Chasing the Signal [Firefly/Serenity] Recruitment Thread

[RegretNot]

Chasing the Signal

Introduction:

"After the Earth was used up, we found a new solar system and hundreds of new Earths were terraformed and colonized. The central planets formed the Alliance and decided all the planets had to join under their rule. There was some disagreement on that point. After the War, many of the Independents who had fought and lost drifted to the edges of the system, far from Alliance control. Out here, people struggled to get by with the most basic technologies; a ship would bring you work, a gun would help you keep it. A captain's goal was simple: find a crew, find a job, keep flying." - Shepard Book

Setting:

Taking place in 2518 when those that know the series well know the movie takes place it will touch upon things that happened in the series and movie and move farther into the fate of a crew finding themselves in the midst of a changing 'Verse.  The focus will be on one crew that is a part of a ship that has room for new crew members and passengers and others that have tangled histories depending on player preference.  This game will be story driven with the interplay of relationships between characters just as powerful as the antagonistic forces they might face.  It will not be a smut focused game (although such things do happen) but more angled towards telling a compelling story of a crew just trying to keep their boat in the air. 

Crew and Passenger Positions assignment will likely be done via application but this is an interest check for now. 

This will not be a system game but there will be a sheet that represents people's own strengths and weaknesses broadly without the need for dice. 

Basic Rules to keep in mind:

1.) Be cooperative and respectful with your fellow writers and skip the drama. 
2.) No God modding others or overstepping others express wishes with their characters. 
3.) Be involved and participate the best you can and if you will have an extended absence communicate. 
4.) This is done to be a story written by multiple writers, just as good things happen, the bad do as well, it always make the victory that much sweeter to have to overcome the setbacks and losses. 
5.) Communicate with the GM and your fellow players to make a rich environment and fun gameplay for all. 

Character Sheet:

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[font=arial][b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Home World:[/b]
[b]Profession/ Trade:[/b]
[b]Sexual Orientation:[/b]
[b]Relationship Status:[/b]
[b]O/Os:[/b]

[b]Physical Description:[/b]
[b]Distinguishing Features:[/b]
[b]Face Claim:[/b]

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[font=arial][b]Personality:[/b]

[b]History:[/b]

[b]Strengths:[/b]
[b]Weaknesses:[/b]
[b]Mannerisms:[/b]
[b]Languages:[/b]

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[b]Theme Song:[/b]
[b]Additional Notes:[/b]

The Ship: The Phoenix Wave

   

The Phoenix Wave is an Durance Class Transport that has room for up to 8 passengers and 7 crew (counting captains quarters).  Fuel Capacity: 280 tons (600 Hours).  Cargo Capacity: 500 tons, plus an additional 120 tons in shuttle bay.  20 Tons Hydroponics†  One short range shuttle launches from the top.  8 Emergency Pods fitting 3 at most each. 

The Oddities

Vacc Suits, some acceleration suits, tools boxes etc., bear the Chinese Characters 靖警備 Jìng Jǐng Bèi which translates roughly to peace keepers, or guardians of peace.
The aft cargo bay is equipped with twin force field generators at the portals to the main cargo bay. The wiring is iffy, so probably not pressure-safe.
The medical computer in the sick bay has a large partition that is heavily encrypted.
Most internal walls on the Passenger Deck and Crew Quarters are modular in design permitting alternative layouts, with some work (doable at port, not on the fly).
Crawlspace under the bridge accessible from forward storage contains trunks and suitcases (mostly clothing) as well as a box of paperwork (ION) and the Green Book.
Some hull panels in Shuttle Bay storage rooms appear not to match those in the rest of the storage room.
Engine has been heavily modified but cannot be easily repaired by someone trying to use the standard manual. 
Secret compartments in the Machine Shop and in the Hydroponic Bay.
Two Ventral Mounted Machine Guns (200 rounds each). 


Crew Needs/ Skills Possible:

In need of a first mate and a mechanic to keep her flying, all other positions are crew with other skills, examples include.  Someone can have more than one but try not to be an expert at more than one to give other characters their own chance in the spotlight.

Skills: mechanics, hauling, illegal contact/ smuggling, haggling/business sense, cooking, tracking, weapons, muscle, culture, tactics, piloting, alliance knowledge, backwater contacts, medicine/ first aid.


