OOC INFORMATION:
IGN:
My in-game username is "robinzee". My alternate account is "robinaye".
Describe your activity on the server:
Hi, I'm Robin. This is my third summer on SRP.
My Fight Club Journey
I was (or rather, my character was) accepted into Fight Club as a bartender. There, I worked my way up the ranks and became a referee, head referee, and manager. I helped Toto streamline many of the systems of FC, such as the employee payout system, the betting station and the stat-based fighting system. I was the manager and co-leader of Fight Club, along with F1F4, before my ban. During openings themselves, I took care of bets and VIP lounge entry tickets, I refereed from time to time and took care of paying out everyone. I was tasked with keeping the statistics fair and balanced. At one point, I had to rework the level curves to keep the experience fair and suitable for everyone, which are still being used by everyone. Upon my ban and forced leave from the faction, I kept in touch with F1F4 and served Fight Club in an advisory position.
Other Crime Faction Experience
I took part in the Yamaguchi-Gumi VS Akihito Clan War.
I was brought into the Crime Clinic as Head of Security, but due to the inactivity of the business, I had not gotten any work done there.
I was a Black Market Dealer Associate, helping with the BMDs' problems and providing protection for them during openings.
Later on, I was brought on as a full Black Market Dealer, but I was banned twelve days later due to an inappropriate joke I made. I've since appealed the ban successfully and am an active player on the server.
College Faculty Faction
Non-crime-wise, I joined the Faculty Faction as a Modern History Professor on my alternate account, robinaye, in September 2022. Through character development, I switched to teaching Criminology in November, but due to real-life issues, I had to leave the faculty faction in January 2023.
Roleplay Families
I joined Toto's Furukawa family on my alternate account. When Toto left the server, I was given full creative control over the family and I chose to give everyone the freedom to do as they saw fit with their characters. I also had a character in the Joia family. I have a character in the Asogi family - Yasuko Asogi, Goemon Asogi's older sister.
After my Ban (or, addressing the elephant in the room)
Upon my return to SRP, I did not participate in any faction work to focus on my studies and university entrance exams (I was accepted into a screenwriting program, by the way!). However, with summer around the corner, I have a lot of spare time, ideas aplenty, and the vigour to see them through.
Besides the above-listed activities, I am active on the forums where I have no issues providing my opinion on suggestions with proper reasoning.
I am active on the server in a healthy way. While I may not spend a quarter of my day on SRP, I usually hop on for at least an hour a day. I am also available non-stop on Discord if I am not asleep or doing something more important.
My in-game username is "robinzee". My alternate account is "robinaye".
Describe your activity on the server:
Hi, I'm Robin. This is my third summer on SRP.
My Fight Club Journey
I was (or rather, my character was) accepted into Fight Club as a bartender. There, I worked my way up the ranks and became a referee, head referee, and manager. I helped Toto streamline many of the systems of FC, such as the employee payout system, the betting station and the stat-based fighting system. I was the manager and co-leader of Fight Club, along with F1F4, before my ban. During openings themselves, I took care of bets and VIP lounge entry tickets, I refereed from time to time and took care of paying out everyone. I was tasked with keeping the statistics fair and balanced. At one point, I had to rework the level curves to keep the experience fair and suitable for everyone, which are still being used by everyone. Upon my ban and forced leave from the faction, I kept in touch with F1F4 and served Fight Club in an advisory position.
Other Crime Faction Experience
I took part in the Yamaguchi-Gumi VS Akihito Clan War.
I was brought into the Crime Clinic as Head of Security, but due to the inactivity of the business, I had not gotten any work done there.
I was a Black Market Dealer Associate, helping with the BMDs' problems and providing protection for them during openings.
Later on, I was brought on as a full Black Market Dealer, but I was banned twelve days later due to an inappropriate joke I made. I've since appealed the ban successfully and am an active player on the server.
College Faculty Faction
Non-crime-wise, I joined the Faculty Faction as a Modern History Professor on my alternate account, robinaye, in September 2022. Through character development, I switched to teaching Criminology in November, but due to real-life issues, I had to leave the faculty faction in January 2023.
Roleplay Families
I joined Toto's Furukawa family on my alternate account. When Toto left the server, I was given full creative control over the family and I chose to give everyone the freedom to do as they saw fit with their characters. I also had a character in the Joia family. I have a character in the Asogi family - Yasuko Asogi, Goemon Asogi's older sister.
After my Ban (or, addressing the elephant in the room)
Upon my return to SRP, I did not participate in any faction work to focus on my studies and university entrance exams (I was accepted into a screenwriting program, by the way!). However, with summer around the corner, I have a lot of spare time, ideas aplenty, and the vigour to see them through.
Besides the above-listed activities, I am active on the forums where I have no issues providing my opinion on suggestions with proper reasoning.
I am active on the server in a healthy way. While I may not spend a quarter of my day on SRP, I usually hop on for at least an hour a day. I am also available non-stop on Discord if I am not asleep or doing something more important.
Weekdays | Weekends |
|---|---|
9 AM - 12 AM | 9 AM - 12 AM |
I work on weekdays! Not every day, though. I receive my shifts - which are, at most, three days in a given week, the Wednesday before. This allows me to schedule any events beforehand rather neatly. | I don't really have anything to do on weekends! Unless I do - in which case the faction will be properly notified. |
(Times in CEST.)
(Note: I am going on a vacation until the 25th - though I may drop in from time to time, such as on the day of the results. I will not be available to hop on the server, however, as I will be without my computer.)
Specify your Discord username (USER#0000) and if you have a microphone:
My Discord username is "tangerobine". I have a microphone, as some people may unfortunately be aware.
Specify your country of origin and time zone:
I am from Slovakia. My time zone is the Central European Summer Timezone (CEST). For reference, that's GMT+2:00.
What are your motivations for applying for the black market dealer role?:
(I think six times puts into perspective how much I need that money! /j)
My motivations lie in, as they always have, a genuine interest in the faction and its potential for roleplaying opportunities. I feel that the Crime Faction is currently in a precarious place which means it is not fully utilising what it has at its disposal. I'd like to help the faction tap into what it has, help cultivate criminal businesses, bring up gangs, and generally make the faction better -- because it can be.
