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[Xvareon]

Septerra, the clockwork sky-world of seven layers of floating continental "Shells", is sinking into turmoil. Rival nations engage in skirmishes and vicious arms races for resources and prestige, sky pirates take advantage of the chaos to harass inter-shell trade, and inhuman creatures are awakened in deadly packs in the wake of mobilizing armies and frightened civilians.

But for Shell 2, the infamous "Junkland" of scrap and salvage, it's a good time to be alive.

There's money to be had, here. You know it, and everyone else knows it, too. Shell 2, with all its underpopulated deserts, scrubland, and foreboding mountain ranges, has always been a popular place for other Shells to dump their unwanted garbage, conduct high-yield weapons tests, and more. Fortunately for the Junkers, the determined and creative inhabitants of Shell 2, the increased amounts of junk and surplus dumped on their continents greatly fuels their unique way of life.

In this game, you play as a Junker, part of a group of scavengers, inventors, and scrap recyclers who make their living by creating usable goods from things other, richer nations either have no use for, or simply don't want anymore. You're used to digging through scrap heaps to fashion usable items, and so is every other Junker on the Shell. Entire communities are built using welded storage containers for housing and chopped-up rubber tires for bedding. You are one of the groups of Junkers with the necessary skills to take on more exciting jobs -- like creating your own weapons, armor, and equipment from salvaged scrap and surplus found in the field. Whatever you do with that, and with your skills, is up to you; it's a fine time to rise as an independent Junker!

Spoiler: Who am I? (click to show/hide)

Name:
Gender:
Age:
Appearance:
Bio: (optional, but it's here for anyone who likes to get attached to their characters.)

--- Hints ---

The most common inhabitants of Shell 2 are baseline humans, dressed for desert, scrubland, and hill terrain. Other races such as Elves, Dwarves, and even fully independent synthetic organisms (think Warforged if you're a D&D Eberron fan) may also be present, but are usually less common than humans. As you're playing a "veteran" among Junkers, you could expect to have taken quite a few nicks, scrapes, and burns from handling rusty metal, old electronic devices, and unstable chemicals. Overall, most Junkers tend to bear ripped or worn clothing and physical scars as marks of pride. Tattoos are also a fairly common sight in general.

Sample below:

Name: Maya
Gender: Female
Age: early 20's (can be relative)
Appearance: Long blue-dyed hair, tied in ponytail. Blue eyes. Leather jacket, brown pants. Arms and legs are wrapped in bandages, covering scars taken in a deadly chemical fire ~10 years ago. Possesses full-body tattoos in exquisitely-drawn lines and patterns that cover everything but her face.
Bio: Maya is a helpful and strong-willed individual, keen on supporting and protecting her Junker clan at every opportunity. She takes a keen interest in religious concepts, to the point of getting herself a set of full-body tattoos reminiscent of those of Kyra, Goddess of Love.

------

Spoiler: What can I do? (click to show/hide)

Skills: (Select 3. You may choose or invent skills within reason for this; I've included sample skill builds below to help you decide.)
1.
2.
3.
Weapons: (Unless you specify otherwise, your starting weapons and gear will be determined by your skills. If you don't have any weapon-related skills, you'll still be able to use weapons, but creating or modifying them may be another story.)

--- Hints ---

Every Junker is assumed to know a bit about salvaging and repurposing unused metal, electronics, and plastics into usable tools. More skilled Junkers like yourselves have access to much more powerful and dangerous skills, including the production and use of arms, explosives, and vehicles. Combinations of different skills may lead to better potential gear both at the start and later on. The use of Core Engines (see Lore spoiler) for any purpose other than providing electricity, light, or heat for general purposes is considered a good example of advanced knowledge.

Sample below:

Skills:
1. Gun expertise, Lv. 1 (can salvage parts from and craft basic chemical propellant-based firearms)
2. Gun expertise, Lv. 2 (can use Core Engines to power weapons, energize bullets, create bullets from raw material, etc. Can also salvage and modify these in the field)
3. Modular weaponry (can create and affix grenade launchers, harpoon casters, etc. to weapons)
Weapons: Core Engine-powered modular assault rifle w/ grenade launcher (Gun expertise + Modular weaponry)