Passengers: 8 maximum but cramped, 4 comfortably.  (2 taken)

Crew Positions Pending:

Crew Positions/ Major Skills In Use: Captain, Culture, Cooking, First Aid, Weapons, Piloting, Alliance Knowledge, Mechanics

Face Claims: Karl Urban, Anson Mount, Sui He, Vanessa Hudgens, Jaimie Alexander, Rose Leslie, Channing Tatum

Example and Captain:

Garret Hunter

Name: Garret Hunter
Age: 35
Home World: Newhall
Profession/ Trade: Captain
Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Unattached
O/Os: Same as Player

Physical Description: Garret stands just over six foot with a lean build as he has dark brown hair that is usually kept well cut and green eyes that remain watchful over the area he is in.  He offers a serious expression of gruffness when he isn't certain of someone or not paying attention but he can just as much offer a smirk or smile when he gets to know people.  There is a slight grey at the sides of his head near his temples that is hard to notice without a long look from a life longer than his years. 
Distinguishing Features: A scar on his neck that runs up to just under his chin.  Tattoos usually covered by his clothes that vary. 
Face Claim: Karl Urban

Personality: Garret carries a chip on his shoulder from a blue collar life and understanding the Alliance wants a galaxy of haves and have nots.  He can use humor to try and cover up some of his own bitterness at this and has a very guarded personality at first.  Those he trusts he will do anything he can for and those he doesn't might face down the barrel of a gun before they get a credit off him.  His own moral compass has been left to spin for quite some time as he finds himself trying to survive and isn't sure after being deserted by his family and choosing the losing side what right is anymore.  Overconfidence is a shield against his own worries that the things he strove so hard to be great at had only generated a moderate skill and those he wished no part of are more his wheel house.  There is a cold indifference for the Alliance despite there actually being something deeper there as he wishes to feel like he is a part of something again. 

History: Garret was born on Newhall in 2484 to Mary and Vernon Hunter.  Vernon was a shift leader in one of the large water harvesting and transport for the Alliance.  He taught Garret the value of hard work and despite their trying to make a good childhood for him he found himself helping with loads as young as the age of thirteen.  The Alliance would needle out the price on everything and with their trade tied to them it left his father always seeming to not be able to break through, they lived on a station floating the mostly sea surface of the planet as Garret always seemed to rise his eyes towards the stars.  He got his chance at the age of fifteen to go on a transport run with his father and when he saw the 'Verse itself he couldn't help but want to see more and more of it.  There was the reality that following in his father's footsteps was not something that would yield such a fate as he left his younger brother to want for his father's life.  When he turned eighteen he signed up for the Alliance Navy to pilot ships that would protect and serve the 'Verse.

It was a naive dream as Garret did make the cut off to become a pilot in the Alliance but he wasn't the natural he thought himself nor was he handling cruisers.  Garret instead found himself a co pilot on small landing craft and haulers and thus usually keeping the landing site secure while Alliance ground troops completed the mission ahead of them.  Some of the things that the Navy did were questionable as best but at least he was up in the stars.  His breaking point was the Unification Wars when he saw the way they were dispatched to deal with Browncoat Armies made up of rag tag groups.  The tactics used were sickening as he finally had enough and took hold of the stick as the gunboat he was on were firing into browncoat units so close to civilians he was assured they would be collateral damage.  He thought he could get the boat down and join the Browncoats but instead was subdued by multiple soldiers and cuffed to be court martialed for his treason. 

There was some luck to be had as the transport that would take him to a cruiser above and on to a military jail was struck by a Browncoat raid.  He was taken prisoner but later freed when his story left Browncoat leadership on the ground looking more able pilots.  Serving as a shuttle pilot he landed many and carried out many wounded during multiple battles.  Despite his skills he never claimed to be the best as he was shot down during the Battle of Du-Khang by Alliance forces.  He never saw the battle of Serenity as he was laid up in a hospital tent when the war ended after taking major injuries from a crash. 

When he returned to Newhall he was met with disappointment by his father as his brother pushed him out of being involved in the family business as it be bad to have a traitor when they dealt with the Alliance.  He told he had told Alliance forces of his location and in that moment forced Garret to flee unless being transported to a military prison, as his treason charge was still very much active.  There was a wandering as he took on work with crews doing less than legal things and slowly built up credits.  It took years before he came across the Phoenix Wave, a Equinox class transport ship that was priced to move thanks to heat on it's seller.  Over the next three years he formed his crew and has been making credits anyway he can with all manner of adventure in between and more to come it seems. 

Strengths: Tactical prowess, Capable Pilot, Good Liar, Iron Will, Good with a Gun, 'Verse Traveled
Weaknesses: Morally Lost, Notoriety with Alliance, Long Fuse but Big Boom, Lack of Ties
Mannerisms: Clenches Jaw when uncomfortable, Fingers on temples when irritated, Swallows when unsure of what to say
Languages: English, Mandarin





Theme Song: The Cruxshadows - Winterborn
Additional Notes: Treason Charge noted on Alliance Record, done in time of war and only will be used against him if charged with another crime. 

Game Threads:

OOC Chatter

Character Sheet Depot

[Bibliophilia]

I would love to be involved in this.

[RegretNot]

I would love to be involved in this.

Great to hear it, if we get a sizable crew interested I will be moving forward with recruitment. 

[Aiden]

Posting interest

[ZoneyGirl]

Just gonna sneak on in here.

[RegretNot]

Glad to see more interest, hopefully got a few more people interested then I will open up recruiting officially. 

