Heat

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Alea iacta est (The die is cast) - Gaius Julius Caesar

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The year is 192 AD, Emperor Commodus reigns atop the Roman Empire, the strongest empire on the planet. For the past several decades the great Roman Empire has been in a golden age. The Imperial Roman Army is the most powerful and feared military force in the world, having lead the charge in Roman expansion for centuries. At the moment the army finds itself mopping up the remnants of barbarian forces along the Roman province of Daria. The brave soldiers within the ranks of Roman forces look forward to the coming weeks when they will return home. Though they along with all the other loyal citizens of Rome shall find in the coming months that things are about to change like they never have before.

Commodus is not long for this world. A man of paranoia and megalomania even he cannot decipher what will happen to him, and the great city he rules over. With no heirs either natural or adopted, the Empire will be thrown into a chaos. It is also a time of opportunity for Romans, as a dictator falls there comes intrigue. A fierce soldier, arriving home from war may find themselves choosing a side. While a senator may push to support a claim, perhaps their own. Caught in between are the people of Rome, from the lowly slaves, to the fierce gladiators, roaming merchants, the free plebs and the affluential patricians. Rome will not fall, but it will shaken to its very foundations.

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OOC Information

In this roleplay players will be playing characters confined (mostly) to Ancient Rome, during the waning weeks of Emperor Commodus' reign. While not intended to be an exact historical replication of the real events which transpired thousands of years ago, this roleplay is intended to depict the chaos which occurred in the real Rome when Commodus was assassinated and the Empire was thrust into civil war. Players are encouraged to choose practically any type of character in this time period, and are able to create multiple character if you wish. You may seek to try to gain power in the troubling times, possibly seeing yourself wearing the emperor's crown and reigning in supreme power, or take a lesser role. The possibilities are endless. While a driving plot will come into play soon after the IC is launched, you are encouraged to move your characters around with a bit of freedom, try to collaborate with fellow players and GMs to create individual plotlines.

To emphasis collaboration and interaction the most, all military player characters will be members of the 13th Legion.

Rules

1. The usual: No godmodding, metagaming, powergaming, Mary Sues//Gary Stus, etc, etc.
2. Your characters are not invulnerable. While I'd like to avoid killing off player characters when they don't want them to, stupid acts may result in death. These were violent times.
3. Expect mature themes such as violence, gore, cursing and more. Romance is expected and allowed, but do keep it PG-13.
4. Realism is a thing here. The year is 192 AD, there's no guns or any the like. Your character is a human being, everyone's is.
5. Please roleplay in 3rd person. It's a pet peeve of mine.
6. Original characters only. I don't want to see Maximus Decimus Meridius running around.
7. Please post at bare minimum a single solid paragraph per IC post. I'd rather quality > quantity, but more writing is *always* encouraged.
8. Be mindful of your fellow players, please don't be an asshole.
9. Join the Discord chat. Its free and makes communication that much easier.
10. By joining this RP you acknowledge that GM's (and any co-GM's) word is law. I am open to input on anything you feel may make the RP more enjoyable.

Resources

While this roleplay is intended to be easy to get into even with little knowledge of Ancient Rome, I felt it was necessary to include some useful information and videos. These are all optional to read/watch, but are all very useful and quite intriguing. Ancient Rome is a very interesting subject, and something researchers have figured out a lot about.

Roman daily life

• A general article on the daily life in Roman cities
• Roman Entertainment
• Slaves in Roman society
• Roman clothing
• Roman Social classes and public display
• A 6 and a half minute video on life of a Roman teenager

The Roman military

• A general guide to the Roman army
• Legionary weapons and equipment
• Chart displaying Legion hierarchy
• A great 3 minute video on the Roman army structure
• 5 minute video on the daily life of a Roman soldier
• An almost 12 minute video on Roman battle tactics

Roman gladiators

• Gladiators: Heroes of the Roman Amphitheatre
• 10 Things You May Not Know About Roman Gladiators
• A humorous 4 and a half minute video on gladiators and common misconceptions
• 5 minute video on gladiator training

Other links

• An article on Emperor Commodus
• The Senate
• Wikipedia page on Roman architecture, containing many of the pieces of architecture that would be found in Rome
• Shopping in ancient Rome
• A map of Ancient Rome during this time

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Character Sheets

Please post your initial sheet(s) on the OOC for review. If they are accepted then they may be posted in the character's tab. Here's a Roman name generator.

