Post by Pippin on Aug 13, 2010 8:49:21 GMT -5
EDWARD E. NIGMA
The Riddler
” Why do we never get an answer
when we're knocking at the door?
With a thousand million questions
about hate and death and war?”
And won't you think I'm pretty[/size]
name;;Edward Nigma; Edward means “Wealthy Guardian”, Nigma means…well...E. Nigma (Get it? *nudge nudge*)
nickname;;Eddie, but he hates it. His father used to use it to be derisive because he knew he hated it. Besides, his mother gave him a perfectly fine first name, and he would thank others to use it fully. It was probably the only good thing she ever gave him.
age;;30
date of birth;; March 15, 1980
gender;;Male
occupation;; Criminal genius; Prince of Puzzles; occasional criminal profiler for the GPD and entrepreneur
sexualorienation;; Heterosexual (but he has little experience with, or time for, such concerns)
When I'm standing top the bright lit city[/size]
hair;; A free-form, reddish brown that varies between neatly combed and haphazard and eccentric depending on his state of excitement.
eyes;; Small and brown
height;;6’1”
weight;;160lbs
build;; Edward is primarily a cerebral being, and as such does not have much to speak of physically. While tall, he is quite thin and lanky, though what little mass he does have is relatively firm. His features are sharp and well defined.
piercings;;None
tattoos;;None
style;; Nowadays Edward is rarely seen out of the guise of his super-villain alter ego. There is little need, as he wishes the world to know just who he is and what he is capable of. His general costume consists of variations on a green, three-piece suit and matching bowler hat, rimmed with a black or purple ribbon. He also wears gloves of the same contrasting colors, as well as a tie and vest. All of these typically sport his trademark ‘question mark’ insignia. A purple domino mask adorns his face when the fancy strikes him, though he does not always deem this necessary when in the company of fellow miscreants (though he uses the term ‘fellow’ lightly). He also possesses a green jumpsuit emblazoned boldly with his question mark on the chest and back, as well as on the cuffs of both the arms and legs.
When he is out of uniform, Edward prefers to stick with suits as he finds they compliment his otherwise thin and waif-like frame. These tend to be somewhat less extravagant than his Riddler garb, and tend to be more casual, but neat and sharp all the same. He has also been known to wear a suit jacket or blazer over more casual wear, such as a t-shirt or button up and a nice pair of pants, and tends to dress more casually when at home.
And I'll take your hand and pick you up[/size]
favorites;;
Puzzles, Riddles, and Mindgames – Ever since he was a child, Edward was fixated on solving puzzles of all kinds. Some people say they were his escape from the harsher reality he was forced to live in. If asked, Edward will simply tell you they were stimulating, unlike the rest of his life, and for God’s sake he was GOOD at them. Freakishly good in fact. It’s something that still gives him pleasure today.
Showing off - What good is being a genius if no one else knows it? It gives Edward a deep sense of satisfaction to lord his intelligence and creative skill over others, particularly if it leads to significant recognition or profit on his part. Whether it is making up clever puzzles no one else can solve, or simply using his rather large vocabulary in a particularly condescending manner in conversation, he almost can’t help himself. You know that old adage that some of us ‘never got enough attention in our childhood?’ Well, Edward’s making up for that now.
A good challenge – The bigger the better, so long as it’s intellectual. Edward is easily bored, and there’s little that bothers him more than boredom. He is constantly in search of new and exciting ways to stimulate his mind, and he’s more than game for anything he feels with present him with an interesting or thought provoking problem to solve.
Winning – Who doesn’t like to win? Edward is constantly out to prove himself, to the world and to himself (though he won’t admit to the latter), and the thrill of winning and victory over a chosen task is a wonderful feeling that he relishes. Of course, he’s also a sore loser…
Ice Cream – Particularly of the mint chocolate chip variety. With Jimmies.
