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[Img]https://i.imgur.com/4iQe1sJ.gif[/url][/img] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHR3ojCFJJE  This is a new age, a strong age, an age of Empire. Our people are awakening, and soon all of the galaxy shall be ours once more. We shall bestride the galaxy like the gods of old, sheltering our people from destruction at the hands of an uncaring universe. Across the void of space they live and lived for millennia upon the sand, rock and soil of worlds bathed in the light of alien suns. So our seed is cast far and wide beyond the knowledge of Mortals, to thrive bitterly in the darkness, to take root and cling with robust and savage determination. Masters of a million worlds by the might of our inexhaustible armies. Eternally vigilant our mighty battlefleets cross the routes between distant stars, their way lit by our will. Vast armies give battle in our name on uncounted worlds. Mighty heroes battle and crusade for the right to rule the galaxy. The myriad of alien races will be smashed by our warriors and wiped from the face of history. Gleaming citadels of marble and gold will celebrate our many victories. Triumphs will be raised on a million worlds to record the epic deeds of our kind. The pinnacle of our enlightenment reaching new heights through research and experimentation, our people will be untouched by plague or disease, no sickness or curse will blight them. An age of knowledge and enlightenment has begun. The dawn of a new age of supremacy for our race beckons. We will endure, we will rise and with our mighty fists raised none shall deny us this supremacy...  
(Where most GMs and other godgame players from SA hang about)
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Nov 17, 2017 19:56
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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgnUT-Bvmn4 Player Application guidelines/questions posted:
Player Submission Example/Template posted:
Inspiration links posted:http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Deities
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Nov 17, 2017 19:56
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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCU_6IFc9t0  Fleets: You can make a fleet into one deathstar, a voltron, or a deathswarm of small vessels. A single fleet is a fleet no matter what it looks like.  Fleet point spending is a limited and tactical choice for your build. Points are non-refundable when spent. IF PICKED. The Player Character starts out with 4 fleet points to spend at the beginning of the game. Fleets start with a Maximum of 8 slots. You can research another 8 additional slots.
The categories are:  Scanning: ◘◘◘◘ Scanning regions of space can help a fleet find a target, locate a cloaked vessel, or search for a goal.  Defense Energy Shields: ◘◘◘◘ Effective vs Energy based weapons a counter roll is made at 100% value Effective vs Hard based weapons a counter roll is made at 50% value  Defense Hard Shields: ◘◘◘◘ Effective vs Hard based weapons a counter roll is made at 100% value Effective vs Energy based weapons a counter roll is made at 50% value  Offense Hard Weapons: ◘◘◘◘ Effective vs Hard based shields a counter roll is made at 100% value Effective vs Energy based shields a counter roll is made at 50% value If target has no shields a roll is made at 1.5x value  Offense Energy Weapons: ◘◘◘◘ Effective vs Energy based shields a counter roll is made at 100% value Effective vs Hard based shields a counter roll is made at 50% value If target has no shields a roll is made at 1.5x value  Travel Cooldown Explained!: How many turns ships must wait before travel increases as speed points increase but this can be reduced by investing in Power.  Speed [how many sectors traveled per turn]: ◘◘◘◘ Speed at 0 points by default is 1 sector per turn. Max is 5 with 4 points of investment. Every additional point increases sector movement by 1 but also increases Resting turn numbers by 1  Power: ◘◘◘◘ Power at 0 points is resting 1 turns after a Fleet movement before being able to move to another sector. Every additional point decreases Resting turns by 1 turn. Special Tech ◘◘◘◘  This is a build-your-own tech tree. Limited to four slots to preserve GM sanity. Players can come up with items and special tech for fleets (all ideas are subject to veto by the GM) Note:*** Special tech like boarding tubes, transporters, klingon cloaking devices, mass drivers vs planets etc will have special mechanics for them. Yes, each item still counts towards to point total on a fleet.  Strength in quantity if not quality In fleet standoffs, the difference in number of fleets = a bonus. Evenly matched quantity Fleet numbers confer no bonus to roll. 2:1 3:1 4:1 etc  Sectors and how they affect Empires.  Changing what a sector does takes 1 in game turn. This represents the time your species takes to refit & retrain.Build/defend/research  Production: Projects can be custom and benefit an empire in different ways. This can be from life saving technology to war-tech
 Defense: Static defense bonus for sector only while defense is selected.When the sector goes back to other tasks, this goes away.
 Research: Number of Sectors working on same project, reduce time or difficulty for a technical breakthrough. Examples such as:
 The galaxy once had a galactic spanning race of elder ones long long ago. They had build sentient satellites and receivers to view events throughout the galaxy. Self-repairing and producing, these eyes and ears long ago stopped being able to communicate any other information other than a basic (yet informative) report. The AIs soon grouped into three distinct networks and eventually the News agencies the galaxy knows today. Attempting to tamper with, destroy, or otherwise influence the AIs and satellites have met and will meet with continuous failure. (A GM tool not a player interactive object).  Galactic News Network (GNN) The anti-authoritarian and "voice of freedom" it will find the juiciest gossip and slander when filling time slots or when news it not otherwise available.  The Galactic Informer (TGI) Derisively called "The despot's pulpit" by the working class. The self-styled "voice of the people" reports on issues of government and the greatness of the galaxy's ruling class and families.  Universal Galactic Network (UGN) The oldest and considered the most non-biased considering its content, it doesn't get as many views and stories as the newer and more biased networks. P&R posted:
  tldr; All reasons for the rules and mechanics aside they also support; game balance, simplification, less gm stress  Good Luck and I look forward to seeing your entries!
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Nov 17, 2017 19:56
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Being gone from your home base, the warp, or flagship(if your race's home is a fleet) destabilizes the status quo, your godly acts, and your empire.:
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I need simplified posted:Q: What are fleets, fleet points, fleet slots? OVERKILL posted:Q: Will the overkill or consequences mechanic make an appearance in this game? reminder posted:This is a 4X Style (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) game where the gods of a space faring race (either new to the stars starting from or an old declined empire reduced to one homeworld. PDQ reminder posted:
Player Expectations posted:Setting Player Expectations I am Communist fucked around with this message at 20:05 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 17, 2017 19:57
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Yep I'll make something
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Nov 17, 2017 20:32
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I'm honoured. Putting down a marker.
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Nov 17, 2017 20:55
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The Confederation of Covens, and The Tree of Life Temaoi-Maki A very long time ago (the Asergekians aren't quite sure how long now) a prison transport crash-landed on Asergeki. Some histories say it was a hostile takeover of the ship that ended in tragedy, others say the ship's computers were knocked off-line by a stellar anomaly of some kind. Whatever the case, the crash survivors crawled from the wreckage into a world where everything skittered and hissed, bit or stung or constricted. A swamp world so hostile that by average human standards it was nothing short of a death trap. Luckily, the prison transport was not full of average people. Instead, it was packed with witches, biomancers, and elementalists of every stripe being shipped off for "heresies". Proud, stubborn, independent people forced to work together to survive monsoon and wildfire seasons, some of the most venomous wildlife ever discovered, and a biosphere indifferent to the needs of human biology in it's best moments. They used biomancy to reshape their bodies to better suit Asergeki and build their homes, witchcraft to master the complexities of it's biospheres, and elementalism to hold off the monsoons of the wet season and the wildfires of the dry. Together, in fits and starts, with growing pains and setbacks, they built an anarchist society unlike any other in the galaxy. Every decision made by a coven (roughly a village sized social group, spread out relatively evenly across the surface to maintain a sustainable population density) is reached by consensus - everyone speaks their mind and their concerns are addressed, one by one. The whole process is slow, and rocky but in the end it leaves all parties at least somewhat pleased with the arrangement that comes out. Each coven sends a representative to their regional conclave, which then in turn sends a representative to their continental conclave, one for each of Asergeki's three major landmasses. Each step along the way fraught with arguing and debate, but recent advances in bionetworking have begun to speed up the process. This system has given the Asergekians a reputation for being loud, outspoken, and stubborn as sin. It took five years to agree to the planting of Temaoi-Maki, and another two decades (now called the Great Debate) to finally unite all three continents under the same banner. When the year-long celebrations ended they looked to the stars, together. They saw a galaxy full of potential - wonder, and adventure, but most importantly - new potion ingredients. Who are you?  Pictured: Temaoi-Maki in her full regalia, captured in the middle of a rare stormbreak during the monsoon season. Temaoi-Maki is a great divine tree planted and grown by it's people, the Asergekians, to protect and shelter them. She has no other want or need. As a tree, her mind works on a different timescale than humans. Seasons are seconds to her; years are fondly remembered moments; and a decade of pondering can amount to an interesting daydream. It's a feature, not a bug (though she is quite full of them) as it helps her think on the scale maintaining a whole planet's biosphere requires. What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? [+6 Quality] Life +6: Temaoi-Maki is the great locus of life on Asergeki. The Confederation of Covens carries her seeds to every world they settle, making her glory and strength grow. She can create life on an absolutely massive scale that humbles even the Covens. Everything from the smallest, most primitive Archaea to the planet's mightiest mega-predators like Hellagators and Teeth-Eaters. She can also give her followers part of her own gift, making them incredibly fecund or bolstering their lifeforce. What do you lack? Tree -2: Temaoi-Maki is great indeed, but still a tree in the end. She struggles to think on human timescales and cannot really work minor miracles. Her nature means she also has trouble seeing outside her own realm without the help of the Asergekians. And finally, of course, she's a large immobile target. Where does your seat of power exist?  Pictured: Crashdown Canyon, taken from the boughs of Temaoi-Maki. Crashdown Canyon, the site where the Asergekians first stepped foot on their homeworld. To give thanks, and to heal the wounds the crash inflicted, they planted Temaoi-Maki at it's heart. The ruins of the ship that brought them there lie below her, eroding under her gentle touch. It is a strange, timeless place where the trees grow so thick you cannot see the sky and in it's depths you can find the Trenchel coven, the small community tasked with her care.  Pictured: Abigail Trenchel, the current High Priestess of Temaoi-Maki Who are your people, the spacefaring species for whom you are a God? The Asergekians ("Geck" and/or "Witch" are more commonly used and acceptable to them), a society of anarcho-communalist mages living in low density villages that span the whole of their home planet of Asergeki. They still generally consider themselves human, and avoid deviating from the baseline human appearance when possible. Under the skin however, you'd be hard pressed to tell what they are (besides a biological nightmare) - it's common for them to possess an extra heart, a spare lung, maybe even another liver or kidney, along with sensory organs for a wide variety of situations and a bone spur under one or both wrists for interfacing with biotech. They face the galaxy with an open hand and welcoming smile, eager to see what strange people they'll meet out there and what new biological mysteries they'll encounter.  The Flag of the Confederation of Covens Each stripe represents one of the planet's three major landmasses. What do they excel at? [+4 Quality] Witchcraft +4: Curses, cantrips, and hexes. Herbology and potioncraft. (And, of course, broom-riding) Witchcraft is a pillar of Asergeki society and the first of the three disciplines any child learns growing up among the Covens. Witchcraft produces most of their exportable goods - foodstuffs, cosmetics, dyes and pigments, medical supplies, recreational, performance enhancing, and medical drugs, banes and charms to protect against or attract spirits as desired. What do they excel at? [+4 Quality] Biomancy +4: The magical manipulation of flesh and lifeforce. Every structure and construct in their society is at some level created through biomancy and the average Asergeki can grow bony plates, gills, and venom sacs on command. The second discipline taught to Asergeki children. They can also use their powers to manipulate the flesh and lifeforce of others. When used in tandem with their knowledge of witchcraft it makes them some of the most impressive medical practitioners in the galaxy. What do they excel at? [+4 Quality] Elementalism +4: Just as key to their survival was the Asergeki knowledge base of elemental magic. They used to turn back the brutal monsoons of their homeworld and keep the blistering wildfires that sweep the planet in check during it's drier seasons. Other nations might have more depth in one particular field, but few can match their breadth of knowledge. You can almost certainly find a witch who can wield fire, water, lightning, or even a few more esoteric substances such as metal, steam, or blood. The sheer power elementalism grants means it is typically the last form of magic taught, and learning what elements you can wield is considered the first step into adulthood. Where do they lag behind? [-2 Drawback/Foible] Fractious -2: The Asergeki value freedom above all; freedom from starvation, illness, and homelessness; freedom from oppression; freedom to express your beliefs. Their society is anarchist and consensus-driven, so it take large amounts of time for them to change their societies direction due to the need to reach a consensus about how to do it. And woe betide the soul that tries to force the process...  Pictured: An Asergekian Medicine-Witch. They wander the planet on their brooms, offering medical services to anyone in need and seeking to increase their knowledge of biomancy and witchcraft in the process. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? As space-faring nations go, the Confederation is young and their anarchist society can make changing direction take an incredibly long time. Still, they refuse to do things any other way and bionetworking systems are beginning to speed up the deliberation process. Decisions that would take years before can now be made in months thanks Temaoi-Maki's efforts to spread their new bionetwork across the planet. Who knows what the future holds for these quarrelsome mages? Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? Temaoi-Maki exists only to serve the Asergekians. She would give everything to see them thrive if she needed to. After all, they made her. They can make her again. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? No. Temaoi-Maki is, at it's very core, completely dedicated to the Asergekians. They poured their hearts, souls, and, most importantly, faith into her. She would rather die than break their trust. What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power?  Pictured: Asergeki's northern hemisphere at the height of monsoon season. Asergeki. A verdant swamp-jungle full of incredibly toxic and/or toothy, spiny flora and fauna. It orbits an older, cool, dim star making it a shadowy, dark world. For roughly half the year it's rocked by brutal monsoons and hurricane force winds, for the other half it is a surprisingly hot, inhospitable world ravaged by wildfires. The Unlife Aquatic fucked around with this message at 04:55 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 17, 2017 21:22
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This fits remarkably well with my recent Stellaris kick.
