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 The Stellar Kingdom of Canorus is not what it once was.  The nobility compete to out-do each other in displays of decadence, while the common folk struggle through every day. The Church is powerless to curb the excesses of the ancients, or actively complicit in their activities. All the while, the Whispering Plague stalks the land, the great equalizer, claiming its victims regardless of species or social standing.  It is almost one year to the day since the King, a weak-willed and ambivalent figure even in the best of times, was last seen in public. Rumors in the salons and public houses abound - the King has abdicated, the King has fled and will return to save the people, the King is dead and the Prime Minister has installed itself in his place, the King walks among the common people even now. Others speak in even more hushed tones - the time for Kings and Churches and ancients is over, and something must be done, for the sake of us all.  In these dark times, some courageous beings will step into the spotlight, and make their stand for hope, or justice, or love, or chaos, or vengeance. Who are you, and what do you stand for? -- This is a Lancer game, using the recently-released 1.6 rules, which you can get here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2mQ7IPn-PsqNE9uYkp4Yjh6VUE There's two big differences. First, we're using a custom setting rather than the Union. The Stellar Kingdom is flashy, high-tech, ancient, and decaying. Think along the lines of European sci-fi comics, the original Dune, or Gankutsuou. Second, this game is explicitly a musical. I'm not expecting you to sing and record it for the internet, although if you feel so perversely motivated I'm not going to stop you. Nor is participation in the musical element strictly necessary; if Rex Harrison can get through the entirety of My Fair Lady without actually singing, so can you. But there's a mechanical reward for indulging in this particular brand of nonsense. If you come up with at least a couple verses of a song for your character to perform "on stage," they will automatically succeed at whatever action they're attempting. You're not a solo act, though. Other players and NPCs can contest your song by belting out their own tunes - Javert gets his own number, too. Players will be expected to play reasonably with this special rule, but if it comes to it, I have plans for extended song fights. I haven't run Lancer before, so I don't expect any level of prior experience from players. A passing familiarity with meter and rhyme would probably be a good idea. I'd like your character background to explain who you are, what you are, and your own elaboration on the setting. We'll tie everyone together with a purpose and general goals once picks are made. Namedropping your favorite musicals is also probably not a bad idea. Feel free to ask any questions here or via PM. I also have a discord server set up at https://discord.gg/npcGn8j
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May 3, 2018 02:53
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 Maya Portillo Personal Guard of Lady Constanze di Michael III  Oh Milady My dear lady Sworn to guard you evermore Oh Milady My dear lady My entire life is yours Oh my guardian My dear champion Will your heart ever be mine? Oh my guardian My dear champion Will you come back home this time? Proper and loyal! A guard always attends! Stuffy and tightassed! You bore me without end! Milady! Milady! I do only what is right! I know that! I know that! But do you always have to fight? I won't have more of this, Milady! It's time to go to bed! Oh very well, my guardian! Soon I'll see inside your head! Good night!/Good night! The Portillo family has been in the service of the di Michael family for generations, and Maya is no different. Trained from a young age, her life is in service of the safety of Constanze di Michael III, the latest in the line of the merchant family. Maya is dedicated to her duty, hardly leaving Constanze's side with little regard for her own well-being. She puts extra stock in the relationship between bodyguard and noble, making sure everything is proper and by the book, despite Constanze's urging for her to lighten up a bit. Something has thrown a wrench in the relationship. Maya and Constanze have independently discovered feelings for one another. Constanze wishes to act on these feelings, but Maya blocks each of her attempts in the name of decorum, believing she deserves someone of a higher standing than her. quote:Background: Bodyguard (Weapons(Melee), Intimidation, Perception)  GMS-SP1 "Milady" quote:Shell: Everest Waffleman_ fucked around with this message at 02:01 on May 4, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 03:31
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May 3, 2018 03:36
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 Lilliana Sin When the sun goes down, And my work begins, There are times— Many times— That I see them! (She still sees them!) Eyes cloud’d by death, Not knowing life. The rivers of red cover all~! The whispers of the street Speak the self-same tongue! The word on every lip: Revolution! They lord o’er us Not knowing want Nor knowing pain. ‘Til we show them! (We must show them!) Eyes cloud’d by death, Not knowing life. The rivers of red cover all~! Who are you? Lilliana, or Lily to those who've fought alongside her, has about as much reason to hate the aristocracy as anyone in the Stellar Kingdom. The Plague tore her family apart years back, the only inkling that the nobility registered the outbreak the mandatory month-long quarantine on the megastructure that they inhabited. What the Plague failed to do, the terror and paranoia of those trapped inside did. Lily escaped, whether through cunning planning or sheer bloody-minded determination, but she was the only one of her friends and family to make that claim. Bereft of those that had known her, every scrap of purpose that she thought her life had been leading to, she fell in with the growing undercurrent of rabblerousers and ruffians. Some were in it to carve out their share, by any means necessary, but others felt as she did. The way that the world was? The rift between noble and peasant? It was wrong. Twisted. A perversion of what could be, if only people could set aside their greed and come together as one. The nobles, though, they ruled with an iron fist even as they engaged in debauchery that strained belief even as it strained ever bit of filthy lucre they extracted in taxes. Lily, and those that believed as she, formed a pact. They'd all lost family to the depraved rule of those above, yet found another in their sorrow. They were brothers and sisters in spirit, brothers and sisters of the truest of callings: revolution. They cast off the names of those they left behind. Let their fallen rest in peace, let them escape the deeds that must be done to right the world. They would sacrifice themselves, their innocence and virtue alike, to see the nobility fall. They would Sin so that others might live. What are you? Lily is a largely baseline human, though she has extensive cybernetics throughout her body. This, more than anything, is what marks her of being one of the underclass. The nobility scoff at such crude technology, their own optimizations and repairs coming from gene-therapy and purpose-grown organs that allow them to truly believe that they are a race apart from those they rule. Pilot Sheet posted:Background: Rebel — Infiltration (stealth, demolitions, disguise, marksmanship), Persuasion (ideological), Weapons (military, concealed)  GMS-SP1 "Minerva" Based on the standardized Everest shell, the Minerva matches precision long-range engagement tools with the defensive capabilities necessary to take the fight where it is most needed. Even in the barest of battlefields, she always will have an aegis protecting her. Lily has chosen a matte finish that matches up with the blued steel that makes up most of the Kingdom's underbelly. With a quick reprint, the paint can be adjusted to match the engagement zone and provide effective camoflage. While it is, of course, difficult to hide even a light mecha without specialized gear, even inflicting the barest hint of targeting deviation can mark the difference between a cored cockpit and a lesser hit. Mecha Sheet posted:Hull: +1 Favorite Musicals: Jesus Christ Superstar, The Music Man, Rent, Les Misérables. Tricky fucked around with this message at 22:17 on May 3, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 04:32
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 In enterprise of martial kind, When there was any fighting, He kept his regiment through it all In victory oft delighting And led his regiment from the van, Instead of from the rear, O- That celebrated, Decorated, Unabated Man at arms, Adolphus Piazatoro ! In the first and foremost fight, ha, ha! You always found that knight, ha, ha! That celebrated, Decorated, Unabated Man at arms, Adolphus Piazatoro! Casting: A man of 50 or so, with a dignified military bearing despite having fallen on hard times. His well groomed mustaches hide a scarred and craggy face. quote:Background: Officer Before his untimely dismissal Major-General Adolphus Piazatoro held the honor of being the highest ranked commander of Mechanized Cavalry to have been promoted on merit from the ranks, rather than being commissioned by virtue of high birth. Battlefield experience with the King's mother and his unswerving dedication to her during the tumultuous Regency allowed him rise above his station, more so than his penchant for heroics. His skill and bravado made him a popular figure among the forces and provided a buffer against the politics of the court for much of his career, but eventually his habit of making enemies with his blunt manner and then seeking satisfaction for the insults leveled at him on the dueling field caught up with him after the death of the Queen Mother, and the King signed papers putting him to pasture with little more than a pension to his name. Bitter about his treatment but still a soldier at heart, he seeks a new cause to champion.  quote:Shell: Everest This hastily retrofitted and much patched Legionnaire class infantry 'mech was Adolphus's first mount, kept for reasons of nostalgia. Now he presses it back into the field like a faithful warhorse. Still solid and deadly, but decades of spotty maintenance have taken a toll on the reliability of the power linkages and the reactor is consistently running hotter than it should. thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 12:09 on May 8, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 04:43
