Bad Dream

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The enigmatic terrorist, Bad Dream, is a villain of many faces. Using manipulation, fear, treachery, and outright brutality, he's carved himself a seat of power within the Rouge Islands. Recurrent villain of many heroes in both the Isles and Paragon City, Dream plays a calculated game against them all, though many believe it's a matter of time until he succumbs completely to his insanity and attempts to burn the world down around him.

Bad Dream closeup.JPG
Pleasant dreams...
Bad Dream
Player: @Talisien Nightbane
Origin: Natural
Archetype: Corruptor/Brute
Threat Level: 50/50
Personal Data
Real Name: Jacob Rookswood
Known Aliases: The Ace of Terror, Lord Nightmare, the Boogeyman
Species: Human (reincarnated)
Age: 27
Height: 6'5
Weight: 180
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: White and Black
Biographical Data
Nationality: British
Occupation: criminal mastermind, terrorist, serial killer, Lord of Black Tie
Place of Birth: Iffley, England
Base of Operations: London, England
Marital Status: Widower
Known Relatives: Unknown
Known Powers
Fear and Nightmare Manipulation
Known Abilities
Genius IQ, skilled at chemistry and weapon improvization
Equipment
Various and numerous knives and guns; sharpened, hard fingernails
No additional information available.


Contents

History

"I can understand when something happens to turn someone to whatever dark side they have creeping underneath... but this guy goes beyond that. He's not just lashing out... or maybe he was at some point. But now, I think he enjoys it. He's sick... just sick."

-Sarah Nightingale

The enigmatic terrorist known as Bad Dream was first spotted in London, England, breaking a convicted murderer, Jacob Rohleen, out of HM Prison Belmarsh. His motivation was unknown, though Rohleen's body was later recovered, the cause of death revealed to be drowning, though the body was not found near any body of water. After this first act, Bad Dream became known for several high-profile murders and bombings around London, leading to his arrest being considered a high priority by both New Scotland Yard and Interpol.

After a tense shoot-out in an abandoned slaughter house, Dream escaped wounded and fled England to the Rogue Isles. He became known in the Isles as a "Cape Killer", gaining him high favor in the eyes of Lord Recluse, who dually refused to extradite him for his crimes. Since then, Bad Dream's activities have seemed to focus mostly in the Rogue Isles and the United States, though there have been whispers that he has had a hand in London's organized crime, as well as in Japan, Cuba, and South America. In late 2008 he established Black Tie, a paramilitary terrorist organization of like-minded individuals which quickly spread throughout North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, with Dream sitting at the head of the organization, dubbing himself its "Lord".

With a strong determination towards his announced goals of genocide against mankind, the abolition of government, and the defilement of religion, Dream has lived up to his moniker and has become an increasing threat not only to the heroes of the world but also to the organizations who once harbored him, such as Arachnos. Quick to make enemies and stab former allies in the back, some wonder that perhaps even Black Tie itself will not escape Dream's final judgment on the world, should he ever succeed in his goals.

Personality

"There is much I could say about this man... some good, some bad. But, I think I would rather just not say anything and let you use your imagination, because lately I don't know what to think about him. He's not the same man I knew when I first met him and he keeps changing every time I look at him. I don't know whether or not to trust this man, try to kill him, or run very far away..."

-Zyren Treskal

Constantly changing, as if evolving and adapting to best suit his survival, placing Bad Dream's true personality has proved difficult. At first glance, he seems like a cold-blooded sociopath, but those who have gotten closer to Dream have reported that perhaps it may all be a cleverly crafted image and gimmick of a perfectly sane, brilliant man. And then there are those who go further and say that itself is also a carefully crafted image and gimmick of a man who's insanity knows no limits behind closed doors.

Dream was once notorious for his mania. He'd have laughing fits, make bad jokes with usually violent punchlines accentuated by firearms or knives, act like a vaudeville performer, and react intensely to any emotion he felt. This is often attributed to his past drug abuse, as the behavior subsided after Dream overdosed in Pocket D and was detoxed back at base. When he returned to the spotlight from his brief absence, the man before his enemies and Black Tie was certainly a changed man.

To the enemy, Dream appears cold, merciless, and calculating. Though not unnecessarily cruel and blood-thirsty, Dream is by no means forgiving or passive. In combat, it's been said that Dream throws every attack with the potential and intention to kill. While out of combat, he comes across as egocentric, pretentious, arrogant, and sadistic. Dream has threatened or assaulted others who so much as say the wrong words to him. His temper seems on a hair-trigger, ready to burst at any moment. Against a true enemy, many say that the demon truly comes out in Dream, and in some rumors this is just as literal as it is figurative.

