[center][i]I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” - Psalm 91:2[/i][/center] [center][color=orange][h1]Vigil of the Faithful[/h1][/color][/center][hr] A parliament of monsters hides behind the curtain. They emerge, sometimes, past the red velvet. They move in shadows among the human herd, reaching out and plucking the unsuspecting into their grip. Humans can be livestock to the hungry, lovers to the lustful, and toys to the wicked. All the horror stories talk of it: vampires filling their mouths with our blood, lycanthropes harrying mortal prey through dark forests, demons convincing a man to hand over his soul in a gift-wrapped bundle. But they aren’t just stories, are they? No, the horrors are real, hiding within a labyrinth of mystery. They have many names. Rakshasa. Oni. Agma. Shaytan... Demon. Whatever they are called, one thing remains constant: wherever there are demons, there are people who hunt them. You are one such person. Armed with steel, fire, and faith, you keep the Vigil. Someone must bear the burden of your thankless Crusade-- so let it be you. But you are not alone-- others like you fight elsewhere, doing what needs to be done. Perhaps you still fight that good fight, or perhaps you've laid down your arms, having passed on your teachings to someone else. Whatever the case is, today you have received a message: a summons, directing you to Las Vegas, where an entire Compact of hunters has gone silent. Intel suggests that this Compact uncovered a small clan of vampires, and likely perished in the attempt to eliminate it. An unfortunate loss, to be certain, but organizations in the region are scrambling to contain the situation. Boots on the ground are already establishing a perimeter while trying to keep things hidden from the public. They've even sent for hunters from different parts of the world. Whether you're the on first flight out, or are already driving across states to reach the infamous Sin City, you know things won't be easy when you get there. [hr][h3]OOC Section[/h3] Hey everyone. As stated on the interest check, this is a short, campy action RP about killing demons. Part 1 will involve arriving at the scene and fighting to the skyscraper, Part 2 will involve ascending the skyscraper, and Part 3 will be about finishing the fight. To help facilitate the idea of what is and is not acceptable in this action RP, I've filled out a short list of guidelines to follow in combat. Check the guidelines section for that. In addition, to give people a better idea on how combat works, I've [s]ripped a system wholesale[/s] adapted a simple rank system from a TTRPG that will hopefully streamline the action part of the game. [sub][h3]Rank[/h3][/sub] Although there is no 'official' power ranking system among hunters or demons, many organizations have attempted to stratify and classify the various threats they come across in such a way that they can reasonably assign the proper countermeasures. The below table describes the ranks and gives examples to give readers a better idea of what's going on. [hider=Rank Table] [table][row][cell]Rank[/cell][cell]Rank -1[/cell][cell]Rank 0[/cell][cell]Rank 1[/cell][cell]Rank 2[/cell][cell]Rank 3[/cell][cell]Rank 4[/cell][cell]Rank 5[/cell][cell]Rank EX[/cell][/row][row][cell]General Quality[/cell][cell]Terrible[/cell][cell]Average[/cell][cell]Notable[/cell][cell]Good[/cell][cell]Great[/cell][cell]Excellent[/cell][cell]Top-class[/cell][cell]Beyond Common Sense[/cell][/row][row][cell]Danger Level[/cell][cell]Inconsequential[/cell][cell]Trivial[/cell][cell]Very Low[/cell][cell]Low[/cell][cell]Medium[/cell][cell]High[/cell][cell]Very High[/cell][cell]Extreme[/cell][/row][row][cell]Approx. Hunter Level[/cell][cell]Unarmed Civilian[/cell][cell]Armed Civilian[/cell][cell]Trained Soldier[/cell][cell]Inexperienced Hunter[/cell][cell]Regular Hunter[/cell][cell]Veteran Hunter[/cell][cell]Elite Hunter[/cell][cell]Legendary Hunter[/cell][/row][row][cell]Mundane Risk Example[/cell][cell]Thug[/cell][cell]Thug with Knife[/cell][cell]Group of Thugs[/cell][cell]Explosion[/cell][cell]A Riot or Skirmish[/cell][cell]Large-scale Terrorism[/cell][cell]Large-scale Bombardment[/cell][cell]Unknown[/cell][/row][row][cell]Supernatural Risk Example[/cell][cell]Thrall[/cell][cell]Armed Thrall[/cell][cell]Ghoul[/cell][cell]Lesser