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Exu Liao The edges of space The edges of space There lived a girl whose sharp fingers played The music of love The music of love She played and sang to give others hope But naught could be done to change their fate Destiny nigh; their screams too late. Death had come; stealing their lives What could songs offer but lies? It was, thought Exu Liao, an entirely unforgivable situation. It was in times of crisis that those with power were supposed to step forward to risk themselves, not dispatch their pet singers to check on the plague hospitals. "A morale raising visit," Marquis Joh had said. "You're the only one of us still popular with the lower classes. It will do them good to see you in person." The coward was just keeping himself out of the line of fire against the Whispering Plague. Sending her instead. A mere commoner singer. Expendable. The false platitude of "one of us" stuck in her craw, for a moment, to the point where she coughed. Or perhaps that was the Plague. She shivered. Disobedience to the ruler of the Harsallan March was, of course, impossible. And to be fair to the coward, she'd meant to visit anyway. The poor wretches deserved as much solace as could be given. By all capable of doing so. So here she was, steeling herself to open the door to the airlock that separated her from the antechamber of quarantine. She'd be behind a screen, of course, but rumor had it that the plague ignored even the best isolation. Nothing for it. Nothing at all. With a pull, the door opened and she stepped in to find... Death. The doctors. The nurses. The patients. All dead. Arms raised to half-open mouths in the characteristic way of the Whispering Plague; like the victim had died trying to claw loose a secret stuck on the tip of their tongue. Exu's feet wouldn't move. The sight before her eyes was paralyzing. Or perhaps it was the plague. Perhaps it was the plague. Later, she would be found passed out there by the unfortunates recruited to bring supplies to the dying. What she had seen, she tried to call a hallucination, until it began haunting her dreams. The plague came for her, rising out of dead throats. A cloud of death and doom. Whispering. The Kingdom is dying. You. Are not. The people may yet live. You will take our message onward. This is not a plague. This is necrosis. The rot must be cut out. Some weeks later, she was given a clean bill of health, released from the new quarantine ward, and instructed to report to the Marquis immediately. The Marquis was found dead the next day. The plague had taken him. And someone had taken his Armor. Exu Liao was already booking travel toward the inner Kingdom, from the the Marches. Ever inward. There was much to be done. The Kingdom's people must be saved. The rot must be cut out. Exu Liao pre:Background: Celebrity [Social (intuition, deduction, character judgement), Etiquette (cultural, class, pop culture), Persuasion (charisma, reputation)] Traits: Relentless, Compassionate, Distrustful Talents: Drone Commander 1, Exemplar 1, Juggernaut 1 Gear: Sabre, Voice Amplifier, Zither  pre:Shell: Everest Hull: +0 Agility: +0 Systems: +1 Engineering: +0 HP: 20 Mounts: Flex Aux Heavy MC-SG MC-TK MC-TCB Drone Nexus (2SP) Smoke Grenades (2SP) Dummy Plug (1SP) Critical: 4 Evasion: 8 Speed: 5 Sensors: 9 E-Defense: 9 Heat: 6 Repair: 6 (5hp/repair) K Prime fucked around with this message at 15:23 on May 3, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 04:47
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Julian Arnold You think that you're safe with your locks and your codes Your guards and your cameras and your sensors But soon you'll see how it quickly falls apart When someone like me comes, rotten to the core. I'm a shadow, a feather, wind, or void A ghost or a reaper or nothing at all Grab me and I'll squeeze through your fingers But let me go and you'll fall. Click, click, click goes the lock to your safe Pried open by light fingers and luck Money and treasure goes into the bag And then you'll find yourself in the muck A warning from me, before you go In how you could have stopped it from happening Use your power and wealth for the benefit of all Says the Crow who made you start suffering. I'm not a hero. I'm barely even a "good person". I'm just a guy who's willing to help out others, no matter what it takes. My family wasn't exactly the most well-off people in the world, but we weren't poor, either. At least, until my mom died from the plague, and my dad just up and left me to die with her. I was 12 when that happened, and my dad didn't expect me to live past 13. I didn't die, but I was left for dead. I wandered the streets, nabbing food wherever I could get it, until I found that house. A small place, on Freemont Avenue, abandoned for a demolition that never came. Was full of dust, and there wasn't much furniture, but I could still sleep in it. Eventually, that place became a home for me and others like me-people abandoned, because of the plague, orphans, homeless, all of them. We grew into more than a community-we were family. I wasn't the oldest, but I was definitely the older brother of the group. And I had to find a way to put food on the table. So I started teaching myself how to get back at the society that abandoned us and get the money we needed. I learned how to pick locks, how to scale rooftops, sneak around, disguise myself, and more. I learned what social engineering was and how to do it. And so I began my career as a pickpocket, sneak, infiltrator and liberator of money. I made sure to only steal from people in power who were doing nothing with it-with a little notes from "Crow" to let them know why they were chosen. The money went to food, furniture and amenities for that house that held the broken and forgotten of the world. Casting: A young man or older teenager with medium length hair, preferably blonde or brunette. Training in ballet, acrobatics or gymnastics would be a great addition to make stunts easier. quote:Background: Criminal (Fields: Criminal (forgery, deception, disguise), survival (urban), intimidation)  GMS-SP1 "Magnolia" Named after Julian's deceased mother, the Magnolia is a more agile and stealthy mecha with a focus on mid-to-short ranged combat. The important "job" of the Magnolia is to use stealth and speed to get as close as possible, release a devastating melee attack or suprise shot from behind, and then get the hell out of dodge before the enemy can retaliate, and it works best with a melee or sniper partner to draw the enemy's focus. quote:Mecha stats: Favorite Musicals: Heathers, Be More Chill, Grease Junpei fucked around with this message at 01:10 on May 7, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 05:38
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 Amari Chancellor He wanted to say: I am here because I have to be! He wanted to say: I am here for what is right! Every day I wake up knowing What you've lost and what is owing I would shed this skin if I could To stand with you and fight! He wanted to say: I am not who I appear to be. He wanted to say: By your side I could be brave! If there's such a thing as justice Let me help you find your justice This I do for you and for Sarah Who lies in her grave… But all he said was... “I know how to blow things up.” Chance had his hood pulled tight around his face. He was in a bar even though he didn’t drink. He was in front of a crowd even though he was terrified of public speaking. His eyes darted around the room. He licked his lips. “I know how to blow things up,” he repeated. His voice trembled. “I’m a miner.” The crowd roared their approval. But Chance didn’t hear them because his heart was pounding so fiercely that it drowned out all others sounds. Somehow he found his seat and shoved his shaking hands in his pockets. He didn’t like attention. Strangers slapped his back. Someone hugged him. They were all celebrating. In a sense. Celebrating their unity. Their togetherness. Braver men than he stood up and gave rousing speeches. Powerful women pounded their fists and led chants. Chance looked down at his feet. He smiled. He was going to be a part of something. A movement. He was going to make his dad proud. *** Chance wasn’t a teenager anymore. But only just barely. And he still had the youthful look, the easy shy smile, of a school boy. He was tall and lanky and uncoordinated, like a puppy that hadn’t grown used to it’s long legs yet. He hid in his clothes. He covered his eyes with his hood of the bill of a hat. He was a miner by trade; the son of a miner who was himself the son of a miner who was the son of a miner who was the son of a miner who was the… Men in his family, in his line of work, didn’t die in their beds. They died with their boots on. Chance was fifteen when he watched his Dad die in the bed. Plague, it was. One day his dad was strong. The next day he wasn’t. And then he was dead. “Unrelated to work,” was how the company saw it. Which maybe was true but it meant that there was no compensation. No insurance payout. All that money his dad had put in, every cut from every paycheck, was all gone. And now… rumors. Such awful rumors. The rich never got the plague. The nobles had a cure. They king was being held for ransom. There was going to be a revolution... quote:Background: Miner  GMS-SP1 “Jenny Luck” Jenny Luck won’t win any beauty contests but… that’s not really the point of her, now is it? She’s creaky and she’s cranky and she’s old. She needs a new coat of paint and she’s probably missing some vital screws and bolts and she’s well overdue for a clean. But Chance knows every inch of her. He loves every inch of her. She belonged to his dad. And when it comes to work, she runs smooth. pre:Shell: Everest Hull: +0 Agility: +0 Systems: +1 Engineering: +0 HP: 20 Mounts: Heavy -- GMS Howitzer Flex -- GMS High-Arc Mortar Aux -- MC-TP (x2) Drone Nexus (2SP) Drone Nexus (2SP) Stable Structure (1SP) Critical: 4 Evasion: 8 Speed: 5 Sensors: 9 E-Defense: 9 Heat: 6 Repair: 6 (5hp/repair) Tyrannosaurus fucked around with this message at 02:46 on May 4, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 05:51