Games of Chance – Edward is a bit of a gambler, but not in the monetary sense. He enjoys taking chances with higher stakes, such as people’s lives, or his own reputation, as he feels it makes things more interesting. He enjoys any game that has an element of unpredictability in it, particularly when that unpredictability lies in the thoughts and actions of the players.
Magicians – Edward is far too clever to believe for a moment that actual magic is being performed before his eyes, but he has a great respect for the magician that is talented enough to use his or her skills to fool an audience so readily. The fact that it appears to be magic, and is in fact a result of a person’s own talents and creative application thereof, always makes him smile.
Batman – The flying rodent is perhaps the only worthy adversary Edward has found yet for his intellect. He finds he presents an intriguing subject for his clever games, and somewhat of a challenge to outwit, unlike the other doddering denizens of Gotham City.
hates;;
Batman – As stimulating an intellectual challenge as the Bat can be, he can also be quite annoying, particularly when his success in Edward’s games leads to Edward being sent back to Arkham. He doesn’t see why Batman can’t just leave him alone afterwards. Doesn’t he enjoy their little games?
Being ignored – Edward likes attention, and is used to getting it, negative or otherwise. He feels he has a real intellectual contribution to make to society, and is tired of not being recognized for his talents (yet another carry-over from his childhood).
Stupidity – He realizes that not everyone can be a genius, but some people just abuse the privilege. His patience for ignorance only stretches so far, and he finds it incredibly grating to have to deal with the bottom of the intellectual barrel on a regular basis. One can only explain themselves in so few words so many times, and he refuses to dumb himself down for the benefit of others.
Being outwitted – It goes hand in hand with being a sore loser. Edward has built up such an image for himself as a master of wit and cleverness that he has a very hard time dealing with being bested at his own game. This is not to say it never happens, and he even welcomes the challenge of a worthy opponent, but he can get quite upset when he feels he has truly lost.
Being made fun of – You know that skinny, geeky kid that always raised his hand before the teacher finished asking the question in school? That was Edward. Far from the ‘popular’ type, he was often the brunt of jokes in his youth. Now he’s come into his own more, but still gets testy when others resort to their old habits, despite the improvements he’s made.
Not knowing the answer – For the man who thinks he knows everything, it is incredibly frustrating to find something that he can not figure out. Not only is it a blow to his reputation, but there is little Edward has not been able to do with ease when he put his mind to it since his childhood. When he does come up against a problem he cannot solve, or some information he can not obtain, it drives him, quite literally, insane.
Carnivals – Having had to make a living at one for some time, any charm or gaity that fairs once held for him is long gone. Now they only remind him of the tedium of his experience there, and the utter stupidity of most of the fairgoers that he took in on a regular basis to make his living.
Arkham Asylum – The facility is cold, blank, and BORING. With cement walls and imbecile employees, Edward drives himself nearly stir crazy inside with nothing to do. He tries to spend as little time in the place as possible. Luckily for him, he is rather adept at escaping…
Being called crazy – He is NOT crazy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him. If everyone else has a problem with him being smarter than they are, that’s their problem. They simply lack the creative insight to understand what he is going through, and grasp the real simplicity of his little games. After all, “…the greater the complexity of the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.”
strengths;;
Genius Level Intellect – Edward is, quite simply, a genius. Since he was young, he has excelled intellectually with very little effort. He learns quickly, remembers a great deal, and has a keen mind for wordplay and problem solving. The only problem is (according to the doctors at Arkham) he can’t seem to find a ‘productive’ outlet for his mind’s energy.
Deductive Reasoning Skills – Edward is very observant of the world around him, taking in tiny details about places and people in particular. He is a fair detective in his own right, and is quite good at making obscure connections from things he observes, most of the time ending in him having information others would rather he didn’t.
Witty/Creative – Not only is he intelligent, but he has quite the sharp wit and sense of humor. He delights in creating out of the ordinary problems to test his victims, in partaking in witty banter with villains and heroes alike, and has the capability to be quite ingenious when coming up with his impressive arsenal of criminal conundrums.