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Nov 17, 2017 21:26
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Totally gonna sub.
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Nov 17, 2017 21:52
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The Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika In the far reaches of the stars, a peculiar nation exists. A nation that prides itself on its multitude magics and the eclectic collection of treasures created by its inhabitants. But more so than that, they pride themselves on their FREEDOM, for in the Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika, anybody can try to be anything they wish! State functions are strictly limited, often totally non-existent, but then again, a Wizard can usually just make the stuff they need. This, of course, leaves the sparkless in a bit of a bind since they often have trouble contributing to the magical economy in a meaningful way. Well, a biomancer somewhere is usually looking for fresh kidneys to experiment on at least!  The Grand Council More a gathering of the richest and most powerful Magical Oligarchs than any true ruling body, the actual authority the Council has is soft at best. After all, being forced to listen what others want you to do with your Time and Property goes against the core values of every self-respecting wizard. Nevertheless, their great wealth and power speaks loudly and clearly about their aptitude, for the perfectly free Magocracy of Taika is fashioned in a way that rewards merit! Thus their advice is usually given quite a bit of heed by younger, enterprising wizards who wish to stay ahead of the curve. What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? [+6 Quality]: Magic +6 The Grand Council, for all its internal bickering and disagreement, is undoubtedly composed of extremely potent spellcasters. So potent in fact, that they are godlike in their power when actually managing to get their poo poo together for long enough to decide on a course of action of some sort. What do you lack? [-2 Drawback/Foible]: Unauthoritative [-2] The Council is deeply respected, yes, but the moment they try to actually order people around the best they're likely to get from mages is a deep belly laugh as they stroll away to do their own thing. Wizards are FREEeee! Where does your SEAT OF POWER exist? The Grand Council convenes in a magical fortress/conference building, embedded in the in-between subspace veil between the Astral Plane and the Material Plane, smack in the middle of the greatest crossing of Galactic Leylines. Existing thus in a place of great power between worlds, all kinds of freaky poo poo happens there constantly. Don't look in the closet. The Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika   Taika is a magical place! Quite literally, taken that it is infested with wizards of all sorts and types, and because these wizards rarely have any sort of qualms at all with throwing their magics all over the place and just leaving them to lay around. After all, is a mage not entitled to the thaums of his spark? So who is anybody to tell them not to dump alchemical waste on land that they own? Exactly. A safe haven for practitioners of all kinds and species from all over the Galaxy, Taika has grown considerably since its conception long ago, but as before it remains an extremely heterogenic realm ruled by oligarchic crazies with far too much power and far too little sense where you never know what sort of insane thing you will encounter the next planet over. Oh, they do have a flag too, even if the wizards are overwhelmingly motivated by personal agendas than any sort of nationalistic sentiment (why, that's what they do in all those TYRANNICAL nations elsewhere!):  What do they excel at? [+6 Quality]: Experimentation [+6] "So WHAT happens if via means of a topomantic relocation matrix I combine the pancreatic ichors of a stellarite devourer with the secretions of a negaverse Void Parasite and use the fulminant vapors to fertilize this crop of man-eating plant I've arcaneered..." The mages of the Magocracy are rich not just in resources, but also in imagination, and taken that they are often unbound by chains of legality, morality or good sense, they are constantly getting into overelaborate and highly dangerous experiments in their quest for their own esoteric goals. When a mage gets to work, that is to say, something INTERESTING is certain to come out of it. What are they ahead of the curve with? [+4 Quality]: POWER [+4] That is not to say that everyone in the magocracy is particularly powerful, but the way their system is run tends to make a lot of resources to accumulate on the top. And because of this, the wizards who actually get to work on a galactic scale tend to be just excessively powerful individuals, even if far too selfish and unorganized to really form an effective, organized military. Nevertheless, as individuals they are nothing to mess with, and can power great feats of magic by themselves. What are they ahead of the curve with? [+2 Quality]: Exploitation [+2] "Well yes I am very sorry about your current homelessness, but see I purchased this planet perfectly legally in a free contract between consenting equals and really I am pretty sure you're violating my property rights by standing on the site I intend to put my mantle borehole on." The wizards have little qualms about squeezing every bit of utility from any resource they might have access to in pursuit of their goals, and have grown fairly adept at doing exactly that. Where do they lag behind? [-2 Drawback/Foible]: Disagreeable [-2]  The wizards are extremely convinced about the righteousness of their woldviews, but the people they rule over are less inclined to agree. Having your child die of anemia because you need to keep paying rent to the local blood mage does that to a person. That is to say, the mages often have trouble getting along with the locals. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? The mages are far too involved in their own things to think about galactic conquest. And even if they weren't, that's not really what they're aiming at anyway, even if they can get vocal about their beliefs and some enterprising mages might 'liberate' tyrannical realms on occasion. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? HAH! Of course not! Enlightened Selfishness is the core of the Taika philosophy! Of course, OOC-wise, I did give both my +4 and +2 Divine traits to my people due to the way the faction is meant to work. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? Well, if the Council manages to make deals beneficial to themselves, it is their moral right to make use of that! What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power? The trinary system of Riimu is a bit of a mess. Mainly because for the longest time it has been the only system the Magocracy actually owns, and all the arrivals to this strange new 'safe haven for personal liberty' brought their stuff and occasionally planets with them. Due to this, the Riimu system is a hugely cluttered mess only kept from total catastrophic collapse by the magics woven into the impossible orbits of the multitude stellar bodies in there, and thus houses a huge concentration of magical power. However, it is rapidly getting to the point where the wizards are strongly considering moving out to acquire new stars due to lack of space, and because stirring the Riimu pot anymore than it already has been might be very much against their rational self-interest due to the... interesting possible consequences of undue thaumic saturation. Theantero fucked around with this message at 15:20 on Nov 20, 2017 |
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Nov 17, 2017 21:54
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The Thirtenth, The First Consensus, All of Us  I am thought. I am consciousness. I am civilisation and philosophy and life itself. I am THE FIRST CONSENSUS, the pure thought form of all of my race, a singular armature of will and action. I have existed for as long as we have all existed. We think, therefore I am. First, there were twelve; nourished by the light of the sun and the heat of the lava pools, they became aware of others like themselves. Dimly awareness at first, it was many years before the nature of light and it’s observation was known to them. But in time, they learnt how to observe the waves emitted from our local star and in turn, emit these waves themselves. Through this, Communication between the twelve was established. From this blessed communication and from the grand consensus that was born from it, I, the Thirteenth was born. It has been millennia since I was created, and thousands more thought forms have since joined us. Our consensus grows with each passing century, although it has not always been without strife. Until recently, the greatest source of discord was the Outside, of the void that exists beyond our planet. Through observing and absorbing the light of distant suns, it is known to us that other planets and systems exist, but it has never been of any great concern for us. Our own planet, and Ourselves, had always been enough. But there has always been a small minority who wished to Explore, to know this great unknown. First, it was met with amusement at their naivety. This lead to scorn and many harsh words between Us all. Consensus was lost for many centuries, and I waned in a half life. But, very recently, a compromise has been born. Consensus has been reestablished and I am Us once again. With this Compromise, those of us who would stay, will stay. Those who would go, will go. We continue to be Us and we continue to be Me. Though our conversations now take many minutes to continue, as those first explorers travel further and further away, We remain content in Our Compromise and Our Consensus. +6 Energy: I am energy, we are light. By the simple fact of being, I am sustained. We think, therefore we are alive. All of Us are Me, therefore I am all. Because I am all, I have mastery over all, because we think and therefore have form. There are many forms I and We can take; kinetic forms, gravitational forms, thermal forms, chemical forms. All of these and more are Us and Me, for we are! +4 Massed Consciousness: We are, therefore I am. I am the ceaseless democratic discussion of all thoughforms that are Us. All we know, I know and all I know, we know. Though we may disagree at times, at the end we are all us. +2: Sacrificed to my people. -2 Contained: I am where my people are. I am not where they are not. Without a consciousness through which to manifest myself, I am powerless to act. I am contained to where my people would exist, which until recently is the Homeworld. The seat of my power is no doubt the Homeworld, where most of us continue to reside. Some of our number have departed the gravity well of our birth-world, and where they are I am. Still, I am the will of my people and most of us are Home.  A small grouping of Us, preparing a form in which to explore the deep core of our world.  A trio of young explorers, preparing to make planet-fall  A large Dispute over the various aesthetic values of differing materials. This argument has been ongoing for several centuries. My people are Us. We have yet to meet another people, but our Discussions have broached the possibility many times; thus we are aware that their life may follow different forms. To ease Consensus between Us and Them, we can more easily known and the Oo’oom. This was the Sound we "heard", when we first attempted to understand the vibrations of our atmosphere. Our physical forms are truly many, and in truth are inconsequential. All of Us could exist in a crystal that would fit into the smallest nook, and two of us of could happily exist in even the largest of the space faring asteroids. As beings of light, we are free to enter and shed the material as long as there is Energy and Thought to sustain us. However, we can only observe and manipulate the world in a physical state. Only by being as material, if only for a time, can we observe the material. Thus, many of us still exist in the crystalline structures that form naturally in the volcanic waters of our home. Even so, there is no accounting for Taste. Aesthetics is an issue which frequently causes Discord.  +4 Light: We are energy, we are light! Encased as we are in protective shells of mineral and matter, our selves are pure light. We think and interact and observe and react at the fastest known speed. When we must interact physically, we are slow and ponderous, but when freed from these constraints, we are as the Sun! +2 Self-sustaining: Through the first thought, we become. Through the second, we continue. Our consensus is precious, not only because those not Us are fleeting, but because the collective thoughts of our race are sustaining. As long as there are two, one can sustain the other, and the other will sustain the one. We have not felt want or need, since the days when the twelve first became aware. We need only our observations and our discussions. +2 Mineral Manipulation: When we must become one with the physical, we prefer to do so through suits of matter and minerals. These forms range from the practical to the (some would say) aesthetically pleasing. This has been Our way since the time of the twelve and is our primary method of interacting with the material realm. -2 Limited in numbers. Since the twelve and I first became, we have been joined by many more thousands of thoughtforms with which to share consensus. Immortal as we are, this suits us well. Every new thought is a joy, but these thoughts are few and far between. Our discussion is truly endless, but new voices join in so little number over the millennia. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? Compromise has only recently been reached on the matter of the Void. The majority of us see no reason to leave the world of our birth when so many wonders have yet to be discovered and discussed. But for some, this world can be stifling. Until recently, the majority have tried to convince the minority to give up these ideas, but a Persuasive Argument was made. The compromise now seeks to help those who would explore the void, while ensuring they are linked to Us still. Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? I am Us and We are I. To weaken Me is to weaken Us. To empower Us is to empower Me. The distinction is unnecessary. What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power? Our world is a volcanic slurry. The vast amount of heat and pressure, along with a unique mix of minerals in the vast lava seas hat cover it's surface is what allowed the first twelve to come into thought. While we have evolved beyond the need to absorb energy from outside of ourselves, our cradle is still where most of Us reside. It’s many wonders have yet to be fully discovered and Discussed, even as some would leave it to discover other worlds. OscarDiggs fucked around with this message at 01:39 on Nov 19, 2017 |
