Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Chevaleresse]

I should probably ask. . . What, exactly, do you have in mind with miners in this setting? I get the impression they're more "land on a planet and strip as much as physically possible off of it" rather than going down and digging for ores and such like the typical image of such. (Though that makes me think, are there planet-cracker "mining tools" around?)

[Pencil_Art]

Mostly finished? I promise you won't actually need a neck brace, it isn't that much to read (is it?).

[Draignean]

Mostly finished? I promise you won't actually need a neck brace, it isn't that much to read (is it?).

I wrote 80k for an intro. My problem is the whiplash, not the size.

I should probably ask. . . What, exactly, do you have in mind with miners in this setting? I get the impression they're more "land on a planet and strip as much as physically possible off of it" rather than going down and digging for ores and such like the typical image of such. (Though that makes me think, are there planet-cracker "mining tools" around?)

Your bootstrap miners typically use drones, or, if they're really, really poor, mechs. Mining by hand is a pretty sure sign that you're in a low-tech civ. Mining is typically heavily destructive when done in a hurry, employing the use of large scale explosive to excavate the soil layers and then running though whatever valuables pop out. While these explosions typically aren't nuclear (the radiation messes with sensors) the destruction from a few months of hardcore bootstrap mining can be on a similar scale. You still want the ore more than the soil, it costs to get things out of atmo, but you don't really give a damn about environmental regulations or preserving the landscape.

Planet cracking is certainly a business If you've got a planet that isn't colonizable, isn't useful for an orbital outpost or a gravitational body, large scale mining is certainly a go. Many apex civilizations have perfected planet mining and/or large scale asteroid mining. You need a shitload of raw material to build a Dyson sphere.

Ooh. I see. Damn. Why are you people so awesome. It makes my life difficult. I have but one game to run and I can't pick all of you.

Sorry And this isn't me speaking for myself.
It's out of context.

ANYWAY

So yeah. My Neo-dog is limited in physical manipulation and relies heavily on tech. I would expound more on vocalization but by that point I already feel it's an augmentation :<
How do neo-species speak anyway?

Okay, as previously stated, and in the spoiler on the first page for 'Galactic Common', the reason I keep mentioning palette adaptations is that the uplift species are all capable of speech in a common language. It isn't english, or anything remotely close to it, but there is a standardized language for galactic trade utilizing sounds common to all five races. Naturally, every empire has their own language or set of languages, and those languages further depend upon the individual composition of that empire. A lost colony whose original population was entirely Fin and Human will have developed a very different system of expression and meaning than a Cane and Crow colony, and certainly different from a fully integrated society.

Hopefully we have a universal communicator? I would find it silly fun to be able to manipulate that with in-game rolls with any devices I have, or see others do that, so they can have fun communicating with others and stuff.

Having worked on a computer program to translate a perfectly well known language syntactically (Every translator program you've ever used was written by cheating bastards), I'm going to say that universal translator is a high level apex tech that 99.99(ad nauseum) people will not have access to. Translating shit is hard. Really hard. You'll have to rely on creole for people who never got the memo about galactic standard.

Spoiler: WIP (click to show/hide)

Name: Feral Hops
Nickname: Slapstick
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Age: 42
Profession: Soldier/Infiltrator - Bore Jumper
Description: Feral Hops is a fairly tall man, standing at around 6'9" with a head of jet-black hair tied in a short ponytail. While not broad-shouldered, he certainly isn't thin either, and is built rather steadily, certainly steadily enough for his line of work. He typically dresses in drab fatigues, which contrasts starkly with his generally bright and rather witty persona and his rather boyish facial features, which he manages to use to great effect in conversation and small talk. Some people can find his jabs to be rather grating. Though people look down on him for his young age, behind the mask of smiles and bad jokes, he conceals a calculating mind, honed by years on the field of battle with the ability to mentally assess any situation and take the most efficient way out. Honestly, most people doubt it's existence, it typically only coming into use behind the scenes when he figures out the most distracting way to make his sudden entrance.

If there was some weakness of Feral's personality that you could point out, and quite possibly take advantage of, it is his tendency to hold grudges against people who he feels has wronged him in some way. Things like bad trading deals or people who have hurt those who holds dear get the worst of him. In battle Feral becomes something of an enigma, laughing crazily while teleporting unpredictably, adding to the appearance of that-is-one-crazy-guy-holy-hell-is-that-a-bomb-run-away.

