Tʜᴇ Bɪɢ Rᴇᴅ Oɴᴇ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
zombiemessiah) wrote2021-03-19 12:48 am
zombiemessiah) wrote2021-03-19 12:48 am
Permissions
Alvin Murphy
Z Nation
Z Nation
General
|
|
Images
Personality
“I’m sitting here with you, you’ve clearly been blessed.”
When Murphy doesn't feel threatened he walks into a room like he owns it. He has no shame, wearing whatever gaudy clothes he can find, ranging from gold lamé to wild prints to embroidery to sequins. Murphy lives his life in the apocalypse like a man who no longer has to adhere to the standards of society and now no one can judge him for having the most fashionable fun he's always wanted. Not even the opinions of those that he (technically) cares about matter. Murphy's gonna do what Murphy's gonna do.
He comes from a white middle-class background and it's obvious in how he addresses people and treats people. He has a constant air of self-importance, a man that was once at the top of the social food chain suddenly booted down to being an object, a test subject, an item of interest and he's deeply resentful of that. He gives not the slightest damn about his newfound position in society. If anything, he vows to change and twist society to his will.
Murphy should probably be more self-conscious about the damage to his body. A normal person might, but he's been stripped and put on display so often he wears the bite-marks that cover his torso with a morbid sense of pride. He may have technically not survived the zombie attack that helped create him, but he persevered. He's fine with allowing anyone to see him in the raw and feels he has nothing to hide. Perhaps at one point he did, but when he realized those bite marks gave him actual power over the direction of his life he couldn't see them as bad anymore. His varying skin colors, his strange mottled eyes, are also something he's similarly accepted.
The only time Murphy is truly humble is when one of the few people close to him dies. Which, for an apocalypse, doesn't happen as often as one would expect because Murphy doesn't let himself get close to people that aren't at least partially dead. If he's scared? Then he'll actually cower behind things and hide and look distressed. Groups of armed humans looking for excuses to capture/kill him especially evoke this reaction. Though sometimes he's more than happy to be defiant right in someone's face. Especially if he has the upper hand.
“This world is over. Come with me. Start the next world.”
Murphy lives in a post-apocalyptic world. While I've taken him from a point where he's running a bar in Newmerica called "Limbo", and Newmerica is relatively civilized with the potential of an ongoing cure, he's been used to scrounging for the most part. Animals are fairly rare except in colder places. Most of the food stores were depleted or destroyed during Black Summer. Only the organized and fairly well-off have resources.
Murphy's state of cleanliness depends on the frantic state of his life. If he's on the road, he's less concerned about it. If he's settled he makes a very active effort to groom and maintain himself. He likes to feel in control, and one of the ways that he does that is tend to his outward appearance.
Because he's been victimized by humans so often, he no longer likes to be around them. Being in a group of humans makes him immediately suspicious that things are going to implode and someone will do something to him. If he were to see non-humans about to be hassled by a human, though, he'd be damn quick to speak on their behalf.
“I am not one of the resurrected…I’m your Messiah!”
Murphy doesn't make friends well. Part of it is his abrasive personality. He will absolutely throw someone he barely cares about under the bus. In a pressing situation he'll remorselessly steal from other people (even completely innocent people) to give things to his friends. It wasn't the apocalypse that made him like this, either. When he was in prison and the virus first started to spread, he escaped the prison yard during the outbreak and left other prisoners he was familiar with to be slaughtered.
His first real feelings of forced empathy came from his abilities manifesting. Zombies started to think and 'feel' at him. He was filled with overwhelming sympathy for their condition and the constantly lost feeling they endure. When he started to create other "blends" like him, he was more inclined to form close, caring relationships with them than he was other humans because he could share actual emotions. He wasn't suspicious of them and knew their intentions (or, if necessary, could control their intentions).
Murphy hates to be dominated by people and feel objectified, as stated before, but this particularly manifests in people wanting to study him. Very few scientists have convinced him to willingly help them and those that have presented it in a way where he'd be an equal partner who also benefitted from the research.
He's sexually attracted to all genders, but implications are that prior to the apocalypse he exclusively slept with women. Like with the freedom that came in fashion that came after the collapse of society, he eventually also found freedom in choosing sexual partners. That said, the person that controlled his direction through much of his journey both to the CDC and then to the West Coast, Roberta Warren, is the one person that he's felt genuine romantic love for.
