vietmyke

See you space samurai... A Space Opera

@vietmyke Like, given the size of a galaxy, could there be entire like, star empires with thousands of stars that just, havent been noticed or noticed the empire, especially pre-ftl star empires.

@Lucidnonsense

Oh yes absolutely there could be. The empire/known space doesn't actually cover the entire galaxy- known space probably refers to most of the Orion-Cygnus spur, and portions of the surrounding arms nearby, but the entire galaxy itself is not mapped

In other news, I'm liking a lot of these submissions so far! I'll get around to feedback in a little bit.

See you space samurai... A Space Opera

@Lucidnonsense I don't have numbers for how dense the empire is as a whole, but it would likely vary from planet to planet. One planet might be a super dense ecumenopolis- with all the cyberpunk sprawl and dystopia that entails, another world might be agrarian or like a resort world and have considerably less population density.

Not sure about cloning, it's definitely possible and an interesting idea to take-the empire is a large nation and several planets and systems act more or less autonomously within it, so it wouldn't be a stretch to say maybe one of those entities utilizes cloning technology. But in general I'd say the empire probably has enough natural population to expand without needing clones. They use robots a decent amount, they probably use them to cut down on the need for as much manual labor.

See you space samurai... A space opera

Alrighty everyone! Thanks for all of your patience so far, the ooc is now here!

Send me a pm if you have any questions, otherwise I look forward to seeing what everyone can create! Please do not post characters into the character tab until they are approved, thanks!

See you space samurai... A Space Opera

Kian Feng

Kian Feng

'The Jackal'

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Core Details

Name: Kian Feng
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Species: Augmented Human

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Who are you?

Kian stands in a head taller than average, with a wiry and lean build not unlike that of an athlete- or at least one used to running and regular physical exertion. His skin tone is fairly pale, not uncommon among career spacers, and amber eyes, framed by a head of dark green hair. Possibly as a result of regular Aura consumption, Kian's eyes have a faint glow to them, most noticeable in the dark. Shifting holo-light tattoos dance across the surface of his torso, typically evoking images of mythical creatures. His legs have been replaced from the thigh down, with black digitigrade cyberlegs.

Kian takes meticulous- bordering on vain- care of his personal appearance, and his disposition is calm and relaxed, if a bit aloof. His taste in style is eclectic, and he has a penchant for jewelry and rare trinkets, regularly donning an ornate Oni mask when needing to be anonymous- though the mask isn't nearly as subtle as one might think. While prone to sarcasm, and occasionally overconfident in himself and his capabilities, Kian is not quite as shallow and self centered as he portrays himself- though he is still some measure of each. Kian possesses a well developed moral compass, and is strongly loyal to those he cares about, though his tone and callousness might suggest otherwise. He cares about folk, in his own way, but one will rarely hear him admit such in open conversation.

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What do you bring to the table?

A thief, a scoundrel, a rogue, a charlatan- all are masks that Kian has worn before. Kian's skills often revolve around him acquiring things he's not supposed to have, or gaining entry into places he's not supposed to be- whether he talks or cuts his way through typically depends on the day. Savvy and streetwise, Kian might lack the ability to schmooze his way through a corporate meeting in the core worlds, but is right at home in the smog choked, neon streets of the outworlds cities.

While avoiding it when possible, Kian is no slouch in a fight, swift movements augmented by his cybernetics along with an application of aura magic and excellent spatial awareness makes him a dexterous and slippery opponent.

Kian's Aura abilities revolve around the manipulation and control of metal, and is often used in tandem with his own personal weapons: a segmenting chain with a thermal dagger on one end, and a heavy weighted bludgeon on the other, using both his body and magic to move and redirect his strikes in unpredictable ways. While able to control free laying objects, Kian is typically unable to effect items or objects carried by others.

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What's your problem?