or,

Skills:
1. Blade & blunt expertise, Lv. 1 (adept at crafting deadly melee and thrown weapons using simple parts)
2. Chemical expertise (can recognize and salvage chemical compounds, and use them in items ranging from stim packs to tranquilizer darts)
3 Robotic A.I. knowledge (you know enough about how drones and robotic units work to be able to program them yourself, to the point of fashioning automated machinery, turrets, or robotic helpers/armed comrades)
Weapons: Staff w/ attached power buzzsaw

or,

Skills:
1. Technomancy Lv. 1 (use of small Core Engine(s) embedded in gear or equipment -- such as gloves on the hands -- to manipulate or disrupt electronics on the fly, create your own light source, or possibly arc lightning at will. Advanced forms may allow you to manipulate gravity or other natural forces as well)
2. Vehicle expertise (you have knowledge of many different models of vehicles, can salvage useful parts from vehicles, and potentially create one yourself)
3. Cybernetics (you have a solid grasp of the common field of cyborg units and enhancements, and are able to identify and salvage relevant parts, and even potentially use them yourself)
Weapons: Core Engine-powered exoskeleton (Technomancy + Vehicle expertise + Cybernetics)

or,

Skills:
1. Surveillance technology expertise (can assemble and use cameras, listening devices, etc., and salvage useful parts from such items)
2. Miniaturized item expertise (you are adept at creating small, easily concealable items and weapons such as shivs, derringer pistols, etc.)
3. Biotechnologist (you have garnered a basic understanding of how to use Core Energy and base materials to heal wounds, literally grow items like bullets made of bone, and salvage usable materials and compounds from people -- dead or otherwise)
Weapons: Any basic (no matter your skills, you are considered able to wield most melee weapons, fire a gun, etc.); assortment of small knives and/or handguns, easily concealable (Miniaturized item expertise)

Spoiler: Objectives (click to show/hide)

In this game, I am going to leave the prospect of objectives mostly up to you, the players. Do you want to create your own airship and explore the other Shells freely? How about becoming the world's greatest sky pirates, and amassing your loot and sweet tech in your own personal fortress? Or perhaps you'd care to go see what's going on with the other Shells, and the cause for the current buildup of arms and dumping of old tech right on your doorstep?

Spoiler: Lore (click to show/hide)

--- Core Energy ---

Core Energy is a raw, free-floating form of energy that can be found virtually everywhere on Septerra, though in lower concentrations the higher up you are (Shell 1 is the highest, Shell 8 is the lowest due to being the actual planet's surface). It is responsible for regulating the proper rotation of the seven concentric layers of planetary Shells. Due to its high energy content and ease of availability, it is used by nearly every Shell with special machines known as Core Engines.

Core Engines passively collect ambient Core Energy from the air, and convert it into light, heat, and electricity -- and possibly even more. They range in size from as small as a cellphone battery to as big an airship's primary power supply and drives, making their applications nearly endless. They can be recharged (or supercharged) with pre-filled "batteries" of Core Energy. Such batteries are reusable, but highly prized, because they are made of the same rare materials used in the making of Core Engines.

--- Robots, cyborgs, & biotechnology ---

Mostly used by more militaristic nations or pirate groups on other shells, cybernetics and biotechnology are nonetheless very widespread. Entire armies are built around combat "droids" that are controlled by implanted human brains, or on soldiers that are literally grown in vats. Robotic units meant for anything from labor to defense are also common. Some are four-legged ones that possess just enough artificial intelligence to be indistinguishable from a very large, loyal, and heavily armed dog. Some of the most successful people in the world are "robotic" creatures with human brains that possess all the emotional and mental faculties of a human, and stalwartly refuse to identify as anything but.

--- Septerra ---

Septerra's primary surface, Shell 8, is like almost any other common planet's, though it is mostly unknown to the inhabitants of Shell 2 due to them being six planetary layers above it. Most of the inhabitants live on floating continents, which essentially rotate in seven orbital layers around the central planetary "Core". Core Energy is present at all of these planetary layers, called "Shells", though the amount of it gets thinner the higher up one goes.

Radio frequency-based communication is common between Shells, though the presence of Core Energy in the air tends to distort these transmissions, lessening the effective range of such devices to less than a few kilometers in worst conditions. On higher Shells, radio transmissions can travel much further.