He also very much loves his daughter. From the moment she was born he was emotionally connected to her, a link that was so strong he was aware of her thousands of miles away. Named after his mother (who he also loved) Lucy was the apple of his eye and he did everything he could to ensure her safety. When his powers were muted he did everything he could to try and reestablish their relationship until her passing.
“You ever tried going mad without power? It’s boring, no one listens to you.”
Murphy ranges from wanting to build a world that he's the center of to rebuilding a society he can once again feel comfortably safe and average in, exchanging normal rituals and daily pleasantries. Being the center of attention is one of his favorite activities (when it's not as his expense). Murphy has no qualms about stating his opinion, not caring for anyone's fragile feelings and largely not having all that many sensitivities (outside of reacting to mentions of his now dead daughter).
The funny thing is that Murphy's harsh attitudes are usually right. The group stops in small pockets of rebuilt society, desperate colonies, becomes attached to people, and then Murphy tells them to leave because things are going to go wrong and bad. Whatever can go wrong, will. Inevitably every new settlement or survivor group they find refuge in collapses. Every strong, valiant, and heroic soul that decides to boldly integrate themselves into Operation Bitemark ends up dead while Murphy, the cowardly, egotistical, utterly and viciously self-aware and perceptive bastard with a weaponized wit persists.
Murphy's currently fine with residing in Limbo, but who knows what the future holds depending on what knowledge he accumulates.
When Murphy doesn't feel threatened he walks into a room like he owns it. He has no shame, wearing whatever gaudy clothes he can find, ranging from gold lamé to wild prints to embroidery to sequins. Murphy lives his life in the apocalypse like a man who no longer has to adhere to the standards of society and now no one can judge him for having the most fashionable fun he's always wanted. Not even the opinions of those that he (technically) cares about matter. Murphy's gonna do what Murphy's gonna do.
He comes from a white middle-class background and it's obvious in how he addresses people and treats people. He has a constant air of self-importance, a man that was once at the top of the social food chain suddenly booted down to being an object, a test subject, an item of interest and he's deeply resentful of that. He gives not the slightest damn about his newfound position in society. If anything, he vows to change and twist society to his will.
Murphy should probably be more self-conscious about the damage to his body. A normal person might, but he's been stripped and put on display so often he wears the bite-marks that cover his torso with a morbid sense of pride. He may have technically not survived the zombie attack that helped create him, but he persevered. He's fine with allowing anyone to see him in the raw and feels he has nothing to hide. Perhaps at one point he did, but when he realized those bite marks gave him actual power over the direction of his life he couldn't see them as bad anymore. His varying skin colors, his strange mottled eyes, are also something he's similarly accepted.
The only time Murphy is truly humble is when one of the few people close to him dies. Which, for an apocalypse, doesn't happen as often as one would expect because Murphy doesn't let himself get close to people that aren't at least partially dead. If he's scared? Then he'll actually cower behind things and hide and look distressed. Groups of armed humans looking for excuses to capture/kill him especially evoke this reaction. Though sometimes he's more than happy to be defiant right in someone's face. Especially if he has the upper hand.
“This world is over. Come with me. Start the next world.”
Murphy lives in a post-apocalyptic world. While I've taken him from a point where he's running a bar in Newmerica called "Limbo", and Newmerica is relatively civilized with the potential of an ongoing cure, he's been used to scrounging for the most part. Animals are fairly rare except in colder places. Most of the food stores were depleted or destroyed during Black Summer. Only the organized and fairly well-off have resources.
Murphy's state of cleanliness depends on the frantic state of his life. If he's on the road, he's less concerned about it. If he's settled he makes a very active effort to groom and maintain himself. He likes to feel in control, and one of the ways that he does that is tend to his outward appearance.
Because he's been victimized by humans so often, he no longer likes to be around them. Being in a group of humans makes him immediately suspicious that things are going to implode and someone will do something to him. If he were to see non-humans about to be hassled by a human, though, he'd be damn quick to speak on their behalf.
“I am not one of the resurrected…I’m your Messiah!”
Murphy doesn't make friends well. Part of it is his abrasive personality. He will absolutely throw someone he barely cares about under the bus. In a pressing situation he'll remorselessly steal from other people (even completely innocent people) to give things to his friends. It wasn't the apocalypse that made him like this, either. When he was in prison and the virus first started to spread, he escaped the prison yard during the outbreak and left other prisoners he was familiar with to be slaughtered.