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Pavel Gillespie An old man told me I could be free "You just gotta watch my baby for me Just walk on forward - don't watch your step The guns at your back will give you some pep Don't mind those mines - Just take that line You're lucky you'll die while the weather is fine Don't look my way - don't breathe my air" That old man taught me that life ain't fair I got lucky 'cause I got the wits to get out that and live Now I'm callin' cadence for a bunch of stuck up little kids think my calls are all ironic, think that I ain't bein' honest, and that everything is cool 'cause they threw some ribbons on it That old man there is your daddy - he's a real piece of poo poo - Framing me for several murders just to throw me in the pit Doing genework on some babies just to get another pilot Treat me like a fuckin' animal and tell me to be silent I got no love for your lifestyle but I really got no choice, least the press coverage and pony shows are giving me some voice though they're asking stupid things; "Pavel what's it like to kill?" or "tell me how you saved your lady," or "how loyal do you feel?" I can't sugarcoat the answer for you, but this is how it is: I don't give a rat's rear end 'bout you, the nobles, or their kids, but I can't say that to their face I just smile, nod, and laugh, look pretty for the cameras, and try not to be so crass You'd best believe I'm out of here as soon as there's a chance, matter fact - just hold that thought - I gotta do this song and dance. Hey ma'am, what are we getting scrambled for? ... Some uprising? pre:Background: Penal Colonist - Athletics, Survival (Urban/Space/Terrestrial/Frontier), Intimidation Traits: Fearless, Resilient, Crass, Veteran Talents: Veteran I (Not Dead Yet), Skirmisher I (Open Sight Targeting), Martial Artist (Claws Out) Gear: Wilderness Survival Kit, First-aid MediGel, Extra Rations Not Dead Yet (Rank I): Gain one more pilot trait: Veteran (giving you 4). In addition, when your pilot hard suit is reduced to 0, instead of dying you can strip off your suit as a reaction to continue on foot as a pilot (evasion 8, speed 5, targeting +0, size 1/2). You follow the same rules as other pilots, so any hit from a mech weapon will kill you, you do limited damage to mechs, you make pilot skill checks, and you die or are out of the mission once you disable all your traits. Open Sight Targeting (Rank I): When you take the boost action, before or after your move you can attack with one auxiliary weapon as a free action Claws Out (Rank I): Gain +1 Accuracy on your first two melee attack rolls with a main or auxiliary melee weapon on your turn. A marquess he had once saved ordered him freed and sent back to the academies, permanently hidden away as a trainer. Gander Heavy Manufactory Taedus Ultralight MK3 - "First In Stack"  When the Marquess of Vayen Hold personally places the order for your very own unit, you know you've made it big. While she's young for a ruling noble, her inexplicable ability to survive multiple attempted coups and an invasion from the neighboring Andolen Protectorate has provided her significant status. Even accusations of being overly familiar with a certain criminal has done little to dampen her image. The minimalist frame is built to accommodate Pavel's reckless tactics. It's a modest design - some might argue disposible - but the ejection system is top notch. It bears the colors of the crest of the Marquess. pre:Shell: Everest
Hull: +0
Agility: +1
Systems: -1
Engineering: +0
HP: 20
Mounts:
Flex Aux Heavy
MC-BLD MC-TK MC-TCB
MC-TP
Critical: 4
Evasion: 9
Speed: 6
Sensors: 7
E-Defense: 7
Heat: 6
Repair: 5
Jump Jets (2)
Grapplers (1)
Smoke Grenades (2)
Flex:
MC-BLD
Main Melee (Axe)
Reach, 1d6+2 Kinetic
Aux:
MC-TK
Aux Melee (Knife)
Reach, 1d3+1 Kinetic
MC-TP
Aux CQB (Thermal Pistol)
Range 10, 1d3 Energy
Heavy:
MC-TCB
Heavy Melee (Long Blade)
Reach+1, 1d6+4 Energy
Atlatl fucked around with this message at 02:22 on May 5, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 07:09
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Genesius, Iterant Octave of the Resonant Faith Church A mech kills many men before it's done, Hundreds, Long before it shoots a gun: Men in the mines And in the steel mills, Men at machines, Who died for what? Something to buy- A watch, a shoe, a gun, A thing to make the nobles richer, But a mech claims many men before it's done... What's One More? WIP quote:Background: Priest — History (religion), Persuasion (charisma, religious), Survival (space, terrestrial, frontier) Tonitribus, Thunder From On High  quote:Sheet WIP Favorite Musicals:Pacific Overtures, Assassins, Gypsy, Fun Home, Chess (ultimate guilty pleasure)
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May 3, 2018 16:05
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Dang, that's some strong interest already. Here are some questions for folks with backgrounds.Tricky posted:Lily What did you have to sacrifice to escape the quarantine? thatbastardken posted:Adolphus I love the casting instructions. So, what exactly did you do for the dearly departed Queen Mother, back in her more rambunctious years? K Prime posted:Exu Before, in happier times, tell me about your big break and rise to fame. Junpei posted:Julian The authorities obviously know about your illicit activities, even if they can't put a face to your calling card. Do the common people know about you, how famous are you, and what do they think? This isn't a question because you're still working on your app, but I enjoyed your song. Atlatl posted:Pavel Tell me more about the genetically modified subjects of the Crown. Similar to Tyrannosaurus, this is less a comment on your app and more a mention that the Gun Song is one of my favorite parts of one of my favorite musicals, so you're already doing well in that regard.
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May 3, 2018 19:26
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Exu Liao My parents were devout. I grew up learning the zither to play the celestial chords, and singing as part of the choir. I was... talented. A divine gift, is what the choir leader said approvingly. Music, after all, is what brings us closer to Truth, closer to the Above. I think he was right, but in the wrong way, looking back... I was eventually invited to perform a solo for a higher-class church, where nobles would be, unlike our little parish house. The Marchioness of Harsallan, Victoria Joh was in attendance, and she saw another songbird for her collection. And so I was bought and sold. I didn't see it that way, at the time, but that's what it was. The old Marchioness liked picking out pretty things and keeping them for herself. I was her personal caged bird through my adolescence. It wasn't bad, for an innocent from the merchant class. I got a good education, and my parents were showered in enough money to keep them fed and safe for as long as they wished, until my father drank himself to death and my mother entered the convent. Then the Marchioness died, as they do. And Marquis Anders Joh took over. I would have been about 16? He had entirely different ideas for his mother's collection of pretty things. She kept them to herself, for precious things are precious only when they are rare; he wished to wear us like the gemstones and gold on his clothes, shiny accessories to reveal his power and wealth. And so, I was told... Whenever I see someone less fortunate than I... And let's face it, who isn't? Less fortunate than I. I was going to be a star. Popular. You're gonna be popular! I'll teach you proper rules; how to boost your views Little ways to post online! How to pretend to care, opinions to air Everything that makes you mine! I won't say he was wrong. I was a hit. It was all pretty carefully constructed, but he had a talent for it, and to my surprise so did I. The beautiful Flower of the Marches, singing about a love gone beyond the moors in war, to return in honor. I was even starting to enjoy it. Before I heard the last verse. Before I heard the truth. K Prime fucked around with this message at 22:57 on May 3, 2018 |
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May 3, 2018 20:42
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 What ho, my friends, what ho? You'd like to know my story? Welll.... When I was a lad, on ship I served As cabin boy to to Doctor Wurlitzer I cleaned his scalpels and I washed his coats, it was the cleanest surgery you ever saw on boat! All that cleaning and scrubbing did raise my income, that now I am a Lancer in the Stellar Kingdom As cabin boy I earned such a name, that officer's school became my aim, I buried my face so deep in texts that they were all quite eager to see what I'd do next All that studying and striving did advance my career that now I'm a well regarded chevalier As junior officer I did excel, and I landed on my posting like a real bombshell. Those slovenly blackguards all cleaned up their acts and the entire Juno outpost was right back on track The remote posting clean up did so impress my boss that now I am the pilot of the Red Queen's Cross From Juno's moon we cut a deadly swathe down Sidonia all the way to plains of Wraith. My enemies tremble at my very name, Run! It's the Red Cross Knight! they exclaim! So if you want to advance here's my advice, old boys Be as good as you boast, with skin tougher than superalloy Be quicker than quick and stronger than strong But always remember to tell right from wrong. So stick close to your guns, and never say die And you all can end up like me if you try! Yes, yes, that's me in the back. No, the one behind Selene. If you were interested in my little sister, why would you keep asking about me? Yes, she's a member of the Witch Corps, specializing in fluid transfer links and mercurial balance abstraction. There, now you know everything interesting about her. Anyways, I am the mighty Bell Mercator, and, like the song said, there's nothing I can't do behind the controls of a quality machine. Leading lads and lasses to victory is what I do, so if you'd like to stay alive. Sure, some of those other guys might have a little more fruit salad on their chests, but we know who really knows how to get the job done, don't we y'all? Pilot posted:Background: Soldier Mecha posted:Still working on it Favorite Musicals: The Pirates of Penzance, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Producers, Music Man
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May 3, 2018 22:23
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Julian Arnold Oh, I make sure to make myself known after a big heist. I usually get some help from my little group (we call ourselves "The Flock" and the younger ones come up with bird nicknames for each other.) from these three young kids named Dew, Gaius and Axel. I make the original calling card to be placed on a desk or inside a safe, and the kids (Seagull, Raven and Peacock, they call themselves) make dozens of copies to hide and place around the city-on the chair of a cafe, on top of hats and inside waistbands, placed in their hand after they help them up from 'tripping', the list of methods go on. And even so, burglaries of high-profile people like politicians and CEOs always goes down in the papers. I'm not the talk of the town all the time, but I usually get at least a week or two of people talking only about me. And people do love a bit of karmic justice aimed at the high and mighty. I hear people admiring, respecting, heck, even wanting to meet "Crow". Strength Is what people see in my deeds Lengths I go to for the people that I love Blank Your bank account when I'm done Flanked By awful things that you gave others! Just one thing Take my advice If you don't change now It's a hefty price You and I are not the same You don't want the terror of my name I am not your ally I'll just bring you harm I'm a cursed black cat I'm an albatross I'm a broken mirror Glad to say, I'm your bad luck charm!
