Oscine

If you were me and all you could think of was to die in your arms tonight
How would you tell me and how would you hurt me when hearts are not chained at first sight
I vaguely remember something you told me when I took a shot at your heart
You said you could never die for someone who tore all your dreams apart
Here I go not even surprised when love is gone like something you stole
It takes a little time of getting used to but love can destroy everything
Love can destroy everything

- Love can Destroy everything - The Raveonettes

Drive away. Just get on the interstatea nd slip through this closing gate.

Pulled into this cheap hotel. I called just to wish you well.

You said. "Don't let love break you down". Well just show me how and let me never be broken

Are you still living there? Walking the streets with your hollow stare.

You say "There's loneliness everywhere. So we have nothing to loose"

And music plays all day long. And sorrow looks beautiful. And lovers seem mystical.

Tomorrow a new point of view. These white lights will bend to make blue

Now this can all look new to you

- These White Lights will Bend to Make Blue - Azure Ray

Special Agent Dale Cooper: "Ive been doing a lot of thinking lately. And Ive started to focus beyond the edge of the board. On a bigger game. The sound the wind makes through the vines. The sentience of animals. What we fear in the dark and what lies beyond the darkness."
FBI Agent Roger Hardy: "What the hell are you talking about?"
Special Agent Dale Cooper: "Im talking about seeing beyond fear, Roger. About looking at the world with love."
FBI Agent Roger Hardy: "Theyre liable to extradite you for murder and drug trafficking."
Special Agent Dale Cooper: "These are things I cannot control."

-Twin Peaks, Episode #2.11

By the second verse dear friends; my head will burst, my life will end. So, I'd like to start this one off by saying "Live and Love"
I was young and at home in bed and I was hanging on the words some poem said in '31.

I was impressionable.

I was upsettable.

- Okkervil Riverr – John Allyn Smith Sails

I'm thinking of drinking the entire sea.
Where fishes make wishes and swim into me.

There is no place other that I'd rather be.

Oh what a beautiful dream.

- Elf Power – Beautiful Dream

When you were young you were the King of Carrot Flowers.
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees.
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet.
And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder.
And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor.
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for
And this is the room one afternoon I knew I could love you.
And from above you how I sank into your soul.
Into that secret place where no one dares to go.
And your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking.
And dad would dream of all the different ways to die.
Each one a little more than he could dare to try.

- Neutral Milk Hotel - The King of Carrot Flowers Pt One.

The Mississippi Delta was shining like a National guitar
I am following the river down the highway through the cradle of the civil war
She comes back to tell me she's gone. As if I didn't know that. As if I didn't know my own bed.
As if I'd never noticed the way she brushed her hair from her forehead.
And she said "Losing love is like a window in your heart. Everybody sees you're blown apart
Everybody sees the wind blow."

There is a girl in New York City who calls herself the human trampoline.
And sometimes when I'm falling, flying, or tumbling in turmoil I say:
"Oh, so this is what she means." She means we're bouncing into Graceland.
And I see losing love is like a window in your heart. Everybody sees you're blown apart.
Everybody feels the wind blow.
I'm going to Graceland. In Memphis, Tennessee
I'm going to Graceland.
Poor boys and pilgrims with families and we are going to Graceland.
My travelling companion is nine years old. He is the child of my first marriage
And my travelling companions are ghosts and empty sockets. I'm looking at ghosts and empties
For reasons I cannot explain there's some part of me wants to see Graceland
And I may be obliged to defend every love, every ending or maybe there's no obligations now
Maybe I've got a reason to believe we all will be received in Graceland.

- Paul Simon - Graceland

Rose! My Energy Signature is Rose!

-Oscine, when being told his powers are pink.

Ohai, that's a lot of Rikti...Ok, here we go...HOU-OU KISHIN TATEZA GAIKA!"

- Oscine, from security tapes accumulated in the Rikti War Zone at the Stand of Mumford's Pull

"Pink Demon: Stood: Wall: Killing Men: Many."

- Rikti Survivor of Mumford's Pull

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. One hundred Million Angels Singing.

Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum.

- Johnny Cash - When the Man Comes Around

This technique, loosely translated as Phoenix's Fiece Shielding Victory Song or Phoenix's Consellation Shielding Victory Song is the ultimate expression of Oscine's powers. As so many expressions of power, it owes its origin to impressing a lady^[4]. This techique involves him gathering and reycling ambient energy into his body, increasing his overall physical attributes as well as vastly increasing the strenth of his personal shields - the flow which normally protects others being brought to bear wholly on himself. In this state, the energy shield forms a sphere about him - but a sphere with a face, an extrusion that he guides with his hand, as a point defence. Along with this shield, however, he also wields a blade, known as Kurat'Nagi.