--- The 8 World Shells ---

Shell 1 - The highest orbital layer of Septerra. It is very sparse, consisting of only a handful of major floating "islands". Gravity, air pressure, and Core Energy density are the lowest on this layer, but still well within normal human survivability thresholds. The Chosen -- a religious, feudal clan-based hierarchy of biotechnology-focused humans -- are the principal inhabitants of this shell. The Chosen claim to be the first to have tapped the Great Spine, the tops of which end directly within two of the largest islands on this Shell. To be sure, their mastery of Core Energy is unparalleled. They have learned to mix this with their advanced biotechnology techniques, to the point where they literally grow their own machines made of a form of bone, complete with biocomputers that use light to communicate with one another. Chosen airships -- even their largest battleships -- are all grown from scratch in this manner.

The Chosen's grasp over biotechnology is fairly recent, however, unlike their longstanding knowledge of Core Energy. They are still regularly dumping their junk and scrap off-Shell, much of it winding up on Shell 2. Most of it is common-pattern metal-based machinery and materials, with a few "outdated" (by Chosen standards) biotechnology-based bits thrown in, suggesting that the Chosen are undergoing a phase of industrial-scale refit and replacement.

Shell 2 - The main continental Shell in which this game takes place. Shell 2's islands consist mostly of rocky crags, deserts, and scrubland, but with plentiful oases and one or two major rivers that still allow life to flourish. However, its remote location and lack of people make it a popular spot for other nations to dump their unwanted junk and scrap metal, and some may still maintain outposts here to do trade with Shell 2's inhabitants, The Junkers.

Shell 3 - "World Shell 3", as it is popularly known, is comprised of verdant green grasslands and fields, beautiful snow-capped mountain peaks, and rich forests of thriving trees. Water is very common and easily accessible here, and is a popular trading export for the Shell's residents, who are mostly those of the Seven Winds Nation. This is a militaristic socialist republic who take pride in their well-established army and police forces, termed the Holy Guard, who, though they are few in number, have tremendous economic backing and years of experience behind them. The Holy Guard all avow themselves to Marduk, ancient God of Water, Plenty, and righteous Judgment.

The nation prefers to take a more defensive, passive-observation approach to inter-Shell conflict, content with safeguarding their own homes from pirates and monster attacks. The primary capital city of the SWN (pronounced "Swan") is Wind City, which contains the main headquarters (and cathedral) for the Holy Guard, the main governmental offices, and a large water reservoir. The reservoir is fed by a number of mobile and immobile moisture-capturing machines, which pull water from the atmosphere to feed Shell 3's vast supplies.
Character hints: Junkers who started from this Shell may be outcast or retired members of the Holy Guard; or entrepreneurs who crave a more exciting life and the chance at making something original with what scrap and parts they can find. It is directly below Shell 2, and the skies here are mostly safe, so travel is hardly an issue.

Shell 4 - "Everyone and everything on Septerra eventually comes through the World Bazaar," as regulars to this World Shell like to say. Shell 4 consists of massive continents that span around the entire globe, laden with deep rainforests and rolling green hills. Most of its surface area is developed, with so many cities and buildings it is nearly impossible to govern them all. Indeed, Shell 4 has almost no government and absolutely no police force, giving criminal syndicates, pirate leaders, and virtually everyone else with the power to back up their authority total free reign to do whatever they like here. This has resulted primarily in sprawling slums choked with the less fortunate, toxic industrial wastelands, and abandoned factory complexes converted into fortified compounds.

On the flip side, the still-undeveloped jungles hold many hidden treasures for intrepid explorers, as Shell 4 is also home to several archaeological ruins and buildings of a forgotten civilization that once ruled here. It is claimed that all other human-populated Shells were started from this very Shell, though the Chosen, in their lofty arrogance, flatly deny this. Shell 3's Holy Guard take special inspiration from the old religious pantheon of their "forefathers", in particular their patron God, Marduk.

Shell 5 - Mid-sized continents and islands of wide open plains and mountains rich in minerals and raw metals dominate this Shell. The two most powerful nations here, Ankara and Jinam, are eternally at each other's throats, staging frequent skirmishes in attempts to annex vital resource extraction operations. The political climate is so charged that open warfare could kick off at the drop of a hat. Many worry that if it does, it will only mean more business for sky pirates and opportunistic nations who could swoop in and take advantage of the chaos, for the armies and battleship-grade skyfleets of both sides are also responsible for maintaining a relative sense of order and safety here, especially for travelers coming past Shell 4.
Character hints: Junkers who started from this Shell may include former Jinam battle-droids with implanted brains (human or some other sentient); or former Ankaran army and/or fleet mechanics looking to ply their useful technical skills in the scrap metal-rich environment of Shell 2.

