~The Map of the Inner Sea~
(liable to be updated)
[OOC] Orst — Official Roleplay Starter Thread
- Horror
- Fantasy
- Arena
- Casual
- Nation
- Advanced
- Sci-Fi
- GM Pickled Piper Co-GM Liaison Co-GM Shinny
Join Status:
Apply
GM
Pickled Piper Pickled Piper (alt of Spider Pickle)
Member
Seen
15 hrs ago
Welcome to a new tale:
What Orst is and what to expect from the setting.
Orst is your home away from home -- or hell away from hell, if that's the sort of environment your characters usually roam. The planet "Orst" is a unique alternative to the usual "Earth deluxe" settings that abound. You can add in your existing OCs (provided their manner of entry is more evocative than "they fell through a portal" or other isekai cliche), or create new OCs that are either native to the planet or alien to it.
This massive planet is dangerous; The surface is buffeted by storms that kill surface-to-space transmissions and earthquakes rising from the depths, but the real danger starts once you go into the wilderness.
The alien wildlife puts Earth animals to shame. Civilization doesn't shape the wilderness; The wilderness shapes civilizations, because areas more concentrated with Chaos naturally suffer more storms, natural and unnatural disasters, strange events, and the depredation of strange and powerful creatures. The Safe Zones are those places designated by populations as less Chaotic.
These zones are where civilizations tend to coalesce, but they're far between, the isolation so great that a noticeable rift between cultures and technological advancements has grown. One city might be industrial solarpunk while the next is arcanopunk; That country over there might thrive on diesel engines and brimstone cannons, whereas the region flanking it is rife with nomads wielding star-metal swords and creating steed-and-rider bonds via old rituals.
Alongside action and survival (including CRP and minor NRP elements), a slew of scifi, fantasy, and hybrid subgenres coexist on Orst -- with room for the supernatural and horror as well.
With a world this expansive and plenty of custom cultures and locations to boot, exploration, faction-building, and group interactions abound. We seek to build a world that you can worldbuild in.
A tiered planet.
The planet is divided into many layers, every tier flatter than the last, as if each layer is its own planetary surface that's larger than the true surface and each one between. No one knows what the deepest layers hold, or whether there's an end to the descent. The only thing certain is that Orst gets even more dangerous the further down you go... and stranger, like the laws of reality are unchecked and unenforced below the surface.
Celestial bodies.
One large sun, one little sun, and over a hundred moons surround Orst. Artificial, natural, exotic, and plain moons alike occupy the sky. They're said to be the eyes of the Fates. Those watchful deities hang above Orst and take note of every detail, so they say.
Natives vs Interlopers
No matter the IC terms, "Interloper" describes any character not of Orst. Interlopers are met with all sorts of reactions, from fascination and curiosity to suspicion to blanket hostility -- just as extraterrestrials may be treated by us Earthlings. There are humans native to Orst, but only in select few populations, minor and semi-recently arisen; Humanity is a recent arrival. Also, many aren't truly Earth humans but happen to be genetically similar or identical.
How you can join, character sheets, basic rules.
Pretty simple! Fill out the sheet, make sure nothing you'll put into play will break the rules, and post in OOC about where and how you'd like to start playing. Feel free to reach out to other players and see if you can't come up with an entrance together -- especially if you're making a character for their faction.
Remember, only some humans are native to Orst. They don't have the same hundreds or thousands of years of history as non-human natives, nor the same prevalence.
Character sheet below:
Roleplay Rules & Reminders
The Usual Stuff:
No godmodding, metagaming, autohitting autoblocking autododging auto-whatever, or engaging in gamesmanship over good fun. We do combat for the sake of story and cool, good fights, not just for the sake of winning.
Setting-Specific:
You may play a god or other deity, demigod, semi-divine character, angel, devil, etc., even a non-deity character that is worshiped for their still-awe-inspiring powers, provided they abide by the usual restrictions.
Regardless of character type, you cannot play a character as powerful as, or more powerful than, a Fate. Fates are the GMPCs that oversee events from an IC perspective, just as GMs oversee things from the OOC side of things. Fates cannot be interacted with unless they allow it. They control destiny and shape reality on a worldwide scale, and they can divine and commentate on things that no one else can. If things get out of hand (aka if someone breaks the rules), there are IC ways to enforce or subvert consequences to prevent any derailing of the setting. We like weaving stories about destruction and disruption, to a point -- not actual destruction and disruption of what we're working hard to create.
