Trinais

For the Greater Good! ~ A 40K Tau Battlesuit Roleplay

OOC is up

http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/80241-for-the-greater-good-a-40k-tau-battlesuit-roleplay/ooc

For the Greater Good! ~ A 40K Tau Battlesuit RP

~In the Grim Darkness of the far future, there is only war!~

The Planet Coronis
Population:
- 100,000,000 Human
- 12,000,000 Tau
- ~8,000 Kroot
Capital: Landing Primus
Ruler: Governor Johan Filas (de Facto), Aun'La O'Rmia (de Jure)

Formerly an Imperial Agri-world settled in M37, this temperate and ideal planet provided food and nutritional supplements to a dozen hive worlds in its sector. Neglected by the Imperial Administratum and denied transports for its tithe of food 80 years ago, the planet was soon the target of an Imperial Punitive Expedition. Its people were defenseless, their weapons outdated, and their fate sealed to a genocide from which there would be no escape.

As the Imperial ships exited the Warp, a second fleet entered the system- one bearing the marks of the Xenos Tau. The planetary Governor, Johan Filas, had been in talks with the Tau Water Caste to secure needed supplies for his people when word of the coming punitive invasion arrived. The Water Caste envoys capitalized on this by offering a new options- to absorb Coronis into the Tau Empire and provide a shield for the humans living therein. There would be no genocide for missed tithes, plenty of machine and medical support (for every world in the Tau Empire was necessary to ensure survival against the might of Terra), and of course, Johan and his line would grow fabulously wealthy from the arrangement.

The Imperial transports, never expecting any resistance, were obliterated under withering barrages of plasma and rail cannons. Three Regiments of Guardsmen were destroyed within hours, and not a single Imperial soldier ever set foot on Coronis.

In the years since the absorption of Coronis by the Tau, there has been a significant change in the culture of the planet. Worship of the Emperor continues, but is tempered by the philosophy of the Greater Good espoused by the Tau. A small Fire Warrior garrison is maintained on the planet but industry remains geared toward food production rather than weapons. Humans are now required to attend training under the gaze of the Fire Caste to defend their home on the fringe of the Empire but have not been deployed to any other conflicts. 90% of the adult population is capable of using a lasgun or pulse carbine. Most have some familiarity with a Markerlight.

~ The Green Tide ~

Two months ago, Johan's psyker retinue received a dizzying array of distress calls from nearby imperial worlds, proclaiming the coming of an Ork Waaagh!!! of titanic proportions. Warboss Gutkicka has overtaken a dozen Imperial worlds by their counting. Governor Johan brought this information to Tau Ethereal Aun'La O'Rmia, who in turn forward the reports to T'au. The response was swift- no reinforcements could be sent while the Tyranids raged on the eastern worlds.

Coronis was on its own.

In consultation with Govenor Johan, and over the protests of Shas'O K'inf of the Fire Caste, Aun'La ordered the Earth Caste to begin converting Tau Battlesuits to hold human pilots- a controversial decision to many. Human Gue'vesa have been called in to report to their local armories for equipping. The Orks may come in waves or all at once, but the limited armies on Coronis must be prepared to contest and defend any landing sight the Greenskins make use of.

Even as the system's outer defenses begin reporting contact with the Warboss Gutkicka's fleet, Aun'La and Governor Johan make an announcement that the planet is under threat, and that all must be prepared to fight for the Greater Good...

~ Enter the Gue'vesa ~

Your character has been called up to do their duty in the name of the Empire and their home. The Gue'vesa Auxiliary has been activated and the Fire Warrior garrison has been called up. Reporting to your district's Armory at Kel'Shorin, you found yourself selected to enter one of the adapted battlesuits, trained by the Female Tau pilot Shas'ui On'ria.

Warboss Gutkicka has broken through the system's orbital defenses. Civilians and invalids are being evacuated the the human Capital of Landing Primus, but the Green Tide cannot be stopped. There is only one way to victory here- find and kill Gutkicka before he overwhelms the planet.

