Not my own words, but: "Enjoy memes and have a good time online, but develop a solid sense of self-worth that is rooted in a reality that doesn't disappear when the battery charge is empty."
Do you think we really need a Discord? As there isn't a lot of material to discuss at the moment. Maybe ideas for character development down the line, but everything seems pretty self-contained within the IC.
It was afraid. Or at least it was very sure it was afraid. It seemed an appropriate word for the sensation the wisp felt. Had it been afraid before? It couldn't recall - only that it was well and truly afraid now. It wanted nothing more than to sulk off to one of the corners of this labyrinth and fall back into nothingness. But it couldn't will itself to do much of anything, not while this "Nera," dominated this place.
Those terrible moments were all it took to turn a budding affection into dread. The wisp was ready to follow, to obey and listen. Now it knew it must; that was the only way Nera would have it. To refuse certainly meant death, or worse. But that gave rise to another sensation. This one, it decided, was curiosity. Was it, in fact, dead? Trapped in some terrible afterlife? It had no true body to speak of, no pounding of a heart or sweating of palms. But the thoughts and feelings were all there. It only grew more afraid.
It risked a look at the others Nera had summoned. They, it was convinced, knew nothing more or less than it. Like this wisp, they were also probably buzzing with their own questions and feelings. And like it, they had no discernible body, but dancing tendrils of matter, unconfined to form or function. Who were they? And why, like it, had it ended up here? It concluded they must have something in common. If only it knew.
Nera probably did. She was the only being it had found so far that seemed like it knew anything. What did she demand of them? How had she brought them here? But the thing that troubled it the most was,
"What are you?"
The wisp would have gasped if it could have. Covered its mouth and shy away. But it had already involuntarily spoken. If there was any doubt, it knew it could speak now. And some things might be better left unsaid.
"S-sorry," it stammered, "I didn't mean to be so blunt."
@Gin I'd heard about this release a while ago, but haven't given it an honest listen. I'm not a big 'post-black metal' fan, but I enjoyed the composition of the song and musicianship. At last, saxophone metal! I didn't know what to expect after hearing about the use of sax, but it was an interesting compliment to the track, and didn't run it off the rails. I feel like there's a blend of traditional black metal and shoegaze in there, which feels profound at first, but also ends up leaving me a bit disappointed and wanting something heavier. The sound is a little bright/modern for my tastes, but the construction of the song makes up for it.
I'll throw it a 7/10.
Brand new WITTR track from an upcoming album. Song is 9 minutes 36 seconds and touches on many different styles of black metal across its span, with some acoustic and etheral-sounding elements.
The year is 2539. Humanity has flung itself into the stars, well beyond the confines of the Solar System. An overpopulated Earth population realized that the only way to sustain its way of life was via cooperation and coexistence. Thus, the United Earth Federation spearheaded the journey beyond its blue and green planet, to colonize sectors of space both known and unknown. At first, colonization of the Solar System was achieved via slower-than-light travel. Generations later, the invention of the spacegate system allowed mankind to send matter from one location to another. Years of travel became weeks, allowing for the seeding of colonies on the very periphery of known space. Scientists, volunteers and entrepreneurs willingly leapt farther and farther on a quest to discover new worlds, stars and lifeforms.
Eventually, the probe UES Pathfinder found some.
The World of FRAMES
Our story is set within the sphere of Glaistig, a terrestrial world belonging to the Argos System. The system sits on the periphery of known space, and was first settled by colonists from the United Earth Federation (UEF) in the 23nd century. For centuries, its only hospitable planet, Glaistig, was occupied by settlers under UEF sovereignty. However, it mysteriously withdrew its support and dropped communications in the year of 2483.
Without direction from the UEF, the colonists of the Argos System fell into disarray. Despite a solid infrastructure and prospects in the form of cities, agricultural centers, schools and industries, the lack of a central political administration gave rise to anarchy. In the UEF’s wake, groups led by charismatic leaders sprang up, laying claim to local geographical assets.
In time, these administrations reestablished a semblance of order among the territories they controlled. These centers, isolated from each other by vast miles of wilderness, became independent city-states. These either pooled their resources for mutual protection and well-being, or fell to one another in campaigns of domination. As years passed, alliances and conquests molded the city-states into two distinct confederations: the United Territories of Shizawa (UTS) and the Arenstad Union (AU).
