The Ratings War V: Original Sin - Finals (Winner Announced)

[Sam G]

So, I return from a week-long holiday to discover the fifth and (possibly) final Ratings War has begun? Heck, it's a good thing I got back when I did... anyway, I'm in the process of composing a sheet, and anyone who was in the previous game may be unsurprised to discover the sin I'm picking is "greed"...

 

[Sam G]

Spoiler: Sheet

Name: Kingsley Goldman

Nickname: The Gold King

Age: 26

Appearance: A man of skinny build and reasonable height, with blond shoulder-length hair and a sparkling yellow left eye as a result of a contact lens. Almost the whole right half of his body is constructed of a powerful gold-mythril alloy, though the only visibly mechanical parts are his right hand, with sharpened finger-like appendages, and the right side of his face stopping just above his jaw, which he mostly covers with his fringe, leaving only a bright yellow light visible where his right eye used to be.

Clothing: The King wears a sparkly golden suit, complete with top-hat, which has been likened to that which may be worn by a game-show host; it was revealed recently that the suit actually has threads of gold woven into it, making it function as a rudimentary suit of armour on occasion.

Weapons: The Gold King carries around a gold-tipped white walking-cane which conceals a slender sword and is capable of firing bullets from the end, though he seldom uses it following his accident, and for the most part merely carries it around for aesthetic.

Powers: Due to being mostly mechanical, the Gold King is a lot stronger than most people, as well as being a lot more hard to kill. He is capable of transforming his hand into a number of gold-themed devices, including a yellow beam-sword, an energy cannon with two settings (the lower of the two turns his forefinger into a weapon of similar caliber to a revolver, whereas the higher setting turns his whole forearm into a bazooka-esque weapon), and an extendable chain with a gold cross at the end.

Strengths: The most obvious reason the Gold King was elected to return is because of his outstanding determination in the persuit of gold; he is, quite simply, ruthless in the pursuit of it, and won't let anything, be it loved ones, loss of limbs, or even temporary death impede him in his mission.
He is, despite any previous impressions, also incredibly capable of planning and forethought when the mood takes him; he is willing and able to manipulate people and environs to his advantage, so long as it will bring him closer to a stash of aurum.

Weaknesses: Kingsley's greatest strength is also his greatest shortcoming; he is blindly in love with gold, and will do anything to further his collection of it. He has in the past been tricked into such follies as leaping into the path of a car because someone flipped a coin in front of it, and opting to cut off his own hand with a sword rather than let go of a single gold coin.

Personality: The Gold King is a fairly whimsical gent; when not blindly running after an article of gold, he can be found chattering inanely to himself or humming ABBA songs under his breath. He tends to stay away from other people, as he is prone to fly into murderous frenzy at the drop of a hat, though if he has friends it would be safe to assume he'd be perfectly friendly with them until they outlived their usefulness. His common sense, while generally a force to be reckoned with, falls to pieces the second gold is mentioned, as he values it more than his own life, and much more than the lives of those around him.

Fear: As you may have gathered, the King's greatest fear is losing his material possessions; following his death at the hands of a robot, a manticore and a cliff, however, he's developed an acute fear of heights, as well as a cautious respect for his mechanical bretheren.

Vice: Greed. Of course.

Bio: Brought up in a bizarre anachronistic version of victorian england by the wealthiest family that ever existed, the Gold King was taught from a young age how to manipulate those around him to meet his own ends. Having risen to the head of the Goldman empire at the age of fourteen through a string of odd, sword-related accidental deaths, he invested the vast family fortune on a huge amount of gold, for, unfortunately, young Kingsley had been born with a condition that had plagued his family for generations: utter batshit insanity. Alas, one cannot eat gold (though Kingsley had tried and failed on numerous occasions), so he had to seek shadier investments to continue his sustained existence; specifically, murder, large-scale robberies and selling himself for sex (the older, less satisfied women in his district took quite a liking to the Gold King; they were, in fact, the ones who came up with that nickname for him).
When Michael King's associates came calling with a proposition for him to enter in the 4th Ratings War tournament, he agreed immediately upon hearing what was in it for him (basically, a lot of gold), though unfortunately met his death as a result of multiple burns, stabbings, bullet-holes, scratch-marks and the bottom of a cliff.
Apparently, the Original Sin took quite a liking to the King, as he reawoke not many days later in a hi-tech facility with his cybernetic enhancements keeping him alive. He decided, quite against his own will, but due to a chip implanted in his new brain, to enter the tournament once again, if only to amuse his new lord and master.

