Opposition

Username Context

Opposition has a lot of meaning to me on multiple fronts. For one, I'm a fan of the word by itself. "Opposition" isn't a commonly used word, but when it is used it context, it implies a duality. There's you, and there's the opposition; the obstacle; the opponent. In a sense, the use of the word almost implies a loss of identity in your opposition. When the word "opposition" is used, you take away the name, the face, or the identity of your adversary, referring to it only as something that opposes you.

It reminds me a lot of Taoist philosophy, or at the very least what little I know of old Taoist philosophy. That which opposes you— your "opposition"— is just as integral a part of you as that which you are. Only when we pay attention to the duality, the fullness and the emptiness, of ourselves are we whole... If that makes any sense...

The name Opposition came to me in a very odd way. When I was very young, my older brother would play video games and I would just sit and watch. Occasionally, though, he'd let me play, and because of how much I grew to enjoy those moments I remember them vividly. Essentially, Opposition was the name of an extra profile he'd added on Star Wars Battlefront 2, and I used it when we played together. I never really knew what it meant back then, but I liked the sound of it.
That part's a lot less deep, but it still makes me smile to think about how deep the name's origin goes.

RPGN // Issue No.2 - July 2019

𝕸𝖞 𝕿𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖘 𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕮𝖚𝖗𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝕯𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓

I find myself thinking about this predicament of maintaining a playerbase quite a bit. I do agree with @Morose’s idea that the unique style of every GM contributes greatly to how well their roleplays seem to do in the long run and how many players are attracted to their ideas. If you look at your past Guild GMs you can usually identify the elements that made up their style. I did this myself and often noticed that some things that stick out are whether or not a GM uses Discord and how they run their discord, and how they interact with players even before conversations of the story arise. This means that even in the interest check stage, there’s a lot you can do to ensure interest of possible players. I’ve taken to ensuring that my players’ questions are answered in a timely manner, that they know they can ask any further questions, and that they are free to provide constructive ideas to the areas where the story still needs to be developed where questions may emerge. Allowing contribution from the start of things allows players to become more invested in your ideas.

Once you have your player base, I find that there are three ideas to keep in mind: challenge, encourage, and correct. I'll elaborate a little bit on each of these:

Challenge - It's super easy as a GM to go 'well, I've got this awesome group, now I can just coast.' Hell, I'm a lazy person by nature so I totally get that urge. However, if you aren't challenging your roleplayers to grow as players and writers, then they aren't going to enjoy things. It's like if you let them easily overcome every obstacle - no one wants to read a story like that! So maybe for you, the answer is to come up with more complex problems as the storyline goes on and maybe allow your roleplayers to take a little more control. In my the Gifted RP, I actually am letting roleplayers portray the villains in the story and it's been amazing so far. It certainly has challenged them and I know it's challenging me as a GM.

Encourage - I do drop likes on posts, especially if I know someone is having a rough patch in real life or on the guild, as I know seeing a notification that I got a like or something puts a little spring in my step. I'll make comments in our discord chat saying things like "omg Max [the character] is a dumpster fire but damn it, he gives me life. Loved the post!!" I try my best to encourage other people to do things as well. If a post makes you feel, say something! It encourages everyone to keep on writing, as well as lets you know when you've done something well.

Now, I've also developed a system of well.... blatant bribery at times. Blue and I will give out rewards for noticing little easter eggs or posting quickly, such as reroll cards (if they ask for a dice roll and don't like the result, we'll reroll it for them) or extension cards (to give them more time to post). I've recently been making trading cards of all of the active characters and I've been giving them out to people as roleplays reach milestones (i.e. 100, 200, 300, 400 posts and arc completions). I'm working on developing a game that can be played with the cards, but people love collecting the cards of their own characters and it definitely encourages them.

Correct - This isn't the fun one. You have to apply the rules to your longstanding members just as harshly as you would for a newcomer. Everyone has to be treated equally and even if they've been playing with you for a while, people will make mistakes. It's your job as the GM to make sure that no one is above the rules - not even yourself - as otherwise, it's easy for a culture of favoritism to spawn.

@Morose

These are great ideas, and I think your three main points here offer a lot of insight into what GMs think about. Each of them has a place in creating the unique signature a GM offers to their players. People attach to your roleplays for a reason after all. If we can identify how we use mechanics that contribute to these three factors, then we can usually find out what people are looking for in our roleplays both on a personal level and on a more general level.