To his casual acquaintances, he could even be considered sophisticated, witty, and intelligent. He enjoys conversation and debate, especially of the philosophical and political bent. He remains civil, even when his view point is opposed, and while occasionally can be condescending is generally rather respectful to anyone in his company. It's even been mentioned that if it weren't for the numerous atrocities he'd committed, he'd act like just another face in the crowd.

Yet to Black Tie, Dream has shown an entirely different face. As a leader he is calm, collected, and calculated, while still passionate, determined, and serious. A connoisseur of absinthe, a man with a burning hatred for religion, and a spiritual and philosophical guru to his legion. He is fair in judging conflicts and resorts to violent punishments in only the most dire of situations, a drastic change from his former mind-frame of "the beatings will continue until morale improves."

Yet there is still a final side of Dream, shown only to a few choice individuals. A man who hears voices in his head, one who suffers deep depression from feelings of abandonment, and someone who suffers nightmares of his past. All in all, a man who does not motivate out of philosophical belief, violent impulse, or sadistic pleasure, but someone lashing out against a world, society, and higher power who he feels has condemned him to a life of bitter solitude, misery, and equally intensive hatred.

Philosophy And Mind Frame

Dream is an utter nihilist at his core. Though he was raised a Protestant, it is unclear what lead to his fall from faith. However, he has reportedly stated "Life is too full of shit for there to be some omnipotent, benevolent creature watching over us, and if there is then it hates us and wants us to suffer." When really examined, Dream is clearly someone with a strong resentment for the faith he believes abandon him. Now he chooses to believe there is simply nothing in the end. He considers wondering about topics such as "Why are we here?" and "What is our purpose?" to be pointless wastes of thought with no answer. To Dream, humanity is not alive for any specific reason and serves no purpose being alive. In the end, he will argue, will be nothing but empty space, where reality ceases to exist and nothing anyone has done will matter.

Due to this extreme nihilism, concepts like morality and emotion are trivial to Dream. He’s an empiricist, believing concepts like “good” and “evil” are subjective to the individual, for without individual interpretation (and eventually majority agreement), they would not exist. The public consensus of morality, he argues, is simply a method of controlling the population with the fear of a final judgment and/or violation of “societal norms.” This belief in subjective mortality only augments Dream’s antisocial behavior, giving him justification to sleep peacefully after the atrocities he’s committed.[1]

Dually, emotion is quite trivial to Dream, as he believes things like “love” and “friendship” are hollow terms, used purely for the manipulation of others. Regardless of whom he claims he “loves” and who are his “friends”, Dream simply does not mean any of his words. He is only able to truly comprehend anger and hate, but he still barely comprehends what causes such feelings and what they truly are.

Because Dream feels life is meaningless and the individual can never give meaning to his/her life, he lives only to do as he pleases, with little regard for others. His murder sprees are fueled by his disgust for society, and with no belief in an afterlife or morality, Dream sees little self-detriment by causing chaos on Earth. Dream does not believe his purpose is to destroy; it’s simply what he feels to be the most temporarily enjoyable use of his time alive. “No matter how long one can prolong their life,” he argues, “everything living dies. There are no exceptions.” When confronted about his beliefs, Dream is unswerving in his ideas. His delusions of grandeur and arrogance always lead to the belittlement of anyone suggesting otherwise, as he views religious faith and optimism akin to stupidity and weakness.

Due to his rejection of concepts such as the metaphysical and the divine, Dream views entities such as demons, ghosts, and even Outer Gods as [sic]“simply another creature, albeit a powerful one.” To Dream, their existence is simply a different strain of mortality, but like any form of mortality, it is susceptible to the same restriction of inevitable death. While he has been patronizing of demons and claims the fragment of Nyarlathotep within him makes him the “avatar of a god”, his words are simply tools to manipulate an end, whether it be power or intimidation. When one ceases to live, Dream believes, there is nothing but empty space for eternity: just an endless void of black and you. Due to his death and resurrection, Dream claims this belief is an accurate description of the afterlife, but some wonder if Dream only experienced his own self-stylized manifestation of Hell.

Spoiler warning: Details about a player-created storyline, or information currently unrevealed about a character, follow.

Many of Dream's atheistic ideas and rejection of metaphysics are a front, though for unsubstantiated reasons.

Spoilers end here.

Equipment, Powers, Abilities

Note: Many of these powers are IC only and do not appear in his powerset. Cry more.

"Some have asked me how I dare consider myself a genius when I can hardly tell
what is false and what it real. I tell them it's simple: I'm really, really good at figuring
out how to cause you pain and doing it."

