P R E M I S E
Hollow Stone is a anthropomorphic post-apocalyptic roleplaying concept where you take the role of a individual who serves as a new or veteran "slave" under a group of organized raiders called The Terror. Hollow Stone borrows from concepts from the "escape from dystopia" cinematic/literary genre as well as the Fallout game franchise. The atmosphere and pacing is that of a character-driven story of hopelessness, despair, anxiety, and ultimately survival at the surprising end of the day as spirits rise. Players will embody this as they take the role in a work and procurement camp run by aggressive bandits who only serve their own means.
W O R L D
The World is the planet Aegis, a fractured version of what the world once was as large metropolitan areas were destroyed, military factories were fractured, and large towns were buried. What happened is uncertain, but largely irrelevant as what is important is the lands that are today's Aegis. Throughout the years the lands changed and undergrowth flourished as the secondary species evolved to take a new to this world. Humanity is dead, and it's history is a foreign language that nobody can comprehend. The world's animals took shape and rose from their environments due to the tampering the end of the world provided. Foxes, Wolves, Raccoon, Cats, Lizards, and other species rose from their home to a world of scattered remains and constructed civilization from its ruin.
Old world technology is scattered and contained by those with power, the only bits of it there that are commonplace are firearms that have been re-purposed or re-engineered. New world engineers are always working around the clock to understand more about the old world and few have understanding of the idiosycrancies of automated mechs, stationary turrets, and other such technologies; and most of them are held with an iron fist by factions such as The Dominion. People who have a symbiotic relationship with these engineers are called "world seekers" and fulfill a scavenger/salvager's role. These people hunt for old world tech and leads on any answers to their complicated workings, however the world is dangerous and these seekers find many difficulties to survive.
The known world is surrounded by mountains, craters, and what the population calls "wasteland" that sickens the people who travel there and ultimately kills them from simple contact. These cases of wasteland explorers have scared the majority of the masses that they are best surviving where they are. In the western regions there stands an extremely large desert and to the north lies a coastline that contains one of the few unburied/lost metropolitan cities, however it is controlled by tyrants and their extremely talented engineers. Then there is the west, an area of high hills, plains, rivers, and mountain valleys. This is the "free world" and in a sense it isn't inherently incorrect.
F A I T H
Primitive worlds are superstitious and this one is no different. Whispers of ghosts, magic, and monsters are commonplace. But what is real? Magic does exist in Aegis, but it exists in light magic conventions in the form of people called ghosts. Ghosts are people like the rest of the new world, but they have a hyper-evolved niche that can be described as magic.
Depending on the "mutation" that has been evolved through the old world's weapons and environment, these ghosts can do a number of things. Those born with fire can control their body heat and are bred to the center of the desert frontier to the west, they live and strive because of their ability to tolerate the harsh night's climate and the most talented of them can control their magic beyond simple uses.
Fire Ghosts have internal control of body heat and advanced users can burn their enemies flesh through simple touch, Light Ghosts have internal control of their visibility in daytime and advanced users can have short-term complete invisibility, Air Ghosts have internal control of their breathing and advanced users can restrict breathing completely in no-oxygen environments, Water Ghosts have internal control of blood movement and advanced users can refuse water into their body making them optimal to survive underwater. These are some example of ghosts and their typical ability and then their ability through advanced ability or mastery. If you have any thoughts on this let me know if I need to expand it or you have an idea for other types of ghosts.
F A C T I O N S
The Dominion: The Dominion are the big bad guys of the world as they are the most advanced and the most ingenious. They are located alongside the large northern coastline called "aegia" from the few signs they have deciphered. They have one of the most practical understanding of the old world languages and have some idea of the history but only in the most basic form. Their headquarters is a metropolitan area that they have locked down through reforged walls, automated mechs, and turret control. The people born under these "highborn" are either in poverty or in decency. Few are in luxury and those people run things control the engineering caste as well as have the army on their side. This is a dictatorship and it isn't not nice to live in and to escape is a challenge but it is freedom.