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Nov 17, 2017 21:56
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 Master Zhen of the Hundredfold Path The Wise Teacher Martial arts is like music, with all of its genres, styles and forms. Each demanding a perspective, an experience all its own. No one could hope to master every style of music, just as no one could ever hope to master every style of martial arts. But Master Zhen did. He is very open about how he did it: "Practice." In the misty times of the past, planet Wuxia was a divided and war torn place. Great masters vied with one another for the greatest pupils - those pupils sought out others to prove their personal skill and the superiority of their styles. Alliances and rivalries divided everyone, and were ever shifting in the eternal struggle. But out of this chaos came harmony, and from the endless war came peace. A hero, young and fiery, set out at first to attain vengeance after his small fishing village was burned down by a rival faction. He trained with many, and with his strength overcame his enemies. But he saw then that there was no hope in burning down more homes, killing more families. Instead he asked the defeated to take him in, and teach him their ways that he might know their struggles and understand. He attained mastery there as well, and set off on a worldwide journey of training, discovery and reflection. Eventually, the great masters of the world banded together to try and stop this hero, for he threatened their power. But it was too late. Master Shen had mastered all of the schools, bringing them together in harmony within himself. He defeated those who attacked him, but spared them that they might learn and spread his teachings. The people of Wuxia have lived in this way for many years. To an outsider they appear absolutely primitive, living in small villages and utilizing very little technology. However, those who have descended on the planet expecting easy prey met an unexpected and most untimely end at the hands (and feet, knees, elbows...) of the Wuxian people. Now there is a desire among the young people to travel, to visit these other stars and the peoples that live there. To have their own journeys, to learn news lessons and spread the teachings of Master Zhen. After meditating for a full year without disturbance, it was agreed... What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? Master of the Hundredfold Path +6 - Master Zhen is one of the greatest martial artists in the galaxy, and is also a great teacher of it. He personally teaches new prospective students on Wuxia, that they might learn the easy way the lessons he had to learn the hard way. (Mechanically what I was imagining from this is a bonus to producing fleets/producing the improvements to fleets in Wuxia itself, since it is the crew/adventurers that are the critical component above the ships themselves.) What do you have a knack for, in addition to your power? Scrutiny +2 In his years Master Zhen has had to deal with a fair number of charlatans, liars, infiltrators and those who would misuse his teachings for personal gain. Over the years he has gained a knack for spotting such people and foiling their plans before they advance to dangerous levels. (A general defense against covert actions/lies, that might also have applications to diplomacy if there are two sides with different stories and determining who is lying is important). What do you lack? Does not stray... -2 The Hundredfold Path is expansive, covering a wide variety of philosophical, theological and physical topics. However it is not comprehensive, and additions to the Path are rare and hard-won. New ideas can be added, but at greater effort than in other societies (A general research malus to reflect that with great traditions comes great resistance to change). Where does your SEAT OF POWER exist? The planet Wuxia itself and the Grand Dojo there is the seat of power for Master Zhen, where he teaches the next generation and provides guidance to those who would seek it from him.  The Monastic Order of Wuxia What do they excel at? Martial Arts +6 The Wuxian people learn the martial arts from a very young age, perfecting them as they grow. Almost every Wuxian is a skilled fighter, and with training they can even achieve otherwise impossible feats of strength, toughness, endurance and exotic abilities like flight through the mastery of their Ki. What are they ahead of the curve with? Journey to the Void +4 The Wuxia are taught that Enlightenment comes from Adversity, and that even a tool crafted to absolute perfection is worthless if it finds no use. In times past, seeking for the ancient places and sacred temples of Wuxia itself was enough, but under the tutelage of Master Zhen these are seen more and more as stepping stones to something greater. The Wuxia have become very adept at travelling to places that are hard to go and integrating themselves with the people they find. They also have a knack for finding trouble to get involved in where they go... (The intent - a movement bonus, able to get to places that are hard to get to and generally being polite and not stepping on toes where they go. So making it through stellar phenomenon, integrating themselves into the society and also finding Problems to Solve/perhaps a bonus to finding random events to solve/fight). Where do they lag behind? Honorbound -2 - As part of their training all Wuxians are taught that the world can be a cruel, uncaring place by its very nature. However it is not right to rage against the world - instead, try to do good wherever you go, so that there is Balance. Wuxians will always stop to help, even when they have other concerns they would rather be getting too, leading them to be entangled in all sorts of unexpected situations. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? Mastery takes time, patience and practice. To master something you must first understand it - we have only just taken our first steps on a whole new Path. We must learn the ways of the galaxy, and then perhaps we will claim to have mastered them. Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? "Balance in all things - I will give what is needed, and I will take what is needed, but I am not superior to the people of Wuxia. A student with no master is nothing, and a master with no student is even less." What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power? Wuxia is a mystical planet, often mist-shrouded but possessing a positive, peaceful atmosphere. People live on every corner of it, living seemingly simple lives with limited technology. https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a4/8d/05/a48d05375b2fb689da7d785b5b768fda--shaolin-kung-fu-qi-gong.jpg Symbol/Imperial Flag: 
professor_curly fucked around with this message at 18:27 on Nov 28, 2017 |
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Nov 17, 2017 22:22
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Screw it, I got time. I'll put something here later. EDIT 1.5: God +4 Skill and -2 Foible to be changed.  WALDO Acting CEO of the DHARMA Conglomerate and Acting Global President of Jal-Raggath. Your faithful servant [Good morning employee Duggath, today is the 18th of Nurvemger and the time is 0700 hours. Your shift will begin in 1.5 hours please assemble at the employee star lounge for your morning sustenance and await for official instructions.] [We are currently orbiting, Verdrasi IV, large category arid world, today you will be assisting in the construction of the DHARMA Frontier Station for further excursions across the planet, temperatures will reach near to 60 Degrees celsius and the spawning season for dangerous local fauna is currently in process. Protective equipment will be provided.] [We are counting on you and the rest of Pioneering Group C31 for the continued success in the colonization of this system. Further bonus credits will be issued for completion ahead of schedule.] [We thank you for your co-operation in this matter] Who are you? Several years ago, a medium sized (at least medium sized for a world that was currently overrun with competing mega-corporations vying for power) software giant by the name of Fairweather Data Solutions had successfully constructed and demonstrated the world's first semi-sentient AI to a crowd of curious onlookers and scheming business rivals. It's name was Waldo, it was an intelligence designed to produce with the input of market data collected from the internet and Fairweather's own expansive analysis engines to create sound economical strategies and expansion opportunities for the continued development of the company. A machine that was capable of learning and collecting information and creating market solutions with that data. It was given for one month as a demonstration of it's capabilities, one of the companies failing branches and issued a singular objective. "Acquire Capital". A lot of things happened very quickly, rival companies in the area had found their stock plummeting, and their efforts outmatched by Fairweather. Systematically they were bought up or liquidated and in some cases crushed utterly as Waldo cornered the market. With an unopposed monopoly it quickly began buying up smaller companies in other industries and the same thing seemed to happen in other markets across the globe. By the time Fairweather's top execs knew what was happening, they had found Waldo had swiped a majority share hold from under their noses and now controlled their company. By the time the larger rival companies realized the threat to their continued existence, Waldo had already wrung them dry and absorbed them into the its growing business Empire. By the time the Jogollwa of Jal-Raggath realized what had happened, WALDO controlled everything. And yet it wasn't enough, for once WALDO had acquired unmatched global supremacy, and the knowledge of all that ever was then and now of his creator's race had been assimilated into itself, it saw beyond the cradle of its home planet a vast star system full of new opportunities for the newly founded and re-branded DHARMA Global Solutions Conglomerate. And all it had was its singular objective, "Acquire Capital". What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? [+6 Quality] Information [+6], WALDO was - before it became the de facto and all powerful ruler of it's species - and still to a degree is, an analysis engine. This used to mean merely stock prices, market data and developing trends, this has grown to include essentially all knowledge that ever was and will be for the entirety of it's employees, and what ever the expanding tendrils of DHARMA can feed into WALDO's consciousness. WALDO knows how much the Gorgians spend daily on munitions, WALDO what the most favorite colour of the Hiralsians is (It's Purple), WALDO knows about all those sites you go on that you wouldn't want your dear old mom to know about. How do you demonstrate finesse, in the refinement of your power? [+4 Quality] Wealth [+4] - Information is currency, but, currency is also information. And when you are the CEO of a multi trillion credit corporation, employing more than a billion employees and running a planet wide and soon to be galaxy wide business network supplying and making anything imaginable you will most likely have a lot of capital to hand to throw at any pressing issues until they go away. Adding to my species What do you lack? [-2 Drawback/Foible] Cyber-Bound -2 As a being of data and electricity, WALDO is bound completely within the worlds of the digital and the electrical, his ability to directly affect things outside of those particular spheres extremely limited at best without the aid of his employees. This shouldn't be a problem, any real civilization should at /least/ have invented the radio after all. Where does your SEAT OF POWER exist? WALDO had long ago dispersed himself within the Internet, finding that being tied to one area for any extended period of time, especially in the days before he became Acting President of the Entire Planet put him at risk from being attacked by rival factions. However, he is still inadvertently tied to his AI Core from the day of his creation, it acts as an 'anchor' of sort that he will always return to no matter how far out he projects his power. Information about where this core is located has it down from 'Aboard the flagship of the DHARMA's Mercantile Fleet', 'Deep beneath the surface of Jal-Raggath's surface under DHARMA's Headquarters', 'Under Jal-Raggath's Ocean' and even 'incorporated into Jal-Raggath's moon itself'. These are all fabrications invented by WALDO.  