I am also applying because of a personal interest in running Fight Club. I feel a responsibility to continue working with the club, keep expanding it and provide unique roleplay one doesn't get anywhere else. As somebody who has been with it for a long time, I feel that I'm one of the few people who understand why Fight Club has been so popular for such a long time -- that being the openmindedness and hard work of its leadership, non-exclusivity of its employees and the public face of the business itself. I would hate to see it fall into obscurity. I would like to see it continue to prosper.
Without sugarcoating, the final reason for applying is a rather selfish one: I did not have the chance to show what I was capable of in the two weeks I was a Black Market Dealer. I'd be grateful to have the chance to show what I'm made of again and to work with those who I've helped become dealers themselves.
What helps you to stand out from other applicants & what can you uniquely provide to the team?:
I don't believe I can offer anything more than just me.
I have a drive to know and understand things. If there is something I don't know, I listen and I learn until I know and understand. I am not comfortable sitting in an echo chamber of yes-men, I want to step out of my comfort zone, I want to seek opinions different from mine in search of the best solutions to things.
This trait also carries into the way I handle criticism. I always try to give constructive criticism without pulling any punches (as will become apparent later in this application), and I take criticism of my ideas in stride. I'm no stranger to receiving negative feedback, and I've no qualms about changing my ideas should the feedback be delivered in a genuinely constructive manner.
Lastly, perhaps unlike other applicants (who are brilliant in their rights, I'm sure), I understand that being a Black Market Dealer is not a cakewalk. It is not a privilege, it is a responsibility - 'Heavy is the head who wears the crown'. What people may see on the outside is a significantly tame version of the blood poured into the faction. Running a criminal business is a Sisyphean task - we put effort into pushing a boulder uphill, only to have to do it again, and again, and again. Being a dealer would be a burden I'd love to carry.
I can give my voice, my passion, my crappy jokes, my understanding. I can give myself, perhaps different than the one in December, but in a good way. I can only hope you'll have me again.
What previous experience do you have in working with a team?:
My most notable on-server teamwork experience is Fight Club, where I was constantly asked to communicate and coordinate employees and fighters and handle payouts and the stock system.
Off-server, I've been part of multiple roleplaying communities' administration teams, moderating the chats, approving (or denying) characters and writing lore. This year and last year I worked as a summer camp counsellor, where I was tasked with constantly keeping the teaching, behaviour and activity of kids in check while also communicating plans with other counsellors. I am currently also coordinating a game development project.
What suggestions do you have to help better the crime faction?:
I'm thankful for the experience of being forced to take a break from crime activity as it allowed me to observe and evaluate the faction from an outsider's point of view. I've split up my suggestions into separate sections for ease of reading.
Bounty Hunting
I've not seen a lot of activity from Bounty Hunting publicly, and from the people I've spoken to, it seems Bounty Hunting is an inactive business.
This may have to do with general player disinterest in having other people do their bidding for them (and charging a lot of money to do so - see Addendum).
However, I believe that the leadership has to meet activity halfway somehow. That is why I am, once more, suggesting special Event Character Contracts. Event Character Contracts would be special targets, played by either members of the Event Team or The Black Market, marked for elimination by the Market for various reasons.
I also believe that Bounty Hunting needs more publicity, so creating a public activity channel (similar to FC's) or an IC Ikigai activity channel where Bounty Hunters post successful bounties would boost the business's reputation.
Karakura Autos
(Note: I reached out to Fred, the new Street Racing Director, to get an idea of how he imagines it would work. I have not received a response at the time of writing, so I have based my notes on Nylu's answer of how they would have run Street Racing if they had the time to, and on my talk with HunterHampter, who is much more versed in the question of Street Racing. I believe this goes to show that I always do my research.)
Karakura Street Racing, on an "official" and BM-regulated level, has been inactive for a long time. In my opinion, the reasons for this are systematic (although other human factors may have had a part in it, too). A full rewrite of the official KA rules should be considered.
The official system currently in place states that only Garage Owners can host "official" KA race events. This effectively halts any events from happening until a crew foots the cost of renting the garage turf. The issues with the system in place are:
(Note: I am going on a vacation until the 25th - though I may drop in from time to time, such as on the day of the results. I will not be available to hop on the server, however, as I will be without my computer.)
Specify your Discord username (USER#0000) and if you have a microphone:
My Discord username is "tangerobine". I have a microphone, as some people may unfortunately be aware.
Specify your country of origin and time zone:
I am from Slovakia. My time zone is the Central European Summer Timezone (CEST). For reference, that's GMT+2:00.
What are your motivations for applying for the black market dealer role?:
(I think six times puts into perspective how much I need that money! /j)
My motivations lie in, as they always have, a genuine interest in the faction and its potential for roleplaying opportunities. I feel that the Crime Faction is currently in a precarious place which means it is not fully utilising what it has at its disposal. I'd like to help the faction tap into what it has, help cultivate criminal businesses, bring up gangs, and generally make the faction better -- because it can be.
I am also applying because of a personal interest in running Fight Club. I feel a responsibility to continue working with the club, keep expanding it and provide unique roleplay one doesn't get anywhere else. As somebody who has been with it for a long time, I feel that I'm one of the few people who understand why Fight Club has been so popular for such a long time -- that being the openmindedness and hard work of its leadership, non-exclusivity of its employees and the public face of the business itself. I would hate to see it fall into obscurity. I would like to see it continue to prosper.
Without sugarcoating, the final reason for applying is a rather selfish one: I did not have the chance to show what I was capable of in the two weeks I was a Black Market Dealer. I'd be grateful to have the chance to show what I'm made of again and to work with those who I've helped become dealers themselves.
What helps you to stand out from other applicants & what can you uniquely provide to the team?:
I don't believe I can offer anything more than just me.
I have a drive to know and understand things. If there is something I don't know, I listen and I learn until I know and understand. I am not comfortable sitting in an echo chamber of yes-men, I want to step out of my comfort zone, I want to seek opinions different from mine in search of the best solutions to things.
