for the murder of the most notorious drug dealer in the solar system. A hit has now been put out on Vicious, and Vicious alone, leading him and Fearless to run for their lives while pursuing the one who set them up. After staking out his home and following his every move for days, they come to the conclusion that it must be their own boss, the capo, Dodd, who double-crossed them. He was the one who sent them off on this wild goose chase to begin with, and Vicious’ investigative skills led them right to his door.
After enlisting the help of some ‘friends,’ they were able to get Dodd in their car and back to Vicious’ penthouse, where he would then be tortured for answers up until Vicious accidentally defenestrates him, dropping him out the window, eighty stories high. Members from another gang, the Europa Crew, have begun to swarm the penthouse, with a syndicate sniper aiming at them from a few buildings over. To escape, Fearless has insisted they shimmy their way along the outside of the building and Vicious, disagreeing with his entire being, is frozen on the ledge, paralyzed by his fear of heights. Insisting that this will not be the way they die, Fearless takes a hold of Vicious and makes a leap of faith.
Personality:
Past a certain point, spite does become what drives him. His desire to Prove Himself above all else spurring him towards achieving his goals, no matter what it takes. From the outside, it seems almost every move Vicious makes is towards rising up through the ranks of the syndicate to eventually, to prove to himself and his father that he can be somebody. Not just anybody, but someone to be feared and respected. Truthfully, Vicious has other, much more important goals than simply taking control of the Red Dragon Syndicate. He wants to take control of his life.
While Vicious is a fairly level-headed guy on a good day, he can be triggered into episodes that can result in full-blown panic spirals, sudden bouts of depression, or worse; pure unadulterated rage. His mood doesn’t so much swing as much as it… pivots. He's absolutely fine! ...until he isn't. He’s a sensible person, and can reason with himself when it comes to minor inconveniences– he’s not about to toss a table over an undercooked steak– but blatant disrespect and calling his upbringing or integrity into question can summon the more… sinister emotions to the surface, almost instantly.
Fearless gave those emotions a name, calling it “The Darkness,” for the way Vicious’ entire demeanor seems to shift into something darker, almost villainous. The darkness overshadows Vicious’ rational mind, allowing him to sink into the more malicious side of himself and exact revenge on those who have wronged him more easily. Vicious seems to have very little control of himself when the darkness is at the helm, leading him to make more impulsive or extreme choices when it comes to how he inflicts his punishments on others. He will beat his targets to a pulp, remove digits or limbs, sometimes even taking tattoos as trophies. There’s always a reason for it, however, he isn’t indiscriminate in his rage– if there is anything in the way of him getting to his mark, he will remove it– but he is far from existing as a being of chaos. For either side of Vicious, when a clear goal is in sight, he intends to achieve it, by any means necessary.
Vicious is fairly touchy about his upbringing, since it would seem people already know where he comes from before he has a chance to say anything, himself. They know he lives in a penthouse despite being a “janitor,” they see him as being too well-spoken and sensitive for this line of work, and clearly had to be lowering himself to these standards for the experience. Vicious insists he just has a high work ethic, and that his upbringing should have no impact on how others see him. He works in this business to prove that he can, not just because he’s some rich playboy looking for a thrill. Besides, what the hell’s supposed to be so thrilling about tossing bodies into rivers and driving slimeballs through the streets of Tharsis?
Vicious isn’t as self-important or snobbish as people would expect someone from the affluent side of Tharsis to be, as it was difficult to really enjoy the privilege granted to him with his father berating him about every little thing he did. Vicious did take after his mother in regards to her sentimentality and natural empathy, but he’s also never learned where to direct much of that side of himself without her around. As he’s grown, he’s become a bit of an open book, tending towards sharing overly honest facts about himself, sometimes far too many, and often to the wrong people. Those people usually suggest that he instead see a therapist instead of trauma-dumping on strangers and drinking himself to sleep. This kind of straightforwardness is also a pretty good way to gauge whether or not a ‘new friend’ would be willing to take on such a… project, by befriending him.
Before Fearless, he only had friends that he made at the camps his mother sent him to, but none ever really stuck long-term. After meeting him in The Pits, he and Fearless became fast friends, having bonded through their mutual hardships during their time there. For years to follow they would find odd jobs together, living on and off the streets, committing petty crimes to ensure they would eat, essentially living the street rat life together, save for the occasional time his father would call him home for whatever reason. Every other waking moment, though, was spent with Fearless. By this point in his life, Vicious can’t remember a life without him by his side.
Outside of the validation he sought from his father, the only loyalty Vicious knew prior to entering the syndicate was his steadfast relationship with Fearless. Any choice made, they made together. They would take the fall for each other when necessary, pick the other up when they stumbled. Where one went, the other would follow. Vicious was an only child, but Fearless was his brother.
