Prohibition AU | Character Profile: Molly

The silent, stress-shouldering youngest of a widowed toymaker, eternally-exhausted Molly Blyndeff does her best to occupy as little space as possible in a time where even space is often sought after. Molly spends her days toiling to maintain her family’s finances and keep them above the poverty line, but come nightfall, Bliss Ocean’s goddaughter and errand girl finds an unconventional respite in the operation of a different resource: information.

Background.

Born the younger sister of a prodigious teen actor and puppeteer favoured by their father, Molly is quite used to going through life unseen and unheard, especially after the death of her mother, whom she was closer to than anyone. In the years that followed, she was forcibly thrown the responsibilities of her household and of running their small, family-owned toy business for income’s sake, earning her a necessitated knack for diplomacy and administration.

She first met the illustrious Naven Nuknuk taking pictures with him during one of his PR campaigns, directed towards helping the needy in Sweet Jazz City; where her disillusioned deportment and striking ability to garner sympathy from the press would catch his attention (and later, so would the exact circumstances of her home life). They became fast friends outside of work, and he would later go on to foster, support, and even mentor Molly in her neglectful family’s stead.

Molly’s first real brush with crime presented itself when she inexplicably found herself in the midst of a frantic firefight between one Giovanni Potage’s old gang and the ever-zealous Dr. Sylvester Ashling, and even more inexplicably when she managed to befriend both individuals in the end. Naven’s discovery of this event would mark the beginning of Molly’s induction into Bliss Ocean’s far outer circle, where her skills in subterfuge and gathering intelligence would be put to good use in return for some much-needed additional income.

Relations.

Even before working for Bliss Ocean, Molly had a tight-knit friendship with Trixie Roughhouse and Phoenica Fleecity, both youngest members of their respective legendary families. Her unexpected sibling bond with Dr. Sylvester Ashling and aspiring gangster Giovanni Potage was also the catalyst for her honorary induction into Bliss Ocean, and the two of them have had a major positive impact on Molly’s perception of herself.

Molly’s penchant for diplomacy and general affability has also helped her ingratiate herself with even Bliss Ocean’s inner circles. Detective Percival King and Ramsey Murdoch especially found a sort of surrogate affection for her, supporting and nurturing her as such. Other members of the family—Rick Shades, Mera Salamin, and even Zora Salazar, to be precise—have developed a kinship with the troubled young girl, occasionally providing her emotional (and sometimes physical) support.

Bliss Ocean Report.

Truth be told, I do feel some guilt over involving the young Blyndeff in such a perilous trade, but my avenues for supporting her otherwise are limited, and Molly has made it quite clear herself that she’d prefer it over continuing to endure her current circumstances. Regardless, she’ll only be gathering information and running some small errands; ideally, she shouldn’t ever be in much danger, if at all.

I want to say I was taken aback at just how swimmingly Molly’s taken to her new job, but given her already-tumultuous home life, I’m not sure how surprised by her adaptability I really should be. From her field reports, it seems she has a remarkable administrative talent, able to quickly assess her surroundings and parse out any potential assets and liabilities she sees. And yet, her still-unexplainable ability to elude notice and disappear from view at the drop of a hat has become even more apparent.

After getting to know her better, it’s become rather obvious that Molly hates attention and prefers to appear as unremarkable as possible. But she’s clearly an empathetic person; she knows how people think and see her, and she knows how to take advantage of it. She wields a people-pleasing smile and an aversion to conflict better than many politicians I’ve met, and it’s always a delight seeing her practise her craft in less stressful situations. In fact, I’ve recently taken it upon myself to personally teach her additional communication skills; given time and practice, I believe she could make quite a masterful diplomat.

What troubles me still regarding Molly is her passivity. Her recent years have been more difficult than anyone deserves, and the one thing she has to show for it is an incredibly potent set of skills that could drastically improve her circumstances if nurtured and used properly, but she clearly views them more as a means of survival and protecting herself than as tools for change and gain. But they are tools, very powerful ones, and the fact that her unforgiving home life has forced her to use them almost solely to defend herself saddens me greatly.