Spoiler: Entry

The Gold King fell to his death. And as he fell, he thought.
The falling itself wasn't too bad; it was more the fact that, as he fell, he became more and more aware of the ground at the bottom of the cliff from which he was falling as it rose to meet him. Now, this was a shame. The King had grown rather fond of living, and losing himself would be like losing an old friend; why, it would break his heart.
The Gold King wondered if there was gold in the afterlife. Well, it probably depended on which afterlife, didn't it? He'd been a rather naughty boy in life, so the pearly gates were an unlikelihood, so it was more a matter of which rendition of Hell the King would be going to; in Greek mythology, Hades, the ruler of the damned, had also been the god of wealth, so maybe if that was where he went the Gold King could come up with some way of acquiring that...
As the Gold King hit the ground, he was already concocting a scheme in his head of how to rob Hades of all he owned.

And then the Gold King woke up. That was a bit of a surprise, as he wasn't really expecting to wake up at all; much less in what was mostly his own body, wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing when he'd died. The King glanced around at his surroundings. At first glance, the King seemed to be in a hospital, though closer inspection revealed that it was more like a laboratory of some sort. He was lying on a rather uncomfortable bed in a large empty room, with only a tray full of sharp tools and his stick lying on the ground to keep him company. He was looking around for an exit when the incredibly familiar glimmer of gold caught his eye. He looked down at his arm and spotted the source of the glimmer; what was once his arm wasn't his arm anymore; it was an arm-shaped portion of gold.
The Gold King whipped off the covers and looked at himself. Beneath his clothes he noticed that almost half of his whole body had been replaced by the glorious metal. He rapped himself on the head with his right hand. Sure enough, rather than pain the only sensation he experienced was a tang sound in his left ear. Oh, this was great. The best thing ever. He'd loved gold, and now he was gold! Why, the King could think of no better fate than this! Now he could live out the rest of his days quietly, and die fulfilled! At last, his days of mindless collection were over!
"I rather think not, old boy," A voice said in his ear, and immediately those thoughts of peace were quelled. Whatever this person wished, he would grant. This person was his new reason for living. "You see, I was watching you during King's tournament, and I must say, I'm sort of a fan. You were a lot of fun to watch, honestly, and it'd be a great shame to see all that potential go to waste. So, I'd like you to do something else for me..."
The Gold King listened intently to his master's request. Of course he would comply.

 

[Nukey]

I'm somewhat interested in joining, although my schedule is a little crammed so I'm not sure if I'd be able to.
I would be willing to judge, though

 

[HSIAMetalKing]

Spoiler: Eurania

Name: Prototype EU-2.2

Nickname: Eurania

Age: 7

Appearance: A mechanized automaton whose frame was forged from a bubbling well of Celestial Crystillium-- a translucent carbonate substance with a faint turquoise hue. Eurania was crafted in the image of her creator's long-lost daughter: a young, beautiful human with delicate features and striking green eyes. The loving, obsessive craftsmanship put into Eurania's design reveals her creator's keen eye for both functionality and aesthetics-- each of her slender limbs is smooth and polished as the finest porcelain sculpture; her movements are as natural and graceful as a ballet dancer. Visible beneath her lucent crystal flesh are glassy veins flowing with a dimly glowing molten material, twisting through her body in perfect spirals until they converge at her core-- a thermonuclear reactor which serves as her heart. She is crowned with long, gossamer locks of hair synthesized from diamonds, and her eyes have been set with two utterly flawless round emeralds which radiate brightly when her internal processor is under stress.

Clothing: A simple cream-colored sundress with a small crimson floral pattern near the bottom hem.