His first real feelings of forced empathy came from his abilities manifesting. Zombies started to think and 'feel' at him. He was filled with overwhelming sympathy for their condition and the constantly lost feeling they endure. When he started to create other "blends" like him, he was more inclined to form close, caring relationships with them than he was other humans because he could share actual emotions. He wasn't suspicious of them and knew their intentions (or, if necessary, could control their intentions).
Murphy hates to be dominated by people and feel objectified, as stated before, but this particularly manifests in people wanting to study him. Very few scientists have convinced him to willingly help them and those that have presented it in a way where he'd be an equal partner who also benefitted from the research.
He's sexually attracted to all genders, but implications are that prior to the apocalypse he exclusively slept with women. Like with the freedom that came in fashion that came after the collapse of society, he eventually also found freedom in choosing sexual partners. That said, the person that controlled his direction through much of his journey both to the CDC and then to the West Coast, Roberta Warren, is the one person that he's felt genuine romantic love for.
He also very much loves his daughter. From the moment she was born he was emotionally connected to her, a link that was so strong he was aware of her thousands of miles away. Named after his mother (who he also loved) Lucy was the apple of his eye and he did everything he could to ensure her safety. When his powers were muted he did everything he could to try and reestablish their relationship until her passing.
“You ever tried going mad without power? It’s boring, no one listens to you.”
Murphy ranges from wanting to build a world that he's the center of to rebuilding a society he can once again feel comfortably safe and average in, exchanging normal rituals and daily pleasantries. Being the center of attention is one of his favorite activities (when it's not as his expense). Murphy has no qualms about stating his opinion, not caring for anyone's fragile feelings and largely not having all that many sensitivities (outside of reacting to mentions of his now dead daughter).
The funny thing is that Murphy's harsh attitudes are usually right. The group stops in small pockets of rebuilt society, desperate colonies, becomes attached to people, and then Murphy tells them to leave because things are going to go wrong and bad. Whatever can go wrong, will. Inevitably every new settlement or survivor group they find refuge in collapses. Every strong, valiant, and heroic soul that decides to boldly integrate themselves into Operation Bitemark ends up dead while Murphy, the cowardly, egotistical, utterly and viciously self-aware and perceptive bastard with a weaponized wit persists.
Murphy's currently fine with residing in Limbo, but who knows what the future holds depending on what knowledge he accumulates.
Abilities
The accuracy to which the person performs this task is entirely dependent on how much they resist. Someone playing the knife game who is resisting might cut their fingers. Someone fighting for him unwillingly may perform poorly as they attempt to resist the compulsion. However, the compulsion will win out unless the person is vaccinated against him, at which point they would lose any resistance and health advantage they were given.
He remains connected to his group, and while it's not exactly a hive mind there's a sense of camaraderie and mental steadiness he provides them (if they're willing recipients of the infection) and they usually don't resist any of his compulsions. Consenting participants will follow orders unerringly and he's more inclined to become attached to his infected.
For those that resist, he will be more aggressive with his control. Usually, this is on people he sees as personal threats to his (or his daughter's) safety.
Opt-Out
-Murphy is a Zombie. He is infectious.
-Murphy will eat human flesh as a part of one of his abilities, particularly brains.
-Murphy can mind-control people he infects.
To opt-out of discussing particular things, please comment below. I won't take it personally (my significant other is grossed out by zombies, so I'm not unfamiliar to people having difficulty with the topic).
I can play him without bringing up these things, and for the most part I'll be waiting for people to tag him before tagging out and I won't have him do anything invasive without talking/plotting first and I'd always check permissions before bringing it up as a possibility.
I've added an 'other info' section if your character might be receptive or open to telepathic communication, put off a vague telepathic vibe, etc. Or, alternately, is your character a necromancer, a vampire, or some similar form of undead-related party funtime thing and some plotting might be possible.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Sure, although expect Trunks to be weirded out. He'll try to not judge--if the body was dead already and not sentient, he'll find it weird, but alright. If Murphy killed so he could have the brain, Trunks won't be okay with that.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Sure thing, but no infecting Trunks.
no subject
You can, and unless he's ethical about it Raven will judge. She'll also be resistant to it herself, given her need to maintain control of her powers and her shielding. :)
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion?
Raven will be grossed out. And severely disturbed.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus?
Somehow that won't surprise Raven. She'd take issue with him mass-infecting people though. (She doesn't want to be infected either.)
Other info!