If there’s any solace to be had, Molly’s situation is improving, if slowly. She’s bonded quite well with the rest of Bliss Ocean, and I believe those connections are good for her. Giovanni was already encouraging her to use her skills more proactively, something I absolutely advocate for, and Sylvie, Percy, and even Ramsey have taken to supporting her in lieu of her family. Perhaps with time, and with their help, the future will finally see things getting better for her.

- Naven

Thank you for the positive feedback.

Stink & his Host are meant either as a campaign end-boss or something akin to an environmental hazard. You can't fight him unless you've got an army of your own (or are game-breakingly OP), but you can evade or turn his attention elsewhere if you're clever.

For example, if you say that the Halo Corp's Chairman of the Board has been trying to copy or upstage him, & provide enough evidence that they are actually doing it, he will turn his Host around to rampage into Halo Corp territory until he finds the Chairman (or gets distracted again), leaving you alone for the time being. Stuff like that.

Very Nice

I like how you're making side-quests now.

Deranged ramblings about Dark Zone!Stink LET'S GOOO!: "The Nightmare Child" is a title whispered in hushed tones across the world. There are very few things all the inhabitants agree upon, save one: If you see a small 11-year-old boy with spiky black hair wandering around wielding a sword with strange energy readings, RUN. His "family" is not far behind. Ever-twisting Anomalies that feed & grow off of each other, corrupted machinery and subverted Hive organisms blend machine & metal into horrifying techoorganic forms, bands of deranged Mutants, hordes of zombies, madmen & more all congregate around their child-emperor of the Dark. Worse still, there are rumors of a Consortium member who acts as a doctor & surgeon to his horde in exchange for not being fed to "Stonk", a large skeletal monster of unknown origin who serves as Stink's best friend/ mount/ advisor/ pet he feeds whoever makes him angry to. The Host of the Nightmare is the largest singular force in the post-collapse world. Other major factions do have larger armies, but cannot mobilize the necessary forces to quash the horde of madmen without leaving themselves vulnerable. It would take a multi-factional alliance to bring them down, and even then there would be heavy casualties. They are seen as the return of the conquering hordes of antiquity, and of mankind's folly & mistakes coming up to destroy them.

As for the Nightmare Child himself? "Capricious" would be the best word to describe the perpetual adolescent. He is prone to flights of fancy, one moment ranting over another child from a Federation settlement being mean to him (which usually ends in his horde razing the entire settlement in revenge) to spotting "cool new friends" (a Machine Beast pack who had the misfortune to land in his crosshairs), causing him to forget about their earlier source of his ire.

The Host of the Nightmare & their leader are not invincible, however. The strange properties of the sword & its wielder may give the Anomalies "knighted" by them sentience & movement, but they must feed on living beings regularly or risk starvation. Artifacts (particularly Growth-related ones) can harm them even via proximity. And said Anomalies are the ones protecting their King from being sniped... The aforementioned sword is what gives Stink the ability to ignore the Dark Zone's contamination. It will not vanish instantly, & he can still command his horde, but keep it away from him for long enough & he will, ironically, die from exposure to his "family".

(Any thoughts? Questions? Did I make him too OP?)

We actually appreciate this! Although you aren't really making a character that fits the character creation process of the setting's CYOA, you have created something / someone that fits into the setting; and that (worldbuilding) is something we can respect.

We further enjoy the character dynamic/'mechanics' done here.

Holy Helheim I just realised he could turn Beefton into a stand. How have I been so foolish

New Moves: Sylvie

Molly

Giovanni

Some ideas for potential ways Sylvie could learn to use his moves, as well as potential new moves and abilities he could learn in the future!

Sleeping Sand (Upgrade): As Sylvie's Proficiency increases, he can learn to use his sleeping dust in more ways. He can imbue them into weapons and objects, causing them to make enemies drowsy on impact. He could learn to manipulate and levitate it, controlling its flow and releasing it in fumes or clouds. He could even sling it at his enemies from a distance (think Sandman from Rise of the Guardians).

