Rufren Mayata - Reload

[Ramael]

[Reloaded - for the third time! All old players welcomed back, if you haven't already received a PM from me :D)

There is a city.


Set out in the vast, open and mainly empty Outlands, there is a city. It is called Atayo, and in Atayo, criminals keep the peace.

Minotaur thugs, trans-dimensional fugitives, magic smugglers, and murderous warlocks keep an equilibrium in the seedy den of delight that is Atayo. Out of this miasma of miscreants, two powerful gangs have manipulated and perverted their way into power. The Brimstone Burger Cartel and the Opal Oligarchy have been rivals for definitive power of Atayo ever since the Oligarchy burst onto the scene a year ago. Since then, the Cartel has been on the backfoot, fighting a secretive but running battle against a powerful yet mysterious Oligarchy. However, what these two shady organisations fight over lies...hundreds of miles away from Atayo itself.

In the Outlands, where the shaky laws upheld by the rival gangs in Atayo have no meaning at all, what passes for justice is meted out with money and murder. If a backwater town suffers a criminal, then it is upto that town to drag up the cash to put a bounty on said felon's head. In the Outlands, the bounty hunters are the most efficient enforcers of the law, bound only by their whim and their wallet. In recent months, however, even the most lowly goblin looking to earn some coin couldn't have failed to notice the increase in demand for the arrest of half-breeds.

These elusive beings, being a combination of either elf and demon, or human and demon, are incredibly rare, and all but nonexistant in Atayo itself, for very good reasons. It is well-known to those who keep an ear to the ground that what the Cartel and the Oligarchy fight each other over is these mixed-species beings. Neither has the power to rally a crew to take out into the Outlands in order to hunt half-breeds themselves, so bounty hunters are hired to track them down and bring them to Atayo. Demon/mortal conception is as rare as a miracle, and such offspring are usually endowed with...unusual and impressive powers. Half-breeds are a valuable commodity indeed, and, like any rich resource or dangerous weapon, bound to be fought over.

This is the setting for Rufren Mayata, a world of cat-boy fashion models and fairy strippers, ninja bodyguards and vampire drug addicts, elven hippies and alcoholic minotaurs.


Brimstone Burger Cartel







The first gang to shoulder its way to power in Atayo. It used to be an organisation of repute, settling disputes and placing fair taxes in Atayo. Now, it is a motley collection of chancers, smattered with talent and a lot of luck. The Oligarchy's emergence in Atayo put the Cartel off-balance, arrogant as it was in its security and power. Now, Cartel members meet only rarely and in secret, the fact that they are managing to keep the Oligarchy from overwhelming them completely a testiment to their individual skills and powers.

Currently run by "Bossman", an interdimensional ephemeral, cigar-smoking entity. Second-in-command, arguably, (and it often comes to that) falls to Rufio. (Rufio's favoured Cartel gal, maybe a half-breed in her own right, is Nyte . Description of her in the Prologue, below.)

A combination of their attitude to remaining "on the street" as much as possible, always with a finger to the pulse of Atayo, and the trust placed in them by the people of Atayo has kept them afloat. However, a lot of the more intelligent Atayan shareholders and businessmen are quite rightly looking to protect their interests by allying themselves with a far safer bet...the Oligarchy.

PC members - Rufio (me)





The Opal Oligarchy







Although no-one in Atayo knows it, the Oligarchy is run by eight individuals, who, if one were ever to see them, would be mistaken for half-breeds. It is a well-kept Oligarchy secret that these individuals, the Oligarches themselves, have undertaken demonic surgery to alter themselves and their powers. To say money runs the Oligarchy would be an understatement. Their calculated method of operating crime like a business has earned them a respect in Atayo from multiple, important, sources. The Oligarches keep a strict hierarchy of minions, each Oligarch keeping a right-hand man, who presides over a bodyguard, who preside over the minions, etc etc. Although on appearences seeming cold and alien, the Oligarchy treat their servants and allies well, and lavish their favourites with material gifts. However, those that aren't in league with the Oligarchy or try to stand against them...well, let's just say that demonic surgery works both ways.

PC members - Lillith (Aya)

- Ducard Lorenze (Krayz)






Bounty Hunters







The bounty hunters of the Outlands are hardened individuals with a plethora of tricks at their disposal, earned from a lifetime of hunting rogue succubi and serial killer wizards. Although not a group themselves, any intelligent bounty hunter knows it is a good idea to keep on the better side of any organisation, especially the Cartel and Oligarchy in Atayo. The two's increased recent interest in acquiring live bounties on half-breeds has encouraged many down-on-their-luck characters to pick up the trade, and as such, currently bounty hunters operating in the Outlands are from nearly every race and creed. Jacks of all trades, masters of themselves, bounty hunters will perform most tasks, for a price. Half-breed capture included.