Suit up!

CS

~ CS ~
Name:
Age:
Sex:
Physical Description: Either written or a picture is fine.
History: Who is your character? What did they do before the coming of the Orks?

Other: Sexual Orientation, Family, any information critical to your character that you want other people to know.

The Chosen One: Even among the Tau, only the most distinguished warriors are granted the honor of piloting a battlesuit. But the humans of Coronis have never been sent into battle on other planets before. So how did your character distinguish themselves to become a pilot? Kill an enormous predator? Shut down a cell of rebellious humans intent on rejoining the Imperium? Feel free to get creative here.
Class: Battlesuit Pilot, Pathfinder (PM GM), or Other (PM GM).

Audition: Please write a two-paragraph post here. Your character is at the Kel'Shorin supply depot and has boarded an Orca transport with other Gue'vesa and Fire Warriors, and your CO, Shas'ui On'ria, will be leading you into combat. The first wave of Orks is coming, and you will meet them with all the fury of the Mont'ka!

Battlesuit:
Weapon(s):
Support System(s):

Battlesuits: Probably the most fun part of this whole RP. The Tau Battlesuits available to choose from are as follows:

XV-25 Stealth Suit - Comes with Nightvision, Jetpacks, and Stealth Field Generator, and may take ONE item from the Systems list.
- Burst Cannon (Gatling Laser)
- Fusion Blaster (Anti-Armor cannon)

XV-8 'Crisis' Suit - A versatile Mecha suit used for fighting multiple threats at once. Comes with Nightvision, Jetpacks, and a Multi-tracker for using multiple weapons. May take a combination of up to 3 Weapons or Support Systems.
- Burst Cannon
- Fusion Blaster
- Airbursting Fragmentation Projector (Mortar)
- Cyclic Ion Blaster (Rapid Fire Heavy Energy Weapon)
- Flamer (Flamethrower)
- Missile Pod (Homing Missiles)

XV-88 'Broadside' Suit - Heavy support. When you absolutely, positively must pop that Trukk and all the boyz in it, accept no substitutes. Comes with Nightvision. May take one Support System.
- Heavy Rail Rifle (Long Range Anti-vehicle weapon)
- High Yield Missile Pod (Mid-Range Heavy weapon)
AND Either
- Shoulder Missile Pod
- Shoulder Plasma Rifle

Support Systems - Note: I'm treating Support systems like powers in superhero RPs here. Some have also been removed because they make more sense in the tabletop than in a Roleplay. However, I will try to make accommodations for anyone who wishes to expand the list further.

- Advanced Targeting system - For making those precision shots count, turning your suit into an accurate weapon capable of sniping enemy leaders.

- Counterfire Defense System - Your suit returns fire with surprising accuracy, covering the advance of your comrades.

- Shield Generator - Your suit can absorb some enemy fire and even step into the path of enemy fire to shield others.

- Stim Injector - Even if a bullet penetrates your formidable armor, your body fights through the pain thanks to advanced Tau medical drugs pumped into your blood.

- Vectored Retro-Thrusters - Jump into the enemy's ranks, unleash a hail of pulse rounds or a blast from your flamethrower, then jump out before they can react. Note: Unavailable to Broadsides.

- Velocity Tracker - Track and fire with accuracy at flying enemies.

For the Greater Good! ~ A 40K Tau Battlesuit Roleplay

Will do!

I know for my character, I'll be keeping a D6 by me to resolve my actual shots. Make the game much more interesting that way.

For the Greater Good! ~ A 40K Tau Battlesuit Roleplay

Is ok.

And@caliban22, as part of the Character Sheet I'll ask you to put together an "audition" paragraph of where your character is when they hear that an invasion is coming. I'll make final decision on Co-GM after reading that post, but I'll keep you in mind =)

If we get 1 more person, I'll put together the OOC today and set up CS sheets.