Shells 6 through 8 are mostly unknown to the Junkers of Shell 2... for now. All that is known about Shell 8 that far up is stories of a race of tribalistic monsters known as the "Underlost". Only those who have any business being on Septerra's surface are likely to encounter them.

--- The Great Spine ---

Stretching out from Septerra's core is a massive natural structure that runs straight through the core, extends out the two polar ends of the planet's surface for dozens of miles into the sky, and ends at the very top, World Shell 1. This is the Great Spine -- one single, colossal Core Engine. In fact, it is the mother of all Core Engines, for every civilization that utilizes them is handling technology harnessed directly from concepts that came from the Great Spine's structure. The Spine itself serves as a regulator of Core Energy throughout all eight World Shells, balancing its density in the atmosphere by collecting and funneling any excess Core Energy back into Septerra's core, to be released once again through the planet's natural cycle.

Some truly daring individuals have attempted to climb the Spine. This is not at all an easy task, for its surface, while composed of several hundred "discs" much like a real spine, curves at upward and downward angles between each one -- easily as much as 45 degrees or steeper. Only recently has personal surface-gripping technology advanced to the point to allow someone to realistically make such a climb, and even then, they must scale heights of several miles between each World Shell.

--- The Core ---

Septerra's planetary core is essentially a gigantic production facility for generating Core Energy. As the Core produces it, it is released through the planet's extremely regular volcanic activity, rising to the surface through wide fissures and volcanoes to be dispersed into the atmosphere. The Great Spine regulates this activity to ensure there is no excess of Core Energy, as an imbalance could very easily destabilize the motion of the planetary shells.

Spoiler: Creatures (click to show/hide)

--- Helgak ---

Helgak are four-legged mammalian creatures native to most Shells on Septerra. They rarely walk, however, because Helgak possess the ability to float in the air by inflating cavities in their bodies with ultralight gases -- think helium-filled flying llamas. Male Helgak possess two forward-facing tusks on either side of the head, while the females do not. All Helgak possess a hollow bone structure similar to birds in order to reduce their weight. Helgak tend to group together in small herds and float from place to place on Septerra, grazing on plants and grasses.

These creatures can be domesticated, and nearly all Shells make use of Helgak. Besides being a good source of meat (these are basically Septerra's equivalent of cows), the tusks from the males make good quality ivory for crafts, and Helgak bone can be fashioned into musical wind instruments like flutes. Perhaps their most useful capacity is transportation:  Helgak can be ridden and directed by their rider, turning them into a reliable flying mount that can travel between Shells. Particularly large Helgak, which only grow with consistent exposure to certain kinds of nutrients over time, can even be rigged up in groups with strong ropes and used to carry entire wood-and-steel airships.

The Helgak's flexible genetic structure has allowed for several different phenotypes of the same creature; some are reported to forgo flying in favor of living mostly underwater, grazing on algae and water-growing weeds in pools, lakes, and rivers. Even stranger and more diverse Helgak may yet exist, for they are an extraordinarily adaptable species and can fit in almost any environment.

Spoiler: Game rules (click to show/hide)

Stats/attributes

Health - This is a measure of how much damage a creature's body can take. It isn't a single pool of points that, when reduced to 0, kills someone or something; rather, each body part on a creature has their own amount of health, which decreases as that part takes damage. If a body part's health reduces to critical, it becomes useless, and may be vulnerable to being completely severed. It will show as "OK" on a character's sheet when everything is fine, and change to display wounds as they are sustained.
Aim - The chance to hit something, based on a 1 to 100 percentage scale. It generally starts at or around a 65% chance to hit in most cases, but it can go up or down based on a number of factors, most notably:  Distance to target; type of weapon used; how long an attacker has to aim; etc. The Aim value displayed on a character's sheet is their base value plus any bonuses that apply to all situations, and will not reflect any situational bonuses that apply only in the context of the turn.
Defense - Defense is a direct subtraction of Aim, lowering the chance that someone or something will be hit by an attack. It can be increased if a target is moving quickly or has viable cover between them and an attacker, and decreased if they are unable to move, are caught by surprise, are engaged with other enemies, etc. Please note that on a character sheet, the only Defense value that will be displayed is whatever applies to all situations; bonuses from cover, running fast, etc. will be applied to the situation they are relevant for within the context of the turn.

Rolls

Damage checks, as well as things like strength, agility, and crafting checks, are decided on a d6 roll, similar to standard RTD rules. Fractional points indicate a percentage chance of a point being applied; for example, a bonus of +1.50 to a roll indicates there is one guaranteed point being applied to a given roll, and a 50% chance of another point being applied as well.

