Jb

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy [Warhammer 30K]

I made a rough plan in the last RP, although the scenario differed too, so I'll await our Raven Guard or Emperor's Child to come up with a cunning assault. Mine would only be a frontal assault anyway.

Warhammer 40k: Enemy Without, Enemy Within - an 'Ecclesiarchal' RP [Mature][High Casual/Low Advanced]

Since I don't want want to leave any PCs alone with the GM, I guess I'll make a pick of one PC sororita and one or more NPCs?

@Andreyich

Sounds about right!

Blackshields: The Horus Heresy [Warhammer 30K]

<Snipped quote by Jarrid>

Yeah, I'm writing the first post, actually.

@HeySeuss

Oh yes...

Yeeeees

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

@Ulstermann@Vowel Vagabond@Iuniper@POOHEAD189@Bishop@Polybius@Force and Fury@Jeyma@Ozymandias@Tsar Gatto@Sovi3t

'Misthophoroi' - A Sci-Fi Mercenary RP

'Misthophoroi'

A Sci-Fi Mercenary Roleplay

Introduction: As a Classical historian and lover of all things military, the idea of a professional warrior (or group of warriors) bound my nation, ethnicity, culture or coin and employed by another or others to fight for them - regardless of cause, religion and so on - is something that has always fascinated me. Hence the basis for this role play; you may be wondering why I chose to set it in a sci-fi setting if I like history so much, and the simple answer is that no-one really wants to read up on subjects before even creating their character - I have tried 'historical' on the Guild before and it has no gone down too well, alas.

So, here is a sci-fi based role play - think of Warhammer 40,000 mixed with Star Wars mixed with Iain Banks' Culture series mixed with Xenophon's Anabasis mixed with the Hellenistic Era in general mixed with the Italian condottieri, and you'll have some idea of what you can expect. Throw in a spattering of adventure, world building, 'slice of life' antics and you're pretty much there.

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Setting: It is the 13th Millennia (according to human/Earth reckoning) and Mankind has spread far and wide among the stars, encountering species as diverse and contrasting as the stars themselves, all the while they have been founding colonies and settling upon alien worlds. To many children of Earth, the home-world itself is little more than a myth, somewhere they have never set foot and are unlikely to in their lifetimes, some worlds veering off in their own directions culturally, religiously, even physically as the centuries passed...some even mingling with 'creatures' that would have been seen as fantastical in the dim past.

As stated, Mankind is not the only species out there; among the vastness of space are civilisations and cultures far older than Man, and others that are so alien that there has been nothing but war and campaigns of extermination against them.

The most recent conflict (of any note) was a galactic-wide quarrel that caused a schism in the wider sphere of space - a united confederation of human Planet States banding together to defend themselves from the aggressive Valnaur Empire. It was a war that depleted both sides, the Valnaur deciding that annexing these territories was not worth it after all, while the human planets were left economically in tatters. Allies and client systems on both sides breathed a sigh of relief and began to rebuild as best they could, fearing for the day when another such event may occur.

Yet space is vast, and there are employers aplenty for any with the know-how and will to take what they want at the tip of a blade or the barrel of a gun. In the blackness are many gathering places for such folk, the planet of Taenarum being one such place, floating as it does some light-years on the edge of Valnaur space, but also within reach of human colonies. If one wished to find gainful employment, or simply build an army, then this is where they would start looking.

The Valnaur Empire

The Valnaur Empire (also referred to as 'the Empire' or 'the First Valnaur Empire) is an empire based on the real life Achaemenid Empire and Imperial China, a huge collection of planets – systems even – gathered together primarily through conquest beneath the rule of a single divine monarch, the Emperor of All.

It is currently ruled by Emperor Sangathes III, a total but nevertheless weak ruler, his policies of isolationism and a more defensive strategy after conflict with the human colonies on the other side of the clear region of space known as the 'Idri Gulf' leading to rebellions and plots of usurpation by lesser members of the royal family.