PC hunters - Jonathan Black (Shihing)

- Quintin (ironwolf85)






The Wanted



In every town outside of Atayo, there is a list of names.



Each list differs from town to town, and one town's board may be smaller than the next town's, but some names appear on multiple lists or wanted boards. They are made up of individuals...dangerous individuals. Some are genuine criminals, on the run from Atayo or from bounty hunters, some have crossed either the Cartel or the Oligarchy, and some have just made the mistake of having a mortal father and a demonic mother. Whatever they've done to be on the list, all these individuals are called, simply, the Wanted. Important Wanted are noted not only in the towns in the Outlands, but known very well in Oligarchy masonic lodges or in Cartel-run strip bars. These particular individuals are powerful, but with such power comes the price of being on the lam...for most of their lives.

                                                               -------------------------



IF you have read all the way down here, well done, and thank you very much!

And you may be interested in playing a character from this (hopefully) rich background, from one of the four groups. Some of you will know this game isn't new, I started it a while back and it was given a tasty start by a great bunch of people (you know who you are, and if you're still interested in your old characters, they are ABSOLUTELY welcome back!). Rufren Mayata Prologue.
I'm looking to start the game again, with a more concrete setting and backdrop. The prologue is exactly that.

I had the blessing of these guys helping me carve out Rufren Mayata, and now I present it to more Elliquiyans for more interest. More details to follow.



EDIT: Note! The pictures I've used are figurative representatives of each group, characters that represent each group well, but not actual PCs or NPCs. However, if you like the look of one, holler, and you can write up a character sheet for them. If this happens, I would like for each character to stay within the group it's listed in, though, please. :)

RUNNING EDIT:

In Rufren Mayata, whilst there is electricity, TV, neon lighting, cigarette lighters and public transport, There Are No Guns. There are crossbows, magic wands, throwing knives, shuriken, fire-breathing demons, small catapults...you get the idea.

Races

Mortal -
Elves, Humans, Nekoid (catboy/girl). Mortals are the majority demographic in Rufren Mayata, just.

Fae -
Fairies, Imps, Pixies. Normally existing on their own planes, can be summoned to Rufren, but need offerings or intimacy/worship/both to stay human sized.

Demon -
Aaanything supernatural, gribbly with wings/horns/tail. Born/spawned with their own powers, but unable to learn more as mortals can. A common sight in Atayo and in the Outlands.

Other -
Vampires, lycans, minotaurs, archons, you name it, they probably walk the streets of Atayo and get their coffee from the same cafe as you do.

[Ironwolf85]

bah I'll add a character...
maybe an archon bounty hunter, not used to the way the city works

[Crovonovin]

I would just like to say that I'm still very much interested in this plot.  I'm not sure if I'll bring Helena back, but I'll give it some thought.

[aya]

I just finished reading the prologue. I'd be interested in the story as well. Out of curiosity, what happened to the old one?

[Crovonovin]

As I recall, a few important players had some issues that came up that made it impossible for them to post regularly (myself included), so things sort of fell off. 

[aya]

Ah I see. Thanks.

[Ramael]

Hi Ironwolf, thanks for your interest. Could you define archon, for me? I'm assuming you don't mean the ancient Greek term...lulz...

WB, Shihong! Glad to have you onboard again, and looking forward to seeing your character. If you decide to go back to Helena, though, that's also something I can work with...!

Yo, Aya. Yeah, pretty much what Shi said. I've been wanting to give it a bit of a revamp anyway.

Comments/questions welcomed.

[Ironwolf85]

Hound Archon. in the old D&D cosmology they dwell in Celestra the Lawful Good Heaven, where they embody many canine aspects of good as such they are high ranking guards, track down enemies across the outer planes, and protect the occasional mortal.
their personalities range widely as they did in their mortal lives, but as a whole they are loyal, intelligent, and driven to their duty.

I saw a cool slightly adult picture of a Hound Archon captian it looked cool and slightly charming... I thought he'd be fun to play

[Ramael]

That's cool. As long as he's fairly easy going and/or fits the bounty hunter trope (if that's what you want him to be) well.

I'd post a character template up but...you've all done character templates before so I don't need to tell you what they look like! I'll post up a seperate thread to post character details in soon.

