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Expanding Horizons
Groups
Group Sheet Information and Template

Groups, also known as factions, are individual people working together for common goal. This is not only an option, but a suggestion! Expanding Horizons as a setting is at its best when characters and their players are working together to build something. The entire goal of the universe is to be collaborative and inclusive! With that in mind, we suggest forming official groups.

At minimum a group needs five individual Roleplayer Guild members not to exceed ten if possible, the completion of the template which you will find below, and an approval by Staff. These official groups, because they are recognized as an actual faction in Expanding Horizons, get some pretty nifty bonuses that unofficial groups otherwise lack. However, a character can only be in one official group at a time.

First of all, an official group can come up with up to three group specific powers that - while other people might be able to use from time to time - the faction you and other members are in are considered masters of. These benefits don't need to be part of the "Big Three" - Magic, Technology or even Mundanity - but that is a good place to start. Regardless of what you choose, it is unique to the group and theirs alone. While it could eventually be stolen, duplicated or even made obsolete with time, it still belongs to you and can only have those things happen to it in the story, or more likely, in a fight.

Each member of a group has access to it, just by being in that group, and is allowed to partake in that power so choose wisely! The possibilities are endless, limited only by your imagination and what the Staff believes to be appropriate without being overwhelming. So then feel free to create whatever you can and communicate its ability and potential clearly. The Staff are much more likely to approve groups that have more information and that which is specific. Being too vague means a chosen power might be just too powerful now and get declined!

Once a group is approved it will be granted a territory such as a planet or ship, but feel free to request something specific to your faction; just know you cannot take what others already have by doing this. This territory, like their power, belongs only to them. In it, they have complete say and dominion, able to use it as they see fit so long as they do not break the rules. They also have three critical points, or locations, items, technologies or similar themes that are extremely important to them. The only way to have more than three critical points however, is to take them from another group in a fight or through diplomatic relations and share them. If you capture a critical point through player versus player conflict, you get that critical point to add to your group and then of course can alter the lay of the land that applies to it.

If a group loses all three critical assets, it ceases to have its unique power and its territory. It is still an official group, but in order to gain those benefits again, or develop new ones, it will need to capture three critical points, be them new or those they lost. Critical points will be the main topics of Expanding Horizon, in which battles or alliances take place between existing groups. As such the write-up for the territory, as well as its critical points, should be as detailed and specific as possible for the sake of everyone involved.

The guidelines for writing up a group, their abilities, and their territory are below. If you are still uncertain and have questions, use our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page here.
Overview
Faction Sheet for (Your Group's Name Goes In Here)
Name: (Your group's name goes here again. Think about who they are, what they represent, what their goals or identifying qualities are. Are they the Dominion of Solitude? The Destroyers of Hope? Give it a nifty name no one else has or could be mistaken for, just like a character's name.)
Graphic: (Your group's logo, insignia, flag or standard goes here. Try to picture a symbol that makes them immediately iconic to everyone else. Make sure it reflects who they are too, just like a name. The graphic is more or less the first impression others are going to get from your group other than what it is called.)
Motto: (Your group's creed, ethos or moot. What words do you live by? Are the inspirational? Intimidating? Compassionate? That's for you to decide, but try to live it out in everything your characters do while they're in the faction. They reflect it and it reflects them!)
Leader: (Your group's leader or leaders. Who takes responsibility for the group and its actions, if at all? Who is their figurehead that people recognize outside the group? What makes them the leader? How long have they led the group? Think along these lines for this part.)

Description: (Your group's description. Try to write this as an outsider looking in, attempting to catalogue or write them down. Alternatively, you could write this section for your faction from the eyes of its members and how they perceive it - just be sure that whatever vision you go with, it is accurate.)
Goals: (Your group's goals, desires and drives. What motivates them to work together as they are? There has to be a reason, so elaborate how it came to be and where it is going in the future. Be precise too, because mixing messages makes it hard for others to know how to react.)

Unique Abilities: (Your group's specific powers. You only have a maximum of three of these. With each additional ability unique to the group it will make it much harder to justify them all and gain Staff approval. Try to start small because you can always grow later and request to have new ones added.)

