The Penguin
Sept 10, 2013 18:03:06 GMT
Post by Penguin on Sept 10, 2013 18:03:06 GMT
Penguin, A Refined Gentleman
Name: Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot
Code Name: Penguin
Gender: Male
Age: Middle-Aged
Birth Date: 10th October
Affiliation: Villains
Occupation: Crime Boss and Manager of the Iceberg Lounge
Age Looks: 40-48
Appearance:
Oswald was mocked most of his life due to his 'unique' appearances. Not very tall, chubby, pointy nose and waddling slightly when he walks. His eyes are small, but sharp, betraying his clumsy exterior to the true criminal mastermind hidden beneath. The recent years have clawed away at his hair, leaving it dark and slowly crawling off his head to the sides.
His choice of clothing, however, is both classy and elegant. His most defining apparels are most surely his tall silken top hat and the black umbrella he usually carries by his side. Nothing short of a custom-tailored tuxedo is good enough for him, fully equipped with pure silver buttons and swallowtail. The often seen accessories include (but are not limited to); Monocle, white gloves, black polished shoes with matching white spats, butterfly, Rolex watch and a devilish gaze.
Personality:
The man is grotesque, not just physically, but mentally as well. His harsh upbringing and long history of being pushed about turned him cold and vicious. While he will, at all times, refer to himself as a "gentleman of crime", his nature is nothing near gentle. Oswald have been stepped on his entire life, and he's through with this. Now, the world will dance to his music, not the other way around. Always searching for new ways to improve his already impressive network and treasury, Penguin is set on having a crooked finger in every pie in town. Greed is his vice. Wealth and power his opium.
When in the Iceberg Lounge Penguin he will assume the role of the gracious host. Sitting in his private area, overlooking the casino, he'll send a toady smile to any that'd meet his gaze. Among the guests he'll seek out the most influential individuals and engage in 'casual chitchat' (little things like 'How's the family doing?' and 'Send the money to this address') but is otherwise rarely seen mingling, much preferring his 'nest'.
His demeanor changes when in the field, however. He's precise, brutal, efficient, and when successful, gleeful. You either shut up and pay attention, or get thrown into the docks with a fistful of lead in your skull. While he has shown acts of compassion in less than few situations, one should never expect them.
Oswald likes cool drinks, ornithology and being referred to as "sir."
Background Info
Family:
Father, Tucker Cobblepot; Died of pneumonia.
Mother, Esther Cobblepot; In retirement home, heavily afflicted by catatonia and alzheimer.
Brothers Jason, Robert and William; Died in accident.
Background:
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was born in a smaller city, quite a while's travel from Gotham's underground and skyscrapers. The youngest of four, he grew up in a rather rich environment. Tucker Cobblepot held no love for his malformed son, showing him nothing but disgust and animosity his entire childhood. His mother however, showered him with her affection. This only grew worse after his three brothers were killed in a terrible accident. Father was no longer just disgusted by him, he hated him. Despised the despicable one who lived, while his good sons had died. Esther however grew desperate. Loosing your children is nothing short of traumatic. Her desperation quickly evolved into obsession when Tucker Cobblepot died of pneumonia.
Almost needless to say, Oswald was bullied in school. Kids can be mean, and these were no exception. Due to his stoic and rather humorous stature, they'd often compare him to a bird, letting their pranks fit the theme. I use the term 'prank' loosely, however, seeing as having your arms tied to monkey bars and left there, seem's a little cruel for a prank. His mothers obsessive behavior certainly didn't help either, forcing him to carry an umbrella at all times. The ultimate cruelty was the day his classmates invaded his homemade aviary and crashed everything, forcing him to watch as nests and eggs would plummet to the floor and crack.
Oswald fought through it. He learned that the world was a hard place, and if you don't hatch quickly, you get eaten. His broken spirit drove him into crime, starting out in the small. Roughly around the time he finished school, Esther went catatonic, and the whole family fortune was left in young Oswald's hands. Immediately after he started out arranging illegal boxing matches, and things quickly escalated from there. The name 'Penguin' quickly devoured it's way through the underworld like a wild steppe fire, and Oswald decided to embrace his childhood moniker, moving to Gotham City.
Using the Cobblepot fortune and the revenue from his illegal activities, he built the Iceberg Lounge. Complete with sculptures, bar, restaurant, casino, dancing floor, penguin pen (rockhoppers, they can handle the heat quite well) and iceberg stage for the musicians, it's the crème de la crème of night clubs, and only the top of the town are allowed inside. While the Iceberg Lounge itself is entirely legal, it still serves as the HQ of Penguin's activities. For a while, Batman tolerated these minor dealings in exchange for information on the criminal patrons and frequenters. Though the moment he disappeared from the radar, Oswald went all out, and now sits heavily on both weapon and drug smuggling.
For now, Penguin is content with his lot, but this won't take long. Soon his ambition and greed will get the better of him.
Thinking of it, Mayor Cobblepot doesn't sound too bad...
