The Sierra Division

[Absinthe]

Welcome to Redvale
​

Redvale Overview

It began as a secret town built by and for super humans, when the world turned on them following their reveal to the world in 1862. Hunted down and murdered on the streets in virtually every other towns and cities, Redvale became a safe haven for those born with unusual gifts. Rules here were simple - don't draw attention - and sure enough, no extraordinary events ever drew attention to the place.
It was the average town, with an average population, doing average things.

By the time their civil rights were restored in the early 1950s, following several years of peaceful protesting, Redvale was already a medium sized city with a population of approximately 99% super humans.

Redvale is also notable for discovering the effect of military training on young super humans and the development of their abilities. This training allows for a smoother development of abilities, and a greater level of control, even throughout puberty. This discovery became integral to the brokering of the deal between various world governments and the super human race. Following the implementation of the deal, Redvale's powered military division became one of the most prestigious in the world. It also was home to the world's first Local Crime Unit -- a section of the empowered division known as the Sierra Division -- were dispatched to local police units to combat rising levels of criminals with enhanced abilities.

In exchange for their freedom, all super mutants or the 'powered' would be required to register at birth and complete at least 4 years of military training, beginning on their 12th birthday. This was never much opposed by the super human community, claiming that it benefited their children as much as it would benefit everyone else. The training, which begins shortly before the emergence of their abilities, allows teenagers to gain a semblance of control over their minds and bodies. This in turns allows for an easier transition into an adult super human.

Redvale has grown from strength to strength in the years inbetween. It was established as a bustling and unique hub of activity for the community of those with powers, although it quickly attracted young and curious regular humans too. It has everything one can dream of, from high end boutiques and exclusive nightclubs, to unique museums and quaint cafés. These days, the concentration of supers is still amongst the highest in the world, with almost 85% of the population registered.

It was also born and raised Redvalean Carmen Santos who became the first ever non-powered human to join the ranks of Sierra Division 23 years ago. A technical genius, her robotic suits allowed her to stand toe to toe with her powered peers. Although never officially closed to humans, Sierra Division implemented new, tough rules for any who considered themselves tough enough to take on the challenge.

In recent years, there has been an influx of money and power into the region, bringing with it many benefits, but also a darker undercurrent. Drug use is rising in the city, with rumours of a new, highly addictive substance giving regular humans temporary abilities. Criminal gangs are also slowing coming into power, with much gossip indicating that some of the most influential people in the city having strong ties to various groups. The news is full of claims of corrupt police officers and officials getting away with crimes - but rarely having any evidence to back up what is otherwise just malicious gossip. Some even claim that corruption has even touched the highest ranks of Redvale's elite Sierra Division -- but again, with a lack of solid evidence and a completely unrelated habit of curious detectives and journalists of disappearing or taking extended career breaks, there's nothing anyone can prove.​

Sierra Division

Sierra Division is the name usually assigned to a police unit's specialised superhuman crime squad. Every major city in the world has at least one, and many smaller cities and towns have them too.
Units sizes and capabilities vary, but usually follow the same patterns as any other crime division in their unit.

Their primary duties involve investigating and preventing crimes committed by, and relating to superhumans and their families. As superhumans, or as close to being as a regular human gets, they are deemed to be less at risk than regular members of the force to violent and dangerous criminals.

Redvale's Sierra Division is amongst the oldest in the world, and contains 10 full time officers, plus auxiliary staff and trainers. They supervise the mandatory training of local youths, and are responsible for keeping track of registrations within the city.

Their main form of recruitment in Redvale is through the youth training program, where local teenagers who show an aptitude and interest in the force are eligible for apprenticeship and scholarships if they stay in the service of the Sierra Division.
They can officially join ranks at 18, after training.

