Welcome to Hellworld: Interest Check(Post-Apocalyptic Buffy/Angel Mayhem)

Started by TheRedFear, July 31, 2012, 03:00:22 AM

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TheRedFear

STANDARD ISSUE THEREDFEAR GM DISCLAIMER: I suck as a GM. I really do. I don't like GMing. I kinda loathe it in fact. Every game i've ever tried to GM has spectacularly imploded(Or Quietly fizzled...same diff). But making the attempt is the only way I get to play...however breifly...the stories I really want to play. Those of you who like this idea and really wanna see it flourish would be wise to volunteer to GM in my stead. I'll happily relenquish the reigns. Or Co-GM at least.


Hellworld takes place in a divergent timeline, starting off from the final episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's 5th season(Or 5th Series, for you whacky brits). No, you don't have to have intimate knowledge of the series.

The Hellgoddess Glorificus(AKA Glory) succeeds in using "The Key"(AKA, Dawn Summers) to tear down the barriers seperating Earth from the Demon Realms at the end of Season 5. Millions of Demons from across the Demon dimensions flooded the earth in a matter of hours, and overwhelmed almost all major attempts at human resistance during the weeks that followed. Most of the Scooby Gang and Angel Investigations were killed or are otherwise missing in action.

The Eldritch energies unleashed when the barriers came down also changed some of "the rules" for many Buffyverse creatures. The sun's strength weakened and no longer burns vampires, though it does still cause them discomfort and pain, preventing them from being at their best under direct sunlight. Werecreatures exist in a near-constant state between human and beast. Sort of like how Nina was in the "Season Six" Angel comic.

It's been sixteen years, and the world has changed. Most humans that still live, survive as slaves and cattle to demonic masters. But there are a handful of Holdouts that still harbor large, free(relatively speaking) human populations. The only known members of the Scooby Gang or Angel Investigations still alive and operating in the world are Anya who has once again become a Vengeance Demon, and Tara...the most powerful witch living today. It's possible others have survived the last sixteen years as well, though how they've done it and where they are remains a mystery to the few who know of them.

MAJOR FACTIONS/HOLDOUTS of Hellworld
Redemption(Also known as The Enclave to Outsiders)
Located somewhere in or around the general vicinity of what used to be Miami, Florida. Redemption is protected by an Enclave of Mages/Witches who have erected a barrier around the town that keeps most demons out. While the bulk of their armed forces are made up of humans Redemption has a small vampire population who lend their aid to protect the town in exchange for blood donations, led by a ruthless but surprisingly genial vampire named Cortez. The real power in Redemption however is the Enclave...a powerful coven of witches and sorcerors led by Tara Maclay...widely beleived to be the single most powerful surviving witch on the planet. Most of the Enclave's true mystical power is perpetually tied up in maintaining the barrier...a secret they guard very carefully for fear that if Cortez or others learned that their ability to directly defend themselves is severely limited they might make a play for power. 

Redemption is at it's core, a meritocracy. The more valuable you are to the community as a whole the more likely you are to have better living conditions, quality food rations, and other potential luxuries like soap. Few people can be useful enough to earn these luxuries and over the years a growing resentment and rivalry has been growing between the two classes. The Havenots resent the perks that the Haves enjoy, while the Haves feel that the invaluable services they provide to the community or deadly risks they take on behalf of everybody else entitles them to enjoy a these extra perks.

The Rangers serve as the Enclave's standing army, and domestic police force. They are human for the most part. Volunteering to serve the rangers is the easiest way for a Havenot to become a Have. Needless to say it's also the most dangerous. Few fresh recruits last longer than a month. the lucky ones quit while they're still relatively intact. Rangers maintain order in Redemption's streets, patrol outside the Barrier, make treks to neighboring Holdouts for trade and diplomacy, and generally get killed by Demons...alot. Well the ones who ain't badass enough to hack it anyway. How about you? You think you're badass enough?

Mercury Lake
A town that survived the horrors of the apocalypse by deliberately turning every man, woman, and child into a Werewolf. Other werewolves have flocked there. Most demons now give Mercury Lake a very wide berth, especially during Full Moons when the citizens of Mercury Lake actively prowl the region around their town for miles in every direction and woe unto any creature that crosses their path. There are many breeds of Werewolf calling Mercury Lake Home. They have the numbers to defend their territory, but not enough numbers to expand their borders. To that end, some of the town's Alphas have recently begun advocating that they should welcome non-wolf Shifters into their town, or maybe even any Primal(like Totem Warriors).

The current Dominant Alpha ruling over the town is Dominic Corazon. He used to hunt Demons when he was still human, and shortly after Glory's victory he was bitten by a rare breed of Werewolf known as Lycanthropus Dominus, previously beleived to be extinct by occult experts. At least on this plane of reality. He has organized the Werewolves of Mercury Lake into an organized and cohesive fighting force, and his demon hunting expertise has made them that much more a force to be reckoned with.

Fort Homestead
A military base that has managed to holdout by virtue of immense firepower, and not going out of their way to remind the Demons they're there. Homestead has a shortage of women, and as a result the few remaining women they do have are barely one step above property. It wasn't always like that. The first few years after the hellrising, the soldiers of the fort did an admirable job of maintaining discipline, focus, and honor. but as time wore on, casualties mounted, and hope dwindled they gradually began succumbing to the worst aspects of human nature. Things in Fort Homestead got real ugly for a while. Especially for the women.

In an effort to stop mass-rapes by the men and desertions by the women...and re-establish some degree of order and discipline... all Homestead women at the age of 16 are required to move out of their homes and live in the Brothel. The Brothel is run by an old Nun named Mary Margaret who does her best to shelter the girls and make sure the men of Homestead don't abuse them...anymore than the fact that they are now sexual slaves constitutes abuse anyway. Homestead soldiers earn bounties by killing Demons, and trade these bounties for time in the Brothel. If they earn enough they can purchase a woman(If she's willing. This is about the only real freedom or choice left for most Homestead women. Most usuaully are willing since being one man's whore is generally considered a bit better than being every man's whore). The cost to do this however is prohibitively high meaning it would either take many years worth of low-level bounties, or being able to take down a truly exceptional and powerful Demon for a soldier to buy himself a bride in this fashion.

The Base Commander is not remotely proud of this system but feels it was the only way to restore some degree of civilization to what was quickly becoming a place as bad as nearly any Demon-controlled territory. The only way to maintain order and preserve the last(as far as he knows) purely human Holdout. His own daughter is approaching her sixteenth birthday...and as much as he wants to find some way to get her out of it, he knows that making an exception for her would bring the whole house of cards tumbling down.