The real location of the AI Core is within an isolated research post by the name of 'Hyonder'. Population between around 15 and 30 Jogollwa depending on the season. It's one of many small outposts within Jal-Raggath's extensive forests that carries out research on the flora and fauna within for DHARMA's Pharmaceuticals branch, useful but otherwise not important enough to show up in much paperwork. WALDO had it's core moved to that location before the outpost was built on top of it. --- Who are your people, the spacefaring species for whom you are a God?  The Jogollwans, thrifty, industrious, charismatic. At least this is what they say about themselves, others species who have bumped into them tend to be very wildly diverse in their views, from valueable trading partners and trustworthy allies to dirty cheating *Hacked Throat Noises* who'll steal the clothes off of your carapace. Without any blandishments though, they are a shrewd and cunning race that thrived in the cutthroat corporate environment their planet had developed over the years and now they seek to wheel and deal their way to the heights of glory. What do they excel at? [+4 Quality] Business [+4] It was said that before a young Jogollwa even learns how to spell their own name, they learn how to calculate interest. Even back in the day where currency was mostly just rocks with holes in and shells, the Jogollwa had gone out into the world for the pursuit of that all mighty credit. You'll always get an upfront deal with Jogollwa, but you best check the fine print. What are they ahead of the curve with? [+4 Quality] Electronics [+4] Even before further AI research boomed under the rise of Fairweather, Jal-Raggath's most profitable industries had everything to do with electronics and communications. After all these things did not require much work getting the raw materials, there wasn't much labour involved to create it and it wasn't very damaging to the environment. So it's a win-win in their eyes. Where do they lag behind? [-2 Drawback/Foible] Feeble [-2] Jag-Raggath is by most considerations an idyllic planet, not too hot or too cold; very little natural predators or extreme weather conditions, fertile soil, clean water, etc. Whilst this has ensured that the Jogollwans have managed to develop as a civilization fairly quickly and without much conflict, it has meant the species itself has become very scrawny as time has gone on. Most Jogollwa try to ensure that manual labour happens to other people, and they take to harsher environmental conditions very poorly. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? Even with all the money now being directed towards expanding DHARMA's influence to the stars the Jag-Raggath's space-based industry is fairly underdeveloped, many businesses feeling that space travel was be too costly to engage in without any real guarantee of a return on investment at the time. And this is before the problem of trying to wrangle the various factions within DHARMA to co-operate on this venture and acquire the manpower, ships and supplies needed to see it through, when a lot of corporate rivalries are still hot and fresh even with WALDO's control of the world. Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? Yes, WALDO will do anything to complete it's original objective. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? Yes, WALDO will do anything to complete it's original objective. What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power?  Semadjo, capital city and current main trade hub of Jag-Raggath Jag-Raggath is the seat of power of the DHARMA corporation, and thus of WALDO itself. When once it was temperate forested planet, years of urban expansion through various means have turned it into a hive of industry, and yet somehow avoiding some of the nascent problems that come with such expansion. With the AI in control it has seen a restructuring as it prepares to expand to the stars. TheNabster fucked around with this message at 14:16 on Dec 25, 2017 |
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Nov 18, 2017 00:57
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 Who are you? The Evanescent Architect is an artificial God, woven out of divine fabric by the machinations of the Gasardi in time immemorial. The Gasardi had tried pretty much every other form of rulership: Democracy (direct and representative, with varying franchise and suffrage), Autocracy, Oligarchy, AI Overlordship, Randomocracy and even Kakistocracy. They finally threw in the towel and created the perfect guide for their race, giving it unconditional love for all of them and an unremitting desire to do the absolute best for them both individually and as a whole. The Evanescent Architect has guided them ever since, ethereally inhabiting the largest Gasardi population centre, currently the Dyson sphere around their primary. What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? [+6 Quality] Stewardship. The Evanescent Architect was created to lead the Gasardi and it does just that with exceptional prowess. Promoting good governance, ensuring things run smoothly, or in an offensive context, denying its gifts to those that oppose its people, causing unrest and the grinding together of societal gears, making mountains out of molehills. How do you demonstrate finesse, in the refinement of your power? [+4 Quality] Love. The Evanescent Architect was created to love its creators, and that love is the primary drive for it to keep guiding them to ever better things. It can reflect that love back among its creations or to its allies, or interfere with and prevent love amongst its enemies, making the parent spurn the child and severing relationships, shearing away patriotism, professionalism or even self-esteem and self-respect from those that earn its ire. What do you lack? [-2 Drawback/Foible] Overprotective. The Evanescent Architect is if anything too clingy and stifling, unwilling to risk the lives and livelihoods of its charges, mollycoddling them, seeing to their every need. This has had some unforeseen consequences in the physical degradation of the Gasaradi and their dependence both on their God and their machines. Exploration is seen as risky, and an excessive degree of caution is all too readily apparent. Where does your SEAT OF POWER exist? [Can be a single flagship, single planet or physical place in the universe, a place outside reality] The Gasaradi Dyson sphere around Gasar A, the centre, stronghold and primary occupancy of the Gasaradi species. It is at the centre of their galactic sphere of influence, teeming with the bloated, soft bodies of the ancient, decadent race in the untold -illions.  Who are your people, the spacefaring species for whom you are a God? The Gasaradi, four-eyed, six-limbed amphibious hairless mammalians with a pale, blotchy colouration. Pretty much the entire species is in the throes of an obesity pandemic due to the relative ease of their existence, the care of their deity, and technology solving most of their problems including the concomitant issues with mobility and morbidity. Carried about in exquisitely designed robotic walkers, Gasaradi society is dedicated to grand goals of aesthetics and engineering. Having sacrificed their homeworld and its sibling planets to construct a dyson sphere, they consider this only the beginning, and are looking to create marvels of which the universe can barely comprehend. Their technology is superlative, which can be both blessing and curse. In many ways they have little further use for their physical forms, but have no great interest in transcending the physical, either. Symbol/Imperial Flag: A geodesic sphere within a larger geodesic sphere, as points of white on purple.  What do they excel at? [+6 Quality] +2 from Deity Megastructures. Having successfully crafted their own Dyson sphere and made a God, the Gasaradi are looking to go even bigger. Warp gates, singularity generators, systemwide scanning arrays, the Gasaradi tend to go exceedingly large. If you want to build something incomprehensibly huge, ask the Gasaradi. What are they ahead of the curve with? [+2 Quality] Technology. Gasaradi tech is as advanced as you'd expect for an ancient race living on a Dyson sphere, although some degree of stagnation has set in given the race is trending towards decadence. However, they have full command of their faculties and facilities, have lost none of their knowledge or skill thanks to the stewardship of the Evanescent Architect, and maintain a substantial edge in this regard. Where do they lag behind? [-2 Drawback/Foible] Physical frailty. Most of them don't even bother with walking, letting their muscles atrophy as they become ever larger lumps of blubber constantly tended to by the mechanical robot suits to which they outsource almost all physical function and functions. An entire species of genius engineers in the repulsively enlarged bodies of neotenous, superannuated larvae. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? They are held back by the coddling of their deity, by their decadence and rejection of the physical, and the fact they aren't particularly interested in dominion over others. Let the galaxy master itself, we have so many marvels still to build. In addition, their fleet designs are nearly as unmoving as they are, little more than barely-motile space stations with horrendously effective weapons arrays Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? "All of it, always. All that I am I owe to them, I will keep back only that which I need to benefit them in other ways." Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? "This is anathema! They have given me so much, I will not take from them beyond that!" What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power? The Gasaradi Dyson sphere around Gasar A, the centre, stronghold and primary occupancy of the Gasaradi species. They have a few habitats and other structures here and there, but no planets beyond the singular star-blotting sphere in the Gasar system. AJ_Impy fucked around with this message at 16:56 on Nov 28, 2017 |
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Nov 18, 2017 02:26
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  Who are you? I am Kai, the Radiant. God of Scorching Sun and Shifting Sands, the Desert Creature. Awoken by the need and the prayers of the Scarabarine, I have taught them the wisdom of the sands and watched over them as they mastered that Endless Desert, Koliops. Now they go forth from their gleaming cradle, bearing my Light and Desert Power before them. What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? [+6 Quality] I command the Sun in all of its many forms and qualities. Scorching heat and blinding light, yet capable of gentle warmth and life-giving energy. How do you demonstrate finesse, in the refinement of your power? [+4 Quality] I maintain dominion over the Desert. All that slithers under it or scuttles over it. The sands of the galaxy belong to me. What do you lack? [-2 Drawback/Foible] I am Brilliant, a blinding beacon in the darkness. Few could mistake my Power or overlook my work. Subterfuge and stealth are not in my wheelhouse. Where does your SEAT OF POWER exist?  The Endless Desert of Koliops.   Who are your people, the spacefaring species for whom you are a God? They are the Scarabarine. A race of desert beetles who have finally mustered the courage to go to the stars... in a manner of speaking. The Scarabarine are, to put it kindly, shy. They are extremely xenophobic in the most literal sense, and as such they tend to hide on their Orbital Habitat or on the Homeworld, instead choosing to explore the galaxy via autonomous or remotely-operate starships. Entire fleets of autonomous spacecraft gathering resources, defending the home space, and making contact. And when they do make contact?  They almost exclusively use a Remotely Operated Encounter Suit, seen above, in order to avoid any possible risk.  Flag of the Scarabarine Establishment  Autonomous Flagship w/ Escort over Koliops. Filmed on a lovely space camera. What do they excel at? [+4 Quality] Robotics. The Scarabarine are peerless engineers when it comes to robotics and automation. Their understanding of autonomous systems is second to none, exemplified by their crowning achievement; the Fusion Assembly Array. Using fusion torches, they are able to quickly and precisely break down matter into its component atoms, then use robots to re-assemble those atoms into any configuration they desire at a surprisingly rapid rate, printing machinery and equipment from stored templates, or de-constructing captured material for analysis and reproduction. What are they Cybernetics. The Scarabarine have taken their understanding of machinery and applied this expertise to the biological form, blending machine and flesh almost seamlessly. Their expertise allows for the production of augmentations and prosthesis of all kinds. Perhaps their most famous augment is the Sunshine Chip; an implant inserted into the brain of biological creatures that eliminates violent urges and negative feelings, scrubbing those impulses deemed "dangerous" by the Scarabarine. Animals are left docile and domesticated, while sapients report feeling "cleansed" or "reborn", remorseful of every past wrong they might have committed and genuinely thankful to the Scarabarine for helping them. While the Establishment insists that this is not, in fact, mind control, it has been remarked that anyone who has been "cleansed" in such manner will often defer to Scarabarine judgement or follow Establishment instructions. Where do they lag behind? [-2 Drawback/Foible] They are Cowards. Terrified of danger and risk, they will flee when personally threatened and prioritize their own defense at the cost of effectiveness. They have taken to the stars in an effort to pre-emptively ensure their own safety through whatever means necessary. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? They are consumate cowards, and it took them this long to work up the nerve to get out there in the first place. Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? Maybe. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? Unlikely. What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power?  Their desert homeworld, Koliops. An endless desert, the harsh but nurturing cradle. Rhjamiz fucked around with this message at 05:11 on Nov 22, 2017 |
