passingmod | Applications

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applications

Applications

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APPLICATIONS ↓
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WHAT TO KNOW

Applications are ALWAYS OPEN, and will be processed as they are received. They must be posted in the comments, NOT linked to.

Before applying, read the rules & setting page and this post in their entirety. Use the potential applications page or the FAQ if you have any questions about the process. There is also a sample app and an explanation of how we process apps if those interest you. The wanted characters list may also be helpful.

In general, however, we would rather have a shorter, better written application than a longer one, every time. That said, length is one of the least important factors in our applications. We look primarily at the voice samples, then the personality section and writing sample. The voice samples are by far the most important section, and we prefer that these be thread links, because they give us a sense of how you play the character rather than simply how you write an application for the character.

The application page from the former site can be found here.

MISC. RULES

We do allow challenge apps, but we wait the duration of the reserve for the other app to come in before processing them against each other.

Applications or parts of applications (such as the initial comment containing contact information) will be screened on request.

There is a one week grace period for dropped characters during which applications for them will be held pending. The former player can choose to pick up those characters at any time during that week without re-applying.

If you are asked for a revision, you have one week to submit them before your app will be automatically declined. You must resubmit your app in its entirety if that happens. Always feel free to ask us to clarify what we're looking for on revisions; we won't bite.

If you are rejected, we encourage you to re-apply. We like seeing players that have taken our critique and worked on improving their portrayal. The exception is a character rejected on the grounds that they would be difficult to impossible for others to play with. Playability is an important factor.

Our plagiarism policy is as follows: the first offense will be met without consequence. The second offense results in a one month ban from apping. Subsequent further offenses will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis but most likely incur longer bans, up to and including indefinite bans.

APPLICATION IN DETAIL

Your name:
Your journal: A sock is fine, or a commonly used character journal if you don't have a personal one. Just please be consistent with your identity for ease of reference.
Contact: AIM/plurk/email/etc., whatever you prefer to be contacted.
Other characters played at Passing:

Character name:
Character fandom:
Version: V1, V1.# or V2+ should be the only options.
Canon point: What point of their timeline you're taking them from.
Importing development from old game? If yes, where from?
Background: Link to the Wiki entry on it, or if the series has its own wiki, the character's page. A comprehensive fan site is an acceptable substitute. If you cannot find one of these that works well enough for us to get a good grasp of your character from a third party, please write out the standard 'history' section for this on your own. Please include this even if applying for an AU version of the character. OCs need the history section written out as well, obviously.

In general, though, this should be a link whenever possible and not a written history. We use it to compare an unbiased third party account against your represented version of the character. If you include a written history, we will ignore it completely and look up whatever is available for that character on Wikipedia ourselves.

Changes from canon, if AU: What it says. Detail here how the AU world is different from canon, or what events have happened in their previous game that have lead them to be different.

Personality: The meat of the application, and self-explanatory. We want to see that you understand what makes them tick. If AU, try to include explanation for where and why the character has changed from canon.

Abilities: What are they particularly good at, or if they do have superhuman powers, what are they? A bullet point list will suffice.

Writing sample: At least 200 words of your own writing in third person prose, preferably about the character you're applying for. Samples about others are allowed, in any setting. This is to gauge your writing style and technique, not your grasp of character. That's the next section.

Voice sample: You may either write 200 words of your character speaking to himself, or you may link to threads, or you may request to thread with a mod character.

Regular voice sample: If choosing option one, the standard first person sample rules apply. The word count applies only to spoken words, not action in brackets, and since 200 words is a lot for some quiet characters, more than one different samples are allowed.

Linking to threads: If you are linking to threads, make sure they are lengthy ones that demonstrate your understanding of the character. We don't need a million of them, but remember that this is as a substitute for a sample, and we will evaluate it the same way. Threads that took place in other games, museboxes, or

dear_mun are all fine.

Threading with a mod character: You may also request to thread with a mod character - please do so in the body of your application when you submit it, rather than contacting a mod privately. The first available mod will respond back as soon as possible and discuss with you who your character would be best suited to play off of of their characters, and then you will agree on a time to sit down and crack out a thread.

These will be 'quick log' style in brackets and not prose to make them go faster and keep the focus on dialog. These do not have to be masterpieces of wonder, but your application will not be judged until you have finished the thread (at least 20 comments on your part), so think carefully before choosing this option. The mods will make every effort to respond to your tags quickly.

BLANK FORM

Comment here with this!

APPS ARE NOW PROCESSED EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Your name: Rox
Your journal:

starshowers
Contact: xLadyRoxanne @ Plurk and AIM; notroxas@gmail.com
Other characters played at Passing: None!

Character name: Vanitas
Character fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Version: V1.1?
Canon point: After his defeat at the end of Birth by Sleep.
Importing development from old game? Yes.
Background: Wiki Link. Note that I'm avoiding spoilers for the most recent game in the series, so I have not read over this article in a long while. I apologize for any inconsistencies in advance, since my Vanitas is not spoiler compatible yet!
Changes from canon, if AU:

Instead of vanishing at the end of Birth by Sleep, Vanitas woke up in a plain room, unsure of why he was still alive, where he was, or why he couldn’t talk (unaware that the city of Promenade took the voices of characters at night). But he cared less about that than finding Ventus, determined to finish what they started. A communicator device – a TENEKA – recorded his arrival, and those who knew him – along with several who did not - very quickly took notice. Ventus was among them, but when Vanitas spoke about forging the X-blade with him, the other boy genuinely didn’t know what he meant. It was as if Ventus was from weeks earlier…and, indeed, he was.