While generally walking around the galaxy with an unflappable and carefree disposition, Kian is haunted by his past. The second son of a prominent trade company within the Vangarian Empire, Kian was to be set up for a life of luxury. Their family certainly had some shady business dealings- but most did. This however would come to a head as a particularly shady deal went wrong. During a deal set up by one of his close contacts, his family was betrayed, his mother was killed, and the blame was pinned squarely on his shoulders. Branded a traitor by his family and disowned, Kian was forced to flee to the Outworlds. As a result, he forms few personal connections and remains skeptical of the motivations of most people he meets.

In the years since, Kian has managed to "obtain" a ship and scrounged together a crew to work alongside. Perhaps due to some more personal grievances, Kian has no issue ripping off or robbing Imperials.

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Life in the crew

Kian "owns" the ship, and has been a part of the crew of the Guernica for as long as its had a crew. He considers himself nominally to be the captain of the crew, but treats the Guernica more as a communal home from which the crew can partake in freelancing, bounty hunting, and whatever odd jobs the crew might find. He fancies himself an ace pilot, but one too many close shaves has resulted in him being sidelined as the ship's helmsman.

See you space samurai... A Space Opera

Hey there, kemosabe. Ever wanted to see what was out there? Get out of this same-old kinda life, and see the stars beyond? There's a lil' something for everyone, no matter where you end up.

Take a trip to the core worlds, the cradle of civilization. Get some shopping done, chrome yourself out to the nines' and so long as you have the green, make sure it all comes from first rate and only lightly used from the finest vendors in the galaxy. You can find anything here, regardless of legality! Of course, you'll have to deal with the Vangarians- The Imperials like to tax anything and everything they can get their hands on, also regardless of legality. The best part? If you don't pay your taxes, they send hunter-killer robots after you! The Vangarians get a little heavy handed when it comes to money- Forget to pay your tab at the bar? Robots. Skip on your rent? Robots! Run a red light? Well, that's just a fine if they catch you. It's great! Safe, if you can afford it.

But hey, the taxman got you down? Tired of Vangarians taking every nickel out of your wallet, and then charging you for the ones you will hypothetically earn? Well you can always take a shuttle out to the outer worlds- the edge of known space. It's a bit rough and tumble, bounty hunters, cowboys and space samurai abound- to keep the space pirates in check after all. Plenty of lowlifes around here means plenty of profit to be made! And if hunting lowlifes isn't your jam, you could always be one of the lowlifes- who is gonna stop you after all? A weirdo with a fedora and laser katana? Good luck finding you through all the choking smog and neon drip. Ain't nothin' pretty out there except what you make yourself, but hey! That's the prettiest thing of all, ain't it? Just gotta make sure some scumbucket doesn't put a plasma bolt in your ribs for your troubles in the middle of the night.

Life on the edge doesn't suit you? Don't want to keep looking over your shoulder for bandits and highwaymen? You could always give up all of your worldly possessions and live the life of an ascetic in the Order of the Elars, an organization of peacekeepers and space travelers. The Order of the Elars spend most of their time studying the history of time and space and huffing space dust- Aura they call it. What does Aura do? Well it does a little bit of everything- telekinesis, foresight, fire conjuring, just a lil shot of Aura into your veins and you'll be slinging space magic in no time flat! Just careful not to overdo the fireballs, or you'll turn into one yourself! Man oh man, that's not a fun experience, but its not too bad- I mean, that mind splitting headache will probably be the last one you ever have! So, perks and drawbacks, but hey! What's a little bit of melting brain to manipulating the cosmos as you see fit?