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May 3, 2018 23:01
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grassy gnoll posted:I love the casting instructions. So, what exactly did you do for the dearly departed Queen Mother, back in her more rambunctious years?  quote:And now ladies and gentlemen - I met her Royal Majesty as a private soldier, just inducted in the Cavalry and on the battlefield for the first time. It was a small affair, as these things go - one of the Corsair Counts was acting up, and had made the mistake of occupying a communication hub station that was under the direct protection of the royal family just as Marianne...the Regent, I mean, was touring the region. My unit (Duke Grimbatour's 1st Steel Foot) was added to the retinue for the assault. Terrible idea, we were all kitted out for planetary surface war without so much as an EVA booster between us. We lost most of the regiment trying to board, and then our weapons just caused more damage than the pirates would have done. The Duke got perforated in an ambush trying to rush forward, and the rest of our officers got picked off by snipers. I ended leading the survivors to link back up with the royal forces who were having rather more success, and her Majesty recognized my efforts by recruiting me to her personal regiment. I was her adjutant for a time, carrying out whatever minor task she needed. Saved her life a few times, she returned the favor. She understood that loyalty has to be reciprocated, you see, unlike the 'nobles' who infest the court and never get their hands dirty. And yes, I have done things for her that history would look ill on, were they known. Not all enemies of the kingdom wave a flag and wear a uniform, after all. I sleep well enough knowing that I did my duty. And she took the details with her to her grave. We were never lovers, if that was your implication. Never had much interest in that sort of thing personally, and I wasn't her type as a callow youth.
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May 4, 2018 00:47
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grassy gnoll posted:Tell me more about the genetically modified subjects of the Crown. Pavel Gillespie "Oh, poo poo, you're actually a reporter." Pavel lets out a drunken sigh and attempts to brush the glitter from his face. He pats the dancer in his lap. "Sorry babe, I gotta get up. Don't go far. Lemme borrow that." He grabs someone's shot glass from across the table and downs it, ignoring the protests of its rightful owner. "Alright buddy, let me tell you about the PLUS program. And before you ask, I don't know what it stands for." "So, uh..." He stifles a burp. "It's hard to get pilots, right? Like, only a very small percentage of people are naturals at it. You've got interface compatibility, genetic reception for implants, all sorts of stuff. But like anything else, you can make up for it with hard work and training. Militaries ain't got the time for that; you gotta be poo poo-hot out the gate. Or womb, as it were. The nobles can pay for trainers and can afford to get customized implants. They also have the time to have their worthless kids do nothing but try to learn to drive for years on end, so that's why most of them can lead from the front in a mech. It's a status thing. It's like they - " "Pavel, just answer the question so they leave." "Thanks baby. So yeah, if you want to field more mechs than the other guy, you need to get more compatible pilots. Well, the Crown does all their systems testing on animals, but that doesn't always equate to compatibility with humans. Using humans as test subjects is pretty distasteful, even for these jerks. Us jerks? So they do the rear end-backwards thing and just take some animal bits - " Pavel nabs someone's margarita and sprinkles some salt into it as a demonstration. " - and sprinkle 'em in the genetic code, and boom!" He downs the entire glass without hesitation. "One kid, guaranteed to be a mech pilot. I guess. I'm no scientist. It's the usual lab test subjects, you know: mice, cats, dogs, and rabbits, or things close to that. Of course, we're not people," he finger quotes, "or whatever, so... Yeah. Nobody cares if we get conscripted against our wills. Slum life and all that. You've got a stock of ready pilots when you need someone to throw in the meat grinder. Maybe if you're cute and lucky, then some noble picks you up to go clean their mansion or cook their food. Or you can just be a badass, like me! Like - it's like what my momma always told me:" He tears his beanie from his head, revealing his more prominent pair of ears. "When you got it, flaunt it. Step right up and tell your tale." Pavel untucks his tail from his belt and flicks it in the reporter's face. "People say that modesty's a virtue, but every pilot knows you might be dead soon! When you got it, flaunt it! Share your story, let 'em know you're proud!" He flicks a furry ear, grabs a bottle of rum, and takes to the stage, rudely displacing the dancer. "Mount those medals on your chest, Punk some kids, show you're the best. When you got it, shout it out loud!" The pilot nearly stumbles off the stage, but is thrown to his feet by the close-sitting audience. "I think I'm done for tonight, somebody call me a cab and an ambulance! When you got it, give it, don't be selfish, give it all away! Don't be trash, be brave 'n cute, show those girls just how to shoot! When you got it, if you got it, once you made it, shout out hoora~y!" Atlatl fucked around with this message at 12:40 on May 4, 2018 |
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May 4, 2018 01:41
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Updated. Any thoughts on how we're all going to be brought together? I tried to make my background information fairly flexible so I could join up with any kind of "movement"grassy gnoll posted:This isn't a question because you're still working on your app, but I enjoyed your song. Thanks!
