Right, some time ago I started working on a roleplaying forum game that I wished to post here.
While some issues occurred and it's now less likely the game will see the light of
day players, I figured I'd rather share it than leave it to rot in my hard drive.
Well here it is. It's a rather soft sci-fi universe about the players being alien mercenaries - without puny earthlings.
(Almost)Also, there would be a good bit of spoiler-ish content that was not included, in case the game is effectively started.
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So, I see you could be willing to get back on track after that screw-up that left you almost penniless, and finally stop slacking off.
Before that happens, let me first tell you how you ended up here.
More or less 10000 of your years have passed since the scattering. Nobody knows
exactly when that happened, because the colonists that, well, scattered to settle on new lands before their planet went kaboom took a whole lot of time to get to their destinations. You know, they had no fancy FTL space-rippers or anything you take for granted now. We don't even know if they made it themselves alive, or if they simply programmed a few machines to start forming the planets and spawn some new life after their demise.
Fact is, the new life that they generated on the planets they landed on are basically the ancestors of all the races you see now. Much of the colonists' technology was lost initially, but eventually the new races managed to catch on, and at some point surpassed their masters. Then someone developed a rough form of today's
space-ripping technology, and the races began linking up again. Archaeologists say that the colonists' race was probably doomed by war and, before their home planet was bombed into oblivion, the colonists that left were so disgusted by it that somehow tried to engineer their descendants - that is, us - to be very different from themselves to stop them from falling down the same slope.
Needless to say, it didn't work all that well. Which is why you now have a job.
Yeah, you are dirty mercenaries. Usually small teams like yours work for a company instead of going solo like you have done so far, as least until you have a name. Not that it helped you last time - but again, your choice. More below on companies if you're interested.
What these mercenary companies do is essentially helping you find contracts and handling the relationship between you and your clients. Which means, showing the records of your past missions, ensuring that you are paid after the job, and giving you some rules (for example, making sure that you don't shoot civilians).
What they ask in return is a percentage of your payment, that greatly varies from one company to the other, and that you respect their standards.
If you are caught breaking them, you will be punished according to your offense. Which means anything from paying a small compensation, to being handed over to court as war criminals.
You normally join as a team, and they pass contracts to the whole team. In scenarios of larger scope, many teams will work together.
A list of companies you know:
Brakeron's peacekeepers
They aren't exactly easy to work with. They keep a whopping 35% of your earnings, they have very strict standards and strict punishment for whoever breaks them. They do that so that they can boast their integrity and professionality; this is not a company for the hot-headed and trigger-happy. At least it pays off, since clients that need a trustworthy team speak with these guys and offer a fair reward. That somewhat offsets the high withholding. Also, they have an office on almost every world.
One particular thing, they offer a desk job by default to mercenaries that receive a crippling injury on the field.
In short, these are their rules:
- No harming civilians; if you do, even by accident, expect harsh punishment
- Accept surrender from enemies
- No executing or torturing enemy prisoners
- No looting enemy or friendly equipment, unless your life is at stake.
- Help allies in danger whenever possible, even those not part of your merc team
Green star gunners
Their policy is laxer than the peacekeepers', and they ask for less. They mostly go for easier jobs, but they're not without a solid core of veterans that works only for them. They're well off enough that they can afford to refuse offers from the most infamous clients, like particularly brutal regimes or criminal groups.
They withhold 15% of the payments. Their standards in short:
- No intentionally harming civilians
- Do not execute enemies who surrender
- Do not loot equipment from fallen allies - enemy stuff is fair game however
The Purple Devils
Their policies give you a lot of freedom, although the clients usually don't pay a lot - on top of that, being a rather small company, they keep a considerable 20% of it.
They aren't above working with underground or shady clients, like resistance or criminal groups. These usually don't have a lot of money, but a good standing with them can help in other ways. Expect quite a bit of covert missions, in any case. They're specialized in those jobs.
Aside their 20%, they require from their teams that they avoid harming civilians or bystanders.
How much respect you are expected to give to your enemies depends on the setting.
Zhamdrum operations
The meanest and most ruthless of the companies you know. Their unofficial motto is something like "bring back a load of money and your skin". They are particularly infamous in that their most prominent clients have been desperate despots whose regime is falling, ready to do everything to save their rotten hides from angry mobs. Needless to say, their missions usually pay well, but they imply either a high risk or the need to do very, very bad things.
They withhold 15% of your payments.
Officially their policy would be against war crimes, but it's just a facade: as soon as you join them, they say that as long as you don't get caught, you can do whatever you want.
As long as you are not kicked as punishment, you can leave and join these companies as much as you want - Joining however requires a (more or less) small fee. That is to make sure you don't constantly jump from one company to another. Also, registering by two companies in the same time is a pretty big no-no, and if found out you'll be probably suspended or banned by both.