As brothers are wont to do, they pick petty, pedantic fights over phrases and terms to use when describing things (blood splatter vs. blood squirt) or what the better metaphor to use in regards to stealth (covering oneself in honey to hide from bees when trying to steal the queen, or tying meat to oneself to poach a cub from a pack of lions) to fill most of their idle time. More intense fights with harsher tones and sharper words that would normally result in a physical fight between them are usually quickly resolved with Vicious relenting to Spike’s temper, apologizing for his missteps to clear the air. Fearless doesn’t quite believe in apologies, and Vicious says he’s sorry for things he didn’t even do.
Their balance as friends rests in being surprisingly similar to one another, while varying wildly with their problem solving skills. When one is too brash, the other smooths the situation over. When one is floundering, the other fills in the blanks almost seamlessly. Tossing imperceptible glances at one another that only they can decipher, having full conversations with looks alone. For lack of a better comparison, they share one brain cell, passing it back and forth when the other needs it.
Despite their differences, Vicious believes they are of the same blood; two angels cast from heaven, two devils making the best of hell.
5-10 Key Character Traits:
-Goal-Oriented
-Codependent
-Loyal
-Moody
-Introspective
-Pedantic
-Cunning
-Vengeful
-Acrophobic
Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, EITHER, or opt for 100% RANDOMIZATION? Fits, please~!
Opt-Outs:
Lich
Simulacrum
Goblin
Troll
Slime
Arachne
Roleplay Sample: From January's TDM
REVISION
Upon further consideration I would like to remove the two non-traits as well as "moody" because the justification for it is actually related to his introspection. I’d also like to replace “cunning,” as it was absolutely the incorrect descriptor. Instead, I’d like to add Spiteful in its place.
Spiteful- Almost everything Vicious has achieved, he’s achieved out of spite. His exemplary grades were from his father insisting that he was stupid; the scores would beg to differ. His father said he was weak and useless, he would survive The Pits to show his strength and resilience. Even his choice to join the syndicate was one made out of spite, as he could finally find the power and control necessary to stand above his father there. Basically, if someone says Vicious can’t do something, he will go to great lengths to prove that he in fact can and will.
Vengeful- Vicious seeks justice and enacts punishments on those he perceives to have wronged him, his loved ones or the entity for which he represents, i.e. the Red Dragon syndicate. Even in youth he was vengeful, a proponent of the “eye for an eye” mindset he would carry throughout his life. A boy from the pits stabbed Fearless with a hunting knife for breaking his face open in his attempt to save Vicious from his bullying. Vicious took it upon himself in that moment to punch the boy square in the forehead, busting open the stitches there and knocking him out. The boy had a stick-n-poke tattoo of a skull on his arm-- the key word there being "had"-- because Vicious decided to carve it out of him and "keep it as a souvenir." Fearless told Vicious not to kill him, so he didn't, but he wanted to make sure the boy wished he had.
Introspective- Vicious is well aware of his problems. He knows. He just… should also probably be paying someone to talk about them instead of dumping the contents of his mind into the laps of unsuspecting individuals. He is far too aware of how other people see him, and seeks to mitigate their opinions before they can prove correct. Fearless gives him the It’s-Okay-To-Be-Born-Into-Generational-Wealth pep talk (like always) when he begins to spiral over their boss's opinions on his upbringing vs. his work ethic. Everyone around him can tell he comes from money, but he doesn’t want that to color their opinion of him. He works very hard, and didn’t really get to enjoy the privilege he was born into, so he feels the need to over-explain himself to anyone who will listen. Vicious also spends an alarming amount of time in his own head, processing and planning his reactions, analyzing the situation as thoroughly as possible before proceeding. When he can’t plan for something, he tends to shut down, overwhelmed by indecision. It’s a double-edged sword; the ability to critically analyze situations can be incredibly useful in navigating the world he lives in, but critically (over-)analyzing emotions is just a recipe for an anxiety attack.
Reliable- I would also like to change “loyal” to “reliable,” because the loyalty itself is less important than the follow-through. His drive to prove himself means that he will perform whatever task is required of him. When his job was adjusted to include chauffeuring, his position then hinged on punctuality, showing up at [x] place at [x] time, and he would be there fifteen minutes early with bells on. If he’s expected to be a good employee, he will follow every rule to the letter. Similarly, if he’s expected to be a good friend, he will listen, give advice, and pal around within the parameters of the relationship. If he’s expected to be a good partner or lover, he will shower his partner with gifts, provide comfort and security, love and affection. If Vicious says he’s going to do something, by god you’d best believe he’s going to do it, and do it well.
The altered trait list is now:
-Goal-Oriented
-Introspective
-Reliable
-Pedantic
-Vengeful
-Spiteful
Entry tags:
RYSLIG BATTLE ROYALE: CLASS OF VANDARE
Write up a quick little blurb about your character's highschool experience!
They were pulled from an International Highschool located in [Japan] making a lot of them foreign exchange students!
