[OOC] Land of the Chained

[Too Old 4 This]

Summary

The year is 1874. The Confederacy won the civil war almost ten years ago. These are no longer the United States of America, this is no longer the land of the free (if it ever was...). It is the land of the chained, an empire of slavery founded on racism and cruelty, ruled absolutely by the new American aristocracy, The Gentry.

This game will be an alternate history/weird western where the CSA won the civil war and the PCs are among the few remaining resistance fighters who operate the underground railroad and strike at the Gentry where and whenever they can. They call themselves Rail-Splitters after their hero Lincoln, who died a martyr's death when Lee burned Washington to the ground. Surrounded by the enemy, they fight a desperate struggle against a seemingly unstoppable evil.

So where does the weird come from? Humans are not alone in the West. The Pleistocene extinctions that happened in our world never occurred in this one meaning the West is full of giant beasts, mastodons, dire wolves, saber cats, terror birds, giant beavers, thunder birds, giant armadillos (glyptodons), giant sloth (megatherium), cave bears, camels and even stranger creatures. The native people also speak of a demon, the Wendigo or Devourer, that the white man stirred awake by his greed, a spirit plague that twists both man and animal. Although, 'civilized' peoples generally dismiss native superstitions as just that, the victory of the Confederacy does seem dependent on a series of fateful yet mysterious events, the disappearance of generals and whole armies into the wilderness.

For this game I envision a stirring story populated by well written and deliciously evil villains. You will see classic elements of the Western genre mixed with a dose of Cthulhu style horror and topped with the kind of guns, blazing desperation that is the hallmark of stories like Inglorious Bastards, Jango Unchained and Wolfenstein: The New Order. Although an RP heavy on action, I expect to see all types of characters for the Rail-splitters are not all hardened Union veterans and gunslingers, nor do they all rely purely on violence to fight against the institution of slavery.



Time Line

May, 1863: General Stonewall Jackson is shot by his own men... but makes an unexpected recovery.

July, 1863: Confederacy wins a remarkable victory at Gettysburg.

August, 1863: Army of Northern Virginia sets fire to Washington DC. Lincoln, who refused to leave the capitol, is presumed dead

September, 1863: Sherman's 5th division vanishes strangely in the Carolina backcountry.

November, 1863: The Spanish and French both sign agreements with the CSA to aid them in return for help bringing their former colonies (notably Mexico) to heel.

Decenmber-March, 1863-1864: A brutal winter, unlike any ever recorded, pounds the north, while southern armies enjoy a renewed flow of supplies and armorments thanks to European gold.

April, 1864: The remains of the Army of the Potomac clashes with Lee at the Battle of Philadelphia. A shell from one of the Confederate howitzers shatters the liberty bell, a telling omen.

June 1864: Aided by French troops and Indian conscripts, the Southern Army encircles the last great Union army at New York. Spanish warships and Confederate ironclads seal the trap from sea.

August 1864: After nearly two months of brutal siege, General Hooker surrenders his remaining troops and Confederate and French soldiers march into Manhattan.

September 1864: Formal unconditional surrender signed by President Johnson, 'Agrressor States' are put under temporary military jurisdiction

November 1864: Northern politicians are pressed into signing a new constitution modeled after the Articles of Confederation and codifying the subhuman status of African Americans. Following its signature, all blacks in all states are remanded to slavery. Their sale will be used to pay Confederate war debts. The Constitution also identifies a so called 'Gentry Class', namely white Anglosaxon protestants. Only this class can legally run for political office or vote in elections. Also, unsurprisingly, it makes slave importation from Africa legal once more.

March 1865: Nate Forrest founds the Klu Klux Klan to hunt down free blacks and yankee troublemakers in Agressor States.

April-September 1865: The CSA participates in The Spanish-Mexican War returning Mexico to her formal colonial master. In the North they aid France in retaking much of Canada and claim some territory for their own.

August 1865: Confederate and Spanish entrepreneurs begin operations in Florida which will convert it into the world's premere slave market. Captives are brought in from African and bred there like livestock in horrid, inhuman conditions.

November 1865: The KKK is officially recognized as a law enforcement agency and starts taking on a 'secret police' role in the new CSA.

April 1866: President Jefferson Davis issues an order which closes down most immigration, excluding the gentry class, into the Confederacy.

March 1867: The Young Knights of the Confederacy, a youth organization modeled on the KKK and instilling white christian values in gentile children is founded.

June 1868: The transcontinental line is completed with the meager death toll of only 2,130 slaves, well below confederate estimates. The ceremonial driving of the last golden spike by President Davis, however, is interrupted when Railsplitters detonate a nitroglycerin explosive, the same type which claimed the lives of so many enslaved railway workers, among the assembled Gentry. Davis is crippled in the attack and swears vengeance on the terrorists.

October 1868: Lee publishes his memoirs entitled Regrets. In it he argues that it was a mistake to take an aggressive course in the war and even hints that he has changed his mind on the institution of slavery. Lee's book is banned by the Confederate government and Lee himself is quietly remanded to house arrest.

May 1869-1871: Increased white activity in Indian lands including illegal gold mining and the poaching of bison, Stag-moose, and mammoth for ivory stokes resentment among the various tribes of the Midwest and Confederate Canada.

November 1870: Stonewall Jackson, the famous civil war general, is 'elected' president.

March 1871: The first amendment to the new constitution is passed without dissent and extends the institution of slavery to encompass Native and Asian Americans, though chattel slavery of these people (including intensive breeding) is outlawed based on the pronouncement of confederate race 'scientists' that 'Redskins' and 'Mongoloids' are too strong willed to be fully domesticated. None the less, secretive 'breeders' continue to produce 'stock' illegally for select buyers with exotic tastes.