So, catch your interest, kemosabe? You're almost certain to die young, so might as well enjoy it while you can!
^{~ Roni Keral, Wanted Dead or Alive. 12,000,001 Crds.}

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The Premise

Welcome to the Milky Way Galaxy- some thousand or so Earth years into the future. Life is equal parts great and terrible, depending on your means to navigate it. Thousands of years worth of technological development means humanity has spread itself out to the far reaches of space, and with it, encountered alien life. The Vangarian Empire- a mostly human civilization rooted in the original homeworld of humanity constantly expands, laying claims to worlds as they see fit, regardless of the complaints of other planetary governments and organizations. All of this is done in their near constant pursuit for a substance known as Aura. Aura, is the magical macguffin that powers practically any and all technology- from spaceships to energy weapons, and outside of more traditional means, is for all intents and purposes the ultimate fossil fuel. It can be found in a variety of states, from massive crystalline structures in the crusts of planets, to the liquid blood inside star sized space whales that travel the inky emptiness between stars and galaxies. But all of that is just the big picture.

We the players will take on the role of a small crew of rag tag spacers, scoundrels and rapscallions from all walks of life aboard the Guernica, making our way through the galaxy and suddenly stumbling on a quest upon which the fate of the galaxy no doubt rests. Will our heroes survive? Or will they crash and burn underneath the weight of the odds as well as their own inner turmoils? This RP takes heavy cues and influences from various sci-fi fantasy properties, Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, to name a few, with the general goal of being a lighthearted romp through the galaxy- though occasionally with more serious and mature themes and situations to keep the narrative moving.

What I'm looking for is a small but solid group of around 4-6. I like keeping the narrative small and concentrated, and I'm also no good at managing large groups. Keep in mind that this RP is NOT first come, first served.

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The Galaxy

Major Factions and Entities

The Vangarian Empire

The largest power in the known galaxy, the Vangarian Empire has a presence in every populated sector in space, though their power is primarily clustered around what is known as the 'Core Sector', which is made up of the original systems and planets first settled by the ancient humans of Earth. With its legacy tracing back the governments of Earth, the Empire itself is a primarily human empire, consisting of roughly 60% human populations, though they are not against accepting aliens into the fold- so long as said aliens accept their human centric laws and governance. With its massive and sluggish bureaucracy, most within the Empire are content with maintaining the status quo.

With its staggering needs, the Empire has been rapidly expanding into the outer reaches of known space, constantly in search for Aura, the resource that provides the power for much of the technology base that gives them so much dominance. Imperial pathfinders regularly journey out into unknown space, looking for more potential resources.

The Outworlds Trade Alliance

A diaspora of loosely affiliated planetary states and systems, the individuals of the Outworlds Alliance hold no real similarities to each other aside from the fact that they reside on the peripheries of known space. With each planet and system having its own cultures and technology base, many will regularly come into conflict with one another, only really interacting with one another for the basis of trade. Rough and unorganized, and often only able to offer a token resistance to Vangarian expansion, the planets of the Outworlds Alliance are regularly referred to as the Wild West of Space. Planets in the Outworlds can house massive trade cities, large stretches of barren wasteland desert, or be entirely covered in water. In short, what you might find is a crapshoot.

The Order of the Elars Templar

An ancient monastic order of spacefarers, peacekeepers and historians. The Elars are fairly secretive, keeping to themselves for the most part, though they will occasionally send out missions in search for both new recruits and to discover the remaining secrets of the galaxy. It was through the Order of the Elars that it was first discovered that Aura could be used to grant an individual the equivalent of magical powers, and many within the Order are powerful practitioners of it. Due to their often times conflicting interests, the Vangarian Empire have openly declared the Order of the Elars Templar as enemies of the state, though it is not unheard of to see individuals from the Vangarian Empire and the Order working together, though their uneasy alliances never last long.

Aura and Magic

Aura

Magical space dust! Better known as Aura by modern people, this material was discovered by the original members of the Order of the Elars. Aura is for all intents and purposes, an extremely powerful and efficient fuel source, though with the right processes, can be adapted to induce magical abilities within living creatures. Aura takes a variety of forms, with the most prominent being in crystalline form- taking the shape of glowing blue crystals, capable of defying gravity. The induction of Aura can be performed in a variety of ways- from injection to smoking, and can be fairly addictive.