Most citizens of Homestead hate and fear ALL demons and supernatural beings. This is why most of the women don't even try to escape. Where could they go? The Magic Kingdom is ruled by Fae. The Enclave is ruled by sorcerors and policed by vampires. Mercury Lake is all Werewolf, all the time. Even the Helka Huntresses are surrounded by the demon beasts they depend upon for their way of life, and seeing the horrific remains of soldiers brought back from Helka Skirmishes has made them objects of fear and mystery within the community. Only the most bitter or desperate women of Homestead seriously entertain fantasies of escape, to join one of these other factions, and even they know that the chances of surviving long enough to reach one of these alternative holdouts alive is slim. Most consider sexual servitude a fair enough price to pay for steady food and water, and protection from the Hellish wastelands in what might be the only place left that is just for humans.

The base has a few dozen of heavily armored Robots(more like Moloch, Less like April/Buffy-bot) created by Warren Mears. The Robots are kept near the base though as the resources to repair and maintain them are scarce so they can't be risked on long-range patrols where their parts might be impossible to salvage. (Of course, it's possible Warren has created a more human-like robot or two for his personal use that he keeps well hidden.)

Unbeknownst to anyone in the Fort, they are semi-protected by Oleg the Troll God(who eventually managed to reclaim his mythic hammer in the aftermath of the battle with Glorificus.) Truth be told Oleg barely gives a crap about Homestead. But knowing how much it infuriates her, he keeps Anyanka away from all those scorned women, just ripe for a bit of vengeance. Any other Demon could raze Homestead to the ground for all Oleg cares but if he catches so much as a whiff of Anyanka, Oleg will quickly moves to intercept. Just to troll her.

Helka Tribe
Polar opposites of Fort Homestead in almost every way. The Helka Tribe(or Beast Maidens as they are referred to by some...or "those fucking cunts" as many Fort Homestead troopers describe them) were originally a band of circus-folk and gypsies who nomadically roamed in an effort to stay ahead of the Demons that hunted them. In the initial aftermath of the Apocalypse they gradually picked up other survivors as they wandered in search of some refuge. The men of the group gradually dwindled as they fought to protect their wives and children, until only the wives and children remained.

They then had the misfortune of wandering into a region controlled by a demoness with a fondness for young boys. All but a handful of the Caravan's male children were lost before the women of the tribe learned to protect themselves and the caravan moved beyond the reach of the one who stole their sons away from them, leaving them with only their daughters for the the most part. In time one of the huntresses became lost in the wilderness. She returned months later with a massive tamed hellcat at her side. The Hellcat was pregnant, and when it gave birth other young huntresses claimed their own cubs. And so it began.

The Helka Huntresses now all hunt with their own Hellcat beside them. The hellcats are ferocious predators. The Huntresses weild weapons that are ritually forged from Hellcat bones, which are stronger than most steel alloys. Their remaining men are kept purely for breeding and domestic purposes, and carefully guarded to protect and preserve the few that still remain. Men are not allowed to Hunt or leave the caravan. The more esteemed huntresses may claim a male as their personal lover. Otherwise every five years all able-bodied males are expected to impregnate at least three different huntresses, regardless of whom they are otherwise romantically involved with.

Needless to say encounters between Helka Huntresses and Fort Homestead Patrols rarely end well, as each often attempts to enslave or kill the other.

The Helka have also found something of a patron spirit...err...Matron spirit in the form of the Vengeance demon Anyanka. Anyanka showed them rituals allowing them to form an actual empathic bond with their Hellcats. The Huntresses senses are as acute as those of their bonded Hellcats. They can even enter a battle-frenzy that temporarily increases their strength and speed although they become as feral and primal as their bonded cats when they do this. Afterwards they are also very worn out.

Helka culture still has many cosmetic resemblances to the original carnival/gypsy caravan they originated from. They still travel in wagons, though the horses were killed long ago. Hellcats draw them now. The wagons are heavily armored with slits through which the occupants inside can fire guns or arrows. The wagons are circled to form a fortified perimeter when the Helka choose to settle in an area for any length of time. Music and dancing is a large part of Helka culture, and when not garbed for hunting they often wear long colorful dresses, hankercheifs, bandanas, and sashes that flow and whirl in dazzling displays when they dance.



The Magic Kingdom
Located amongst the remnants of Disneyworld, the occupants of the Magic Kingdom are now living under the protection of Faerie creatures. The Silver Prince(The Fae Lord currently ruling over the Magic Kingdom) has fathered a daughter with a human. The Fae have done a remarkable job of keeping Disneyworld fairly functional. But they are whimsical and capricious, and though things look great on the surface of the Magic Kingdom the Fey have for all practical intents and purposes enslaved the human population.

As far as Slavemasters go though, the Fae aren't nearly as bad as most Demons are, so most Magic Kingdom citizens consider it a fair enough trade.  The Fae treat their pets fairly well, all things considered...most humans scratching and clawing for survival in the wastes and living in perpetual terror of being caught by the nastiest of nasties would seriously consider volunteering to serve the Fae if given a chance. Pride and dignity is a small price to pay for security and saftey...right? For the most part being a slave to the Fae isn't all that much worse than being Naomi Campbell's personal assistant. Mildly hazardous(watch out for flying objects), heavily demeaning, but far better than the alternative.

And you get to ride Splash Mountain as much as you like.

Yup. It could definitely be worse.


DRAMATIS PERSONAE
(Noteable residents of Hellworld)
Note: You do not have to play these characters. Originals are welcome. And if you do want to play one of these premade characters you are free to modify them. Change their name, ethnicity, or picture as you see fit.

Redemption
Cortez(Open) - Cortez is a 600 year old Vampire. And though many people often forget it, he is as evil as the day is long. He's good at making people forget that fact though. He's charming, cultured, and polite. But make no mistake, if he has no reason not to he will unleash the most vile depravities on his victims and revel in every moment of it. He has no chip. He has no soul. What he does have however...is a brain.

Though there was a time he joyously raped and ravaged his way across the planet, treating every man woman and child like they were nothing more than a little happy meal on legs until the whole 'Demon Apocalypse' thing(can you beleive some asshole actually went and did that?) put his favorite source of food on the Endangered Species list. Humans are now too valuable to kill and maim all willy-nilly.

Cortez is a pure class act. And smart enough to realize that if he wants to keep eating that yummy human blood he loves so much, he's going to have to adapt to playing nice with his food. Cortez gathered a gang of like-minded(More or less...) vamps and struck a deal with the Enclave leaders. Cortez and his Bloodpack get to live in Redemption along with the humans(Each has been branded with a sigil that lets them pass through the Anti-Demon barrier. Each has a Unique Sigil that the barrier only recognizes once at a time, so that if any Enclave Vampires are captured, hostile demons can't copy that Sigil onto their entire army. They receive regular blood donations from the populace in exchange for fighting to protect them. It's an uneasy alliance to be sure, but beggars can't be choosers. Each side gets something they need out of the arrangement.

Any Redemption citizens convicted of major crimes that would otherwise get them banished or executed are given a choice before their sentence is executed. If they wish, they can choose to be turned over to Cortez and take their chances. Cortez will probably horrificly maim and kill them, since this is a rare situation where he can freely indulge his more sadistic impulses. But defending Redemption does take a toll on his ranks, and since he's not allowed to take new recruits from Redemption's populace, these volunteers are also a rare chance to replenish his ranks with new vampires.