April 1871: Buffalo Soldiers, slave soldiers, are employed in massive numbers against the plains Indians. The plan backfires when the slaves join the enemy resulting in the Great Plains War. Stonewall dispatches General Jeb Stewert to quell the revolt.

October 1871: Stuart's cavalry conducts a brutal war employing Terror Birds, a new warmount domesticated by the Spanish. He puts every rebel black he finds to death, often feeding them to his birds. Those natives not killed are enslaved including thousands of women and children.

June 1872: The Plains uprising is put down and much of the native population placed chains. Across the nation, enslavement becomes the new guiding policy of Indian affairs. Crazyhorse, however, is never captured.

August 1872: Following the enslavement of most of the Plains tribes and the annexation of their territory, Deadwood, once an illegal settlement in the Blackhills, begins to grow into a major city fueled by the land's mineral wealth and already established slave 'breeders'. In time it becomes known as the 'Manhattan' of the West, a title which may or may not be tongue-in-cheek.

February 1873: An escaped slave, alias John Henry, earns a name for crushing the skulls of Gentile slave owners with a sledgehammer. He organizes a slave rebellion in Alabama and marches south to free the hundreds of thousands bound in Florida. He is stopped at the Okefenokee and, to avoid making him a martyr, he is remanded to one of the KKK's secret prisons.

January 1874: The underground railroad, whose members call themselves railsplitters, receive a heavy blow when their main headquarters in Philidelphia is raided and the resistance leaders publically executed.

February 1874: The Present



Rules for Players

1) GM reserves the right to reject applicants for any reason up to and including them thinking Dragon Ball Z is a good anime.
2) Do your research. If you're a native, know your tribe and its culture. If you're a freed slave, know your roots.
3) Don't flame or troll the OOC. Just don't be a douche.
4) Post 2/week minimum, daily maximum.
5) Keep all posts in third person limited. This is an RP, we can't hear your character's internal monologue and we probably don't want to
6) Understand that longer post =/= better post. Avoid novella posts which are tediously and needless long and/or skip ahead in time preventing other players from reacting to ongoing events.



Rules for GM

1) No GM bullshit or Deus Ex Machina (changing the rules to produce a desired story result)
2) No godmoding PCs (allies are fair game)
3) Players can do anything they want so long as it is in character and doesn't break the group permanently apart

Player Information

New Dixie

Sometimes called New Dixie, the Confederate States of America (CSA) only barely live up to their name. The new constitution drawn up after the war detracts power from Congress, ostensibly to return power to the States, but the result has been a more powerful, almost dictatorial executive branch. Although still elected, since only the Gentry can vote, the contest is usually between two flavors of the same white, racist fruit. Unlike the original constitution, the confederate constitution (sometimes called the second articles of confederation) make a point to codify and legalize slavery. The first ammendment to this constitution extended that slavery to encompass Native Americans and Chinese in addition to blacks. New Dixie is symbolized by the same flag confederates marched under during the war, the Stars and Bars. In trying to differentiate herself from the Union but remain true to American roots, her animal is the golden eagle, often appearing in gilded metal on the uniform of Confederate soldiers. The territory claimed by New Dixie is slightly different than that claimed by the United States at the same time. Parts of Canada, won during the Franco-Canadian Wars are part of the country as are parts of Mexico taken during the Spanish conquests in which the Confederacy participated. Most of the West is still composed of territories and Florida also still remains a territory and is technically under joint rule with the Spanish (one of New Dixie's close allies and partners in the slave trade). Although still a diverse land, the Confederacy is less so due to the clamp on nonwhite, nonslave immigration imposed by the nativist administrations.

Local Setting

The game will begin in Richmond, the Capitol of the New Confederacy. The city has been greatly enriched by the flood of wealth from the slave trade and is now a major metropolis, comparable to New York and Chicago. Confederate architecture leans heavily on classical styles and the city is dominated by marble and brick columnar edifices. At the center of the city is the Lee Memorial, a huge statue of a penitent General Lee, kneeling in prayer and receiving the divine blessing no doubt responsible for confederate victory. Beneath the statue, hollowed in its concrete base, is the local cell of the resistance movement, the Railsplitters hides in plain sight. These are cramped quarters attached to the Richmond sewers. From here runaways are slipped out, and with any luck, North to what remains of free Canada. Meanwhile weapons shipments come in destined to be used by the 'terrorists' on politicians, soldiers, overseers, and anyone who supports the vile institution of the slavery.

The Gentry

The Gentry are the ruling class of the new Confederate order. Modeled on the plantation owners of the South and displaying a refined pomposity of manner, dress, and taste, they dominate all of American society. Even in the North, Southern Gentlemen and Belles top the social order. Those wishing to advance themselves will often mimic the accent, the Southern drawl, of their conquerors and do whatever it takes to avoid looking like a yankee. The Gentry class (singular, Gentiles) is even codified in law as being white, of Western European origin, protestant and owning not less than one hectare of land. Only Gentile men can run for office and only Gentile men can vote. Oddly enough the Gentry see themselves as a kind of modern noble class, the heads of an emerging feudal world order, based on virtue, chivalry, and, of course, racial and cultural purity. Like all embodiements of evil throughout time, they see themselves as the epitome of all that is good in humanity.

