Voyage of the Dawn Star (Steam/Fantasy freeform Exploration Tale) Interest Check

Started by Paladin101, April 15, 2015, 04:05:03 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Paladin101

The Voyage of the Dawn Star:
The year is 1850, and the world is not as you know it.

Magic, a force we have all felt and often suspected, never hid in this world. It rests in the forefront of humanity, with practitioners being respected or feared depending on their behavior. The political landscape formed much as we know it, nations rising, churches speaking with the voices of their gods, the commoners ground under the boots of the aristocracy, yet there are differences.

Firstly, creatures of magic live among us. Werewolves and vampires, goblins and fairies, demons and angels, the creatures of the night are a powerful, and threatening force. The world has been shaped by their politics, with vampires bending rulers to their will, werewolves serving as nigh indestructible soldiers, fairies making bargains with mortals to grant powers beyond what mortals normally possess. The world is a far more dangerous place.

Secondly, humans have a firm grip on the subtleties of magic. The powers of magic are a force mankind has long studied, and slowly mastered. Few magi ever master more than a single element of magic, though most have minor powers in one or two other branches. But even with only a single element, the human magi are one of the reasons why the Twilight Races haven’t simply made humanity into their own version of livestock.

Thirdly, the New World has only now been discovered. In this world, the early adventurers who sought to find the New World never made it past the creatures of the sea, the Elder Sea Serpents are often hungry, and they are but one of the threats upon the wide ocean.

But now, with the advent of technology, combined with some magic, mankind has discovered a way to travel the skies! The creation of airships has given new life to the spirit of exploration, and as such new expeditions are being funded to fly west across the great ocean, to see what can be discovered across the great unknown.

Technology Level:
Appropriate to Victorian Era, muskets, canons, etc. Some steampunk technologies as well, open to interpretation by players, but no automatons.

Magic:
Magic is divided into elements;
Earth: Move rocks, find metals, great for craftsmen who work with metal or warriors who wish to draw strength or camouflage from the earth. Basically, anything dealing directly with the earth
Air: Moving air, calling down lightning, granting enhanced speed. Again, open for interpertation
Water: Manipulate water, turn seawater fresh, create hail storm, all sorts of things
Fire: You can burn shit. Control heat, prevent fire from spreading, etc
Body: Healing, regenerating the flesh of the body, enhancing the body to have more strength or more speed, at the cost of burning additional energy from that body.
Mind: Mental control, illusions and dream magic.


The Twilight Races:

There are a great number of fantasy races, here are some examples.

Vampires: They prefer to act sophisticated, often will conceal their true nature unless they are hungry or provoked. Vampires are one of the more organized and regimented races, ruled by their elders and always working towards goals that further their agenda.

Werewolves: The pack is one of the races that has little interest in ruling. The many packs of werewolf answer only to themselves, and simply enjoy the thrill of the hunt, or whatever lives they choose to carve out for themselves. It is not a rare sight to see werewolves as mercenaries, since they are so hard to kill.

Fairies: The varied races of fairy, from tiny brownie to stately elf, all serve one of the two Courts of Fae, Winter and Summer. Their representatives love to make deals with mortals, garnering power through these deals and frequently getting the better end of it. Some just like to live among mortals, often as merchants or diplomats.

Goblins: Bloodthirsty little devils, they carve out their own niche in society with their sharp blades. Specializing in wet work, goblins hire themselves out as assassins and problem solvers, when they aren’t home protecting the burrow.


The Dawn Star:

A new airship being commissioned for a voyage across the ocean, it is now assembling a crew to brave the great unknown. Adventurers of all sorts will be needed, from healers to frontiersmen, airmen to soldiers, representatives of the merchant interests to botanists. Any sort of character that could be imagined for a journey such as this could be made.


I am looking to get 4-5 interested players, if I see any interest I will put together a character sheet. I am looking to do a freeform RP, no system in place. I want to let this be a sandbox as you interact on the voyage, and then the decisions you make when you reach the new world and meet the natives.

Also, this RP is not being sexually themed, but I am obviously not having any problem with sexual elements going on. I mean we will have a mixed crew locked up on a ship for months as they sail over the ocean....stress relief will happen and drama can ensue! But just wanted to say I am not themeing this RP around constant sexual events. Also this RP is LGBT friendly. Though based on the era, there could be obvious character dynamics and drama that go along with that.