Current Members:

@SheriffLlama : Roman Czecher - Super Strength
@Wolverbells : Irina Ivanov - Telekinesis
@Absinthe : Lily Lascelles - Rapid Regeneration

Today's Weather Headlines Local Gossip

• 
  
  Good morning Redvale! Today is the 4th of June and my, summer is certainly here at last! Clear skies and sunshine to start with, with light cloud cover set to roll in as things cool down tonight. A slight breeze is scheduled to help cool you down later this afternoon. Temperatures today are set to reach upwards of 22 degrees , or about 72 degrees Fahrenheit for all you Americans! Don't worry if you're trapped in work today, as the great weather is promised to continue over the weekend, and into next week.​
• 
  
  Hanson Business Group purchases North End Shopping Centre, fate of local businesses unknown
  
  Local police bust wanted drug-dealer and gang member Leigh Holt, retributions promised
  
  Remembering reporter Meredith Dixon, missing for 1 year today
  
  Scientists suggest that up to 80% of humans carry a dormant 'enhancement' gene, potentially explaining a sudden rise in the population.​
  
  
• 
  ...
  

The Rules​

Don't be an Ass Post Requirements Power Limitations Character Rules

• 
  
  It's quite simple -- just don't be a jerk.
  
  Any rule breaking, provoking or deliberately being disrespectful towards other members will not be tolerated.
  ​
• 
  
  
  I expect a solid level of writing from all participants, including the use of proper spelling and grammar.
  The post limit is 400+ words per post.
  Post formats are not required, but you're welcome to have one if you wish.
  You are required to post at least once a week, although this level may rise if the activity picks up. If you are blocking other characters, your character may move elsewhere in order to let the story continue. Long periods of inactivity will be assumed as you leaving.​
• 
  
  Characters are allowed up to two powers each. However, these powers must be related in some fashion - you cannot fly and have unbreakable bones, for example. I'm flexible here - if you can come up with a good enough argument, you can have it.
  
  Also a note - powers do tend to run in families, so people possessing the same power that are directly related by blood is highly unlikely.
  
  There is a list of banned powers, which no 'powered' being has had, or ever will have --
  
  - Mind Control
  - Power Stealing/Copying
  - Muscle Mimicry
  - Time Travel
  - Universe jumping
  - Precognition
  - Telepathy
  - Instant knowledge gaining
  
  This list may expand as time goes on!​
• 
  
  All character applications must follow the given skeleton!
  
  Characters within the the Sierra Division RP must be at least 21 years of age.
  This roleplay is focussing on an elite crime unit - unless a teenager has a particularly good reason to be here, I won't accept teenaged characters.
  
  You are not required to play a character with powers! Characters not within the unit, should have some connections to it - be it the mayor, a prolific criminal or their lunch lad/lady.
  
  Illustrations are allowed, although physical descriptions are prefered.
  
  
  Military training is mandatory -- but the system will always miss a small handful...
  
  Multiple characters are allowed, given that a gender balance is maintained. You can take a male and a female, or partner up with another participant if you want to play two characters of the same gender!
  ​
  
  

Character Skeleton

Name:
Easy enough!

Age:
21+

Gender:
Male, Female or somewhere inbetween?

Years Service:
If serving.

Powers:
See the rules. What are the pros and cons of being super?

Extra Skills:
Anything other than powers to make you special?

Appearance:
What do you look like?
1-2 paragraphs here please.

Personality:
What do you look like on the inside?
1-2 paragraphs please.

Background:
Who are you and where do you come from?
Again, 1-2 paragraphs minimum here.​

 

[Mundane Monster]

WIP
Name:
Nadirah Rahman
Age:
14
Gender:
Female
Years Service:
2
Powers:
Bestial Shape-shifting
The ability to transform into any animal that she has seen in person.
The power does not work if she sees an animal that is another powered person in disguise.
She can only maintain a form for up to four hours.If she goes past four hours,
she will painfully revert back to human form and be unable to shift for a day.
Extra Skills:
Embroidery
Knitting
Gymnastics
Researching
Proficient in hand to hand combat
Appearance:
Nadirah is a short, and fair skinned girl with long glossy black hair, which she braids everyday. She is of Islamic faith, so she keeps her head covered with a hijab. Instead of keeping to one solid color head scarf, she tends to wear bright and colorful ones that match with her outfits. Nadirah wears tight fitting clothes, as logically wearing loose flowing clothing would hinder her rather than help her. She wears boots and sneakers interchangeably. Nadirah weighs around 130 pounds in human form, though her weight varies in whatever beast form she undertakes.