Weapons/Powers: Eurania can project and manipulate powerful soundwaves. Her body is equipped with strands of hyper-amplifying crystalline resonance wires, all linked to her internal processor. The processor itself is programmed with an exceedingly complex algorithm which can assemble and produce any type of music-- it is functionally equivalent to the minds of the Universe's greatest composers. While Eurania prefers to disarm her enemies with a crushingly tragic symphonic ballad, her resonance wires can channel wavelengths below and beyond the capacity of human hearing-- she is able to send certain wild animals into berserk frenzies using painful subharmonic tones, or she can direct discordant waves to smash relentlessly into physical objects to cause sonic destruction. She is also capable of acoustic levitation, giving her the ability to fly in most atmospheres (not in space or any extremely low-density atmospheres).

Strengths: Eurania's ability to process information at superhuman speeds gives her a distinct advantage in combat, yet she is not a combative entity. Her affinity for beauty and music is her greatest strength-- though her understanding of these concepts Eurania is able to empathize with other mortals and, if necessary, manipulate them. Her serene, airy personality is endearing to many and her physical presence is awe-inspiring, meaning most would-be-foes simply have no desire to harm her.

Weaknesses: Although her programming affords Eurania a fairly substantial understanding of the Universe, she lacks many practical skills, such as the ability to operate most vehicles or utilize weapons. Although her crystalline frame is quite hard, protecting her from most slashing and piercing attacks, Eurania is extremely vulnerable to blunt-force attacks, which are likely to shatter her.

Personality: Aloof, tranquil and extremely curious, Eurania's short life has been dedicated entirely to exploration. Her extremely advanced programming replicates sentience at the level of an intelligent human; she is capable of learning, reasoning and abstract thought, but lacks the conditioning to understand the nature of her existence as a living machine. Separated from her creator, her only guide through life has been music-- lacking any other direction she will seek out harmonious soundwaves, such as the spritely birdsong or the staccato percussion of the thunderstorm. Her infatuation with the beauty of existence is what drives her.

Fear: Fears and abhors the destruction of beauty; an existence without music or light is Eurania's Hell.

Vice: Gluttony... but, like, weird robot gluttony. A program separated from her programmer, Eurania is listless, drifting through the Universe without a clear purpose. Her innate affinity for music and beauty is her only clue as to her creator's intentions, meaning that she finds significance in those things but little else. Requiring no other sustenance, it's as if she feeds off of aesthetic pleasures.

Bio: A brilliant and wealthy man lost the only treasure which brought meaning to his life; on his daughter's 19th birthday, the day before she would leave her childhood home to pursue an education in music, he discovered her slumped over her piano-- dead from sudden hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The condition ran in his family, tending to skip a generation-- it had claimed his own mother in her late 30s, and this fact weighed upon his mind every day afterward. Despite his status as one of his galaxy's premiere ultra-bio-mechanical engineers, his best creation was destroyed in the prime of her youth by a trait he'd passed down to her.

The man liquidated all of his assets-- he dismantled his vast estate, numerous laboratories and ruthlessly collected on every debt. With vast resources at his disposal the man scoured the Universe, seeking out one of the fabled wells of Celestial Crystillium: a legendary substance much sought-after for its unique harmonic resonance frequency, said to be the purest in all of creation.

He searched for a decade-- a decade of abject despair and relentless disappointment, finding solace only in his dreams. At night his unconscious mind planned and designed, envisioning a perfect replica-- a living testament to his beloved daughter.

A tip finally paid off. The man found the bubbling silver pool of liquid crystal on a frozen moon on the fringe of explored space, and there he set to his task. He had a tower built next to the well to serve as his home and workshop; the view overlooking the lake of shifting silver purity brought great comfort to his hardened heart, allowing the man to work with inspired clarity.

He worked for the rest of his life, unwilling to settle for anything less than the flawless creation envisioned in his dreams. Though he is consumed with worry that his life will end suddenly, leaving his work unfinished, the man cannot bear to activate her until he is sure of her perfection. Into her programming he poured everything beautiful-- images of nature at its most sublime, cultural marvels, knowledge of social grace and the richness of the human experience; but most importantly, he imbued his daughter's replica with a love of music and the ability to create it out of the very air-- to summon it from within herself.

