So, I've been really trying to come up with a decent story to focus on as I want to oil up my old GM wheels and I've had this one world idea rolling around for a while, but I've been having an issue with creating the story and things to do.

The world I'm thinking of is a sky-based world. Floating islands dot the entire world, hanging via gravitational placement above a sea of clouds called the "Aether" by the denizens. What everybody believes is that below the cloud sea is literally nothing. Nobody tries to go down into the sea as ships are blown apart by the 200-400 mile an hour gusts and localized tornados. Even with advances in aviation technology, no attempts are ever made.

Speaking of tech, it's mostly cyberpunk. Due to having abundant resources via both solar energy and exploiting the catastrophic winds below to create wind energy, there has been no real need or desire to look to the stars. Food is plentiful, water is harvested via natural springs and evaporators, and no faction hates each other to the point of wanting WMDs. Travel between islands are done via "Cloud Surfers." A slang for ships and jets that utilize jet engines (Fighters and personal craft) and props (Large barges and galleons) powered mostly via solar energy (And reserve energy during the night).

With the creation of the Cloud Surfers came the primary problem that plagues the island nations: Sky Pirates. Brigands, slaves, and mercenaries that have formed several hundred gangs that all try to do nothing but kill each other and raid cities for supplies and fresh recruits. They all base themselves somewhere out there on some island in the cloud sea, but tracking technology only goes so far.

In addition to the Cloud Surfers, there are plenty of other types of technology that make this a cyber punk. Prosthetics, robots, holograms, holo-gear, high powered weapons, food synthesizers, top-notch medicine, the list goes on. 

Now, world is in place, I just don't know what type of Roleplay to go towards.

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[*] I could take it down a buccaneer route. Our characters are all pirates that were recruited in some way. Offering of services, slavery, for smiles. We would have several rival gangs trying to kill us as we tried to claw our meager way towards the top of the food chain and take on the most dangerous of pirates around. A cyber-punk-like black beard. 
[*] The second idea I had would be a bit more mundane with the construction with a prophecy and such that our characters ex-machina'd ourselves into. Not big onto this idea, to be honest.
[*] The third one I had would essentially turn this into a City RP. If you don't know what a City RP is, it's a type of RP where it's sort of a sandbox. Anybody can do anything and there is no plot, just character development and stories we come up with individually or together.
[*] The last idea I had is an explorer's type of RP. Where we are all travelers that ended up together or something and we're trying to find a way below the Aether and see if there really is nothing down there.
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I'm torn between the first and third ones honestly. Now that I think of it actually, we could probably combine 1, 3, and 4 if we want. Maybe Shoehorn 2 in if you guys and gals call for it. Just post below what sounds most interesting or what ideas you have as well. Everybody's welcome to submit ideas. Whatever route we choose, I'll put a lot of hard work into it with the presentation and execution. The OOC will NOT go up until I have seen to having every graphic prepared and the first post ready to ship, all so we can keep the motivation ball rolling down the 85 degree angle hill.

I should mention though what you can expect going into one of my RPs.

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I write at a casual-advanced level depending on the mood and how inspired I am at the time. It can range anywhere from one paragraph to ten.
I'm also pretty lenient for most GMs. I only expect 1-1.5 paragraphs per post out of my RP partners. Enough to help each other keep things going.
I also love LOVE pirate/ether/primary pad. A collaborative writing service that we can all jump on and talk at length with while we collab. It's a fantastic service and I highly recommend it.
I tend to stick around in RPs I GM and be their "Captain" so to speak. If things start slowing, I'll go down with the ship. I don't like to abandon roleplays. Plus my IRL partner might most likely join us either as a co-gm or as a normal player, so yeah, I won't be going anywhere.
Speaking of which, I'm a fair kinda person. No favorites are played...unless chocolate is involved, then maybe. ;)

I also tend to play for keeps. I like drama in IC, I like to see other players' characters hurt! Wait, that came out wrong. I like to put my characters through turmoil to develop their personality and I love to see characters that aren't my own go through that as well.

Finally, in the few areas that I am really strict on: I expect characters to have a lot of love in their build. No "Dime a dozen" characters allowed. Fleshed out, fully developed, "as close to living breathing thing" as they can get. 
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