Territories: (Your group's controlled territories. First and foremost is the group's official territory, but list any other areas of influence or even outright control they have. Describe what people see or feel in each of them and try to imagine a day in the life of such a place. Remember, you only get what is approved by Staff, so later additions require speaking with them just like you would for new unique abilities.)
  • Critical Point: (Your group's most important and vulnerable asset. Losing this critical location or resource, be it a ship, a planet, a technology, a magical ability, an item or the sort will hurt your group the most.)
  • Critical Point: (Your group's second most valuable asset. If you lost this it would hurt more than your very last one and not nearly as much as the first, but it would still badly affect your faction.)
  • Critical Point: (Your group's third and last most important asset. The last and "least" important of the three most important objects, locations, people or the sort to your group. Like the first two, harm to this is going to significantly affect you.)

Allies: (Your group's allies. Does your faction have anyone it associates with and considers a friend? They can be individuals outside the faction, as well as other groups. Try to limit these to other actual players or player groups. If they have no allies, just state they have none.)
Enemies: (Your group's enemies. Is there anyone who is a sworn enemy of your group? If so, who are they? Why? Are they just competition or are they legitimately out to take or destroy everything you have? Like with allies, try to fill this section out only with actual players' creations. If your group is neutral to all others, just state that or say they have none.)

Members: (Your group's most important members. You need to provide a mention to each of these Roleplayer Guild members, then list their character or characters afterward. You must have at least five members, but cannot have more than ten.)
[@(Username)]'s Characters: (Your group's members who belong to this user.)
[@(Username)]'s Characters: (Your group's members who belong to this user.)
[@(Username)]'s Characters: (Your group's members who belong to this user.)
[@(Username)]'s Characters: (Your group's members who belong to this user.)
[@(Username)]'s Characters: (Your group's members who belong to this user.)
Template

The template contained in the hider below is in code. All you need to do is copy and paste it into your post, fill it out, then submit it. Make sure every area is completed and feel free to add more to it if you wish.


The problem was the chain. It was always the chain, where this fight was concerned. See, when the chain pulled tight going forward it was under the pressure of the spear. So, when the spear began to be retracted – and lifted – so too did the chain itself. Friction, the result of the pressure destabilizing which held it in place. Call it whichever of those things you wanted, since both had an equal impact on what happened. Regardless, the chain pulled back and lifted in exact timing with the spear, until it touched his body. As soon as that link of chain touched his groin, it stopped moving. The resultant action of that caused the spear to just slide along the metal of the chain, never actually touching his body. Beatdown knew that would happen, but apparently the other didn’t fully understand what was going on.

Of course, this fight wasn’t much of a fight – and Beatdown was growing tired and weary of everything happening. It wouldn’t be much longer, though, and he’d be in the position he needed to be in to ensure a victory – all he had to do was wait out and survive one more attack. Could he do it? Well, if the man’s current prowess was any indication, then yes. Yes, he could. Easily. He prepared himself for what would likely be another spear-thrust, shifting most of his weight over to his left leg and tightening every muscle in his body.
Sure thing.
So, I feel first and foremost the question that every reader of this might have is what is already in mind and in the works?


Currently the plan is to form an ever-evolving, Nation-style roleplay. Though individuals are more than allowed, and in fact encouraged to integrate themselves into the world - groups of five unique individuals will be the ones who control the most territory and have the most influence and power on the World Stage.

Currently we've gotten a concept for a group outline designed and ready to be put into place on launch. Our goal is to create a persistent story that involves everyone who could possibly want to join.

What level of writing and talent are you speaking to? What genre and style?


All levels and genres. We're not going to be picky and say only this can come in, only this can do this. Everyone and anyone is welcome, as long as they intend to further the stories we're building together. Obviously the better players will be the ones who end up holding the most influence and control ICly, but everyone is welcome to join us in our world - regardless of writing level and skill.

What is considered canon appropriate?


While we would, of course, prefer custom characters and groups - canon is whatever you want it to be. From mundane, every day humans with base technology all the way up to groups capable of using their technology or their magic to terraform worlds to be suitable for their lives.

A bit difficult to apply one's self, mind and energy without the general of this.


Understandable, we're currently in the process of finishing up the systems and we're hoping to have enough interest to launch the program early next week.

Even if unofficial to the point of, "We have nothing set in stone as of yet.", the opinions of those involved already provide us outsiders much appreciated insight.


Very true. We're hoping to have ideas and input from the general community here, too. Right now, groups will have to go through an acceptance process in which a member of the RP staff will approve or deny groups as official based on our guidelines. Characters will be approved or denied with a similar guideline - but will be far less strict in comparison. Groups, being the most influential people in the RP, will have the option of beginning with a planet, a large ship, or whatever other type of livable entity they can come up with. This will be known as their territory. They have full control inside of their territory as far as stories go.