Faith: Faith is the Hope of the north, right out of the Terror's domain. The town is run by the people and instill a strong public militia. They are on high guard but whilst cautious seem generally well-meaning enough. They have talented defensive forces and this is noted as a small school of personal defense is situated in the city itself.
Hope: Hope is a loose city-state much similar to Fallout's "Megaton", but without the giant nuclear bomb. It's a town run by the people and the enforcer's they elect. Loose trade between The Terror keeps the biggest bandits away from them and as thus they generally only have to worry about smaller bandit collectives. They have third-rate engineers and they have many who aspire to make it big as seekers. A small school of engineering is situated in the city itself, but what they know is kids stuff compared to The Dominion.
The Kingdom of Arnak: The Kingdom of Arnak is a feudalistic sub-kingdom that exists somewhere in the mountains to the northeast, virtually unknown to the entire world the kingdom has no interest in expanding or finding out about the rest of the world due to general mutants, monsters, and wasteland that surrounds them and has killed their champions. They still occasionally send champions out to find the "old gods" and whatever artifacts they left for them, but none have ever found way back home if they did make it to the fields and valleys of where our roleplay takes place. The kingdom also is afraid of firearms, old and new; feeling they are demonic and one of the weapons of the one's who defeated the old gods; so this creates Arnak as a kingdom that focuses on post-modern feudal weapons. Crossbows, Longbows, Swords, Lances, Pikes, Spears, and Shields have been re-purposed to work better through contact with mutants of all shapes and sizes. One of their best weapons is the guardian-class crossbow (similar to the one in Van Helsing).
The League of Avalon: The League is one of the major powers and the parallel to The Dominion; settled west of the settlements of Hope, the League of Avalon sits on the edge of the Necrosis against the southernmost mountains. Like The Dominion they have a strong understanding of the old world languages and technology; and they exploit this fact. While not tyrannical in the "invasion" sense, Avalon is led by a theocratic church and their word is the law in their district. Led by a religious council; the Avalon people find themselves frightened about the “big scary world that is out there”. Between propaganda and matter-of-the-fact news, they do not want to leave their city unless they are among the select few the church deems worthy to search for old world artifacts and information; these people are part of a sub-church organization called The Vanguard of Truth. The church will train those born (or have proven worthy) in becoming such, but it becomes a chaste and zealous lifestyle. The League of Avalon allows immigrants but they are heavily mandated and debated if they are worthy into letting into the League for citizenship by the council.
The Terror: The Terror is the cliché-named organization that employs skilled bandits, hunters, raiders, slavers, and fourth-rate engineers. Formed near one-hundred years ago by Kaz Kimezi with the intent to push out competing slavers, raiders, and bandits by unifying the bulk of them under one foot—his. While The Terror to this day is not the only name in the criminal industry of which they are known for—eastward from the edge of the Necrosis and underneath the northern Terramurum they reign supreme as the largest. Settled primarily in the Umbrapositus Valley they operate with extreme force and surprising competence.
R U L E S
I. This is a character-driven roleplay that ventures due to character decisions while there is plot events this thing will progress as far as you want to take it.
II. Character types that are proven badasses or masters of escapology aren't ones I'll be looking to accept, this is about the conditions and the escape and the survival unless as a group we decide we want to avert the plot elsewhere.
III. Be as active as the players around you whether we're posting bi-weekly or daily or monthly.
IV. No god-modding, powerplaying, blah blah you know the drill. Regular guild rules apply.
V. Honor the rules and conventions of the magic system if you are to create a ghost, its a very low magic style so NOBODY will be a dragon breathing fire or blasting fireballs like he's the best sorcerer to walk on Aegis. You dig?
Member
Dae
mickilennial
ArkmageddonCat
Captain Uni
Lemons
Kuro
Asura