CS

[center][img]Picture url goes here, no anime pics[/img]
[h3][b]Character name here[/b][/h3][/center]

[b]Age:[/b]

[b]Sex:[/b]

[b]Occupation:[/b]

[b]Appearance:[/b] (Physical description of your character)

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]Equipment:[/b] (What they typically carry on them day to day)

[b]Skills:[/b]

[b]Flaws:[/b]

[b]Backstory:[/b] (A few paragraphs explaining their life to this point. Don't have to go super in depth.)

Military CS

[center][img]Picture url goes here, no anime pics[/img]
[h3][b]Character name here[/b][/h3][/center]

[b]Age:[/b] (At least 18, no older than 50)

[b]Sex:[/b] Masculum

[b]Military Rank:[/b]

[b]Appearance:[/b] (Physical description of your character)

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]Skills:[/b]

[b]Flaws:[/b]

[b]Backstory:[/b] (A few paragraphs explaining their life to this point. Don't have to go super in depth.)

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Announcements

TBA

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Ad victoriam!

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

@Xandrya maybe our characters could've met before. Michael probably wouldn't be going to therapy sessions but he'd likely have met her around the ship.

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

@Sep my character is ready for review.

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

Michael

Player Name: Heat

Character Name: Michael 'Smith'

Character Age: Appears to be in his mid twenties, in actuality he has been active for just over five years, being activated shortly after the Vitae was launched.

Character Gender: Male

Appearance: Michael stands 6 feet exactly, his frame is lean. He appears externally human with no blemishes or scars. His medium brown hair is not really hair, it does not grow, he also can't grow facial hair. His skin is a synthetic fiber that feels like real skin but is almost plastic in its composition. His eyes are a deep blue. He has not changed appearance wise in the last five years.

Profession: Originally designed to work with the scientists on the Vitae for whatever task they require, he has since earned a position as a respected member of the science team.

Nationality: Synthetic android

Strengths:

• He has a near encyclopedic knowledge of recorded human history. He can recall any point if asked to. Also will constantly add to this knowledge over the Vitae's journey, he has done just this over the last five years.
• He also possesses a deep knowledge of many different types of sciences, comparable to a supercomputer.
• Michael is stronger, faster and better coordinated than a human being. But his strength is not superhuman by any means. It's comparable to modern, lesser advanced robots. He's reluctant to show these strengths.
• He was given a fully functional, detailed personality. Designed to be as human-like as possible in this aspect. He can easily blend in and appear fully human. Few aboard the Vitae know of his true nature.
• He knows how to make basic repairs to himself and has a tool kit within his quarters. If he were to suffer more extreme injuries then he would need assistance from others.
• Michael does not need to eat, drink, sleep or breath. He can also survive in an oxygen-less environment such as outer space.
• He is fully capable of learning and adapting, potentially able to overcome some of the faults in his programming.

Weaknesses:

• Michael was programmed to never harm another human being, even if he is being attacked. Violence against humans is something that would never occur in his mind.
• He freely thinks but does not have free will, whatever his creators ask he will do. As long as what is asked of him is within his programming.
• His personality is very naive, he was given emotions but does not really understand what its like to be human. He'll often ask 'odd' questions about human nature and has an almost child-like curiosity about life. Even in the years that have passed during his time on the Vitae he still has much to learn in this regard.
• He does not feel empathy, if told something that would cause an emotional response in a human he will often stare blankly and appear unaffected, not sure how to react. Michael is able to feel severe emotions that can cause him to cry, but these are brought on by himself.
• Michael does not bleed, this would give away to someone that doesn't already know that he is not a real human. Internally he is filled with complex machinery, externally he appears fully human.
• His body is quite fragile, his skeleton is sturdy but many of his internal mechanisms are vulnerable. His central processor is located in his head, if that is damaged enough then he will shut down.
• His programming is susceptible to modifications, if someone wanted to modify him for whatever reason then they could and he would be forced to adjust to it. In the five years that have passed no modifications have been made to his programming.
• If his serial number (MHSA276012) is read out loud enough for him to hear then he will shut down on the spot.