                                                                                                          -Bad Dream

Powers

DarkMiasma FearsomeAura.png
Aura of Trepidation- It's unknown whether this aura is a metahuman ability or simply the uneasiness that comes from prolonged encounters with Bad Dream, but many have testified that their anxiety, depression, and fear increased while in close proximity to him, occasionally to crippling levels. Others have reported naseau, chills, and shallow breathing are side-effects of being too close to him for so long. Some have sensed an unusually high degree of evil energy around Bad Dream, and it is theorized that this energy causes these side effects.
Illusion Decieve.png
Genius I.Q.- Behind the postured insanity, blood lust, and theatrics lies a finely tuned and quick mind. Augmented even more so by Vinnie Frizzle, Dream is able to devise complex and detailed plans, perform complicated mathematic equations, and carefully analyze his opponents to the very last detail in the middle of combat, adapting to their weaknesses and strengths.
Ninjitsu KujInSha.png
The Black Blood- While it's speculated that this power is a genetic or scientific enhancement by Vinnie Frizzle, intelligence agencies are truly stumped about the origin of Dream's inky black blood, which seems to be unwilling to leave his veins for more than two or three seconds before pulling itself back in. Dream can be littered with bullets, but for some reason the Black Blood refuses to leave his body, effectively stopping him from losing blood in combat. Dually, the Black Blood has been known to regenerate his wounds at an alarming rate and keep him alive during otherwise fatal injuries, such as a shot to the face at close range.[2]

Equipment

Teleportation Teleport.png
Blink Generator- Implanted into his spine by Vinnie Frizzle, Dream is able to neurologically control the device to instantaneously and accurately teleport short distances. He typically "blinks" in clouds of black smoke for dramatic effect.
AssaultWeapons SniperRifle.png
Alice- Alice is a very, very special gun. Designed with two firing modes, Alice shifts between being a high-calliber rail gun and a shotgun that utilizes bladed projectiles, able to penetrate armor quite easily. In the hands of Bad Dream, with his excellent accuracy and precision, it's a lethal piece of machinery. However, Alice is rarely used, mostly as an intimidation tool.
NightWidowTraining BuildUp.png Hook- Dream just decided he really wanted a hook hand one day... so he cut his own hand off and had it replaced. Of course, during a fight with Kira, Dream cut his control of his healing abilities, which kept the arm from regrowing, and causing the hook to fall to the ground useless as the organic arm returned. Since then, Dream has used an impervium hay hook with a monomolecular point as an ordinary weapon and occasionally wears a trench-coat with the left sleeve tailored longer to conceal his hand and give him the appearance of still bearing that hook hand. This is mostly the author's homage to the film Candyman, which inspired Dream in many ways.

Abilities

SuperSpeed AcceleratedCombat.png
Increased Speed and Reflexes- Vinnie Frizzle's bodily modifications of Bad Dream have increased his abilities to staggering heights. Neurological computers, artificial implants, and chemical therapy have effectively allowed Dream to move at blinding speeds, allowing him use momentum to add a high degree of power behind his attacks and move in "bullet time". Combined with his blink generator, Dream has mastery over the field in combat, allowing him to effortlessly dodge enemy attacks and fight several opponents simultaneously.
Arachnos Patron SelfBuffResistancePhysical.png
Enhanced Strength- With all the speed, Dream still needed some extra power to his punch. After being given extreme genetic and chemical therapy, as well as mechanical implants, Dream's strength has been increase substantially, making him a deadly foe in combat. Able to lift and throw large robots great distances, tearing armor off of tanks, and snap necks like twigs, the limits of Dream's strength are still untested and unknown.

People

Note: The listing and organization below is general, at best. Many people in both allies and adversaries fall into a gray area. Some of them hate Dream while he enjoys their company. Some of them enjoy Dream's company while he hates them. For simplicity's sake, they are grouped based on which end of the spectrum they fall on most. Also if you feel your name is missing, feel free to add it, and I will fill in the rest.

Relationships

"He is nothing more than a cold-blooded sociopath. If he wants to watch the world devour itself in chaos, I won't stop him. But those who follow him are fools if they think they won't be devoured themselves."