This trait also carries into the way I handle criticism. I always try to give constructive criticism without pulling any punches (as will become apparent later in this application), and I take criticism of my ideas in stride. I'm no stranger to receiving negative feedback, and I've no qualms about changing my ideas should the feedback be delivered in a genuinely constructive manner.
Lastly, perhaps unlike other applicants (who are brilliant in their rights, I'm sure), I understand that being a Black Market Dealer is not a cakewalk. It is not a privilege, it is a responsibility - 'Heavy is the head who wears the crown'. What people may see on the outside is a significantly tame version of the blood poured into the faction. Running a criminal business is a Sisyphean task - we put effort into pushing a boulder uphill, only to have to do it again, and again, and again. Being a dealer would be a burden I'd love to carry.
I can give my voice, my passion, my crappy jokes, my understanding. I can give myself, perhaps different than the one in December, but in a good way. I can only hope you'll have me again.
What previous experience do you have in working with a team?:
My most notable on-server teamwork experience is Fight Club, where I was constantly asked to communicate and coordinate employees and fighters and handle payouts and the stock system.
Off-server, I've been part of multiple roleplaying communities' administration teams, moderating the chats, approving (or denying) characters and writing lore. This year and last year I worked as a summer camp counsellor, where I was tasked with constantly keeping the teaching, behaviour and activity of kids in check while also communicating plans with other counsellors. I am currently also coordinating a game development project.
What suggestions do you have to help better the crime faction?:
I'm thankful for the experience of being forced to take a break from crime activity as it allowed me to observe and evaluate the faction from an outsider's point of view. I've split up my suggestions into separate sections for ease of reading.
Bounty Hunting
I've not seen a lot of activity from Bounty Hunting publicly, and from the people I've spoken to, it seems Bounty Hunting is an inactive business.
This may have to do with general player disinterest in having other people do their bidding for them (and charging a lot of money to do so - see Addendum).
However, I believe that the leadership has to meet activity halfway somehow. That is why I am, once more, suggesting special Event Character Contracts. Event Character Contracts would be special targets, played by either members of the Event Team or The Black Market, marked for elimination by the Market for various reasons.
I also believe that Bounty Hunting needs more publicity, so creating a public activity channel (similar to FC's) or an IC Ikigai activity channel where Bounty Hunters post successful bounties would boost the business's reputation.
Karakura Autos
(Note: I reached out to Fred, the new Street Racing Director, to get an idea of how he imagines it would work. I have not received a response at the time of writing, so I have based my notes on Nylu's answer of how they would have run Street Racing if they had the time to, and on my talk with HunterHampter, who is much more versed in the question of Street Racing. I believe this goes to show that I always do my research.)
Karakura Street Racing, on an "official" and BM-regulated level, has been inactive for a long time. In my opinion, the reasons for this are systematic (although other human factors may have had a part in it, too). A full rewrite of the official KA rules should be considered.
The official system currently in place states that only Garage Owners can host "official" KA race events. This effectively halts any events from happening until a crew foots the cost of renting the garage turf. The issues with the system in place are:
- A crew may choose to pay the rent to get a turf without needing to get to Verified status. Thankfully, this does not mean they will simply hog the garage (they may get kicked out for not hosting "at least 1 race per month). Regardless, it is important to note that somebody may not be doing this with the clearest of intentions.
- The paying crew is not paying for the start of a new season, they are paying for the "privilege" of being able to host the new season themselves. While, in theory, this does get us closer to the much-adored "gang-run criminal businesses" ideal that a lot of us have shared in the past, it is not going to work. The current system promises that crews will be able to profit off of the races. However, as somebody who's worked with Fight Club's money extensively, the profit margin on any given criminal business is minimal -- even more so considering that FC's main revenue stream, the entry fee, is virtually eliminated because street races happen, well, on the street.
By instituting a barrier of entry like this, people are bound to drift away from official channels and do things their way. And that is exactly what happened - HunterHampter runs their own standardisation of a racing system, which features enforcers, bookies, and spotters. I believe these alternatives should be lifted, given the spotlight and support they need to become a prominent fixture of the server. They should be given Karakura Crime event listings, they should be given announcements.
Crime Clinic
CC can be considered the true black sheep of the Black Market Criminal Businesses. It never found its footing, the prices are too high (see addendum) and the Ikigai channel is full of off-topic messages which hide the message that should be most visible -- the one explaining the service. I think that making the Crime Clinic's recovery times half the ones at the hospital was a step in the right direction, but as it stands, there is currently no reason to use the service. It is less reliable (as there are only two clinicians who can take patients), and it costs more, whereas there are usually more doctors, surgeons and paramedics online at one time than the entire CC crew, who will perform a procedure for free.
While this is a difficult stance for me as somebody who was at CC initially, I do not see a future for the Crime Clinic. I believe it should be closed and the director's abilities would better be used elsewhere (like, say, Street Racing, which is what Fred's doing right now!). Alternatively, the Crime Clinic should be fully revamped with major rewrites to pricing, employees and worker applications system.
Fight Club
Unlike other Crime Businesses, Fight Club has thrived under previous leadership of Toto, Springwood and F1F4, which is why I believe that the course Fight Club is currently on is a good one. The changes I'd like to suggest are purely constructive and not necessary for the proper function of Fight Club.
An idea that I've pitched a few times is special openings where players from the crowd would be fighting against each other. They would not be given access to the internal statistics spreadsheet, but they would rather be using the standard roll system.
An interaction I was very surprised by when I dropped by Fight Club a while back is the fact that security guards take peeks under visitors' masks now - this is something which I highly disagree with, as a criminal business has a responsibility to keep the identities of its clients confidential.
The Black Market Dealers
(EDIT: I was made aware that a quota has been re-introduced, but this part was too important for me to remove. I believe it shows how I think about activity in a faction.)
It may seem counter-intuitive to criticise the very faction I am applying for, but I sincerely believe that by doing so, the whole faction could receive a boost.
The Dealers' activity must be based on a quota. If a quota is not re-introduced, then the Black Market Faction will grow inactive, and by extension, a lot of the crime faction will grow inactive, too, as they do not see any "official" push for activity. I am not the right person to ask for numbers, however, I do believe that quota activity doesn't only have to include by-the-numbers things like dealer openings but also hosting events, interacting with gangs, etcetera. The Black Market Dealer faction is too limited to have inactive people with no explanation for why they are inactive.