Personality:

Background:​

 

[SheriffLlama]

Name:
Roman Czecher (Pronounced "Checker")

Age:
37

Gender:
Male

Years Service:
14 Years in the Army, 5 Years in the Sierra Division

Powers:
- Super-Strength
This power entails the ability for him to lift about 100 Metric Tons (Aprox. 220,000 Pounds, or a little heavier than a C-130 Cargo Plane) His body and skeleton are obviously reinforced enough to withstand that amount of pressure.

Extra Skills:
-Being a 19-Year Career Soldier, he is a crack-shot with a rifle.
- Due to Roman's size, strength, experience, and training he is well-past deadly in hand-to-hand combat as well as firearms.
- Roman has a very tactical mind and can plan ahead very well. He isn't a genius, but he is definitely a great tactician.

Appearance:
-Befitting of his powers, Roman stands at a full seven-feet-tall. He weighs around 280 pounds and has a very muscular build. He has dark brown hair that is cut in a flat pompadour hairstyle. He has tattoos from his right abdomen to his shoulder. He has multiple bullet scars all over his body, and about five knife-scars on his back.

Personality:
- To say Roman is serious would be an understatement. He makes jokes, yes, but he is the kind of person to thump you in the back of the head for saying something stupid. He cares deeply for the people he trusts, but he has a very reserved personality. At first glance, the man is terrifying, but his friends know that he's actually a loving person, despite his size, strength and number of scars.

Background:
Roman, his father, and his stepmother moved to Redvale to find shelter from the non-superhuman community. His stepmother, Lara Czecher, was an Aerokinetic, while his father, Saul Czecher, was a normal human. Despite what one might think of the rough-looking man, his childhood wasn't that bad. He and his stepmother were very close and they rarely acknowledged their difference in DNA.

Roman himself was a quiet kid, and was often made fun of for his immense height. By his eighth grade year, he was six-foot-five. The final straw was drawn when his super-strength kicked in at 13, and he threw a table at a school-bully. When Roman was 17, and Saul Czecher was killed by a group of powered men that didn't believe he belonged in Redvale, Roman killed two of the five. Because the actions were in attempt to defend himself and his family, he was not charged with murder. This was the main event that changed him into the stoic soldier that he is.

When Roman was 18, he joined the US Military. Since by then he was six-foot-eight, he was far to large to be a Special Forces Operator, he joined the Powered Unit in the military and used his outlandish strength to serve his country. War changed him, and he has a mild case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from a particularly violent tour in Afghanistan in the early 2000's.​

 

[Wolverbells]

Name: Irina Ivanov

Age: 28

Gender: Female

Years Service: She has been training since the age of 14, having been an immigrant from Russia at the time. She has been a part of the Sierra Division for 4 years now.

Powers: Telekinesis. Irina has the ability to move things with her mind, although anything heavier than a garbage truck is highly unlikely. She can not hold objects up indefinitely; there is a max time for her to hold said objects before she begins to struggle and has to let go. That being said, Irina cannot exact 'fly' or sustain herself too long in the air. She uses telekinetic bursts to get her where she needs to be.

Extra Skills: Seeing how Irina's abilities come from the mind, those whom oversaw her abilities feared that others might find a way to block her mind of producing the telekinesis. In hopes to not have her completely defenseless, or rely too much on her ability, Irina was given extra hand to hand combat training without being able to use her ability. Some might say she now prefers to use her hands rather than her mind to win a fight.