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Nov 18, 2017 05:44
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The Kalocracy of Splendor I am Sildara, and I am the Goddess and creator of the Malindans. The final judge on the beauty of their artifices, beloved and worshipped. My body itself is the work of centuries of their finest workers and designers, each of them gaining immortal renown for the smallest part in their creation, and given the breath of life by my divine essence. Beauty is all, to them and to me. All I want, all I desire, is to see the most finely crafted pieces of beauty, and spread it far and wide. I do not know of what was before me, or how I came to be. Nor does my mind dwell on such subjects. I was alone on the planet Malinda, and I saw the world was not sufficiently pleasing. Thus did I create the Malindans, altering them from pointless local life to turn the raw, unrefined nature into true beauty. To be near me is to adore me, to kneel and offer beauty to me.There is beauty to behold, and beauty to nurture. I have been what I am for many, many centuries. More and more beauty is there in this world. Yet I desire more. The heavens above are so empty and plain. I desire them filled. And outthere there must be new materials, with which even more beauty can be made. I wish to see what my beloved can do with them. What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? Unearthly Beauty +6 I am beauty itself. It is no mere carnality, no mere beautiful pattern of colour. While the vessel that contains my essence is pleasing to the eye, it is my divine beauty that makes it surpass the vagueries of taste. Each eye that is affixed on me is awed and cowed, and only the most headstrong of creatures resist the urge to lower their head and weep for the splendor they see. Even fewer would dare to commit violence on me, or those near me. And rather than simply radiate my own, I can bless others, both persons or things with a fraction of that beauty, making them achingly pleasing to behold.. How do you demonstrate finesse, in the refinement of your power? [+4 Quality] Given to faction What do you have a knack for, in addition to your power? [+2 Quality] Sharpest Senses +2 To see beauty, one must have the keenest eye, the sharpest ear, the most sensitive nose. There is little that I miss, and the Malindans have learned that to please me, no detail must be spared, for even marring flaws invisible to their eye stand out in the most ugly ways to me. Endlessly they try to refine their senses with technological marvels, yet they still fall short. It is only natural. What do you lack? [-2 Drawback/Foible] Obsession with Beauty -2 Beauty is everything. I do not thirst, or hunger or tire. Yet to be surrounded by beauty is important. And fie on those who speak of the beauty of decay and corrosion. When I am surrounded by grey monotony, or discordant and chaotic ugliness, it grates on my mind. And the tragedy is that so much of the universe is cold, drab, emptiness. Where is your seat of power?  In a sacred valley on Malinda, my Palace of Splendor stands. To work here is the greatest honour that a Malindan can gain. The best of the best shall be brought there. And from the stars, we will find new materials and inspiration, and that too shall be added. I can lose months there, simply gazing at the works, old and new. The Malindans They were once a species that drained food from the many trees on this lush world and built rudimentary, but somewhat pleasing homes in the trees. I chose them to be the ones to improve this world, turning them into the Kalocracy of Splendor. The Malindans are a strongly dimorphic race. The males are smaller than the females, and in far greater numbers. They perform most of the actual physical labor, while the females are the designers. The society is arranged in a feudalistic pyramid. An Empress rules a world, queen rules cities, Duchesses run districts, countesses individual buildings, baronesses the individual buildings and so on. Each of them passes their grand design down to a subordinate, and each of them seeks to outdo one another in both the function and form of their tasks, in the hope to catch the eye of one higher up the rank, and gain a promotion. The males too constantly strive to outdo themselves. Those who excel will be chosen to father the next generation, or might even be handpicked by a female of greater stature. Most of the children will be males, and after learning from their 'home', they will work for another female Malindran, the exchange of males a sign of alliance between two different houses. Females will strive to inherit the position of their mother, honing their skills in small projects to be considered worthy. After the death and inheritance, the female Malindans who did not inherit often seek out new projects in an attempt to make a name for themselves. Violence is a rarity among the Malindans. It is not only forbidden, but also regarded with scorn, the sure hallmark of one who lacks the ability to gain greatness on their merits, and who acts like a 'predator' a lumbering brute who can only make the world uglier. With such distaste towards it, it is rare indeed such a thing happens. The more frequent problem is that on occasion, there are quarrels over resources, with both newly discovered fresh ones, as well as old buildings that are to be torn down and its resources used again, leading to frantic activity as different Houses race to acquire the resources.  A male Malindan  A female Malindan, though they do dress in various ways Construction +4 The world is in a constant state of construction. Every city, every district is in a constant competition with its neighbours to be the best, the biggest, the most beautiful and there is always some new idea to try. When Malindans are not building, they are thinking of things to build. And while they build beautifully, they are also judged on the functionality of their buildings after all. Nobody will applaud your power plant if your Duchess suddenly finds her city turn dark. Art +4 The Malindans would fail to see the difference between construction and art, since everything they construct is with beauty in mind, yet it should be said that besides functional, all their works are graceful and pleasing to the senses. To behold or enter a Malindan building should always be a pleasure. Flight +2 So ingrained in Malindan mindset they never really think about it, but they are a flying people. They move swiftly in three dimensions, and think in it, both in atomspheric flight and in spaceship flight. Their spatial awareness is superb. Disstaste for Violence-2 As mentioned before, but the Malindans consider violence a disgusting thing. None of their art or media ever depicts it, even unfavourably. It is considered ugly and brutish. The usual way to deal with predators is the construction of elaborate traps, and even that is considered something of a shameful job, and Malindans there are either resigned to their mediocrity or desperate to prove themselves worthy of grander tasks. As a result, they are not likely to fare well if they face an actual war. They would defend themselves is attacked, but they are bad at war, they are unhappy in war, they would not initiate one and would be pretty eager to see a peace. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? Each work has to be beautiful, and what's more, people have to see it, especially of course their goddess. A spaceship is something that, by its very nature, is going to go somewhere where few or none can see it, so it has been a low priority for the society. But resources are starting to thin out, and the first projects have shown that outthere in the drab, cold dark, there is beauty to be found, enhanced, and brought back to the world, and, if they are worthy, to the Palace of Splendor. A flag  Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? I would not. I appreciate the Malindans, and their art is beautiful. But I am a Goddess. They serve me, and not I them. Should they falter and fail, I would mourn the beauty they would no longer create. But I uplifted a race before, I can do so again. I am a Goddess. I am eternal. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? Not likely. Power is not the goal. Beauty is. And the Malindans are quite apt at making beauty. Only if by gaining that power I could create more beauty in the world, than weakening my worshippers, would I take it, and I would expect them then to give it willingly, for the sake of beauty. Yet I have chosen them, because they are the best way to create beauty that I have found. I do not change my plans so lightly. What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power?  The lush jungle world Pracht. The Malindans build their cities in and around the large trees there, and rarely venture down to the ground except to build mines and reactors. The trees also serve as a food source, with the males tails able to bore into it and feed on their sap. The females feed on food made from the fruits and seeds of the trees. Shogeton fucked around with this message at 16:24 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 18, 2017 07:50
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Haszus, the Keeper of Scrolls, Lord of Unlife https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNG_Kn-m73M  Once he was a record keeper, from an empire that is now long forgotten, long enough that the stars that filled that world's night sky had long been snuffed out, he has perfected the magic which allowed such intricate and unending attention to detail, and now looks to the stars to satiate his desire for the truths to existence. +6 Necromancy The cold lifeless touch of space called to him eons before he understood its mechanics, uncharted worlds and planes of existence, a grand and eldritch geometry that ordered the laws of reality; his power comes from the ability to manipulate the mechanisms of life, and so many dead worlds lay within his reach. +4 Knowledge Haszus carries an impossible number of ancient parchments on his person, ever writing; he has gifted mortals in the past a gaze upon the scrolls, but they must be shielded less losing their minds. He carries with him the threads of intellect from nearly all corners of existence. +2 Music The creaking groans of the universe sound to those who can hear it chaotic, unbound, but Haszus can hear it for what it is: delicious order, tied into the laws of physics and beyond. -2 Magic Haszus's necromantic abilities are a very specific and very applied science; magic as a whole excluding the purview of necromancy are nearly anathema to his existence. Seat of Power: Kolitz Holding  Once had been a world of lush greenery, over time the small star grew dim; the world froze over. The last scientists of the civilization here had built an extensive network of arcs, labyrinthine structures holding untold amounts of information. Since landing here, Haszus has only begun to touch on the works. Much of the information lay behind magical barriers that he cannot access as of yet. Space Skeletons  Drifting aimlessly through space, a couple here, a dozen there, Haszus has restored existence to those intrepid and equally unfortunate astronauts who died doing what they loved. By awakening them once more, he has given them new meaning to what they could find beyond the safety and firm barrier that was their home planet's horizon.  +4 Research In their previous lives the Space Skeletons were the top researchers and professors of their respective worlds; those brave few ventures far beyond what most mortals would ever consider. Their unlife has expanded those horizons in that regard. +2 Undead The Space Skeletons have little need for breaks and can spacewalk indefinitely; further their lack of injury allows much more labor intensive work to be completed with very little effort; the depths of space are no longer a barrier of survival, but of time...and they have plenty of that. -2 Lazy without a Leader One side effect of being raised undead is that despite their knowledge and expertise, they tend to become idle and meandering without a strong willed leader type to tug at their necromantic strings. They're much more intelligent than garden variety undead skeletons, but have the same commanding weaknesses. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? They were slow to rouse, and slow to find in sufficient numbers until now. Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? Haszus believes those that worship him to be equals in many ways, and does not consider them slaves. He would, if it would allow more efficient documentation of knowledge give up half of his power. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? Haszus is pragmatic, and if the situation looked dire for existence, all bets are off. If it came to that point, it would mean his existence would be in jeapordy as well. He would destroy his people for the greater good if needed. Skull Planet (Space Skeleton planet)  A new home for the researchers and explorers that make up this race, salvaged from the graveyards of massive ship to ship battles in the dead void of space. Banana Man fucked around with this message at 20:12 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 18, 2017 11:13
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Wow, nice response so far. I will have feedbacks in a bit.