Addendum: On Crime Business Profit Margins
There are none! It seems to me that pricing for some Crime Business services is too high in an attempt to turn a profit. I've worked with Fight Club's money - ticket sales, bar sales, restock fees and employee/fighter payouts - extensively, and the truth is that Crime Businesses will never turn a profit for the proprietor - it is only the loss of money which can be mitigated. In Fight Club's case, this stems from the fact that alcohol is often bought from other shops, as it does not have access to the restocking feature regular shops have. I've tinkered at length with the pricing of certain items, and the truth is that the point at which a business turns a profit, and the point at which a customer is no longer willing/able to pay, are the same. Therefore, while devising pricing, crime businesses should consider the value of a player's interest and contribution to roleplay instead of hoping to make a lot of moo-lah.
Are you familiar with all rules pertaining to weapon profiles, combat, permissions, and player conduct on the server?:
Yes, I am familiar with all rules pertaining to weapon profiles, combat, permissions and player conduct on the server.
Are you familiar with the fact that if you leave the black market at any point, the black market lead will have permanent kill permissions on your character?:
Yes, I am aware that if I leave the black market of my own volition, the black market lead will have permanent kill permissions on my character. I accept these terms.
Are you familiar with that if your character(s) is/are killed or permanently arrested twice, you will be removed from the black market?:
Yes, I am aware that if my character is killed or permanently arrested twice, I will be removed from the black market. I accept these terms.
Are you familiar that you cannot reveal any out-of-character plans or potential additions to the black market to others?:
Yes, I know I cannot reveal any out-of-character plans or potential additions to the black market to non-black market members. I accept these terms.
Crime Clinic
CC can be considered the true black sheep of the Black Market Criminal Businesses. It never found its footing, the prices are too high (see addendum) and the Ikigai channel is full of off-topic messages which hide the message that should be most visible -- the one explaining the service. I think that making the Crime Clinic's recovery times half the ones at the hospital was a step in the right direction, but as it stands, there is currently no reason to use the service. It is less reliable (as there are only two clinicians who can take patients), and it costs more, whereas there are usually more doctors, surgeons and paramedics online at one time than the entire CC crew, who will perform a procedure for free.
While this is a difficult stance for me as somebody who was at CC initially, I do not see a future for the Crime Clinic. I believe it should be closed and the director's abilities would better be used elsewhere (like, say, Street Racing, which is what Fred's doing right now!). Alternatively, the Crime Clinic should be fully revamped with major rewrites to pricing, employees and worker applications system.
Fight Club
Unlike other Crime Businesses, Fight Club has thrived under previous leadership of Toto, Springwood and F1F4, which is why I believe that the course Fight Club is currently on is a good one. The changes I'd like to suggest are purely constructive and not necessary for the proper function of Fight Club.
An idea that I've pitched a few times is special openings where players from the crowd would be fighting against each other. They would not be given access to the internal statistics spreadsheet, but they would rather be using the standard roll system.
An interaction I was very surprised by when I dropped by Fight Club a while back is the fact that security guards take peeks under visitors' masks now - this is something which I highly disagree with, as a criminal business has a responsibility to keep the identities of its clients confidential.
The Black Market Dealers
(EDIT: I was made aware that a quota has been re-introduced, but this part was too important for me to remove. I believe it shows how I think about activity in a faction.)
It may seem counter-intuitive to criticise the very faction I am applying for, but I sincerely believe that by doing so, the whole faction could receive a boost.
The Dealers' activity must be based on a quota. If a quota is not re-introduced, then the Black Market Faction will grow inactive, and by extension, a lot of the crime faction will grow inactive, too, as they do not see any "official" push for activity. I am not the right person to ask for numbers, however, I do believe that quota activity doesn't only have to include by-the-numbers things like dealer openings but also hosting events, interacting with gangs, etcetera. The Black Market Dealer faction is too limited to have inactive people with no explanation for why they are inactive.
Addendum: On Crime Business Profit Margins
There are none! It seems to me that pricing for some Crime Business services is too high in an attempt to turn a profit. I've worked with Fight Club's money - ticket sales, bar sales, restock fees and employee/fighter payouts - extensively, and the truth is that Crime Businesses will never turn a profit for the proprietor - it is only the loss of money which can be mitigated. In Fight Club's case, this stems from the fact that alcohol is often bought from other shops, as it does not have access to the restocking feature regular shops have. I've tinkered at length with the pricing of certain items, and the truth is that the point at which a business turns a profit, and the point at which a customer is no longer willing/able to pay, are the same. Therefore, while devising pricing, crime businesses should consider the value of a player's interest and contribution to roleplay instead of hoping to make a lot of moo-lah.
Are you familiar with all rules pertaining to weapon profiles, combat, permissions, and player conduct on the server?:
Yes, I am familiar with all rules pertaining to weapon profiles, combat, permissions and player conduct on the server.
Are you familiar with the fact that if you leave the black market at any point, the black market lead will have permanent kill permissions on your character?:
Yes, I am aware that if I leave the black market of my own volition, the black market lead will have permanent kill permissions on my character. I accept these terms.
Are you familiar with that if your character(s) is/are killed or permanently arrested twice, you will be removed from the black market?:
Yes, I am aware that if my character is killed or permanently arrested twice, I will be removed from the black market. I accept these terms.
Are you familiar that you cannot reveal any out-of-character plans or potential additions to the black market to others?:
Yes, I know I cannot reveal any out-of-character plans or potential additions to the black market to non-black market members. I accept these terms.