Challenge is definitely a difficult thing to maintain throughout a roleplay as a lot goes into maintaining it. There’s a certain balance you have to create that creates difficulty and challenge for your players so that their goals grow ever more developed and greater as the roleplay ramps up, while also allowing for players to achieve goals regularly so as to avoid a roleplay that is stagnant with a plot that never moves along. This can be done in a number of ways, and goals can be vastly different on a case-by-case basis for roleplays. Sometimes, your players are looking to defeat the next villain in the overarching story, but sometimes they are just looking to develop a piece of their character to create a dynamic person of them. It then falls upon the GM to create the challenge in a unique way for every player. Each player doesn’t want to end up being in the same place doing the same thing at all times after all.

I think its also important to spotlight your players’ characters in their specific challenges as well. Because of the vast array of diversity in any roleplay’s cast, each player will find that there is a place their character is naturally drawn to in any given setting. I tried to put this to action in my recent roleplay Futility: the Great Game. Having a racer character amongst the cast that was specifically designed to be the team’s driver, he was a bit more out of place in gunfights and political intrigue. That made his character no less integral however. Identifying what the player was looking for in his own character’s development, I offered the opportunity for situations where his car and chase-scene-esque talents would come in handy. In short, we really just need to learn to cater to the players that are developing the roleplay right alongside us as GMs.

Encouragement takes many forms, and forum-based reactions certainly have a place among GMs. Alongside the self-validation that we all hide when we receive reactions that people are interested in our writing, it’s also a great way to keep players updated with the fact that their posts are getting read. As harmless as that may seem, I believe it is important for the roleplayers to know where I am at in keeping up with their posts. I also tend to try and comment on any new post that arises in a timely manner. This can help keep players thinking about what they’re going to do next and what they can expect from the GM’s end before they prepare their next post.

I’ve been a fan of the more subtle ways you can reward players for active and continued participation in the past. This mostly came in the form of more detailed lore and the possibility to go even deeper into scenes than would not have been otherwise possible if everyone else was ready to move along. In my newest roleplay, 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘, I’m actually planning something a lot more blatant and akin to @Morose’s own idea using a mechanic I’m calling SECRETS. This involves players being able to find or receive files from important characters or in important places that will contain advantageous bits of lore that will come into play in the story’s future. While it’s basically the same thing that I previously described, I believe the concrete and visible nature of the rewarded information will have a more powerful impact on keeping player interest. It is always fun to be more involved in a storyline, and the use of this unique element allows players to be better prepared for and more invested in where the storyline is heading.

Enforcing rules certainly something I struggle with as I personally have found the laid-back style of long-term GMing to be more favorable. Every GM is going to have to draw lines somewhere. That sucks, but there are ways you can go about it to maintain interest and look upon the system of keeping a roleplay going as less of a rules-based system and more of an accommodation system. If a player forgets to post because they’ve lost interest in the roleplay, that’s a lot different than someone being unable to post because of some struggles in real life or a stint of absence. I try to solve this problem in my own roleplays by allowing players the option to have me treat their character as a momentary NPC if they find themselves unable to carry on for a period of time but still want to remain involved in the roleplay.

Allowing players to take a more backseat role when they are unable to invest themselves as much as others shouldn’t always be a bad thing. I’m going to have to bring up my new roleplay 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 again, because this was another aspect of running a roleplay I’d seen when previously GMing that I wanted to put into action in my newest attempt at GMing. The roleplay all takes place with a base setting— a safehouse for the group where they will be interacting outside of the greater ‘missions’ of the story. When players find themselves busier or less able to invest themselves in the roleplay, they will be able to keep their character at the safehouse and attend to manners of character development at a pace that won’t keep other players waiting. I’m excited to see how effective this mechanic may be.

I have rather limited experience with trying to recruit players into an already running roleplay, but I suppose what I’ve noticed is that supplying a transition into the cast is rather important. Since any additional players that might not have been around at the beginning of your roleplay weren’t right alongside everyone else (and I’ve come to believe that you shouldn’t try and force them to have been there in the past), they need to have their own unique goals for joining up with the rest of the cast and working alongside them. This can manifest as a scene unique to the new players that bestows on them the motivations and information necessary to find a place in the already established crew.