For all his evil(and make no mistake, he is a sadistic sunuvabitch who was every bit as infamous as Angelus back in his prime during the fifteenth century, before he matured), Cortez is still an honorable vampire. Cortez has killed at least one Slayer in his time, and is suspected to have been responsible for the deaths of two others though it has never been confirmed. According to Watcher Journals he is also known to have seduced at least one Slayer as well, about four centuries ago.

Cortez keeps a tight leash on the Vampires in his gang, knowing that if even one of them got stupid and hurt a citizen of Redemption it could turn the Enclave against them. That said he does relish inflicting emotional pain on people and will often find subtle and cruel little ways to "rub salt into the wound" if he is confidant he can do so without jeapordizing his position in the community. The gang saves most of their worst impulses for the Demons beyond the barrier...and perhaps the occasional human who comes in search of Redemption. Afterall, unless they're an official representative of an allied Holdout then they're not actually protected under the arrangement Cortez made with the town until they cross the barrier. Even then though Cortez usually stops short of killing them. Every human who dies today, is a human who can't breed babies tomorrow. No babies means no more humans. No more humans means no more tasty, delicious, human blood. He is the animal conservationist of Vampires.

Cortez has heard rumors of a holdout that is Vampire-dominated, where they keep and raise the humans like cattle. While the idea is a tempting one, he recognizes such a Holdout would never actually...you know..."hold out"...for very long. To sustain an operation like that the vampire population would have to be much lower than the human population, and the human population could not be trusted with arms or martial training to provide any combat support to the vampires. It creates a situation where you have too much to defend, and not enough soldiers to defend it. An untenable position in the long run. The Vampire population would lack the needed numbers to defend against a major push by any of the other demon factions out there. And considering how most other demons look down on vampires, such a push would inevitably come sooner or later.

No. Like it or not this form of symbiotic relationship is as good as it gets for vampires who want a stable supply of food and violence. He tries to make sure the vampires under him don't hear about this rumored Vampire 'Utopia' though, to ensure they don't get any stupid ideas. A few are struggling as it is with the "play nice with your food" mandate.







River Navarro (Taken) - River is one of Redemption's Rangers. Like most he volunteered just to have the luxury of a full belly every single day of what he expected to be a short life. River has no idea who his parents are but frankly that's not so unusual in Hellworld. He assumes they died when he was too young to remember them. Or maybe they abandoned him. It doesn't really matter now the way he figures it. He's just sort of been passed around from one survivor to another until he finally started taking care of himself when he was ten, and joined the rangers when he was fifteen.

Surprisingly enough he turned out to be a damn good ranger. Most don't last long. Two years in River was still alive, and hadn't lost any limbs. Not even any fingers. Not many Rangers can claim to both be alive AND still have all ten fingers and toes they were born with.

One day on patrol he encountered the damndest thing. A wolf, a ram and a deer. River didn't even think "normal" animals still existed outside the art books, and old people stories anymore. The Wolf stared at River and spoke to him. "This was not our intention."

River blacked out. When he awoke later his senses were on overload. He tried to stagger back to Redemption and ran afoul of a band of Demons. Right around the time he finished ripping them apart with his bare hands, he wondered if something was wrong with him.

With his newfound powers River has become Redemption's Champion and a fast-rising celebrity as he ventures deeper into the demonic wastelands to bring back previously untouchable treasures, like the contents of the fabled Twinkie Vault of Brookshire, and Soap...actual bars of soap. However there are some...especially within the Enclave...who are suspicious of just what River truly is now, and where his powers came from.

The Enclave is very nervous about him and keeps looking for excuses to send him out into the Wastes on longer and longer journeys...trying to buy time to figure out what the hell he really is and how to deal with it. Or perhaps just hoping he won't make it back. Several seers he has consulted have referred to him only as 'The Primal'. Not 'a primal', like most animal-shifters, or totemically infused warriors(like Xander during that whole "Hyena Phase" back in Highschool). They refer to him as The Primal. 

River has learned just enough about the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart to be a bit nervous himself about what he is now. But he doesn't feel evil. So for now he's just going to keep doing what he's doing. Protecting his Holdout, and thinning out the Demon hordes, one Ugly at a time.





Elsabeth Bathory (Open) - Yes. She's THAT Bathory. Not that anybody else knows it. Elsa is not in fact a Vampire, as most who hear her legend assume. She's still human. Not even a true witch, like Tara or the Enclave members. But Elsa doggedly pursued immortality and found ritual magic that made it possible for her to acheive. Unsatisfied, Elsa's ambition has driven her on through the centuries in the pursuit of power, influence, and control. She was CEO of the most powerful corporate conglomerate on the planet...until a Dragon razed her corporate headquarters to the ground and a horde of demons devoured her board of directors.

Though having very little power herself, beyond perpetual youth, Elsa has a vast repetoire of occult knowledge and various skills she has mastered through the centuries and rigorously maintained. Unfortunately even all this knowledge doesn't get her to the heights of Enclave's hierarchy...reserved for actual Witches. Resenting this block in her ambitions, Elsa has begun rousing the rabble, and fermenting resentment amongst Redemptions havenots in a bid to elevate her own standing in the community. When River's powers emerged Elsa quickly saw a new pawn in her own bid for power and began positioning herself as an ally to the young man. The Enclave did not fail to notice this. Hoping that by keeping her busy they might get rid of a thorn in their sides, the Enclave has assigned Elsa to serve as a guide and custodian to the Primal...a 'watcher' to his 'slayer'.







Tara Macklay(Tentatively Open...might just keep her as an NPC since she's such an important and powerful figure in the background of the story. But if somebody really wants her, I might be swayed. )
After watching Buffy and Dawn die during the final battle with Glorificus, things went south quickly for Tara who was still recovering from the shock of having had her mental energies restored earlier in the battle. Her lover Willow desperately fought her way to Tara's side. They tried to find the other Scoobies, but the demons pouring through the portal were overwhelming. Willow was greivously wounded and the two finally retreated in the face of overwhelming numbers.

The wound Willow incurred resisted all efforts to heal it, even by magic. Eventually Willow succumbed and died, but not before transferring her power and a portion of her own soul to Tara. This made Tara arguably the most powerful witch in the world. Tara greived for a time before setting out to try and find any of her friends who survived. She never did track down Giles, Spike, Xander, or the Buffybot. But along the way she found alot of people who needed her help. As she wandered the demonic wastelands, a train of desperate refugees started to form in her wake. Eventually she reconciled herself to a new purpose. To be their guardian and protector.

Over time they came upon a small Holdout of humans who were just barely holding on in the ruins of a small town called Redemption. Six months ago they were derisively dismissed as "Racist/Secessionist/Cultist/Fundamentalist/Fill-In-Blank-With-Condescending-Cityslicker-Pejorative-Of-Your-Choice Extremist Gun Nuts". Well their seclusion and guns and general kookiness kept them alive while the people in the cities died screaming in oceans of fire and blood. Who's laughing now?