IC INFORMATION:
| Full Legal Name | Bok Seok. His given name translates to "Rock". This name has constantly, throughout his life, given him hope -- he must live, he must remain on this Earth, like a stone, yet let himself be formed by it, corroded, naturally. |
| Criminal Alias | 'Charon'. Based on the name of the infernal boatman of the River Lethe. |
| Age & Occupation | Forty-four. Cinema projectionist off-duty. |
| Gender & Marital Status | Male. Unmarried. |
| Ethnicity & Race | Korean. East Asian. |
| Known Languages | Japanese, Korean & Chinese. |
| Former Associations & Occupations | Pyeongyang University of Music and Dance - Alumnus, Saxophone. The Korean People's Army - Officer, III Corps. PJSC Russian Aquaculture - Stowaway. Odoroki Clan - Associate, Contract Killer. Japanese Black Market - Dealer. |
| Highest Level of Education | Bachelor's Degree - Modern Instrumental Music, Pyeongyang University of Music. |
| Physical/Metal Ailments | Light sensitivity (photophobia) Seok has an intolerance to light which causes him great discomfort. He has no medication for this condition and has to wear sunglasses or tinted masks in the presence of any bright light source, including indoor lights. Missing left arm Severed as punishment for not completing a contract, Seok's original dominant arm was burnt. Despite Karakura's advanced medical services, Seok has not opted for a prosthetic. |
| Known Family Members | N/A. All of his family members are presumed to still be in North Korea or deceased. |
Describe your character's appearance to the greatest detail:
"Some are satin, some are steel
Some are silk and some are leather
They're the faces of the stranger
But we love to try them on"
A tall and lanky man emerges from the darkness. People say they've all met him before. The truth is that they have, in some way. Bok Seok - a man of the millions. Just like them. Easily disappears in a crowd, like smoke in the night.
A face of sharp features. Longing gazes peer into the distance, his eyes corrupted by an illness that prevents him from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, protected by sunglasses. Chapped lips - he doesn't take good care of himself, does he? Buzz-cut black hair with a receding hairline. It's best not to leave behind any clues of your presence.
Let us move our gazes downward now. He hides his body in a trench coat which sways in the breeze. The man appears to have trouble breathing. Years of wearing bulletproof vests tend to diminish one's lung capacity, it's said. Beneath a dirty shirt is his body, a map of unhealed damage. Bruises, scars, surgery marks.
You may notice his left sleeve is suspiciously loose - by no mistake, for he has no limb to fill it. His opposite arm's fingers are ash-stained, by virtue of its owner being a chronic smoker.
His voice is a dulcet baritone. He reeks of cheap tobacco.
Describe your character's personality to the greatest detail:
"You may never understand
How the stranger is inspired
But he isn't always evil
And he is not always wrong"
Some say the best novellas introduce their characters swiftly, some writers say the best stories tell little of their protagonists' 'personalities' and let their place in the world speak for them.
The truth is that in a place of beauty and power like Karakura, Seok's place is anywhere out of view. He has been asked why he's got no arm, why his eyes are the way they are. He has been pitied and ridiculed. There are very few things Seok despises (his heart is not strong enough to handle too much hatred), yet pity and ridicule figure on the list. He doesn't think himself a victim. He thinks himself a fighter.
Seok holds a few convictions, which I will do you a favour and list here in points without much celebration:
- Thou shalt not harm the innocent
- Thou shalt incur torture upon the guilty
- Reject wealth, for it corrupts
- Laugh as heartily as thou canst. Carpe diem - Memento mori.
Violating a conviction incurs a stain on him. It does not leave his mind. It torments him.
Unlike other people in his line of work, Seok is a man unafraid of laughing as loud as he can. He takes pride and joy in his work -- however twisted it may be -- and is a good fellow to be around to get drinks with. Just make sure not to end up on the wrong side of his affections.
Describe your character's backstory to the greatest detail:
"Though you drown in good intentions
You will never quench the fire
You'll give in to your desire
When the stranger comes along"
Part I: Charon's Burden
Part II: Charon's Torment
Part III: What Can Change the Nature of Man?
Describe an interaction that your character may have as a black market dealer:
A knock on a door.
The dealer raises an ash-stained finger. "Come in."
Inside the office walks a wall of muscle, though, despite his developed musculature, he lacks pomp before this person - the director.
"I heard you wanted to see me, sir." The fighter speaks up.
"Ah, yes," Charon says. "I wanted to thank you personally for your performance at the latest opening. Very good job, I am impressed. Are you much of a drinker?"
The fighter nods. It would be borderline offensive to not accept.
Charon pulls out a bottle of red wine from a drawer - perhaps left there by one of the previous managerial staff - and pours it into two glass bottles silently, the only audible noise being the swirling of the liquid. Then, Charon raises his glass. "To more victories."
The fighter, surprised he may be, raises his glass, too. "I didn't win tonight though, sir."
Charon gets up from the table. He turns away from the meatslab, raises his mask and drinks.
"You fighters, it's always the same with you. You think about victories in terms of selfish 'wins' or 'losses'. The truth is... the crowd had fun. We got paid. I consider that a victory of us all."
"I suppose... I suppose you're right in that, sir."
"Yes, I would be. Being right is a very 'me' thing to be."
Charon waves his hand, dismissing the fighter. "You're free to go now. See you next time."
Describe any other additional information that is notable in considering your character for the role of a black market dealer:
N/A
Unlike other people in his line of work, Seok is a man unafraid of laughing as loud as he can. He takes pride and joy in his work -- however twisted it may be -- and is a good fellow to be around to get drinks with. Just make sure not to end up on the wrong side of his affections.
Describe your character's backstory to the greatest detail:
"Though you drown in good intentions
You will never quench the fire
You'll give in to your desire
When the stranger comes along"
Part I: Charon's Burden
A boat moves slowly over an ocean of blood. The beige sky is obscured by pure white flowers. Sometimes they fall and lay upon the river Lethe, only to be sunk by the ship's body once it passes. At the bow, there is an overabundance of pallid faces and blood-shot eyes, stacked upon each other as trash, rejects. They've been travelling for a good while now. Their limbs are interlocked - even if one wanted to escape, they couldn't, without the consent of the others. Moments turn to seconds, seconds to minutes, minutes to hours, hours to days, days to weeks, weeks to months, months to years, years to eternity. Such is unlife - such is death.
And yet, there is one corpse - fresher than others - who has awoken at the top of the pile, as of yet unheld and unembraced by the dead. A wrinkled face, faded cloudy eyes, skin and bone. First, he looks toward the heading's horizon -- he can see nothing but those white blossoms and the river. There is no destination in sight. Then, he looks behind himself and sees Him.