Aura is also found in extremely dense quantities within the blood of creatures known as Aural Beasts. These massive, planet sized creatures roam the emptiness of space. Very little is known about them, other than the fact that their blood has Aura within it. Some revere them as deities, while others- like the Vangarians will often attempt to hunt them for their massive quantities of Aura. One chapter of the Order of Elars has built a small city upon the back of one of these massive beasts.

Magic

Through the application of Aura into an individual's body, many are capable of feats of magic. From telekinesis, to slinging fireballs and lightning bolts, many of the things only thought of as fantasy are now possible. Typically, an individual exposed to Aura will only be capable of a small amount of magic, usually of the same or similar types or 'schools' of magic, scaling up as the gain proficiency and continue using Aura. However, without regular applications of Aura, an individual's magical abilities will slowly began to fade- though will never be entirely gone. Casting magic is often taxing upon an individual, and requires considerable mental fortitude to cast regularly, with overuse capable of causing damage to the brain and central nervous system. To make matters worse, Aura- and to an extent the 'feeling' of casting magic can also be addicting, and being able to control the urges are a core part of becoming a mage.

In general, individual magic is enacted on a relatively small and personal scale. Individuals are able to affect themselves and their immediate surroundings, but manipulating the greater world around them is generally impossible without considerable assistance.

Technology

Tech in the current day is quite advanced, though its widespread adoption is dependant on location. Practically all of the worlds within the Core Sector have access to the cutting edge of tech, while the outworlds may have a one planet for every few dozen with Core-worlds level tech. Technology like cybernetic limbs, hoverbikes and energy weapons are fairly commonplace, though plenty of industrial level tech can still be found out in the outworlds. Space travel is commonplace, people fly between planets as often as we today fly in planes. Some people spend their entire lives in space, never setting foot on ground any more solid than the hull plating of a planetary space station. Practically all of these advanced tools are powered by Aura. While some lower tech devices and machines use traditional energy sources, the vast majority of people in this galaxy use Aura to fuel their engines.

The efficiency and power of these Aura reactors, along with some of the innate properties of Aura itself has allowed people to travel through space at speeds faster than light. Using Aura to envelope the ship in a 'bubble' of local space time, powerful jump engines can then propel this bubble across the galaxy at great speeds, crossing light-years in mere minutes. Traveling through hyperspace is often colloquially referred to as traveling 'in the bubble'.

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The Ship

The Guernica

Welcome aboard The Guernica, a retrofit of an old, retired Albatross-class military freighter. Held together with a combination of duct tape, zip ties and a prayer, the small freighter resembles exactly that- a freighter. Small, and only modestly armed, the Guernica no battleship to be sure, but its plasma cannons are still adequate to give smaller vessels pause when push comes to shove. Nevertheless, the Guernica is a reliable and sturdy rust bucket, able to take on whatever the galaxy throws at it- with only minorly life threatening consequences. Its hallways and living spaces are modest at best, with only a small captain's quarters and a few small berths, meaning the crew will invariably end up converting sections of the ship into their own personal living spaces, be it a poker table in the cargo hold or a media center next to the Aura Reactor. A suped up, overtaxed Aura Reactor powers a considerably upgraded set of engines and jump drive.


Due to its powerful engines and jump drive, the Guernica is among the fastest vessels in its size class, both in and out of the bubble, allowing the Guernica and its motley crew to get themselves into and out of the stickiest of situations.

She's a hot mess, finicky at the best of times. But she's home.

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The Crew

Space samurai, star elves, pseudo not-jedi, sentient robot AI, genetically enhanced catgirls, eclectic warrior types, crazy aliens and tinkers; are all welcome- with a caveat: All players and characters must be part of the team. Not everyone has to like each other, and some dysfunction can even be humorous, but everyone has to be able to play their part together. Self destructive sociopaths incapable of communication and endangering themselves and others just for the shits and giggles will be left behind. - just don't be an asshole, basically.