These rebellions were crushed easily enough, the might and wealth of the Empire far greater than any neighbouring civilisations, the Emperor still able to gather levies in their billions should be require it – it is unfortunate that the majority of these levies are part-time soldiers at best and useless as worst, and hence the requirement for mercenaries has only become greater following 'the war'.

Precarious at best, it is of interest to the entire galaxy to see which way the rule of Sangathes goes, for should he fall – and a more warlike member of his kin take power – then it is only a matter of time until another war comes again.

Languages

This RPs version of 'common' is called 'Humanitas', it began life as a trade language until it eventually evolved into the lingua franca of the wider whole; built up on a base of Human words, it is known at a basic level on most planets and space stations, with most species also retaining a language of their own as a secondary tongue.

Technology

Technology is as varied as the species/races that created and use them; what is important to know is that ships in the main travel using a wormhole system of galaxy-wide space-lanes. In the past this has meant that he who holds a particular gate is able to starve enemies into submission, or to block trade routes, and has even become the origin of the phrase 'gates are power.'

Some pirates in particular make use of hyperdrives, appearing into the space-lanes and disappearing again before pursuit is possible, a constant terror for merchants and unarmed convoys.

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Players/Characters: Firstly, please ask questions if you wish, only by asking questions now will you save yourself time later.

As you probably gathered, we're going to be forming an inter-galactic band of gun slinging, blade-toting bodies-for-hire; exactly what form your characters take is more-or-less completely up to the player. I'm deliberately leaving the background/setting sparse and vague, as well as asking players not to reveal everything about their characters when it comes time to write them up.

All I ask is that no-one is invulnerable, no-one is a Mary/Marty Sue, and if I turn your concept down don't start complaining unless you have good reason to do so. I'd prefer a majority human group (although what their culture/background is is still up to the player), but aliens are welcome as I've stated.

This is an 'advanced' RP - everyone knows what that means - all the usual rules apply, it will have mature themes so please bear that in mind, and posting at least once a week is mandatory. If the action is high, or the story is flowing well, then of course more than once will be fine.

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Character Creation: I would like everyone to write a form of 'character statement' for this RP, a prose-based character sketch that incorporates everything you would need to know about the character to deal with them. You do not need to reveal everything about their inner workings or their past, and it can be a reasonably short statement if you wish, as long as you give the other narrators (I'm shying away from 'player' as this is more a cooperative writing effort than a game) plenty to interact with once we get going.

As I said, characters can be pretty much whatever/however you'd like them to be, with a few caveats to consider;

There are going to be varying levels of mercenary – some may be green while others may be more hardbitten, so do not make your own an invulnerable killing machine. No one wants to write about their character sitting around watching another do everything simply because they began as the ultimate character (Gary Stu/Mary Sue).

Your character may die – this is not to say that I'll kill them off without permission, but don't put all your ideas in one basket. We're mercenaries, and death is ever present.

Balance – says it all really!

If my character is a master sniper then he might also be a drunk, pretty much negating his extreme skill with a rifle due to his constant alcoholism. If as strong as ten men then he may well have the intellect of a small child (a common enough trope, but a good balancing act). Perhaps you have a mercenary that is very skilled but sadly is too poor to afford any actual equipment, reduced to scavenging low-quality bits and bobs from employers and battlefields?

Apart from this, just use common sense.

Example of a Character Statement

Kleanor is a mercenary who has been around for quite some time, a squat box of muscle with almost no neck, and a nose broken so many times that it isn't quite clear which way it is now pointing. The thick networks of scar tissue that cover his bear-like limbs (as well as the absence of one blue eye) serve well as outward signs of a man who may well not have been born to war, but has assuredly been raised and schooled by it.

Now sixty-two years of age, this former boxer and farmers son was born on the almost idyllic world of Arkadios – idyllic in that the weather was warm, the seasons were not too harsh, and conflict was a thing of stories told by old campaigners – his planet otherwise covered almost completely in mountain ranges and rocky ground. This leads inevitably to a life of hardship, using whatever land one can find for ones own subsistence and defending it at all costs, the people of Arkadios known to be psychically imposing and generally larger than those of neighbouring planets; such a life also leads to large numbers of Arkadions leaving their planet to see their fortune elsewhere, many readily accepting military service with a foreign power for a chance at glory, wealth and a patch of dirt or space to call their own.