[NiceTexasGuy]

Definitely interested on the condition we don't have a ship full of former operatives and escapees from the Alliance Academy, or anyone who thinks every Firefly class vessel is required to have a Doctor and a Registered Companion on board. (Of course that last part doesn't apply if we're playing canon characters on board Serenity)

Okay, I didn't mean to come across as an ass, but this has been the death of way too many attempts at a Firefly game.

So yeah, color me interested.

[ZoneyGirl]

What if one just wants to play an information broker who can just sell out to the highest bidder as it makes her money?

[RegretNot]

Definitely interested on the condition we don't have a ship full of former operatives and escapees from the Alliance Academy, or anyone who thinks every Firefly class vessel is required to have a Doctor and a Registered Companion on board. (Of course that last part doesn't apply if we're playing canon characters on board Serenity)

Okay, I didn't mean to come across as an ass, but this has been the death of way too many attempts at a Firefly game.

So yeah, color me interested.

As far as I am concerned all a ship needs is a captain and someone with some mechanic knowledge (doesn't need to be amazing at it obviously) everything else is extra and kind of shapes what the ship does to keep flying.  I won't come out and ban anything but I also understand that the Serenity crew were some very shiny characters, I have no problem with that but I want to see people get creative too to make their own story and be their own kind of shiny.   

What if one just wants to play an information broker who can just sell out to the highest bidder as it makes her money?

An information broker on the ship?  Depends on what they do as the characters that filter in will kind of decide that and if they go enough places of interest for information, also selling out the crew might be interesting but won't make you any friends, just saying. 

[Caela]

Definitely interested.

I get the concerns about too closely emulating the actual Firefly crew, but think someone with some basic medic training can be handy. Always useful to have someone who knows how to dig bullets out of your backside without making the damage worse! :D

[CurvyKitten]

Totally interested!

[RegretNot]

I should be getting up more information and the character sheet as a modify this to a recruitment thread later today.  I will put out possible crew positions but as I said before all don't need to be filled and there is no reason for there to be only one crew member with knowledge of the ship mechanics or how to handle a gun.  There also won't be a waiting for another type of position if it works just fine.  I will be making a character as captain just so there isn't an inherent conflict on: A.) Who's ruttin' boat it is?  B.) Where we are going to start this gorramit story.  Other than that I will try to get him up so others can form bonds with him if they want or come in as new hands / passengers. 

Any questions before that I should be around off and on all day. 

[Marie Reynolds]

Hello, Definitely interested.

Zoey it is quite possible to  play a broker type especially if combine it with being a  fence as well. I did it and the character was a  great boon to the  ship.  He also treated those on the ship fairly and with respect and looked after them cause  after all they were an  aspect of his  business and if he did not see  to them properly looked at  cared for then it was a reflection on him and made  him  a bad  businessman. Also he was the most well dressed. God help who ever messed with his crew.  One  npc did and  it was not a pleasant end when my character  and the ships  doc  got a  hold of  him.

[Rebelle]

Interested as well.

Considering a mechanic/tinkerer type

[CurvyKitten]

I'm totally up for making a pilot or the Gunner muscle type.

[Caela]

Thinking a gunhand with some basic trauma medic skills (she'd be able to dig out a bullet without making the wound worse, slap on a dressing for a cut, set a bone, throw in some stitches - just don't expect them to be pretty!) but by no means would she be an actual doctor. If you were sick she'd just tell you not to share. 

[Aiden]

I'm thinking of something along the lines of an independent settler, scouting new worlds for a settlement. Or something along the lines that requires travel

[Bibliophilia]

I was thinking of playing a registered Companion, honestly.

[RegretNot]

Recruitment is now open.  Information updated along with skills needed, the ship being used, and captain posted as well for those wished to tie into him.  If you are interested in being really good at a skill or having a position needed, post so I can put it in pending so people making characters are aware.  Thanks to all for their interest.  Now...

[Rebelle]

Mechanic/Tinkerer

Posting that again ;)

[Aiden]

I'm leaning towards passenger, so perhaps I can join at a port or be en route (but end up more permanent over time IC)

Can even make it, his payment is covering this journey to TBD by Gm OOC and the captain IC

Want to reserve Anson Mount, Bio and sheet IP

[RegretNot]

Added the mechanic position is pending and a passenger is taken.  Put in the face claim for Anson Mount so people can see who is claimed. 

[Bibliophilia]

I'm interested in playing a registered Companion who can cover cooking and culture as her skills.  I'm using Sui He as the face claim.

[CurvyKitten]

Do you want a pilot since you captain is one? If not, no biggy I can totally come up with a different concept. :)

[RegretNot]

Do you want a pilot since you captain is one? If not, no biggy I can totally come up with a different concept. :)

They could use a good or great pilot.  The Captain is a good pilot on a good day and moderate on others, I made that obvious in his background so if someone is interested they can gladly be the main pilot.