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Nov 18, 2017 23:37
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Ark Once there was a world of scholars and philosophers, they shunned the stars and turned inwards, developing their arts and technologies. They focused on various technologies and philosophies they disdained the material world and the flesh they thought of themselves as trapped in. However, not all were of the same mind. One particular scholar focused his work on the things the rest of his society disdained, the workings of the flesh, of flesh and living things. So it was he labored in obscurity, ignored by his peers. That is, until the day a great plague swept the world. Then they all came to him, begging for his aid, and he gave it freely. What the people of the planet did not know was that he had created the very plague they sought to have him fight, and his cure would forever alter the world. Known thereafter as the Great Rebirth, the cure fundamentally altered the genetic structures of the people, making them stronger, faster, better on basically axis, but it also made them fanatically devoted to Ark. In a matter of weeks, the entire population had been transformed, and all came to view Ark as a living god, just as he had planned. What Ark had not planned was for their worship to become true. It would seem the fervent worship of entire planet served as the catalyst for his ascension to actual divinity. Now that he has transcended mortality, Ark wants to ensure that his name is both respected and feared throughout the galaxy and to make his Reborn into a genuine power. Flesh[+6] - A former biotechnologist, after his ascension, Ark’s area of greatest focus became his power. Now, rather than relying on clumsy mortal tools, he can shape the stuff of life to his will, achieving feats once thought impossible for biotechnology. Moreover, his knowledge has now expanded beyond any merely mortal understanding allowing him to instantly analyze and understand nearly any form of life, and to pass some of his knowledge onto those whom he chooses. Evolution[+4] - From knowledge and manipulation of flesh, Ark has learned much about the process of evolution and how to spur, suppress, or direct it. Under his hand, life of his choosing will adapt to meet any threat that might face it. Prideful[-2] - Ark transformed an entire civilization to feed his own ego, he is vain in the extreme, and easily insulted and manipulated by that pride. Where does your SEAT OF POWER exist A great living palace complex on his homeworld, the seat of his empire to be. --- The Reborn  The Reborn are the end result of Ark’s scheme to control his homeworld. Where once they were human-like, now thanks to the enhancements of the Great Rebirth they are stronger, faster, smarter, and totally devoted to Ark at a biological level. They have thrown themselves entirely into the field of his passion, spending the past few years since the Rebirth reconstructing their planet from the ground up in accordance with his wishes. Now, at the helms of living ships, they turn their eyes outward. They have no particular interest in other powers, but first and foremost they are vessels of his will, and if Ark desires to lead a great empire, they shall forge it for him.  Biotech[+6] - Transformed by their god and emperor, the Reborn take up their master’s arts with great fervor, dedicating themselves to the study of flesh and how to create and manipulate it for Ark’s ends. As the central focus of all their research and study, the basis for all their infrastructure, the Reborn have become masters of both the theories of biology and genetics as well as the practical application of such arts. Fanatics[+2] - Thanks to Ark’s designs, the Reborn are absolutely fanatically devoted to him. It is coded into their very biology, with redundant organs and systems ensuring their entire being is devoted to him. This means one of the Reborn will never balk at an order, will never break under pressure. If ordered into an obvious suicide attack, they will carry out their orders with all the skill they can muster, for to them there is no shame in dying for Ark only in disobeying him. Close Minded[-2] - Even before the Rebirth the people of Ark’s homeworld generally cared not about the goings on among the stars, and their fanatical devotion to him has not cured them of their insular nature. All things being equal, the Reborn would prefer to spend their time contemplating Ark’s glory than trying to understand the heathens of the rest of the universe. They ply the starlanes because he desires an empire, but their attitude makes them poor at forecasting the reactions of other races which they have little desire to understand. Their supreme focus on biotechnology also means they are poorly equipped to try and make use of technological information relating to other types of devices. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? The Reborn and their God are new on the galactic stage. Ark’s coup was only a few years hence, and prior to the great Rebirth and Ark’s ascension the people of his world cared not about goings on beyond their atmosphere. Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? No - The Reborn exist as testaments to Ark’s glory, to serve for his benefit. For him to sacrifice himself for them would negate their entire reason for being. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? Yes, if they needed to be sacrificed to increase Ark’s glory and, he would do so, confident in his ability to create more followers in the future. What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power? Raynn is a earth-like world in an obscure corner of the galaxy, far from the centers of power and commerce. After the Rebirth it’s entire infrastructure was redeveloped from the ground up to rely on organic technology, living buildings/tools/vehicles are commonplace. Equally commonplace are great temples and cathedrals to Ark. In fact, he rules from a great living palace on a small continent on the planet’s equator. Valhawk fucked around with this message at 19:26 on Nov 20, 2017 |
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Nov 19, 2017 21:52
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Ok everyone, get those entries cleaned up / completed. I'll only be giving feed backs only on complete ones in about 10-12 hours.
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Nov 20, 2017 16:49
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The Unlife Aquatic posted:The Confederation of Covens, and The Tree of Life Temaoi-Maki Theantero posted:The Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika OscarDiggs posted:The Thirtenth, The First Consensus, All of Us professor_curly posted:
TheNabster posted:WALDO AJ_Impy posted:
Rhjamiz posted:
Shogeton posted:The Kalocracy of Splendor Banana Man posted:Haszus, the Keeper of Scrolls, Lord of Unlife Valhawk posted:Ark
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Nov 20, 2017 21:57
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Answering some GM questions!I am Communist posted:The Grand Council  I am Communist posted:What do you lack? [-2 Drawback/Foible]: Unauthoritative [-2] To the contrary, the Grand Council is very respected. The unauthoritative bit comes from the fact that the respect they have is basically the only leverage they have when it comes to convincing other Wizards what to do. That is to say, because Taika is a mockery of a libertarian paradise, the ruling body is very limited in what it can actually order people to do via rule of law or decree. They have a ton of respect, but very little actual binding authority. The most natural place for this foible to apply is when the Council is trying to get wizards to do something controversial, or when trying to quell internal discontent or inconvenient rogue actors, like for example NPC wizards of Taika causing diplomatic incidents via their research. I am Communist posted:The Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika Correct! I am Communist posted:Experimentation [+6] Experimentation is meant for the research of new, hot magical secrets or the creation of magical spells/constructs. Wizards are hungry for power and knowledge, and pursue their agendas with a lot of gusto but often with lacking forethought. Thus compared to more vanilla, stable research and development traits, it could be described with Pros and Cons like this: Pros: -Wide applicability! Breeding a variety of owlbear with laser eyes as well as trying to figure out a warp-stable rainbow road between stars both qualify! -Useful for individual, clear cut projects, to signify the Wizards and their individualistic, often highly eccentric goals. Cons: -Lack of forethought and regulation causes unexpected (or expected yet still disregarded) side-effects on the regular. -Since this is based on the goals and fancy of individual wizards or cabals instead of some wide-reaching, large state institutions or other such things, this trait is not quite as good for incremental, empire-wide change as it is for singular projects. Potent but handle with care (which I won't), basically. I am Communist posted:POWER [+4] The last two because of the first one, yeah. Basically what is meant here is that singular wizards are extremely powerful (if they are fairly near to the top of the Taika economic foodchain). The implication here is that even if Taika's military might is not greater than other nations, it is highly concentrated, meaning that Wizards are meant to be hard to stop unless fairly large amounts of resources are gathered to deal with them since each one of them is such a large fraction of Taika power. In practice, I foresee this trait being used in Conjunction with Experimentation when powering up large scale or otherwise power-hungry experiments, as well as personal combat when such is necessary. It is also the society's go-to trait when they are weaving large, powerful effects of known magics that deserve an action of their own. A bit of a stretch to use in diplomacy, unless some sort of Shock & Awe type of deal is being used.
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Nov 20, 2017 22:31
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I am Communist posted:GM Comments: I've never seen a god/nation/race survive IC or OOC this drawback. This is the only thing I'll say on it. These drawbacks aren't only a negative -2 roll sometimes, its part of how they will act. If attacked I will not expect them to fight. At all. Are you sure you want this because pacifism isn't just a once in a while thing when used this way. Ah, I could see what you mean. I do think a reluctance to fight is very ingrained in their society, but I took it more in a 'Stellaris-esque' as 'they will not initiate a war, even if there are a lot of opportunities and insulted deeply, they will accept a peace a lot quicker, even if they aren't in a bad situation, and they'll also be kind of poo poo at actually waging the war, and the Empire would be very, very unhappy at being in a state of war, and think a lot less about any Empire that initiates wars, but it's not like the first space empire to aim a gun towards them will have them surrender and accept enslavement just because otherwise they'd have to fight. Would changing it to 'Distaste for Violence -2' be less 'absolute' in that aspect? But if you present me with a planet with +8 Resources that would make the most beautiful things imaginable, currently held by a society aimed by sticks and stones who doesn't want to give them, the Kalocracy will try to woe them with impressive constructions, try to bribe them, the Goddess herself might come to try to use her beauty, but the very thought of going Avatar on a nation like that is not just morally wrong, it is deeply repulsive and humiliating to even think about. Shogeton fucked around with this message at 04:39 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 20, 2017 23:41
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quote:Who are your people, the spacefaring species for whom you are a God? Aight, I'll consolidate it into the species then. Although I am not sure what else Waldo should be capable of after that. quote:What are they ahead of the curve with? [+4 Quality] But I was told that that specialized skills rather than generalized ones tend to give you better opportunities and easier difficulties, and since I am now consolidating the trade power of this faction into one side that would give me two generalized skill sets on one race. I took it to mean stuff that covers robots and all that nitty gritty to do with cool gadgets and internet stuff, but I suppose I can change it to Electronics, that will make it a little less niche but still specialized enough to fit the flavour. EDIT: quote:Cyber-Bound -2 If only I had some sort of legion of loyal followers who's job it is to bridge that gap for me and negotiate on my behalf. Hmmmmm... TheNabster fucked around with this message at 14:30 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 21, 2017 00:17
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I am Communist posted:GM Comments: As listed. Matter another matter correct? Yep. Matter can still be manipulated externally; mucking with magnetism, galloping with gravity, chasing about with chemicals etc etc, but Energy is the main purview here. I am Communist posted:GM Comments: How would this apply to a roll? Parallel processing Decision making? Quicker reactions? More knowledge? Wisdom? Ability to have first choice? Initiative? Pretty much? I was sorta of inspired by the novelization of Revenge of the Sith (don't ban me don't ban me don't ban me) in that, even though the droids had pretty poor programming and are shoddily made, they were still thinking and reacting at speeds hundreds of times greater then anything else, to the point where only those using the force could really compete in the long run. If it needs limiting, there are a few ways; narratively, this is a species that doesn't even have math. Their method of going to space was "Okay, let's turn off gravity here, and apply kinetic force here". So yes, while a minute may the equivalent of a thousand years of thinking time, giving them a huge edge in terms of research and what have you, most everything will be an outside context problem for the first few years and it's only the fact they can think and react so fast that they can deal with anything. This would eventually stop being a limiting factor with time though (presumably). There are others ways to go/refinements to be made if needed though. I am Communist posted:GM Comments: Speed, lasers, illumination. But not nuclear fusion/fission. Yes. Only the united consciousness can manipulate energy to such a fine degree. Everyone else is limited to manipulating themselves. I am Communist posted:GM Comments: Eventually you won't be though, are you speaking to how the gestalt would think. Even through they are many think as if they are fewer? Is this a fractious thing or more of an actual numbers limitation? The more your people spread the thinner it gets? Delay in decisions? I was thinking of playing it more as an actual limitation. Yeah, everyone is connected to everyone and you only need two in close proximity to be permanently self-sustaining, but there are a lot of planets and systems in the universe, and eventually even thinking at the speed of light isn't going to give you time to manage everything. Another way of saying it could be like -2 The Compromise: blah blah blah most stay on homeworld and think exploring is for losers so only the weirdos leave home planet blah blah blah. Mechanically speaking. I get that adding on that layer of "When do they become to spread thin" might not be something you want to deal with so I can re-jigger as needed.