Vampire[/cell][cell]Vampire[/cell][cell]Greater Vampire[/cell][cell]Vampire Elder[/cell][cell]Unknown[/cell][/row][row][cell]Range of Influence[/cell][cell]Non-issue[/cell][cell]A Few People[/cell][cell]A Street[/cell][cell]A Neighborhood[/cell][cell]A Residential District[/cell][cell]A City[/cell][cell]Multiple Cities[/cell][cell]Unknown[/cell][/row][row][cell]Damage to Public[/cell][cell]Potential Injuries or Robbery if Unlucky[/cell][cell]1-2 Casualties, Maybe a Broken Window[/cell][cell]5-6 Casualties, Damaged Property[/cell][cell]12+ Casualties, Destroyed Building[/cell][cell]50+ Casualties[/cell][cell]100+ Casualties[/cell][cell]Area is Destroyed[/cell][cell]Unknown[/cell][/row][/table][/hider] The PCs are [i]Rank 4[/i] Hunters. Their apprentices, if any, are either [i]Rank 2[/i] or [i]Rank 3[/i]. When fighting as a unit, a group of lower-ranked fighters can defeat higher-ranked threats, but only to a certain extent. The closer the fighter gets to another fighter in rank, the more even a fight is. When a lower-rank fighter enters combat against a higher-ranked opponent, there's a noticeable 'pressure' exuded by the higher-ranking fighter-- you know when you're outclassed, so to speak. [b]Lastly, if a fighter is at least three ranks above an opponent, the power difference is so noticeable that the fight is quickly won without any issues.[/b] These details invariably mean that the Rank 4 Hunters can essentially mow through hordes of Rank -1, Rank 0, and Rank 1 enemies, and can easily dispatch Rank 2 opponents. Rank 3 opponents may prove to be more trouble, but can be eliminated with dutiful labor. Rank 4 opponents are expected to be quite rare, and can equal a Veteran Hunter in strength-- which is generally a life-or-death scenario with the hunters at a disadvantage. Lastly, Rank 5 opponents cannot and should not be engaged alone; there is a reason the US Conspiracy has called over a group of Rank 4 Hunters-- by working together, they should be able to eliminate any conceivable threat. That being said, these details are very abstract, and with good planning and proper use of equipment, lower-ranked fighters can take on foes of much higher rank, though of course, the same goes for the opponents. Another detail that is quite notable is that this is not a linear scale-- a Rank 3 threat is many times stronger than a Rank 2 threat, and a group of Rank 5 fighters may still not be enough to take on a Rank EX threat. It's all context-based and there are many monsters that are supposedly low on the danger scale, but can easily kill a high-ranked hunter, if the right situation presents itself. When in doubt, it's best to use this scale only as a rough guideline, rather than Gospel. [hr][h3]Sheets, References, Ranks, and Guidelines[/h3] [hider=Sheets and References] Sheet and format below. Be sure to add an image and change the hider name accordingly! [b]Unfortunately, we are full on both players and characters, but when applications open again, I'll be sure to let everyone know![/b] [hider=Who Are You?] [center][i][sub][h1]Organization[/h1][/sub] [sub][h3]Division[/h3][/sub][/i][/center] [table][row][/row][row][cell][center][img]IMAGE[/img][/center][/cell][cell] [sub][b]NAME:[/b] FULL NAME[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [sub][b]AGE:[/b] AGE HERE[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [sub][b]DATE OF BIRTH:[/b] MONTH - DAY - YEAR[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [sub][b]FAITH:[/b] CATHOLIC or PROTESTANT or EASTERN ORTHODOXY or OTHER[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [sub][b]NATIONALITY:[/b] RACE[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [/cell][/row][/table][i] [b]PERSONALITY[/b][/i] [sup]______________[/sup] [indent]Description of character's personalities, motivations, etc.[/indent] [i][b]EQUIPMENT[/b][/i] [sup]______________[/sup] [indent]Format what you will to describe your equipment - mainly your weapons, armor, and gear.[/indent] [i][b]CAPACITY[/b][/i] [sup]______________[/sup] [indent]Description of character's physical and mental capacity. Note the talents, skills, and proficiencies relevant to the scenario.