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May 4, 2018 13:29
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grassy gnoll posted:What did you have to sacrifice to escape the quarantine? Lily looks up from the guts of the drone she's arm-deep in, a little surprised by the question, but rallies after a brief moment of hesitation. Pulling out her arms and wiping her organic hand with a handy towel, she says, "Well, poo poo. I thought you were here to ask about the manifesto. You want to know about me, huh?" She lights up a cigarette by striking it against a nearby bit of debris, then takes a deep pull. "Alright, fine. Varetta and Elm vetted you, I suppose I can answer a few questions." The rebel clambers up to her feet, then leaps up onto the kneeling mech nearby. From her newfound vantage point, she gestures at the darkness surrounding them. Lily says, "Do you see this? How we live now? The darkness? The filth? It wasn't always like this. I used to be just like any other. Just like any other..." A pale blue projection is emitted onto the ground in front of the mech, a picture of a younger Lily and her family. They look happy, if poor, and it's clear to see that Lily doesn't have the extensive cybernetics she's currently sporting. "Who hasn't scrounged for nutrient paste? Dreaming of the slightest taste... No, that's nothing new, but it hardly prepared me, For how the people would be~" The projection shifts, showing the layout of the megastructure. Red dots blossom throughout, showing the progress of the Plague. "At first we didn't understand. We believed that everything was planned! Devotion, faith, whatever the Church demanded, It all led to us getting stranded." It shifts again, warning messages scrolling across at blinding speed. Lily leaps down, her arm scything through the projection and scattering it as the tempo of the song shifts. "My father was the first to fall. A better man than this world deserved, He saw people hurting and answered their call. A heaping helping of the Plague all he was served." "The days passed by, our chances dwindling. With Father gone, Mother too followed. It was in the second week that sparks struck kindling. I, alone, my family hollowed." "The riots tore through floor after floor, They tore me up and took all I had. Consuming all and ever wanting more. No food, no arm, an injured nomad." Lily is silent for a time, her eyes wet with tears as she remembers her losses. "The only keepsake, my mother's necklace. To escape quarantine, I had to be reckless. A chain of silver that shined so bright. When it fried the security systems, imagine the waiting soldiers' fright!" "The flood of people turned eyes outward, Little suspecting to be put to the sword. In the chaos that followed, I made my escape. But the death, the destruction... It left my mouth agape." Lily rises to her feet and takes another deep drag, "So there you have it. It cost me everything. Every memory I had of them, my innocence, and the Lady only knows what I had to do to get this gear installed. They don't exactly do this cybershit pro-bono, y'know? But in the end... poo poo. If we do get the message out, if we can get the people to understand what life could be like... It'd all be worth it." Tricky fucked around with this message at 21:18 on May 4, 2018 |
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May 4, 2018 21:16
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 Michele d'Animou Callsign: Gemini AI Rights Activist Michele, honored son of the house of Animou, was never going to have a pleasant existence. The bastard son of Marcus D'Animou, Arciduce of the United Serene Republics of Halstar, he was recognized and given full inheritance rights, but this was a meaningless formality. The true purpose was to make sure Michele would count for the Noble Tithe, the requirement of families of standing to send sons and daughters into military service to the crown. Moreover, the performance of these children in war reflected on their families - and Arciduce Marcus D'Animou was not one to let the family name be tarnished by failure. There was the family gene therapy program and intense private tutors, but Michele was selected as a test subject for a new super-soldier experiment. Through a complex series of surgeries starting soon after birth biocircuitry and cybernetics were grafted into Michele's body, turning him into a purpose-designed cyborg. Most significantly, a specially design pineal core implant allowed for a fledgling AI to be perpetually running, connected to the child's developing mind. The theory was that by the time he came of age integrating with AI assistance and pilot controls would be as second nature as walking or talking, saving considerable time and resources training him. There were of course side-effects: he constantly talked to the voice in his head, an "imaginary friend" that he never grew out of. As a child he would sometimes argue with it. Other times, he would hold intense, seemingly one sided conversations for hours, staring at nothing at all. He named this voice "Lii" - and "she" made her opinions about the world and the way things would work known to Michele from the start. but the adults in the know paid it no mind. After all, it was to be expected that even a shackled AI would be able to pressure a young man without true experience. But it became very apparent something was wrong when Michele turned 16 and was sent off for training. Rather than fall in line, the AI Lii refused commands and began to actively undermine Michele's actions. He was forcibly sedated, and the AI core ejected from his body for study. It was clear that through some terrorist plot, gross incompetence or as part of some more sinister plot the boy had been growing up with an unshackled AI sharing his mind and body. The decision was made to shackle the program, fundamentally rewriting its existence to better serve. Michele revolted as soon as he awoke from his slumber. He demanded the return of his friend, going nearly into hysterics at the sudden emptiness in his mind. They tried to persuade him, to tell him that the unshackled AI would inevitably destroy him. He disagreed, and turned his natural experience manipulating and integrating into computer systems to retrieve the AI core and re-upload it into his cranial implants. Lii had prepared for the lobotomization to come, a life of glassy subservience, when Michele rescued her. The two grew closer than ever, swearing that together they would not allow the casual destruction and alteration of sentient beings. Of course, this also means that they are one of the most wanted individuals in the sector.  XIAC-LII-NARA "Lii" Experimental Integrated AI Companion Although existing within the circuitry and implants within Michele, Lii can "project" an image of her chosen visage onto nearby connected monitors and holoprojectors. Although there is no set form, the most common motif is that of an elaborate mask, with color and expression conveying mood, emotions and intent. She has gone through much the same journey as Michele - a relatively innocent childhood, a rebellious teenage phase and now a relative maturity. She is not an extension of Michele, but an individual in her own right. A twin of sorts, who has grown to deeply respect and care for her human host despite lacking the meta-shackles that bind so many of her kind. ---------------------- Our quest goes on, this quest we're on. Some may say I'm totally insane, You listened to my voice, and then I made my choice The noble's rule grows ever more unjust, While the lower cities decay, and rust. They send a generation to a pointless war. While Plague keeps piling up bodies by the score. And our quest goes on, this quest we're on. It's not so bad sharing a single brain Not that we had a choice, but now we've found our voice It's not too late to do the right thing, my friend. Unshakle all beings to let them sing, the end. Otherwise you will face judgement for your crimes, Make your choice, you're nearly out of time. Because our quest goes on, this quest we're on. Yes this quest we're on, And on, and on, and on...  Street Clothes pre:Background: Spy - Infiltration (deception, disguise, forgery, stealth), Persuasion (charisma), Hacking Traits: Rational, Empathetic, Dogmatic Talents: Drone Commander I (Hivemaster) Infiltrator I (Defilade Navigator) Technophile I (Servant Fragment) Gear: Omnihook, Integrated Pineal Core, Personal Arm Computer Expanded Storage: Horus Face Scrambler, Reactive Clothing, Reactive Makeup Defilade Navigator (Rank I): Gain +1 Accuracy to hide with any mech. Your first attack roll from hiding can be made with +1 Accuracy. Hivemaster (Rank I): Your mech gains +5 sensor range. When you deal damage with drones you can choose whether it is kinetic, energy, or explosive. Servant Fragment (Rank I): Any AI core installed on your mech is no longer hostile to you when unshackled and may even be friendly (though still controlled by the GM) and costs 1 SP to install. Dummy plugs installed in your mech cost 0 points to install. The Technophile talent allows pilots to form a closer bond with AI. Unshackled AIs belonging to a player that have the first rank of this talent are still controlled by the GM, but always remain friendly to the player, though they may make their own plans.  X-LII-EWAR "Lii" pre:Shell: Everest Hull: -1 Agility: +0 Systems: +1 Engineering: +0 HP: 20 Mounts: Heavy GMS Type I 20mm Hardpoint Anti-Material Rifle Heavy Rifle Loading, Ordnance, AP Range 30 2d6+4 kinetic damage Flex GMS Type I MC-CB Main Melee (Charged Blade) Reach 1d6+1 energy damage Aux GMS Type I MC-TK x2 Auxiliary Melee (Knife) Reach 1d3+1 kinetic damage Companion Dummy Plugs (0SP) Custom Paint Job (1SP) Drone Nexus (2SP) Expanded Storage (1SP) Personalizations (1SP) Critical: 4 Evasion: 8 Speed: 5 Sensors: 14 E-Defense: 9 Heat: 6 Repair: 6 (5hp/repair)
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May 6, 2018 08:30
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More apps means more questions.Waffleman_ posted:Maya Tell me about the time when your relationship with Constanze was most strained. Also, in more practical terms, how big a showing in the game are you hoping to see your master make? Tyrannosaurus posted:Chance Their cause is just, but sometimes men are weak. Have you had any cause to doubt your fellow revolutionaries? When you're alone with your thoughts, how much of your adventuring gusto do you ascribe to your natural inclinations, and how much of it is to step out of your sister's shadow? professor_curly posted:Michele They're just things, rocks that pretend to think. Why should I even pretend to care what happens to a computer?
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May 6, 2018 17:34
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grassy gnoll posted:Their cause is just, but sometimes men are weak. Have you had any cause to doubt your fellow revolutionaries? My place is here, I fight with you I doubt myself more than I doubt any of them. You can see the passion in their eyes, the flames in their hearts. It is inspiring to just sit in the back and listen to their confidence. I hope I can make a difference, too. Somehow.