I think it’s important to mention that while new players should be able to influence the plot and interact with the greater world just as the main characters did, it may also help to create a unique role for the new players that allows them to be different from the main cast. Just as the old players have valuable information and experiences that they can bring into the plot, new players need to be given their own array of experiences that they can use to fulfill a new role in the story. This can be difficult as it can be tricky to create a new role that isn’t fulfilled by the present and can still be relevant to the story. That boils down to the job of the GM to make their roleplay morph and change to encompass all its players.

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I hope my discourse may help some of you. I’d love to hear what others might think of the ideas I’ve posed here. This is just my unique perspective, and I fulfill a certain niche on the Guild with my style just as all other GMs end up doing. Identifying your own style and tropes can really help you develop a story in a way that works for you and the people that you draw in, though. Also, thank you very much @RPGN for the shout-out to 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘. The OOC has just been put up and we'd love to have any and all interest parties involved!

—𝕺𝖕𝖕𝖔𝖘𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 - Chaos and Order

BTW ill be away for all of next week, fully returning on Sunday. I haven't read through the whoel thing yet, but I glimpsed the CS and it does take me a while to make a character. Point is, (1) i'm asking when you're expecting for this to begin approving applications? and (2) when is the predicted cut off if there is one?

@FiroIV

I hadn't had a strict date in mind. Once the sheets start to come in, I'll have to converse with each of you to get your SECRET to you, so that may take a moment. At the very least, I imagine we'll take around a week to get to that point. It will take even longer than that before we get fully through the first round of posts. If you'd like to create a character and you're a little late to the start, that should be fine. I'll aim to get a better estimate of start time as the sheets start to come in and I realize what kind of cast size we're looking at.
I hope that helps!

𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 - Chaos and Order

CAST OF CHARACTERS

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A C T I V E

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D E C E A S E D

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𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 - Action/Thriller about Global Espionage and Freedom Fighters

And we're live!

You can find the OOC here! There's plenty of new information and mechanics that have been added and updated, so I urge you to read through again. Let's get started!

𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 - Chaos and Order

Alright! I believe that's the base of everything all set. Plenty of new details and mechanics have been added. I'll be putting up my own character by tomorrow as an example sheet. Feel free to direct any questions about anything to me.

Welcome to 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘!

𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 - Chaos and Order

Character Information

While you might expect Gage to be recruiting super-spies and soldiers covered in accolades, you can’t help but notice your incredible ineptitude when it comes to global-scale politics and espionage. The squad seems to be made up of people that were quite literally randomly selected off of the streets. Perhaps they were…

The Safehouse

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As a base setting outside of missions and other travels, the roleplay will be run out of the operation’s safehouse. Based in a derelict offshoot of New York City called Rockland Avenue, Gage has established this base of operations inside an abandoned high rise construction site. Vague signs point to the dilapidated building being a sort of medical facility. For ease of communications and security purposes, most operatives have taken to just calling the concrete skyscraper ‘Rockland’. It is here that you have a chance to explore your character, get to know the rest of the cast, and pursue deeper lore about the events of the world. As much as the story will contain scenes of action, intrigue, and grave operations, there will also be a central focus on the relationships, bonds, and dynamics formed within the squad. So randomly this group has been forced together, each of them having to abandon their old lives and be thrust into this foreign world.

Roles

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Every person has there specialty, right? Think about that. Every passerby you encounter on the sidewalk has their own unique interests, hobbies, and pursuits. What are yours?

Each character in 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 will undertake a certain unique role during their time in the field. This is what we will use to determine what your character will be doing throughout various mission scenarios. The main thematic idea I want to get across when it comes to roles is that they are essentially stemming from a skill, trade, or interest your character had in their regular life before they were recruited into the operation. I urge you to come with something that is to a certain degree mundane. After all, each character was just another unidentified face in the crowd until they joined the operation. I also urge that you aim for something that is unique and will provide new and different opportunities to your character. By this, I mean that you shouldn’t aim to create the exact replica of a trope in a spy movie. Give your role certain powers and limitations that seem adequate for the character and their background.

Below, I’ve included some vague ideas for possible roles to take up. I encourage you to put a unique and personal spin on them that adapts them to your character if you choose to use them. It is important to note that your role will not confine you to doing one thing every mission, but rather, signifies your specialty. Everyone can (and may have to) tote weapons, kick ass, and take names.