Character Sheet
Name:
Race: (Human, or a Twilight Race. If you wish one other than what I have listed PM me your idea and I will let you know)
Age: (Fairies, Werewolves and Vampires can have a maximum age of 300, I am not allowing someone to play an Elder of either race)
Sex:
Ons/Offs:
Class, or Description of Concept: (Give me a short description of what is the basic concept of your character. A weather mage? An explorer? Daring rogue? Ruthless Mercenary?)
Position: (What is your job on the ship? Are you the carpenter, the smith? The engineer? Quartermaster, perhaps Master at Arms? An explorer, a magi? Representative of the trade consortium? Perhaps a mind mage who specializes in being a translator?)
Skills: (What are you good at? If you are a Magi, what magics do you specialize in?)
Flaws: (What are you bad at, or perhaps what is a character defect that affects how you interact with others?)
Appearance: (Written description please, picture as well if you wish)
Personality:
Why did you Sign up?: (What reason do you have for taking the dangerous journey to seek the New World? Do you have a burning lust for adventure? Wanderlust? Does the greedy thought of a percentage of any mineral find claimed for the consortium you represent drive you? The search for new vintages of human blood to taste? A desire to see if magic behaves differently in the new world?)
History: (As I said, the history of this world is similar to our own, only fantasy elements are alive and kicking. Feel free to make things up, if something feels too out of whack with how I am envisioning this, I will let you know.)
Equipment: (What is your gear? If you are a craftsman aboard vessel you will have your tools aboard, for anyone else bear in mind that you will need to be able to fit whatever you carry in a small chest. Unless you are an important passenger, then you would be allocated more cargo space.)

Galick

I'd be all over playing in this one. Any idea on the character types or the general area we'd start in be? Or things like that?

Hexed

What the hell. It's an interesting setting. :)

Any limits beyond what you've already listed on the character concepts you want?

Paladin101

Starting location would likely be London in the shipyards, everyone boarding the vessel and prepping for take off.

As for character types, anything goes. You could be the First Mate, a helmsman, an engineer who cares for the engines, a vampire representative of the Trade Consortium funding the expedition, an Elven merchant coming along to size up profit potential in the New World, Human soldier coming to protect the ship or explore the wilds, Werewolf mercenary or scout, human magi to help keep the magic elements of the ship intact, or maybe a weather mage or air or water who helps fend off storms, anything you could dream of. I don't really see any limits, aside from I don't want to see anyone make any "I AM THE ALL POWERFUL GOD OF WAR AND MAGIC RAWR!" characters.

Frelance

Just want to make sure I read everything correctly before I start writing up a character.

You said that humans has long studied, and slowly mastered magic. So the humans have the most knowledge about magic but the other race are able to use it as well?

One last question the vampires in this universe are they a race of their own or are they comprised of beings from the other races in the world?
Evolution is an arms race

Paladin101

Quote from: Frelance on April 19, 2015, 01:29:00 AM
Just want to make sure I read everything correctly before I start writing up a character.

You said that humans has long studied, and slowly mastered magic. So the humans have the most knowledge about magic but the other race are able to use it as well?

One last question the vampires in this universe are they a race of their own or are they comprised of beings from the other races in the world?

Humans would have the most powerful and diverse elemental magics. Some creatures though have their own magic, like the Fae, or Demons, but it is specialized. So for example an Elf or other fairy doing earth magic, or something related to the type of fairy they are, could compete or best a human. But a Fairy trying mind magic, or fire? Wouldn't work. So yes, in general, humans are the best mortal practitioners.

Vampires are their own race in this world. They will sometimes turn humans to make them a lower breed of vampire, but they make the mortal work for it.

Frelance

Evolution is an arms race

Julles

Hello,

Perking eyebrows in interest! I might have a character from the past I want to recycle for this play. I'll get a character sheet up soon.

One question, you said Angels are allowed, yes? If so, can I play a fallen Angel?

Thanks much,
Julles

Paladin101

Yes, an angel could be played. Fallen Angel could certainly be played. Before you post anything give me a PM with your character idea so I can look it over and tell you if it jives with how I am seeing things. :)

For clarity, I do see Angels and Demons as coming from Heaven and Hell. So if you are playing a Fallen Angel, you will have to watch out for Demons who see you as a particularly tasty soul to corrupt to swell their ranks. ;) Powers and such an angel would have would be holy/light based powers, perhaps body or mind magic style, if Fallen you would lose touch with the holy aspect of your powers. Loving that there is some interest perking, hoping to start seeing some sheets!

Julles

Quote from: Paladin101 on April 20, 2015, 10:31:11 PM
Yes, an angel could be played. Fallen Angel could certainly be played. Before you post anything give me a PM with your character idea so I can look it over and tell you if it jives with how I am seeing things. :)

For clarity, I do see Angels and Demons as coming from Heaven and Hell. So if you are playing a Fallen Angel, you will have to watch out for Demons who see you as a particularly tasty soul to corrupt to swell their ranks. ;) Powers and such an angel would have would be holy/light based powers, perhaps body or mind magic style, if Fallen you would lose touch with the holy aspect of your powers. Loving that there is some interest perking, hoping to start seeing some sheets!

Yes, I will send you a PM first. As for the powers and such and being victim to 'demonizing', I understand all that. :) I'll get one to you soon.

Oh, and I wasn't sure if you'd mentioned this or not... but is it just one character a person?

Paladin101

Starting out, I would prefer one per person. Once we see what kind of interest there is, I would prolly be fine with second characters. Just prefer to give people with first characters a chance to pick roles on the ship they want before someone takes up two. :)