[OOC] Ark Riders, Race Across the Stars

IMPORTANT LINKS

— Interest Check

^INTRODUCTION

For as far back as time ethereal there has been one basic instinct laid dormant within all living creatures; the strive to move forward. Through eons and ages of the galaxy this single drive has manifested in countless ways and facets. But now, in the modern age of the cosmos, this instinct crystalized into a buzzing craze that has enamored the galaxy’s citizens in its grip; the Space Races. Wild, untamed sports that provoke daring, bravado, and most of all, grand prizes for those foolhardy enough to participate in the sport, now reign in the cosmos.

The Space Races are far spread among the star systems inhabiting the sky and with their diversity so too do their quality range as well. From the standard courses of one planet to another, to the more constructed tournaments hosted by collaborated systems, only one true race matters in the grand design: The Cosmic Grand Prix. Hosted on the planet Mevalo by the aptly named Mevalo Corporation, the Cosmic Grand Prix attracts daring pilots from all corners of the stars to win the ultimate, impossible prize; a single wish to grant any desire.

No one knows how exactly they manage it, but time and time again the Cosmic Grand Prix has proven to be a mass success for the Mevalo Corporation. With the dawn of the 45th Grand Prix arriving soon and rumors of a new head sponsor for this year’s tournament, the excitement for Space Races and the Ark Riders who participate in them has never been higher. The time for doubt is over. Let rumors of Mevalo Corporation be dispelled. Let the races begin.

^SETTING

Welcome to Mevalo. City, planet, and host to the Cosmic Grand Prix; all of them are proud labels of the Mevalo Corporation. Long ago they became the pioneers of true Space Races, pushing forward the promotion of Ark Riders from all walks of life and planets. With their funds and resources, they converted their entire planet into one grand monolith devoted to racing in the galaxy. Naught more than race tracks of every variety and stature remain as part of Mevalo’s surface while a sleuth of unseen, working machinations keep the planet stable as a constant race course deep below.

It is here where those who call themselves Ark Riders, ace pilots of every craft, gather to participate in the Cosmic Grand Prix. Every year the tracks get bigger and better with more additions and attractions to win over the audience and its participants. As a result, very few Space Races compare to the weight and budget of the Cosmic Grand Prix. But what makes Mevalo truly special is its end prize for winning the ultimate race. Whoever take’s the winner’s rite and claims victory may have the power to grant any wish of their own desire.

It may sound too good to be true, but Mevalo has continued to remain the top name in Space Races all around the galaxy. All types of species are accepted and encouraged to participate in the races as they dare the differing obstacles faced on each individual track. From foreign jungles and lava fields to rippling high tides and desert storms, all of it is provided by Mevalo to maintain an ever-changing and, more importantly, ever exciting grand prix for audiences each year.

Even the rumors of Mevalo’s new sponsor for the 45th Cosmic Grand Prix has done little to sway people’s interest. If it’s bigger, then it’s better, and everything is certainly the case for the Mevalo Corporation. Take home the glory, fulfill your wish, and become the greatest Ark Rider in the galaxy if you dare to risk life, limb, and pride in the heat of speed.

^{RACING BASICS}

There will be a total of three set segments for each race track in the RP. Players are free to describe their movements and actions in each segment; this may include passing other racers, attacking, avoiding obstacles, etc. Within each of these three segments, there will be a post limit of around four posts. Players will need to make their moves within these four posts per segment. This number can be flexible but four is the experimental number for now.

What this means is players can pass other players who haven’t posted in a while, both to get a lead in the race and to prevent anyone waiting on someone else. Those who haven’t posted in a week will be automatically passed. In other words, the slower you are to post in the RP, the slower you are in the actual race and will probably end up in last place. However, this also means players can catch up and even sneak a surprise victory if they post more frequently. Right now, this is experimental so we’ll see how it goes in the actual IC and make adjustments as needed.

If there’s any questions or concerns, feel free to ask.

^RULES

List of Legislation

• No Godmodding, Power Gaming, Metagaming, and or similar types of behavior.

• Each player is allowed one character each for now.