Though there were initial tensions, the holdouts in Redemption eventually saw the value in having a mind bogglingly powerful witch on their side. In time other witches were drawn to Tara's power, and they brought other survivors. As Redemption grew large enough to lose the benefit of it's obscurity, Tara and the Witches formed a Coven called the Enclave, and pooled their power to create a protective barrier over the entire town. And thus Redemption was reborn.

Tara's own lifeforce is tied to the barrier. As long as her heart keeps beating the barrier holds. This has stopped her from aging. That's where the benefits end. Tara has become very good at not letting it show, but every time a Demon attempts to breach the barrier, Tara feels a searing pain. The longer the Demon attempts to force it's way through the worse it is. The few times where Demons actually made it through nearly killed her. Other members of the Enclave also experience degrees of discomfort when demons put the barrier to the test, but nowhere near as badly as Tara does since she is so much more powerful than the others.

The shy Tara the Scoobies knew is no more. Thrust into a position of power, leadership, and responsibility a strong and decisive Tara has emerged. Sometimes even a ruthless Tara. At her heart she is still a compassionate woman, but survival in Hellworld has forced more than a few tough choices and burdens on her shoulders. At times she seems almost like a dictator, tolerating no discension from her decisions. But she realizes that such a regime could never last, so she tries to be a magnanimous leader as much as circumstances allow. But she has watched ambitious fools bring disaster down upon her people too many times to ever fully relenquish the reigns of power to anybody she doesn't trust completely. And right now that list has only one name on it: Tara Macklay.

Like most of the witches that comprise the Enclave Coven, much of Tara's power is tied up in the maintenance of the barrier. She can still pull off an impressive display of sorcery from time to time but she does so only when when no other choice remains, or if she needs to make a show of sorcerous power to dissuade those seeking to seize her political power. She dare not push too far though for fear of compromising the barrier. Tara was having enough frustration dealing with constant maneuvering and scheming of Cortez and Elsa, when River suddenly showed up.

Tara can't yet understand just what kind of power he has now, and she has very wisely learned that what you don't understand in Hellworld will almost assuredly kill you. As she and the Enclave try to figure out what he is now, she has found every excuse to send him on longer and longer excursions hoping that if the other shoe drops before she can learn enough to catch it, at least he'll be far away from Redemption.

Tara respects Elsa's knowledge...and suspects Elsa is far older than she appears. But she does not trust Elsa(Moreso than she usually distrusts people), which is the real reason Tara has not allowed her into the Enclave's inner circle. Part of the reason she assigned Elsa to babysit River is to get Elsa out of her hair for a while, but also to give Elsa a chance to prove that she can be trusted with an important assignment and put the interests of Redemption over her own personal ambitions. Tara doesn't actually expect Elsa to do it(in fact, she fully expects Elsa to try to use River against her and is ready for it...as ready as can be anyway), but never let it be said she didn't give the woman a chance. And if River does turn out to be evil, she suspects Elsa will be amongst the few perceptive eough to see it, and cunning enough to get herself out of harm's way. And smart enough to realize that whatever her issues, she should warn the Enclave ASAP. 



Mercury Lake
Dominic Corazon(Open) -
Dominic's exact breed is uncertain. He's not the normal North American breed, nor is he the more rare Extremis breed. Even before Hellworld, Victor enjoyed much of his wolfen strength, speed, and recuperation in human form. His breed's appearance is not as beastial as most other breeds in Hellworld. Though he was once seemingly one of a kind, most humans deliberately recruited into Mercury Lake are bitten by him, ensuring his once-rare breed is becoming quite a bit less rare nowadays. Imagine that. The Apocalypse is actually bringing some species back from the edge of extinction.

Dom arrived shortly after the majority of the townsfolk deliberately infected themselves...perhaps drawn by all that feral energy in the air...and quickly established himself as the big dog in charge of Mercury Lake. It was a largely bloodless coupe, as most of the other werewolves seemed to instinctively sense his dominance and deferred to him accordingly. It's very likely in fact that Mercury Lake might have torn itself apart by now if not for Dom. Werewolves are territorial creatures afterall, and packs larger than a half dozen or so were rare for good reason. But Dom seems to be able to keep most other Werewolves in line with little more than the force of his presence.

Dominic himself was an up and coming prizefighter on the cusp of going pro before the Apocalypse. One day he was kidnapped by Demons and brought to a vicious underground pitfighting arena. He wasn't intended to survive. He was supposed to put up a bit of a fight before being torn apart by his Vampiric opponant...an undercard fight to start off the night and warm up the crowd.

But against all odds he did win. Snapping his opponant's neck didn't kill him, but it did effectively take all the fight he had in him out for the night. His performance so impressed one of the spectators...a woman who just happened to be amongst the last of a rare breed of werewolf...that she visited him in his cage after the fight and gave him the strength to break free. He never saw the woman again. She bit him, and then just left him to fend for himself.

He did eventually did escape. He was afraid to return to his human life though, so instead he killed the Miquot Demon that was running the fight circuit, and took over himself. He cleaned it up and made it into a highly profitable enterprise. The following years gave him a good deal of experience in riding herd on large groups of vicious and aggressive predators. Then the Apocalypse happened, and most of his fighters deserted to join up with one Demon Lord's army or another's. Victor himself returned to his family who thought he'd died years ago, and turned them all.

The reunion did not go as well as he hoped, and they soon abandoned him. He wandered for a time, until the sent of multiple werewolves came drifting faintly on the end. Multiple as in dozens...he followed the scent to Mercury Lake, and found a place at long last where he belongs.



Fort Homestead
Abigail Holden(Open) -
Abbey has lived much of her life in fear. It would be a mistake to think that means she's a coward. Or weak. Knowing a life of sexual slavery awaits you on your sixteenth birthday, who wouldn't be afraid of every passing day bringing you closer to that dreaded moment when armed soldiers will arrive at your door to escort you to your new guilded cage?

Yes, Abbey has lived in fear...but fear can make you smart. It can make you swift. It can make you strong. As long as you master your fear, and do not let it master you. Fear can be a source of Power. Abbey has used her fear to drive her. Every day since her tenth birthday...since she finally matured enough to understand what was waiting for her six years down the pipeline...Abbey has done everything she can to strengthen herself and her wits. She never learned to fight. No woman in homestead is taught to fight. But what she could learn, she did. She's handy with a wrench. If she builds it, they will come...and comment on how damn well built it is. And she has spent many hours in her father's library, going over his texts on strategy and tactics.

Her escape attempts...attempts that would have gotten any other Homestead girl who wasn't the General's daughter whipped out on the marching field...have all failed. But a few came closer to success than most would care to admit. In a last ditch plan, she has manipulated a few of the Fort's young men into trying to win enough bounty points to buy her out of the brothel before it's too late. Not that she considers the option of sexual slavery to one man singificantly better than sexual slavery to a thousand men. But one takes what one can get in life.