For the Greater Good! ~ A 40K Tau Battlesuit Roleplay

Hmmm... Tentative interest, although we'll see how things turn out. ^^; Although seeing how this is a battlesuit-based I'm going to assume Gue'vesa aren't allowed. XD

@Rin

Not necessarily. I mean, technically you're all Gue'vesa, but some of the equipment is used in conjunction with Markerlights, so a Gue'vesa Pathfinder might be in order :3

For the Greater Good! ~ A 40K Tau Battlesuit Roleplay

~It is the 41st Millenium... And there is only war!~

Setting: The planet Coronus. A former Imperial agriculture world that was peacefully absorbed by the Tau Empire some 80 years ago. Its people were initially distrustful of the Tau Empire's ways, but their new blue-skinned overlords have proven remarkably tolerant of the Humans' culture. Worship of the Emperor is allowed (though it is secondary to the philosophy of The Greater Good), technology on the planet has shifted from the whirring cogs and smoke belching factories of the Mechanicus Priests toward the silent, efficient drone workers and Earth Caste engineers. Blue-skinned Tau colonists and their Kroot kin now live and work side-by-side with the human inhabitants.

Coronus has a breathable atmosphere and freshwater landlocked seas.

Story: Coronus has seen very little conflict in a galaxy in a state of constant war. Unfortunately, that is about to change. A massive Ork Waaagh!!! has been sighted on the edge of the planetary system, and it will be months before the Tau Empire can mobilize a relief army to help defend the world. In light of this, the Tau Empire has taken extraordinary steps to buy more time.

There are an excess number of nimble Stealth, versatile Crisis, and heavy Broadside battlesuits on the planet Coronus, and Earth Caste technicians are working round the clock to convert them for use by a select group of humans to help defend the sparsely populated world from the ravages of Warboss Gutpuncha and his boyz...

Battlesuit Mechanics: Characters will get to set up their own Stealth, Crisis or Broadside Battlesuit (sorry, no Riptides [...yet!]). Similarly to how people create characters with abilities on superhero or supernatural RPs, players can select the loadouts of their suits. I'll post a list of the weapons and technical options available in the OOC (if this generates enough interest) and the group can go from there.

Themes: For those unfamiliar with the 40K universe, it's a dark and brutal place filled with war, futility and generally very-bad-not-good things. However there are some bright spots to be found and in a galaxy with millions of inhabited worlds, there have to be a few places worth living and fighting for. I'd like to strike a balance between grimdark and noblebright with this RP. Specifically, I want Coronis to be a planet worth protecting for more than just strategic reasons. This planet is an oasis of peace in a galaxy being torn apart by chaos, superstition, and hungry hungry Tyranids. Coronis is a planet with freedom of religion, thought, and advanced technology. It will have its problems like any other place (Tau superiority complex, Kroot nomming random people now and then, Human religious zealotry and corruption) but your character is willing to fight and die to protect this planet.

Other: I will want a Co-GM or two to help run this group. I work two jobs and can't be on at all hours, plus I'm very keen on collaborative storytelling.

The Hidden People

I'd sy if we don't get a post by this afternoon, have Casper jump in :P

Divine Hijinks

Tony was eyeing the bouncer, Will, when Parry's friend Riki gave Creeper an Olympic strength throw across the room. That display, coupled with Creeper's withering glare, left Tony watching Creeper get back up. Will made a move to grab Creeper and throw him out for good just to avoid an altercation that could interrupt the night's drinking any more than it already had.

Will, Tony, and everyone else in the bar stopped paying Creeper any mind when the lights went out, all except for the stage lights on the far platform. No self respecting performer would call it a stage, actually. The only thing that gave it a veneer of professionalism was the large curtain that hung over it.

The curtain did part after a pre-recorded drumroll, revealing a thoroughly transformed Parry Magnus.

His silk shirt and designer pants were gone. Instead, he was clad in an adult sized sailor-fufu from Japan, though blessedly he wore long black shorts underneath the skirt (a few drinkers shouted "TAKE 'EM OFF!" to which he blew a kiss), all topped off with a knee length faux cat's tail. His blond hair, usually done up in a semi-masculine ponytail, was flowing freely down his shoulders. And his fancy leather shoes were replaced with a set of black Mary-Janes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the masculine voice of Ruby boomed from off stage, "returning to us for the first time since Pride, the house is pleased to present, Mister Parry Magnes!"