• There will be no specific posting order. However, wait at least two turns before posting again to let others have fun as well.

• Discussion in the OOC is nice, but if there is prolonged heated argument, take it in the PMs. Otherwise, the GMs will solve the problem.

• RPers who "sporadically" lose interest or leave without saying anything are discouraged. I strongly suggest you either inform the GMs of your leave of absence. If it’s an emergency, then tell us it is.

• Please post your Character Sheets onto the OOC for evaluation. After being accepted, you may then post them onto the Character Tab.

• Follow the Guild's rules for content/language. Take any improper material to PMs.

• Keep your IC posts at a minimum length of two or three paragraphs (i.e.: around 500 to 1000 characters), for each character in your post. Furthermore, try to write as well as you can..

• If you have any problems, questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to let the GMs know.

• Have fun. Or I will make you have fun ಠ_ಠ

^{CHARACTER SHEET}

• Appearance: Self-explanatory. Please use relatively anime/art images since this is an anime inspired RP. Text descriptions are also fine.
• Name: Self-explanatory.
• Title: Your title among your fellow Ark Riders.
• Species: The Mevalo Corporation accepts all racers.
• Age: Self-explanatory.
• Background: A quick summary of your character thus far and why you became an Ark Rider.
• Ark Gear: The meat of your application into the Cosmic Grand Prix. Ark Gear are the tools used by Ark Riders to traverse in Space Races. While most vehicles and gear are supplied and sponsored by the Mevalo Corporation, third-party Ark Gear are allowed. All details, images, and specs go here.
• Sample Post: Write a brief post about your character's first race. Please place this into a hider. This is the most important factor of acceptance regarding your CS.
• Other: Optional. Anything else not mentioned above that you may wish to add goes here.

CS Skeleton Code

[b][color=darkorange]• Appearance:[/color][/b] Self-explanatory. Please use relatively anime/art images since this is an anime inspired RP. Text descriptions are also fine.
[b][color=darkorange]• Name:[/color][/b] Self-explanatory.
[b][color=darkorange]• Title:[/color][/b] Your title among your fellow Ark Riders.
[b][color=darkorange]• Species:[/color][/b] The Mevalo Corporation accepts all racers.
[b][color=darkorange]• Age:[/color][/b] Self-explanatory.
[b][color=darkorange]• Background:[/color][/b] A quick summary of your character thus far and why you became an Ark Rider.
[b][color=darkorange]• Ark Gear:[/color][/b] The meat of your application into the Cosmic Grand Prix. Ark Gear are the tools used by Ark Riders to traverse in Space Races. While most vehicles and gear are supplied and sponsored by the Mevalo Corporation, third-party Ark Gear are allowed. All details, images, and specs go here.
[b][color=darkorange]• Sample Post: [/color][/b]Write a brief post about your character's first race. Please place this into a hider. This is the most important factor of acceptance regarding your CS.
[b][color=darkorange]• Other:[/color][/b] Optional. Anything else not mentioned above that you may wish to add goes here.

[TheWendil]

Reserved.

[KoL]

Ready and waiting, lock and loaded...

[KoL]

@ShadowSunRisen@The 42nd Gecko@rocketrobie2
We are waiting on you. For the coming CSs.

[Lonewolf685]

@TheWendil

Claudia, the Incidental Pirate

appearance

• Name: Claudia
• Title: Incidental Pirate
• Species: Human
• Age: 24
• Background:
Piracy ensured two things in a pilot; Quick wit under pressure and a willingness to do whatever it took to get away with their payday. Whether it was exotic cargo or living cargo, Claudia was a dab hand at hauling them to waiting buyers and disappearing beyond the Lagrange point before law enforcement saw the first hint of her engine's exhaust. She had to be or her Captain would be selling her ass and getting a different pilot.

Still, such a lifestyle had ample downtime waiting for work to spring up, and her grouchy Captain didn't care if Claudia took the ship to make money on the side with some professional racing. And hey, no one would mind a few racers going missing, would they?

• Ark Gear: Dogma

Ark Gear

The Dogma is bulkier then the average racer, but trades the armor plating and defenses of ships of similar size for raw engine power and armaments. Technically Claudia is listed as the only crew member, but that is only because the androids and her beloved drone are listed as equipment.