[/indent][/hider] If you need explanations on what should be in each section, feel free to check the hider below, and to ask if you're still not sure! [hider=Explanations] [b]ORGANIZATION:[/b] The name of the organization that employs this character. Can be written in that country's native language, or translated into English. [b]CHAPTER:[/b] The division that this character works under. Can be anything as simple as "Division 44", and "10th Battalion" or as complex as the "Organized Chapter of Exorcists of the Vatican City". Other names like "Task Force: Valkyrie" or "Mobile Task Force: Kings of Uruk" are also possible. Like the previous entry, this can be written in that country's native language, or translated into English. [b]NAME:[/b] Your character's full name and aliases. [b]AGE:[/b] Your character's age. [b]DATE OF BIRTH:[/b] Your character's date of birth. For reference, the year is 1972, two years after the events of the first RP. [b]FAITH:[/b] Your character's faith of choice. You are primarily assumed to be a Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Eastern Orthodox priest, but it's entirely possible to bring in a Buddhist, Daoist, Animist, or something else entirely! Even a 'faithless' character who believes in nothing but the strength of the iron in their hand. These are the exceptions rather than the norm, however, so please discuss this possibility before bringing one in! [b]NATIONALITY:[/b] Your character's country of origin and race. Naturally, only humans exist in this world. [b]PERSONALITY:[/b] Description of your character's personalities, motivations, etc. [b]EQUIPMENT:[/b] Description of your character's equipment list. Your characters know that vampires are involved in this operation, and may pack accordingly. [b]CAPACITY:[/b] Description of your character's physical and mental capacity. Note the talents, skills, and proficiencies relevant to the scenario. As a reminder, your character is assumed to be a veteran Hunter of some renown in their circles, and should probably have the skills to match. It's entirely possible to bring a neophyte or 'apprentice' character to one of the other PCs though-- just ask! [/hider] A sample sheet, and one of the NPCs already on the ground before the rest of you get here. [hider=Alistair Ardizzone] [center][i][sub][h1]Ordinis Sancti Exorcistarum Christi[/h1][/sub] [sub][h3]Ordinatus Capitulum Exorcistae de Vatican City[/h3][/sub][/i][/center] [table][row][/row][row][cell][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RepAJJt.png[/img][/center][/cell][cell] [sub][b]NAME:[/b] ALISTAIR ARDIZZONE[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [sub][b]AGE:[/b] 28[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [sub][b]DATE OF BIRTH:[/b] OCTOBER 10, 1944[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [sub][b]FAITH:[/b] CATHOLIC[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [sub][b]NATIONALITY:[/b] ITALIAN[/sub] [sup]______________[/sup] [/cell][/row][/table][i] [b]PERSONALITY[/b][/i] [sup]______________[/sup] [indent]Outwardly, Alistair appears to be a kindly young priest who treats everyone he meets with dignity, respect, and a smile on his face. He is wise, understanding, and surprisingly knowledgeable about the ways of the world. He appreciates art, music, and the little things. Above all else, he is a pious man who has dedicated his life to serving the Lord. Inwardly, Alistair harbors a deep resentment for demons and the unrepentant and can be particularly cold or angry toward them. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty and believes that ridding the world of these undesirables would be better for everyone. To him, being denied salvation is a small price to pay for the opportunity to save the world, and he'd readily give it up again if he had to. He's also fiercely protective, and perhaps even a little possessive when it comes to those he truly cares about. Paradoxically, Alistair will die for a cause he truly believes in without hesitation yet is simultaneously not yet ready to die. After all, there is so much more work left to do.