No more than a few minutes after this, he confronted Terra and Aqua, who were staying in the same house. He found himself getting tossed out the window and losing yet another fight, which did absolutely nothing to improve his already sour mood. He spoke to several others after recovering, including Sora, who he soon guessed may very well be the one who saved Ventus all those years ago. After all, why else would they have the same face? But he soon got fed up with talking to people, ceased all replies, and left the house, having no particular urge to remain near so many people with strong light in their hearts (or near any people at all, really). So he wandered the city ~~like a hobo~~, attempting to map out and understand this new world with limited success.

This pattern continued for a few weeks, with the only real break being Ventus finding out about what happens during his final fight with Vanitas back in their own world, and Vanitas failing to convince him to forge the X-Blade repeatedly ~~and getting a pie in the face for asking~~. But soon, Promenade’s royalty are put to sleep and monsters overrun the city for a full week. Vanitas, used to near-constant fighting, isn’t bothered by the change, and takes advantage of the darkness overrunning the city to confront Ventus, Roxas, and Sora in his Anti-form…all after an unfortunate incident while fighting alongside Terezi, where the troll decided to lick him for all the city to see (because every disaster needs some good comic relief). Later that week, Sora, Roxas, and Ventus are all killed while fighting, though it’s only the latter that upsets Vanitas. Unaware that death is not permanent in Promenade, his resentment for Ventus’ weakness only grows with this development, along with a very complicated mix of other reactions that he makes an effort to not sort through. Instead he keeps to himself, even after the monsters and darkness have vanished and he senses Ventus’ return.

There is one task he can pour his concentration into; payback. The next time he encounters Terezi, Vanitas attacks her and leaves her very seriously wounded, showing her – and everyone else – that he didn’t find her antics funny in the least. Soon after, he finds that The Keyblade Graveyard, or at least a version of it, has appeared on the outskirts of the city, and he takes residence there. A couple of weeks later, an event where several of Prom’s residents are turned into children occurs, and for a week Vanitas gets to experience a childhood that he never had (though he quickly attempts to forget it).

But what happens when Ventus returns from his canon update is not so easily forgotten. Ventus contacts Vanitas privately, asking him to meet up at Castle Oblivion. There, Ventus attempts to make him understand their future – a decade of sleep in a lonely room. Was the X-Blade really worth it, he asked? Vanitas replied only with more denials, more harsh words…until Ventus’ words sent him over the edge.

”Maybe you’re incomplete, but I’m fine on my own.”

Vanitas blindly attacks the other boy, using rage to avoid confronting the fact that those words stung. He nearly kills Ventus – would have, should have, he wasn’t sure – but doesn’t. He drops Void Gear and portals back to the Keyblade Graveyard, and tries to sort out the memories and emotions that the conversation brought up.

That is where his time in Promenade ends, and his time in OPN begins.

Personality:
That Vanitas is a being made entirely of negativity is reflected quite well in his manner. A typical jerk, he is not the sort who would attract a lot of company or friends, nor does he have any interest in doing so. He is, in fact, quite the sadist when it comes to the feelings of others. He enjoys spreading doubt and pain, jealousy and discord, and needs no motivation beyond his own amusement to do so.

As a matter of fact, he has very little motivation of his own, beyond a few very simple goals. Under Master Xehanort’s care, he learned to strive for only one thing – the creation of the X-blade. Naturally, he relished the thought of bringing about the destruction and chaos of a Keyblade War, and was more than happy to do his part. Because of his interest, and because he had known no other way of life since his ‘birth’, he was a loyal student. But his loyalty is fueled only by self-interest. Vanitas does not care about the goals or aspirations of those he’s working with, nor will he go out of his way to work toward their achievement if the task is not to his benefit. Indeed, he would have willingly gone against Xehanort’s orders to ensure the creation of the X-blade and, in fact, nearly did so more than once.

When talking to others, Vanitas is brief, callous, and to the point, the grand exception being when he’s trying to manipulate and exploit doubt. As mentioned before, he does this quite often – destroying the confidence of the weak, encouraging pessimism, and turning ally against ally are fun ways for him to kill time. He enjoys control, manipulation, and power…and his love of power, naturally, extends to his abilities in combat.

However, it isn’t a stretch to say that Vanitas is overconfident. He is fully aware of his strength, but tends to overestimate it’s limits. Only his final defeat at the hands of Ventus and Aqua have come anywhere close to tempering his pride; none of his other fights hurt his self-image at all, despite his often being on the losing side. On that same token, he tends to underestimate the abilities of others.

Vanitas also does not enjoy working or fighting alongside others, even to make up for his own weaknesses. He was trained to be able to take on even the most formidable opponents alone, and believes himself more then capable of always being able to do so. ‘Friendship’ and ‘trust’ are worthless to him, anyway. He doesn’t have to believe in anyone – people are simply tools, useful as nothing more than a means to an end.