Megafauna

North America is a land of giants, huge mammals and birds, relics of the last ice age, preserved by a cold climate and the careful stewerdship of tribal huntsmen. Among the most economically important are the bison, the stag-elk (a giant elk) and the mammoth. The stag-elks or great elk are the preferred mounts of many Indian tribes, notably the Plains Indians. Although possessing less stamina and hauling power than horses, the elk is capable of rapid acceleration and incredible acrobatics. Whites, however, have failed to domesticate these wild beasts for their spirits, unlike those of horses, refuse to break. The mammoths are greatly prized for their ivory and the vision of herds rotting, their tusks cut, is an all to common sight in modern times. Bison to are the target of poachers, in their case mainly for their hides. Other animals of the West pose a grave danger to humans. The sabercats and direwolves still stalk the wilderness and hunt humans as a matter of course. In the arid south Terror Birds, wild cousins of those tamed by the Spanish, still stalk the sands. In the sky, the mighty thunderbirds, condors which dwarf eagles soar with ten meter wingspans and in the rugged mountains, the cave bear, mightiest of beasts roams. Among the strangest of these denizens are the giant armidillo, the glyptodon, and the ground sloth, megatherium. Both animals were domesticated by native peoples and are often used to carry travois across the prairie. Finally in the south there is the North American camel, the camelops, a favored pack animal for mineral prospectors.

Terror Birds

Sometimes called Raptors or Coatyl after the mythological bird monster of Aztec legend, the Terror Birds are a bipedal species of predatory avifauna originally native to South America. After the continents merged, they migrated up Central America and into Mexico. There they were an object of adoration by the Aztecs who made them the symbol of their God, Quetzalcoatl. The Spanish invader and treasure hunter, Cortez immediately recognized the potential of the birds as a mount and brought several captive animals and eggs back with him to Spain. Like many birds, the Coatyl imprint soon after hatching and so were easily domesticated. Captive breeding and training soon turned the temple idols of the Aztecs into a weapon of war. Coatyls have many advantages over horses. They are by nature fearless and aggressive, making them ideal for combat. Their sharp talons and beak make for gruesome weapons and they are far more agile than horses, able to accelerate quickly and turn on a dime. On the downside, they lack the stamina and hauling power of horses and riding requires extensive training without which the animals can be as dangerous to the rider and his fellows as to the enemy. Coatyl were used mainly by the Spanish and Mexican cavalry until the Civil War when, after the Spanish signed on as allies, they sent calvary officers to train some select rebel soldiers including Jeb Stuart. Already late in the war, the new confederate raptors contributed little to the victory, but those who faced off against them still tell horror stories. In recent times, the coatyl were employed most successfully in the Great Plains Wars where the natives, usually at an advantage on their swift elk, found the tables turned when they came up against Stuart's terror birds.

In many ways the coatyl has become a symbol of the confederacy and the Gentry. It is a beautiful, bloothirsty animal, preening itself constantly and viewing all about it with a cold, arrogant and utterly superior glare. The living embodiement of the confederate aristocracy.

Technology

In Confederate America, slavery has gone industrial. The wealthy magnates of the North were quick to adapt to the new power structure, many shifting their labor forces from paid immigrants to black slaves. This resulted in Irish riots throughout the North many of which were put down brutally by Confederate troops. Due to the plentitude of cheap labor, there was somewhat less incentive for innovation and so technology has progressed slower than in our own timeline. Repeating rifles are just starting to become available, many firearms still employ the old cap and ball technology and muskets are still widely in use. The hordes cheap labor, however, have aided railroad construction leading to the completion of the first transcontinental route in 1868 and the tight interlocking of both coasts by iron rail. Steam derived from coal is, of course, the main power source while lighting is provided either by candle or oil. On the ocean, confederate technology is somewhat ahead of the curve due to wartime experimentation. Dixie submarine and ironclad technology is the most advanced in the world allowing them to transport their 'slave stock' with untold security and reliability.

Religion

Religion is a huge part of people's lives in the 1870s and informs their views on many things including slavery. Most protestant denominations currently support slavery, under the premise that blacks are a child-like race who need the 'benevolent' hand of whites to guide them. There are some notable exceptions. The Quakers in particular have been a thorn in the side of the Confederacy. Many Railsplitters are Quakers and Quaker households are the backbone of the underground railroad in the North. This has resulted in persecution from the KKK who have razed Quaker farms and even abducted them in the night on the suspicion of aiding runaways. Catholics fair little better under the nativist regime of the confederates. They see Catholics as foreigners taking their orders from Rome and incapable of being true Americans. The Mormans vary in their opinions. Some attempt to fall into line with the confederacy and explain the slavery of blacks through their own beliefs as being part of the curse of Ham. Others cite Smiths own abolitionist sentiments and speak out against the institution. Jews fair little better than Catholics under the new regime and are a constant target of harassment by the KKK.

KKK

As the Gestapo is to Nazi Germany, so the KKK is to the Confederacy. An elite law enforcement agency full of ideologues completely devoted to the concepts of white supremacy and manifest destiny, it operates with unquestioned authority throughout the Confederate States. Although the Klan do their fair share of terrorizing, their main function in the Confederacy is the hunting down of runaways and anyone who aids them. They are the most feared enemy of slaves and abolitionists alike for their spies and informants are everywhere and come in the most unassuming guises. Like our own KKK, members conceal their identity, but not for fear of retribution but rather to allow them to spy on their neighbors without evoking suspicion. The KKK operate a number of secret prisons throughout America where dissidents are taken, usually never to return. More often, however, the Klan simply murders troublemakers. Since they model themselves after medieval knights, Klansmen are fond of romantic archaic weapons such as swords and sabers and often prefer running their enemies through as opposed to shooting them. Klan membership is considered highly honorable among the Gentry and many powerful politicians, businessmen and landowners are members. However, a great many common thugs who just happen to be white, don the ghostly sheets. In addition to their policing activities, the KKK also serves as a model for the country's most popular youth organization, The Young Knights of the Confederacy. Here young white children are inducted into the racist mythology of the new America and from this pool of indoctrinated youth the Klan recruits new members.