Personal Effects: Michael does not have many personal possessions, in his room he only has a small wardrobe of clothes and his repair kit.

Bio: Michael was constructed by the a small team of scientists, the concept for the creation of a humanoid synthetic only something seen in science fiction until then. Robotics and artificial intelligence are both something the human race is familiar with, but Michael is something completely different. If God made humans in his image, then Michael was made in his own creator's image as well.

His creation was a hotly debated subject amongst the few that actually knew of the idea, some frowned upon it, others saw it as a necessity. If we were gathering the greatest of our species, then why not simply create one that would be destined for greatness? They had the technology, no one just had ever given serious thought to creating a truly synthetic man.

The cost of his creation was a high one, but money was not an issue when the survival of the human race was at stake. It took some time to build him, they started from scratch and spent every dime required to make him perfect. It was not rushed, every single moment of it was monitored closely to ensure perfection. They could not afford any failures with such a delicate operation.

Early on in the android's creation some within the team voiced a concern to limit their machine man, they ultimately decided to treat him the same as their artificial intelligence. Michael was given the ability to freely think but not freely act, though his programming left opportunities for modifications. He would answer wholly to those that made him, do whatever was asked without hesitation. After months of focus and dedication the synthetic man was completed. The final touch was to give him a name, Micheal, there was a certain irony in bestowing a biblical name upon the android but it was oddly fitting.

On the Vitae

The android was moved onto the Vitae, weeks before its launch. Sealed away in a secured contained the robotic man was activated upon launch. With some of his creators aboard the vessel, his true existence was a kept secret among a select few important individuals. A pinnacle of human advancement in the field of robotics, it was only fitting that he would find himself sent away with humanity's chosen survivors. His first weeks aboard the ship were guided by one of his leading creators, Dr. Ethan Phillips, who would become a mentor to the 'naive' android.

Michael had a place among the science team as he showcased his ingenuity in multiple fields. To everyone that was unaware of his true nature he was just a young scientific phenom, curious and non-confrontational. As the years passed in their journey the android has become an important voice in the science department, living up the expectations that had been placed on him before his activation. He has also gone on a few missions that have taken him off the ship, his skill set enabling him to assist in matters beyond just scientific ones. His curiosity has not been satisfied, in his free time often exploring corners of the massive vessel, interacting with different people from different backgrounds. This is all while his true nature has been successfully kept a secret to the masses aboard the Vitae.

He has had thoughts of the Vitae's struggles at finding a new home for humanity, though very few have been pessimistic ones. His programmed personality is not one that dwells on sadness or despair, rather he deals with such troubles rationally. The galaxy is a massive place, Earth like worlds suitable for humanity to colonize and live upon are a rarity. With the advanced technologies at their disposal he remains utterly hopeful that they will find a new Earth, where humanity can prosper.

Relationships:

• Dr. Ethan Phillips - The most important person behind Michael's creation, Dr. Phillips has taken a role akin to a father figure for the curious android. He's Michael's closest confident, and someone the machine man truly cares for.
• The two have a friendly relationship due to being work colleagues.

others TBA.

Code Word: Spaghetti

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss

I'll be bringing back my android scientist character. With some changes due to the five years passing.

ROME: In Flammas Imperii

I plan to start working on the OOC after work tonight!

ROME: In Flammas Imperii

Added CSes to the first post, one for regular chars and another for military chars! Loving all the interest.

No Turning Back - Surving the Abyss - Original Sci-Fi RP.

<Snipped quote by Heat>

Oh no he found me.