It doesn't seem to matter anyway though. She already knows the likelyhood of any of them actually pulling it off is slim. Indeed she almost feels a bit guilty for putting them up to it in the first place, realizing after the fact that most of them will likely die trying to kill something valuable enough to save her. Then she remembers that most of them will likely be amongst the first to line up and have a poke at her as soon as she's conscripted to the brothel and feels a bit less sorry for them.

No. Abbey realizes her only shot is to save herself. Somehow.

Still the day draws closer, and Abbey's nightmares intensify. Recently her nightmares have begun to change. They're more vivid. And in them, she sees herself doing things she can't do. She sees herself fighting better than any man she ever saw. She sees herself killing the demons with her bare hands, or swords, or stakes...the stakes seem to appear alot. And when she wakes up in the morning, she can sort of remember all those moves...all those skills. At least a little. As if her dreams are teaching her how to fight. Making her arms stronger and her reflexes sharper.

Abbey is still afraid. But that fear is only making her stronger with every passing day. Unto every Generation...



Helka Tribe
Anyala (Open)-
Loosely named after the tribe's pat...err..matron spirit(demon. Spirit. Whatever.), Anyala is the daughter of the Tribe's Headmistress, making her a bonafide barbarian princess. Respect bitches. Respect.

Anyala lost her bonded Hellcat "Cuddles"(Give her a break. She was five years old) in cub-birth five years ago. The sword, daggers, and Bow Anyala weilds now are all made from Cuddles' bones. Anyala's new bonded Hellcat is the firstborn of Cuddles' litter, Facehredder(Lil Anyala's all growed up now).  Or just 'Shred' for short.

Anyala is in the huntress stage of her life in her clan's social structure. Though she is the favorite to replace her mother as leader of the tribe, it is not a position garunteed to her by virtue of birth. Leaders are chosen at the proper time based on a lifetime of accomplishments and so Anayala frequently leads war parties against Fort Homestead patrols, and scouts out safe paths for the caravans to follow. Her mother constantly tries to convince her that there are less dangerous ways to prove her mettle, but Anyala is young and full of fire right now. Maturity has not yet cooled that flame.



The Magic Kingdom
The Silver Prince (Tentatively open. Like Tara, may just make him an NPC since he's essentially a Glorificus-level character)-
Larik(Don't call him Larry) the Silver Prince slumbered for centuries under the care of his Druidic Guardians deep in the emerald hills of Ireland. And there he would remain until the time came to emerge and and wreak vengeance upon his yada yada yada. You know the routine. That was the idea anyway. But kids today. No discipline. The newest young guardian who was supposed to safeguard his slumber found a nifty little caveat in the Geas binding him to guard his Prince until the appointed time. Technically he only had to stay near his prince. Not in the stuffy burial tomb his prince rested within.

So he did what any geased young lad with a bright idea and access to an ancient burial tomb full of priceless treasures would do. He booked a first class ticket to Disney World and bribed a porter to put his Prince in the Cargo hold. With the dogs. Needless to say the Silver Prince was rather unamused when turbulence shook him awake three centuries ahead of schedule. Whatever it's medicinal benefits, dog urine is simply unpleasant.

His young steward managed to talk his prince into sparing his life, if not his reproductive organs. During their tour of 'The Magic Kingdom'...a place the Prince found quite charming...some jackass went and beat him to starting the apocalypse. And not nearly as aestheticly pleasing an apocalypse as the one he'd been planning on. He claimed Disney World as his new Kingdom and has defended it since. Other Fae creatures flocked to his banner, and have helped to feircly defend their territory.


More to come if interest is expressed...

TheRedFear

In case my opening paragraph was misleading let me be clear, you need not know any kind of dice system for this game. The idea for the story came from a game book, but I wasn't planning to use the book's rules. Though I could be persuaded to reconsider if alot of people express interest in that.


Fehu

It makes me sad to see this getting bumped/interest checked. ;_; I would love to roleplay in the Buffyverse, though it sucks that the scoobies are kaput. So... color me intrigued! Or something.

TheRedFear

Well it IS Buffyverse. "Kaput" is a very subjective idea.

I was deliberately vague about what became of most Scoobies.

If you've got a pitch for how any given Scoobie survived the Apocalypse Smackdown, and survived the last 16 years i'm listening.

That's a detail I forgot to include. It's been about 16 years since Glorificus opened a can of whupass on Planet Earth.

the only scoobies I forsee problems with is Dawn, Willow, and Giles. Dawn because turning her back into a blob of mindless energy is precisely what caused the apocalypse to begin with. Willow because she gave her power and her soul to Tara, so bringing her back would require a damned creative idea. And Giles because while it's not implausible for him to have survived the apocalypse, he was already an old man when it happened. I don't imagine 16 years in Hell have been kind to him, unless somebody wants to pitch him as a Vampire, or having turned to dark magic to keep himself from aging.

The original Hellworld concept in the books had Xander as a Enclave Ranger, but horrificly scarred and bitter over having lost all his friends. No more wisecracking Xander, he was a demon hunting psychopath.

As for Buffy, sure she died trying to save Dawn. So what? Not like it's the first time that girl has died. Or the second. Or the third...

As the Helka tribe info makes Clear, Anya is alive and well, and fully back to her Vengeance Demon ways. Who's to say she didn't find a way to protect Xander or some of the others as her last act of humanity?

Like I said, I was vague on the fate of most of the scoobies for a reason :)

Fehu

Ooooh. I love being given creative license with existing worlds. I would love to roleplay this. Hope more people show interest and thanks for the super informative response!

TheRedFear

For those who don't have the books, here's a short summary of some of the new Playable supernatural races.

Totem Warriors
A type of "Primal", Totem Warriors are very much akin to what Xander Harris became when he was posessed by a Hyena Spirit. Totem Warriors however have more self control, and can better use their animalistic primal abilities to protect their community. Generally speaking, the various types of Totem Warriors are roughly equivalant to a Slayer in terms of physical abilities, but tend to be just a little bit weaker overall. This varies from Totem to Totem though.

Wolves, Pumas, and Bears are the most comparable to a Slayer in pure physical terms, though they lack the rapid regenerative powers of Slayers or Vampires. Some Totem Warriors can develope that power later, but they don't usually have it early in their "Career". Eagle Totems are extremely fast and agile, even moreso than Slayers. Raven, Coyote, and Owl tend to be more lacking in physical powers, but have great insight, perception, wisdom and intellect to compensate allowing them to function more as spies, strategists, or even sorcerors.

Each Totem also has a minor but unique ability exclusive to them. Bears are resistant to mental domination effects or attempts to supernaturally induce fear. Wolves become even more dangerous when fighting cooperatively with allies, seeming to instinctively coordinate their moves with their allies to great effect. Pumas exude an aura of predatory menace that makes them more intimidating. Coyotes are natural lie detectors, and similarly talented at spinning a tall tale themselves. Eagles can't fly, but they leap great distances. Ravens are natural conduits for sorcery. Owls have perfect night vision.