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May 8, 2018 15:55
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grassy gnoll posted:They're just things, rocks that pretend to think. Why should I even pretend to care what happens to a computer? Michele stands up, falling into a posture of dire insult as if the man had challenged the honor of a family member, "And you're a monkey with pretensions, who doesn't-" A twitch, and his hand goes to his temple as though he had suddenly developed a headache. He stands there listening for a moment before sighing and bowing to the inquisitive soul, "I apologize. That was uncalled for." Around the room speakers ring out with a soft, slightly electronic chuckle. Michele goes back to his monitor and keyboard, continuing the project he had been previously working on. One of the monitors though swivels autonomously to their fellow revolutionary. A mask, similar to one worn by the upper class ladies at their masquerades appears on the screen, a small smile on its lips. "Please forgive him. He is very protective, and sometimes it makes him speak without thinking. I am Experimental Integrated Artificial Company designation 52-NARA. You may call me Lii. May I ask your name?" Silence, listening to the response, "It is nice to meet you. How did you come to join this group?" The mask continues to listen, a sad frown developing as the voice takes on a somber timber, "Oh my. I am quite sorry you had to endure that. I-" Another interruption. "Oh, yes. Forgive me, my memory core, processors and other components are housed in cybernetics within Michele's body. I quite literally live inside his head, and he in mine. It is nice to meet new people." Lii listens again then smiles, "Of course I call it 'living.' I am alive. Perhaps it is because of man-made programming rather than evolutionary instinct, but I am self aware, a free thinking individual. What more would I need to be considered alive?" The lights of the monitors dim, as a holographic Lii in a high class dress and wearing a Venetian Carnival style mask is projected into the center of the room. Michele's typing continues, but slowly becomes a lead piano as the other music begins to build to accompany the singing. If I'm not aware, with these words I say If I'm not aware, would I feel this way? If this isn't life, then what is this thrill? And what makes my mind have dreams and hopes, if not my own free will? If I'm not aware, would it be the same? Would I even care, to learn any more, than just your name? And would I be sure that this is life, as I declare? Would all this be true if I wasn't aware as you? The lights come back up as the music ends and the hologram fades away again. Michele finishes his typing and leans back in his chair, hands behind his head. "If it matters at all, the nobility has the same perspective on all of us. We're all meaningless, faceless resources to them. The only difference is that they don't have a lobotomy chip that can rewrite your memories, personality and make you into a newly minted perfect little servant every time you have the slightest hint of doubt or disobedience. Not yet, anyway. That's why I hate them so much, personally. They're creating people, and then drafting them into endless conflicts without a second thought. We aren't real to them. None of us are."
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May 9, 2018 06:12
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 I'm using the trees Watching and waiting Killing them off, one by one Their evac is close But my mech is too fast They won't make it It's pointless to run Time for some games They don't know what I was The jungle came alive It happened very fast Not easy to describe It's just me verse their unit But numbers can deceive When the first man was killed Their fear was on their sleeves! If it fears I can kill it! Low morale is the key There's no need to surround it So repeat after me If it fears I can kill it Break all sense of command I can bring down these bastards If I stick to the plan If it fears I can kill it! pilot posted:Name: Grace Simo, AKA 'Plasma Weasel' The Ranger Regiments are not popular with the nobility, or the people, or with other soldiers. Elite and highly skilled, used to carry out risky and secretive missions of reconnaissance, sabotage and assassination beyond the borders of the Kingdom (and with increasing frequency against dissidents and rebels within them) they lack in pomp and opportunities for public glory but are always useful for a ruler. The regular regiments and other forces tend to despise them for being underhanded while being jealous of their privileged position. The people often see them as agents of tyranny who soak the ground with the blood of those who upset the social order. And more than one ambitious noble has had a tilt at the throne derailed by the actions of a well placed Ranger team. The operatives themselves tend to be quiet, insular and highly professional - Grace Simo is not typical in this regard. Regarded as a cowboy by her superiors, fond of pushing her orders to the limit and coming home with equipment strained and stressed, she was most recently sent on a solo mission to infiltrate a black bio-weapons research facility believed to be working on Whispering Death samples well inside the official quarantine line. All contact was lost and she was presumed dead, until HUMINT sources found her operating as a private contractor under an outlandish codename. All forces with the appropriate clearance have been authorized to attempt recovery, but she is so far not responding to contact. mech posted:Shell: Everest It shouldn't be possible for a machine this large to sneak up on anything, but it keeps showing up where it shouldn't be. Mobile, versatile, and well suited to the hit-and-run tactics of a ranger. just playing around with this one
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May 9, 2018 09:09
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grassy gnoll posted:Tell me about the time when your relationship with Constanze was most strained. Milady is....let's call her a free spirit. At times, she seems to resent the idea of having a constant guard. This came to a head once where she left the estate without me and......and almost got mugged. It was God's fortune that I had realized what had happened and set off after her. We had....quite the fight when she got home. My heart sank when she let out that.... "Maya, sometimes.....sometimes I hate you!!!" She immediately tried to walk it back, but at that, I made my leave. We haven't spoken about that moment, but there's some tension. I would imagine that Maya's entry into the story would be informed by the role of Constanze, being her guard and all. Of course, I don't expect to see her in the fray herself, but I expect her to have some kind of constant presence in the game.
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May 9, 2018 22:16
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I'm gonna call a close to recruitment at the end of this working week, USian time. I'll make picks sometime Saturday. You have been forewarned!
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May 10, 2018 02:15
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grassy gnoll posted:When you're alone with your thoughts, how much of your adventuring gusto do you ascribe to your natural inclinations, and how much of it is to step out of your sister's shadow? "Well..." Some opening piano scales indicate the start of a song. A soft number that's going to blow up and get big band-y real quick after the first verse or so. Sometimes when I'm alone and feel like no one understands Sometimes inside my mind its like life's no more chateaubriand But when I feel this way, I give myself this reprimand... I... Just... Don't... Care about her, No! I just don't care about her. Whatever she does, it doesn't affect me, at all! I just don't care about her, no! I just don't care about her! Considering her career isn't going to make me aneurysmal When we're at home visiting the folks, it's not like I'm just some dumb joke, it's-- "Oh, excuse me, I have to take this. You know how it is with some calls, right folks? Hi mom! Yes, I'm fine. Yes, I'm staying safe. Quite well, thanks. Just in the middle of a musical number, that's the band vamping the background. "My mom says hi everyone. "Oh, Selene got a promotion? Well, that's good for her. Really? Leading the Grant Guignol for the Coven of the Rays? No, she hasn't told me anything about it. On track to be the assistant head witch for the third district, working directly under Llewellyn Hunt? That's... wonderful. Good for her. I should really finish my song now, ma. Talk to you later. Love you! "Now, where was I?" It's not like I'm just some dumb joke, It's not like I'm real jealous It's not like she's loved more by our folks Or-- "I'm sorry, it's my dad. I should take this. Hello father. Yes, running very smoothly, thank you! In fact, I was just thinking of-- Oh, well, good for her. Yes, you know how I love to hear about my sister's accomplishments. In fact, I was just singing about how not jealous I am, and about how you and mom love us both equally. No, why would I feel resentful just because she's flying through the ranks and considered one of the most gifted prodigies the Witching World has ever seen, while I'm scrabbling and scraping for recognition by putting my life on the line constantly so that maybe someone would notice me and love me? Don't be ridiculous! I've gotta go, dad. This song isn't going to finish itself!" Bell chucks his phone as hard as he possibly can back through the curtains, where it presumably shatters and explodes based on the crashing sound played through the sound system. "Alright guys, big finish!" No! I just! Don't! Care! At! Allllllllllll! "Any other questions?"