Que: Parry strutting across the stage, shaking his hips this way and that while he lip-synced Fergie's 'A Little Party Never Killed Nobody'.

Tony was left dumbfounded at the disconnect, and he rested both hands on the bar. Parry had lost his damn mind. A costume that had nothing to do with the song he was dancing to? Tony had seen Parry come to this dive for years, and that vain little peacock never did anything without thinking three steps ahead of the game and making it as flashy as could be.

Que: Parry grabbing his shirt in one hand, his skirt in the other, and ripping both off- leaving him in speedo shorts. And his routine suddenly became much less family friendly.

"Oh," Tony said, blushing as he watched Rikive's reaction. "I, um, think you should know... he's usually much more classy. He stays away from the pole. And- oh God, I'm gonna have to wash that. And that too. Aaaaaaaaand now those Mary Janes can go right in the trash. And the socks too. Jesus CHRIST!" Tony had to turn away from the stage, unable to watch any more antics. "More mead, miss?"

======================================

Closing time came an hour later, and Parry had become thoroughly sloshed by that time. His performance only lasted a few minutes but people kept buying him drinks and passing phone numbers on napkins. Parry was far too interested in Rikive at this point, however.

"Who why's Himdall sending' his daughter to Migerd? What'chu do to end up down here with all us? Tony! More mead!"

Tony slashed his arm in a 'You're cut off' gesture. "We're out, Parry. You two drank all that stuff. I'll call you a cab, have it around the front in no time."

"Yer a saint, Tony," Parry said, closing his eyes as he smiled. Rikive would no doubt sense something going on as Parry glanced in, tapping in to the Celestial blood in his veins before opening his eyes again and saying, "Shame 'bout your mother."

Tony wrinkled his nose. "Mom's fine, Parry."

"Call her in the morning an' tell her you love her. You'll fell better for it. After you call our cab." Parry turned to Rikive, raising his empty glass to hers. "Here's to family, princess. I got mine all around me down here. What've you got?"

Divine Hijinks

Parry left Rikive as Tony went into the basement brewery, going backstage after he whispered in Rikive's ear "Be good for just a few minutes, hun." The bubble of laughter that escaped Rikive's lips earlier was a warning sign that her inhibitions were pretty much shot at this point, which was both good and bad. Parry'd taken enough selfies of the two of them to notice her once serious and haughty demeanor had shifted toward carefree with every bar they visited.

Parry had hoped to put on a quick number per Tony's request and call it done. The suddenly awake crowd would make that difficult. So it was with much trepidation that Parry snuck into the back dressing room where the regular performers were primping and preening in front of their mirrors.

"Parry, darling! Where've you been?" Ruby, the red-haired buxom man asked as soon as Parry shut the door behind him. "We haven't seen you since Pride! Rose, Diamond! Parry's back!"

Ruby was quickly joined by his co-workers in various stages of dress and undress- all done up to the nines but finishing their shows for the evening. People sometimes asked where Parry learned to apply his cosmetics so well. The answer was pretty simple: Drag Queens.

"Hey Rose!" Parry offered with a kiss on his cheek, followed by Diamond and Ruby. "Gentlemen and ladies! I need a quick favor. Tony opened up the brewery downstairs for a friend of mine, but he wants me on stage for a number for old time's sake. Do you have anything... flashy?"

=======================================

Tony returned from the downstairs brewery to find Parry gone and his strange friend still at the bar. He had a tray in hand with three glasses of mead, cold, and a plate of summer sausage and cheeses on the house just 'cause he felt bad for making Parry do a show just so Riki could get some of the better drinks. Still, Parry's shows were always a blast and he was way behind on rent, so the tips it might bring in would do him and Michael a world of good.