Independently Wealthy – Edward doesn’t really need to work, though sometimes when he’s bored or looking for brownie points he has been known to team up with the Gotham PD. Through years of criminal activity, and a few creative business ventures of his own, he has amassed a considerable fortune that he uses to fund his more eccentric hobbies and criminal lifestyle.
Honest – Edward is compulsively honest. This probably stems from the fact that he was beaten for having cheated the one time he had actually done so, and not being believed all of the other times he told the truth. He sees little point in lying, as it only seemed to get him into more trouble, and there’s no need to when you have the talent to manipulate others with the truth.
Escape Artist – If you’re not strong enough to fight, you’d better be quick enough or smart enough to get away. In his youth, Edward looked up to figures like Harry Houdini, who would build elaborate traps for themselves using their specialized skills and knowledge and then wow the crowd with their ability to work their way out. Seeking to emulate such behavior, he learned from a young age how to slip a variety of common (and some less than common) devices and situations for keeping him out of trouble.
Manipulating others – Between his superior intellect and his talents with deductive science, it is usually fairly easy for Edward to get those of questionable intelligence to do what he wants (most of the time without them realizing it). It’s all part of the game to him, and sometimes a hobby of his when bored, even if it does not end in some measurable material profit for himself.
Knowledgeable – Edward possesses a wide range of knowledge, mostly obtained from spending much time reading up on subjects of interest (of which he has many). He often incorporates his knowledge into his traps. He also possesses a remarkable vocabulary.
Technical Prowess – Among the skills and knowledge base that Edward possesses, he is quite adept at modifying and manipulating technology to suit his whims. Most of this comes in the form of computer programming, but he has been known to engineer a few well-themed gadgets of his own to rival Batsy’s.
weaknesses;;
Physically Weak – Edward’s mind is his greatest weapon, and his body is comparatively weak. He is not much of a physical fighter, and perhaps knows just enough fancy footwork to keep himself from getting pulverized before he can escape through his own means. He relies on hired muscle to deal with more physical problems.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – If you couldn’t tell, Edward has a tendency to get fixated on one thing or another for a period of time. Most of the time its riddles and puzzles, which remain a constant, but every so often it shifts focus to a particular problem or subject (a.k.a. Batman). It can be so strong that sometimes it is literally impossible for him to go without indulging it. He simply HAS to leave enigmatic clues revolving around his crimes. It’s more than a habit, it’s a compulsion. He also tends to get very into particular plans that he is concocting, and is loathe to be interrupted or change them once he’s got one rolling.
Narcissistic – Like many of the members of Batman’s rogue’s gallery, he has a rather overinflated ego. He knows he’s smart, smarter than most everyone else, in fact (in his opinion), and likes to make that readily apparent in his actions.
Need to prove himself – Edward has always been striving for recognition, whether it was from a jealous and abusive father, or simply from those around him, and rarely got it in the way he wished. Part of the motivation for his actions, criminal or otherwise, are to prove to the world, and to himself, that his talents are both remarkable and praiseworthy. This is one reason why he takes losing so poorly.
Reading Glasses – Maybe it’s from spending all that time up close and personal with books, magazines, and computer screens, but he actually uses reading glasses every so often. He doesn’t like to make this fact particular public knowledge, however, as he finds it opens himself up further to jokes and the like from others with less sophisticated senses of humor.
Insanity – Ok, he IS crazy, but don’t tell him that. Whether it stems from his neglectful childhood or his inherent neurotic compulsiveness (or likely as a combination of factors), Edward is clinically insane. This sometimes gets in the way of what others would consider ‘rational’ thought, and shapes his behavioral patterns in ways that have led to his high life of crime.
quirks/habits;;
- HAS to leave a riddle/clue before, during, or after his crimes (if not all three)
- Taps his cane when agitated or bored
- Bites at his fingers when thinking or excited
- Prone to fits of high energy and laughter if something strikes his fancy
- Asks too many questions
- Keeps records and books of his riddles and past crimes
goals/dreams;;
- To be recognized for his genius and respected for it
- To teach Batman a lesson or two
- To find a worthy challenge for his intellect
- To set the new world record for the New York Times Crossword…again…
- To stay away from Arkham as long as possible
- To answer the ultimate riddle: “Who is Batman?”