[/indent] [i][b]EQUIPMENT[/b][/i] [sup]______________[/sup] [indent][b]- Ceremonial Longsword: [/b]A holy relic, dating back to the First Crusade, this steel longsword has an edge forged from sanctified silver. Gilded with gold and jewels, this weapon was meant to be used to anoint members of an ancient order of holy knights, rather than be used in true combat. Although heavy and unwieldy, it feels light and fast in the hands of the Ordained. Its edge is dull when used against the innocent, while unrepentant sinners find it sharp-- enemies of the Lord cannot even bear to be in the blade's presence, finding the sword to cut supernaturally deep. Alistair keeps the blade in its scabbard, only ever pulling it free if he knows he must purify.[/indent] [indent][b]- Holy Bible: [/b]A heavy-set grimoire, containing the Word of God. Alistair has each page committed to memory, but he finds the presence of the tome comforting. He can also recite scripture and verses directly from the Bible, causing many demons to recoil in pain. Weaker demons may burn away, though stronger ones may merely be weakened by such acts.[/indent] [indent][b]- Reliquary: [/b]A leather satchel containing holy symbols, scripture, and other objects that are anathema to demons. Supplies include, but are not limited to: vials of holy water, silver crucifixes, a ritual dagger, a jeweled grail, notes on religious rituals, images depicting the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary, and various other Saints, wooden stakes, blessed nails, a hammer, a set of candles, and of course, bread and wine.[/indent] [indent][b]- Beretta M1951R: [/b] Fairly ubiquitous, even by military standards. Unlike Alistair's other weapons, this one was acquired after the recommendation of a friend. Unadorned and undecorated, this pistol can fire in semi-automatic and fully-automatic modes, and is used to take down targets at medium-to-long range. With a 10-round magazine, this pistol is often filled with blessed ordnance; sanctified silver and salt rounds. The gun has quite the recoil, bullet spread, and inaccuracy when fired in its fully-automatic mode, so Alistair usually reserves that function for emergencies, or to 'fire-and-forget' before engaging in melee. [/indent] [i][b]CAPACITY[/b][/i] [sup]______________[/sup] [indent]Despite his thin, seemingly frail physique, Alistair is deceptively tough, his physical and mental fortitude impressive even among other exorcists. He was shown to have a prodigious talent for the arts of battle. He leverages this training to great effect during combat, combining his talent and training together. Fast, strong, and tough, the man is a dangerous combatant in close quarters. When wielding the holy sword, Alistair uses traditional techniques from [i]Fiore dei Liberi[/i], a form of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) that revolves around the use of a longsword. When fighting without his blade, he uses a street-boxing style, honed through a turbulent youth in the streets of post-war Rome. If pushed, the man isn't afraid to fight dirty, having learned a long time ago that if there are lives on the line, then no technique is too dishonorable. In addition, the man knows the entirety of the Bible, the Old and New Testament having been committed to memory. If he encounters a situation where his blade will do him no good, he always has the Gospel and the Scriptures to fall back upon. When even that is tested, he taps into reserves of willpower and determination rarely ever seen, except in men with nothing to lose, but everything to gain. [/indent][/hider] [/hider] [hider=Ranks and Guidelines] This is identical to the Rank Table from the above section, to be used as quick reference. [hider=Rank Table] [table][row][cell]Rank[/cell][cell]Rank -1[/cell][cell]Rank 0[/cell][cell]Rank 1[/cell][cell]Rank 2[/cell][cell]Rank 3[/cell][cell]Rank 4[/cell][cell]Rank 5[/cell][cell]Rank EX[/cell][/row][row][cell]General Quality[/cell][cell]Terrible[/cell][cell]Average[/cell][cell]Notable[/cell][cell]Good[/cell][cell]Great[/cell][cell]Excellent[/cell][cell]Top-class[/cell][cell]Beyond Common Sense[/cell][/row][row][cell]Danger Level[/cell][cell]Inconsequential[/cell][cell]Trivial[/cell][cell]Very Low[/cell][cell]Low[/cell][cell]Medium[/cell][cell]High[/cell][cell]Very High[/cell][cell]Extreme[/cell][/row][row][cell]Approx. Hunter Level[/cell][cell]Unarmed Civilian[/cell][cell]Armed Civilian[/cell][cell]Trained Soldier[/cell][cell]Inexperienced Hunter[/cell][cell]Regular Hunter[/cell][cell]Veteran Hunter[/cell][cell]Elite Hunter[/cell][cell]Legendary Hunter[/cell][/row][row][cell]Mundane