Damage severity is highest on a 1, and weakest on a 6. A 1 may represent complete armor penetration or limb crippling, for example, while a 6 could mean that a bullet simply glanced off armor or merely hit a body cavity instead of anything vital.

Most other rolls, such as an attempt to force open a door, are decided on a 1 to 6 chance of success, with 1 being an "Epic failure"; 2 being a "Failure"; 3 being a "Meager success"; 4 being "Success"; 5 being "Epic success"; and 6 being an "Overshot".

Other

All player characters and NPC's will take their turns simultaneously. Player characters will always take their turn before enemies and NPC's, though this does not preclude enemies from reacting or counterattacking before then if able.

Your character's weapons & equipment are determined largely by the 3 primary skills you select. Note that those skills represent the more advanced knowledge they have that is at a premium even among Junkers, such as actually having the resources and know-how to hard-machine a cybernetic arm prosthesis from scrap and old parts. You are considered to have access to basics such as knives, flashlights, metal-cutting tools, welding & soldering tools, etc.; and if not, you can likely trade for those or make something yourself from the junkyards.

Playerlist:
GiglameshDespair (Sculla)
Dwarmin (Covilard Dell)
S34N1C (Xander Nash)
Kassire (Cyrus "Rig" Fernow)
Caellath (Jean Rousseau)
Sosoku234 (Drahknil)

Waitlist:
Sudurandom
Vivalas
Shadestyle
(Sorry, Insanegame27, that wasn't good enough. And I can't just give a heavily-armed warplane to someone right off the bat.)
ironsnake345

Co-GM: UXLZ

Currently on Turn 2!

[S34N1C]

Name: Xander Nash
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Appearance: Tall, short blonde hair(not that it matters, it's so dirty). He has the common scarred-over look. The palms of his hands are stained nearly black with machine grease.
Scars/injuries: small scar on forehead; missing left earlobe; chemical burns on left ring finger; general scarring on hands.

Skills:
1: Jerryrigging Lv. 1 (bonus to making weapons)
2: Machine repair Lv. 1
3: Technomancy Lv. 1 (use of small Core Engine(s) embedded in gear or equipment -- such as gloves on the hands -- to manipulate or disrupt electronics on the fly, create your own light source, or possibly arc lightning at will. Advanced forms may allow you to manipulate gravity or other natural forces as well)

Weapons:
Pipe rifle (bolt action for now)
Technomancers Gauntlet (right hand)
Scrap Wakizashi

[Kassire]

Spoiler: Cyrus "Rig" Fernow (click to show/hide)

Name: Cyrus "Rig" Fernow

Gender: Male

Age: Early 40's

Appearance: A weathered man with noticeable wrinkles, many cuts, scars, and multiple very large burns across his face, with oil, dust, and dirt obscuring a pair of blue eyes and what would be disheveled, crudely close-cropped light-brown hair. Yet even more interesting is the cybernetic left arm seemingly made out of crude junk-metal, looking as if it stemming from his upper arm, with any presumable internals being covered by the casing around it. Often he's found wearing a grubby jacket that looks to be brown, along with a hood and scarf for when the elements get harsh.

Bio: Where there is danger there are always those that jump for it to profit, the lucky ones get off with riches without a single scratch, and the unlucky ones get off with mangled leg and not a penny, Cyrus is there to fix the unlucky for a profit, and in Shell 2, nobody's lucky. Cyrus was always an enterprising person, yet he didn't completely believe in exploiting the other party, he wanted to do some good. He had learned the trade of being a medic originally from his parents, and he had gained enough money to pursue the art further, looking for doctors willing to put him under their wing to learn a thing or two. Cyrus had traveled across the barren wastes, perfecting his trade. Along the way, he had picked up various pieces of cybernetic knowledge, being able to maintain, repair, and even create rather crude limbs and such for the sorry sods that lost their leg in a pool of acid. Yet, as it is said, no one can be truly lucky forever, and whilst salvaging various supplies near several large heaps of well, junk; the entire heap had collapsed upon him. Despite his struggles, the metals had scalded and burnt him, yet he couldn't escape- his arm was pinned. Thus, in his moment of desperation, with the assistance of the metal crushing his arm, he had cut the arm off. It had taken many months, a few years for him to fully recover his loss; he had replaced his great majority of his arm with a cybernetic replacement.