With darkness falling across his weary eyes the man hastily prepared to activate her thermonuclear core. With a slowing heart he initiated the birth-- molten crystal flowed into her veins and her emerald eyes filled with light. With his final breath he whispered unto her the name, "Eurania," and died as she lifted her head.

Spoiler: Eurania's Entry

the wily trapper
weaving a deceptive tune
snares his nightingale

 

[Lord Krunk]

I'm somewhat interested in joining, although my schedule is a little crammed so I'm not sure if I'd be able to.
I would be willing to judge, though

This puts me in a tight situation; two perople have already expressed their interest, but are unconfirmed thus far. Concidering you're a definite one, I'll put you up as a reserve in case, say, Zemmy decides to be a contestant.

 

[Zemalac]

I'm somewhat interested in joining, although my schedule is a little crammed so I'm not sure if I'd be able to.
I would be willing to judge, though

This puts me in a tight situation; two perople have already expressed their interest, but are unconfirmed thus far. Concidering you're a definite one, I'll put you up as a reserve in case, say, Zemmy decides to be a contestant.

Hrm. This makes my decision harder, really. On the one hand, I want to judge--I feel that would be fun, I like writing critiques and stuff like that--but on the other hand, I have almost inadvertently been creating a character to play with. Having someone else willing to step up and be a judge removes my solid reason for choosing that over being a contestant, namely that you needed judges...

At this point, the decision may come down to me flipping a coin.

 

[Lord Krunk]

I'm somewhat interested in joining, although my schedule is a little crammed so I'm not sure if I'd be able to.
I would be willing to judge, though

This puts me in a tight situation; two perople have already expressed their interest, but are unconfirmed thus far. Concidering you're a definite one, I'll put you up as a reserve in case, say, Zemmy decides to be a contestant.

Hrm. This makes my decision harder, really. On the one hand, I want to judge--I feel that would be fun, I like writing critiques and stuff like that--but on the other hand, I have almost inadvertently been creating a character to play with. Having someone else willing to step up and be a judge removes my solid reason for choosing that over being a contestant, namely that you needed judges...

At this point, the decision may come down to me flipping a coin.

Flip it!

Flip it good!

 

[sky14kemea]

snip

I'd love to be a judge for this, since I don't think I'd be able to take part. =[ Would that be okay?

 

[pigeon_of_doom]

Reserve please! Keep meaning to post up a character sheet but keep getting delayed. This looks like fun, and I don't wanna miss out (a lot of people in already, and I dunno what the maximum player number is). I ought to be able to at least post a character sheet some time tommorow.

 

[Zemalac]

Funny Man Say "Snip"

I did end up flipping a coin, actually. Looks like I'm going to be a contestant in this Ratings War. Sheet will be up soon--probably not today, but soon. I know who my character is going to be: I just need to write him up.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a very special guest here tonight--the one, the only, Johnny Dead.

The Gold King

Hey, it's my old friend Kingsley! A golden cyborg now, I see, after his brush with Corkscrew Nick. I like it.

How did the song go?

"Gold, gold, motherfucking gold
I love it so much it hurts..."

EDIT: I have to ask...is the use of the word aurum a reference to the song?

 

[Lord Krunk]

@Nukey @wesdabigman: You guys still up for judging? Give me a buzz if you are.

snip

I'd love to be a judge for this, since I don't think I'd be able to take part. =[ Would that be okay?

If Nukey or wesdabigman decide not to, definitely. Sorry about that. I will keep you posted if one decides to drop out if you're still interested. Otherwise, feel free to compete. What do you have to lose?

Here's the cast now:

Judges:

1) Nukey (?)
2) wesdabigman (?)