(Note: each company has its own alignment; it should not be hard to guess which.)
Krylyk
These guys look as if they were all mass-produced with the same mould, which is no surprise, since they're the soldier caste of a hive race with just a few queens. They are often considered by others, and themselves, expendable. Which is how they jump in the frontlines. Quite strong, brave, with good reflexes, yet often not very bright, they're alright in any combat task. In addition to that, it is said they can enter a berserker-like state and do incredible feats.
Murwei
Little, creepy, cloaked psychos. Now, it seems nobody trusts this lot - even if they're on your side. Doesn't help that they don't ever let any stranger see how they look like for real - they always go around with those little robes and wrappings of theirs. Always a lot of bad rumors on these fellows, even if there are some things nobody can do as well as they do - they're eagle-eyed, find even the faintest of traces, and know every trick in the universe to stay hidden and away from danger. Not exactly powerhouses, though.
Mloxani ("Quaddies")
If you thought anyone else looked odd, have a look at these guys. Their eyes protrude from eyestalks almost as long as your foot. Their skin has a bright purple hue, and they've got two pairs of legs for the price of one, each ending in a sort of dull spike. If you can get past their weird appearance though, they're good friends, if a little passive. Although they can do a bit of everything, there's two things they're really good for: helping the wounded and running like lightning.
Ankori
Hulking, stocky creatures with three straight horns on top of their skulls and a lump of pure unpredictability inside it. At a glance, it looks like they are the nicest guys in the universe and that they wouldn't hurt a fly. Then, you piss'em off, and they give you no mercy and no quarter. Mind you, they treat SOME enemies like that, not all of them. But you likely won't know to which bunch you belong to until when, at the end, they either try to shake hands or stomp on you. Really, they are that weird. Most people would probably avoid having such lunatics on your team if not for the fact that only they can handle the weight and recoil of certain weapons. They seem to have surprisingly quick reflexes, too. Would help more if they didn't aim like they were on hallucinogens.
Brakeronian
Now they may look unremarkable, average cyan-hued guys, but their troubled history has ensured that they can pull through very hard times and never give up. Having fallen into fascist regimes twice, they seem to have learned the lesson now. They prefer trying solving problems before shooting them, and have a talent for working with any kind of machinery.
Other
Oh. I guess I've never seen someone like you. Well, there's so many races in the galaxy, how can you expect a poor fellow to know every single one of them? Fine. Speak out then. Tell us about your own kind.
(A player-defined custom race, the player himself will bargain with the GM for a hopefully reasonable balance of stats.)
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Core Systems
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--Orser System--
Brakeron (4th planet)
Now informally the multicultural capital of the Inner Core Federation, this place sure has seen a lot of strife during the last century. After the first fascist regime was uprooted by a revolution, the rebels were slowly corrupted by power and became totalitarian themselves. It took another revolution followed by a bloody civil war to finally bring freedom and justice. The locals are known for their sense of honor, loyalty, and hard work.
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--Kulezar System--
Kulezar III (third planet)
Home of the Mloxani, informally known as Quaddies, it features the unique combination of high-ish gravity and sharp mountains all across it, with extensive, beautiful cities made of subterranean tunnels and many connecting bridges and platforms. It is peaceful and, although less populated than Brakeron, it is also a rather multicultural hub.
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--Berasheyy System--
Berash (Feepok I)
The largest moon orbiting the gas giant Feepok. It hosts a lot of variety of biomes and some densely populated areas. Pretty clean and quiet place for the moment, and the locals like to keep it that way. Not as multiracial as Brakeron or Kulezar. The local government is corrupt, but it is not very oppressive and therefore opposition is rather mild.
Tarlek (Feepok IV)
Told you the people of Berash like to keep their planet clean. So they basically made a deal with the Syndicate, and agreed with them to do any deal they wanted, as long as it was here, on the second biggest moon, and not on Berash. Mostly showing barren rock, it has a pretty long day cycle, somewhat low gravity, one sprawling city built around a spaceport and little else. The city is a hub of illicit trades from all the galaxy. Weapons, drugs, slaves, you name it, they have it. In other words, a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
It is formally under Berash government, but in practice it is run by the Syndicate for the benefit of both. Other nations don't complain much either, since criminals that go to Tarlek are criminals that leave their lands.
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--Plosa System--
Xadrax (2nd planet from the star)
A heavily industrialized and populous planet. It is home to a very corrupt government that rules over the entire system. Relationships with the rest of the federation are tense because of corruption and low respect of inhabitants' rights. The industries work with raw materials mined locally as well as from the nearby planet Orogog and asteroids. Most of the workers toil under near-slavery, while their masters make a fortune; it's no wonder there's much unrest here. The regime answers that mostly with repressive measures. Despite that, their industrial production is important for the rest of the federation and therefore other people avoid sticking their nose too much in local affairs.