Skills:
1. Biotechnologist (you have garnered a basic understanding of how to use Core Energy and base materials to heal wounds, literally grow items like bullets made of bone, and salvage usable materials and compounds from people -- dead or otherwise)
2. Chemical expertise (can recognize and salvage chemical compounds, and use them in items ranging from stim packs to tranquilizer darts)
3. Cybernetics (you have a solid grasp of the common field of cyborg units and enhancements, and are able to identify and salvage relevant parts, and even potentially use them yourself)

Weapons: Double Barreled Shotgun; Cybernetic Power-Arm

[TheBiggerFish]

Spoiler: WIP (click to show/hide)

Name:
Gender:
Age:
Appearance:
Bio: (optional, but it's here for anyone who likes to get attached to their characters.)
Skills: (Select 3. You may choose or invent skills within reason for this; I've included sample skill builds below to help you decide.)
1.
2.
3.
Weapons: (Unless you specify otherwise, your starting weapons and gear will be determined by your skills. If you don't have any weapon-related skills, you'll still be able to use weapons, but creating or modifying them may be another story.)

[_DivideByZero_]

Sounds like numenera, in a good way. I might make something when I get home. Maybe not. Too busy. >.<

I would not recommend more than 6 players from my humble experience. It's harder than it sounds.

[Sosoku234]

Spoiler: Drahknil (click to show/hide)

Name: Drahknil (No last name known)

Gender: Male

Age: late 30s almost 40 (At least, he says he is)


Appearance: A tall and too-skinny looking man of what is assumed to be 38 or 39. Wears long sleeved shirts and sturdy welding jeans. His face is hidden behind a blank white mask with one eye hole. His left leg is a stubby one with an old and outdated mechanical prosthetic that creaks loudly when not oiled for more than a day. His hands, are scabbed and scarred from the many injuries received from tinkering and welding without proper safety equipment. Underneath the long sleeves is skin pockmarked with healed lesions and burns that are received from the slag of the welder he uses. Under the mask is a face that is highly deformed. The right side is wrinkled and missing the eye (as in there was never one there. Think One Eyed Willie from the Goonies.) The face transitions to smooth skin just after the nose, which looks to have been broken in the past and never properly healed. On his good side, his eye is a bright blue. His hair only grows on the smooth half of his head. He's missing two fingernails, seven teeth, and a toe from his good leg. Other than that, he's pretty normal.


Bio: Drahknil was born almost forty years ago to a rich family in the lower shells. His obvious birth defects caused his original family (a very wealthy group from Shell 4, he believes) to just dump him on Shell 2. He was found and raised by Darek and Jinji  (who have no last names).
   Around his eighth birthday he'd gotten his first welder and he begun making scrap art, tools, and weapons, the first of which he sold for extra money. He learned to do just enough tinkering to get by, but his art shines bright in his home.
   At thirteen, he'd accidentally caused a junk-alanche that crushed his leg beyond saving. He used an old prosthetic that had no shielding around the mechanisms. He's used it ever since.
   Around twenty-five, he left home to work on his own. He has no real later life goals, other than finding his parents.


Skills:
-1 Melee Weapon Expertise Level 1 (Can make and use melee weapons with some efficiency)
-2 Tool Expertise Level 1 (Can use most tools found on Shell 2, as well as make his own on the fly)
-3 Artist (Can make most anything into art to sell for some pocket change)
Weapons:

[WunderKatze]

Going to make a dude.

[Dwarmin]

Spoiler: Paradise Lost (click to show/hide)

Name: Covilard Dell (Cove, to his friends)
Gender: Male
Age: 32
Appearance: If I had to describe myself, I'd say there's not much that stands out about me, but I've never had a high opinion of myself. Except for a very short period when I was a much younger man. Light skin, dark brown eyes, dark brown hair. I've had my eyes and mouth described as small and delicate almost, framed by sunken eyes and arching eyebrows-the effect making me look far more cunning than I actually pretend to be, even somewhat rakish. I'm the sort of man who realized a long time ago he'll never be seen as truly handsome, unless he puts a lot of effort into it-hence the carefully tousled hair, always kept in impeccable style, and the preference toward military style fashion. Near anybody can look decent with a proper coat and padded shoulders, I figure. You might have seen that portrait of myself that I have hanging in my quarters-I had that commissioned when I came here, to remind me of who I used to be. It's the one with the doves and the feathers, and there's airships in the background, and I've just lit a dramatic cigar while a wanted posted flaps in the breeze-really nice. That's who I thought I was still going to be. Jokes on me, huh? I don't nearly carry that many guns. And, I don't smoke. I'm a bit leaner than I was, a bit paler. Thankfully, I haven't lost any important bits yet. Not like the rest of the freaks around here. I'm careful, see? I've always been good with my hands...not, that I don't have my nicks and scrapes and burns. I'm not like the rest of the Junkers though, there's no pride for me in them.