Role Ideas

The Software Geek/IT Guy
The Negotiator
The Bait/Distraction
The Lookout/Runner
The Medical Expert
The Cleaner
The Chaffeur

SECRETS

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Money is power. As much as we hate to admit it, one can’t overlook the power of coins. There is, of course, something more powerful than any sort of wealth or currency ever could be: knowledge. The powerful trade in coins. The most powerful trade in whispered secrets.

SECRETS will be a side mechanic that will be given to characters throughout the story as they strive to complete missions, explore the world, and uncover the mysteries around them. Each SECRET will come to you personally and privately from me, including a brief insight into some deeper lore regarding the story and the forces at play. Most often, you’ll receive a subtle and cryptic detail that may come in handy at a later date. SECRETS are given out on a number of occasions, though some of the more common ways to acquire secrets would be to find and procure the hidden documents of your adversaries, do something of note for Gage, or to complete important information-gathering missions.

Each of you starts with one SECRET that will regard lore you will encounter in the future of the RP. This SECRET came to you courtesy of Gage in the first file you received. This first SECRET has to do with how your character has encountered the June 6th attack and Pyramid Microsystems prior to the start of the RP. The more SECRETS you amass, the more advantageous your position will be when dealing with adversaries in high stakes scenarios. Remember— information is power.

Operative File

Operative File

[Picture]
[N A M E]
[AGE] | [GENDER] | [HEIGHT] | [BLOOD TYPE]

General Information

NAME:

PSEUDONYM: (This is in essence a ‘codename’ under which you receive your mail from Gage. It was included in the first file he sent to you. If you’d prefer me to come up with one for your character, that can be arranged.)

APPEARANCE: (What makes you unique? How does Gage spot you in a crowd?)

OCCUPATION: (What was your day-to-day like before you met Gage?)

Psychological Profile

Trait | Trait | Trait | Trait | Trait | Trait

VIRTUE: (What makes you Good? This is important. Think up one aspect of life that you hold above all else. In what area are you a paragon? This is not meant to be a skill, but rather, a personal trait that defines your character in their best state.)

VICE: (What makes you Evil? Similarly, this is also very important to the RP. Think up one part of yourself that cripples you. I’m going to be rather strict on this part of the CS as each person’s vice should actually be debilitating to them to a certain degree.)

PERSONAL GOALS: (Why are you still around? Is there anything you’re trying to achieve?)

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY: (Who are you really? What morally defines you? What drives you?)

FEARS: (What keeps you up at night? What makes you freeze up in the moment? What are you hiding? What do you avoid at all costs?)

LIKES: (Feel free to list a few.)

DISLIKES: (Same as above)

QUIRKS: (What makes you unique for better or worse?)

Background Information

”Character Quote”

(Give me the history of you. Why are you the person you are to this day? What events of your past have brought you here… Aimlessly wandering through life until Gage found you? Take this chance to explain your cursory encounter with either Pyramid Microsystems or the June 6th attack. This will determine your first SECRET. Also, please don’t give this to me in some avant-garde dialogue form. Just write a well thought out summary.)

Operative Information

[R O L E N A M E]

ROLE DESCRIPTION: (Explain your role in the sense of how you came into it. Why are you able to do fulfill it? What applications did it serve in your everyday life? What applications may it have in future operations? Keep your Virtue and Vice in mind when choosing a role.)

POSSESSIONS: (Are there any objects of value that you brought along with you from your previous life into your new life?)

SKILLS: (Feel free to list a few and elaborate a bit. I am not looking for any professional badasses. Remember that to a certain extent, you were just another everyday city-dweller before Gage picked you up. Don’t let me limit you too much, though. Feel free to ask me if you are unsure about something.)

FLAWS: (Aim for three or so. Equal or greater to your number of skills. Try to make them relevant and not just arbitrary things that could never come up. Creating a character with flaws that come out is part of the fun.)

SECRET COUNT: (Here you list the number of SECRETS your character has received throughout the roleplay.

NOTES:

Include a Relationship Table in your character sheet. This can be left blank for now, but I encourage you to fill it out as you meet and interact with other characters in the RP.

Relationship Table Template

Character name	Relationship
[Name of other character]	[Write out your character's opinion and relationship with the character in question.]

𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 - Chaos and Order

𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘

Order and Chaos, Chaos and Order

Two opposing forces... Think of a coin, tossed into the air and landing upon the ground. One side faces up, basking in the Sun. It takes in the light, the glory, the warmth. Some would even say it’s the winning side. The other side? It faces the Earth. On that side there’s nothing but shadow, cold, and dirt. Everyone wants to be on the light-side. The thing is… Sometimes it’s hard to tell which side is which.