overall personality;;
Narcissistic. Brilliant. Witty. Did I mention narcissistic? The first thing about Edward that one would notice (for if you didn’t, he would be sure to point it out to you rather quickly) is his remarkable intelligence. He is a criminal genius, and his ability to manufacture mind bending riddles and puzzles has yet remained unsurpassed by anyone else in Gotham. He knows this perfectly well, and enjoys making sure others know it as well. In fact, his chief motivation for many of his crimes, unlike some of the other villains who have specific gains in mind, is his own, self-satisfying need to flaunt his superior intellect over the other citizens of Gotham. He is particularly fond of doing so with Batman, as he is perhaps the only worthy opponent Edward has come across since adopting his Riddler persona. A smooth talker, if a bit quirky in his choice of verbiage, creating creative conundrums for himself and others to work through is one of the many ways Edward keeps his otherwise easily bored mind active.
Edward is also a very intense human being, emotionally and intellectually. He has a deep seated neurosis that makes him both a formidably calculating enemy and a rather impulsive, fanatical servant to his own obsessions. He literally HAS to use riddles in his crimes in order to draw attention to himself and his mental prowess, and the more complicated a deathtrap he can devise for his victims (whether or not he actually intends to kill them), the better. Simple and direct are simply not in Riddler’s MO when dealing with the subjects of his crimes.
This obsessive compulsion leads Edward to be easily frustrated. He HATES losing, particularly if he feels he was outsmarted in the process. It pokes holes in his carefully crafted self-image, after all. He has been known to throw a sort of temper tantrum or blame others when things don’t go his way, despite his careful planning. He is also easily frustrated when working with others if he feels they are short sighted or unimaginative in their planning, or if the common stupidity of others gets in the way of achieving his goal. He can sometimes get so wrapped up in his crimes or his own fancies that he has a hard time communicating with others on a rational level, and feeling as though he can not derive the answer to something knocks him for such a loop that he becomes fixated on it until some solution can be found.
On the upside, Edward displays an almost childlike glee when things are going his way and he sees his ingenious plans unfolding before him that can border on maniacal. There is nothing like the exhilaration of a carefully crafted victory over a worthy opponent (or even occasionally over one that is less deserving), and keeping his mind busy with interesting challenges on its own fills him with delight. Often times when he is moody or brooding, a simple spark of thought in the right direction, the proper mental stimulation, or the prospect of a good game, is enough to send him instantly back into his productive and rather excitable mode of being.
And keep you there so you can see[/size]
father;; Unknown
mother;; Unknown
siblings;; None
relatives;; None that Edward is aware of
pets;; None
hometown;; Gotham City
currentlyliving;; Gotham City
history;;
Edward’s childhood was less than fantastic. In fact, he has often described it to his therapist (when he has had the misfortune to land himself in Arkham) as downright miserable. His mother was absent for most of his young life, and he would have preferred it if his father was the same. His father was not the brightest crayon in the box as far as brains go, and was a largely physical man. When Edward started showing signs of brilliance at a very young age, he could not fathom that his son could be that smart coming from the background he did. In fact, his father was insanely jealous of Edward’s talents, and refused to acknowledge his skills, swearing that his young child prodigy must have been cheating or up to some sort of trickery to do as well as he did when it came to his schoolwork and his puzzle books. He would often accuse Edward angrily of cheating, and would resort of physical violence against him when he would protest, honestly, that he had worked it out on his own.
His puzzles were perhaps the one respite from his father’s angry and abusive nature. Discovering his aptitude for them himself when he was younger, he soon took to immersing himself in a countless string of puzzle books, saving what money he could to fuel his passion and occupy his brain with their happily distracting challenges in the midst of his rather dismal outside prospects. Other books too also appealed to Edward’s rapidly growing mind, and he taught himself much in his free time with a variety of subjects far advanced for his age, easily surpassing the other students in his class.