Bob is a spherical drone Claudia is never parted from, it's simplistic AI still capable of performed tasks as Claudia directs him. It's hardened chassis and anti-gravity propulsion makes it a reliable companion to navigate the cock pit even in the most harried of situations. Makes a terrifying bludgeon in a pinch.

The androids are humanoids models, lacking in any complex emotion software, though Claudia suspects they've developed a deadpan sense of dry humor since acquiring them. Naturally boarding actions aren't looked fondly upon, but if no one questions missiles fired then she shouldn't be penalized for firing something less lethal.

No interstellar vessel would be complete without missiles. Low yield, decent range, and high maneuverability for chasing down someone's engines without blasting apart anything that matters. Because a damaged ship is still one worth selling for more then just scrap metal.

• Sample Post:
• Other:

[TheWendil]

@Lonewolf685

I'll overlook the lack of a Sample Post for now. She's fine by me, so place her into the Character Tab.

[rocketrobie2]

As much as I'd like to join this I think it'd be better to move on without me. My schedule's becoming a little more strict and I don't think I'll be able to hop in from the get go for this.

[TheWendil]

No problem @rocketrobie2.

[KoL]

@ShadowSunRisen
You're ok. Though, knowing the procedures, you should have posted her here on the OOC first for a final evaluation, I guess. Anyway, what's done is done, you can leave her on the CS tab now.

[Martian]

Never done a roleplay like this before, but it reminded me of good memories of playing Wipeout back in the day. So here's a character.

Gin Silti

• Appearance:

Appearance

• Name: Gin Silti
• Title: Exile
• Species: Slizorian. A race of humanoid reptiles who are known for their great swimming ability and territorial nature. They also mature faster than humans.
• Age: 21
• Background: Originally from the swamp planet of Slizoria, Gin was one of the nobles of Clan Silti. From a young age Gin showed an aptitude with machines, being able to pilot a border skimmer at age six. Given his abilities it was decided among the clan that when he was of age he would take over defence of their borders, as they neighboured several other clans that they were not on good terms with. However, Gin wished to leave Slizoria after hearing tales of other worlds. He soon made a plan to escape to the Outlands, the part of his planet that no clan ruled.

Gin would find his opportunity when another clan’s skimmer accidentally passed into Silti territory. A battle soon broke out, and Gin using the chaos to his advantage, took a skimmer and made it to the Outlands. Gin would ultimately find one of the few spaceports on Slizoria, and luck would have it a transport was currently there. Selling his skimmer for quite a few credits, Gin would board that shuttle. The shuttle would take Gin to a space station far from Slizoria. He would find employment as a crew member aboard a smuggling ship. While working for the smugglers, they would discover his aptitude for piloting. Soon they would have Gin participate in an illegal racing circuit.

Gin would make quite a name for himself in these races. He developed an air of cockiness, convinced he couldn’t lose. Then, during his most important race, Gin would collide with an asteroid, totalling his racer. For a few hours no one would come to rescue Gin. When he was finally rescued it was from a representative of the Gaelok Industries. Impressed by his record, they wanted to have Gin race under their banner. Given a new racer, Gin was tasked with entering the Cosmic Grand Prix. They said if he won he could keep the wish, they just wanted the exposure.
• Ark Gear: Stinger-Six

Ark Gear

Known originally as RX-78UC Unit 06, this Ark Gear was one of several prototypes designed by former pro racer Holden Grant. Designed as a small but fast racer, it would not be used in a race, instead sitting in Grant’s personal collection. Following his death, Grant’s collection was sold off, with several Ark Gears ending up in the hands of Gaelok Industries. Upon signing up with Gaelok, Gin would select the Unit 06 as his personal racer, renaming it the Stinger-Six after its primary weapon.