Some more thoughts I had on Rufren Mayata -

Stockholme Syndrome

It is a long trek from the Outlands to Atayo. Although rare, it has been known for bounty hunters to take a...special interest in their prize, depending on circumstance and gender, of course. The combination of a bounty hunter's solitary life and a Wanted's desperation to avoid a life of slavery has on more than one occasion created some surprising results. Not every hunter/Wanted pairing has ended like Bonnie and Clyde, but the more intelligent agents in the Cartel will be wise to their bounty hunters going too "soft" on their cargo...

Fraternising with the enemy

Cartel and Oligarchy. Rivals through and through. However, in one-on-one confrontations, sometimes mutual respect goes a long way...especially between power-loving criminals. Whereas the Oligarchy obtusely refuse such vicious rumours and Cartel representatives try and change the subject, the Atayo Answer (Atayo's best-selling newspaper, bringing you speculation, glamour and unfounded accusations every morning!) has printed pictures of rival couples, sneaking out of resturants in shades or creeping into taxis late at night.

[Ironwolf85]

Name: Quintin Ballard
Race: Hound Archon
Profession: muscian, bounty hunter
Appearance:


History: Quintin ballard was much like any hound archon happy to serve and loyal to the core. when sent to Atayo to hunt down a demon, he did not realize how the place worked. nor did he realize how it's ecnomic powers work is. dispite multiple stab wounds, Quintin found his mark, and threw the demon from a fifth story window and crushed him from above with the heavy mace.
unfortnately, in addition to his medical bills, he had to pay fot the building, window, and the car they landed on.
Being the Archon, he always pays his debts even when he dislikes doing so. in his case he became a bounty hunter due to the abundance of bounties, to him it's just a continuation of his duties.
However he's slowly come to enjoy fighting for good and right in such a city and the outlands. he doesn't feel like leaving. not only can he do the right thing here, he can enjoy it.
He recently joined a band with a number of archons, they don't play soft sweet music as they used to at home. Closer to rock and roll or heavy country actually. Lawful Good doesn't have to be uptight, just ordered. in this case, loyal to others, intelligent, and above all, kind to others.
persionality: intelligent and understands people's way of thinking, but he does not understand ecnomics, and has no history with currency or the vast captialist system of Atyo, he's ruthless and friendly at the same time to his bounties. he is a bit choosy about who he goes after. cut once a target is selelected he's utterly effecent and cold.
powers Aside from expert skill with hand to hand weapons, Quintin is a crack shot with his bow. the wings allow him to fly, in addition to this he has a number of defencive and healing spells. including some hold spells that allow him to bring in people alive. one advantage archons have over other outsiders is that they can learn and adapt because they were forged from mortal souls.
alinment: freelance good, bountyhunter and musician, he knows about the powers that be, but he refuses to submit to any rule save that of his leige. who frankly has much better things to do on more important worlds. on the issue of half-breeds, he's not taking any of those contracts unless the target is actually distructive.

[Ramael]

Quintin looks to be a decent one, but remember there are no guns in Rufren Mayata, so those bullet wounds could be something else.

Also, having problems with your pic?

We'll see if anyone else posts up a rough character draft here before I make any game threads.

Shihong, Aya, any ideas coming to you?

I'll post up my old character, Rufio, current second-in-command of the BBC, as a kind of template.



Name: Rufio
Race: Human
Appearance: Clad in a long, open-collared jacket. Messy, dark hair. Eyepatch.


History: Certain things are known about Rufio, and certain things aren't. One thing, is that Rufio is not his original name, but it is the moniker he has gone by for the past few years.
From a young age becoming fascinated with mysticism and mythology, Rufio indulged himself at various colleges and art universities, hopping between institutions and never settling down. He flitted from one group of friends to the next, from lycan teenagers, to elven intellectuals, to human artists.

Personality: Eccentric. Switching from likeable to brooding in a matter of seconds, Rufio has been known to go from charming to snarling and back in the space of one conversation. He is a creature of vice and can easily become obsessed over something.

Loves chilli chicken ramen.

Powers: Rufio dabbles in magic and summonings. He has been known to favour one particular female imp summon, although no one knows why for sure.

Alignment: Rufio tries to stay on good terms with all races-human, lycan, demon, elf, the lot. He has however previously been associated with the Brimstone Burger Cartel of demon smugglers.

[aya]

My character is still in the molding phase, I'll have something up soon :)

[Crovonovin]

Still here!  Still jostling ideas around.

[Crovonovin]

Name: Johnathan Black
Race: Unknown.  Presumed Demon.
History:

For longer than even the oldest of Atayo's denizens can remember, Huntsman Black has stalked the lands in search of challenging game.  He is not a solitary creature, preferring to remain in the company of those he deems worthy of his attention, but oftentimes disappears from the public eye for months or even years.  Each time he is assumed to have finally met his end, and each time he returns with a new pelt or trophy to prove otherwise.  His private estate is absolutely filled with them, collected from both mindless beasts and sentient folk alike, many of which have long since gone extinct.