Some Totems can develope other abilities over time. The Bear spirit is as much a symbol of healing and nurturing as it is ferocity and strength for example. Wolf Spirits symbolize spirituality itself. Wendigo Spirits are as much a natural enemy to the Totem Warriors as Vampires are to Slayers. Totem Warriors are intended to work as teams, which is why they generally tend to be a little weaker than Slayers overall, with rare exceptions.



Wendigo
Wendigos have alot of basic similarities to Vampires, but tend to be just a little bit more dangerous and powerful overall. A Wendigo is a malevolent spirit that posesses a living human, much the way Vampires are Demons who posess dead humans. Unlike Vampires though, Wendigos can only take posession of a human who has taken at least one innocent life in their past(So a cop who killed a guy in the line of duty wouldn't be viable. A hit and run driver on the other hand probably would be). Wendigos also have their own version of the Vampire's "Game Face". When putting on their Game Face ALL the teeth of the Wendigo become razor sharp, and large, almost like a shark's mouth making it impossible to mistake them for human. Their jaws distend enough to make these large and deadly fangs viable weapons in combat that can be used without the need to first grapple or wrestle their opponant, unlike Vampires or most creatures with smaller fangs. Their eyes glow red, and they gain claws on their fingertips, providing an additional natural and quite lethal weapon in their arsenal. 

Once the Wendigo sets up shop in their target's body, the person becomes almost as strong as a vampire, and a little bit faster and more agile. They also gain an extremely rapid regenerative factor, recovering in a matter of minutes from wounds that would take Slayers or Vampires hours to heal. Smaller wounds heal in seconds. The only way to kill a Wendigo is to disconnect their brain from their spine. Or in layman's terms, you cut their freakin' heads off. In a pinch, snapping their necks will also suffice. Any other injury just won't be enough to finish the job.

Wendigos are carnivorous, and eat human flesh. They are not technically souless like Vampires but considering you have to have already murdered at least one person without just cause(self defense, war, etc, etc) before a Wendigo will even consider setting up shop in your body, they tend not to be very nice people to begin with. Once you add the Wendigo's natural savage instincts, malevolent intentions, and craving for human flesh to a soul like that, Wendigos usually prove themselves every bit as cruel and vicious as vampires...and thanks to their rapid healing and built-in weapons they tend to be a fair bit tougher to kill.




Gri'ah Demons
The Gri'ah Demons are blue skinned humanoids with glowing red eyes who can assume a human form at will, though doing so is comparable to keeping a muscle flexed. If surprised or tired they might accidently revert to their natural appearance. Their powers are very similar to that of the Wendigos in terms of their strength, speed, resilience, and regeneration factor. But they don't have the claws or fangs, and like Slayers or Totem Warriors any sufficiently severe wound can kill them if it's instantly fatal.

Their original name has been lost to time. They once served as the enforcers and conquerors for a powerful and widely feared Demon Lord. Then one of them named Gr'iah rose up and struck their Demon Lord down. This act immortalized him, and thus bestowed his name upon the entire race. In the aftermath of this act, the Gri'ah became outcasts. The other Demons understandably found them untrustworthy after having betrayed their master, and those who they once enslaved and oppressed were not inclined to forget or forgive the past suffering they had endured under Gri'ah whips. Nowadays most Gri'ah are like Japanese Ronin samurai of old legends. Wandering alone, offering their services to anyone who can give them a cause they find worth fighting for, or meet their price. Some Gri'ah refuse to serve anyone though, never wanting to risk becoming enslaved as they once were.

Most Gri'ah are what humans would probably consider to be evil or at least dangerous, though that's more a result of their cultural upbringing than their nature. They tend to be geared toward violence, conquest or pillage of the weak, and glory through combat. Your basic "Warrior Race". Easy to slap with the 'evil' label since chances are if you're meeting a Gri'ah, there's a 50/50 chance you're on the wrong side of their sword...or Shotgun. But it's not always that black and white...or black and blue.

At least one Gri'ah actually served as a defender of humanity before the Apocalypse. Or more specifically, a defender of human popular culture. He came to earth to slaughter and pillage like most of his clutchmates but once he got here he fell in love with American pop-culture. He loved fast food drive-thrus, takeout chinese, reality television, remixed club music, massively multiplayer online videogames, and pimping his ride. He fought his fellow Demons to protect the pop-culture he cherished so much. Understandably outraged over the fall of humanity(and Doublemeat Palace!), he continues fighting to avenge the death of the world he loved. Some rumors suggest this demon may have actually been Gri'ah himself...or herself.



Byblos Demons
Byblos demons are unusual in a number of ways. There's no major difference between a full-blooded Byblos and a Half-Byblos for example, other than half-byblos being slightly more prone to displays of emotion than their full blooded parents or siblings. Slightly.

In their demon forms Byblos appear a bit more menacing than they actually are. They seem to be only semi-corporeal, part flesh and part ethereal shadow. They are solid enough to grab and hit, but even the mightiest blows and sharpest blades can't find enough physical substance to deliver their full damage. It takes alot of punishment to put a Byblos down, but that's more because of their semi-ethereal state than any superhuman gift of stamina or resilience.

Indeed once you get past how difficult it is to substantially injure them, Byblos are no more physically gifted than a human. Their strength and speed are purely within human levels, and considering their intellectual inclinations they tend to rate low to average in strength and agility, even by human standards. It's their brains that make Byblos demons and half-demons so exceptional. Every Byblos is for all practical intents and purposes, an organic supercomputer. They are extremely superhumanly intelligent. They remember every moment they have ever experienced going right back to their first glimmer of sentience in the womb.

Byblos Demons tend to be coldly logical and emotionless though sometimes an unusually intelligent human can capture their fascination enough to make a Byblos deem them a suitable mate. That's about as close to love as a Byblos gets, but they do make surprisingly good spouses. A bit cold and emotionally distant, but loyal, pragmatic, and reliable. Money will rarely be an issue in a household with a Byblos parent, and they keep the household neatly organized and efficiently run with minimal effort. They are dutiful parents to their offspring, but still show little in the way of paternal affection other than a faint sense of pride when their offspring seem to excel in intellectual pursuits. Even that is something they don't display very overtly, which can often be a source of frustration for half-byblos offspring.

Still paternal instincts exist even within the Byblos Demons and like most anything else most of them will fight to the death to protect their young if they have to. But they're so damn smart they likely have a thousand contingancy plans or methods of psychological manipulation that ensure it'll never come to that...in theory. Half-Byblos are much more inclined to display human emotion, though even they tend to be highly detached and analytical. "Stuffy and aloof" is probably how most humans would describe them.