That’s Order and Chaos. One side takes in the glory; the other is steeped in shadows. One is revered; the other, forlorn. The light-side of the coin? People will tell you it’s Order. People think, then, that Order is Good, but Good and Evil are different from Order and Chaos. So how do you know what side is actually facing up? Which side is facing in the heavens? Which side is staring down to the depths?

That’s the thing. Nobody can tell you which side is which. Or rather, you can’t trust anybody to tell you the truth. The whole ‘history is written by the victors’ and ‘lions don’t have their own historians’ thing… You can’t rely on society, history, or The System to tell you what’s right. You have to figure it out for yourself. Sometimes, you can find out.

Sometimes you realize you’re on the wrong side.

That’s Order and Chaos, Chaos and Order.

Some of us just seemed to be plagued by Fate. Destined to be opposed by the world. Whether or not you recognize that you’re wrong or the world’s wrong, the whole goddamn globe is your opposition. That’s what happens when you take on “The Man”, “Them”, society’s shadowy puppeteers. The people in control— they always think they’re right. What do you think?

Actually, I’m not sure your opinion really matters. You probably think you’re all mighty and righteous too, don’t you? Taking on global arms dealers and crime syndicates that deal in death for profit, fighting secret societies orchestrating terrorist attacks to manipulate and create wars at a whim, or challenging shadow corporations as they manipulate politics on a level that surely disregards the world’s delegates… Sure, sounds nice in principle, but when you boil it all down and get rid of all the buzzwords and boogeymen, you know what you are. A criminal, a misfit, a societal reject.

In the eyes of your peers, you’re the problem. You’re the bad guy. So again, what do you think? Which side of the coin are you on? Which side is the right side? Are you Order or are you Chaos? Which is Good and which is Evil? Do you think someone as small and insignificant as you could even have the answers? Maybe society’s right. Maybe you are the villain in the story of objectivity.

Are you ready to continue on your little crusade anyways? Do I still have your attention?

Good.

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Where were you when it happened? Do you even remember? Would it have mattered?

June 6th, 2019. City newsboards, televisions, and cell phone screens lit up, synchronized by a thousand bewildered broadcasts. Each anchor, channel, and website competed for coverage, but the police lines shutting off the entire block, the mysterious event sparked a national interest. All eyes were on New York City, and that’s just what they wanted.

An eighty story high-rise known as ‘the Beacon’ houses enough luxury businesses, high class restaurants, offices for New York’s top magnates, tech companies, and security firms to drive an entire small town out of business with its presence. The building itself is heralded as a sort of living entity, run off of the blood and wealth of the upper class. All the ordinary folk— the rats in the rat race— wouldn’t even consider going inside most of the building. Despite the enticing allure of dining and mingling with the machines that run the city, security is usually through the roof to safeguard the mile-high estates on the Beacon’s suite levels, or protect whatever the newest software secrets are that emerge from the research labs on the Beacon’s upper levels.

3:33 pm, it all started. After that, no one in or out of the building. They barred the doors from the inside. Within minutes, all emergency exits were similarly blocked off. The police didn’t respond until 3:41 pm. That was when the block surrounding the building was evacuated and roped off by the walls of police vans and SWAT vehicles. The barren block of NYC was then inhabited only by the snipers and spotters that zipped in between rooftops as they tried to get an idea of what was going on inside. Everyone that had been inside the building had been radio silent since the lockdown. The police were quiet about the events inside, but as security ramped up and all sorts of new black vans joined the frontlines, secrets leaked out. Every news outlet was convinced it was a terrorist attack, though the mysterious party responsible was unknown. Hundreds were unaccounted for, assumed to be in a hostage situation, and all American eyes were on the Beacon.

Every now and then, the media would explode with a blurry photo of a masked figure toting Kalashnikov or shotgun in the window, but still there was no radical message released, no demands, nothing. The silence only built the tension, but America had no choice but to go about their regular days, sideways glances glued to televisions in office break rooms, one headphone in the ear tuned into radio coverage as they made their commute. Things came to a head at 5:40 pm when the power to the building was cut. Exactly one hour and 13 minutes later police, SWAT, and all other sorts of suits stormed the Beacon. Helicopters dropped squads in through the roof access. The glass front doors were busted through as entire armies marched into the building. Word would soon come that all 80 storeys of the building had been cleared. Hostages had been secured in various locations. No culprits, however, were located. Any of the hostages who had any idea what was going on had little information to give, but were quickly whisked off to whatever top secret interrogation rooms were vacant nearby. Some of the people trapped in the building hadn’t even known what was going on.