The other He is a tall robed figure. Many cultures call Him by different names, though for the sake of unity, we use the name "Charon", the Stygian boatman. Unlike our fresh corpse, He is beyond the skin, only bone. He has deep eye sockets and no life escapes from his gaze, not for one moment. The boatman silently rows.
"Hey, big guy, how'd I end up here?"
The boatman's voice echoes from all directions as if it were not coming from Him but from the world itself:
"BOK SEOK. DEATH BY BLOODLOSS."
"Ah. Bother."
"WHAT IS?"
"Death, I mean."
It should be noted that He is not always in the mood for idle chatter, especially not with passengers. Millenia will pass sooner than He speaks with anyone. The fact that Bok Seok was here, though, was enough to let loose his non-existent tongue.
"YOU HAVE LIVED ACCORDING TO M E M E N T O M O R I."
"Sure, but I got regrets. As an example, I woulda smoked that Red Apple a bit more thankfully if I knew."
"IF YOU KNEW THAT YOU WERE GRAVEBOUND?"
"Aye."
A silence.
"Say, Death - how much do you know about my life?"
"I KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR LIFE THAN YOUR CLOSEST ALLIES AND YOUR GREATEST ENEMIES. AND I WILL RECOUNT IT HERE - FOR YOU. ACCOUNTING. YOU WERE BORN ON THE NIGHT JOHN LENNON WAS SHOT. YOU WERE BORN IN A COUNTRY OF FORCED PRIDE AND LITTLE FOOD. YOUR EYES HAVE HURT SINCE THE FIRST DAY. THERE WERE NO DOCTORS PRESENT FOR YOUR BIRTH. ONLY BELIEVERS AND PRAYERS."
"Who were they praying to?"
"TO WHOMEVER WAS LISTENING."
"Ah."
"YOU WERE A NATURAL WITH THE ITEMS OF SOUND-MAKING. WHISTLES. DRUMS - ALTHOUGH MADE OF POTS. HOMEMADE STRINGS. YOUR PARENTS WERE FARMERS."
"Have you met them yet?"
"I WOULD NOT KNOW. EVERY DAY, ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINE PEOPLE, EVERY HOUR, SIX THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-TWO, EVERY MINUTE, ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN PEOPLE BOARD MY VESSEL. VERY FEW STAY IN MY MIND."
"Right."
"YOUR FARMER PARENTS CHOSE TO SEND YOU TO PYEONGYANG TO STUDY MUSIC. YOU WERE GOOD. HOWEVER, YOU COULD NOT READ SHEET MUSIC WELL."
"Still can't."
"YES. AND WILL NEVER AGAIN, MOST LIKELY.
YOU GRADUATED EARLY. HOWEVER, NO SOONER DID YOU ARRIVE BACK HOME THAN YOU RECEIVED A LETTER - CONSCRIPTION. DESPITE YOUR CONDITION. AND YOU WENT."
"Didn't have another choice, did I?"
"THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER CHOICE.
REGARDLESS, AFTER A FEW YEARS, YOU WERE PUT ON BORDER DUTY. EVERY MORNING, YOU WOKE UP KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT WORLD OUT THERE. EVERY DAY, YOU SHOT DOWN PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO SEE A DIFFERENT WORLD. EVERY NIGHT, YOU DREAMT OF THEM - THEIR FACES COVERED IN MUD AND GRIME. YOU WORE SUNGLASSES NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAD A CONDITION, BUT BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT STAND SEEING THE PAIN IN RAW. YOU CARRIED A GUN HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE FINGER OF DEATH, THE MACHINE WHICH FULFILLS HUMANITY'S DARKEST DREAM, THAT SOMETHING SHOULD DIE AT A DISTANCE. YOU CARRIED THIS BURDEN WITH YOU. IT HAS LEFT MARKS UPON YOU.
AND ONE NIGHT, YOU RAN.
YOU COULD FEEL THE AIR IN YOUR LUNGS BECOMING DIFFERENT, YOU RAN AGAINST THE WIND WHICH TOLD YOU TO RETURN TO YOUR PLACE. BUT YOU DIDN'T. YOU REACHED CHINA. THERE, YOU BOARDED A BOAT WITH THE HELP OF A MAN."
"Lin, right?"
"YES."
"Have you met him?"
"YES."
"What did he think of me?"
"YOU HID IN THE BELLY OF AN OCEAN BEASTMACHINE TOGETHER, IN THE SAME FILTH, YET HE SAID THAT YOU STANK WORSE THAN THE FISH IT WAS TRANSPORTING."
"That's just like him, ain't it?"
"YES. IT IS JUST LIKE HIM."
Quiet.
"Well, c'mon now, Charon. The escape from NK was the easy part. You gotta tell me what the others thought about me."
"THE OTHERS?"
"The others I killed."
And yet, there is one corpse - fresher than others - who has awoken at the top of the pile, as of yet unheld and unembraced by the dead. A wrinkled face, faded cloudy eyes, skin and bone. First, he looks toward the heading's horizon -- he can see nothing but those white blossoms and the river. There is no destination in sight. Then, he looks behind himself and sees Him.
The other He is a tall robed figure. Many cultures call Him by different names, though for the sake of unity, we use the name "Charon", the Stygian boatman. Unlike our fresh corpse, He is beyond the skin, only bone. He has deep eye sockets and no life escapes from his gaze, not for one moment. The boatman silently rows.
"Hey, big guy, how'd I end up here?"
The boatman's voice echoes from all directions as if it were not coming from Him but from the world itself:
"BOK SEOK. DEATH BY BLOODLOSS."
"Ah. Bother."
"WHAT IS?"
"Death, I mean."
It should be noted that He is not always in the mood for idle chatter, especially not with passengers. Millenia will pass sooner than He speaks with anyone. The fact that Bok Seok was here, though, was enough to let loose his non-existent tongue.
"YOU HAVE LIVED ACCORDING TO M E M E N T O M O R I."
"Sure, but I got regrets. As an example, I woulda smoked that Red Apple a bit more thankfully if I knew."
"IF YOU KNEW THAT YOU WERE GRAVEBOUND?"
"Aye."
A silence.
"Say, Death - how much do you know about my life?"