-Rook the Vaulted

Despite what he claims, Dream has no personal relationships and no true loyalty to anyone but himself. He may have trusted associates in and out of Black Tie, as well as an apparent love life, but if it came down to it, Dream would throw anyone under the bus for his own survival and continuity of his goals. It's not unfair to say that Dream had normal friends and relationships growing up; he certainly did. However, the Bad Dream of the present sees concepts like love and friendships to be trivial, and now his perceived relationships are little more than a means to an end for him. It's quite possible that Dream does have a hierarchy to his associations and may even feel genuine love for whomever he's romantically involved with, but he doesn't comprehend or understand these feelings. Thus, when he calls someone a friend or tells them he loves them, he truly believes he doesn't mean it and is attempting to appear somewhat normal. Nonetheless, Dream does have a degree of respect for some individuals, as well as notable "business relationships", which are listed below.

Dream and his inner circle
File:Screenshot 100110-20-10-34.jpg
Bad Dream and R-41 Incinerator burn down a building. It's likely an orphanage.

Adversaries

"There isn't much I can say about him, partially because I'd rather not disclose much information, and partially because I don't know much about him myself. There is one thing I do know, however: not many people, at least to my knowledge, openly oppose him and get away with it."

-Jei

Dream does not consider any opponent to be true enemies or rivals, only viewing them as bothersome to swat. He is too arrogant to call anyone worthy or powerful enough to be a true "arch nemesis", a delusion which will undoubtedly lead to his down fall. The following is a list of people who are actively hostile towards Bad Dream, on his bad side, or simply just tend to conflict with him at times.

Ultimate Goals

Gather we will each in search of a thrill, a reason for feeling the needing to kill. To stop whats happening, to silence the screams; to not be afraid to sleep and dream; to feel in control and to take it all back; to fall into pieces as the sky turns to black. Hope you got what you wanted, this wonderful wish: to kill everyday until nothing exists in the world, but you, you're the last one alive, But with no conflict to confront will there be a reason to survive? Will the anger just die, or will you kill that as well, as you sit all alone in your personal hell...

-Twiztid

"You see, Dream gets it. This shit-hole of a planet is gonna burn, one way or another. And when that happens? We'll be laughing. Laughing into fucking oblivion."

-R-41 Incinerator
Bad Dream makes an appearance with two of his lower ranking soldiers.

1. Conquest

The first phase of Dream's greater goals involves the hostile takeover of Earth. Dream currently is in this phase, using his manipulation of Project: Destiny and Recluse's Victory as a means of securing his own rise to power on Recluse's coattails. Dream is believed to be behind the assassination of several "Destined Ones", as well as the abduction of key Fortunatas and Arachnos scientists, attempting to force his position as the true Destined One who will help Recluse rise, only to strike him down and assume power himself.

2. Domination

Upon the conquest of planet Earth, Dream intends to establish a totalitarian regime over the population. This government will be micromanaged by hand-picked members of Black Tie for their loyalty, ruthlessness, intelligence, and competence in that order. The society would be heavily monitored by police forces, and political opponents, freedom fighters, and disenters would be efficiently hunted, detained, and executed.

3. Destruction

Eventually, Dream will turn this police force on the population, ordering the mass slaughter of every living creator, human or not. The oceans would be evaporated using specially designed machines, and Black Tie would utilize "scorched earth" methods to rid the planet of all fertility, making it completely inhospitable to any form of life besides perhaps bacteria.

4. Repeat

When the planet is utterly destroyed, open a portal to a new dimension and do it again.

But suppose there's more?

What if the destruction of the world was just a step in something larger? Something more ambitious? Something even more abominable and audacious? Well, someone may just know if they were to get close enough to Dream.

Trivia

IC

OOC

Music Relating to Bad Dream

Since everyone wants to know, here's a list of songs I feel adequately relate to Bad Dream and that I often listen to while playing him.

Reactions and Thoughts

Your hate, rage, and disgust goes here

Found in the apartment of deceased conspiracy theorist, Johnathan David

-Adam Michael Fairfield "Moone"

-Markel Smythe

-Black Amaranth

-Kira

-Psi-Tox

-Psalmchild

-Vinnie Frizzle

-The Blood Red Rook

-Twilight Judge II

-Sgt. Maris

-Darkweaver

-Av Zaldun

-Artificial Intel

-The Maddener

-Operative Valos

-Stephnie

-A mysterious robed creature

-Vandalist

-Malcolm Trent

-Acanous

-Grey Harlequin

-Lia MacKay

Foot Notes

  1. As the creator is a philosophy major, each of his characters tend to have a philosophical bend to them. Dream's is Nietzschean Nihilism and Absurdism. It should be noted, however, that Dream's interpretation of both are rather skewed and likely would not have been endorsed by either Nietzsche or Camus.
  2. There is a limited stamina to the Black Blood. The more it is spilled and regenerates Dream, the slower the process becomes until eventually it's quite possible he could be bleed dry and die.
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