Abilities
Powers/abilities:
While Oswald have no supernatural powers of any kind (except for his enchanting looks), he does have a large variety of trick umbrellas at hand. The most notorious and well known ones are able to;
- Let Penguin fly by rotating incredibly fast. Also doubles as a brutally effective way of shredding your enemies.
- Shoot bullets from the tip with roughly the same strength as a Thompson.
- Serve as a shield when unfolded, protecting Oswald from explosion clouds and bullet rain. (Weather pun intended. )
- Hide a sword in the hilt.
- Spray sleeping gas.
The lesser known ones include flamethrowers, lock breakers, sugar launchers for hummingbirds etc. etc.
Strengths:
- Criminal Genius: Penguin is as ingenious as an imp and twice as malevolent. Through his wealth, sharp wits and unforgiving nature, he rose to the top ranks of the criminal underworld, rivaled only by the likes of Black Mask and Scarface. He always has an escape planned out and takes no unnecessary risks. More so, he is a business man at heart, and walks on a tight rope extended above the arms and fists of the law. Yet he does so, quite masterfully.
- Surprising Strength: It's easy to disregard this villain as a meager opponent in a duel, but nothing could be further from the truth. A very skilled judo fighter and a fencer by hobby, Penguin is more than capable of standing his ground when needed.
- Sane: As opposed to many of the criminal elements of Gotham City, Oswald is in fact not insane. While mildly obsessed with owning everything and prone to certain eccentricities, he is certainly neither crazy nor dangerously compulsive.
- "Yes, Mr. Cobblepot!": Goons. Goons, goons, goons. Oswald is armed with a near endless amount of tough, loyal, semi-competent gangbangers and troublemakers. Rarely taking a personal interest in jobs anymore, he's got the right men at hand for anything that might come up. Beefy, Hammer, Jay and Louie are but to name a few of his henchmen.
- Lark - Deserving a 'strength' related to her alone seems more than fair. Lark have been in Penguins service for nearly a decade, serving both as his chauffeur and bodyguard with unquestionable loyalty. She's tall, incredibly strong and quick as a cougar. Having undergone intensive hand-to-hand combat and firearms training, she is a deadly foe. It is unknown where or how the two came to meet, and Oswald tends to ignore questions thereto.
batman.wikia.com/wiki/Lark?file=Lark_-_New_52.jpg
batman.wikia.com/wiki/Lark?file=Lark.jpg
Weaknesses:
- Eccentric and Wealthy: Being quirky does have a few disadvantages. While not totally livid, Oswald does have a very strong desire to show everyone around him, that he has both wealth and power. Dressing in expensive clothes, surrounding himself with models and young female actors, and drinking only fine wine, eating expensive chocolate from Belgium, and smoking nothing except the -best- imported cigars from Cuba. If given the chance to acquire a rare bird or procure a renowned piece of art, he will go to great lengths and depths (in his pocket) to ensure it will be in his possession asap.
- Busy: While seeming like a strange weakness at first, it does take quite a lot of time to manage a criminal underground, upholding a front as a legitimate casino proprietor and all the while sucking up to the social elite of the city, Oswald rarely leaves the Iceberg Lounge, and often relies on others to do his dirty work for him. If important enough, however, he will intervene personally.
- Just a Human: In a city filled with mysteries and unexplainable powers behind the scenes, Penguin sorta pales in comparison. If faced with a supernatural foe, he will most often choose the nearest escape route, leaving any presented henchmen to their fate.
Other Info
Anything else you'd like to add: Naah.
Do you Agree should you become Inactive you will have your Character Removed from the Roleplay?: Sure.
Sample RP:
You can't go strolling in Gotham City by night. Well technically you can, but 'strolling' implies there are some kind of relaxation or calm mood, which is deviously hard to achieve over the sound of distant cars, police sirens, rapists breathing heavily in the dark and the eyes of over a dozen muggers constantly watching you. And the occasional sighs and groans of pain. These ones in particular belonged to a 'Jeremy D. Hounk.'
See poor silly Jeremy had believed himself smart enough to go undercover in the service of "The Penguin", a notorious crime lord. Had he only been a mobster from a rivaling gang, he might've gotten off easy. Just clip off his fingers and send him back to his friends. They'd get the message. But Jeremy wasn't a criminal, oh no. Jeremy was a cop. And y'all know what happens to snitches.
The unmistakable rhythmical thumbs of a lead pipe hitting a skull resounded through the dock area. Occasionally a rat would scurry off, scared from the whimpering and moaning. Again and again the hard metal would meet the cartilage, depart, and reunite in a bloody get-together. After a while it stopped. Soon after five people would leave the old warehouse, two of them carrying a human shaped sack, two of them keeping a lookout, and the last thoughtfully puffing on a Diamond Crown cigar.
A few minutes later, Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot would get into his limousine, rolling down his sleeves, eyeing the dark spots on his jacket.
"Change of plans, Lark. We're going to Buillian's first. I need a new coat."
"Yes, Mr. Cobblepot."