Technology is rather backward on Arkadios, and as such it is rare to see any – except those greybeard’s that have gone and then returned from distant stars – with anything more advanced than a basic plough and weapons and armour of iron. Projectile weapons are quite unheard of, and many an Arkadion has gone into shock upon finding themselves under fire from a distance farther away than an arms length.

As for our present subject, Kleanor learnt his skills fighting for the Valnaur Empire against the colonies of Man that opposed their 'Emperor of All' – a monarch who they believe to be divine in all aspects – being given equipment and paid monthly in Valnaur dariks. Armed with a flechette launcher and a blade of V'ispa steel (the V'ispa being one of the many peoples that make up the collective might of the larger Empire), and armoured in the traditional Arkadion style of a 'hoplite' – a form of dress left over from the ancient past, when Earth was still one planet – he served against several Human colonies and gained considerable rank within the Valnaur hierarchy.

When he finally returned to Arkadios he considered placing his crested helmet, linothrax, and steel-faced aspis on a stand in the corner and leaving them there forever...

That was until an emissary arrived from one of the minor peoples of the Empire, requesting that he raise a force of his own people for a campaign that would take them deep into the Empire to support a pretender to the divine throne; even minus an eye and in advanced years he could not refuse. Another adventure awaited.

This is rough, and certainly not complete, but you get the gist! We know where's he's from, (generally) what he looks like, some background and how he's armed and protected...a bit. I expect more from you lot though. :D

Suggested Roles

1. Condottiere/General/Leader etc

2. Lieutnant/second-in-command etc

3. Paymaster (Reserved)

4. Quartermaster

5. Pilot/(Ship) Engineer (Reserved)

6. Linguist/Interpreter/Translator

7. Navigator/Tracker/Scout etc

Please post your completed characters inside a hider in the main OOC thread when you think you've finished.

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Again, if you've any questions, then please do ask either by PM on on this thread.

Thank you.

Are We the Bad Guys? - A WH40k RP [Mature]

@Necroes All very true! That's why I'm not bothering to demand things be changed, but I will say that it depends on what books you read really. True, there are many that do make them out to be nigh invulnerable, but there are others that similarly show them to just be massive humans in armour - all one needs to do is take a look at the organ list to see that 'taking a lot compared to a human' is an understatement.

While I also don't prescribe to them being indestructible, I do think - perhaps due to your penchant for not going by the established lore - that you actually underplay them.

Let's see...

Two hearts, a fused rib cage and general rapid bone growth, overactive red blood cells that heal in seconds (which means that Xeph's inner and outer tissue would have healed almost as soon as he was dragged off of the spike), a 'recharge' node, a poison and toxin filtration system, acid spitting, and then the power armour on top.

Again, I've no problem with Xeph being wounded, surgery or anything, I just think downplaying the abilities of being that are more like gods to your average human is just as bad as ignoring it completely and saying they're just big guardsmen...or armoured Ogryns.

Are We the Bad Guys? - A WH40k RP [Mature]

First order of business; I vote we hijack a ship that doesn't cripple two of our number, and get something with some size to i

@Necroes

I bet you would...Professor X Ork.

Must be terrible for him not being able to blow peoples heads up with a wink, like some smelly green sorcerer.

@BCTheEntity@Necroes@Wraithblade6

If any of you have read the Night Lords trilogy by ADB - a series I highly recommend - and recall that we're going by the written lore here and not TT rules, then there's actually no reason why Xeph couldn't recuperate without surgery. Astartes don't have all the extra organs implanted in them for no reaso after all! There bones are denser and thicker than most basic armour, their blood clots itself as their body accelerates the healing process, and if needs be he could simply put himself into a semi-coma and wait to heal.

Marines have taken far more than being smashed in the head by an Ork and survived.