The portrait could still pass for me after a few drinks, sure. I've still got some pride in me, that's what matters. Don't let anyone tell you different, friend.

Bio: You wanna where I come from, friend? Fine. My idea is that everybody who ends up in Shell 2 is either born here, or they're a loser. I'm being honest. It's the story you always hear around here. You had something for yourself...and then you fell down, and lost it all...and when you picked yourself up, you were here. It's my story too.

I had a good thing, you know? I was a Royal Guard for a noble Family. Shell 1. Which family? Doesn't really matter, since they're all gone now, in the troubles...ironically, what happened to me didn't have anything to do with that-nothing so grandiose as the fall of nations, and surge of armies. See-I was a fairly stupid lad, all things considered. And, you'll not find many around here who think I've improved much on that. Plain truth is, I fell in love with the woman I was supposed to protect. She was beautiful, if you're wondering-the most beautiful woman I'll ever know in my life. She crooked her finger, and I came running. She said...I looked good in a uniform. Could I do anything else? Well, I never regretted it. Not even when I found myself exiled. Hierarchy is very strict, up there in the clouds. She exiled me herself after the troubles had just started-a bit of a bloody mess, that. I like to hope she did so to save my life, as there were quite a few people who would hurt me, to hurt her...but, I know she would just as soon have been rid of those troublesome rumors, all the same. Didn't save her or anyone of them in the end, anyway. Still would have died for her, you know? She just had to ask. I'd have slaughtered all those rat bastards with my bare bands...or more likely, die trying. Oh. I had it bad, friend.

So...I went landed and down here in Shell 2. With the rest of the losers. Tried to be a mercenary, or close enough. Not as I'd imagined it would be. Eventually, dreams die. I started working the scrap. Doesn't everyone? Figure I've been here 10 years now, about. Enough to get good at what I do, maybe to let some regrets catch up to me after all. Now I'm just another Junker-a very good one, at least if you like weaponry. I know my way around guns and blades, and I'm good with my hands. Would you believe I was once a Squire for a Knight-a man who was a real Hero? He could hardly believe it himself. He showed me things, though. I never expected I'd actually be using them to earn a living, no. I wanted to be a hero too...hah hah...

...Most of the people around here, they do appreciate a good blade. And, I make them with style-like the Forgemechs of old. I make things that are beautiful to look at...and can kill you without losing their shine. I even know how to work with Cores. If you've ever heard the hum of a vibroblade, you know what I'm talking about. It's funny, up there those sorts of weapons are strictly ceremonial, used to hunt down wild animals for sport. Down here, it's an edge people pay quite handsomely for...if you'll pardon the pun. Or, you need a good piece of steelmesh to put between your precious gut, and a slug or knife? I can slap that together as well. Good as anyone, and a lot better than some. There's thing that work better together, you know? Bread and butter, guns and swords, flesh and steel, a man and a woman...

Yeah, It's a lot easier to sell weapons and armor, then to use them, I found out...I'm good at what I do. A lot better than I was as...I mean, I was a right terrible guard-seventeen rings of Hell, look what happened to her...

...

Well. Enough talk. I damn near talked myself sober there. Scary. So now I've bore my soul, bleeding and raw-my grand fall from grace. Cast from high Paradise, down on low, for the crime of love. A little poetry still resides in my soul, it seems. It's just like the Old Man said...

And so, here at least-I shall be free; The Almighty hath not built here for his envy, will not drive me hence: Here I may reign secure, and in my choice to reign is worth ambition, though in Hell. Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.

...

So, are you going to buy me another drink, and tell me what the job is? I do warn you, I'm a melancholy drunk. It'll only get worse from here.

Skills
1. Armorcrafting, Lv. 1 (can salvage parts from and craft armor and shields)
2. Melee Weapon Crafting, Lv. 1 (can salvage parts from and craft basic melee weapons, such as blades and axes)
3. Melee Weapon Crafting, Lv. 2 (can use Core Engines to make powered melee weapons, such as energy blades. Can also salvage and modify these in the field)
((If I have to specialize more, just put it in bladed weapons))

[Dwarmin]

Edited my sheet slightly.