Nightmare Fuel (Upgrade): As Sylvie's powers develop, he can learn to use Nightmare Fuel on more targets at a time, and he can even shape their nightmares into different forms: He can summon creatures of fire and shadow, or even create empowered forms for himself made from their fears.

Dream Big (Upgrade): Sylvie can only summon Dr. Beefton when he's unconscious because his epithet "summons the dreams of drowsy targets". As his Proficiency increases, though, he could learn to use Dream Big at partial strength, conjuring parts of Beefton to aid him temporarily. He could summon armour fashioned from a smaller form of Beefton, increasing his strength as a bonus, or even use his horns as a melee weapon. Effectively, he can draw upon a weaker version of Beefton's powers without the drawback of losing consciousness or becoming completely vulnerable afterwards.

Daydream: Sylvie can wake a sleeping person, rousing them from an unconscious state into a drowsy state.

Dream Catcher: The equal and opposite of Nightmare Fuel. Sylvie can target a drowsy or tired ally, bringing their good dreams to life to aid in combat.

Dream Eater: If Sylvie can summon constructs of another's subconscious, he could destroy them. By hitting someone with his Sleeping Sand or Counting Sheep, he can disorient them enough to break their concentration on an epithet summon.

Sleep Paralysis: By hitting an enemy with a Sleeping Sand-imbued attack, such as his Counting Sheep or a dust projectile, Sylvie can temporarily paralyse them. Works well with Nightmare Fuel.

Somnambulist (Orbit Class Move): Sylvie targets a sleeping person, controlling their body like a puppet. Simple, but cost-efficective and powerful in the right circumstances.

Lucid Dream (Orbit Class Move): Sylvie lulls a target to sleep, summoning forth a dimension from their dreams. People nearby are trapped in the dimension, and people outside can enter at will. Anybody in the dimension becomes part of the target's dream. Sylvie is in the dimension, but doesn't appear in the target's dream, and isn't affected by anything inside it. He can also subtly manipulate the dream as it goes on. The dream dimension is dispelled when the target wakes up, which Sylvie can trigger.

Prohibition AU | Character Profile: Molly

The silent, stress-shouldering youngest of a widowed toymaker, eternally-exhausted Molly Blyndeff does her best to occupy as little space as possible in a time where even space is often sought after. Molly spends her days toiling to maintain her family’s finances and keep them above the poverty line, but come nightfall, Bliss Ocean’s goddaughter and errand girl finds an unconventional respite in the operation of a different resource: information.

Background.

Born the younger sister of a prodigious teen actor and puppeteer favoured by their father, Molly is quite used to going through life unseen and unheard, especially after the death of her mother, whom she was closer to than anyone. In the years that followed, she was forcibly thrown the responsibilities of her household and of running their small, family-owned toy business for income’s sake, earning her a necessitated knack for diplomacy and administration.

She first met the illustrious Naven Nuknuk taking pictures with him during one of his PR campaigns, directed towards helping the needy in Sweet Jazz City; where her disillusioned deportment and striking ability to garner sympathy from the press would catch his attention (and later, so would the exact circumstances of her home life). They became fast friends outside of work, and he would later go on to foster, support, and even mentor Molly in her neglectful family’s stead.

Molly’s first real brush with crime presented itself when she inexplicably found herself in the midst of a frantic firefight between one Giovanni Potage’s old gang and the ever-zealous Dr. Sylvester Ashling, and even more inexplicably when she managed to befriend both individuals in the end. Naven’s discovery of this event would mark the beginning of Molly’s induction into Bliss Ocean’s far outer circle, where her skills in subterfuge and gathering intelligence would be put to good use in return for some much-needed additional income.

Relations.

