Gate! Thus, the USMC fought there! (interest checking for Fantasy/Modern clash)

[Chaeronea]

Name: Russell Davis
Rank: Corporal, USMC
Squad Role: Designated Automatic Rifleman (carries M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon)
Age: 22
Bio:  The son of a US Marine and a civilian nurse, Russell grew up moving around from base to base around the world as his father moved from deployment to deployment. While his parents wanted a relatively normal life for their son Russell had made up his mind to follow his father and grandfather into the United States Marine Corps, enlisting at the age of 18. The linguistic skills he'd gained in his childhood moving from country to country were high enough that he could have been a linguist or interpreter in the Corps, but instead he chose to be a common rifleman. His combat experience includes two tours of duty in Iraq, seeing heavy combat against insurgents.

Russell's unit was training back in the United States at the time the Gate first opened, and they were hastily thrown into battle against the invaders. Russell took over leading his squad through the conflict after his squad sergeant was wounded, deliberately drawing the enemy's attention away from civilians fleeing the warzone as American reinforcements were rushed in. With Russell's experience in combat against the soldiers from the Special Zone as well as the speed with which he learned their language, it was no surprise that he was one of the first Marines assigned to operations through the Gate.

Skills: In addition to the skills taught to all Marines, Russell has an exceptional gift for learning languages and dialects. At the time he enlisted he could speak English, German, Spanish and Japanese with native fluency (although his Japanese retains an Okinawan accent), and after his first tour of duty in Iraq he was shipped off to the Defence Language Institute to learn Arabic, which he speaks well enough that he acted as a secondary interpreter for his squad and platoon during his second tour of duty in Iraq. His most important skill for his current assignment is his proficiency in Gatespeak (as the language of the invaders from the Special Zone has been dubbed) to the point where he can hold a fairly involved conversation.


So,how does that look Monfang?

[Monfang]

Looks great, glad we got our first language speaker. This will make interacting with people a lot more easier for the USMC Squad.

[Healergirl]

Name: Lerta.   if she has a broader familial affiliation, she does not admit to it.

Rank: A Zonie attracted by the incursion ruckus.

Bio: Lerta was more fortunate than a lot of pretty girls in the slums.  She belonged to a gang from a quite young age, acting as runner, spy, gofer.  Pretty much a matter of keeping her eyes and ears open and not being noticed.  She excelled at carrying messages and blending in.  Then the roof fell in.  A gang war, a nasty one and hers lost badly.

So she became a small time operator.  Carrying messages, picking up information and delivering word to interested parties, running shell games and the like in local taverns.  Posed as  a prostitute to scam drunken horny johns out of the money, she was very good at coming up with ways to avoid closing the deal.  Sometimes she used an ally to bust things up, sometimes she fast-talked her way out of actually putting out, sometimes the guy was just too drunk (with her subtle help) to rise to the occasion.  But she had to seal the deal often enough to know she did not want to do that for a living.  She grew up on the streets, she has seen what becomes of old whores.  She is an attractive young woman in her own right.  Cleaned up, dressed up, made up she becomes truly beautiful.  This  was a problem:  Very dangerous people were noticing her looks,  some of them reputed to be slavers.  And she noticed them.  Then somebody threw her a lifeline.

Well connected, possessed of considerable material esources, ruthless... her new sponsor was exactly what she needed.

But in time of civil strife,  the existing social bonds can fray and tear.

And this is a time of great strife, the Powers That Be are bitterly divided over how to deal with the counterinvasion, and  have been thrown badly off balance by the military reverses and the political infighting at the top to assign blame, dodge blame, and generally improve one's own Position.  The fact that the enemy is not just at the gates, but pouring through the outer ring of defenses does not seem to have mitigated the  near-civil war among the Ruling castes.

In the absence of direction from above, what does a common-born woman do?

Observe, assess, make up her mind about the new players in the political game that is life in the Empire.

And try to stay alive.

[Monfang]

I suppose there isn't much interest for this, is there? Pity.

[Chaeronea]

Dammit! I really really want to play this! We've already got three for the Marine squad (Hercinia, Lord Ming and myself) and Healergirl as a local of ambiguous allegiance, plus Rikka's willing to play a couple of minor NPCs. What else do we need to get the game going?

[Healergirl]

Chaeronea,

I tend to agree, we have enough core players to get started.  But the Gm has to have fun as well, most especially the GM. If Monfang doesn't feel right running the game, he won't have fun and he's the one doing by far most of the work.



edited for spelling.  (sigh)

[Chaeronea]

Tht's true, Healergirl. I'm just eager to get started.

Soy if I came across as an impatient or demanding jerkass, Monfang.

[Monfang]

It's fine, Chaeronea. I wanted to at least get a full fireteam (four players) before we got started. And thus far, I only had two sheets unless I missed one and only one for the fireteam.

I honestly expected more interest with the possibilities and I really expected people to be offering suggestions on how to improve the original post and everything because of this being my first attempt at GMing a game. Maybe if I linked this to a game system, it might be easier?

I don't know.