In their human forms pureblood Byblos are pale-skinned and their hair is either jet black, or pale blonde. Half-Byblos may have a bit more color variety depending on their human parent, but they'd still be considered an unusually pale or light-skinned member of their ethnicity. Byblos are basically natural-born Goths as far as complexion and hair goes in human form. Byblos Demons often serve other demons as archivists and lorekeepers. More modern or indendent-minded Byblos and Half-Byblos enthusiastically pursue all forms of science, research, and technological knowledge.


Tarrack Daemonlings
A type of half-demon. Full-Blooded Tarracks are rare...and horny. In both senses of the word. Tarrack Demons are extremely aggressive and violent. Like many Demons they sometimes have necromancers place them in human bodies. And it's not unusual that they eventually end up with human lovers. They tend to be physically abusive lovers due to their violent tempers and controlling nature. Such unions rarely last long and almost always end tragically. For the human. The lucky ones live long enough for the Demon to grow bored with them and move on to new conquests. These "lucky" survivors often have a souvenoir leftover in their wombs to remember 'the good times'. A Tarrack Daemonling.

Visually the Daemonlings are indistinguishable from humans, though sometimes if they're extremely enraged or badly injured their eyes will turn yellow. With some effort they can do this at will, but it has no benefits other than 'show and tell'. Tarrack Daemonlings are extremely strong. Not as much as their full blooded parents but still extremely strong by the standards of most supernatural beings. Noticably stronger than Slayers and Vampires, and slightly stronger than most breeds of Werewolf, with the exception of Lycanthropus Exterus, and perhaps a few other rare breeds. Their stamina and resilience is about comparable to a slayer, as is their regenerative powers.

They have no superhuman reflexes or agility though which is their main weakness(At least when going up against beings who do posess superhuman reflexes and agility). As long as you don't get yourself locked in an arm-wrestling contest with them, most superhumanly agile beings can outmaneuver them in a fight as long as they have space to move. Just don't expect them to go down fast, and if they do land a hit it is going to hurt. Alot.

Tarrack Daemonlings also tend to be easily angered and aggressive, though they're not nearly as bad as their parents. Still they tend to be poor company unless they make an ongoing effort to keep their tempers in check. They can often be found in Rage-a-holics Anonymous meetings. It it widely beleived in many occult circles that Hercules, Samson, and other historical 'strong men' with a reputation for passionate temperments were Tarrack Daemonlings.



Revenants
Revenants were once quite rare, but the annihilation of the human species has made them...slightly-less-quite-rare. Though that's only because fewer humans, means fewer human bodies for potential revanants to inhabit. There are alot more potential revanants floating around in the ether than there used to be though.

Revenants are humans who were killed unjustly, and refused to pass on. Unlike most ghosts though, Revenants are strong-willed enough not to let their rage over their unjust demise consume them to the point of madness(not as easily as most ghosts at last), and stubborn enough that they refuse to just let it go and move on the next plane. Their determination drives them to find a way to pursue those they deem guilty of their demise and that determination gives the Revenants enough strength to climb right into the first dead human body they find.

Most prefer their own, if their own is in decent enough condition. But any body will do. Needless to say fresh bodies are preferred. Once the revenant gets back in, the decay process halts. However there's nothing that can be done about pre-existing decay or damage, and fresh injuries to the Revenant's new body won't heal either. At least not naturally.

When the Revenant's new body dies(or to be more accurate, when the new body sustains enough damage to no longer be functional), the Revenant Ghost simply seeks out the closest dead body(though if the revenant really wants, they can pass over one body and look abroad for another they like better) to climb into and rises again. This means if there's another dead body in the same room, the Revenant you just killed will spring up and get right back in the fight before you can even catch your breath. If the nearest dead body is twenty miles away, you've effectively gotten the Revenant out of your hair...for now. Though they are technically 'ghosts' they tend to be lacking in 'ghost powers'. Nobody really knows why. Perhaps the same thing that allows them to body hop so easily somehow prevents them from accessing the psychokinetic mayhem other ghosts are infamous for. The only way to permanently kill a revenant is to burn the body it's currently in to ashes. This will burn the spirit along with the flesh and stop them from reincarnating.

The body a Revenant claims will be noticably stronger, faster, and tougher than it was in life. But the Revenant's physical abilities will still vary according to the fitness level that the body had in life and the state of decay it's in when the Revenant claims it. A body that has rotted down to the skeleton can be made mobile but would be effectively useless. Even with the supernatural infusion of Strength the Revenant provides, the lack of muscle would make it weaker than all but the scrawniest of humans. Lacking a tongue or eyes it would not be able to speak or see. Meanwhile the relatively fresh body of a former body builder or gymnast will be a very valuable find for a Revenant, as the revenant's power adds to the already-impressive physical abilities that body had in life. By comparison, if a Revenant climbed into the body of a scrawny nerd, it would still be able to perform at the level of an athlete, but it's physical abilities would not cross into superhuman territory.



Werewolves
The usual Buffyverse Werewolf rules apply for the most part...varying degrees of speed, strength, stamina, and regeneration according to breed...with the Caveat that much like Nina in the "After the Fall" Comics, the Werewolves of hellworld exist in a perpetual "half-state" between human and monster, so that even in their (mostly)human forms they posess all the strength and ferocity of their monster forms, and their eyes are wolfen making it difficult if not impossible to pass for normal. They have noticably sharp canine fangs, and their claws are always out. When angered their faces take on even more beastial traits but still look mostly human. However this is a sign that they're on the verge of becoming as much a savage and mindless killing machine as they used to become during full moons.

Since it has been canonically established that Werewolves come in a variety of Breeds in Buffyverse, original breeds(Perhaps based on the Werewolves from the new 'Teen Wolf' series on MTV, or the Werewolves from the Wes Craven Movie 'Cursed') would be perfectly acceptable. As long as their power levels are not significantly beyond what you would expect to see within the Slayerverse. Describe your breed as they would function in the normal world, and(assuming I approve it) i'll decide how Hellworld has warped them.



Robots/Cyborgs
Robots come in innumberable shapes and sizes, ranging from "I Can't Beleive It's Not Human" to "There is no hope." Currently the only known source of Robots in this region come from Fort Homestead, and they're all of the "There is no Hope" model, with crude programming that isn't nearly sophisticated enough to be considered a true artificial intelligence. They have basic Friend/Foe identification subroutines, and can't be considered intelligent or self-aware in the least.

That's not because Warren Mears...their creator...lacks the skill to make true AIs and build bodies indistinguishable from humans for them...it's because he lacks the resources and time. Building and repairing war machines and weapons for Homestead occupies much of his time. What limited resources he has goes straight into the grinder. It's not all bad though. The work he does is so invaluable he pretty much has the run of the brothel in his spare time.

It's possible other groups with the knowledge and resources could send Robots...even humanoid robots...into the region to scout and report. The Initiative is still up and running for example. In fact Warren was with them before an...ahem...incident...prompted him to run and take refuge with Homestead instead.