Even before working for Bliss Ocean, Molly had a tight-knit friendship with Trixie Roughhouse and Phoenica Fleecity, both youngest members of their respective legendary families. Her unexpected sibling bond with Dr. Sylvester Ashling and aspiring gangster Giovanni Potage was also the catalyst for her honorary induction into Bliss Ocean, and the two of them have had a major positive impact on Molly’s perception of herself.

Molly’s penchant for diplomacy and general affability has also helped her ingratiate herself with even Bliss Ocean’s inner circles. Detective Percival King and Ramsey Murdoch especially found a sort of surrogate affection for her, supporting and nurturing her as such. Other members of the family—Rick Shades, Mera Salamin, and even Zora Salazar, to be precise—have developed a kinship with the troubled young girl, occasionally providing her emotional (and sometimes physical) support.

Bliss Ocean Report.

Truth be told, I do feel some guilt over involving the young Blyndeff in such a perilous trade, but my avenues for supporting her otherwise are limited, and Molly has made it quite clear herself that she’d prefer it over continuing to endure her current circumstances. Regardless, she’ll only be gathering information and running some small errands; ideally, she shouldn’t ever be in much danger, if at all.

I want to say I was taken aback at just how swimmingly Molly’s taken to her new job, but given her already-tumultuous home life, I’m not sure how surprised by her adaptability I really should be. From her field reports, it seems she has a remarkable administrative talent, able to quickly assess her surroundings and parse out any potential assets and liabilities she sees. And yet, her still-unexplainable ability to elude notice and disappear from view at the drop of a hat has become even more apparent.

After getting to know her better, it’s become rather obvious that Molly hates attention and prefers to appear as unremarkable as possible. But she’s clearly an empathetic person; she knows how people think and see her, and she knows how to take advantage of it. She wields a people-pleasing smile and an aversion to conflict better than many politicians I’ve met, and it’s always a delight seeing her practise her craft in less stressful situations. In fact, I’ve recently taken it upon myself to personally teach her additional communication skills; given time and practice, I believe she could make quite a masterful diplomat.

What troubles me still regarding Molly is her passivity. Her recent years have been more difficult than anyone deserves, and the one thing she has to show for it is an incredibly potent set of skills that could drastically improve her circumstances if nurtured and used properly, but she clearly views them more as a means of survival and protecting herself than as tools for change and gain. But they are tools, very powerful ones, and the fact that her unforgiving home life has forced her to use them almost solely to defend herself saddens me greatly.

If there’s any solace to be had, Molly’s situation is improving, if slowly. She’s bonded quite well with the rest of Bliss Ocean, and I believe those connections are good for her. Giovanni was already encouraging her to use her skills more proactively, something I absolutely advocate for, and Sylvie, Percy, and even Ramsey have taken to supporting her in lieu of her family. Perhaps with time, and with their help, the future will finally see things getting better for her.

- Naven

Jane here

Can I draw an eldritch god molly?

Yeah, sure! We ain't yer boss

Excited to see it, though!

Eldritch Gods AU Molly would also be amazing: this harmless-looking little girl who can literally erase you from existence

Yeahhh (finger guns) we really want to lean into the blue-and-orange morality of eldritch gods for this AU

Lol. Lmao, even.

Yes. Agreed.

Idea for the Old Ones AU: Howie is, despite what others in-universe may think, not an eldritch being. He's perfectly normal. So normal, in fact, that he can force reality around him to stay normal, damn what any cosmic horror might think.

Pretty much all of the eldritch beings in the setting who know of him are absolutely terrified, due to his existing near them rendering them killable no matter how powerful they are. He's aware of the Court & some of the wider supernatural, but as long as they don't actively start a mess near him he's willing to be civil.

Bro's the Toji Fushiguro (Jujutsu Kaisen) of the Old Ones AU: A terrifying physical threat who doesn't interact normally with the supernatural beings of the setting, if at all.

I-

As for Rick, he's a German U-boat captain who spent the years of the war helping Naven smuggle arms to Ireland; and when the rebellion failed and the war ended, Naven convinced the lost captain out of surrender into hiding.