RESERVE: sky14kemea

Contestants:

Fallen-Angel-Risen-Demon: Digaina (Pride)
RagnorakTres: That Which Bleeds (Wrath)
NewClassic: Harold (Sloth)
HSIAMetalKing: Eurania (Gluttony)
Jarsteen: Leviathan (Envy)
Sam G: The Gold King (Greed)
Zemelac: Pending
Ultrajoe: Pending
Labyrinth: Pending
Fraught: Pending
Lost In The Void: Pending
pigeon_of_doom: Pending
Shapsters: Pending
revolverwolf: Pending

If everyone I've listed gets their entries in, this looks extremely solid. Idealistically 16 constestants (14 have expressed their interest so far) would be the best to work with, but I've written in ways to avoid using byes in te instances where we have an odd number of contestants. To be honest, RW5 has taken off a lot better than I expected.

 

[sky14kemea]

snip

Reserve is great thanks. ^^ PM me if they do. I'll keep reading anyways once it starts =P
I'd compete but I get huge writers block, maybe next time <.<

 

[Lord Krunk]

snip

Reserve is great thanks. ^^ PM me if they do. I'll keep reading anyways once it starts =P
I'd compete but I get huge writers block, maybe next time <.<

Awesome. I'll keep your name up there and PM you if anything changes.

 

[Nukey]

I'm somewhat interested in joining, although my schedule is a little crammed so I'm not sure if I'd be able to.
I would be willing to judge, though

This puts me in a tight situation; two perople have already expressed their interest, but are unconfirmed thus far. Concidering you're a definite one, I'll put you up as a reserve in case, say, Zemmy decides to be a contestant.

Well, like I said, I might want to be a contestant seeing how fun this looks, but time is somewhat of a rare commodity in my life.
I guess I'll see what my schedule as in store for me, if free enough, I'll try this out, if not, I'll judge.

 

[Sam G]

I have to ask...is the use of the word aurum a reference to the song?

Well, not a reference per se, though I probably wouldn't have thought to use the word if it weren't for your song, so I suppose in a sense it is to your credit...

 

[Soothsayer]

Would it be possible for me to join? I've got a character thought up and everything... And a pretty open schedule (meaning that I usually stay awake late enough after work to post). I've worked on a few different RP boards with multiple characters... So.. yeah. If at all possible, add me into this shindig.

 

[Lord Krunk]

Would it be possible for me to join? I've got a character thought up and everything... And a pretty open schedule (meaning that I usually stay awake late enough after work to post). I've worked on a few different RP boards with multiple characters... So.. yeah. If at all possible, add me into this shindig.

You have until the 9th of September to get your entries in, so go ahead.

 

[Zemalac]

Would it be possible for me to join? I've got a character thought up and everything... And a pretty open schedule (meaning that I usually stay awake late enough after work to post). I've worked on a few different RP boards with multiple characters... So.. yeah. If at all possible, add me into this shindig.

Welcome to the game, and welcome to the Escapist RP boards. You don't have to write up a resume to join, just a character sheet: the tournament itself will determine how well that character works with your writing style.

I have to ask...is the use of the word aurum a reference to the song?

Well, not a reference per se, though I probably wouldn't have thought to use the word if it weren't for your song, so I suppose in a sense it is to your credit...

I claim credit.

On a vaguely related note, it really is good to see Kingsley again. I like the idea of him having become a gold-based cyborg. It suits him, and sort of incorperates the ending of the Logician's story from our round--you know, him turning into that metal that absorbed everything, like how he's literally turning into gold now...I dunno, maybe I'm reading too deep into things. It's cool, is what I'm saying.

 

[000Ronald]

This makes my day. I think I'll try out something a little different than my norm...

Spoiler: Introduction

Name: I do not remember my name, nor would I care to if I could. The future, much like the past, is of little consequence.

Nickname: Ha! Oh, the things they call me. Monster, fiend, bastard, murderer, prophet, storm...I, however, prefer The Dragon, One of The Twelve. It appeals to me.

Age: Age is irrelevant, though I am older than I appear. I am the man that began WWI, abet through a proxy. I demanded that the countries responsible be banned of weapons. I was one of the first to travel to South America, and personally killed thousands of Aztecs. I personally undertook in the sacking of Rome. I fought against Alexander The Great. I was a god amongst the Egyptians.