Occult

Beliefs in supernatural forces, angels, spirits, ghosts, and demons, are popular among all peoples of 19th century America. Among the abolitionists, some explain the victory of the Confederacy through the intervention of Lucifer who hopes to swell the ranks of the damned by promoting the evil of slavery. The Gentry, on the other hand, see their victory as divine retribution for Northern aggression and tell stories about the angel Michael being sent to aid General Lee's armies. Some blacks, retaining their African roots, see the world through an animistic lens and in the south (Florida in particular) vodoun cults are flourishing. Native Americans share a similar animistic world view and chief among their beliefs is the idea of a formless evil, always hungry, which consumes souls, twisting body and mind in the process. Tribes call this demiurge by many names, but the most well known is Wendigo, the Devourer. Some natives associate the Wendigo with the whiteman sometimes going so far as to equate the two.

Outlaws and Lawmen

Outlaws are somewhat more a problem in the Confederate timeline for the spread of slavery has meant the lack of employment for many poor whites and war veterans. Those unable to climb into the artisan class or find skilled labor unavailable to slaves, often turn to crime. In the West, roving bands of such outlaws are common place and in the East organized crime, bolstered by high Confederate state taxes on alcohol, gambling restrictions and other blue laws, has experienced a resurgence. The confederate response to the crime wave has been, unsurprisingly brutal. The texas rangers, who've become the main arm of confederate law in the postwar West, tend to shoot first and ask questions later. The murders of suspected outlaws by Sherrifs and Rangers are rarely, if ever, investigated. This policy has resulted in the deaths of many innocent people and a growing mistrust of law enforcement, especially in the West. The now disbanded Marshals are counted by some as outlaws and others as vigilantes in this new West. Rejecting the policies of the confederacy, many became independent agents roaming the west as an almost pseudoknightly order, dispensing justice in accordance with the old law, and using the American flag, the stars and stripes, as their symbol. Many Marshals work on behalf of or are connected with the Railsplitters and other resistance movements.

Character sheet

Name:
Archetype: (example: War Vet, Blacksmith, Medicine Man, Gunslinger, Gambler, Freedman, etc.)
Race/Ethnicity:
Religion/Culture:
Appearance: (don't you dare use an anime picture , Extra points for old historical photos )
Background:
Skills:
Talent: (What your character is best at. In game terms you will only rarely fail doing this thing. Can not be 'Being Awesome' )
Flaw: (This is what the GM uses to fuck with you )
Motivation: (Why do you fight?)

Cast

-Earl Tyler Taylor, Archetype: Sharpshooter

-Dr. Henry Shaw, Archetype: Doctor

-Alexandra, Archetype: Indentured Prostitute

-Temitope, Archetype: Yorùbá Slave

[Little Bill]

Dr. Henry C. Shaw

Archetype: Doctor

Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian (Scotch-Irish)

Background: Although an adept doctor who has saved countless lives, Henry is considered the black sheep of his family. In 1842, The Shaws immigrated from The United Kingdom to North Carolina. Years after their arrival, Michelle Shaw died giving birth to her second son, Henry. Growing up, this was the cause for a great deal of spite from his father and older brother, who looked at him with disdain for the most part. Although his father was only bitter about the death of his wife, Henry's older brother Duncan held much more resentment. Four years older, Duncan was everything Henry was not. Where Henry was weak and frail, Duncan was tall and strong. Where Henry was awkward and ungainly, Duncan was clever and winsome. Above all other things, Duncan was entirely different from Henry in a single attribute -- Henry was kind, and Duncan was cruel.

It was this kindness that would lead Henry to develop an interest in medicine, and this cruelty that would lead Duncan to breaking his younger brother's leg as a child. This injury healed improperly, leaving Henry bound to a bed for a year, and bound to a cane for the rest of his life. Although Henry's kindness allowed him to forgive his brother, he would not soon forget the extent of Duncan's tortures. Whereas Henry enjoyed nursing plants and animals to health, Duncan reveled in the opposite, and was known for wanton cruelty to animals, as well as Henry, classmates, and most who were unwise enough to learn his name. His father largely ignored this, as Duncan was otherwise normal.

Although his family did not own slaves, most others did, with some families occasionally hiring Duncan a few cents when their slaves "Acted out of place". Henry discovered this at the age of nine, when he witnessed the brutality inflicted by his brother firsthand -- A slave boy named Leroy had dared stand against Duncan during a beating more savage than he had ever given Henry. His eyes were swollen shut, his skin opened from being dragged on the dirt and gravel, and one of his fingers had been bitten off by Duncan. Although Leroy's owners had stopped Duncan just short of killing him, to avoid losing money in Leroy's death, he was still in a critical condition, and word spread around their town that Duncan had nearly killed a slave. Henry took it upon himself to nurse Leroy to health, in what was seen as upkeep of equipment for the slave's owner, but was nearly a duty to Henry. Although Henry was thanked and paid for saving the life of a slave by his owner, he knew the thanks were for every wrong reason. Knowing that Henry had taken a liking to Leroy, Duncan wore Leroy's finger bone on a necklace as a reminder.

Henry practiced and honed his medical skills in his hometown, becoming a curator of syrups and serums, and frequently selling homemade potions as cures for garden variety ailments, such as headaches and insomnia. In medical school, Henry was considered no different than any Catholic Irishman by many members of the Gentry, and so he learned to slowly distrust those who said they were superior to him. His grades were fairly mediocre, scoring the average for every test, but with one distinction made. Henry had the best bedside manner in his class. Nearly every patient he had treated, no matter how unexceptional his skill was, preferred him over any other doctor. Henry's kindness proved a selling point, in that he could treat an ailment and the patient.