Orogog (3rd planet)
A cold planet with intense volcanic activity and very nasty atmosphere full of toxic gases. Life-compatible conditions are provided only where it is strictly needed: there are many rare elements here, so mining conglomerates operate here exploiting slave labor at extremely unsafe conditions.
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Ankori Community
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It is comprised of 8 populated systems on the edge of the galaxy. The systems were colonized only a few centuries ago; the community keeps contacts with other worlds to a bare minimum, as if distrusting them. They devote many resources to their ever-growing space fleet, for exploration and defense.
They've never started an offensive war so far, but at this pace their forces will eventually rival those of the federation, and being complete lunatics, that makes someone quite nervous.
In particular, relationships with the nearby Folark Republic are very tense, and the situation threatens to explode. The Community has a stronger fleet, but the Republic isn't an opponent to laugh at, they have an efficient leadership and who knows if they could bring others on their side.
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Folark Republic
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11 populated systems near the edge of the galaxy. They've been on a steady expansion until some time ago, when they basically ran out of life-compatible systems near their territory, between the Ankori community and the Federation.
The locals are proud of their traditions yet pragmatic. They go along with the federation pretty well, but the same can not be said about the Ankori community on the other side. Their population is growing, they're can't colonize any more empty planets, they absolutely don't like to overcrowd, and they think they're worth more than their neighbours. Quite an explosive mix, and hopefully the Federation will defuse this timebomb before shit hits the fan.
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Krylyk Empire
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An empire composed by 6 inhabited systems. The planets the local race settles on are hotter than average and not very pleasant to stay.
The empire of this matriarchal hive race is in good standing with the Federation; they're formally allied and have many trade agreements although they aren't members. They value their independence too much to do that.
(A little note here: while it's set in the future and all that, classic ol' firearms are still popular among anyone not part of a top-level military. The idea was to spice them up considerably once the game progresses, with more lasers, disintegrator rays, EM shields, powered armor, rocket packs and so on.)
> Light Machinegun
Rugged. Dirt cheap. Spews out a load of bullets. Everyone that doesn't have one, well, should.
> Railgun
This thing shoots out a good-sized hunk of metal at ludicrous speeds. It would be worth saying that it leaves a nice bright trail of ionized air for the enemy to follow, if not for the fact that "the enemy" can't really see much of anything if their head has already repainted the surroundings.
> Large Shotgun
A shotgun made with cannons' spare barrels. You wonder what whoever made these things was smoking. Because this boomstick sure makes a whole lot of smoke, besides being pretty cumbersome. On the bright side, few things are more satisfying than blasting a baddie with one of these up close and enjoying the show.
> Heavy Machinegun
The light machinegun's bigger brother, it is also rugged and pretty cheap (not counting ammo). While a bit slower firing, you really don't want to be on the wrong end of one of these. However, get a hold of your itchy trigger finger. Ammo's heavy and this thing eats through it at a good rate.
> Sniper rifle
A semiautomatic, high-caliber rifle. Not quite as powerful as the railgun, but at least you're not bound to be spotted after the first shot. Not to mention you should find a good bit of suitable ammunition around.
> Plasma pistol
Shoots fast, needs no ammo and it's small and light enough that you could forget having one with you. Isn't that a wonder? Really weak though, especially against armored enemies. Limited range won't help, either. Yeah, not really sure it is that much of a wonder.
> Pistol
It's a small weapon, but it can come in handy. A bit better in range and power than the plasma one, but it needs ammo, and can't hold much of it in one magazine. Can be silenced for stealthy goodness.
> Submachinegun
Basically a fully automatic pistol. Can also be silenced.
> Rocket Launcher
I think that every squad should have one of these things, and someone who can use it. Good against fortifications, and armored targets. Just stay away from your target when you use it.
> Plasma rifle
Unlike the smaller plasma pistol, the manufacturers didn't bother with making a gun that doesn't need ammo, and focused on short term efficiency.
Fast-firing and powerful, what you need to worry about is short effective range and the fact it eats a lot of power cells.
> Combat Knife
Just a dirt cheap long knife, that's it. More useful as a tool than as a weapon, since a long time ago.
Remember boys, never bring a knife to a gunfight. Ever. And don't throw it either.
> Krylyk sword
A long, slightly curved, one-edged traditional Krylyk sword. Does wonders to unprotected flesh; not so much to heavy armor.
Might be bigger and badder than the knife, but the advices above still hold. Quite expensive for a piece of metal, to boot.
All names above were made up; if they sound like cheap knock-offs of other fictional names, it's a coincidence. Hopefully.
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Topic: Scattered ideas about a forum RP universe (sci-fi) (Read 692 times)