If you want your character/faction to possess a power(ful item) that otherwise bends or breaks these rules, do bring it up with the group. If it proves to be too powerful, we may ask that you hold off on using it until a narratively satisfying point in some plotline, event, or the overall story of Orst.
Remember:
A blurb about Port Solt.
This thread, and its event, centers around Port Solt. Both a port and a bazaar for the plain and bizarre alike, this relatively bustling area is located in a particularly peaceful Safe Zone. It rests along the coast of the Inner Sea.
The "Moving Island" is a titanic island-like beast in the middle of that sea. It has sat motionless for over a millennium.
The factions of Orst thus far.
The most prevalent "faction" is not a faction at all. "Oblin" is the term used for a huge variety of esoteric beings, unified only by their disunity; No two Oblins are alike, and they aren't a part of any species, let alone an "Oblin" species. They're enigmatic, alien, unpredictable, yet individually undeviating because their alien shape dictates their identity. Many inhabitants liken them to an embodiment of the Chaos that abounds.
Factions:
Species:
Recent rumors of things happening on the periphery.
ORST! Official Roleplay Starter Thread
What?
What Orst is and what to expect from the setting.
Orst is your home away from home -- or hell away from hell, if that's the sort of environment your characters usually roam. The planet "Orst" is a unique alternative to the usual "Earth deluxe" settings that abound. You can add in your existing OCs (provided their manner of entry is more evocative than "they fell through a portal" or other isekai cliche), or create new OCs that are either native to the planet or alien to it.
This massive planet is dangerous; The surface is buffeted by storms that kill surface-to-space transmissions and earthquakes rising from the depths, but the real danger starts once you go into the wilderness.
The alien wildlife puts Earth animals to shame. Civilization doesn't shape the wilderness; The wilderness shapes civilizations, because areas more concentrated with Chaos naturally suffer more storms, natural and unnatural disasters, strange events, and the depredation of strange and powerful creatures. The Safe Zones are those places designated by populations as less Chaotic.
These zones are where civilizations tend to coalesce, but they're far between, the isolation so great that a noticeable rift between cultures and technological advancements has grown. One city might be industrial solarpunk while the next is arcanopunk; That country over there might thrive on diesel engines and brimstone cannons, whereas the region flanking it is rife with nomads wielding star-metal swords and creating steed-and-rider bonds via old rituals.
Alongside action and survival (including CRP and minor NRP elements), a slew of scifi, fantasy, and hybrid subgenres coexist on Orst -- with room for the supernatural and horror as well.
With a world this expansive and plenty of custom cultures and locations to boot, exploration, faction-building, and group interactions abound. We seek to build a world that you can worldbuild in.
A tiered planet.
The planet is divided into many layers, every tier flatter than the last, as if each layer is its own planetary surface that's larger than the true surface and each one between. No one knows what the deepest layers hold, or whether there's an end to the descent. The only thing certain is that Orst gets even more dangerous the further down you go... and stranger, like the laws of reality are unchecked and unenforced below the surface.
Celestial bodies.
One large sun, one little sun, and over a hundred moons surround Orst. Artificial, natural, exotic, and plain moons alike occupy the sky. They're said to be the eyes of the Fates. Those watchful deities hang above Orst and take note of every detail, so they say.
Natives vs Interlopers
No matter the IC terms, "Interloper" describes any character not of Orst. Interlopers are met with all sorts of reactions, from fascination and curiosity to suspicion to blanket hostility -- just as extraterrestrials may be treated by us Earthlings. There are humans native to Orst, but only in select few populations, minor and semi-recently arisen; Humanity is a recent arrival. Also, many aren't truly Earth humans but happen to be genetically similar or identical.
How?
How you can join, character sheets, basic rules.
Pretty simple! Fill out the sheet, make sure nothing you'll put into play will break the rules, and post in OOC about where and how you'd like to start playing. Feel free to reach out to other players and see if you can't come up with an entrance together -- especially if you're making a character for their faction.
Remember, only some humans are native to Orst. They don't have the same hundreds or thousands of years of history as non-human natives, nor the same prevalence.