[UXLZ]

Do we have a deadline for applications?

[Xvareon]

Do we have a deadline for applications?

Not a hard deadline, no. I'm going to wait around a week (it's been 2 days of that already) before I think about locking teams in.

[GiglameshDespair]

I have been directed to join this by a certain cheeky scamp. Therefore:

Spoiler: "I am the serpent that swallows the sun, and dies as it burns through its belly!" (click to show/hide)

Name: Sculla Sandboy
Gender: F
Age: 26

Appearance: A rather rough-looking woman. Her skin is tanned and weathered from a life under heat and hot wind. Her head is bald, and powdered chalky-white with a dust that stained the skin the colour of bone. Her face is tattooed with stark black to more resemble a skull. Along her right arm, a great serpent is tattooed, swallowing the sun on the back of her hand.

Bio: Life in the Bonemetal Desert is said to be three things: nasty, brutish, and short. Much of that is due to the Flame-Eater tribe, techno-barbarians who hunt the sandwhales (and anyone unlucky or foolish enough to enter the desert) on rickety, too-fast vehicles made from scavenged parts. They have two castes - Sandboys, and Stonegirls.

Sandwhales are brutish, ill-tempered beasts - with skins of metal from the scrap they eat, to protect them from abrasion by the sand they swim in. To pierce their iron hides, the Sun-Eater hunters - Sandboys, no matter their gender - use explosive lances and harpoons, hurling them from swerving vehicles and tenuous handholds. Stonegirls - once again, whatever gender they are - tend to remain on the rocky outcrops the tribe calls home, where the sandwhales don't swim and water can trickle between the rocks.

Life is short for Sandboys, but who fears to die? The fire burns out, only to be kindled again at the dusk!

This philosphy tends to lead to enjoyment of certain vices - gambling, drinking, and drugs, since if you're going to die tomorrow, you might as well enjoy today.

Sculla is one such Sandboy, though she's no boy. She's hunted the sandwhales and been hunted by sandsharks - she's had a kid, and watched him begin to grow into a man. She's an honour to her tribe... and she has left to find something. See, the tribe does sometimes need stuff from outside - can't find everything in sandwhale guts. The immortal patriarches of the tribe, the Brain Boys, floating brains in jars, are kept alive and thinking by some very advanced, very old machinery... and there's no one left who can keep it going. Someone's got to bring someone or something with the knowledge to keep them going back

Skills: (Select 3. You may choose or invent skills within reason for this; I've included sample skill builds below to help you decide.)
1. Explosives - boom, baby! Everything that detonates, explodes, or combusts violently - Sculla is all over that.
2. Vehicles - Everything down to a personalised steering wheel. A good vehicle is key.
3. Throwing - harpoons, spears, knives, bricks, grenades, severed heads, tantrums - anything and everything Sculla can chuck and/or make more chuckable. You wouldn't believe the throwing arm she has.
Weapons:

[Dwarmin]

@Xva: Be careful letting this giglamesh person in, I hear he's a real troublemaker.

[TopHat]

PTW for now; I may put up a character later.

[Sudurandom]

I'll throw my hat into the ring.

Name: Jarish "Spots" Clearsky
Gender: Male
Age: Late 20's
Appearance: A human of average height and weight. His naturally light skin has been darkened by the sun. Jarish dresses like the typical sky sailer with sturdy pants and a light shirt for warm weather and adding a warm jacket for the cold at higher altitude. He wears his black hair in a short ponytail.
In addition to the usual junker scars his hands and face are "tattooed" with vivid green splatter marks from exposure to an unknown chemical. Since that accident he always wears safety goggles while working.

Bio: Junker born and bred Jarish grew up on his family's airship the Lucky Find and spent most of his life helping with their salvage business.
The youngest of three brothers he knew he wouldn't inherit the ship so so he left to seek his own fortune.


Skills:
1.Vehicle expertise (you have knowledge of many different models of vehicles, can salvage useful parts from vehicles, and potentially create one yourself)
2. Vehicle specialty (aircraft) (you are particularly knowledgeable about all types of flight from hot air buoyancy to core engine levitation)
3.Vehicle mounted weapons (you are experienced with the sort of weapons mounted to vehicles)
Weapons: GM's choice maybe some sort of pistol.


If you see any problems or have any questions or advice please let me know