Risk Example[/cell][cell]Thug[/cell][cell]Thug with Knife[/cell][cell]Group of Thugs[/cell][cell]Explosion[/cell][cell]A Riot or Skirmish[/cell][cell]Large-scale Terrorism[/cell][cell]Large-scale Bombardment[/cell][cell]Unknown[/cell][/row][row][cell]Supernatural Risk Example[/cell][cell]Thrall[/cell][cell]Armed Thrall[/cell][cell]Ghoul[/cell][cell]Lesser Vampire[/cell][cell]Vampire[/cell][cell]Greater Vampire[/cell][cell]Vampire Elder[/cell][cell]Unknown[/cell][/row][row][cell]Range of Influence[/cell][cell]Non-issue[/cell][cell]A Few People[/cell][cell]A Street[/cell][cell]A Neighborhood[/cell][cell]A Residential District[/cell][cell]A City[/cell][cell]Multiple Cities[/cell][cell]Unknown[/cell][/row][row][cell]Damage to Public[/cell][cell]Potential Injuries or Robbery if Unlucky[/cell][cell]1-2 Casualties, Maybe a Broken Window[/cell][cell]5-6 Casualties, Damaged Property[/cell][cell]12+ Casualties, Destroyed Building[/cell][cell]50+ Casualties[/cell][cell]100+ Casualties[/cell][cell]Area is Destroyed[/cell][cell]Unknown[/cell][/row][/table][/hider] Below is a quick-and-dirty guideline sheet to keep in mind when writing combat scenes with Rank in mind. You're not expected to follow these guidelines to a tee-- just keep them in mind. [hider=Combat Guidelines] [b]Rank -1:[/b] [i]Mooks.[/i] Mow through as many of them as you want in a single post. These guys are basically no threat to your hunters, so feel free to describe how your character ducks, dodges, weaves, and eliminates each of them. You may want to leave a few as a courtesy to other players though. [b]Rank 0:[/b] [i]Grunts.[/i] The bulk of the enemy forces. You can eliminate up to ten (10) of these guys in a single post. They're a little stronger than the ones from Rank -1, but that's not really saying much. [b]Rank 1:[/b] [i]Foot Soldiers.[/i] These would be dangerous to the average human, but not to your veteran hunters. You can eliminate five to six (5-6) of these in a single post. [b]Rank 2:[/b] [i]Elite Soldiers[/i]. These ones would take an entire squad of trained soldiers to eliminate. You can eliminate two to three (2-3) of these in a single post. [b]Rank 3:[/b] [i]Sergeants.[/i] Now we reach capable threats-- don't get too cocky with these, but you're still strong enough to eliminate them. You can eliminate one (1) of these in a single post. [b]Rank 4:[/b] [i]Lieutenants.[/i] Dangerous, even for yourselves. You can eliminate one (1) of these in two (2) posts (though you'll likely get injured in the process), though two (2) hunters working in tandem can eliminate one (1) if they both write separate posts or collaborate on a single post to take down a Rank 4 threat. [b]Rank 5:[/b] [i]Bosses.[/i] Very dangerous, do not engage alone. Requires all Hunters currently present to submit one to two (1-2) rounds of posts, or to collaborate on one to two (1-2) megaposts. These ones will be used quite sparingly to prevent collab fatigue, but they should be treated as dangerous as it implies. [b]Rank EX:[/b] [i]F.O.E. (Formido Oppugnatura Exsequens, Field On Enemy, Freakishly Overpowered Enemy, etc).[/i] Extremely dangerous, even for a group of Veteran Hunters. Essentially cannot be defeated conventionally-- Veteran Hunters can fight defensively to keep them at bay for a time, but any more than that will result in the deaths of them and their party. Hunters are instead expected to retreat and find a way to overcome or circumvent the foe in question. [hr] These guidelines are written on the assumption that you control a [b]Rank 4 Hunter[/b]. [b]If you have an apprentice, instead shift the threat upward based on how many ranks they are away from Rank 4[/b]. For example, if you have a Rank 3 Apprentice, treat Rank -1 enemies as Rank 0, Rank 0 as Rank 1, etc-- until you get to the end, where Rank 5 enemies are counted as Rank EX. Similarly, if you have a Rank 2 Apprentice, Rank -1 enemies are considered as Rank 1, Rank 0 enemies are considered as Rank 2, etc-- until you get to the end, where Rank 4 enemies are counted as Rank EX. Of course, if an apprentice is fighting alongside their master, just consider the apprentice and the master to be a single (slightly stronger) Rank 4 fighter. The apprentices should essentially try to be force multipliers who support their master and try not to get in