Territories will have 2-3 "crucial" places. Places that are so intrinsically important to the group itself that they're high-value targets. If another group, or even an individual, wants to capture that territory they can attack those crucial points via a judged-fight system. If they attack, and the judge determines they won, then they gain that point - and the losing group loses that point. If a group loses all three crucial points, they no longer control any territory and become nomadic by nature.

I hope that managed to answer some of your questions, and if there's anything else you want to know you can find me on the Discord, or post the message here.
Beatdown watched idly as the man took his steps forward, wondering if maybe he was finally going to fight him like a man. Of course, he wasn’t. Kids and their weapons, though. They couldn’t move past them. He was beginning to think this man would be completely useless if the fight became about fists and feet. Even with him in armor and Beatdown only wearing a pair of ripped up, faded out blue jeans. Fists would still give the other a clear advantage, but he chose to employ his weapon like a coward hiding behind his friends. Well, there wasn’t much he could do about that. So, he watched the man begin to thrust his spear toward his chest. Of course, Beatdown still had his arms lifted and was preparing to fight the man if he got close enough.

His left hand immediately reacted and started to swing out to grab the spear. It didn’t work. The spear retracted and targeted his thigh before the left hand came into place. Immediately he realized he’d fucked up, and now he was about to lose the use of his leg. He braced himself for the pain that was about to come…but it never did. He wasn’t sure why, until he felt a weight like someone pulling at his right arm – and immediately he glanced down to check.

His laughter rang throughout the quiet arena, as if those remaining were quiet in anticipation. What was he laughing at? Pure dumb luck, obviously. See, when his right hand lifted into position, the chain still wrapped around his hand left the excess hanging out before it, pointed toward the ground. And in the man’s rush to cause him injury, he’d neglected to take it into account. So, when the spear thrust forward to his thigh the chain was hanging in the way. The tip traveled halfway through that link, before becoming lodged and pulling the chain tight – which resulted in the tugging at his arm.

It wasn’t intentional. Hell, he hadn’t even thought it would be something to work – and he took no time to react to the second thrust, believing the first to be the true attack. But, it did work. Luck was on his side in that moment, and he couldn’t hardly believe that himself. Now, though, the spear was wedged between the links of the chain – and he wasn’t quite sure where to go from there. Except to keep tension on it and try to pull the spear from the other’s grasp. Believing that he’d finally get the man to let go of his cowardly ways and fight like a true warrior.
The only clear thing happening here was his opponent clearly giving humans very little credit in their capabilities, and misunderstanding time-frames and timing in and of itself. He didn’t step forward and then crouch. He crouched AS he stepped forward. It was not an additional step, but the same steps already undertaken. The fact of his body crouching mid-step, and his arm being pushed outward not just above, but in front, of his head is what made the block entirely possible. Brennus seemed to assume that all humans are weak, fragile things. That their minds and bodies don’t react on pure instinct in the heat of the moment.

If Brennus was truly the warrior he claimed to be, then he’d have to understand that simple concept. For Beatdown, this fight wasn’t one of thought – where each option was weighed carefully and then undertaken after a far too long thought process. For him, fighting was second nature. Every move he made, every endeavor undertaken in the heat of combat, was muscle memory. It was instinct. That made his reactions immediate and definite. Not superhuman, no, but the movements of someone highly trained and skilled in combat for more than most their lives. Some people just didn’t understand that concept. Didn’t understand how muscle memory, how instinct, how reaction works. That’s fine, those people could be taught if they were willing to learn.

For Beatdown though, he’d learned it a long time ago. Throughout hundreds and thousands of battles fought and won by the blade and the fist. This man, though? He was a coliseum fighter. He fought for audiences, for the glory of his name. He didn’t truly know what it meant to be faced with death. He didn’t know what a true fight was, and he clearly didn’t begin to fathom what true, bred training in life-and-death situations bred into a real warrior.

So, Beatdown shifted back to a standing position, before taking two steps backward as the spear began to pivot. This put him at a range in which the man would have to fully extend his arm all the way outward just to make a minor point of impact on the most outward part of his body. Meanwhile, he inspected his forearm – and reminded himself that he was glad the shackles remained. It’d caused the sliding of the spear backward to lift a bit, and instead of a deep gash formed a shallow cut on his arm. It stung a great deal, but the blood loss was minimal and the cut itself barely a nuisance.