His role in this AU is mainly maritime smuggling (off the eastern coast towards rum row!) and being an eccentric (isolation in a metal tube for years can do funny things to a man) performer to keep Molly and friends entertained while Naven and his inner circle are away.

Sylvie on the other hand, is a Spanish immigrant and bull-and-livestock breeder aiming to host a classical Spanish bullfight one day (note this was very illegal and unaccepted in the States). He is also skilled in psychology before it was seen as an actual science, and a veterinarian. His personality in this AU seeks to remind people that this fellow that he can be an annoying showoff.

He is kept at an arms' length away due to his limited use to Naven (as Sylvie's fights often lead to unwanted attention), better this way since Sylvie does maintain a negative view towards the idea of criminals. But he may be introduced by Molly to a 'potential patron' if he just help with some minor specialist or distanced tasks (like guarding a coastside warehouse that covers a quarter of the river's width, but he is allowed to build his breeder nearby and boat in animals so it's a fair deal).

Prohibition AU: The Family

The Outer Circle

These members have a limited amount of knowledge into the scale or even the degree-of-illegality of Naven's empire (Bliss Ocean).

Molly Blyndeff, trudging through hard times with an uncaring family, Ms Blyndeff has been quietly emancipated in exchange for her eyes, ears, and unassuming demeanor. A little spy in short.

Trixie Roughhouse, a close friend of Molly's with a fascination with concoctions. Upon introduction, they were assigned to be apprenticed in moonshining at one of Naven's underground distilleries, though they personally prefer experimenting for unknown product.

Phoenica Fleecity, another friend of Molly's. She isn't of much use in criminal activities (also the least informed of Naven's doings), but her generous allowance does help grease the financial side of activities she has no business knowing about.

Howie Honeyglow, an engineer and construction contact of Naven's. He provides maintenance and solves any lack of facilities for 'business activities', by building them up in record time with little excess charges.

Giovanni Potage, leader of a band of misfits who broke off from another street gang; now in Naven's employ. As mentioned in a previous post, he provides the majority of grunt work in Sweet Jazz City for Bliss Ocean. His talent lies in his rousing leadership which keeps morale steady no matter the branch, much to Naven's surprise. Hosts weekly hotpot nights for his brothers (in-arms).

Percival King, the officer who chose peace. She sees Naven as a major businessman with some connections to the criminal underworld; thus a deal was struck where Percy cooperates with Naven in removing the violence on the streets (and kills off competition) while Percy avoids further investigating Naven's influence that made the deal possible.

Indus Tarbella. Formerly Mera's self-declared servant and bodyguard, he now provides security and butler-like services in extension to Naven as a means to remain close to Mera.

The Inner Circle

Everyone here has blood on their hands. These are the men and women who initiates and executes the family's plans. Aka Bliss Ocean Proper.

Zora Salazar: former bounty hunter, gunsmith, and living action film 'protagonist'. Once carried out a hit halfway across the country within a single day by jumping off a wing of a plane midair onto a passing train to cut time. She usually works alone over larger distances outside of Sweet Jazz City.

Mera Salamin, the main (once) licensed surgeon and occasional strategist. She was out of a career after leaving glass shards in a patient and former co-worker who allegedly harassed her. But her swift manner of action caught Naven's attention, and she refuses to play on the sidelines this time.

Ramsey Murdoch is the accountant and financial advisor, mainly for Naven's legitimate ventures but also reaffirms good and competitive business sense for an empire balancing its legal and illegal standings. Whilst Naven is a great dealmaker, Ramsey makes those bigger deals possible.

The Driver is Naven's eyes on the city, as well as his personal companion. Always (seemingly) a different person to outsiders, some speculate that Naven has Sweet Jazz City's private chauffeurs under his patronage. Though in reality, Yoomtah Zing is a master of disguise and has a more hands-on role in managing Naven's criminal operations alongside Mera.