Appearance: ...on a gathering storm comes a tall, handsome man in a dusty black coat with a red right hand... [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrxePKps87k&feature=fvw]

Clothing: Are you blind, friend? No matter; I'll assume you are asking for the sake of posterity.

I wear a mantle, tunic, pair of pants, boots and gloves, and have for as long as I care to remember. All of them have been beaten colorless with age.

Weapons: I also carry this staff, and have for as long as I can remember. You scoff, but this is no ordinary staff; this staff can split into different weapons, including a nunchaku, and a mace and flail for dual wielding. If I may say so, I wield all three forms, and the three forms as one, with superhuman skill.

Powers: I am strong. I am swift. I am cunning. Any warrior must be, if he intends to survive for any amount of time. I have no skill in the magic arts, nor in the arts of science. I can be a skilled speaker, if I so wish, but I very much doubt what you ask of me will include speaking.

Strengths: I am evil, which is not something to be said lightly. Evil, you see, is a force, much like the combustion that makes stars burn or the gravity that holds our reality together. I Am that force, or at least a physical representation of it. To a wise man, that would be enough.

Unfortunately, the many worlds I have visited are populated by fools; I must assume you are no exception. I am strong, I am swift, I am cunning. I can read most men and women like most men and women read books. With a single sentence I can sew enough discord in a country that it will cannibalize itself. I am not a being to be underestimated.

Weaknesses: Would you allow a being with weakness to bask in your glory? I myself consider my mortality to be a weakness, perhaps, but only in that there will be a day I can no longer destroy.

Personality: Evil is a destructive force, and I am no exception to this rule. I relish in the destruction of everything and everyone around me. Usually, I tear apart everything in sight with my bare hands, but I am capable of subtltey; promoting drug use to destroy an economy, spreading strife between several factions of a society, sometimes I go so far as to take on a pupil, for a time.

The means do not matter. The end is the same.

Fear: Why would a being like me succumb to something so trivial as fear?

Vice: Ha! The implications. I am a force, not a man. Does a moon have morality? A drop of water? The flap of a butterfly's wings? No, but they are not aware of themselves, either, as any fool could tell you.

I am not Pride. I do not consider what I do a duty or responsibility, therefore it is nothing to take pride in, simply something to enjoy. I am not Sloth: Subtlety is not the same thing as Sloth, and a lack thereof is not, either. I am not Greed; I do not destroy out of want. I just enjoy it. I am not Lust; I hate humans, especially children. I am not Envy; I do not destroy out of want. I am not Wrath; I do not destroy out of something so trivial as rage or spite.

What does that leave?

Bio: I have no past. I have no future. I am a force of destruction. The method tends to vary from time to time, but the end result is the same. Everything around me ends up razed to the ground. Nothing else matters.

What else is there to say?

EDIT: Did some editing, made the writing a little smoother. Did a little bit of working around, made it prettier to look at. Also, I added a commentary. Yeah, sorry.

Spoiler: Commentary

...long story short, someone asked me to define evil. This is my attempt.

Part of my rationale for making a character like Dragon is that I suck at introductions. With someone like Dragon, I don't need one. He's just there, like a building, or a mountain (or a storm...yeah, I happen to like that song...)He's less a person and more, as he's constantly reminding you, a force of destruction and evil.

I also decided to make the whole thing in the first person. Why? Two reasons; one, the idea of Dragon spelling out what he's capable of appeals to me. It's something I think he would do. Plus, I don't think anyone knows enough about him to...place him in words. Second, I wanted to solidify the idea that this man is terrifying, comparing himself to a force of nature on the far end of the wrong side of the morality scale. Writing it in the third person just makes it seem like he's a clone of The Knight (Ultrajoe) or...something. To me it did, at least, and I didn't like it.

A warning to everyone; being as I've more or less ommited the origin story, this is less an actual template of what Dragon is capable of, and more a guide on how to write him. Sorry about that, but I feel it makes the experience more engrossing.