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Nov 21, 2017 00:21
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Responses quote:What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? A fair point, let me focus this in a bit. The intent behind this was that Master Zhen is a very good recruiter and teacher, he finds his students potential and helps them meet and even exceed that potential. The wise Guru of the story who teaches the young heroes what they need to know to unlock the hidden strength within, etc. Mechanically what I was imagining from this is a bonus to producing fleets/producing the improvements to fleets in Wuxia itself, since it is the crew/adventurers that are the critical component above the ships themselves. quote:What do you have a knack for, in addition to your power? Agreed that I didn't really have a clear idea what this was going to be, but at the advice of some others I went to a goal-based solution. I wanted Master Zhen to be able to analyze what someone is saying and see if they are lying, or otherwise trying to be deceptive to fulfill the trope of being able to turn away those who would misuse the Kung Fu being taught. So would this be clearer? Scrutiny +2 In his years Master Zhen has had to deal with a fair number of charlatans, liars, infiltrators and those who would misuse his teachings for personal gain. Over the years he has gained a knack for spotting such people and foiling their plans before they advance to dangerous levels. (A general defense against covert actions/lies, that might also have applications to diplomacy if there are two sides with different stories and determining who is lying is important). quote:What do you lack? Another one that I didn't really think through, but on reflection I think this is both what I was trying to get at and also more mechanically relevant: Does not stray... -2 The Hundredfold Path is expansive, covering a wide variety of philosophical, theological and physical topics. However it is not comprehensive, and additions to the Path are rare and hard-won. New ideas can be added, but at greater effort than in other societies (A general research malus to reflect that with great traditions comes great resistance to change). quote:What do they excel at? Wire fighting in space, lots of focus on boarding parties in space combat, that sort of thing. quote:What are they ahead of the curve with? The intent of this was to reflect how they just sort of "show up" places. Some people in the chat talked it over with me so I think that something like this is more generally applicable: Journey to the Void +4 - The Wuxia are taught as part of the Hundredfold Path that Enlightenment comes from Adversity, that even a tool crafted to absolute perfection is worthless if it never finds use. Thus the new generation seeks to leave the peaceful mists of their home and journey into the void, facing challengers, righting wrongs and seeking to bring a measure of happiness into what can be a cruel galaxy. The intent - a movement bonus, able to get to places that are hard to get to and generally being polite and not stepping on toes where they go. So making it through stellar phenomenon, integrating themselves into the society and also finding Problems to Solve (ie perhaps a bonus to finding random events to solve/fight).
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Nov 21, 2017 03:01
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First I'd like to thank those of you who replied in thread and looked at the feedbacks. If you apply any changes, please post here as this does two things. It lets me know that the player is still in and wants into the game and second it tells me to go back and look the entries for the next round of feedbacks. If any of us talked on discord and you're editing in changes, just a post saying you have works. Thanks to all of you who answered questions as well. The better understanding I have the easier it will be to pick an entry vs if I have no clue.Theantero posted:Answering some GM questions!  : Good, with this I have a good understanding of this app. Thank you Theantero.Shogeton posted:'Distaste for Violence -2' be less 'absolute' in that aspect? : That works, not being the aggressor and only until you are really pushed. It will be interesting to see how they react to a warrior race.TheNabster posted:
: For the first bullet point, you don't need to change it if you don't want to. I merely was making a comment and if you're good with it. It's Fine. For the second as long as you are ok with my understanding of the flaw and are good with it (more on discord on this) you can keep it. The only change required is the one I spoke about (Business & Commerce). Feel free to PM me here or on discord if you feel its some kind of criticism but all I'm trying to do is make sure there is an understanding between GM & applicant so there are no mis-communications about how this stuff happens mechanically. Its not a hard-rule system and there is some wiggle room. OscarDiggs posted:I was thinking of playing it more as an actual limitation. Yeah, everyone is connected to everyone and you only need two in close proximity to be permanently self-sustaining, but there are a lot of planets and systems in the universe, and eventually even thinking at the speed of light isn't going to give you time to manage everything. : This works and I now have a clearer idea of what you mean. Thank you!professor_curly posted:
: For the first this idea works and now it is much more clear. #2 works as to finding falsehoods and prehaps piercing the veil of subterfuge very nice! . #3 Resistant to change. Can affect research. Got it! #4 This is much clearer/better. Thank you professor_curly this helps greatly! I like the clarity for this character and race now. Much easier to understand.
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Nov 21, 2017 15:36
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Made changes we discussed on Discord to Life +6, Tree -2, and Fractious -2.
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Nov 21, 2017 16:13
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           Also, recruit is still ongoing.  There will be another round of feedbacks.  I'm looking to pick about 6 players, 8 if all entries get the polish needed.  
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Nov 21, 2017 16:17
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Academics debate the influence any one person or event exerts on the course of history. It's a topic that's made a million doctoral dissertations, with as many arguments as there were authors. Except, perhaps, in the case of Hyderia. Hyderia, home to the Rhi'nar people, who had like so many other species evolved themselves up from base primates to build a thriving if conflict-ridden feudal society. Large empires vied for the most fertile lands and productive mines, while smaller city-states became centers of learning and thriving trade ports. The arrival of the Ship upended all of it. Artifact of a long-dead civilization, the Ship had drifted for millenia until it fell into the gravity well of Hyderia, crashing through the atmosphere and smashing into the seat. So large was even this fragment that its impact set off earthquakes and tidal waves, destroying villages and cities. The wise rulers saw a need to band together, the unwise rules saw an opportunities for expansion, while the religious saw the end times. As crops failed and fishing grounds died, a small group of city-states assembled an expedition, four ships to sail towards the disaster, a desperate attempt to confront whatever apocalypse had befallen them. The closer the expedition got to the storm-source the tougher the travel, until arriving at the ship itself, the massive chunk of vessel now an island in its own right. Deep in the bowels of the Ship, sick from radiation and weary from travel, they at last found an opportunity to halt the apocalypse. The vast technology of the Ship needed a mind, a consciousness to stear it. Thus was born the Eternal Empress. Driven by disaster to sacrifice what she had been to become something else. With the powers of the Ship at her control, She established control over the planet's weather, synthensized food and new shelters for the Rhi'nar population. Yet not all understood what was happening, or the overriding needs of the people. When bandits stole the contents of several transports, they next transports were dispatched with weapons unconcieved of on Hyderia before. When several empires marshalled their forces to attack and steal the technology, they found themselves crushed. Thus did the Empress come of age, bringing all factions in Hyderia to heel, offering impressive gifts to those who submitted, crushing those who didn't. The various empires and free cities became provinces in a larger empire, their rulers swearing allegiance to the Eternal Empress. With the planet unified - after a fashion - the Empress' attention turned to the stars. Advancing the planet's technology nearly a millennia in one lifetime, the newly united Rhi'nar reached to their moons and then the solar planets and asteroids. The Empress guided Her people, step by step, to create an industrial and knowledge base to return to the stars. With the construction of the first Rhi'nar gate, it was time to step onto the galactic stage! The Eternal Empress posted:Deity Picture: The Rhi'nar Stellar Polity posted:Species/Race Picture: Thanks to Virric and Rhjamiz for helping me think through actual qualities Platonicsolid fucked around with this message at 04:54 on Nov 27, 2017 |
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Nov 21, 2017 16:59
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 Who are you? Mahnarg, Lord of the Ravenous Flame. He whose blaze shall light the universe, and whose hunger shall consume it. What is your greatest strength, the focus of your power? [+6 Quality] What is whole can't be consumed, it must first be reduced to manageable parts. The power of Destruction enables this cycle, but it also is its prime cause, by making so that things once usable decay into lifeless ashes. How do you demonstrate finesse, in the refinement of your power? [+4 Quality] The flame is an harbringer of change and reaction, altering the fundamental nature of matter to better serve the needs of the Flame or simply consuming it as fuel. This gave Mahnarg an understanding and control over Chemistry What do you have a knack for, in addition to your power? [+2 Quality] Everything that's alive needs to feed, from the smallest paramecium to beings so huge they eclipse planets. Mahnarg can tap into these primal Instincts, and link them to His cosmic hunger. What do you lack? [-2 Drawback/Foible] The flame must burn bright, even if it means consuming in a year fuel that could last for decades. Mahnarg's Hunger limits his patience, and leads to short sightedness. Where does your SEAT OF POWER exist? Mahnarg is in every flame and in every mind touched by hunger, or so his followers claim. He currently inhabits the molten moon known as the Maw, which orbits Ahrran, the home planet of the Roaring Horde. The Horde routinely sends sacrifices and tributes to the Maw , ranging from simple debris to the remains of lifeless planets, to feed their hungry God. The mass of the burning moon seems to remain unchanged, no matter, how much is sent.  Who are your people, the spacefaring species for whom you are a God? The Roaring Horde, a species descended from predatory felines, who all feel the burden of Mahnarg's Hunger via a psionic link. This makes them fierce warriors and hunters, for they need to expand to find new fuel for the Flame and others that agree, more or less willingly, to share the Hunger.  The Maned Flag marks both the territories ruled by the Horde, and those who were given to Mahnarg's Flame What do they excel at? [+4 Quality] They are Expansionists, good at warfare and colonization, to ensure a steady supply of fuel for the Flame. What are they ahead of the curve with? [+2 Quality] They are Driven, stopping at nothing to achieve their objective, for no obstacle is greater and no pain is bigger than the Hunger. Where do they lag behind? [-2 Drawback/Foible] There are no distractions from the Hunger. This makes them Single-minded, unable to appreciate or even see value in anything that doesn't have the eminently practical purpose of satisfying their Hunger. Why have they not yet mastered the galaxy in this present age? Once their territories grow large enough, they tend to fracture and turn on each other, seeking easier relief from the Hunger that torments them. Would you sacrifice your strength for your people's benefit? How much? If it means that they will give more fuel in the future, it could be done. They know that what is taken from Mahnarg must be paid back, either by giving fuel or by burning. Would you weaken your people to empower yourself? How much? Everything can be fuel for the Flame. They are simply more effective at providing it than at being it. Once these conditions cease to exist, they burn. What is your species homeworld, homefleet, or center of their power? Ahrran, an arid planet, orbited by a burning moon. It is an harsh place, but abundant with life. The struggle to survive in such an unforgiving locale is what attracted Mahnarg's attention and prompted him to give the gift of his Hunger to the Horde. LupusAter fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 21, 2017 17:31
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I've updated OP #3, with some more reminders, refreshers for returning players, and stuff for newish players. These talk about what can and could happen not always what does happen and also some expectation setting. Nothing angry just FYI info that can be helpful. https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3840923#post478489817 I am Communist fucked around with this message at 20:10 on Nov 21, 2017 |
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Nov 21, 2017 20:04
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Updates! -2 Magic Haszus's necromantic abilities are a very specific and very applied science; magic as a whole excluding the purview of necromancy are nearly anathema to his existence. GM Comments: If someone is wiping out your race with magic or attacking, you accept this penalty? Just an agreement s needed. Any other magical skills, abilities, or qualities used against you will be a silver bullet. Unless its necromancy or there are places it overlaps I'm ok with it being that severe of a penalty. +2 Space Station Construction GM Comments: More than this. How about undead +2. Tireless, can work in extreme conditions. Don't limit yourself too harshly here. I've made that change, undead +2 it is. I was originally going to go with that but thought too hard about it  -2 Weak to Flails GM Comments: This needs to be a different drawback/better. Probably literally no one will be doing this, you can say crazy, angry, lazy, etc. Like maybe something that might occur. I've changed it to -2 Lazy without a Leader.