Character sheet below:
Rather than hard rules for character creation, we encourage you to join our discord, create a thread under the #character-reviews channel, and bring up your character concept(s) for discussion.
However, we will list restrictions below to give you an idea of the general power level we're aiming for.
The current power cap will rise as things progress, but for now, your character should not be able to:
In addition:
Approaching these limits may cause some Oblins to be more wary of you. Surpassing them will draw the attention, or ire, of the Fates.
Other restrictions:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Species:
Native or Interloper?:
Description:
Unique Powers/Traits:
History Relevant to Orst:
However, we will list restrictions below to give you an idea of the general power level we're aiming for.
The current power cap will rise as things progress, but for now, your character should not be able to:
- Destroy more than a large building in one fell swoop.
(skyscraper, cruise ship, smaller but fortified structures like bunkers, etc.) - Destroy more than a city block with a charged-up or continuous attack.
- Alter or affect a wider range than a city in non-damaging ways.
- Run, fly, swim, or otherwise move faster unaided than a racecar.
- Move your limbs faster than the speed of sound.
- Be more durable/resilient than a city.
- Regenerate more than a minor limb or single organ per post (if the post is a brief span of time).
- Regenerate from (or to negate) death as an innate ability.
- Mystically divine information of someone/something/someplace further than 5,000 miles away, more than a few layers higher/deeper than themselves, or within a pocket dimension.
- Telepathically contact more than a city's population or mind-control more than a village.
this also goes for necromancy and controlling machines, plants and animals, spirits, elementals, and so on
In addition:
- Force fields and other constructs/projections cannot be more resilient than a medium building; Ideally, the larger and more numerous or complex they are, the less concentrated their resilience.
(apartment complex, supermarket, space station, airliner, etc.) - Controlling an opponent's constructs/projections/spells/minions is much more difficult than creating and controlling your own. Note: This does not mean blocking them is more difficult.
- Clones cannot exceed your own capabilities; Ideally, the more you have, the less powerful each should be. Spontaneously spawned clones should not match your strength in the first place.
- Weapons and ships can exceed a character's power cap, but make sure to discuss it with us if you want either.
includes mass-produced materiel that you'd outfit a faction's forces with
Approaching these limits may cause some Oblins to be more wary of you. Surpassing them will draw the attention, or ire, of the Fates.
Other restrictions:
- Physical intangibility, conditional or otherwise.
- True immortality (that is, cannot die or be defeated). At the very least, they can be incapacitated via enough injury. Unaging/Ageless characters are allowed.
- Unlimited free flight. They must have some means of propulsion, from wings or thrusters to anti-gravity, magic, or anti-gravity magic.
Character Sheet
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Species:
Native or Interloper?:
Description:
Unique Powers/Traits:
History Relevant to Orst:
Roleplay Rules & Reminders
The Usual Stuff:
No godmodding, metagaming, autohitting autoblocking autododging auto-whatever, or engaging in gamesmanship over good fun. We do combat for the sake of story and cool, good fights, not just for the sake of winning.
Setting-Specific:
You may play a god or other deity, demigod, semi-divine character, angel, devil, etc., even a non-deity character that is worshiped for their still-awe-inspiring powers, provided they abide by the usual restrictions.
Regardless of character type, you cannot play a character as powerful as, or more powerful than, a Fate. Fates are the GMPCs that oversee events from an IC perspective, just as GMs oversee things from the OOC side of things. Fates cannot be interacted with unless they allow it. They control destiny and shape reality on a worldwide scale, and they can divine and commentate on things that no one else can. If things get out of hand (aka if someone breaks the rules), there are IC ways to enforce or subvert consequences to prevent any derailing of the setting. We like weaving stories about destruction and disruption, to a point -- not actual destruction and disruption of what we're working hard to create.
If you want your character/faction to possess a power(ful item) that otherwise bends or breaks these rules, do bring it up with the group. If it proves to be too powerful, we may ask that you hold off on using it until a narratively satisfying point in some plotline, event, or the overall story of Orst.
Remember:
- Your character is not invulnerable, immutable, immovable, etc.
- Unless stated in your sheet, they're not impervious to emotion- or willpower-based effects., and they don't have endless willpower, nor an unbreakable will. These are all abilities that must be listed out if applicable.