Equipment

Standard hero equiment and a tricorder. He also commonly wears a black leather belt; the clip made of silver and in the shape of a sparrow. The birds eye is made of an emerald. This is commonly worn even when he's in costume, usually as a clip for his cape or scarf.

T.E.D

Tactical Electronic Device.

TED is a prototype watch developed specifically for Eric. The watch has various different functions, these include:

- Biometric Scanners - capable of displaying information regarding the targets vital signs, genetic information, current energy levels, power types and what sort of issues the target may currently be suffering from.

- Energy wavelength manipulator - TED is able to allow Eric to manipulate the colour of his powers, by alternating the frequency levels of his energy powers in order to have them appear visibly different at the touch of a button.

-TED is made from a prototype material, the materials it is made from are completely alien, gained through Uni-Con's trade agreements with the planet Harvotes, the materials are not currently available on the market and nothing short of a tac. nuke will be able to destroy it, although the rest of Eric is still subject to being blown to bits.

- Cloaking technology - TED is able to project a field around Eric that allows TED to bend the light around Eric causing him to go completely invisible to the naked eye. Although Infrared will still pick him up.

- EMP Generator - TED is able to patch into various computer networks and electrical grids, discharging a pulse of energy that would cause black outs and system failures for a short distance around the detonation site.

-Media Use and Access - TED is also kitted out with the latest in Uni-Con Network's line of compact mobile technology. 'He' has a direct uplink to the Uni-Con network, access to high speed broadband on the go, a built in mobile phone and various media playing functions (such as slide shows and video streaming).

Elasiel

I have seen the flaming swords. There, over east of Eden.

Burning in the eyes of the Maker.

- Daniel Lanois - The Maker

Known in recent centuries by the name Kurat'Nagi very little is known at this point about the magic sword Eric liberated from Oranbega with the help of Arroan. What is known is that it apparently houses a celestial being of some sort which has long since been driven insane by it's confinement; leading some to describe it as 'Demonic'. The sword apparently predates Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis. So far the sword has shown itself capable of increasing his ability to fight with it to the degree that he actually seems to be a capable swordsman. It Also seems to be able to signal the presence of magical beings and according to Gabriella, has the potential to posses and corrupt him. ^[5]

Gabriella's ring^[6]

A 'Ring of Soul Protection'. This is a simple gold ring created by Gabriella. This ring gives moderate protection against soul corruption and soul stealing. It also prevents possession by spiritual enemies. Eric complained upon receiving it that it was too girly. That almost went very badly for him.

Abilities

Oscine has a good number of skills. Most of which have no practical bearing on his functionality in combat. He's a more than capable audio engineer, making a living doing professional sound design for stage and in studio as well as being proficient on multiple instruments. Recent study has giving him some ability as a physical combatent, though, he's nowhere near the skill level of even baseline humans who are trained. He's recently began to study demon hunting as well. Though, he's very much a novice.

Stuff

Themes/RP notes

When I came back to CoH from my myriad adventures in other games I had a lot of characters I was thinking about exploring, developing or exploiting. Eric was not one of them. But, I logged him with every intention of stripping his IOs and suddenly found myself in the middle of a scene and things just clicked. This character was someone who was largely an excuse to play sonic/sonic and had never really developed into anything beyond some static RP with a few people, and, largely, remained a very faint supporting character for Teen Templars and Tomorrow Project RP; a side project. Really, not even that, he was that pile of lines, letters, and half drawn note marks that might be something someday but when you look at it, really means nothing to you anymore. So, there I was RPing this character, who, honestly was revealing themselves to me as I went, and, I thought to myself; What do I want to say with this character? What do I want to explore? (Ok, so, really it was more like 'Oh gawd I hate to be at work and have to do this and this and this, but, later in the car I thought that!) Ultimately, at this time of this writing. I think Eric's story is about reconciliation and surrender. On a personal level. with his family, with his ideas of how his life is suppose to go, or, happened to cause it to go somewhere. His process of fitting all the people he knows, or knew, of the things he's done and will do into a series of events that he can look at and be at peace with, and, on the flip side being comfortable with saying at times; "These are things I cannot control". It's a pretty daunting task on a personal level, and, I have no idea where it's going to go. So, there we go. On with the notes.