Naven Nuknuk, former arms dealer to the IRA and the man who came from selling apples to apple cider. He is just a small fish in comparison to the big bosses in New York or Chicago, no need to pay heed to him! (The FBI certainly doesn't anymore)

Come to think of it, Ramsey in the Prohibition AU would probably have a swell interaction with Wick Sable from Lackadaisy.

They're both businessmen and Ramsey's eye for value would probably catch Wick's (and maybe Mitzi's) attention, probably to appraise business prospects and alcohol.

For the Eldritch God AU I feel like Lorelai and Rick would make excellent eldritch gods.

Ohoho, absolutely. One whose dreams augment reality and one whose power grows with the ties that bind them? You barely even have to alter their canon incarnations' powersets all that much to make them fit the setting.

Epithet Erased X Lackadaisy Crossover

For context on the EE's side AU

Long story short, a certain Apple Man sets up a cafe (hidden bar and front for scouting out St Louis) within the ribs of the late Atlas May's fallen empire.

And as businesses of a sector love to crowd in the same place, the 'Mississippi Glen Cafe' opens half a street away from the Little Daisy Cafe.

Naven Nuknuk (the Apple Man in question) does not actually know about the Lackadaisy's location so this is all luck for him. Fitting for an Irishman.

The Mississippi Glen

As Naven's own city lays further north, only a handpicked few are sent down into the heart of the Mississippi.

Molly Blyndeff, a work beleaguered youngster now emancipated as a personal investment of Naven's. Her formative years spent running a store for an uncaring family and her aptitude for silent work has given her a weathered mind beyond her age and Naven a pair of eyes wherever he needs one.

She will not be the one running the cafe. Though still officially there, she will be Naven's spy instead; dangerous but they both know which one Molly would prefer.

Giovanni Pottage, a close confidant of Molly's and the head of a loyal band of grunts, will stop by every now and then (as his skill of raising morale for criminals without a fat stack of cash all the time makes him of high demand whenever Naven plans something big).

He contributes to the cafe a strong assortment of soups to compete with their limited cider sales, and muscle if needed.

Ramsey Murdoch, the golden eye of Naven's network. He oversees the cafe as well as other legitamate ventures or fronts of Naven's. The cafe is his new project but he still keeps his distance when outside.

Sylvester Ashling, a self-professed matador hired by Naven to guard his assets in St Louis. Ashling does not actually know that his patron is actually a mob boss.

Situations To Cover (Incomplete List)

Friendly Competition (Molly and Ivy's first meeting and subsequent struggle for intrigue)

The Devil Lies Singing Under River (Naven's strategy for the Mississippi is put into effect)

Emergency Delivery (The Rumrunning trio encounters the execution of a bounty, of their supplier)

Bull and Hatchet (Mordecai's investigations into the new intruding gang leads him into facing the horns of one Sylvester Ashling)

A 'Friendly' Conversation (Loose lips sink friendships, almost. Mitzi and Ramsey practice their tense negotiation skills)

Update: In the context of a crossover with Lackadaisy, Naven would have Molly moved to his new cafe in St Louis.

Let's just say Naven's new cafe in St Louis is his way of moving Molly away from her family whilst convincing her father that this is all giving her 'business opportunities and experience'...

And perhaps he should be grateful and take up the slack in her absence.

A post on this Crossover will be posted at @murmurs-down-the-mississippi within the week!

Prohibition AU: How did Molly get involved with organized crime this time?

Naven happened.

He was running a PR campaign which included helping the communities of the city through minor financial stimulus and programs. Molly, one of the kids he took photos with, caught his attention...

Naven also found ways to keep Molly around; and Molly, still having her awful home situation, decided to accept the extra cash from doing seemingly innocent errands for Naven (such as spying on his rivals or providing a temporary distraction). Molly's friends were a further benefit gained through association; Trixie was allowed to learn distilling (though they remained with making 'potions' as a hobby since they were not trusted to be alone with the stills), Feenie's large allowance assisted with legal financing of operations, while Giovanni (who had just split away from another street gang) accepted working with (not under) Naven as security*.

*(they do not know that they actually make up the majority of Naven's grunts since they are not involved deeply with the internal organisation.