The party responsible remained at large, as though they’d just vanished. No one was gunned down. No zealous message was broadcasted. People couldn’t help but wonder what it was all for, and if there was more to come… Homeland Security had a field day thereafter. Border security was tightened despite speculations of the threat being domestic. The only thing the populace could be sure of was that there was more to the story then what was told to the people.

But of course, you remember all that. You have a vivid memory of that day. It affected you personally in some way, didn’t it? Maybe you knew someone inside. Maybe you saw something strange at one of the police lines. Maybe you caught a glimpse into one of the Beacon’s windows from an adjacent building. Maybe you’ve already forgotten about it. So many others already seem to have forgotten. After all, it doesn’t seem to have affected your life anyway, save for drastically increasing American tensions regarding domestic threats. Two weeks passed.

Who the hell are you; Who the hell am I?

You love to think you don’t fit in, you’re a misfit, you’re out of place, different from everybody else, don’t you? Don’t fool yourself. Look around. You’re in just the right place, at a loss for purpose. Alongside all the other derelict souls of New York City, you wander, thinking your different from the other drones. You wander and wander without knowing what you’re looking for. That’s how you ended up there, the bar specifically for your type of individual. You didn’t know the name of the joint— didn’t care, just went in and sat down to join the duped masses, drowning in drinks. That’s where you met him.

On first glance, he looked like he belonged their too, but as he caught your eye, you noticed he was different. He didn’t carry himself like the rest of them. His movements were crisp, driven by a purpose. Despite walking with a cane, he moved with a confidence rooted in his bones. He saw you staring. He offered you a drink. Every conversation starts with small talk. Usually it’s dull and boring— the weather, the local sports teams, “how was your day”, all that. He was different. He jumped straight into the incident at the Beacon, which certainly wasn’t an uncommon topic among the people over the past two weeks. There was something eerie about his description of the events, though. He knew the answer to every one of his own questions. He was testing your knowledge of the ordeal. Eventually, he brought up your specific circumstances at the event. Maybe you didn’t notice, too steeped over in your own drink. He offered you another.

That’s when things got good. The mystery man really caught your attention with a wild theory of his own regarding the attack on the Beacon, except it was quite just a theory. That’s where you learn about ‘Pyramid Microsystems’. He tells you that this corporation, a small parts manufacturer contracted by the American military had something to do with the attack. He tells you that Pyramid is indirectly responsible for the attack. He says it’s all going to happen again, except the second time around Pyramid is going to put on a little show. Their newest product, an anti-terror defense weapons system is just coming out of the prototype stage, and it needs to be shown in action if the buyers are going to line up. You know how advertising goes…

Here’s the real kicker. Your new mystery contact? He tells you that you can help stop the fake attack. He tells you he needs you, that you could be an integral part of the team that takes down Pyramid. You. Little old you. The nobody. The lost soul. The derelict. He needs you to give up life as you know it and devote yourself to taking down Pyramid. He doesn’t tell you why. You forgot to ask. The crazy offer certainly isn’t one that anyone can take lightly. The man seems to understand this. He tells you to think about the offer. Perhaps if you weren’t so saturated by his expensive cocktails, you might have asked ’How will I contact you?’ He never did say, just urging you to make a decision as he got up from his stool and wandered towards the door. You did get at least one useful question in before he reached the door at the very least, something you’d forgotten to ask all throughout your hour-long talk. How impolite.

“What’s your name?”

“Gage.”

A series of interconnected coincidences...

You didn’t forget about the offer. Perhaps it was pushed to the back of your mind, but it sat there, pervading into your daily thoughts. It was as if the strange offer was taunting you. Could you really just leave the life you had and enwrap yourself in the affairs of arms dealers, global-scale politics, and homeland security? You weren’t sure, but the yearning was always there.

And you yearned and yearned more and more until the file came. No postage, just an envelope with a file folder. Inside, all your instructions were laid out in detail for you, albeit not without their own ambiguities. Such a dangerous offer wasn’t without its enticing rewards, however. Gage was sure to get across that you would be taken care of after your acceptance. Alongside the papers in your folder was $1,000 in freshly printed notes, a small key, and a sealed envelope. Opening your envelope, you became privy to a detail about the June 6th attack that seemed fiction; a SECRET of unfathomable pricelessness. Was it enough to lure you in for more?