[Healergirl]

Monfang,

One thing that may be throwing some people is that in the "Gate!" setting, The Magic using side has clearly bitten off more than it can chew.  Usually, the way the trope runs, the Science/Mechanical Engineering side is overwhelmed.  The change of pace is quite refreshing, and is what attracted me to this in the firt place.

ree form vs. system... I'm honestly not sure that makes much difference.  If you are thinking of a system, which do you have in mind?

[Monfang]

Ah, I figured that the story making it clear it only took a week for the US to drive them out and invade would be enough to clear it up who has the advantage.

And if I did link it to a system, I wouldn't know which. I only know of DnD 4e and NWoD.

[Healergirl]

Monfang, it is clear, andmost poeple seem more conforable with the Magic side having the edge.  I'm fine with freeform.

[Phaia]

what do you for this for the fire team?

Phaia

[Monfang]

Monfang, it is clear, andmost poeple seem more conforable with the Magic side having the edge.  I'm fine with freeform.

I'm fine with freeform as well.

And I suppose they would be. With magic winning, it's like their escapism winning as well. If Technology won then it would be as if reality was crushing their chance to escape.

what do you for this for the fire team?

Phaia

Two more to fill in the remaining slots. I will update the sheet list to show what we need better. I had several other people say they were interested, but they never got around to PM me about their minor characters or posted a sheet about USMC or Gate-side character.

[Neysha]

Not terribly familiar with the military but I suppose I can join as a fireteam member.

[Monfang]

Not terribly familiar with the military but I suppose I can join as a fireteam member.

I can fill you in with the relevant info as we go along. Just need your sheet.

[Neysha]

Here goes nothing:

Name: Ashley Blais
Rank: Corporal
Squad Role: Rifleman
Skills: In addition to the training she received as a Marine and as an MP (military police), she has no other particular standout skills beyond a civilian background proficiency in basic mechanical repair and having gone through several related courses to eventually become a member of the Marine MP Special Response Team, increasing her combat aptitude and becoming the teams designated marksman.
Bio: Ashley grew up on a ranch in Newton County, Arkansas who, against the odds considering her family history, managed to graduate from High School, spending her free time reading books on military history, working on mechanical gadgets and vehicles, hunting and recreational shooting like a good Arkansas girl. Her family lineage can trace its proud history back to before the American Civil War, where her ancestors proudly served on behalf of the Confederacy. Despite her obvious female nature, she decided to follow in the path of her forebears, especially since there wasn't much employment in the county beyond the family ranch.

Enlisting in the Marines right after High School graduation, she joined the Military Police in lieu of the lack of availability of combat positions available to females. After three years of service, she was then promoted to Corporal and allowed to join a US Marine Military Police Special Response Team, the equivalent of a civilian police SWAT team where her marksmanship skills finally found a proper outlet. In her fourth of five years of service, she's served two combat tours, one as an MP and one as an SRT marksman. Both tours were to Afghanistan and largely consisted of either convoy security, static and perimeter security of places like government buildings or election stations etc, and base security. She's hoping that her time served will allow her to get a job in civilian law enforcement or private security after her military career is over.

[Healergirl]

Neysha,

MP training is perfect for this sort of thing!

[Monfang]

Looks good Neysha. I'll approve it, but tell me, how did your character get involved with the squad going to scout out and initiate first contact with the locals in the Special Squad?

[Neysha]

Looks good Neysha. I'll approve it, but tell me, how did your character get involved with the squad going to scout out and initiate first contact with the locals in the Special Squad?

Maybe she has some experience in vehicle related operations and provides alternative options when dealing with locals or investigating various thingies and familiarization with auto repair.

[Monfang]

Maybe she has some experience in vehicle related operations and provides alternative options when dealing with locals or investigating various thingies and familiarization with auto repair.

Alright, works for me.

[Chaeronea]

Some links to some resources that might be useful, or at least interesting, for those playing Marines -

List of USMC acronyms and expressions Lots of abbreviations and slang terms to add a little bit of local colour to your character's speech.

U.S. Marine's Rifleman's Creed. The Marines take the slogan 'Every Marine a rifleman' seriously. Every Marine learns this in basic training and they are expected to memorise it.

List of USMC MOS (Military Occupational Specialties) . Basically a list of jobs for enlisted-rank US Marines, along with a list of requirements and duties foreach job.

I thought this might be useful for those who are playing Marines.

[Monfang]

Some links to some resources that might be useful, or at least interesting, for those playing Marines -

List of USMC acronyms and expressions Lots of abbreviations and slang terms to add a little bit of local colour to your character's speech.

U.S. Marine's Rifleman's Creed. The Marines take the slogan 'Every Marine a rifleman' seriously. Every Marine learns this in basic training and they are expected to memorise it.

List of USMC MOS (Military Occupational Specialties) . Basically a list of jobs for enlisted-rank US Marines, along with a list of requirements and duties foreach job.

I thought this might be useful for those who are playing Marines.

Thank you Chaeronea. Would you mind if I added this to the OP?

[Chaeronea]

Not at all :)

[Monfang]

Done and done then.

[Lustful Bride]

Is this rp still going?

I can't seem to find the rp thread and I would love to join up with this.  ;D