Trixie would love setting off fireworks for Chinese New Year.

Maybe a more-than-legal amount.

Prohibition AU: The Family

The Outer Circle

These members have a limited amount of knowledge into the scale or even the degree-of-illegality of Naven's empire (Bliss Ocean).

Molly Blyndeff, trudging through hard times with an uncaring family, Ms Blyndeff has been quietly emancipated in exchange for her eyes, ears, and unassuming demeanor. A little spy in short.

Trixie Roughhouse, a close friend of Molly's with a fascination with concoctions. Upon introduction, they were assigned to be apprenticed in moonshining at one of Naven's underground distilleries, though they personally prefer experimenting for unknown product.

Phoenica Fleecity, another friend of Molly's. She isn't of much use in criminal activities (also the least informed of Naven's doings), but her generous allowance does help grease the financial side of activities she has no business knowing about.

Howie Honeyglow, an engineer and construction contact of Naven's. He provides maintenance and solves any lack of facilities for 'business activities', by building them up in record time with little excess charges.

Giovanni Potage, leader of a band of misfits who broke off from another street gang; now in Naven's employ. As mentioned in a previous post, he provides the majority of grunt work in Sweet Jazz City for Bliss Ocean. His talent lies in his rousing leadership which keeps morale steady no matter the branch, much to Naven's surprise. Hosts weekly hotpot nights for his brothers (in-arms).

Percival King, the officer who chose peace. She sees Naven as a major businessman with some connections to the criminal underworld; thus a deal was struck where Percy cooperates with Naven in removing the violence on the streets (and kills off competition) while Percy avoids further investigating Naven's influence that made the deal possible.

Indus Tarbella. Formerly Mera's self-declared servant and bodyguard, he now provides security and butler-like services in extension to Naven as a means to remain close to Mera.

The Inner Circle

Everyone here has blood on their hands. These are the men and women who initiates and executes the family's plans. Aka Bliss Ocean Proper.

Zora Salazar: former bounty hunter, gunsmith, and living action film 'protagonist'. Once carried out a hit halfway across the country within a single day by jumping off a wing of a plane midair onto a passing train to cut time. She usually works alone over larger distances outside of Sweet Jazz City.

Mera Salamin, the main (once) licensed surgeon and occasional strategist. She was out of a career after leaving glass shards in a patient and former co-worker who allegedly harassed her. But her swift manner of action caught Naven's attention, and she refuses to play on the sidelines this time.

Ramsey Murdoch is the accountant and financial advisor, mainly for Naven's legitimate ventures but also reaffirms good and competitive business sense for an empire balancing its legal and illegal standings. Whilst Naven is a great dealmaker, Ramsey makes those bigger deals possible.

The Driver is Naven's eyes on the city, as well as his personal companion. Always (seemingly) a different person to outsiders, some speculate that Naven has Sweet Jazz City's private chauffeurs under his patronage. Though in reality, Yoomtah Zing is a master of disguise and has a more hands-on role in managing Naven's criminal operations alongside Mera.

Naven Nuknuk, former arms dealer to the IRA and the man who came from selling apples to apple cider. He is just a small fish in comparison to the big bosses in New York or Chicago, no need to pay heed to him! (The FBI certainly doesn't anymore)

*The first two have different plot concepts but both have one party being sent to the other's dimension. They are also organised via who crashes into whose dimension from the left.

*Option 1 has more interdimensional travel and action while Option 2 fits more as a spin off episode pair in Gravity Falls with mystery and supernatural stuff.

*Note: Only Option 1 has Human <--> Feline species conversion.

Option 3 has the Epithet Erased characters as within the Prohibition AU from @ramblings-from-the-ether (shoutout to friends across the river). They are another gang setting up shop literally across the street from the Little Daisy Cafe. To know more, head to the Intro Post or visit #Epithet Erased Prohibition AU, the latter is in the tags.

Still not sure if Option 3 has all characters being Felines or are we having a 2 sapient species world.