Raven herself is a very powerful half-demon, with her father being the interdimensional demon equivalent to Satan. She has well-tuned and well made shields, but is an Empath, not a straight Telepath.
no subject
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Yes, but Thanatos doesn't approve. If he tries to eat someone's brain on the train, there's going to be problems
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yes, and Thanatos would really not like the idea of this spreading on the train (Unless the other person consents to getting infected)
Other info! Being Death Incarnate and the constantly overworked God of Gentle Death, he may take a lot of issue with Murphy. From what I see on his app, I definitely see tension between these two... or at least Than towards Murphy
no subject
Can I mention Murphy's ability to control minds? sure
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? sure
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? sure
Other info! Haibara will not take well to in character talk about any of this unless it's brought up in a way that makes it sound like it's not much of a conscious decision. She is an expert biochemist (despite appearance) and takes shifts in Medical though so she might be somebody who he goes to if he needs some sort of cure / temp cure / medication of other sorts / idk fake-brains.
Ea-nasir is generally more understanding of supernatural stuff. She's also technically a soul pulled from the cycle of death and reincarnation herself if that counts for anything. That said, she's still fairly moral so depending on how he mentions stuff she can turn from accepting to wtf p quickly.
no subject
He will be interested in talking to someone about developing an antidote against himself. His megalomania has been tempered by like, 75% (just a little bit megalomaniacal now) and if he bit someone in an emergency he'd want them to have the option of disconnecting from him. He's eaten the brains of two very good virologists (the one that made him and caused his torture and the one that died trying eradicate ZN1 and left him her brain on purpose).
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Sure! Soldat has associations with cannibals (there were cannibalistic spirits in Beacon who attempted to make the Beaconites more like them by force-feeding them other spirits... it sucked) and it will make them wary but not necessarily turn the CR negative. (The mind control will probably do that all on its own :) )
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Sure!
Other info! Soldat is technically a pseudo-science version of a lich. I'm not sure what that would ping like to a zombie-controller. Also for the telepathic thing, enjoy the multiple chattering voices in their head!
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Yes but Otoha will be immediately suspicious since mikura drink blood in his canon but also are more than happy to eat people.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yeah but he probably won't get a lot of it.
Other info! He's also a lich, this one with his soul in an amulet. He can basically project out and turn into armor when Yurine lets him. She's his boss. Don't hurt her.
Also he can't feel pain.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? He'll be grossed out but just. Try to think of other things.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yeah? He's seen a few zombie movies in his time but that's about it.
Other info! His Persona makes checking his mind... interesting. She's very cute.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Please do. This will make Jack laugh.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Another probably bad idea, but absolutely.
Other info!
I see an X on the fourth-walling and I wanted to clarify -- can other characters mention having seen 'zombie movies' or knowing at least of the zombie phenomenon?
no subject
Mostly I just don't like people to treat my characters as manufactured personalities because I always have this feeling of "I apped a zombie telepath/space biker/magic gremlin princess, not an object of someone's entertainment and I don't know what to do with this."
no subject
no subject
Can I mention Murphy's ability to control minds? Yes
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? yes
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? No clue what that is, so probably fine.
Other info!
Okay I have a minor zombie squick but it is VERY minor. So we should be okay, and I'll let you know if something goes too far for me. I do have a massive squick over certain parts of the human body (Presume if it is covered by a Tee shirt and long shorts, it is probably going to freak me out) so if we could avoid details about that, I would appreciate. (I also have issues with swearing, but happily I have an extension that auto censors that on my reading page, so we're generally good there. (Just if your kid curses a lot, I probably won't do ipad tags, is all.)
As for USING those powers, or infecting/eating my kids, please plot with me first. You can poke me at
Thank you for the warning link.
(Also, PP is to all appearances a flesh golem, so there could be some fun to be had there)
no subject
I've not been planning any infection unless it's consensual/planned out self-defense/something to be used in a mission for moral dilemma purposes. And he pretty much exclusively eats brains when he eats anything people-related.
UNFORTUNATELY Murphy himself wasn't so lucky, as the reason he is a zombie was he was mauled while receiving a serum, so I will avoid descriptions of that incident to you.
no subject
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Please do, I'm really curious to see how Dev reacts honestly.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yep go ahead.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion?
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus?
oocly i'm a-okay with all of the above! icly alice won't care much about the latter two things, but she would most likely get pretty annoyed/angry about the first, depending on how it came up.