After graduating medical school, Henry returned home to make a stark discovery. Leroy had long since been killed by Duncan in Henry's absence, while Duncan himself had gone on to found a group known as "The Young Knights of the Confederacy". Disgusted by his brother's actions, and by the pride his own hometown took in them, Henry left town, vowing to never return. Eventually, he found himself in the town of Richmond. Unable to open up an office with his own funds, his practice moved underground -- Most of his operations were done in private, usually repairing teeth broken in fights, removing bullets from wounds, and occasionally, the infected wounds of escaped slaves. Soon, the name of a group that would take in people like him was brought into his practice -- The Railsplitters. Likeminded men and women that wanted to dismantle slavery.
And so, The Good Doctor found a place to call his office, and a place to call home.

Skills: Medicine, Surgery, & Dentistry. His job is healing, after all, and he is good at his job.

Talent: Diplomacy. Henry's kindness extends to almost all of his mannerisms. He can form genuine bonds with ease, and can empathize with almost anybody. He is one of the few Railsplitters who lists "People Person" under his list of skills.

Flaw: Henry is a pacifist, partly due to his own Hippocratic Oath, and party due to his kindheartedness. Henry has had to loosen his morals a fair deal as a Railsplitter, slowly drifting from "First, Do No Harm" to "Try Not To Kill". The few times Henry has had his life threatened, and taken a life in turn, he hesitated greatly, and was plagued with guilt afterwards. Although he has no qualms about fighting or letting others kill, unless he absolutely has to, Henry will refuse to take a life.

Motivation: Henry isn't completely sure whatever his motivation is, sometimes questioning what brought him to his place in life. Some would say his jealousy of his father's adoration for his brother drives him to be a hero, others would say an unresolved hatred causes him to rebel against all his brother stands for. Whatever the true reason is, it can be summed up with the one constant in his personality, his kindness. Above all else, Henry is good, and slavery is evil. With a line in the sand drawn, Henry has decided his side.

[Too Old 4 This]

Looks good so far. Affluent Irish immigrant is a little bit of a contradiction in terms, but I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. So long as you hang a lampshade on it I don't mind. You're gonna have to work a bit on his motivations, though. You do not join a resistance movement that is likely to get you killed and pays nothing just because your doctoring is meh. I chose the Richmond chapter for a reason, to work right under the nose of the beast, the PCs would need to be among the most dedicated, or crazy, of the railsplitters.

[Too Old 4 This]

Added some subtopics under Player Information which really help to flesh out the world.

If you see any historical errors or have an idea about the alternate timeline you would like to see incorporated, I'm all ears. PM it to me or post it here. If it's good, we'll work it in before the game starts.

[redPANDA]

Name: Alexandra (no given last name)

Archetype: Former Illegal Prostitute

Race/Ethnicity: Caucasian (unknown origin)

Religion/Culture:

Being born into poverty and having no formal education, Alexandra knows little about the world, let alone what could be beyond it. As a result, her perspective on the supernatural is limited to what she can see, and what she can't.

Background:

Alexandra was born an orphan on the streets of New York around 1851. No one really knows exactly when and where, but it probably smelled of booze and tobacco. Like many of the other orphans, Alex quickly learned that only the strongest survived; if you wanted something, you had to fight for it. No one was going to hand it to you on a silver platter. Between her and the rest of the homeless, stealing and scamming was a common practice. They often hatched elaborate plans to break into storehouses in the cover of night. Alex was always the "doorkeeper"; her nimble fingers could open almost any lock. The other children counted on that, which in turn put a lot of pressure on Alex. However, scamming and thieving wasn't always enough. Ofttimes they would go days without food or water. Alex watched many, both friends and strangers, die on sidewalks and alleyways. Sometimes from simple cuts that had been infected due to neglect.

The years of fending for herself on the street made Alexandra hardy and conniving. More than once had she been taken advantage off, and she wasn't about to let it stop her from surviving. Not many girls like her made it in the big city.

Ironically, one of Alexandra's closest friends during her time in New York was a homeless black boy by the name of Alexander. They would often work jobs together; one would be the lookout while the other would break in. Even in their seemingly bleak lives, they both managed to develop a strong friendship that helped keep each other alive throughout the years.

This wouldn't last forever though.

During the siege of New York in 1864, both Alexandra and Alexander found themselves in the midst of chaos. Black men, women, and children were being dragged of the streets, shackled and shipped away. It was only a matter of time before Alexander was bound, and shoved into a cramped wagon full of other soon to be slaves. Any attempt by Alexandra to get close to the caged cart was brushed aside by the Confederate soldiers.

Alexandra was alone among dead soldiers and even more dead civilians. Her best friend was gone, she'd probably never see him again. She had almost given up all hope when a man by the name of Zacharias Colston arrived in the city. After seeing young Alexandra hiding in an alleyway, he promised her a safe home in exchange for her "help" in his business; an indentured servant. Eagerly, Alex accepted, wanting nothing more than to get away from the chaos and death. Zacharias brought her to Richmond where he owned and operated an illegal brothel. The girls working in the brothel, both black and white, serviced dozens, if not hundreds of men (and women alike) a night. As an indentured servant, Alex had signed away ten years of unconditional service under Zacharias. If she tried to run she would be hunted down with dire consequences, there was nothing she could do but to oblige Zacharias.

Initially, it was difficult. Letting go of the survival instinct she had invested into all her life was traumatic. Many times the thought of ending it and the allure of death overwhelmed her, but every attempt at escape or suicide was thwarted through Zacharia's watchful eye; every attempt adding consequent years to her service. Eventually, he had Alex shackled to her room. She still serviced patrons, and even Zacharias at times, but there was no escape. Many of the other girls came from similar backgrounds. If they weren't slaves shipped in from all parts of the world, they were stuck in a vicious cycle of paying off debt while gathering debt.