While his formal clothing (which is to say his most formal; not necessarily actually formal) consists of loose clothes dyed in hues of grays and browns, tied at the waist, wrists, and ankles with some dark-colored material he has on hand, in the privacy of his room and in whatever ship he;s currently serving on he prefers to wear close fitting pieces of clothing, some of which are covered in delicate patterns of brightly colored but thread-like lines, concealing the thin web of augments stretched across his skin that cover up the physical scars which he got from soldiering. Additionally, on special occasions, he sometimes wears a rather beautiful red scarf with gold fringes at either end that he seems to have a rather peculiar attachment to. It doesn't really match the rest of his outfit.

Background:
Feral was born the son of star-merchants, small men and women with ships who chugged across the vast expanse of space in search of goods both mundane and exotic, perhaps carrying people too, in search of a profit. Growing up, he saw his father very little. In fact, his father seemed to care more about his work and driving the ship than caring about him, delegating the work of being a parent largely to Feral's mother, and also partially to the mechanic on the ship, the only other person there full-time. Despite this, he loved his father very much, and his father loved him in turn.

Feral's first memory is of his father showing him the bore drive in the ship, showing him the mechanisms, and when asked how it worked, being confused and admitting to not knowing it. The drooling 5-year old fell in love with it immediately. Soon after his family settled down from the merchant business for the sake of Feral's education, he expressed a keen interest in studying physics, to which his father simply said "Go you." A couple of years saw Feral in one of the most revered universities in the cosmos, studying to complete his degree in Bore physics. A set of complications that arose out of bad habits and easy side-tracking resulted in him failing his degree, however, and while he could have studied more in the hopes of completing the degree, he decided not to. The mounting fees associated with studying combined with the fact that he was already too far into his life (at least in his opinion) turned off his hopes for his future in a lab making huge contributions to the accuracy of bore jumps, and he started serving on ships just as his mother and father had in their day.

Naturally, when he heard that the military was in need of Bore Jumpers, he signed up straight away, quickly abandoning his old job and getting a state-of-the-art bore drive installed by a military surgeon. The backbreaking training woke him up to what he had signed up for, but he was too stubborn to stop, and simply persisted. In fact, his stubborn behavior was what got him through in the end, barely passing examination into the army proper. For the next few years he worked alongside all kinds of people; he even had somebody from every species in his squad. Being a bore jumper had become a reality for Feral, and his name was most appropriate. His mother even gave him her scarf, with a note saying "Do be careful. I'm not sure even teleporters can survive being shot."

However, being shot at on a regular basis proved to be bad for Feral's health, and though he somehow never was killed in action, he accumulated an impressive number of scars over the course of his career. Feral quit the military at 35, but seeing as he still had a miniaturized bore drive embedded into his body and there were no other jobs requiring somebody who could teleport, he started working on mercenary crews who needed somebody who could teleport in, blow stuff up, and generally cause havoc, or simply stay in the back as a reserve and teleport in to scare people if things got too bad. He loves his line of work, and is not afraid to show it, laughing euphorically in the heat of battle or simply exaggerating his feats at the table. Perhaps he was always the fighting kind of guy. Or at least that's what he says when people ask him how he failed his bore physics degree.

Notable Quotes:
"Seriously, who even needs a gun when you can teleport."

"Asshole." Habitual, after he's knocked someone out in the pub or something.

FERAL: "Hey, did I ever tell you about that time when-"
NEO-CROW: "Yes."
FERAL: "You didn't even hear what I was going to-"
NEO-CROW: "Shut up."
FERAL: "Come on, you can't deny I'm roguishly-"
NEO-CROW: "Would you shut up? I'm trying to fix this bore drive, I've still got the set your broken leg, and I have no time for advances by annoying humans."

"Well, look at you. Half-dead, in a smoking wreck of a mech and with no help for miles. Dang. I missed out on all the fun."

"Lady, I've been doing this since I was a baby - okay, maybe not quite that long - but siddown and let me do what you paid me to do."

Traits:
- Obsessed with bore drives
- Kind of annoying
- Bad cook
- Loves fighting
- Stubborn
- Failed physicist
- Boisterous

Oh, that does make a nice addition to the mix... I could nitpick spelling and pronoun confusion, but overall I like it.

[Tiruin]

Having worked on a computer program to translate a perfectly well known language syntactically (Every translator program you've ever used was written by cheating bastards), I'm going to say that universal translator is a high level apex tech that 99.99(ad nauseum) people will not have access to. Translating shit is hard. Really hard. You'll have to rely on creole for people who never got the memo about galactic standard.