For Taiki, Romeo and Little One
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Yep
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yep
Other info! Just a note that if he interacts with Taiki, Taiki will probably feel ill/dizzy as he is sensitive to blood/death. I am fine for them to have cr- just a heads up for if he acts weird around murphy. Also none of them will be cool with any of those three things (though I am fine ooc) except Little One who will think it very cool but probably loudly disapprove to cover her bases...
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Please do. Watch her not give a shit and or actively help him with off-train hunting as needed.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yes.
Other info! Eva comes from a live-action pokemon AU and is very, very 'who even cares what you eat to live' kind of person. Like, as long as he doesn't prey on the train people, it's fine. She helped cover up a murder on a very early mission. So. You know.
no subject
Since Pokemon has come up by name now, is it okay for him to have the thought of 'wait, that was a thing wasn't it?' Otherwise he knows nothing about Pokemon and it'll mostly be used for that 'this is the damned weirdest thing, zombies turned out real and now pokemon' line of thought.
no subject
no subject
Can I mention Murphy's ability to control minds? Sure.
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Yes.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yes.
Other info! Nothing in particular here.
Cherry
Can I mention Murphy's ability to control minds? Sure.
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Sure.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Sure.
Other info! She is an XIV and is aether sensitive. Unless you have any objections then he might give off kinda voidsent vibes (more or less he's just got a darkness to him). She will seem maybe a bit wary of him over it, but not combative or anything.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Other info! Phineas wouldn't be receptive to telepathy, unfortunately. IDK if you have any interest in Murphy ever infecting anyone on the train for any reason, but if so, I'm not totally opposed to/shutting the door on that idea, let's just discuss beforehand.
no subject
If someone ended up doing it and wanted it, the vague implication is Murphy's bite creates some neural changes that enables them to be receptive. Less that I'm trying to force telepathy on someone more that this is just very enabled if a mun wanted to do the thing.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Y... es but he might be squicked somewhat.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yeah though Caleb will be a bit worried about it. Exandria isn't exactly all 'humours and miasma' level of medicine but it's more magic than antibiotics. I don't know if germ theory is a Thing.
Other info! Caleb's extremely wary around anyone he knows that has mind-influencing magic (and psychic stuff falls under that) so yeah probably just keep that line of discussion away from him entirely.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Yes, but expect that he might get misinterpreted a little bit - "to eat [someone's] heart" is a blade-verse euphemism for "inserting said organ into your own chest and using it as a source of life energy," and "flesh eater" is "a blade who has done that" rather than someone who eats... flesh...
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? yeah go for it
Other info!
no subject
no subject
Jade himself is a flesh eater so there might be overlapping jokes (especially since Jade will joke that he actually ate the heart even though he definitely did not) but also mild confusion.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Yes. Zagreus will be perplexed by this, but again, Greek Mythology is full of cannibalism, including his own father and uncles and aunts being eaten by his grandfather!
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Yes. Zagreus is aware of diseases, but he's never really been sick. Perks of being a god I guess. He is one-quarter mortal, so in theory he could be infected with the Red Death virus, I'm just not sure how his Godly side would counteract that.
Other info! Zagreus is the God of... well, fandom's not sure, really, but there's speculation he's the God of Blood, the God of Life, the God of Rebirth, maybe? Either way, a lot of these domains are completely against the Underworld's entire Death theme, so he may read interestingly weird to Murphy. Zagreus does have canonically deathly pale skin though, so assuming he's some sort of undead would be totally feasible! He has also died several times, but he always comes back to life. He heals naturally, which is sped up considerably any time he eats anything with calories.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? / Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Either of these are fine. Auditi will be cautious but not overly fearful; her homeworld's got a few different kinds of infectious undead and as long as he's still fully sapient and not trying to hunt the living she'll be wary but not hostile about it.
Other info! As a blueblooded troll, Auditi has pretty good inborn psychic defenses - she's not impossible to control, but she's a lot harder to get a grip on than most people would be.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Absolutely.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? I have no idea what the latter means, but zombies are my jam so go for it.
Other info! If ever you want to plot stuff re: the biting and zombie stuff if there's some IC reason, feel free to hit me up. It honestly wouldn't change much of a dang thing playing this imbecile anyway.
no subject
Can I mention that Murphy eats human brains on occasion? Yep.
Can I mention Murphy's infection and the Red Death virus? Go for it.
Other info! He's not undead, just Complicated.