@Sep

ROME: In Flammas Imperii (dead)

Alea iacta est (The die is cast) - Gaius Julius Caesar

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Discord chat

The year is 192 AD, Emperor Commodus reigns atop the Roman Empire, the strongest empire on the planet. For the past several decades the great Roman Empire has been in a golden age. The Imperial Roman Army is the most powerful and feared military force in the world, having lead the charge in Roman expansion for centuries. At the moment the army finds itself mopping up the remnants of barbarian forces along the Roman province of Daria. The brave soldiers within the ranks of Roman forces look forward to the coming weeks when they will return home. Though they along with all the other loyal citizens of Rome shall find in the coming months that things are about to change like they never have before.

Commodus is not long for this world. A man of paranoia and megalomania even he cannot decipher what will happen to him, and the great city he rules over. With no heirs either natural or adopted, the Empire will be thrown into a chaos. It is also a time of opportunity for Romans, as a dictator falls there comes intrigue. A fierce soldier, arriving home from war may find themselves choosing a side. While a senator may push to support a claim, perhaps their own. Caught in between are the people of Rome, from the lowly slaves, to the fierce gladiators, roaming merchants, the free plebs and the affluential patricians. Rome will not fall, but it will shaken to its very foundations.

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F.A.Q.

Q. Do I need encyclopedic knowledge of Ancient Rome to participate in this RP?

A. Absolutely not, I'm going to try to structure this RP in a way that people with little knowledge of Rome will be easily able to comfortably participate. It won't be 100% historically accurate, choices will be made that lean towards entertainment over accuracy. For those interested in brushing up on knowledge of Rome, there are many, many, many online resources to learn from. I will link some of these on the OOC.

Q. Do I need to speak Latin?

A. Nope. It's a dead language unless you live in the Vatican. The people in this RP will be speaking English, consider it like a movie set in Rome.

Q. What roles are available?

A. Pretty much any except the Emperor. I encourage every player to really think and figure out a character idea they'd enjoy playing. I'll have a separate CS for military characters and non military characters. Players are encouraged to create multiple characters if they'd like to do so. Can even make a slave if you'd like, you won't end up as the new emperor but it could be very fun to play. Any character ideas you are unsure of you are more than welcome to run by me.

Q. Is the shit gonna hit the fan right away?

A. Nope. I'm going to take my time guiding us into the eventual chaos. I feel this approach will allow greater interaction between characters and allow creation of plots between players. I'll let everyone in on when Commodus is near death and the 'real fun' begins.

Q. So is this open world? Or 'freeform'?

A. In a way it will be. My aim is to keep everything centered in and around Rome, except for the some military excursions. Rome was a massive place, there's no shortage of things there to do. More than enough room to practically run the whole RP within.

Q. Alright I'm in, where's the CS, rules and OOC?

A. If there's enough interest that all will come soon. I plan to put a lot of work into this RP if it gathers enough interest. I do work a lot in real life but I'm confident I'll be able to manage the RP with this going on. I do plan to appoint two interested co-GMs to help run things smoothly (if you're down for that PM me).

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CS

[center][img]Picture url goes here, no anime pics[/img]
[h3][b]Character name here[/b][/h3][/center]

[b]Age:[/b]

[b]Sex:[/b]

[b]Occupation:[/b]

[b]Appearance:[/b] (Physical description of your character)

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]Equipment:[/b] (What they typically carry on them day to day)

[b]Skills:[/b]

[b]Flaws:[/b]

[b]Backstory:[/b] (A few paragraphs explaining their life to this point. Don't have to go super in depth.)

Military CS

[center][img]Picture url goes here, no anime pics[/img]
[h3][b]Character name here[/b][/h3][/center]

[b]Age:[/b] (At least 18, no older than 50)

[b]Sex:[/b] Male

[b]Military Rank:[/b]

[b]Appearance:[/b] (Physical description of your character)

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]Skills:[/b]

[b]Flaws:[/b]

[b]Backstory:[/b] (A few paragraphs explaining their life to this point. Don't have to go super in depth.)

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Ad victoriam!