Aye ._. at least I know that isn't possible to--I also have gone into the translating process, or at least testing in text to speech via transcription and know how bloody complex it is considering the factors involved (ie tone, pronunciation, and even the physical theoretical aspects). Aww! :O

Star Trek is much more advanced than us.

Honestly, I'm finding myself imagining fun yet silly yet plausibly fun combinations--like my Neo-Dog with scout rifles (she's not armed with a sniper rifle despite the profession saying scout-sniper ._.) on her lateral sides, with her circlet acting as a coordinator for aiming and firing.
You've nice unconventional settings Draig :3 Cheers to all those who you'll pick!

[Pencil_Art]

Edited my sheet, yet again. Just a few details this time.

[hops]

I'd like to see Cinder's character sheet. I have 9 sheets, and I think I know the crew I want to select (which requires some bitterly hard calls), but Cin seems mostly done with their concept and I don't want to kill someone with the edge of a deadline. Sunday I'll propose the crew, and if the players are amicable to all being on the same boat... Well, then they get the boat and a job.

I'm slowly struggling with trying to get the background to work together, really. But I'll get something done today hopefully.

[hops]

I don't particularly like this, but here goes nothing.

Spoiler: Cari Nar Lys (click to show/hide)

Name: Cari Nar Lys
Nickname: Weasel
Gender: Female
Race: Neo-cat
Age: 26
Profession: Aesthete
Description: True to her name, Weasel is noted first for her ability to speak at great length without giving anything useful away. She is rather tall, for a Neo-cat, standing at 3 feet and a half at the shoulder. One of her eye is replaced by a ruby sphere that double as a stun flash. Her fur is cream-colored, with dark brown spots at the tips of her ears, her face, limbs, and tail.
Background: Born in an Apex society ruled by different houses vying for control over each industries and facet of the government, Cari is the second child of the Matriarch of House Nar Lys. While her older brother had been trained since birth to be the perfect leader that could inspire men to work for him with fervor, Cari was trained to help the House keep its pristine image of the only honorable house on the planet. She was given the reins of the Public Relations of the House under tutelage.

However, despite the rigid structure and manners bred into her, Cari did not particularly enjoy the Great Game and the ever-turning wheel of her society. She longed for somewhere that she can feel like a real person, and as part of her job was to curry favor with outworld powers, a space-faring life was always on her mind.

Eventually, she let her mother know of her intention. Being the cold but reasonable Matriarch, she was given her last assignment. She used her image to invite the Patriarch of a rival House to a private meeting. No one knew how he was convinced, but the fact was that Cari Nar Lys was branded a criminal and fled the planet, and the Patriach of House Annan was dead.

But it did not take long for news of it to die out, and Cari found a new identity as Weasel. Life was not easy as a mercy, and she had been mugged for who knows how many times, and with one incident where a bullet found itself in her eye socket. That did not stop her from keeping her pride and a penchant for keeping whoever employ her away from the ires of the law.

Notable Quotes:

“I see that you do have a taste in Xir-an glaze pottery- Oh? Yes, that is a passion of mine - I see - Your father is indeed a man of good taste - Mm - My condolences, so that man is your uncle? How exactly was the circumstance of your father’s death? - Merely a curiosity, of course - Oh, I wouldn’t dare to guess at that.” (Weasel talking to a potential employer)

“I have no idea what a Xir-an glaze pottery is.” (To another Mercy afterwards)

“Against my better judgment, let’s.” (Habitual)

“Someone had to do it…” (Over tea with Patriarch Vekh Annan. While the other is choking.)
“Cyber-eye? Cyber-eyes don’t let me stun people.” (When asked about her ruby eye)

Traits: Glib, Unconventional, Perceptive, Subtle, Ascetic, Friends in High Places, Prickly, Disability: Stereo-blindness, Augmentation: Stun eye

[Draignean]

Alright, well, I have to pick a crew sometime, or I'm going to go mad with possibility. I had two really good options for a crew, largely because people seemed to naturally fall into two thematic bins. I really wish I had a clone so I could just run two games with both crews. Still, choices have to be made. Compromises abound, but this is a group that could have, in my head, come together without murdering one another.

Boris Mundus  |     as the Scrapper King                     (Digital Hellhound)     
Sadish           |     as the Restless Archaeologist          (Dwarmin)   
Aubrey          |    as the Augmented Smuggler            (Lawas)
Scarlet          |    as the Combat Medic w/ Flamer       (KingMurdoc)
Khate            |     as the walking murder promo         (Irony Owl. Dear god did I debate between your submissions)
Kesari           |    as the physicist/scout                     (Tiruin)

Well, I already feel drained from having to choose a crew from that list of entries..