One of these girls was Aminata. Aminata was a black slave from west Africa. She'd been sold into slavery at an early age, and had been a slave of Zacharias for over a decade. She loathed Zacharias, and took pity on Alexandra.

Alexandra was broken, everything she had been through and fought for, taken away from her. She was cold, naked, and perpetually hungry. What little food she got was often half rotten with maggots and other assorted living things. Aminata would share her food with Alex and tend to her bruises or cuts from that night's patrons.

As Alexandra settled into her new life, the thoughts and memories of her old life, of Alexander would haunt her dreams. Fueled by the shared hatred for Zacharias, Alexandra grew a bond with the other girls, and especially Aminata. Aminata taught her things; ways of making the day easier, to make the men finish faster. She taught her how to act and react to requests, how to turn down requests without getting hurt.

Alexandra grew in ability and as much as she didn't want to, she got good at it. She knew her way around both men and women, often being the dominant one in their encounters. Soon, the shackles were removed and she was free to move around the brothel. She was never allowed to leave though. The little sunlight she got came from a small crack of a window in the kitchen.

The years go by and Alexandra's life stays mostly the same. Until one fateful night in January 1874, when a few particularly drunk off-duty soldiers walked into the parlor. One thing lead to another, and they eventually had knives drawn and held against two of the girls. Instinctively, Alexandra ended up killing one of the men with a wine bottle. Aminata followed suit and used a shard of broken glass to stab another man. The drunkards left, but not without leaving many of the girls wounded, if not dead.

When Zacharias found out about the incident, he threw a fit and swore to sell both Alexandra and Aminata. Most likely into an even more oppressive situation. Since Zacharia's operation was mostly illegal, he arranged for the girls to me sold in an unsanctioned underground auction.

On the day of their auction, Alex and Aminata hatched a plan to escape during transit. The plan was solid, and it was working. Until everything fell apart ...

Skills:

Her years of work in the brothel from an early age make Alexandra quite the charmer. So to speak. She's nimble and can handle herself in a fight due to her years on the street. Not to mention the occasional guy who crosses the line in bed.

Talent:

Lock picking. Picked up during her days in New York.

Flaw:

Alex's first impression of people she meets is negative more often than not. As a result, she has trouble putting her trust in male leadership, and especially companionship. This is also a problem when dealing with others due to her abrasive nature. She only works with people she trusts, and trusting is not something she does easily.

Motivation:

Alex fights for the ones incapable of fighting for themselves. Every human has the right to choose their own future.

[Too Old 4 This]

@All I added, Religion/Culture, to the character sheet. This is important because religious belief plays a huge role in people's lives in the 1800s and the CSA has marginalized some religious groups, notably Catholics, Jews, Quakers and Mormans. Note, that your character does not have to be religious but secular outlooks are far more rare during this time period than they are now.

@redPANDA Looks good. The only problem I see is the archetype. Indentured servant is a little to broad. I wouldn't let an African American character put 'slave' as archetype for the same reason. Perhaps Lady of the Evening? The 1800s is a sexist place which makes coining female archetypes, admittedly, a little challenging. If you can't come up with anything you like, you can stick with Indentured Servant. The more important thing you will need to think about is explaining the origin of your motivation in your backstory. Do you perhaps owe your own freedom from one of the brothel's African American slaves? Maybe you had a multiracial child whom was taken from you? Lots of possibilities.

[Too Old 4 This]

@All Made a small edit regarding the trans continental railroad for I realized having it be incomplete would hamper PC movement and very much restrict the group to the East coast. Added a line to the timeline about its completion in 1868. Also added a new topic 'Outlaws and Lawmen' which should be helpful to those considering a character with a criminal or law enforcement background.

[gorgenmast]

Name: Earl Tyler Taylor
Archetype: Sharpshooter
Race/Ethnicity: Anglosaxon
Appearance:



Not really what I'm going for, but it's the closest thing that came to mind. I might end up just drawing him.

His face is dominated by a thick, wiry mustache that drapes down over his chin that obscures his mouth from view. A fat, blocky nose sits above his mustache and runs up to two wooly eyebrows. Recessed under these bushy brows are stern eyes - the left one is pointed directly forward regardless of where the right is looking. In situations requiring more decorum, he wears a black eyepatch over his left eye though he prefers not to when he can get away with it.

His preferred attire is comprised of a tattered duster jacket paired with buckskin pants - but in Richmond this sort of attire tends to attract unwanted attention from the Klan and their network of informants.

Background: This went on a lot longer than I had hoped. Oh well...

The most defining and unfortunate point of Earl's life took place early in his youth when he witnessed a taskmaster whip one of his father's slaves to death. The young Taylor was left disturbed and his mental development was irrevocably stunted. While his peers were groomed into the next generation of the South's landed elite, Earl withdrew himself from the social maneuverings of the young Gentry class and developed what could be perceived as antisocial tendencies - much to the disapproval of his mother and father. In his later boyhood, Earl discovered rifle-shooting as a palliative outlet for his frustrations. From morning to evening, the young Taylor would disappear into the cypress swamps on the far end on his father's property and fired off countless minie balls on his improvised firing range. In the interest of making his hobby more affordable, Earl recast the deformed bullets he could find downrange in an improvised forge, and as his skill behind the sights improved, he supplemented his allowance by selling what game he shot. While not particularly enthused by his disinterest in social interaction, Earl's father was impressed by his son's resourcefulness and marksmanship. By his 25th birthday, Earl became something of a local celebrity in southwestern Arkansas on the merit of his exceptional shooting ability. Even so, his relationship with his father had become particularly strained by this time - who was irritated by his eldest son's failure to find a spouse and provide him with grandchildren. Earl's father took to calling him "useless", "good-for-nothin'", and "a waste of a son" during these years.