Warren has recently begun modifying Homestead soldiers who lose limbs out on patrol with cybernetic replacements. He lacks the resources to graft synetic skin onto them though, so unless covered up these limbs are easy to spot. Most Homestead soldiers are still 100% human, but a few have cybertic eyes, limbs, or more. The Homestead Brass are currently debating whether or not this is an effective use of limited resources, or if they're better off using those parts to maintain the Combat Robots. How well these enhanced soldiers perform in the field will determine how many more Cyborg Soldiers march out of Homestead in the future.

TheRedFear

Alas Fehu, tis time to face facts. The interest? She remains unchecked.

RainbowRian

I like the idea, And love Bathory. lol one of my favorite women in history


RainbowRian


Photo

I'm in, alread ning my  buverse Rp, but thhis one is so drastically diferent, I'll give it a shot.I'll play anythhing, male/female/white-hat/vamp.

and then there was four. :)
Apologies and Absences

MIA MIA MIA MIA MIA MIA

TheRedFear

Would any of you be interested in Co-GMing? And by Co-GMing I mean handling somewhere between "Most" and "All" of the narrative burden? Heh. While I love creating worlds, storylines, and characters, I hate running them.

Vael the Destroyer

Is there a way that everyone is going to be brought together? Everyone is so spread out.

RainbowRian


TheRaven

I'd be in for a Revenant, or Cortez. He reminds me of Hellsing-verse Alucard for some reason, and not because of the whole "works alongside humans" thing.
"Hey," said Shadow. "Huginn or Muninn, or whoever you are"
The bird turned, head tipped, suspiciously, on one side, and it stared at him with bright eyes.
"Say 'Nevermore,'" said Shadow.
"Fuck you," said the raven.

TheRedFear

Note for the record you do NOT have to play premade chars. I just make them because I bore easily and need ways to fill my free time :)

And if you have a different idea for the next Slayer besides Abbey, so be it. Consider the premade characters to be more like suggestions, and a way to visualize the world and setting.

RainbowRian


Aeryial

Hm, it's been a while since I've dipped my toes into the Buffyverse, but I do so enjhoy it, and especially some of the canon-shredding alternate worlds!  Very well, you've twisted my arm; color me interested as well!

TheRedFear

Quote from: RainbowRian on October 16, 2012, 02:00:06 AM
Would a sorcerer/witch char be welcome?

Damn right. Could be an apprentice to an Enclave member. Maybe even Tara herself. Or a full blown member of the Enclave, though much of your magic would be bound up in maintianing the barrier so that might be a bit less appealing. Or you could be on your own, or a member of any of the other Holdouts(Although if you're from Homestead you'd need to have kept your powers hidden, or Homestead will either kill you or banish you. Homestead may tolerate trading with supernatural communities, but the powers(little P) that be in Homestead don't allow supernaturals to live among them. There are some who advocate against the policy. They're about as popular as the people who advocate against mandatory sexual servitude for Homestead's women.)

Whatever you come up with is fine. Just brainstorming with ya :)

TheRedFear

Quote from: Aeryial on October 16, 2012, 02:57:35 PM
Hm, it's been a while since I've dipped my toes into the Buffyverse, but I do so enjhoy it, and especially some of the canon-shredding alternate worlds!  Very well, you've twisted my arm; color me interested as well!

You have been duly colored. Surprisingly the color 'Interested' holds a striking resemblance to 'Magenta'.

RainbowRian

Quote from: TheRedFear on October 16, 2012, 05:34:33 PM
Damn right. Could be an apprentice to an Enclave member. Maybe even Tara herself. Or a full blown member of the Enclave, though much of your magic would be bound up in maintianing the barrier so that might be a bit less appealing. Or you could be on your own, or a member of any of the other Holdouts(Although if you're from Homestead you'd need to have kept your powers hidden, or Homestead will either kill you or banish you. Homestead may tolerate trading with supernatural communities, but the powers(little P) that be in Homestead don't allow supernaturals to live among them. There are some who advocate against the policy. They're about as popular as the people who advocate against mandatory sexual servitude for Homestead's women.)

Whatever you come up with is fine. Just brainstorming with ya :)

Well I have an idea, like maybe he trained with Tara but maybe wanted to branch off on his own to get more knowledge, or didn't like keeping up the barrier all the time and wanted to leave or something?

Aeryial

I always pictured "interested" as more of a plaid; go figure...I did wonder if you're planning to just run separate stories for each location (if necessary), or will you be trying to get the characters into the same place at the same time?

TheRedFear

I spoke to the prospective GMs and the current idea is that all of these Holdouts have varying degrees of alliance and rivalry between each other. So someone had the bright idea to call a summit to be held in Redemption in an attempt to smooth over the rivalries and strengthen the alliances.

The delegation from each hold out would be comprised of a combination of diplomats, bodyguards, servants, scouts, and anything else any given oldout thought they would need to ensure their delegation could safely travel across hostile territory to reach their destination.

Folks in redemption don't much care for the way Homestead treats women, but Homestead is an invaluable source of ammunition, and guns, not to mention raw metals since homestead controls an Iron Quarry. And compared to what life would be like out n the wastes...well, harsh as it may be they're still better off in Homestead than they are in the wastes the way most people figure it.

The Magic Kingdom has rich and fertile fields they grow crops within(aided greatly by faerie magic of course), making them something akin to the Breadbasket of Hellworld. Or this particular region of Hellworld.

The Helka are a bountiful source of hard-to-find valuable occult ingredients and medicines from plants that only grow in the wild, to demon testicles for that virility potion that never quits. They also have the most accurate maps and knowledge of the terrain since they're nomadic. And their melee weapons are second to none.

Redemption functions as somethign of a tradehub between these Holdouts. It's situated near good trade routes, and Ranger patrols keep these routes relatively safe. Or at least safer than most alternative routes. And thanks to the barrier, Redemption is also a good place to rest and refuel before pressing on.

Mercury Lake doesn't provide any particular resource but they're situated in a strategic location that any large foreign invader force attempting to move into the region would have to pass through(Or at least near) first. Since trying to march a large force through the territory of a couple hundred werewolves would be immensely foolish, their mere prescence provides a measure of security against organized demonic forces that are not already native to the region. They're like a natural obstacle. A large force that wanted to move into the region without running afoul of the Werewolves of Mercury Lake would have to march far out of their way, and deal with a number of real natural obstacles like rivers, marshlands, etc. A difficult endeavor for any large military force, even the demonic kind.

As for the demons that ARE already established within the region, Mercury Lake scouts are typically the first to notice when the demonic tribes or citadels in the region are mobilizing in force, and can quickly and and safely travel to the other holdouts to spread word. In that regard they're almost like the Pony Express...except they're each their own pony, and they have claws instead of hooves.

The other holdouts have a vested interest in making sure the Wolves remain well-inclined to continue functioning as an early warning system, so they tend to be generous in offering Mercury Lake what few resources they can't provide for themselves.

jetblackmirror

𝙳𝚒𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚜,
𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚖𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚜𝚔𝚢.