• Eric is a sound engineer by trade. He has worked at numerous bars, theaters, churches, studios, and events in Rhode Island and the Eastern Seaboard. You can feel more than free to walk up to him and mention that he ran the board at your character's event.
• Despite having been generally active in the past as a hero...Eric just isn't that well known. This is probably because he's usually in a pure support role, and, just never finds himself the center of attention. That being said, most of his work is with Vanguard. So if you were to have spoke with him around the base, feel more than free to say 'hi'.
• Eric draws and updates the webcomic: DEMON HUNTER CLARA. It's at four chapters so far and he has no idea where it's going. On a related note, he also wrote a theme for the OVA version of DHC. Which, y'know, may or may not ever happen. It's there though.
• Yes, there's a scrapper version of Eric. It's spelled 'Oscine.'.
• Eric is a fair athlete in terms of 'street sports'. Baseball is his game however. He was a pitcher from Little League through College.
• According to Simi'kraz when using Hou-ou Kishin Tateza Gaika Eric is at least as powerful as a Third Tier Ashen. And, speaking of; Of Course he's an Anime fan would have named the technique Hou-ou Kishin Tateza Gaika and called it his Bankai if he wasnt?
• Eric's birthday is May 5th, 1985. He doesn't like being teased about this.

Wars And the Rumours Of Wars

If you find yourself not in this section and would like to be, or feel you should be, add yourself!

Oh, I'm a weak and lonely sort though I'm not sailing just for sport
I've come to feel out on the sea

These urgent lives press against me.
I'm just a guest, I'm not a part. With my tender head. With my easy heart.
These several years out on the sea made me empty, cold, and clear.

Pour yourself into me.

- Okkervil River - A Girl in Port

Family

Eric has a strained relationship with his family for many reasons. One of the largest reasons is due to his parents dissapointment and embarrassment over him being a mutant, though, this is mostly on his father's part. This in turn led to Eric largely keeping his family at a distance, though, he has continually assisted them financially over the years. The result is a distant and strained relationship with both parties not really getting what they want. When they communicate at all. Still, for his part; Eric usually has good things to say about his parents, the most common thing being that they taught him everything he knows about compromise, love, and preserverance. While this is true, the irony is not lost on him.

Teen Templars and The Tomorrow Project

The first and second groups that Eric was associated with while in Paragon. Or maybe it's better to say that Oscine was. Eric never had that much of a person connection with the members, which, largely was his own fault, and, reminiscent of a few mistakes he's made in the past. It's a regret, but, thankfully one that taught him a lesson about actually building connections with people, and, taught him a lesson or two about why it's important to protect the people you love. When Amelia Preston died it was very hard for Eric. Not only because she was the strongest person he knew and the thought of her actually dying seemed like an impossibility, but, because it felt in a lot of ways like he had lost a little sister. In the time since her recent resurrection the two have reconnected, and, are once again exploiting the Ouroboros crystals to see bands live that they either missed, or, just wanted to see again.

Clara Su'cour

Eric likes Clara. A lot. More than that though, he finds himself actually influenced by her in many ways. It'd be a toss up to say whether Clara or Lia is more directly responsible for introducing himself to most of his new friends, but, it is safe to say that she's had a huge effect in a short time; both in terms of being the inspiration for him revisiting what he can do with his powers, and, being someone for him to look forward too. In terms of being directly or indirectly responsible for most of the pivotal things happening to Eric since returning to Paragon; Clara is the prime mover.

The Shadowy Hat

Eric has nothing bad to say about Carmen. In fact, he's tried to help her with her 'Hat' problem on several occasions. He introduced her to Simi'Kraz and Arroan to this end and things, are, apparently, going rather well for her.^[7]

Lia MacKay

Upon coming back to Paragon^[8], Lia was probably Eric's first 'new' friend. She remains someone he can hang out with, joke, be stupid, talk about making shows with, and generally be comfortable around. It's worth noting that her protectiveness of her friends (Him) is something he finds really charming and endearing. It's something he hasn't had shown towards him in a long time.

Gabriella

Gabby's awesome. She's probably Eric's most 'normal' friend, and, of course created the ring he wears to protect him from a sword he probably shouldn't have anyway. Otherwise, Gabby's a very easy person for Eric to be around and talk too, and, she's fairly not crazy. Which can be nice every so often for him.

Simi'kraz

Simi's been more than helpful to Eric. She's been willing to spend her time researching his sword, as well as Carmen's hat just because he asked her too, and, the two share a mutual interest in audio engineering. That being said there's a lot about Simi and what she does/is capable of doing that he does not like. Not one little bit^[9]. He's reasonably sure that at some point he is going to have to fight Simi on serious terms and is not looking forward to it; for many reasons. There is another reason Eric is exceptionally wary of Simi, but, that is a matter between the two of them.

Xeden

While they mostly seem to connect due to mutual friends they also seem to have a comfortable and natural dynamic. Chris is a natural leader who's intelligent and trustworthy and Eric can respect and respond to that. Also he's the brother of one of his favorite people, so, that's worth major bonus points.