Appearance: Irina is of a fairly average height, standing at about 5'5" and weighing around 130 lbs. She has well defined curves that are accentuated by the clothes that she wears. She has muscle definition from her years of gymnastics back when she lived in Moscow. Her hair is a jet black color and falls in curls down to the middle of her back, when straight it's an A-line cut and falls a little more to the small of her back. Her skin is a fair, not too pale color, with a few freckles sprinkled over her nose and on the top of her cheeks. Her eyes are a vibrant emerald green surrounded by thick, long lashes. Irina has hardly ever worn make up and finds it annoying and useless.

Personality: A bit of a reclusive person, Irina would technically classify as an introvert but she doesn't think so. She likes to be around others but enjoys just listening to conversations. She has a 'polite' look on her face that would make her seem approachable by others, yet as soon as she speaks it's another story. Irina is very stern and at times somewhat sarcastic when others get on her nerves. She, in some ways, can be very naive at times, not knowing much about America, only the town where she resides.

Even with this type of 'wall' that she has built, Irina is a caring person to those that win her heart. She has a soft spot for children and animals and strives to help either one. She also has a major soft spot for sweets.

Background: Born in Moscow, Irina grew up with her both of her parents up until the age of seven. They had her in both ballet and gymnastics but the girl had dropped the dancing and stuck to gymnastics. Her abilities didn't really make an appearance until the divorce. Now that she looks back, Irina believes that it had been a dormant recessive gene that had been triggered by overwhelming stress and her depression.

Young Irina had chosen to stay with her mother, and soon after, explained what had been going on with her ability. The mother had been very understanding and open minded, telling young Irina that everything would be okay and that she would be with others just like her. She didn't know what that meant back then, and continued with her days as normal. Meanwhile, for several years her mother worked hard to get everything arranged to leave.

Upon arriving, Irina was placed into the military training and found a liking to it almost immediately. She kept to herself, seeing as how she didn't not know much English at the time. Now, she is well known amongst military affiliations and has become fully fluent in English, but still has an accent.​

(I apologize for any grammatical/spelling errors. I had to type this up on my phone.)

 

[Absinthe]

Name:
Lily Lascelles

Age:
25

Gender:
Female

Years Service:
9 years Service in Sierra Division
+ 4 years Mandatory

Powers:
Rapid Cell Regeneration:
While all gifted humans have a slightly increased healing factor, Lily ability puts her in a whole new league. She can heal any injuries in a matter of seconds, and she is immune to any known illness, as well as most toxins and poisons. She can regrow entire limbs, and if given enough time, she can even regenerate brain matter with little to no long-term ill effects. Her liver metabolises alcohol and other drugs faster than the average human, making it virtually impossible for this young woman to become intoxicated. Even her aging process has virtually come to a halt, as her body repairs and replaces too quickly.

A secondary effect of her ability is an increased level of strength and endurance as lactic acid builds up more slowly in her muscles than it does in others.

However, the ability does come with some disadvantages. Lily is not invulnerable to pain, although her ability grants her an incredibly high pain tolerance, and can be subdued by concussion or devices similar to taser guns. It is possible to kill by severing the connection between her brain and the rest of her body, but if reconnected in any way, alongside chest compressions, it will kick start the healing process again.

Due to her incredibly high metabolism, she also needs to consume around four thousand calories a day to maintain her powers at maximum strength.​

Extra Skills:
Lily is one of Sierra Division's finest close combat specialists, often taking on the role as an instructor to new recruits.

Lily is a polyglot, speaking four languages in total.