"M'lady," Tony said, offering the tray with a smile. Which was when that guy- Creeper, as most of the staff took to calling him- came up and started chatting with Riki. Tony didn't like to judge the customers. The owner welcomed everyone's money. But Creeper never bought drinks for himself. Only other people.

And while it wasn't Tony's place to decide who Riki talked to, he felt it was necessary to keep Parry's friend looked after while he was gone.

"Excuse me sir," Tony said, scratching the back of his brown hair. "The lady is spoken for."

Divine Hijinks

With Lexlie gone, Parry was able to turn his attention back to Rikive. She was going through cupcakes like they were the last on Midgard and would probably use a drink with them. Tequila and cupcakes- he shuddered at the thought, but realized it was a combination he hadn't thought to try before. If one thing defined Parry, it was his willingness to try the most absurd foods and actions to get the most out of life here on Earth while he could.

Getting a bear hug from a demigoddess that cracked his spine was the most painful and, afterward, the most relieving experience he'd had in a good while. Damn! She'd make a good chiropractor! "It's no biggie, hun. I still feel bad for beating your father at that game, and," he glanced at the crowd of partygoers, still filtering into the stairwell, then leaned in close to Rikive's ear, "people like us need to stick together. Midgard is dangerous for an immortal." Parry pulled away and pressed a finger to his lips.

"For example," he said, pulling back and speaking much more clearly. "de Lucy, de Lacey- I can never remember- he is the, uh, 'Jarl' of this city. Everyone pays him tribute and homage, and he keeps us safe from the mortals. But we'll get to him when he comes knocking on my door. For now we'll take that Lyft- a magical ride to fun and pleasure unbound- and get back to my place where you can rest."

Parry smiled as he stood up, offering Rikive a hand.

The unspoken word in that sentence was "eventually."

=====================================================

Rikive may have been an immortal, but she still had a liver and it still processed alcohol, so she could still get drunk. Her night on Midgard in his esteemed company was going to be dedicated to fulfilling that objective before getting home for bed. Within minutes of the last guest leaving, Parry was standing outside with his enchanted Gucci diaper bag, had reached inside for his iPhone 6+, and had a fancy Chrysler 300 Lyft waiting curbside for them. Complete with the giant pink mustache on the front of the grill.

It took no less than three gay bars to find one that served actual mead. Parry wasn't too picky about whose pants he could get into, but he figured this was the best bet for Rikive. All the fashion boutiques were closed at this hour, so he couldn't get her a new outfit easily except at Wal-Mart, and Parry had a Colt .45 loaded with a single bullet, ready to use if he ever violated his sacred oath to never set foot in such a store for the purpose of buying clothing. But the crowds would be friendly and the men generally uninterested in anything more than a bit of fun.

But Chase's always had a loose atmosphere and all the humans had a friendly giggle over Rikives clothes. Here, Parry introduced her to the Chocolate Martini. Several times.

Next was Soho. It was disco night there, so a few of the guys were dressed to the nines in clothes that came relatively close to Rikive's in style. Minus the chainmail. Here, Rikive got to taste the beloved Irish Car Bomb.

Finally they got to Just 4 Us. It was a blue-collar dive bar only a block from Parry's place, no windows with a white brick exterior. Inside it was relatively quiet for 3 AM, but Parry was able to convince Tony, that adorable little barkeep, to open up the brewery downstairs and bring up a glass of actual mead for Rikive. Tony took one look at Rikive's getup and, rather than making fun of her, ran with the whole medieval idea.

"M'lady's wish is my command. Oh, Parry? We had one of our dancers cancel with the flu. Would you be willing to go back and put on some drag for me?"

The question was a quid-pro-quo kind of thing. You put on a skirt and some makeup, do a little dance for the eight people still here, and I'll unlock the brewery.

Parry had to glance over at Rikive, study her condition after all the alcohol and bar food he'd thrown her way (sushi with a chocolate martini was also a new combination for him...). He was really, really hoping she wouldn't remember what he was about to do in the morning.