Now, three orders of business. First, if you have any misgivings about your fellow crew-mates, or believe some dynamic would have led to internal meltdown long before you became a team, speak now. Even if you don't all get along all the time, it's important that you don't murder each other before I get around to killing you.

Second, you need to decide if there is any particular leadership structure. Doesn't have to be formal, just who handles what. (If there is any structure.)

Third, your ship. Each of you gets to pick one thing about the ship that they like. It could be a system that works well for their trade, it could be a system of their own design, or it could just be something about the ship that tickles their fancy. After your traits are in I'll feel in the rest of the ship and I'll get to play five-card stud with that while I set up the intro mission.

Everyone understand?

[Tiruin]

Alright, well, I have to pick a crew sometime, or I'm going to go mad with possibility. I had two really good options for a crew, largely because people seemed to naturally fall into two thematic bins. I really wish I had a clone so I could just run two games with both crews. Still, choices have to be made. Compromises abound, but this is a group that could have, in my head, come together without murdering one another.

Boris Mundus  |     as the Scrapper King                     (Digital Hellhound)     
Sadish           |     as the Restless Archaeologist          (Dwarmin)   
Aubrey          |    as the Augmented Smuggler            (Lawas)
Scarlet          |    as the Combat Medic w/ Flamer       (KingMurdoc)
Khate            |     as the walking murder promo         (Irony Owl. Dear god did I debate between your submissions)
Kesari           |    as the physicist/scout                     (Tiruin)

Well, I already feel drained from having to choose a crew from that list of entries..

Now, three orders of business. First, if you have any misgivings about your fellow crew-mates, or believe some dynamic would have led to internal meltdown long before you became a team, speak now. Even if you don't all get along all the time, it's important that you don't murder each other before I get around to killing you.

Second, you need to decide if there is any particular leadership structure. Doesn't have to be formal, just who handles what. (If there is any structure.)

Third, your ship. Each of you gets to pick one thing about the ship that they like. It could be a system that works well for their trade, it could be a system of their own design, or it could just be something about the ship that tickles their fancy. After your traits are in I'll feel in the rest of the ship and I'll get to play five-card stud with that while I set up the intro mission.

Everyone understand?

IF we gets a ship, can we have the other folks not picked to act as subordinate crew? As in, they ARE there but the focus (ie IC thread) revolves around the mission/away-team, which is the peoples you picked :3
And since I'm totally late in that PM to you--I'll suggest it here:
> An idea I've got (offline, notepad) about handling waitlisters is giving them something to do that is like an auxiliary to choices--like, they get to pick the improvements for the ship in a point-based scenario, for example. The PM in question also spiel'd about my future plans in making an RtD, and in that context--waitlisters 'got the idea' to choose improvements from a list (ala suggestion strategy game-ish tone), with their choice having the same weight as others, and their involvement either adding or heightening the consequence of failure or success given the personality/background of the person but yeah.

Now, three orders of business. First, if you have any misgivings about your fellow crew-mates, or believe some dynamic would have led to internal meltdown long before you became a team, speak now. Even if you don't all get along all the time, it's important that you don't murder each other before I get around to killing you.

Am totally ok with my crew unless I actually know they are ACTIVE BLACK MARKET SLAVERS--in the 'biased because trauma and you're jerks' kinda stereotypical way, and even then--no murderplans, just loathing and avoidance behavior, or grudging compliance.
...Unless I get to know that slaver dude more.

Second, you need to decide if there is any particular leadership structure. Doesn't have to be formal, just who handles what. (If there is any structure.)

I'm personally OK with anyone giving me orders. As long as I'm also listened to in turn.

Third, your ship. Each of you gets to pick one thing about the ship that they like. It could be a system that works well for their trade, it could be a system of their own design, or it could just be something about the ship that tickles their fancy. After your traits are in I'll feel in the rest of the ship and I'll get to play five-card stud with that while I set up the intro mission.

Everyone understand?

Could we have a general idea of 'mercenary ship' we're going on? Like, a frigate or something? I would personally love something that the waitlisters can interact with that has little burden on the GM, but I'll leave my last note here empty as of now.

Also, "traits are in"?
Everything is understood.

[spümpkin]

Can't say I'm surprised, as I knew from the start I had no chance competeing with such people

Have fun, y'all! I may watch from the shadows.

[TheBiggerFish]

Aww, darn.  Waitlist meeeee

Will definitely watch this game.

Also okay with cameoing in case we need lots of explosions.