Appearance:
Lily Lascelles stands at a rather unintimidating five feet, six inches, with a trim, feminine silhouette free of excess fat. On inspection one can see her limbs are strong and well toned from combat training, and her chest is often bound to allow her freer movement when fighting. Her skin is akin to porcelain; flawless, even and fair. She has no tattoos, and no piercings - her skin will take neither due to her abilities.
She is considered attractive by some, with a heart shaped face and classical good looks. Her hair is a deep brunette, curling softly just below her jawline when loose. Her eyes are a rich emerald green, flecked with hazel, and surrounded with short, dark lashes. She might have been a model or a pin-up once, but she has chosen a career with the Sierra Division in Redvale.

When not in uniform, Lily favours a relaxed style that usually consists of loose pants, mostly combats, and plain vests or t-shirts. She is rarely seen in heels, dresses or make-up; more out of laziness than any rebellious instincts.

Personality:
Lily Lascelle is, on the outside, one of the toughest nuts in Redvale's Sierra Division. She has little sympathy, and even less time for those who are unprepared for what future life in the division will bring. She is arguably one of the most intense members of the squad when it comes to hand to hand combat training, and likes to drill into her teammates and students that life won't go easy, or even play fair.

Beneath it all, to the lucky few who get a glimpse, is a warm hearted woman who is quick to laugh under the right circumstances. She cares deeply about her friends and those who earn her respect, and will go to great lengths to protect them.

Background:
​

Lily's mother, a young doctor, and father, the middle son of a British Earl, were both participants in a eugenics experiment, trying to match two gifted humans in order to produce offspring with new, stronger abilities. Thankfully, the experiment was cancelled, and Lily's mother slipped her number in the pages of the young Earl's NDA as he left for England.

Lily grew up in the south of England with both her parents and her older sister. They lived in a nice house, with nice neighbors, and with everything she wanted at her fingertips. She was a bright child, and showed signs of following in her mother's footsteps as a successful doctor. They moved to Redvale when she was 9, to ensure their children got the best start regarding their powers.

Nearly 15 years ago, Lily, her older sister Rose, and their mother were involved in a catastrophic accident. The details were sketchy, a hit and run where the offending party was never caught. Their mother suffered major internal hemorrhaging and died later in hospital, while Rose and Lily were seriously injured. Lily's legs had been completely crushed, and broken countless other bones -- the paramedics didn't believe she'd make it at first. It started slowly; she was a little too healthy for someone who'd lost that much blood. Then odd changes in her x-rays, then the fragments started knitting back together, faster and faster. She remained stable, and two weeks later she was out of bed and playing with other children like nothing had happened. Tests were run, and Lily was found to be no more than a healthy, very lucky little girl.

The aftermath was devastating - not only did Lily suffer the loss of her mother, but her sister also began pulling away from her. She had been fully conscious for most of her ordeal and flashbacks haunted her daily. She was plagued by bouts of depression and several suicide attempts in her teenage years, all foiled by her body's impossibly fast methods of repairing any damage done. She had started training, but she wasn't doing very well until she received a new mentor, who took no pity on her and encouraged her to get off her ass, get therapy, and start moving on with her life.

Inspired by her mentor, Lily remained in training and found herself apprenticing with her unique abilities within the Sierra Division, where she remains today.

​

 

[Absinthe]

Just a reminder to people posting characters - please, please read everything carefully!

Also a side note that I failed to make clear -- this RP is *not* set in the US.

 

[SheriffLlama]

So is this still happening? Really hope it is!

 

[Absinthe]

It is, although slowly. I'm a lot busier at work than anticipated, but I'll have that post up tonight. :)

 

[Absinthe]

@WitchcraftIsScience
Please read the rules before creating a character!​

 

[Mundane Monster]

Sorry for the silence on my part! I'm still in this, just have to do the personality and background!

 

[Absinthe]

I will make an edit to the main post this evening, but I would like to clarify that teenagers have enough trouble and drama going on in their lives, without powers.
The idea of the military training is to give them discipline before and during the emergence of their powers during puberty.

As much, no teenaged characters will be accepted, unless you have a very valid reason.