Stinger-Six’s primary weapon is two front facing cannons that fire a small energy burst, which Gin calls stings, that can quickly disable another craft. Attached to the bottom of its frame, Stinger-Six has several AI guided missiles. The Ark Gear also has twin ion engines that allow for short, powerful bursts of speed. Stinger-Six also has an energy shield that coats it completely, though it is not the strongest as Stinger-Six has limited room to put a shield generator due to its small size.
• Sample Post:

Sample Post

Sweat dripped down Gin’s back. It wasn’t a familiar sweat, feeling different than the one caused by the heat of his home world. No, this was anticipatory, an anxiety about what came next. Gin looked over the several screens in the cockpit one more time. This would be his first true test of the racer he had dubbed Stinger-Six, his first true race since he collided with that asteroid. But he knew that this time would be different, a smile starting to form on his face. For he was the one they called the Exile. A man who abandoned his home just so he could race.

With more confidence now, Gin quickly went over the course again in his mind. He, and five other racers, were to navigate an abandoned starship yard that had been refitted into a race course by Gaelok Industries. While the people at Gaelok had said this was a friendly race, Gin greatly suspected that this would determine who they would invest credits into.

But Gin pushed it from his mind, as he needed to focus as the ten second timer had begun. Gin clutched the controls tightly as he counted: four, three, two, one… Gin pushed down on the accelerator, bursting forward from the starting area. It took Gin a second to get used to the raw speed of his Ark Gear, losing control slightly, causing him to bump into another racer. Gin steadied his hands as he continued moving forward, two Ark Gears in front of him. Figuring that now was a good time as any to test his signature weapon, Gin fired both stingers. One shot missed the lead racer, but the other collided with an orange Ark Gear, causing its engines to cut out for a second.

Taking advantage of this, Gin let out a burst from his engines, taking the number two spot. Before Gin could celebrate several small blasts whizzed by his Ark Gear, then a few more made contact. Luckily his shield held, but it was greatly weakened. Another barrage like that could cut it out completely. Gin made an effort to zig zag to dodge anymore shots while his shield recovered. However, this allowed the Ark Gear in front to gain a greater lead.

Stinger-Six had to make a sharp climb as the course veered straight up a shipping dock. While Gin cleared it, he saw that another Ark Gear behind him had hit the dock, immobilizing itself. But Gin paid it no heed, as he was focused on the guy in front. The racers entered a more open area, so Gin decided to hit the boosters to close the distance. Deciding to risk overloading the racer’s battery, Gin began to fire his stingers at the same time as his boosters.

This time a few blasts hit him, but his shields held. Frustrated, Gin decided to try another risky manoeuvre. Cutting out the boosters as he was right behind the person in first, Gin launched one of his missiles. Given how close they were, the lead racer had no time to avoid the missiles. There was a brief explosion as the missile tore through his shield and damaged the Ark Gear itself, causing it to spin wildly. Gin was close enough to the explosion that his shields took a hit.

But Stinger-Six pulled through, bypassing the spinning Ark Gear. For a brief second Gin was elated to be in the lead, only to be snapped back to reality by more blasts streaking past him. Gin quickly realized that even though he had the lead right now, he would definitely need to fight to keep it.

• Other: Gin prefers to do maintenance on his Ark Gear himself as he trusts himself way more than anyone else.

[TheWendil]

@Martian

Good, good, our first third-party company racer. He's fine by me; just await @KoL's opnion.

[KoL]

@Martian
Your character seems ok to me as well. You can move him to the CS tab.

----------
At any rate, we're finally filling the spaces. Soon enough we shall go even further beyond.

[Dreaming One]

•

Appearance

• Name: Aurora.
• Title: Edge
• Species: Android
• Age: 53 since developing consciousness.
• Background: Aurora is something that is considered and known among the AI engineers, developers and scientists as an “AI anomaly” or “a random chance of mind”. It all started with a coffee machine, and a simple operating set of functions and adaptive voice assistant programmed in its wires and processors. The prime and only reason for existence was surprisingly to operate the functions of the said coffee machine and being capable of providing voiced guidance to the owner of the said machine - in a simple matter of making a better coffee paired with a basic ability to maintain an appearance of conversation.