the way, rather than an additional threat on the field for the purposes of threat calculation. [b]If you are eliminating multiple enemies of differing ranks in a single post, it may be a good idea to divide the number of enemies slain for each one by the number of different ranks you're taking care of[/b]. For example, you can normally kill up to 10 Rank 0 enemies, and 5-6 Rank 1 enemies in a single post. Since you're taking on two different ranks, divide the number of potential kills by the number of ranks (in this case, 2). Following these rough guidelines means you can kill up to 5 Rank 0s and 2-3 Rank 1 enemies in a single post, combined. [b]When fighting threats that require at least one or more posts to take down, instead add a post for every other Rank you're also taking down, except Rank -1[/b] (i.e. if you're facing off solo against a Rank 3 enemy, a few Rank 2 enemies, and an indeterminate amount of Rank -1 enemies, the Rank 3 enemy now takes 2 posts to take down instead of 1) -- at a certain level, these bigger threats are best focused on by individual hunters, as the small fry can pull away at your attention. Either clear the field and get rid of the annoyances first, or split up and tackle each group on your own. These rules may seem confusing at first, but they're here to address a problem we had in the previous RP, where a lot of discussion was had on how many enemies there were, who was taking down what enemies, how many enemies could be killed in a single go... etc. These guidelines should hopefully streamline things and give people perspective on what the limits of posting are. That being said, I understand that this can be a surprisingly crunchy system for a Forum RP. With that in mind, at the beginning of every combat start, I will post the enemy list, their rank, how many enemies a player is expected to take care of, and how many 'rounds' I anticipate the combat to take. Naturally, if any of you have questions, feel free to ask. [/hider] This is a list of other guidelines to follow while writing. Consider this your 'rules' section! [hider=Other Guidelines] 1. Refer to [url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ijqbnouMog3wix5VHnf_h9DyS0epe4Z20V22m2lAk0w/edit?usp=sharing]this link[/url] for a comprehensive guide on collabs. I found it quite helpful when I was writing in tandem with the [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/conscripts]person who wrote it[/url] and it really can help improve productivity. 2. Inform the other players as to which opponents and how many opponents you plan on eliminating and injuring ahead of time when writing a combat post. This will help prevent situations where everyone is trying to calculate which opponents are available for takedown, and which ones are not. In a similar vein, try not to kill too many enemies to the point that there's none left for the other players. Of course, if you want a scene where a character just goes on a killing spree and everyone else cleans up, that's fine-- just make sure everyone is okay with that kind of scene before proceeding. 3. Don't be afraid to write any injuries your characters sustain during combat! You're all badasses, and can take a bit of punishment, especially from the small fry. Plus, all you need afterward is a quick scene to bandage up, use healing magic, or take a smoke break to mostly return to full strength. That being said, if you want a scene where your character receives a grievous injury or even dies, that's fine-- just be sure to discuss it with me and the other players beforehand. 4. Be courteous. This is an action RP with anime-level shenaniganry, so things are naturally expected to gravitate towards the... self-indulgent. Even so, try not to hog the spotlight too much. You are sharing the stage with five other players, eight other characters, a horde of NPC monsters, and a single GM trying to manage everything, so if you feel like going on a rampage, ask first. 5. Have fun! This is a short, campy action RP about religious people killing vampires! Don't take things [i]too[/i] seriously, and enjoy the RP for what it is. Keep the RP moving and don't get stuck on what-ifs. When in doubt, ask-- we don't bite. Should be fine! [/hider] [/hider] Discord Server can be found [url=discord.gg/rwVjP6cBrY]here[/url].