 

[Mundane Monster]

I will make an edit to the main post this evening, but I would like to clarify that teenagers have enough trouble and drama going on in their lives, without powers.
The idea of the military training is to give them discipline before and during the emergence of their powers during puberty.

As much, no teenaged characters will be accepted, unless you have a very valid reason.

Wait I thought only Sierra Division characters had to be a certain age, but we didn't have to have a Division character? (Maybe i confused this with another rp...) So your saying teenagers aren't allowed at all even if they aren't in the Sierra Division?
...I'm gonna have to rethink my participation... I kind of outlined my character around being a teen...

 

[Absinthe]

I'm not being trying to be mean here, I'm genuinely curious - what's the appeal of playing teenagers?

This is an RP that is focusing on the ins and outs of a crime unit, potentially dealing with corrupt superiors in a world where the bad guys are just like everyone else. What place do teens have in an RP like this?

If you have a good idea for a character that's coming under the age limit, I'd love to hear it!

 

[Mundane Monster]

I'm not being trying to be mean here, I'm genuinely curious - what's the appeal of playing teenagers?

This is an RP that is focusing on the ins and outs of a crime unit, potentially dealing with corrupt superiors in a world where the bad guys are just like everyone else. What place do teens have in an RP like this?

If you have a good idea for a character that's coming under the age limit, I'd love to hear it!

You included in your story that superhumans received mandatory military training at 12 so I thought it would be fun to play a teen being forced to relinquish their childhood for the sake of those around them. If you didn't want anyone to assume they could play a teen then you should have put a note about that earlier. Plus you said we didn't have to play people in the Sierra Division and I took that as I could play a minor character struggling with their superhuman identity and the world around them.

 

[Mundane Monster]

You included in your story that superhumans recieved mandatory military training at 12 so I thought it would be fun to play a teen being forced to relinquish their childhood for the sake of those around them. If you didn't want anyone to assume they could play a teen then you should have put a note about that earlier. Plus you said we didnt have to play people in the Sierra Division and I took that as I could play a minor character struggling with their superhuman identity and the world around them.

I'm not being trying to be mean here, I'm genuinely curious - what's the appeal of playing teenagers?

This is an RP that is focusing on the ins and outs of a crime unit, potentially dealing with corrupt superiors in a world where the bad guys are just like everyone else. What place do teens have in an RP like this?

If you have a good idea for a character that's coming under the age limit, I'd love to hear it!

Anyway it's whatever. Guess I'll think of something else.

 

[Absinthe]

You included in your story that superhumans received mandatory military training at 12 so I thought it would be fun to play a teen being forced to relinquish their childhood for the sake of those around them. If you didn't want anyone to assume they could play a teen then you should have put a note about that earlier. Plus you said we didn't have to play people in the Sierra Division and I took that as I could play a minor character struggling with their superhuman identity and the world around them.

Puberty screws your mind and body up when it's just regular hormones.
Imagine life as a teenager, only those same hormone giving you spots, creating growth spurts and changing your bone structure, it causes the very beginnings of power manifestation. It's not going to be a very fun time -- that's why the super human community has endorsed this practice. It makes life easier for super humans developing their powers. Almost every person in the world since the agreement has participated in this training -- there is nothing new or unique about participating. There is no loss of childhood, but it's simply a different one.
Further more, it was more of a method to explain why such a large percentage of a city would be so physically fit and have extensive combat experience without drawing attention.


I stick by what I said - if you can come up with an interesting way to incorporate a teenager, I'd love to have them aboard.
A corrupt politician's golden godchild wanting to play with the big kids. A super human whose powers of immortality froze them eternally at 15, or another who forced them to mature at an adjusted rate -- there's plenty of scope.

I'm sorry if you feel this way, and I apologise further if I didn't made things blaringly obvious. I will be making extensive changes over the next day or two.
If you no longer are interested, I'd appreciate if you could remove your posts, so not to clutter the thread.​