[Draignean]

Could we have a general idea of 'mercenary ship' we're going on? Like, a frigate or something? I would personally love something that the waitlisters can interact with that has little burden on the GM, but I'll leave my last note here empty as of now.

Also, "traits are in"?
Everything is understood.

The size is sort of up to you guys. Right now you have a blank slate, and whatever traits you define will become certain things that the ship is or has. Your ship is not going to be the size of a generation ship, but rough ship classification would be a trait. Perhaps this ship is a refurbished derelict luxury liner that Boris fixed up, able to be controlled easily by a small crew, but with massive internal size. Perhaps the ship is a mid-high prime tech vessel that has been bought and paid for by your group's efforts, that means it's small, but everything works properly and isn't likely to breach hull do to a strong sneeze.

As far as having the others on the ship... No, not at this juncture. The current crew is here largely because they all fit the theme of being, to one degree or another, space trash. I'm open to waitlisters being addable to the ship should you find them on your adventures, but, for right now in the narrative, I'd really like to count things simple. Also, because the mechanics are entirely narrative, point buy systems wouldn't work terribly well.

"Traits are in" here means that when everyone (or most everyone) has submitted what they want.

Aww, darn.  Waitlist meeeee

Will definitely watch this game.

Also okay with cameoing in case we need lots of explosions.

Waitlist cameos are certainly not out of the question.

[Tiruin]

I'm personally putting my ship point as a classification-trait then. Because I am happy with my scout rifle neo-dog platform.
> Convertible Light Cruiser-class vessel; refurbished from a salvage and/or survey vessel, built for long times in space, with specialized holds for basic resources like goods and otherwise--easily modifiable given the niche it fills, from sensors to thrust, to the bridge and its controls, to its weapons systems. [as in the hull was of a light cruiser build]. (so it's speedy but also able to handle interstellar stuffs--like boarding actions and otherwise, in SPACE)

I say salvage/survey, as it requires a small crew, but it can hold up to several more--it has a myriad number of utility uses, but may not really be a battle-oriented ship despite its hull class, as the focus is on our people! \o/

We can even wring it from a backstory of someone here.

Aww, darn.  Waitlist meeeee

Will definitely watch this game.

Also okay with cameoing in case we need lots of explosions.

Waitlist cameos are certainly not out of the question.

I was also thinking about waitlisters writing about what either they're doing in aiding what they're in contact with (ie If we're using big dice, it gives a minor bonus, like a variable from 1-10 in a 1d100).

But woo, really looking forward to references to the other dudes who waitlisted here, so there's some familiarity if or when we do meet!

"HEY, you're that person I saw on my cereal!"

[Digital Hellhound]

Perhaps this ship is a refurbished derelict luxury liner that Boris fixed up, able to be controlled easily by a small crew, but with massive internal size.

I rather like this idea. Mostly for the adventures we can have in unexplored corners of our own ship alone - who knows if there's someone else - something else - still lurking in the deepest shadows of our hulk? I'm open to any ship suggestions, though.

Now, three orders of business. First, if you have any misgivings about your fellow crew-mates, or believe some dynamic would have led to internal meltdown long before you became a team, speak now. Even if you don't all get along all the time, it's important that you don't murder each other before I get around to killing you.

Second, you need to decide if there is any particular leadership structure. Doesn't have to be formal, just who handles what. (If there is any structure.)

Hmm. I don't see any murderous conflicts between Mundus and his comrades. Many of them might get on his nerves, but a King must be gracious towards his lessers. Especially in his... reduced state.

I wouldn't mind if someone else took the Captain's chair, if we have a system that formal. Giving the leadership position to a potentially mentally unstable old man with a vendetta might not be the best of ideas, y'know. Mundus could be in charge of the ship as a chief engineer (or well, the only engineer) of sorts, maybe. A more collective system of leadership works for me too.

[Draignean]

I'm personally putting my ship point as a classification-trait then. Because I am happy with my scout rifle neo-dog platform.
> Convertible Light Cruiser-class vessel; refurbished from a salvage and/or survey vessel, built for long times in space, with specialized holds for basic resources like goods and otherwise--easily modifiable given the niche it fills, from sensors to thrust, to the bridge and its controls, to its weapons systems. [as in the hull was of a light cruiser build]. (so it's speedy but also able to handle interstellar stuffs--like boarding actions and otherwise, in SPACE)

Hmm... That doesn't seem quite fair. General ship size and class should be something everyone has a say in, not something you have to spend your one trait on. 

Granted, some people, like the ones with the ability to buy/overhaul ships, might have meatier votes.