“Are you ever going to truly fight, or are you going to just keep trying to poke me with your stick? I’m growing bored with your ignorance, child.”
So, Brennus could react quickly when faced with adverse circumstances. It was about time he showed some fuckin’ mettle and decided to take the fight seriously. As Beatdown advanced, he slid the haft of his spear backward in his hand. Of course, that held its own faults. You couldn’t jerk backward on something already in a downward motion without losing some of its forward momentum. Fortunately, though, his left arm was still in a lifted position – considering it never lowered past mid torso. As the haft of the spear slid backward, his forward momentum continued – and at the same time he contracted his torso and let his knees bend just a little. With a single, last step forward, he too reacted quickly.

His body stopped, his knees bent into perfect ninety-degree angles. That, alone, would be more than sufficient to make the spear pass just above his head, and scantly causing it to miss his shoulder. Though, it never made it that far in its travels. As his body dropped downward, his left arm continued to lift upward – the back of his forearm slamming into the wooden haft of the spear – halting it immediately with a resonating thuuuuuunk of wood on muscled flesh. With the cut halted, the man apparently considered himself ready for another thrust attempt.

Honestly, the cowardice of the fight itself was beginning to wear thin on him. From his position, he shifted and stood up straight once again – bringing his hands back up to an orthodox stance, left hand extended forward. Right hand pulled back, chain curled around his knuckles and his grip tightened and prepared for whatever strike came next. That would, apparently, be a thrust aimed forward at his throat. Another pathetic attempt at the same thing again. When would this guy learn? Probably right now.

The spear halted only an inch from his throat – as his left hand snapped closed around the wood and then twisted, pulling the spear around and holding it. With the blade pointed behind him, and the wood at his thigh, he began to pull – pressuring the man to other move forward, or try to counter-act his pulling force. Should the latter happen, he’d simply bend the wood around his thigh until it snapped – the own man making it possible to hold it in position for that very maneuver. If he came forward…well, then he’d finally be on the right path to proving himself someone worth contending with, rather than a coward who preferred to hide behind his tools.
As soon as the strike to the spear missed, he turned his whole body to face the other’s once more. His footwork was impeccable, shifting forward with his steps. By the time the diagonal slash came toward his face it was too late to really strike his face. Instead, he let the haft of the spear slap against his shoulder, and slide up until the wood rested against his neck – trapped beneath his collar. It didn’t matter though, he continued forward. It only took a couple of steps to put him into striking range – and once there his right hand snapped upward – traveling between the wide-gripped hands of his opponent.

The result of that was an uppercut, not one with a lot of power behind it – it was just a testing strike. A set-up for a larger combo, but it was targeted and it was going to do some damage if it landed. The most effective block would be to move the spear-haft into place to block, but it’d break under that pressure. And moving it that far, with the wood trapped beneath the metal of his collar - which wasn’t intended just a happy accident - would be nearly impossible. In the same motion as the uppercut, though, other parts of his body tensed and prepared to move in for further strikes – though what those might be even Beatdown hadn’t yet decided.
The other man advanced behind his shield, moving two-steps forward to come within spear-range – already prepared to thrust. It didn’t take much for him to turn his body to left and bend his lower torso backwards, which allowed the spear to bypass the point of entry for a clean stab, and simply slide along his gut. A small, trickle of blood flowed from the cut – but it was nothing he couldn’t manage. He’d suffered worse bloody noses in hand-to-hand fights. Still, though, that this enemy managed to draw blood was a sign that he should begin taking this fight seriously.

That meant making it an actual fight, instead of a coward trying to pig-stick a roast ham for his dinner. The easiest way to do that was by dropping his left hand from the elevated position it went into to facilitate his bending motion and give him balance. This motion of his hand, which would be a downward thrust of his palm against the wooden haft of the weapon, came at the same time as a side-step inward, which moved him closer to the other person. At nearly the same time, however, his right hand came up and his wrist slammed into the wooden section of the spear immediately behind the metal broad head.

The end result of the maneuver was the resounding craaack of wood breaking, as the haft of the spear was snapped clean in two by his pretty impressive strength. Though it was probably a certainty that the man would quickly try to recall his spear toward him, it didn’t matter – because even if he pulled it back there wasn’t enough time to get it completely out of the way. The haft would either snap about a foot back from the tip, where his hand originally smacked and latched onto, or it would break a bit closer to the end – because pulling it back would simply make his wrist hit the broad-side of the spearhead.
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