Earl Tyler Taylor was 26 years old when Fort Sumter came under attack and Arkansas joined the Confederacy. Earl's father, an ardent secessionist, urged his son to "do something productive with [his] life for once" and provide his marksmanship to the Arkansas Militia materializing in Little Rock. Earl had no interest in inflicting the kind of death that had scarred him 20 years before and refused to join. A heated argument between Earl and his father broke out which escalated into an altercation. Earl pointed the rifle at his father in an attempt to get him to back down, but the gesture only served to enrage him. Earl's father seized the gun and clubbed him with the stock. He awoke the next evening to discover his left eye had become "lazy". That night, Earl unceremoniously left the plantation, never to return.

As the war raged in the East, Earl joined with a band of trappers and hunters in Little Rock who traveled northwest into the wilderness of the Dakota Territories. In the wilderness of America's western frontier, Earl made a meager yet fruitful living hunting the mighty beasts of the west and bartering what he could spare with French-Canadian trappers and the native Lakota and Sioux Indians. The Lakota with whom Earl dealt were pleasantly surprised by his resourcefulness and respect for the land - traits seldom found in many of the whites traveling to the Dakota Territory. During his nine years living in the hills of the Dakota Territory, Earl was impressed by the relatively egalitarian society of the Lakota Indians among which he shared the land and eventually came to call the rugged inhabitants of the northern plains his friends. At last, Earl felt at home.

In the spring of 1870, Earl's new home came under assault. News trickled in from the east that the Confederacy had supplanted the United States of America during Earl's self-exile in the wilderness. A zealous Confederacy emboldened by its victory expanded across the continent to exploit the vast, untapped riches to be had in the West. Poachers armed with powerful, modern arms cut down swathes of mammoth and bison. The plains stank of thousands of corpses of majestic beasts stripped of horns and tusks. The Lakota were distraught; their chiefs summoned Earl and asked him to demand the poachers to leave their lands. Earl knew it would be a futile task, but did as the chiefs requested out of respect. Predictably, the poachers with whom Earl treated rebuffed his demands, and sent him away from their encampments at gunpoint on many occasions. He had little sympathy for his fellow white man when he heard that the Lakota, Sioux, Blackfoot, and Ogallala had joined together in expulsing the invaders from their lands.

By next spring, the Confederacy had returned with vengeance on their mind and a slave army at their heels. With cannon and devilish coatyl steeds, General Stewart's army ravaged the Lakota Nation. Seeing firsthand the devastation wrong by Stewart's forces, Earl could stand by no longer. With his trusty Whitworth rifle, Earl went into the hills and took up arms against his fellow man for the first time. General Stewart and his command chain were too accustomed to the set-piece battles against Union line infantry on the eastern coast. The Confederate officers, decorated and riding atop coatyl, made for obvious targets; their bloated armies lumbering across the open hills were easily harried. The Lakota alongside which Earl fought granted him a name in their language: Otatay - He Kills Many.

Though he killed many men, Earl and his native companions could only slow General Stewart's westward march, but never halt it. Coatyl-mounted cavalry headed off the fleeing Lakota and enslaved those that did not meet a grisly end at the tearing beaks of their steeds. The free Lakota insisted that they retreat deep into the Badlands and regroup for another assault, but Earl Tyler Taylor decided to part ways here with his native brothers-in-arms, knowing the Plains War could never be won on the plains. As the Lakota say, to kill a rattlesnake, one must crush the head.

And so he set out to the east: to Virginia.

Skills: Exceptional marksmanship, wilderness survival, general resourcefulness.
Talent: Shooting, especially in ambush situations
Flaw: His lazy eye is mosty fixed in place. While this is somewhat helpful in taking aim, it does little to help his peripheral vision. A lifetime of shooting has also done serious damage to his hearing. As a result, it is terribly easy to sneak upon or surpise Earl.
Motivation: The rape of the land by his fellow white man and their destruction of the Lakota nation - with which Earl sympathizes with far more than he ever did the United States or Confederacy.

[Too Old 4 This]

@Gorgenmast


Well Done Indeed

And you'll be happy to know, you totally got me with that anime pic and modern sniper rifle. GM jimmies successfully rustled. You'd be surprised, though, how often I've seen crap like that in a game. Once had someone submit a pic of an emaciated, sparkly anime girl with a five hundred pound claymore as an elven archer in low magic grimdark fantasy RP. I think he just liked her eyes or something.... creepy.

Seriously, though, that is an excellent write up and I really appreciate the attention to historical detail when it comes to the plains tribes as well as the incorporation of the time line events into the backstory. The only thing I can suggest for this character is you determine what tribal languages you know if any. They might come in handy later on. Also see if you can't find a historical picture. If nothing matches what you're envisioning then use a picture of the rifle your character uses since it is a defining part of his background.

[gorgenmast]

Thank you, sir. I appreciate the appreciation.

The Sioux, Lakota, and friends all speak Lakota. I don't really see an opportune place to work that detail in, but I'll mention it somewhere IC. As for a picture, Jeff Bridges in True Grit provides an okay approximation so I hope that's cool.

Also, do we have permission to post IC yet, or are you wanting to do the first IC post?

[Too Old 4 This]

gorgenmast said As for a picture, Jeff Bridges in True Grit provides an okay approximation

He's a little old for a character just turning 40, but I'm not going to be picky. It's not like the interwebs are overflowing with pictures of one-eyed gunfighters.

gorgenmast said Also, do we have permission to post IC yet, or are you wanting to do the first IC post?