"I KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR LIFE THAN YOUR CLOSEST ALLIES AND YOUR GREATEST ENEMIES. AND I WILL RECOUNT IT HERE - FOR YOU. ACCOUNTING. YOU WERE BORN ON THE NIGHT JOHN LENNON WAS SHOT. YOU WERE BORN IN A COUNTRY OF FORCED PRIDE AND LITTLE FOOD. YOUR EYES HAVE HURT SINCE THE FIRST DAY. THERE WERE NO DOCTORS PRESENT FOR YOUR BIRTH. ONLY BELIEVERS AND PRAYERS."
"Who were they praying to?"
"TO WHOMEVER WAS LISTENING."
"Ah."
"YOU WERE A NATURAL WITH THE ITEMS OF SOUND-MAKING. WHISTLES. DRUMS - ALTHOUGH MADE OF POTS. HOMEMADE STRINGS. YOUR PARENTS WERE FARMERS."
"Have you met them yet?"
"I WOULD NOT KNOW. EVERY DAY, ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINE PEOPLE, EVERY HOUR, SIX THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-TWO, EVERY MINUTE, ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN PEOPLE BOARD MY VESSEL. VERY FEW STAY IN MY MIND."
"Right."
"YOUR FARMER PARENTS CHOSE TO SEND YOU TO PYEONGYANG TO STUDY MUSIC. YOU WERE GOOD. HOWEVER, YOU COULD NOT READ SHEET MUSIC WELL."
"Still can't."
"YES. AND WILL NEVER AGAIN, MOST LIKELY.
YOU GRADUATED EARLY. HOWEVER, NO SOONER DID YOU ARRIVE BACK HOME THAN YOU RECEIVED A LETTER - CONSCRIPTION. DESPITE YOUR CONDITION. AND YOU WENT."
"Didn't have another choice, did I?"
"THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER CHOICE.
REGARDLESS, AFTER A FEW YEARS, YOU WERE PUT ON BORDER DUTY. EVERY MORNING, YOU WOKE UP KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT WORLD OUT THERE. EVERY DAY, YOU SHOT DOWN PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO SEE A DIFFERENT WORLD. EVERY NIGHT, YOU DREAMT OF THEM - THEIR FACES COVERED IN MUD AND GRIME. YOU WORE SUNGLASSES NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAD A CONDITION, BUT BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT STAND SEEING THE PAIN IN RAW. YOU CARRIED A GUN HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE FINGER OF DEATH, THE MACHINE WHICH FULFILLS HUMANITY'S DARKEST DREAM, THAT SOMETHING SHOULD DIE AT A DISTANCE. YOU CARRIED THIS BURDEN WITH YOU. IT HAS LEFT MARKS UPON YOU.
AND ONE NIGHT, YOU RAN.
YOU COULD FEEL THE AIR IN YOUR LUNGS BECOMING DIFFERENT, YOU RAN AGAINST THE WIND WHICH TOLD YOU TO RETURN TO YOUR PLACE. BUT YOU DIDN'T. YOU REACHED CHINA. THERE, YOU BOARDED A BOAT WITH THE HELP OF A MAN."
"Lin, right?"
"YES."
"Have you met him?"
"YES."
"What did he think of me?"
"YOU HID IN THE BELLY OF AN OCEAN BEASTMACHINE TOGETHER, IN THE SAME FILTH, YET HE SAID THAT YOU STANK WORSE THAN THE FISH IT WAS TRANSPORTING."
"That's just like him, ain't it?"
"YES. IT IS JUST LIKE HIM."
Quiet.
"Well, c'mon now, Charon. The escape from NK was the easy part. You gotta tell me what the others thought about me."
"THE OTHERS?"
"The others I killed."
Part II: Charon's Torment
It is at this juncture that the boatman stops rowing. People seem to believe that otherworldly beings have no need for breaks, which is correct - nonetheless, they enjoy taking them. The god pulls out a small box of cigarettes and offers one to Bok Seok. He kindly refuses, prompting the boatman to shrug (an act both ethereal and funny-looking at the same time considering His stature). The Boatman places a devil stick between his jaws and, with a simple snap, sets it alight.
"HONG KONG IN THE NINETEEN EIGHTIES."
"Yeah."
"IT WAS A NEON HELLSCAPE - THE RAIN BECAME ONE WITH BLOOD IN THE SEWERS WHICH SEEPED INTO EACH ARTERY OF THE CITY."
"I know," the man says, "I was there."
Perhaps a bit surprised by this display of insolence, the boatman quiets down again.
"What's wrong?"
"WHY DO YOU NOT SPEAK OF YOUR PAST INSTEAD? HUMANS LOVE 'HEARING IT FROM A HORSE'S MOUTH'."
"I mean, what's there to really say? To pay off a debt, I got involved with the yakuza which operated there. Small-time. Tried my best to not get in the way of the triads working there."
"SAY - WHAT WAS YOUR JOB?"
". . . Contract killer."
"YES."
"Over five hundred people in the span of ten years. That's where I got my name. 'The Hong Kong Psychopomp'. 'Charon'."
"YES?"
"Oh, I wasn't... saying your name."
"OH. OKAY. MY BAD."
"Lin... was caught in the crossfire of a war."
"HE DIED."
"Was killed, more like. By a gun."
"PEOPLE DO NOT DIE AT THE HANDS OF MACHINES. THEY DIE AT THE HANDS OF PEOPLE."
"Aye."
"YOU SHOT HIM."
"Didn't have a choice."
"ALWAYS ANOTHER CHOICE."
Bok Seok lets out a 'tch' sound. Scoffing in the presence of the Stygian boatman...
"So what? I shot him. I didn't wanna do it. But that's a job for you, that's human torment. You've got your own torment, too."
"THERE IS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR YOU WHERE WE ARE HEADED. THERE IS A ROOM FOR YOU THERE. A PLAQUE READS: 'TO BOK SEOK, FOR HIS GENEROUS LIFETIME DONATION OF SOULS, BE IT EVIL OR SIMPLY LED ASTRAY.'"
"Why are you saying this?"