- That being said, you cannot dictate how your character's fear aura or whatever it is affects another character's emotions, willpower, etc. -- that counts as autohitting! And I say that as the one with the fear-aura-emitting character!
- Unless stated in your sheet, they don't have endless stamina, mana, or other energy.
- If you're unsure about someone's intended meaning, ask them! This includes in combat when you're unsure how exactly someone is supposed to be positioned or any missing/ambiguous details of their actions.
- We aren't asking you to write physics simulations (in fact don't totally limit yourself to correct physics), but verisimilitude and logical outcomes must be respected. Without appropriate and admittedly strong powers as justification, your character cannot:
- Air-dash or inexplicably change midair trajectory
- Move in other ways that don't make sense (keeping in mind whatever powers they may have)
- No-sell a feasible or viable attack
- React to your own reactions of your reacted reacts due to the opposing character's reacted reacting of your character's reactions... stop. Don't let time and actions become too granular.
- React instantly (though they may predict an attack)
- Predict perfectly and completely
- Juke opponents perfectly
- Lie perfectly
- Detect lies perfectly
- Are you sensing a pattern here?
Where?
A blurb about Port Solt.
This thread, and its event, centers around Port Solt. Both a port and a bazaar for the plain and bizarre alike, this relatively bustling area is located in a particularly peaceful Safe Zone. It rests along the coast of the Inner Sea.
The "Moving Island" is a titanic island-like beast in the middle of that sea. It has sat motionless for over a millennium.
Who?
The factions of Orst thus far.
The most prevalent "faction" is not a faction at all. "Oblin" is the term used for a huge variety of esoteric beings, unified only by their disunity; No two Oblins are alike, and they aren't a part of any species, let alone an "Oblin" species. They're enigmatic, alien, unpredictable, yet individually undeviating because their alien shape dictates their identity. Many inhabitants liken them to an embodiment of the Chaos that abounds.
Factions:
Coming soon...
Species:
Coming soon...
Why?
Recent rumors of things happening on the periphery.
- Port Solt just got destroyed by a titan! An explosion has crushed the former safe zone's settlement, and the Inner Sea's retreat will pull away much of the debris like a reverse flood.
- Oblin activity has increased twentyfold, and the Moving Island has begun, well, moving! For some reason, the Inner Sea is draining towards the spot where it had settled long ago, forming a whirlpool that's pooling into who knows where.
- Record missing-persons cases near the Prowls of various Skogatti clans, in the tundras, mountains, and some forests. Those cannibal barbarian cat-orc-things, the Skogatti? Yup. Those are them.
- A few less-cannibalistic, more behaved Skoggati speak of great "stars" that crashed in the tundra south of the Rift, in an aetheric ice shelf. A slime mold and fog spreads through its dimmed recesses, and they also fear that these "invading stars" have angered the paranormal "Hungering Veil" that disposes of bark and carcasses.
- One or more other "stars" are reported to have landed in the mountains northwest of the Rift. Little does anyone know, they serve as ships for the Katurans -- vampires and their human bloodbags.
Portal Sword
Member
Seen
3 mos ago
Yes! I love your writing thus far. I'd like to join as a magi-tech diesel-punk civilisation with a character based off of Sisyphus and ancient Corinth.
I dont have access to discord, so ill present a charsheet here for gms' endorsement, perusal and approval!
I dont have access to discord, so ill present a charsheet here for gms' endorsement, perusal and approval!
2x Like
Despereaux
Member
Seen
14 days ago
I may try my hand at an Oblin, but in the Ig thread. That feels a somewhat less chaotic in the moment. Is world building permissible or is the setting and plot as defined so far set?
coGM
Liaison Passive Aggressor
Member
Seen
9 days ago
I may try my hand at an Oblin, but in the Ig thread. That feels a somewhat less chaotic in the moment. Is world building permissible or is the setting and plot as defined so far set?
I'll reach out to Shinny, who created the Oblins. He has been busy lately but it shouldn't be a problem.
coGM
I may try my hand at an Oblin, but in the Ig thread. That feels a somewhat less chaotic in the moment. Is world building permissible or is the setting and plot as defined so far set?
I'll send you a little primer on Oblins which should help you out! World building is otherwise permissible, if it doesn't conflict with what already exists.
© 2007-2026