This, of course, only drew more disbelief from his father, and it seemed that no matter what Edward did or what he achieved, he could not convince his father just how talented he was. To him, being a man and growing boy meant playing games like football and participating in other, more physical endeavors, and certainly not making his old man feel a fool in front of his friends. Edward himself had very few friends, as his rather poignant obsession for riddles, and the distance he felt intellectually from others in his class made for less than smooth social relations with many of his classmates.
Then one day, by happy happenstance, his elementary school teacher announced a class contest. She had recently acquired a new puzzle, resembling one of those Rubix cubes that used to be more popular, and was to award a prize to the student who could successfully solve it in the least amount of time. Edward’s heart leapt at the idea. This was his chance to finally prove to his father that he was worth something; that his talents were to be appreciated. He couldn’t risk not winning, however, despite what little chance there was likely to be of that occurring. He snuck out of his house that night and broke into the teacher’s desk, obtaining the puzzle and trying it over and over to himself until he had worked it out quite quickly before finally returning it to its original location. Naturally, during the contest the following day, Edward won in a landslide and took home the grand prize; another puzzle book. He thought his father would be thrilled, but again, he only accused Edward of cheating, and again physically attacked Edward for his poor moral choice. The bad thing was, this time it was actually true.
Edward knew then that it didn’t matter what he did; his father was a hopeless cause. Cheating had gotten him ahead this time, with the same results as being honest had. Taking that knowledge with him, when Edward finished high school he took work at a local carnival, making his living by cheating less-than-bright fair goers out of their petty cash with tricky carnival games, most of which he devised on his own. It was fun at first, but soon Edward grew bored with taking in the common man. It was far too easy, and money alone was no longer a satisfying enough reward for his hungry mind.
Fortunately for him, just when it seemed he might be doomed to the mundane forever (for even more schooling seemed a useless contrivance to him at this point, and an expensive one at that), a ray of hope in the shape of a bat appeared. He heard through the newspapers and TV of the masked vigilante Batman and his remarkable detective prowess. This sparked Edward’s interest, and after hearing of some of the criminal’s he was supposedly cleaning up, he figured he could throw his hat into the ring. After all, none of them could match his intelligence, and Batman might just present a keen enough challenge for his languid mind to make his life worthwhile again. Borrowing some equipment and material from the carnival, The Riddler was born.
Staking out a claim in Gotham’s Robinson Park (cleverly hidden beneath the hedge maze), Edward soon fully embraced his new alter ego, spending his time creating ominous riddles and witty conundrums meant to stump the city’s Dark Knight. The game of it all exhilarated him, particularly when Batman began proving himself the worthy opponent Edward had hoped for. Of course, no man is infallible, even someone as clever as he, and every so often he would slip a step behind the bat and find himself in a bland cell in Arkham Asylum. A talented escape artist (for he had idolized the likes of Harry Houdini as a child and had studied his methods and ideas), he fortunately was able to make sure that his visits were never very lengthy. Independently wealthy from the success of his crimes, and supplemented by his occasional forays into independent entrepreneurship (for he did come up with some clever ideas from time to time) or being convinced (sometimes forcibly) to cooperate with Gotham PD’s criminal profiling department, he has managed to support his continued criminal endeavors with little effort. After all, he enjoys playing the game more than anything else, and it’s much easier to do when one doesn’t have to worry about his budget. He currently continues his life of crime from his lair, occasionally frequenting the modest apartment he keeps in the Gotham Tower Apartments, just in case.
As long as you're alive and care[/size]
name;; Pippin
age;;25
experience;; Too much in too many places…
activity;; As often as I can, hopefully 2-3 times weekly if not more.
whyyoujoined;; ‘Cause DC ‘rocks my socks’
phrase;; The Riddler warns you that pluto is out for revenge.
example;;
See Hal’s app?? If you really want one for Eddie I’ll write one up.
[/center]