"I AM SAYING THAT YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER OPTION. YOUR STORY DID NOT END WITH THE DEATH OF LIN. YOU WERE TASKED WITH KILLING A FATHER. AFTER LIN'S DEATH, YOU COULD NOT. YOU DID NOT. YOU CHOSE NOT TO END THAT MAN'S LIFE. YOU WERE PUNISHED. AND NOW YOU LAY HERE.
AWAKEN, CHARON. YOUR TALE IS TO CONTINUE.
ONCE WE MEET FOR THE FINAL TIME, I'D LIKE YOU TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:
WHAT
CAN
CHANGE
THE
NATURE
OF
A
MAN?"
"HONG KONG IN THE NINETEEN EIGHTIES."
"Yeah."
"IT WAS A NEON HELLSCAPE - THE RAIN BECAME ONE WITH BLOOD IN THE SEWERS WHICH SEEPED INTO EACH ARTERY OF THE CITY."
"I know," the man says, "I was there."
Perhaps a bit surprised by this display of insolence, the boatman quiets down again.
"What's wrong?"
"WHY DO YOU NOT SPEAK OF YOUR PAST INSTEAD? HUMANS LOVE 'HEARING IT FROM A HORSE'S MOUTH'."
"I mean, what's there to really say? To pay off a debt, I got involved with the yakuza which operated there. Small-time. Tried my best to not get in the way of the triads working there."
"SAY - WHAT WAS YOUR JOB?"
". . . Contract killer."
"YES."
"Over five hundred people in the span of ten years. That's where I got my name. 'The Hong Kong Psychopomp'. 'Charon'."
"YES?"
"Oh, I wasn't... saying your name."
"OH. OKAY. MY BAD."
"Lin... was caught in the crossfire of a war."
"HE DIED."
"Was killed, more like. By a gun."
"PEOPLE DO NOT DIE AT THE HANDS OF MACHINES. THEY DIE AT THE HANDS OF PEOPLE."
"Aye."
"YOU SHOT HIM."
"Didn't have a choice."
"ALWAYS ANOTHER CHOICE."
Bok Seok lets out a 'tch' sound. Scoffing in the presence of the Stygian boatman...
"So what? I shot him. I didn't wanna do it. But that's a job for you, that's human torment. You've got your own torment, too."
"THERE IS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR YOU WHERE WE ARE HEADED. THERE IS A ROOM FOR YOU THERE. A PLAQUE READS: 'TO BOK SEOK, FOR HIS GENEROUS LIFETIME DONATION OF SOULS, BE IT EVIL OR SIMPLY LED ASTRAY.'"
"Why are you saying this?"
"I AM SAYING THAT YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER OPTION. YOUR STORY DID NOT END WITH THE DEATH OF LIN. YOU WERE TASKED WITH KILLING A FATHER. AFTER LIN'S DEATH, YOU COULD NOT. YOU DID NOT. YOU CHOSE NOT TO END THAT MAN'S LIFE. YOU WERE PUNISHED. AND NOW YOU LAY HERE.
AWAKEN, CHARON. YOUR TALE IS TO CONTINUE.
ONCE WE MEET FOR THE FINAL TIME, I'D LIKE YOU TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:
WHAT
CAN
CHANGE
THE
NATURE
OF
A
MAN?"
Part III: What Can Change the Nature of Man?
A recurring dream of Seok's features him conversing with the boatman of the dead. He speaks of his sins, as if sinner to pastor. Afterwards, he wakes up in a sweat. He remembers this conversation. There are variations on it, of course. Sometimes his comrade, Lin, is also there. As boatman, as passenger... Sometimes, a father is the boatman. The result, however, is always the same - Seok wakes up in a pool of sweat.
The Japanese Black Market offered Bok Seok asylum, so long as he coordinated their unit shipments. Once he proved himself skilled with logistics, he took his place as an associate, and then finally a Black Market Dealer.
His time as an associate was difficult - not because of his superiors (surprisingly, his Dealer was a rather generous one) but rather because he kept falling into the same traps he'd set years before - killing, although one-handed, stealing, letting the guilty go, and becoming lost in his thoughts and inner world. One day, he set himself four convictions that he would never break -- which we've already discussed.
To this day, he seeks the answer to the boatman's question, so that when they reunite for the final time, he will have an answer.
The Japanese Black Market offered Bok Seok asylum, so long as he coordinated their unit shipments. Once he proved himself skilled with logistics, he took his place as an associate, and then finally a Black Market Dealer.
His time as an associate was difficult - not because of his superiors (surprisingly, his Dealer was a rather generous one) but rather because he kept falling into the same traps he'd set years before - killing, although one-handed, stealing, letting the guilty go, and becoming lost in his thoughts and inner world. One day, he set himself four convictions that he would never break -- which we've already discussed.
To this day, he seeks the answer to the boatman's question, so that when they reunite for the final time, he will have an answer.
Describe an interaction that your character may have as a black market dealer:
A knock on a door.
The dealer raises an ash-stained finger. "Come in."
Inside the office walks a wall of muscle, though, despite his developed musculature, he lacks pomp before this person - the director.
"I heard you wanted to see me, sir." The fighter speaks up.
"Ah, yes," Charon says. "I wanted to thank you personally for your performance at the latest opening. Very good job, I am impressed. Are you much of a drinker?"
The fighter nods. It would be borderline offensive to not accept.
Charon pulls out a bottle of red wine from a drawer - perhaps left there by one of the previous managerial staff - and pours it into two glass bottles silently, the only audible noise being the swirling of the liquid. Then, Charon raises his glass. "To more victories."
The fighter, surprised he may be, raises his glass, too. "I didn't win tonight though, sir."
Charon gets up from the table. He turns away from the meatslab, raises his mask and drinks.
"You fighters, it's always the same with you. You think about victories in terms of selfish 'wins' or 'losses'. The truth is... the crowd had fun. We got paid. I consider that a victory of us all."
"I suppose... I suppose you're right in that, sir."
"Yes, I would be. Being right is a very 'me' thing to be."
Charon waves his hand, dismissing the fighter. "You're free to go now. See you next time."
Describe any other additional information that is notable in considering your character for the role of a black market dealer:
N/A
Thanks for considering my application :]
- Robin
- Robin