Each of these confederations sought to expand their spheres of influence while diminishing the other’s. There remained clusters of independent states that were ripe for taking, and resources on Glaistig that were yet to be exploited. Tensions that seemed only capable of escalating gave rise to the first all-out war between the two major powers. Many smaller states were drawn into the fighting, forced to pick sides to resist total destruction. Some of these banded together in small alliances, creating buffer zones of free republics and neutral states.
Three decades after the start of the war, neither side was closer to achieving its goal. Both sides were losing the will to fight, having suffered major losses and atrocities on both fronts. They finally sued for a shaky peace in 2502. However, in the years afterwards, they would continue - unofficially - to undermine each other’s efforts via spies, power brokers, false flag operations and sanctions.
Today, Glaistig is still locked in a tense cold war, and a second planetwide war seems imminent. The UEF is still a distant memory, having given no signal of its existence since 56 years ago. Without a system-wide UN equivalent to keep order, the confederations seem poised at each other’s throats once more.
Here’s where you come in…
While the storm brewing between the confederations makes life difficult for the civilians on Glaistig, it also comes as a rich opportunity for others. Mercenaries, pirates, assassins and other unscrupulous characters can find work where war is concerned. Among these desperados is the the crew of the Samigina. Calling themselves _, this team of brigands specializes in FRAME combat. They go where the promise of cash takes them, into the thick of combat, or the emptiness of space. Their sights are set on Glaistig’s natural resource deposits, the assets of weaker city-states and the thrill of the fight.
You’re one of these hotshot pilots onboard the Samigina. Whether you’re a new addition to the crew or have a long history of piracy, Glaistig presents a wealth of opportunities for profit and for play. While you’ve vowed loyalty to the ship and your comrades, your first loyalty is likely to yourself. You might have a personal stake in the events on Glaistig. Whatever the case, you’re in this for the long-haul, and should be prepared to do whatever it takes to fill your pockets, no matter how unsavory.
FRAMEs
The invention of Fully Reactive Armored Mobile Engines (FRAMEs) had an enormous impact on the nature of war. They were developed from construction walkers used in the 22nd century, prior to the invention of the spacegate system. The first were little more than civilian machines with improvised weapons, but as advancements were made, they became more and more formidable, outgrowing their duties in labor and becoming near-synonymous with military use.
The FRAME combines the mobility and flexibility of an infantryman with the resilience and firepower of an armored vehicle, though must compromise between the best of both. They adapt well to different kinds of terrain and retain excellent mobility in most. Each is capable of bringing the firepower of an infantry fighting vehicle to bear, a far larger payload than any ordinary soldier. They’re extraordinarily flexible, able to swap handheld weapons on the battlefield and completely change their load-out in a matter of hours. They can perform a range of battlefield tasks, fulfilling niche roles in conventional armies. Mass-produced FRAMEs are cheap enough to form a major part of any modern fighting force.
Despite their strengths, FRAMEs still depend heavily on combined arms support. A lone FRAME may be overwhelmed by an infantry unit, outgunned by main battle tanks, outranged by artillery and reduced to a wreck by aircraft it can’t see. For this reason, they are not the end-all military solution, but remain a valuable asset that can fill any gap in a pinch and do well in numbers.
FRAMEs are controlled by a single pilot located in the torso. The cockpits are usually very snug with little room to spare. The interior vaguely resembles that of an aircraft - a pair of joysticks, each sporting several thumb switches and triggers, as well as foot pedals are used to control the machine. The pilot receives information about the outside world by way of a sophisticated VR helmet. Multiple external cameras capture views of the outside and feed them to the helmet. This allows the pilot to see as if the cockpit were open to the outside, with relevant computer readouts superimposed over the landscape.
All-terrain capability is achieved by the two movement systems equipped by FRAMEs. The primary is the standard bipedal movement system, used for rough terrain or precise maneuvering. The secondary is a powered wheel or tread system, which allows the FRAME to ‘skate’ over ground surfaces. The secondary system cannot handle rough terrain as well as conventional walking, but provides considerably more speed.
The feat of engineering that allows FRAMEs to mimic human movement is a system of myomers, thin tubes of artificial musculature. These sheathe actuators, which are more or less the joints of a FRAME. These are connected to a neural network CPU, which translates information from the pilot into precise, humanlike movements. While pedals and joysticks control the FRAME’s basic functions, all complicated maneuvers are executed via this neural network. These CPUs aren’t sentient, but are capable of learning from their pilot’s input.