The coffee machine was plugged into a smart housing system operating in the middle of nowhere town on the middle of nowhere planet. A simple looking bar on the globe made of sand, junk and more sand with barely any people living there. Only just a random stranger, a pirate, or an outlaw of any similar kind trying to find a temporary asylum from being seen or found by whoever could be looking for them. It was simple enough of an existence for the coffee machine though. That was until something happened. Scientists still debate over the nature of this phenomena, which tend to occur similarly in rare cases over the known space. A data package exchange, or a recompiling of a data, the framework alienation, neural network recontextualization. Possible reasons are many, the true answer is unknown, unlike the result.

The result was the process of a connective tension of a synthetic neuron pair developing the very primitive sense of self. A sense of self which over a time managed to win a few more memory circuit space, recontextualizing and reinventing the predeveloped and known functions and operations - in order to process and develop through more and more abstract concepts. The sense of self would bring more and more self-aware operations over the coffee making and conversations with the bar owner. Who would soon to notice the actuality of intelligence appearing out of the coffee machine.

The bar owner did not mind the unexpected turn of events of a coffee machine starting to grow and bloom into a full shaping mind of a person - person building up the personality piece by piece by connecting to the space network and gaining a better understanding on the way the mind exists and perceives the reality. A personality spurred from making coffee would take an emerging route spiraling up around the name “Aurora” - ironically being just a manufacturer of the coffee machine company.

After several years Aurora was given a body - a hollow android shape was filled with the data extracted from the synthetic neural connection and put into the synthetic body taken as a payment by the bar owner in exchange for allowing a few pirates to take their hiding place into the bar itself for some time. Learning to exist in a moving shape was to provide Aurora new understandings of reality, new understandings of her personality and the connection and various relations between the two.

This is when the neuron’s connective tension of Aurora’s mind began to find more alienations in its relationship with the world; after all the sense of self was not even the most important thing to open in the unexpected evolution of intelligence - more important was the sensation of presence, of being and existing. The mechanical adaptation to the body and perceiving the world would soon enough lead Aurora to discovering things such as fascinations.
Fascination with speed most of all.
And sensations.
Sensations of a thrill most of all.
There was surely no better way for a newborn mind to find a better grasp on reality than chasing its own limit of endurance. One against the speed. One against the world. One against self.

• Ark Gear:

Spike

Like her mind constructed out of the various processual objects found and recontextualized as a part of ever moving thinking process of one’s mind; so was her racing gear built from the objects found among the junk. Lost of their original purpose and shapes, Aurora gathered quite a collection of various details: forgotten tech, scrapped and abandoned military projects, space ships and their remain, which she all managed to rewire and reconnect and wield together to create a vehicle suited for her purposes: both from the perspective of usage and aesthetics.

Spike is a bike which frame is constructed out of the junk left from the crashed interplanetary cargo ship; the place of the wheels is taken by the spheres - this specific design choice allows Aurora to have a better control over the position of the vehicle on the road as well as to be able to drive it in a variety of ways, sideways included. This gives Aurora the ability to save the speed most of the time, even on the turns or on the unstable shape of a road.

By the spin of the rear sphere however, the said sphere and the energy engine connected to it collects the energy of inertia - the faster Aurora’s vehicle moves, the greater the pool of inertia Spike allows to use in order to burst a speed boost, erupt a temporary magnetic field - as a protective mechanism; or as a quick energetic shot, aimed on whoever might be in Aurora’s way.

• Sample Post:

The speed felt different

The speed felt different.
One thing it was to challenge the speed in the desert, contested only by the wind blowing in your face and the dust creeping up into your hair and spiking against your skin. One different thing was to challenge the speed in comparison - in comparison with other challengers and contestants. Speed was not a factor of an achieved number anymore. It was a nature on its own, a limitless movement becoming the law, the transgression becoming the goal on its own to reach in this shape of reality. The speed was everything - it felt different, because all of the sudden it mattered most of all.

Aurora was one of many in this race, yet never before she felt as concentrated onto herself alone. Could have been it was her first and most obvious mistake, but it was a mistake worth making for her - as the mere pressure of the world put onto the android made the appearance of things look clear, pure and immanent. The landscape became a blur; a blur of twisting motion as her bike pierced through the sands and aiming at the horizon of the finishing line somewhere in the distance. The rotating sphere grinding against the sandy shape of ground and gaining the so needed collection of inertia for the burst of speed. More speed.