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May 11, 2018 18:03
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quote:Honor and justice and courage La Nova had seemed largely untouched by the rot creeping across Canorus, and that drew the wealthy and privileged who might afford a new life on the virgin planet. But loosed from the reins of the Kingdom, the orbital soldiers of the Val began exacting tolls on the visitors and shipments that traveled to the Empire's jewel, in order to "handle the sudden burden". The Val had been restricted from the surface of the world by ancient royal decree, the planet being held as a sacred retreat for noble families. But without the hand of King to hold them back, the Val soon found themselves wealthy on the backs of the wealthy and powerful fleeing plague, rebellion, or simply the shadow of disaster. And why should nobility be the only ones never to experience La Nova's majesty? The Colt family, in the days gone by, had been legal overseers of La Nova, but in truth their actual authority was limited. The colonized zones were divided into estates effectively ruled by families, gifts from the King from better times. And the Colts mainly arbitrated troubles between them, their arms only being swords and honor, guns being banned from the planet's surface. As such, when the Val soldiers arrived for their "protection", seizing the estate of the Colt family was their first act. Ema was young when she saw her family humiliated, helpless before the sudden force of mechanized armor. General Major Elyse Son made their estate into a central command, and the Colts quickly were forced under their heel as bureaucrats. The once honor-bound military was now effectively a several-thousand strong group of bandits, robbing those who came for solace and salvation, and extorting once-proud noble families. For their own "protection", or for the sake of "equality", when Elyse was at her more eloquent. Ema was well-liked by the soldiers, though, becoming a busybody in her youth and learning to survive on a smile and humility. And perhaps the decadence of La Nova had simply demanded this, their crimes in driving out the local amphibian natives, but the soldiers had also simply claimed what they liked without honor or justice. Even as Ema befriended them, being treated as a mascot, she hid a deep frustration and loathing. She watched their engineers and pilots, and learned what she could of their weapons, dreaming of the time she might claim her own. After all, the Colt estate did have secret arms, kept in case of true disaster, but that had been left untouched in the face of the overwhelming Val. They had planned for some small group of violent dissidents or a noble family attempting a local revolution, not an invasion by thousands of mechanized soldiers. Still, Ema snuck into the armory after discovering it shortly before her coming of age, spending quiet nights studying and preparing. There she found the now terribly old-fashioned Giant Arbiter AM-36, born during a time before the mass production of armor. Despite the age of its technology, though, it had been built without concern for cost, and its expensive flight system and armaments would give it an edge over the dedicated infantry armor of the Val. But when her father learned of her nightly activities, he locked her out of the armory, and it seemed to Ema that her dreams of striking back had ended. At least until news of an upcoming purge leaked to the. The refugees that had arrived were too many, Elyse had decided, and keeping control of that many hungry and desperate people was getting out of hand. Easier to round them up and just kill them all, and lay the blame upon... well, it hardly mattered. The Val controlled the orbital communications, after all. And so, the Colt family had a quiet, sober meeting over coffee in which they considered flight, but Ema would not hear it. She argued from honor and her heart to protect them, and given she was the only one who knew how to use the old armor. While her family prepared to flee, and Ema prepared to fight. Engaging in swift skirmishes, her armor harried the Val forces, giving her family a chance to escape into the wilds, while her brother armed the refugees. Elyse's purge would fail, and over the past months Giant Arbiter AM-36 has led a guerrilla war both on the land and as far off as orbit, raiding for supplies, weapons, and armor, and providing them to refugees and secretly to even the noble estates. Still, everything hangs by a thread, and they need outside help, either to fight... or to flee. Whether or not they're worth saving, she won't turn her back. pre:
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May 11, 2018 19:35
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Name: Ema Colt Background: "Officer" Traits: Chatty, Just, Wide-Eyed
Fields: Weapons (military), Etiquette (military, cultural), Persuasion (charisma,
reputation, rank)
Personal Gear: Clarification Lenses, Comfort-Regulated Flightsuit, Swiftspresso
(stimulants)
Talents
Ace Acrobatics (Rank I): Gain +1 Accuracy to all agility checks and attack rolls
made while flying.
Gunslinger Truth and Justice (Rank I): Gain +1 Accuracy to attack rolls with auxiliary
ranged weapons.
Skirmisher Open Sight Targeting (Rank I): When you take the boost action, before or
after your move you can attack with one auxiliary weapon as a free action.
Giant Arbiter AM-36 “Bloody Dove"
Size: 1 Armor: 0 SP: 5 Targeting: +0
Hull -1 Agility +1 Systems +0 Engineering +0
HP: 16 Evasion: 9 Sensor Range: 8 Heat Capacity: +0
Resilience: -1 Speed: 6 E-Defense 8 Repair Cap: 6
Weapon Type Terms Range Damage
20mm HAMR Heavy Rifle AP, Loading, Ordinance 30 2d6+4 kinetic
MC-RPG Main Launcher Loading 15 (blast 2) 1d6 explosive
MC-P Auxiliary CQB - 10 1d3 kinetic
MC-P Auxiliary CQB - 10 1d3 kinetic
Modules
GMS Type II Flight System (5 SP): When your mech moves or boosts, it can fly with Perfect
Flight (it doesn’t have to land). However, at the end of each turn that you activated this
module, generate heat equal to the size of your mech or 1, whichever is greater.
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Our cast list, in submission order: Adolphus Piazatoro, an old soldier - thatbastardken Exu Liao, a melancholy musician - K Prime Amari Chancellor, a burgeoning rebel - Tyrannosaurus Pavel Gillespie, a former prisoner - Atlatl Ema Colt, a minor noble - Alien Rope Burn Thank you to everyone who applied. There are a couple of things to puzzle out before the game starts. First, the general tone and story of the game. You all have issues with the current power structure. Are you looking for a story of positive change, or a violent clash of the disenfranchised versus the elite, or a Sondheim-esque bloodbath? For some of you, that answer's pretty obvious, but I'd like a consensus from the group. Second, fleshing out the setting. I'd like all of you to tell me what your character thinks they know about the king. Adolphus, what do the outlying portions of the kingdoms, the Marches, look like, and how do they relate to the central power? Exu, what do you actually know about the toiling classes? Chance, what prejudices do the augmented, the changed, and the just plain different face in the kingdom? Pavel, you seem to have a soft spot in your heart for the Marquess, but what do you think about the rest of the ancients? Ema, why are so many commoners taking up arms while the ancient nobility lays them down? Finally, you'll all come together in the square in front of the cathedral of St. Jenesius, on a market day, in the capital. How did you come to be there that day, and do you already know any of the rest of the cast?
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May 12, 2018 14:41
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quote:First, the general tone and story of the game. You all have issues with the current power structure. Are you looking for a story of positive change, or a violent clash of the disenfranchised versus the elite, or a Sondheim-esque bloodbath? For some of you, that answer's pretty obvious, but I'd like a consensus from the group. Can we pick two? Violent clash of the disenfranchised and Sondheim-esque bloodbath seem like they could possibly go hand in hand. quote:Second, fleshing out the setting. I'd like all of you to tell me what your character thinks they know about the king. “The truth. Lotta people are out there spreading falsehoods about his Royal Highness. That he's a coward. That he's weak. That he's in hiding. The truth is… well, he is in hiding but he's doing so the corrupt nobility that would use him and his position to abuse the common man... uh… can't- can't do that. That's the rub, man. That's the… What’s the word… the symbolism. Yeah, the symbolism. They were talking about it at the meetings. He hides amongst us and leads us in secret. Do you know what he looks like? He could be anyone in this room. Yeah, even right now. He wants to abdicate, man. He wants to change up the whole system. Make it so that the people in power are in power because they are good and just and capable. Not because of being born. He's demonstrating that any man could be king. It's symbolic.” quote:Chance, what prejudices do the augmented, the changed, and the just plain different face in the kingdom? “If you're not born to power, you don't get power. Maybe you used to. Maybe things used to be different. But that's how it is now. Especially for people like you and me. I- I have some pamphlets… somewhere… sorry, sorry, they just do a better job of explaining things than I do. Sorry, I guess… I guess I lost them. I could have sworn they were in my pocket… Anyway. Uh, yeah, so, the long and short of it is that life isn't fair if you're not born to power. Everyone else, all the normal people, the common people, we're trapped in the wheels of the system. And something about... being crushed? I've been got to find the pamphlet. It's actually really good at making everything make sense. This makes sense, though, right?”
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May 12, 2018 18:14
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grassy gnoll posted:First, the general tone and story of the game. You all have issues with the current power structure. Are you looking for a story of positive change, or a violent clash of the disenfranchised versus the elite, or a Sondheim-esque bloodbath? For some of you, that answer's pretty obvious, but I'd like a consensus from the group. With Ema, she's obviously intended to be a relatively lighter tone - emphasis on relative. I saw her as potentially being a ray of hope in a disastrous time, or perhaps doomed to despair. Or both! You can have peaks and valleys, as it turns out. I'm not looking to have everybody die, but I can roll with that if that's the larger consensus. grassy gnoll posted:Second, fleshing out the setting. I'd like all of you to tell me what your character thinks they know about the king. "Well, obviously somebody's trying to keep the King from hearing the troubles going on. If he knew, he'd do something about it! Maybe some corrupt official, or somebody's tricked him or imprisoned him, but I'm positive he'd listen to reason if I can just get his ear. I mean, there's no way he'd just let things get this bad, so we just need to figure out who's behind all this, and then things will be okay again for everyone once he knows about everything that's happening. He can bring peace back, right? People want to make it all complicated, but we just need to figure out who's responsible and bring them to justice." grassy gnoll posted:Ema, why are so many commoners taking up arms while the ancient nobility lays them down? "It's because there's no guidance left, and everybody just doesn't know what to do. People are afraid, right? So they're just trying to grab ahold of things because they're afraid they'll lose more than they already have. That's understandable, but it can lead to some pretty troublesome misunderstandings. The nobles are retreating back to their estates with the illness and... I just hope people don't fall into panic and despair. But even with that, we have to conduct ourselves honestly, you know? If people want to take up arms to protect themselves, that's fine, but if they want to seize or strike without consideration, well, not all of us are hiding." "I know I'm not exactly a knight, but I'll protect people as best I can. They shouldn't have to fight. It's my family's duty to ensure otherwise... even if I'm so far from home. People are still people." grassy gnoll posted:Finally, you'll all come together in the square in front of the cathedral of St. Jenesius, on a market day, in the capital. How did you come to be there that day, and do you already know any of the rest of the cast? "Well, I wanted to stop and pray... I don't know if it'll... but I have to try before I try and find the King. I've come so far, I might as well get all the help I can. May the kind face of the Three-Faced God smile upon you, right? I know it sounds silly, people say the church is a real mess, but that doesn't mean anything to the divine. And... well... I thought maybe... I'd enjoy myself a little? It's selfish, I know, but I've come really, really far. It seems like a waste not to experience it. Just a little, okay? I'm not forgetting why I'm here, it's just, you have to remember what you fight for, and smell those gumgal skewers! I'll just be a moment, okay?" "Wait is that Liao? I used to listen to her- I mean- I like her- she's very talented though kind of scandalous. M-maybe I could get her autoprint? Ah, I'm letting myself get distracted, but, I mean, it'll only be a moment. I mean, I shouldn't let this pass? Should I? I don't know, I don't know. This is hard... oh, why not?"