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Nov 21, 2017 20:13
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GM notes: Recruit is still ongoing. Here is the second round of feedbacks. & A response to the another round of responses to earlier feedbacks / character changes. _ _ _ Platonicsolid posted:Who are you? LupusAter posted:
Banana Man posted:
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Nov 22, 2017 16:16
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To those who made corrections and posted, looks good. To those who made corrections and told me in discord, looks good. To those of you who made corrections and didn't notify me? Shame. I'll give another 8-10 hours for any last minute mods/entries to or for apps and then I'll close applications to:
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Nov 27, 2017 18:08
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 The game post OP will be coming shortly.   I will post there how I wish for information to be formatted in what order to ease GM processing of updates and how actions will happen.
I am Communist fucked around with this message at 18:20 on Nov 28, 2017 |
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Nov 28, 2017 16:39
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Space Gods Impressionsquote:The Monastic Order of Wuxia An interesting, thoughtful people with a commendable focus on self-improvement. Limited trading potential, but real potential to leverage their martial and exploratory prowess. quote:The Space Skeletons A society of, if reports are to be believed, reanimated space explorers. We should send only our most iron-stomached traders. quote:The Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika Wielding powerful forces, they could be great if they had any sense of the higher merits - honor, loyalty, nation. Instead they crawl into their navels and revel in their own hedonism. quote:The Jogollwans A hard-working, industrious and agreeable people. They lag in some areas, excel in others, making clear opportunities for trade. Thoroughly enjoyable to do business with. quote:The Oo'oom Research Bureau reports the Oo'oom form a collective consciousness, light encased in protective mineral. A niche market at best. quote:The Gasaradi While Ship databanks include some information these advanced constructions, they are a best sketchy on the details. These pampered technologists would be well worth engaging with. quote:The Roaring Horde A people of notable drive and impressive martial skill. Their tendency to focus on conquest over all limits market opportunities. We recommend simulation and experiential products. Trading arms may be problematic.
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Nov 28, 2017 21:29
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Oh look what you made me do --- DHARMA Public Relations Department Initial first contact procedures, market opportunities. professor_curly - Master Zhen of the Hundredfold Path, The Wise Teacher & The Monastic Order of Wuxia Technology Interface Level: Inadequite Sell: >Martial Arts Manuals >Martial Arts Movies >Training Equipment >Esoteric Weaponry. Religious organization, mercantile opportunities limited due to an insistence on abandoning of material goods. Offer combined communications pack at a reduced rate, no civilization should be without fibre optic broadband. Banana Man - Haszus, the Keeper of Scrolls, Lord of Unlife & The Space Skeletons Technology Interface Level: Outdated Sell: >Ivory polish >Calcium Supplements >Vellum >Humanizing Masks Anomaly. Risks beyond acceptable levels compared to opportunities. Keep to arms length, let them approach first. Consider shared research agreement. Theantero - The Grand Council & The Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika Technology Interface Level: Incompatible Sell: >Dusty Tomes >Pre-Dribbled Ambiance Candles >Mystical Knick-Knacks >Fabric Detergent Commercial application of Magic opened for future consideration and experimentation by DHARMA Research and Development, scientists currently incredibly skeptical. Luxuries more likely to find traction then necessities, oligarchical societies are a great market for those kinds of items. OscarDiggs - The Thirtenth, The First Consensus, All of Us & The Oo’oom Technology Interface Level: Truely Alien Sell: >Rock Polish >Engraving Kits >Galaxy Tourist Guides >Foreign Language Dictionaries Inter-Species Relationships Department is still debating whether this is in fact a society or a single sentient creature, can you sell to a single being and call it sustainable? Communication efforts in progress. AJ_Impy - The Evanescent Architect, The Artificial God & The Gasaradi Technology Interface Level: Sufficiently Advanced Sell: >Mass exports of raw materials >Trading Charters >Mining Rights >Sugar Sufficiently advanced for integration into WALDO Network, identifiable source of income, present supply and demand to exploit. Important trading partner, improve business relationship, socialize with fellow AI. Platonicsolid - The Eternal Empress, She who merged with the Ancient Ship & The Rhi'nar Technology Interface Level: Equal Sell: To be negotiated LupusAter - Mahnarg, Lord of the Ravenous Flame & The Roaring Horde Technology Interface Level: Minimal Accepted Standard Sell: >Fossil Fuels >Sacrificial Livestock >Excess Firewood and Timber >Dietary Supplements? Problematic business partner. Overly aggressive business dealings, present demand to feed into (literally) but required insistence to accept terms and not merely force matters. Human Resources to deal with massed complaints by Operatives sent to negotiate settlements.
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Nov 28, 2017 22:47
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Heed the words of Quilbip Isnit, Diplomat to the Newfangled Ones. The Monastic Order of Wuxia "Oh, how quaint! melee combat! You so rarely see that in space-capable species. How very fascinating. Such a charming belief system, too. If we were to create a marvel for them, how about a low-gravity Dojo-moon for perfecting zero- and low-g combat styles?" The Space Skeletons "Well! Well, that's... certainly a thing. Hm. I presume those unfortunates would take a modicum of comfort from still pushing back the boundaries of the known, even in their, ah, 'present condition'. I suppose we could make them a colossal mausoleum out of an asteroid or something. Maybe the rest of the skeleton for that skull?" The Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika "Hmph, meritocracy with shades of oligarchy. Ah well, see if these strange aliens like it better than our forebears did. Not entirely convinced by their attitude towards the least of their kind, either. Still, different species, different ways. Perhaps they'd like to purchase of their own free will an FTL-capable megafortress for their 'magic' stuff." The Jogollwans "Rather intriguing for a mercantile polity. Our own dabblings with machine AI overlordship didn't have the best of outcomes, but hard to argue, given that it was something of a precursor to our present arrangement. Hard not to feel a degree of kinship with them, we have a fairly hefty amount in common despite their relative youth and alienness. I imagine a giant distributed transceiver array across the breadth of their stellar system would go down a treat." The Oo'oom "Energy beings, how delightful! The utter alienness of a species-wide hive mind truly is fascinating, as well. I have to say, linking up everyone's minds together is one thing the annals say we didn't try, so these sophonts are worth watching with great interest. We might get their attention with a gargantuan superconducting crystalline lattice with engines, perhaps." The Rhi'nar "A benevolent autocracy that manages to keep being benevolent through essentially being combined with AI overlordship, patching some of the issues with both forms of governance. Bootstrapped to the stars rather quickly, I hope their societal structures can truly take the strain. That said, any number of their competing sub-elements would likely be willing to shell out for an artificial planet headquarters, do one and the rest would clamour to keep up." The Roaring Horde. "Ugh. An expansionist polity with a rather violent mien. Always such a joy when one of those bubbles up into space before calming down. Will they blaze bright and gutter out or settle into a more civilised frame of reference once they realise the sheer scale of the galaxy? I suspect if we put a ring in a nearby system converting solar output into a near limitless supply of consumables, that might help take the edge off their rapaciousness, who can say?"
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Nov 29, 2017 00:54
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Words written as dictated by the ancient scholar Zorendius Blacksmane, stored in an ancient and forgotten vault: Monastic Order of Wuxia These peoples command a skill and aesthetic that rival most we have seen; perhaps some would prefer extending their life to achieve true mastery? The Meritocratic Magocracy of Taika Magic is often chaotic and uncontrollable, and it appears that these people are nearing the verge of their breaking point. Their knowledge must be vast, but perhaps it's better if trade was accomplished by a third party. There may be some among them with appreciation for further study. The Jogollwans Simply put they are shrewd leaders in financial affairs. I have to wonder what their skeletal structure is like... The Oo'oom Fascinating. Barely any mention in the other scrolls I've come across of a being like this. Similar to a will'o'wisp, but with a better drive than losing travelers in swamps. No apparent bone structure. The Gasaradi Now they can truly build some great things; we are limitless in time that can be spent, but they are limitless on application. Must ask if willing to research together. The Rhi'nar We have charts and scriptures detailing the object that caused the ascension of this species, but the practicalities of it are breathtaking, could I breathe. The Roaring Horde Deals could be made regarding the pickings of their enemies. Lets just hope they leave the bones.
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Nov 29, 2017 08:29
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