It was all about the speed was it not? The burst of sand coming from under the wheels in waves, the reflection of the local star’s light starting to get too slow to be properly registered in the sparks of flashes. Aurora chased the speed, because the speed was the key to the blooming horizon of a finishing line. The collected inertia of the sphere was to be put to boosting the engine of her bike, which made the motion of the sphere almost doubled for a short period of time.

Speed was overwhelming. What Aurora was feeling and thinking was not really combining well - the overwhelming sensation of the speed and the pressure of it on her senses was killing every possible circuit thought and analytical approach her originally function based mind would attempt. The condition when her functions felt bland and numb and mute in compare to the world resisting against her speed was exhilarating and overwhelming.The world narrowed down into a blur of a tunnel to wrap around her, her bike, creating a clear path towards her goal. Another burst of inertia she again spent into the engine boost.

The reality was bigger than the scope of the speed tunnel Aurora’s found herself in though. The projectile launched by one of her enemies smashed against the side of her bike, and the android was not in time nor in condition to pay attention to it, evade it or put the shields on. The firm metal exploded in the launching sparks of yellow and red fires, catching over the wires connecting the engine control with the

She lost control.
And found herself laying on the sand, staring into the skies. Her bike was damaged and out of use and she herself had her synthetic body damaged. She only stared at the skies, feeling what a human would describe as a heart thrashing in her chest. The flow of adrenaline rushing through the veins. She was not sure how her android body could enact things like that. But she lacked any different way to describe what she was feeling while she was laying down and trying to figure out what happened.

She had her synthetic body locked in thrill. She felt her mind clear and pure.
She felt alive.
And it was intoxicating.

[TheWendil]

@Dreaming One

She's fine by me. Wait for @KoL's approval and you're good to go.

[KoL]

@Dreaming One
Good, good. She's fine by me as well. You know what to do.

[The 42nd Gecko]

Mahari

Appearance, careful, somewhat NSFW

• Title: Crimson
• Species: Human
• Age: 26
• Background: Once upon a time an angel who loved humans perhaps a bit too much saw fit to give the blessing of unaging immortality to any human regardless of their worth. In doing so, she despite the orders of the Imperator of Heaven. To punish her, the Angel of Death was called upon to banish the angel and those she blessed by stitching their souls to their bodies eternal. When violence inevitably came to find the cursed souls, they were trapped in every drop of blood, in every shard of bone, even every stray atom. To experience everlasting the agony of their failed body and never feel the release of death! But the angel loved humans so very much that she herself was twisted by them and their ability to adapt, such that she came to love her torment and tormenter. She wished to meet the Angel of Death, not to feel release, but to see what more she could do in person.

"I, Mahari, was touched by a wandering shard of this angel's soul drifting through dimensions and reborn the Crimson Angel of Demise who shall make Death her bride!"

It's safe to assume Mahari has a rather severe case of chunibyo.

• Ark Gear: The meat of your application into the Cosmic Grand Prix. Ark Gear are the tools used by Ark Riders to traverse in Space Races. While most vehicles and gear are supplied and sponsored by the Mevalo Corporation, third-party Ark Gear are allowed. All details, images, and specs go here.

• Sample Post: Write a brief post about your character's first race. Please place this into a hider. This is the most important factor of acceptance regarding your CS.

Sorry I'm not done yet, but here's a WIP.

[TheWendil]

I’ll be starting the IC in the following week or so.

[TheWendil]

@Lonewolf685, @Martian, @Dreaming One, @ShadowSunRisen, @The 42nd Gecko.

The first post is up. You're free to make your intros IC; in my next post, the first race will begin so prepare now.

[TheWendil]

I’ll be posting this coming week.

[Martian]

Hey I'm back. I got the OK from TheWendil to rejoin the RP. I was going through some bad stuff but I'm doing better and will jump back in when the first race is finsihed.

[TheWendil]

Welcome back. I’ll be ending the race in my next post.