His greatest conquest is to be the infamous God Hound of the Karkel Mountains, an animal so monstrous and obscene that it bordered on the demonic--and indeed, there are many that speculate such a thing must have been summoned from some infernal plane.  Better that than the possibility that such a creature could possibly come to be via natural means.  It is said to stalk the lightless plains of the Underworld, a vast network of ancient catacombs and labyrinths that gradually gave way to cave systems and winding tunnels wrought out by the long-dead Dhole, where it subsists on molten rock and the pale, grubby things that haunt such unwholesome depths.  One day he will set out for those blighted tombs beneath the sun-touched mountains, and there he will face his ultimate foe.

But for now it seems he is content to consort with lesser prey, if only to keep his wits sharp and his blades sharper.  The call for half-breeds has caught his interest, though he has a rather nasty habit of attempting to exact some sort of prize from every one that he manages to capture, whether it be a finger or a scalp.  He does not go so far as to kill them of course, as the Oligarchy and Brimstone Burger Cartel wish to see them brought in alive.  One wonders if death would not be a preferable alternative.

Personality:
Ruthlessly cold when on the hunt, but surprisingly jovial in any sort of casual setting.  Anyone he takes a liking to is immediately a dearest friend, whereas those he finds distasteful are all but ignored.  His moral scruples are few and far between, though he has a bit of a soft spot for children and generally refuses to hunt them unless they provide a considerable challenge.  He is a notorious drinker but gambles seldomly, preferring to relate hoary tales of bygone years or take colleagues on guided tours of his mansion.  One would expect someone so terrifying to be more the brooding sort, but if anything he tends to wear his emotions plainly on his sleeves.

Powers:
Age Shift:  An extraordinarily bizarre ability, Johnathan is capable of turning back his own personal clock by hundreds of years at a time.  He claims that his current form, that of a middle-aged, impeccably groomed, and unabashedly swarthy man is in fact his weakest, despite having been seen going toe to toe with all manner of terrifying monstrosity without breaking so much as a sweat.  It is unknown what unique abilities he may have possessed in his younger years, if any, but it can be assumed that the Huntsman has plenty of tricks hidden away for special occasions. 

Alignment:
Bounty Hunter, Bodyguard, and everything in between.  So long as he is promised a challenge he will accept just about any job, refusing to take any sort of monetary payment so long as he is allowed to take some sort of trophy to remember it by.

[Ramael]

*grins*

Happy as always to have ya, Shi.

Player slots still available!

[aya]

Full Name/Title: Princess Lilith Aurelia Violetta, the Bloody Angel of Hades.

Race: Half-Demon, but looks distinctly human with only several demonic features.

History:
As her name suggests, Lilith is of royal descent. However, she isn't from just any royal line- Lilith is directly related to the King of Monsters himself, his only daughter amongst 8 children. She is one of the elusive half-breeds, her demonic father having slept her mortal mother on a whim, miraculously giving birth to her a year later. She wouldn't let anyone know that though; as far as they knew, she was just more of the same- human with demonic surgery. Lilith's mother died long ago, and her father could care less about her, if he even remembered she existed. Lilith had been an original member of the Olligarchy, seeking ways to maintain her excessively wealthy lifestyle.

Personality:
Lilith is calm at all times, and has an air of elegance and superiority. She is undoubtedly royalty, and even the air itself seems to change, bowing down in her presence. She isn't arrogant, but seems cold- as in her ability to leave hard labor to her servants without remorse, added to the fact that she doesn't flinch at the sight of violence. She is also not above destroying anything in her path to kill an enemy, and using any weapon at her disposal, such as a chainsaw, a hammer, various swords.. anything she has on hand. This behavior has earned her the nickname of 'Empress', to those in the Olligarchy and maybe even on the streets.

Lilith is actually rather playful otherwise, often doing things on a whim which can be described as eccentric by some, and just plain random by others.

Powers:
Contracts - Being a member of the demonic royal family, Lilith has the power to form contracts with anything alive, from humans to dragons to other demons. Those that she contracts with become her servants, and are granted half-immortality. That is, Lilith's blood possesses magical properties, able to revive the dead on contact. This act of reviving is how she forms contracts. However, royal law prevents her from contracting with those she has killed. In addition, her servants only have a week to live before they die again and require more of her blood. In that way, all of her servants have a degree of immortality.

Interestingly, she is only as physically strong as a normal human and sometimes requires that her servants get her out of trouble or help her defeat an enemy. Being a demon however, she has a longer lifespan than a human would, and possesses several resistances to toxins, disease, and curses due to her royal blood.