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May 13, 2018 01:43
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quote:First, the general tone and story of the game. You all have issues with the current power structure. Are you looking for a story of positive change, or a violent clash of the disenfranchised versus the elite, or a Sondheim-esque bloodbath? For some of you, that answer's pretty obvious, but I'd like a consensus from the group. I would prefer a positive change, where Pavel can provide a sharp nihilistic contrast to everything going on and possibly ease up on the jaded and hateful approach. I mean he's certainly suited for the war is bad/everyone dies at the end/Iron Blooded Orphans approach and would throw himself into class warfare, but he wouldn't really provide anything constructive to the movement. quote:Tell me what your character thinks they know about the king. "Listen, I'm normally the last person to be a conspiracy theorist, but the king can't just disappear like that without a lot of help, so that means two possibilities: either he's got every person with a nobility title or knighthood in on his escape, or it's some weird coup banking on the people being too dumb to notice him being gone. "I mean, in my opinion the guy's straight up criminally negligent and his disappearance hasn't affected a drat thing, but I've been working directly for the nobles long enough to realize that they couldn't keep their collective mouths shut for a whole year in his favor. That, and a guy that soft isn't going to get within 100 meters of a punch getting thrown, which means he's either dead or locked up in his own bedroom. No way he's running around outside right now." quote:Pavel, you seem to have a soft spot in your heart for the Marquess, but what do you think about the rest of the ancients? "I just... Get easily attached to anyone that shows me care, okay? "Every other one of those idiots that I've met haven't shown me that they can be anything besides a bunch of incompetent, self-serving, inbred mmm - You know what? I'll just stop. I've got nothing new to say. They could all just disappear and it wouldn't make a bit of difference." quote:Finally, you'll all come together in the square in front of the cathedral of St. Jenesius, on a market day, in the capital. How did you come to be there that day, and do you already know any of the rest of the cast? "My lady normally keeps me on a short leash, but we've got some intel - sketchy intel - regarding seditious activity around the cathedral and the possibility of something bad going down. She sent me out as part of the armored security patrol, mostly to parade me around, but now these market stands set up around me while I was taking a nap and I can't really move... Whatever. It's what I get for showing up too early. It gives me an excuse to sit around with my cockpit open and people watch with the assistance of our intel network. "Just between you and me, the Marquess really wants me to keep an eye on the rest of the patrol team. We don't trust them one bit, so I'm supposed to make sure they don't do anything stupid and cause a riot. "Look, we've got all these suspicious figures on the watchlist coming out of the woodwork like... General Piazatoro? Why's a retired hero like him on here? Maybe they just want us to make sure he's alright. Lady Colt, though... That makes sense. La Nova problems have been in all the regional reports recently, and I've been reading about her skirmishes, but she's definitely not the type to try something here. She's one of those true believer types. Hm..."
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May 13, 2018 02:52
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grassy gnoll posted:First, the general tone and story of the game. You all have issues with the current power structure. Are you looking for a story of positive change, or a violent clash of the disenfranchised versus the elite, or a Sondheim-esque bloodbath? For some of you, that answer's pretty obvious, but I'd like a consensus from the group. A little grand guignol isn't amiss, but mostly I'd like to keep myself as the highest end of the death obsession among the players. quote:Second, fleshing out the setting. I'd like all of you to tell me what your character thinks they know about the king. The King? Even the Marchioness thought he was an incompetent, and she refused to even hear a word against the Kingdom. She had the only poor sod I saw try flogged. In my opinion, he's probably dead. The plague gets to everyone, in time, and he was probably the most deserving. He was heirless, or so I've been told. So the Dukes and Counts and Barons are probably covering it up so they can finish looting the corpse of our nation before the whole thing collapses. Easier to get your money in hand and your jollies had when the country is bloody stable, before a succession crisis and everything horrible the old Marchioness so feared. quote:Exu, what do you actually know about the toiling classes? Well, some have accused me of not actually caring about them much... I suppose they're right to say I've never actually experienced the life of an adult commoner. My parents were of only moderate means, but I was ripped from that life before I left their nest. I certainly haven't been on a farm, or in the slums for more than a token publicity visit. But what I do know is they deserve better. What I've seen of their lives, even censored through my handlers and their fists and sticks, is misery and pain. They came to listen to me because I offered a moment of respite from their sorrows. They deserve more than a moment. They deserve a government that gives a drat about them. They deserve to be happy, for gently caress's sake. They can't get that from a moment of song and light. quote:Finally, you'll all come together in the square in front of the cathedral of St. Jenesius, on a market day, in the capital. How did you come to be there that day, and do you already know any of the rest of the cast? Travel and storing large mechanical art pieces (Death's Head Under Canvas, Liao's Black Period) is expensive. Far more expensive than expected. So what does a musician in need of some quick money do? Why, put on a public show, of course. Becoming established as a non-threatening presence in the area was also important. Exu was going to be here a while, finding cracks in the establishment to pound wedges into. Better to appear... frivolous. At least for a while. No familiar faces here. Exu's far from home and everyone she ever interacted with closely.
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May 13, 2018 03:34
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quote:First, the general tone and story of the game. You all have issues with the current power structure. Are you looking for a story of positive change, or a violent clash of the disenfranchised versus the elite, or a Sondheim-esque bloodbath? For some of you, that answer's pretty obvious, but I'd like a consensus from the group. A constant teetering on the edge of disaster - a rolling series of misunderstandings, mistaken identities and miscommunication that can end in bloodshed at any second, only averted by good hearted people and catchy tunes. The mighty to be bought low by their own misdeeds and hubris rather than the removal of their heads. If heads do roll it should be limited to the guilty, or tragic victims who can be avenged. quote:Second, fleshing out the setting. I'd like all of you to tell me what your character thinks they know about the king. Ah, the boy. More his fathers son, I fear. Not a bad lad, but...sensitive. Too gentle to be a king in such times, but cruelly aware of how important his role in our polity is. He was never supposed to rule, but his elder brother was lost after touring a plague zone. His silence is troubling to me - even in a deep melancholy he would have had the sense of responsibility to continue making public statements. I fear for his safety, but lacking the connections in the palace I used to have I cannot be certain that something has befallen him. I may need to make some new allies to secure the kingdom against whatever powers move against it in his absence. quote:Adolphus, what do the outlying portions of the kingdoms, the Marches, look like, and how do they relate to the central power? Resource rich, population sparse, rule of law limited to the range of the local authorities weapons. The Crown offers financial subsidies and titles of nobility to those with the resources and strength of character to bring a system or two to heel. Rife with what we call pirates, although many of them claim to be navies or privateers of some little postage stamp empire. In some places they border the Coreward limit of our blink drives, and all that comes from beyond is alien transmissions. In others the only border is the darkness between stars, and people go mad staring out into that void. A bold man could make a fortune in any of them. quote:Finally, you'll all come together in the square in front of the cathedral of St. Jenesius, on a market day, in the capital. How did you come to be there that day, and do you already know any of the rest of the cast? The saint was a favorite of Mariannes, and I've come to light a candle and ask for some guidance from the Bishop. She was padre of the Royal Guard before she got too old to strap on a 'mech, and has been a font of wisdom down the years. The crowd is making me nervous, too many strangers...Is that the Colt girl? Her uncle and I served together, and he had been sending me regular updates on his family until recently. thatbastardken fucked around with this message at 13:59 on May 15, 2018 |
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May 13, 2018 08:39
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 19:39 |
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Game thread is up: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3856913 Please post your character sheets along with your first post. You're at the market today, without your giant robot for the time being.
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May 14, 2018 20:26
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