Most importantly, one must remember that Vanitas' heart really is filled with nothing but darkness, and negativity colors all of his emotions. He isn't capable of changing this. Vanitas is a mess of all the worst parts within a person, with none of the good to relieve them. Without some sort of goal, he is incredibly unstable and destructive, and doesn't always know what to do with himself. In short, Vanitas is a very dangerous being - one who should not be ignored.

In Promenade, Vanitas found himself without any means to achieve his goal. Ventus’ refusal to fight him and his full awareness of his failure in his own world left Vanitas a bit lost and restless, and a bit more willing to fixate on details outside of his immediate goal, such as the truth behind his resemblance to Sora. His determination to forge the X-Blade hasn't vanished, though, even if the odds are stacked against him achieving this. But it’s his conversation with Ventus that may have started a significant change, forcing him to confront the confusion he felt at the start of his life…and the fact that, in the end, he is only half a person. Only time will tell whether or not these thoughts being brought to the surface will have any other impact in the future.

Abilities:

Vanitas is a being with vast powers of darkness – which, in the Kingdom Hearts universe, is essentially compressed negative energy that can hurt you. A lot. Access to this power gives him several special abilities.

Dark Portals/Darkness Teleportation – Vanitas can open portals of swirling darkness that can teleport him from place to place via otherwise inaccessible paths. He can also use a much more limited form of teleportation that allows him to completely vanish and move within an area of a few feet, typically utilized to trick his opponents in battle.

Darkness Attacks – During a fight, Vanitas can use attacks augmented by darkness to do extensive damage, in such forms as a crescent or multiple balls of energy.

In addition to his darkness related abilities, Vanitas knows some form of Blizzard and Fire spells, which he uses in combination with his darkness attacks.

His weapon is a Keyblade; essentially, a large key-like sword that can unlock anything, from a simple door to the heart of a world. Known as Void Gear, this blade can be summoned at will, and increases his already existing powers greatly.

However, his most powerful ability is independent of all of this. Thanks to his overwhelming negativity, Vanitas has the power to spawn creatures called Unversed – monsters reflective of darker emotions, born from his own body. They can be spawned by the hundreds, possibly even thousands, and exist in many forms, shaped from his own negativity and that of the people they are exposed to in various places. If they are destroyed, their power will always return to him. However, each time one is destroyed, he does feel physical pain. He also cannot control their creation - they come into existence in response to his emotions. In game, Vanitas used these creatures to spread chaos across the worlds and create an opponent that would force Ventus to get stronger.

Lastly, Vanitas feels a limited sort of connection to Ventus - if something major happens to the other boy, Vanitas will be at least vaguely aware of it (to what extent, or if I even bring this up at all, would be left completely up to Ven's mun - canon does not give us firm boundaries for this ability, or even explain how much of a factor it is.)

Writing sample:

Vanitas had only ever seen a Heartless once for himself. It was years ago, when Xehanort had summoned a whole group of them. He remembered the event in detail - it was an exercise in control. Vanitas had ordered a group of Unversed to attack. Whether or not there was more to it then practice, the old man had never said. But the calculating look in his eyes as he had absorbed the scene of the fight, watching both creatures slash away at each other's numbers, made Vanitas think that he had been making some sort of comparison. Trying to decide which would be more useful, maybe.

Normally, Vanitas didn't care about those things. But when his thoughts wandered, and he stared at the spot where it had taken place, he found that he couldn't help but keep his own count of the similarities and differences.

When that first Heartless had appeared, and the shadowy creature had stared at him with those empty golden eyes, he thought that they weren't really so different. Both were castaways, fragments of something that was broken. Monsters.

But there were differences. The Heartless moved with fluidity and grace, in strange contrast to the Unversed's jumpy, erratic, or just out of place motions. There was a certain focus behind their actions, an innate, instinctual purpose that the Unversed lacked. After all, the Unversed were just the product of his own emotions. Incomplete, undirected feelings.

Both of them were pathetic, in his opinion.

He hated the Heartless almost as much as he hated the Unversed. Both were signs of weakness. Heartless only existed because of idiots who couldn’t protect their hearts, and the Unversed only existed because he wasn’t as strong as he could be.
But, unlike the Heartless, the Unversed had a true purpose, one more valuable than a blind search for hearts. They had their role to play.

Just as he and Ventus did.

Voice sample: First Post in ilPromenade

You've been accepted! Welcome. :) There are a few things to go over.

ᘚ Please join the comms. These notifs haven't been working lately, so if a day goes by and you haven't been accepted into the communities, feel free to nag us.
ᘚ Comment to the taken page.
ᘚ Our activity requirements are 20 comments each month for each character, and please remember to tag every post your character comments on - this is how we keep track of activity for ACs.
ᘚ If you use plurk, you might also consider following the mod account, though this is not required.

Do all of that, introduce yourself on the OOC comm, and start playing!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Applications

Vanitas | Kingdom Hearts | V1.1 -> Reserved

no subject

ACCEPTED