I'm not going to 'intervene' at all, and Lucius doing so could add some entertaining drama to the scene, but just thought I'd reiterate that Astartes are the peak of human bio-engineering and (although not impossible to kill) are the toughest sons of guns to destroy alongside Necrons, some Orks and some Tyranid organisms.

Warhammer 40k: Enemy Without, Enemy Within - an 'Ecclesiarchal' RP [Mature][High Casual/Low Advanced]

What is the high gothic for 'soap box'?

@jbeil

Soapus boxus, I think.

Warhammer 40k: Enemy Without, Enemy Within - an 'Ecclesiarchal' RP [Mature][High Casual/Low Advanced]

Okay, that took seven days, and that is too long honestly. On a more happy note, this is where things really get going! This is also where I start monitoring people's actions and posting more often.

We've got the Emperor's work to do, people, so lets get to it.

Warhammer 40k: Enemy Without, Enemy Within - an 'Ecclesiarchal' RP [Mature][High Casual/Low Advanced]

@jbeil@BCTheEntity@Kratesis@Andreyich

It was a while until the Inquisitor spoke again, his mind going over all the had been said, the cogs turning everything over and over. On the outside it may well have seemed as if he had simply shut down, his face going completely blank, his bionic eye burning into air with its baleful red glare, but inside it could not have been more different.

"I thank you all for your counsel," he spoke at long last, giving a small nod of thnaks to each member of his coterie in turn, "and although I have not been able to form a completely fool-proof plan, I do believe that it should suffice for the moment." A mild look of consternation now took shape upon his features, his brow furrowing and his mind readying itself for the task ahead, "you are each of you correct in your own ways - every course of action has merit, every suggestion a capital one - but I have the flock of the Imperium to think of...as well as this planets strategic value." His voice took on a deeper and more serious tone, his surviving organic eye flickering with an inner fanatacism that was rare to see as he spoke up again.

"We shall follow both courses of action in parrallel. Confessor, I wish for you to select a number of guardians for yourself from the remaining Sisters, once this is done I give you authority to conduct whatever investigation you may wish - you appear to have a knack for concealing yourself, so let us inform the citizenry that it is an investigation into an imported batch of possible xenos contraband; any underhive groups would be very interested, and any upperhivers will likely give you any assistance you may require to keep their good name."

Another deep breath was taken, the idea of slaughtering fellow Imperials frankly abhorrent to the servant of the God-Emperor, but a neccesity nevertheless.

"I and those still with me shall head to the PDF barracks and, with the authority of His majestic and benevolent Inqusition, shall execute those suspected of heresy. Of course, it would be wise to seize a broadcasting chamber and get a wider message to the Ordo before taking any action. I believe the planets Guard regiments may be of some use...but how far they can be trusted, or cannot, is still debatable."

Did they agree to his course of action? Did it matter? Did he even care? It mattered little, he was the Emperor's surpreme authority here - in spite of what the Confessor may think of himself - and his decision was final.

"Follow me."

There was no time to be wasted, no time to clear the landing pad of the residue and casualties of battle, and Kliment had to simply hope that no-one came up here before their actions were taken. Possibly a vain hope, possibly not. As it was, they took the elevator down to street level in a short burst of energy and whirring mechanics, every moment where things were not happening being a wasted one.

Once the doors opened and presented them with a hive street familiar to any that had set foot upon an Imperial world - narrow but wide enough for a four wheeled or hover vehicle, not entirely clear of rubbish but not piled high with it either, and currently clear of any pedestrians due to all hive worlds strict series of work schedules and proceeding curfews therefore - Kliment turned to Horacio and bent close enough for only him to hear.

"Confessor, if your investigation should become threatened or fail, I want you to whip the citizens up into a fervoured frenzy; use everything at your disposal, inform them that there are heretics among them, that you have been sent here with an Inquisitor to root it out. I would rather have this world tear itself apart in bloody civil war - with a chance of retaking it at a later date - than see it fall to the Archenemy."

Turning back to the half-dozen at large, he raised his voice and checked that his bolt pistol was loaded, "I need a vehicle and I need it now, meanwhile the Confessor can choose his escort. I do not care how you get our transportation, just do it."