How would the other classmates know your character in this universe? Were they in sports? Cheerleaders, perhaps? Maybe they were in choir together or bandmates! Maybe they're just the quiet, weird art kid that hangs out in the corner or part of the stoner skater kids who smoke outside during lunch~! Perhaps your character was the drama teacher or runs anime club~?
Sure, most of them were failing in some way, of course, or else they wouldn't be here! But that doesn't mean they didn't still have prospects and hobbies~ Let's flesh it out a bit shall we?
Just use this post to build/handwave CR for the universe of Battle Royale, and make this murder game just a little juicier~! >:3
They were pulled from an International Highschool located in [Japan] making a lot of them foreign exchange students!
How would the other classmates know your character in this universe? Were they in sports? Cheerleaders, perhaps? Maybe they were in choir together or bandmates! Maybe they're just the quiet, weird art kid that hangs out in the corner or part of the stoner skater kids who smoke outside during lunch~! Perhaps your character was the drama teacher or runs anime club~?
Sure, most of them were failing in some way, of course, or else they wouldn't be here! But that doesn't mean they didn't still have prospects and hobbies~ Let's flesh it out a bit shall we?
Just use this post to build/handwave CR for the universe of Battle Royale, and make this murder game just a little juicier~! >:3
Entry tags:
Ryslig Battle Royale
You're here to be punished. Don't bother asking why, you know exactly what you did.
Your character, now human, will awaken on the floor of a dirty classroom alongside an assortment of other similarly dazed and confused individuals, and surrounded by military personnel. They will notice that everyone on this side of the room has been fitted with some sort of 'high tech' collar that cannot be removed. The contestants are told that the collars monitor and record their locations, heart rate and voices. They are waterproof, shockproof, and overall cannot be removed! If an attempt at removal is made, it will set off a small explosive within the device that will kill the wearer. It may also be set off if they leave the perimeter of the island, attempt to attack any personnel, or are overheard speaking of breaking any rules. :) (Maybe you can find a way to block the microphone?)
After being informed that there will only be one survivor and winner of the battle royale, your character will be given a duffel bag with three days' worth of rations, MRE's, water bottles, a miniature first aid kit and a weapon! The weapons will be randomized from the list at the bottom!
Your character will then be released from the school into the "wilderness" of the island, which appears to have been previously inhabited but seems to have become deserted overnight. There are dilapidated homes and businesses, cars abandoned on empty streets, and "camps" set up by the previous year's contestants. The homes were once lived in, food left on tables and perhaps even filling the pantries (outdated by almost a decade, but hey you never know!) Businesses and stores may hold useful tools and supplies, but they have been raided by previous years contestants, so options are limited. You may take liberties with the locations you choose for fights, camps and finding supplies.
Any weapons and supplies left over by fallen contestants may be taken by the winners, but the likelihood of finding any actual weapons (swords, guns, etc) in the field is pretty low. Random household items that could be used as weapons are still viable, though!
Information for the Alternate Ending
There are ways to remove the collars. It would take a skilled hand with ridiculously small tools or perhaps an EMP... but you can get creative, too!
Once you make your way back to the school, you will find the building has been repurposed as a military base. The soldiers inhabit the classrooms as dorms, while other rooms have been converted into an armory containing an assortment of weaponry and ammunition. The cafeteria is stocked with fresh food, and the courtyard is littered with scrap metal, gutted cars and altered weaponry in various states of completion, and a makeshift mechanic's shop has been set up amidst the scrap with a tin roof and a swath of tools and half-finished projects. The gym has been converted into a garage with two armored fighting vehicles and two electronic warfare vehicles, all with full tanks lined up across the basketball court. A small speedboat is secured to the back of one of the armored vehicles. Curious.
The masterminds have set up shop in the administration offices, which are lined with ceiling-to-floor surveillance monitors which seem to show almost every inch of the island. Some show the inside of homes and businesses, some show empty streets, while others appear to be set up in trees, showing pathways through the dense forest. A computer with a multi-monitor setup sits on a large oak desk that probably coordinated with the rest of the furniture before someone took black and white spray paint to everything...
Weapon RNG Results:
| 1. BUTTERFLY KNIFE - RILEY 2. THREE SHURIKEN - JONATHAN 3. HALF OF A KATANA - HORATIO 4. STOCK POT LID - PHIL 5. LOADED PISTOL - NANAMI 6. UNLOADED PISTOL - BRUNO 7. PEPPER SPRAY - FIDDS 8. CROSSBOW - KAIN 9. ONE (1) HAND GRENADE - ZIM 10. HAND SCYTHE - EUGENE |
11. TASER - SHOKA 12. COLLAPSIBLE BO STAFF - SPARKLING 13. AXE - ALTAIR 14. RAZOR WIRE - BLUES 15. BASEBALL BAT - VICIOUS 16. CLEAVER - STEVE 17. BLOWTORCH - CAIRO 18. FLARE GUN - CASSANDRA 19. SAWED-OFF SHOTGUN - SPIKE 20. NIGHT VISION GOGGLES -SONIC |