Regarding characters, I want them to be cool! Be good at something, hell, be pretty damn good at that something, be good at a couple things for that matter, but don't be too good at everything. This is, after all an underdog story. If you think to yourself "might this be too powerful?" it might be best to run it by me first. I have an example character in the character tab for reference.

Crew Sheet

Image Goes here

Full Name

'Nicknames or Alias (if applicable)'

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Core Details

Name: Given 'Alias' Name
Age:In earth years
Gender:Any and all, or none at all
Species: Human? Alien? Hybrid? Not technically living?

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Who are you?

What does your character look like? What's their species like? Do they have anything immediately noticeable like tattoos or cybernetics? What might they be commonly seen doing or be in possession of? Do they have any notable mannerisms and how might others view them?

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What do you bring to the table?

What is your character good at? Are they a good fighter or orater? Are they proficient with magic or do their cybernetic augments give them superhuman strength? Are they good at fixing things or stitching people up? Do they have a perceptive eye or are they just really good at cooking gumbo?

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What's your problem?

No one lives a perfect life. Your character is no exception, so spill it: what's their issue? Are they running from something? Do they have mountains of debt or trouble with the law? Maybe they're just bored or searching for something to get their blood pumping or stricken with wanderlust? What's keeping them from being a regular part of society? Not everyone has mountains of trauma or deep dark conspiracies- but flaws or traits that might make it harder for them to simply drop this life and become "normal".

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Life in the crew

How did your character find their way onto the Guernica? How long have they been part of the crew? What (if anything) do they do around the ship?

If your character has any relevant NPC's, you can use this stripped down sheet for them as necessary.

NPC Crew Sheet

Image Goes here

Full Name

'Nicknames or Alias'

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Name: Given 'Alias' Name
Age:In earth years

About:
Whatever details about them are relevant.

See you space samurai... A space opera

@PerfectThought hey! Glad to have caught your interest! I'd be interested in seeing how a gaseous xeno might work in this setting and what we have planned. There is a lot of interest, a lot more than I was anticipating, and not a whole lot of spots available, however I'm always willing to bend my limits for characters I think are really cool 😎

See you space samurai... A space opera

Hey all! For ease of writing (and also me reading potentially a dozen sheets) I've decided to redo the character sheet and simplify it. For now, disregard the character sheet and I'll update it when I get a moment.

Moving forward, while coming up with concepts for your characters keep these 3 questions in mind:

Who are you?
What are you good at?
What's your problem?

See you space samurai... A space opera

[I wasn't expecting so many people to be keen to this idea! As much as I'd love to take on everyone that comes, it's outside both the scope of the story I'd like to tell, and more than I can feasibly manage.

@MissingFantasy the idea of small cameos and minor characters isn't a bad idea, and I'd be open to it- though I don't know for sure how well it would work out. If anything once all of the players are set in stone, I'd poll them about their opinions on having others come in for smaller minor or temporary roles

For everyone: my general timeline is to have the completed ooc up in the next day or two, with some expanded information about our not-so-little playpen. That'll leave everyone with the end of the week, the weekend and probably a few days after that to come up with some character sheets- though that's not a set deadline, things come up and the creative process takes a while so don't feel too pressured about that.

As always, my DMs are open for anyone wishing to talk about ideas or if there are any questions

See you space samurai... A space opera

Heya folks! So a bit of housekeeping: I'll have the ooc up in a bit- but it's likely just going to be a repeat of the information that's already here, so everyone should have enough info to get started on sheets. I'll have my own character up in a bit if that'll help anyone

Also, with the amount of people showing interest I'll probably not be able to accept everyone- it's a bit beyond my capabilities to juggle a massive party. We'll probably be sticking to a max of 5-6, so this rp will not be first come first served, I'm sorry if that inconveniences anyone.

See you space samurai... A space opera

Oh wow! A lot of interest and very fast! Good to see everybody! Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions- I'll be checking throughout the night, but likely won't get any large responses out until afterwards