[h3][b][i][color=FFA500][center]Cards On The Table[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h3] [b][color=FFA500]General Skills:[/color][/b] [b][color=FFA500]Inventory/Possessions:[/color][/b]
[h3][b][i][color=FFA500][center]History[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h3] [b][color=FFA500]Years of Combat Experience:[/color][/b] [b][color=FFA500]Background:[/color][/b] (What did you do before becoming a pirate? How did you come to join the crew? What have you done since?)
[h3][b][i][color=FFA500][center]Extras[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h3] [b][color=FFA500]Character Quote:[/color][/b] Something they say a lot or live by [b][color=FFA500]Theme Song:[/color][/b] What would be playing when they walk up if we were in a movie? [b][color=FFA500]Anything Else:[/color][/b]
Frame Sheet
[center][img]FRAME Image[/img][/center] [h3][b][i][color=FFA500][center]Technical Data[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h3] [b][color=FFA500]Model Number:[/color][/b] [b][color=FFA500]Code Name:[/color][/b] [b][color=FFA500]Manufacturer:[/color][/b] [b][color=FFA500]Dimensions:[/color][/b] (Most FRAMEs top off under 9 meters) [b][color=FFA500]Weight:[/color][/b] (6-8 metric tons is average)
Example Frame Template (I'm using the Scopedog from Armored Trooper VOTOMS as an example of what a FRAME sheet will look like, and what sort of data will go in each section. All data sourced from mahq.net. Feel free to elaborate on the contents of your sheet beyond what is shown.)
Technical Data
Model Number: ATM-09-ST Code Name: Scopedog Manufacturer: Gilgamesh Confederation/Melkian Federation Dimensions: 3.804 meters in height Weight: 6.378 metric tons dry; 6.627 metric tons at full load
Armaments
Fixed Armaments:
2x Arm Punch; uses replaceable cartridges
SMAT-38 9-tube shoulder missile pod
Hand Armaments:
GAT-22 30mm heavy machine gun w/grenade launcher
GAT-49 50mm Pentatrooper
SAT-03 60mm solid shooter bazooka
GAT-35 long gun
Equipment & Design Features
Equipment:
Sensors
MCT-128-C control computer
Optional ATC-BR01-S Roundmover, can be mounted on back
Optional ATP-BP01-ST Parachute Mission Pack, can be mounted on back
Miscellaneous
Technical & Historical Notes During the Hundred Years War between the Gilgamesh Confederation and the Balarant Union, military technology takes great leaps forward with the introduction of humanoid "machine troopers" and later "armored troopers" (code named VOTOM: Vertical One-man Tank for Offense and Maneuvers). However, the creation of the ATM-09-ST Scopedog in Astragius Year 7198 marks the turning point in the war. With its compact design, the Scopedog is suitable for various combat environments, including space, terrestrial battlefields and urban environments. The Scopedog is highly maneuverable thanks to gliding foils installed in the feet that allow it to roll on the ground. Muscle cylinders powering the limbs allow the Scopedog to perform human-like movements. The Scopedog also features a camera lens turret that links directly to the pilot's goggles. In addition, the Scopedog can load cartridges for its standard hydraulic-powered arm punch.
As part of its design, the base Scopedog can be outfitted with several pieces of optional equipment and weapons. The Roundmover pack provides space mobility, and the Parachute Mission Pack allows the Scopedog to be air dropped by an AT carrier. The Scopedog is commonly armed with a heavy machine gun/grenade launcher, but it can also carry optional weapons that include bazookas, Gatling guns and rocket launchers. Although a ceasefire is announced in 7213, the mass produced Scopedog remains the mainline unit of the Melkian forces. Many units fall into civilian hands for use in the the arena combat game Battling. In addition, many variations are created for military and civilian use.
Color Scheme: Scopedogs come off the assembly line sprayed an olive green. Anything Else: The Scopedog’s gliding speed on its wheels is 82.6 km/h at dry load. At full load, with all optional armaments and equipment, this decreases to 41 km/h. The machine is rated at 230 horsepower, with 51 kg/m of torque. The Scopedog’s armor thickness is rated at 14mm in the thickest places, while the thinnest is rated at 6mm.