Easy, tex. XD First I'd like to get a solid group of at least three players, hopefully five. I'll also write an introductory IC post that will provide some narrative hookage and a more grounded feel for the setting.

[Too Old 4 This]

@DeadbeatWalking Nice work on the character, accepted. That Duncan's a sweetheart. A perfect rolemodel for Gentile youth XD. I do have one worry, though. An organization like the Railsplitters will be unlikely to risk an asset like a doctor on dangerous missions and I'm sure you don't want your character just staying behind all the time.

@redPANDA Everything looks good to me so far.

[Little Bill]

Too Old 4 This said
@DeadbeatWalking Nice work on the character, accepted. That Duncan's a sweetheart. A perfect rolemodel for Gentile youth XD. I do have one worry, though. An organization like the Railsplitters will be unlikely to risk an asset like a doctor on dangerous missions and I'm sure you don't want your character just staying behind all the time.

I thought of that, I figure he goes along on missions as part Field Medic/Combat Medic, and part Diplomat/Negotiator. In terms of tabletop, he's brought along as the cleric with a high charisma. Or he just goes along on his own accord.
Glad you like Duncan, as he's basically been created as a Bill the Butcher stand-in for an inevitable battle.

[Crya]

Name: Temitope (Christian name Paula)

Archetype: Yorùbá Slave

Race/Ethnicity: African

Religion/Culture: Yorùbá Religion

Background: Temitope was enslaved on the western coast of Africa and brought to the Caribbean at the age of eleven. She was transported to the island of Jamaica, where she was sold to the powerful Calleja family. She was Christened as Paula, but she secretly tried to keep the religion her mother taught her alive. Temitope was selected by Rafaela Calleja, the daughter of Lord Calleja, as a haindmaiden and personal maid. Temitope grew up with Rafaela, although they were always formal and distant. Rafaela had a penchant for traveling, and she often would visit North America, Mexico, and Brazil on her father's dime. Temitope would always accompany her, and over time the slave picked up on different languages. She learned English and Portugese as well as having been taught Spanish by the Callejas. When the girls were 16, Rafaela took ill and died. Temitope was put on the family plantation for a year, and she was quite unused to the hard labor. The other slaves treated her harshly, as she had a pampered life compared to them. Temitope always dreamed of freedom, but her life was comparable to a poor servant serving under Rafaela Calleja. She had it bad, but not *that* bad, and the true passion for freedom was never there. Work on the plantation changed that, and made Temitope realize how badly she wanted to leave Jamaica. A year later, however, Rafaela's younger brother inherited the Calleja family fortune. With relatively little experience or contacts, he remembered Temitope's skill at languages and pulled her off the plantation to serve as a translator during his business deals with the Portuguese, the British and the Americans. Temitope actually quickly picked up on the art of business. The slave, filled with bitterness and a desire for freedom, quickly formulated a plan. She would subtly sabotage the young Lord Calleja's business deals by mis-translating. She filled his ear with lies and misdirection. Her plan seemed to work when the Callejas were at their poorest point in history, but they did not go over the edge. Instead, her plan backfired and she was put back on the plantation, to the hard labor, the abuses of guards and the bullying of other slaves. She remained there for four years, but was sold to a rich American in Richmond when the Callejas could no longer afford her. She was put to hard work, her new master choosing to ignore the skills that she learned with the Callejas.

Skills: Temitope understands business and languages well. She has a knack for blending into a crowd and keeping her head down. She's fairly good at hard labor and deceiving people with feigned innocence.

Talent: Temitope developed a mastery on the English, Spanish and Portuguese languages. She can also fake accents of a native, including British.

Flaw: Temitope has never fought in her life, but she is more than willing to join a revolutionary cause.

Motivation: She would fight for her freedom and for revenge against her overlords, especially against the Spanish but also the Americans.

[Too Old 4 This]

@Crya Okay... that's an interesting idea. It's a bit of a stretch considering the Maroons were a highly isolated people with no formal education. I have a hard time believing they knew Richmond existed. Still, I might allow it, if the write up is convincing. Remember, though, there really aren't any freedmen outside of scattered runaways and those in hiding. Perhaps your character heard stories of hundreds of thousands of brothers and sisters in chains (the Florida stocks?) and has some dreamy notion of freeing them to aid her own people against the Spanish (remember in our alternate timeline the Spanish Empire is in resurgence while the British are in decline)? We'll find some way to make it work. If you want easy mode just have her get recaptured and shipped to America in chains. I'd actually prefer if at least one PC began the game in bondage. Makes things a bit more personal.

[redPANDA]

Too Old 4 This said ... Do you perhaps owe your own freedom from one of the brothel's African American slaves? Maybe you had a multiracial child whom was taken from you? Lots of possibilities.

That was actually my thinking for her escape. One of the other slaves gives her life for Alex's. I've updated the post just now. Still not done, am working on that as we speak.

EDIT: Done. In terms of justification/reasoning for her motivations, I plan on establishing that in my IC, since Alex's present time is pretty hectic.

[Too Old 4 This]

@redPANDA I see, so you want the escape to be in progress at the start of the game. That's cool. Accepted.

[Crya]

I completely redid Temitope.

[Too Old 4 This]

@Crya It looks fine to me, Spanish language skills will definitely be useful to the group. Accepted.

@All Well, the problem I did not consider would be a problem is a problem. Apart from our sharpshooter, there's not many among the PC's who have wartime experience. I want this to be a fairly hardline, gritty game and as of right now, I'm not sure if this group can survive the kind of story I have in mind without GM bullshit on my part.

Long story short, we need a bad ass... or two in order to round out the group. Unfortunately, bad asses are the characters I least like to NPC because they become GM-chaperones very easily. They really need to be PCs.

[gorgenmast]

I think Earl could certainly qualify as a badass.