Quotes

In character comments, rumors, accusations, and attempts at debt collection belong here. Post. Go nuts.

"Eric? Hm.. Not too shabby of a guy. Easy to talk to, fun to be around. Altogether pretty good hugger and awesome song composer. He gets an A+ from me." - Clara Su'cour

"I just recently met Eric and from what I've seen thus far, he's one of the few people in the 'D who isn't high-strung nor mental. I like him, he's real." - Jezebel

"Eric's one of those people who I honestly just click with. Whether we're exploring, or hanging out in the D, or just whatever. I always find that I feel comfortable and have fun with him. I haven't known him for very long, but he already feels like family. There really isn't anything I wouldn't do for this guy." - Lia MacKay

"Great wall/rail leaning friend. Eric's easy going personality is relaxing. I'm interested to see where our conversations about nothing lead." - Gabriella

"Eric is a great guy. To be honest him dating Clara, whom I care for deeply, concerned me. Thought he was getting in way too far over his head. Now? Now I'm glad to have given him the chance... and as a new member of the newly instated LSI, I'm sure he'll be impressing me time and again." - Xeden

"Firs'ly...Power t'th'freaks wi'pink powers! *ahem* Righ' now tha's ou'th'way. Eric's cool, fun guy t'be aroun' plus 'e makes Clara 'appy, s'tha's like, mega bonus poin's from all o'us aroun'. Tha' an'e's prolly one o'th'only people aroun' Paragon who'se no' always braggin ' on abou' 'ow amazin' they are or 'ow many armies they can pull ou'their arse... s'refreshin' t'see, good kid 'e is." - Zack Lanning

"Eric. That asshole. Sometimes, I just wanna strangle him, then cut his arms off and shove them up his ass! But... For the rest of the time, he's just a really fantastic guy. He's calm, cool, understanding, and a helluva fighter. Too bad he knows how to pull my strings, I'll probably have to kill him in some epic battle, some day. Can't have him running around and messin' with me. But until then, Eric, you rock!" Sylvia

Rumors

Add them here.

• Eric is rumored to be a citizen of Nation by some people who remember what that means. Combined with his LTR-5 status, this is enough to make some Longbow Officials nervous about what he might do in the future.

Soundtrack

There was a time when I was compiling all the quotes and this list in particular that I thought to myself: Wow, could be really depressing. Truth is, it kinda is. By Design. I ruined it on purpose. The fact is I think most of these songs have a a great wistful feel that really works for the subject matter. And, more importantly, there's just something inherently triumphant and redemptive about them in the end. There's self discovery there, or a desire to move forward, or, just a hope that moving forward is possible.

• I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress to Keep on Dancing[1] Mike Doughty
• Daddy Raised a Boy[2] - Scott Miller
• A Girl in Port[3], Plus Ones[4] - Okkervil River
• The Dark is Rising[5] - Mercury Rev
• Love can Destroy Everything[6] - The Raveonettes
• Sorrow[7]- Bad Religion
• These White Lights Will Bend to Make Blue [8]- Azure Ray
• Oh my Pregnant Head [9]- The Flaming Lips

References

1. ↑ And scrapper
2. ↑ Look, it's complicated.
3. ↑ Interestingly when using this technique Eric's color blindness is mitigated. Scientists at GIFT surmise that it's due to his powers being so focused. Because his ability to detect and read energy aren't diminished this might be a clue that this isn't a technique, but, rather an evolution of his powers into a more mature form.
4. ↑ "Clara! Clara! Look at this! Check it out! Isn't this cool?"
5. ↑ According to research done by Simi'kraz (Cross refereced with magical swords in the Abyss Empire Records) the sword is similiar to Labal's. The sword, originally was forged before the War in Heaven and belonged to the Celestial known as Elasiel, and, was presumably used during the war on the side of the angels loyal to 'God'. Elasiel for unknown reasons as some point after the war was bound inside the sword as punishment. These facts are known only to Simi'kraz and Eric as far as he knows. The primary reason being that Simi flat out told Eric that if certain parties (Laba) became aware of the truth about the sword, they would probably try and take it, if for no other reason than to keep it out of mortal hands. Fortuntuately, Elasiel is, for the moment, still dormant.
6. ↑ Aka the Manly Man Ring. Thanks, Clara
7. ↑ This isn't the whole truth. In reality things are much more strained between Carmen and Eric due to the fact she's his biological sister. While they don't actively try to hide this, it's not something they bring up. Partly due to the fact that after his time with The Templars and Tomorrow Project Eric is worried about his family being attacked, and, partly because they are still working on being family again.
8. ↑ He was on the road with a band he refuses to name for about seven months.
9. ↑ inb4 y so srs