Due to the restraints placed on her powers, Lilith currently only has one blood servant. She has a rather strict standard for those whom she forms contracts with, although she has been known to resurrect normal humans on a whim, as housekeepers or regular servants.

Servant:

History: Simply named 'Valentine', he is Lilith's first and only blood servant. In his life, he was a bounty hunter who fell in love with his target, eventually sacrificing his own life to protect her and help her escape. Lilith had watched the entire struggle while calmly sipping on her tea. She had been rather disappointed when he was brutally killed, greatly outnumbered. However, she decided to make him her first servant. To this day, Valentine still searches for his old love while serving Lilith.

Power: Valentine had possessed the ability to conjure all sorts of weaponry, and be proficient in using them. Whether it be a sword, shield, spear, or bow, he could create it with a simple thought, and be extremely proficient in its use. Currently, Lilith uses him as transportation, sitting on his shoulder as she steers him throughout Atayo.

Alignment: One of the eight Olligarchs of the Opal Olligarchy.

[Ironwolf85]

I might make ballard's profile more complex tonight... and okay then I suppose it's Final fantasy esque. high tech, high magic, badassness, guns are rare

[Crovonovin]

Actually I think Ramael wanted there to be no guns at all.  Projectiles are probably limited to spells, bows, and slings. 

[Ironwolf85]

okay then.
oh my god.... drive by crossbowing

[Ramael]

Actually I think Ramael wanted there to be no guns at all.  Projectiles are probably limited to spells, bows, and slings.

Lol, I did stipulate this a coupla times.

Drive by crossbowing? If you can work it in, it goes in.

Great character Aya, I didn't think anyone would have the cojones to step up to the mantle of the Oligarchy :-)

[aya]

Hehe, I'll probably need to discuss with you a bit more about them. A bit more detail about how they work, etc.

[Ironwolf85]

Goblin gang drive by.... they're small 12 to a small car, 20 to a van, they slide the side open, and open fire. 18 bolts flying at the target... (it takes two to work the peddles and wheel) that'd be...
actually it'd be pretty nasty with steel bolts covering everything and hitting civilians....

[Krayz]

The instant you said you didn't think someone had the cajones, I decided on Oligarchy :P

So, aside from being tidy, organized people, what sort of things is the Oligarchy involved with?

[Ramael]

Hehe, I'll probably need to discuss with you a bit more about them. A bit more detail about how they work, etc.

The instant you said you didn't think someone had the cajones, I decided on Oligarchy :P

So, aside from being tidy, organized people, what sort of things is the Oligarchy involved with?

Being as we have so much Oligarchy interest...let me expand.

*swells up to twice his size*

Now I'll talk to you about the Oligarchy.

Involved with? Your usual organised crime stuff, with some spice thrown in - slave trade (both human and half-breed), drug distribution (I'll let you invent your own drugs if you decide to focus on this), arms trade, extortion, blackmail, money loaning, etc. It is worth noting that the Cartel operate in many of the same fields, hence a reason for their conflict.

I was thinking of the Oligarchy as being a lot more efficient and well-run than the Cartel. A smooth-running Mafia, with strict order and hierarchy. With the Oligarchy, the emphasis is much more on the group than the individual. With the Cartel, being of fewer number they focus more on the individual.

Thinking about it more now, I was playing with the idea of expanding the Oligarches' individuality. For instance, if each Oligarch, having his/her own set of minions that work for the Oligarchy as a whole, have their own "brand" that they administer to their servants, a mark or tatoo that not only marks them as members of the Oligarchy, but also as private property of their particular Oligarch. That way the Oligarchy breaks down into eight small gangs combining as a whole entity.

Aya, being as you've already made an Oligarch, if you want to run with this idea, it's upto you. You can have your own symbol for your minions, maybe even your own theme if you'd like.

Of course that my thinking in introducing this concept is that once you brand servants/thieves/thugs/bodyguards, they become property. And criminals+their own property+working with other criminals=conflict. The Oligarches could be waging a secret war against each other for overall dominance of the Oligarchy whilst their overt conflict with the Cartel rages. Think of the internal conflicts of the Dragonlords of Krynn, or the constant infighting between Dark Eldar Cabals, for example.

Added spice!


P.S I only said that about the Oligarchy because I thought that, out of all the four options, I figured they would be the least popular due to their more ordered nature. For some reason.

[Ironwolf85]

I'm thinking of stuff for Quintin... even trying to write a few songs.

also I think the reason the Oligatchy is getting a lot of attention is because being a high ranking player in it means you got minions to order around