This was your chance to change it all, to escape the rat-race, the derelict city; this was your chance to re-find yourself and do something good. Gage’s message wasn’t without its warnings, however. The uniform text told you that your acceptance required your unflinching loyalty and belief. There was no turning back. A once in a lifetime offer, and all you had to do was arrive on time at the Grand Averis Bank, use the enclosed key to open your new safety deposit box and await instructions. So what’s it going to be?

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Welcome to 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘! In this roleplay, each of us will take on the role of one member of Gage’s newly formed crew, each a lost soul seeking a reinvigoration in purpose as their city crumbles around them. Each crew member has had a cursory run-in with Pyramid Microsystems or the June 6th attack, and this is what starts the curiosity that takes them down the rabbit hole. Seeking to change the world, each of the characters opts to accept the offer to join the mysterious crew despite having no idea what they might be in for. As 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 carries on, the cast will be introduced to a series of great threats to worldly order and humanity. They will be forced to walk the fine line of morality, compromising values they once held dear to protect against even greater evils in the world. Will it all be worth it?

General themes present in 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 will revolve around the team dynamic that unifies the group of misfits that gave up their lives for a cause only to realize they’ll have to give much more than that. Becoming something of a fugitive organization, you characters will suddenly be forced to live alongside one another while undertaking a variety of dangerous operations in pursuit of their ultimate (though rather ambiguous) goal. Pyramid Microsystems is only the beginning. Together, you will have to uncover what secret orders may be at play that direct the forces of the world. You will have to discover the purpose of your employment and who your mysterious employer is. You will have to choose between compromising your values and doing what is right in the long run.

Plots & The Story So Far:

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The Story So Far

Ongoing Plots

Rules:

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►Follow all of the Guild’s rules and don’t metagame or powergame.

►This is an Advanced RP, so I hope to keep us all to these standards. While I know that quality is greater than quantity, try to keep your posts a bit longer (3 or so paragraphs at the very least) as that tends to move us along through action while also being descriptive of your situation.

►Be friendly and respectful to the rest of the group. If any sort of problem comes up, hash things out respectfully.

►Don’t be afraid to bring up issues that may arise so that we can talk through things and solve any problems. I’d prefer us all to be on a friendly page.

►This story necessitates heavy participation, discussion, and active pursuit of new subplots and roleplay. I urge you all to push for your own roleplay as much outside of the main plot to develop your characters.

►While I would like everyone to be posting on a semi-regular basis, I understand that issues may arise and we all get busy. My main pursuit is to keep this roleplay going regardless of what roadblocks we may hit, so if you need to take a temporary leave of absence where you can’t post, just let me know. The most important part of keeping this RP active is to keep me updated regularly as to whether your writing, unable to write, etc. That being said, if you are unable to post for an extended period of time, I will likely control your character as an NPC if the story needs to move along.

►This story will have 18+ themes, as violence and descriptive combat will play a large role in portions of the roleplay. Please keep that in mind. While you don’t have to go into graphic detail, expect rattling violence from ruthless aggressors.

𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 - Action/Thriller about Global Espionage and Freedom Fighters

Very intriguing.

I'd love to participate!

@Skelm

I am also interested in this. Looks great for an opening perspective.

@Enzayne

Am I the only one getting slight XCOM vibes from this? Either way consider me interested.

@Blitzy

That's a good way of putting it— gives me plenty of ideas. Welcome aboard! Let me know if you have any questions.

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I really wasn't expecting interest to garner so quickly for this RP. That's exciting to see. I'm planning to have the OOC up within the next day or two. I have a lot of ideas to suddenly flesh out, but 𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 is coming soon!

𝕮𝖔𝖎𝖓𝖘 - Action/Thriller about Global Espionage and Freedom Fighters

I’ll throw my doubloons in the pot. Looks most interesting.

What kind of posting frequency would you be looking for with your players?

@Tsar Gatto

From what I've come to understand from RPGuild, posting frequency can often rush players and lead them to drop. In an effort to maintain a long-running RP, I'm not really putting any limits on frequency. My main concern is hearing from the players, so that I know whether or not they are working on a post, dealing with other matters, or MIA.
For a general idea, though, if we could each get a post up every week or two, that would be pretty fantastic.