Mass Effect {Open Recruitment}

[Malrunar]

GMs: Pink Professional & Malrunar

Welcome to Mass Effect: Pandora, a Semi-Structured, Semi-Freeform Forum Game set in the Mass Effect Universe.  You may be wondering what 'Semi-Structured, Semi-Freeform' means, and to that, we say that the game is going to be a mostly freeform game revolving around a group of core PCs and NPCs interacting, which will then include a series of missions and events to unfold a plot and story which you as players will get to live in, and interact with, and ultimately shape.

Mass Effect: Pandora is set in the year 2174 CE, 9 years before the events of Mass Effect 1, on the moon of Daphne IV which orbits the planet Phoebus. Daphne IV has become a thriving hub of trade, industry, and culture in the last thirty years – A Turian colony World that has become a beacon of Citadel-led community spirit and cooperation. Over Sixty percent of the Moon has been swallowed up by the massive complex of the great supercity Enlil, sprawling and complex. This city burrows beneath the crust of the Moon and is contained within an artificially maintained atmosphere. Untold millions have made their home on the supercity, with the wealthiest manning the highest parts of burrowing high-rises and interweaving, vascular streets. Outside of the cities, huge warehouse complexes exist to store the resources needed to run such a terrifying organizational structure, and off-city water storage silos and recycling plants keep the great city as self-sufficient as possible. Giant power plants manifest the power of the nearby star of Hoc, using the frequent Solar Flares and intense solar radiation to keep the moon fully powered, and even importing much of this wealth to the nearby planet. The artificially generated atmosphere keeps the temperature regulated and cool. Many called Enlil the next Illium, and perhaps that might have been true.

Enlil stands as a beacon of community and co-operation and was recently awarded the distinct honor of being selected as the site of a new Citadel initiative. Co-funded by the Human Alliance, a new state-of-the-art Xenobiology Centre was established, named Pandora's Hope in honor of the idea that the costly wars of the past have finally led to something beautiful in the future.

Two weeks ago, communication with Enlil was lost.

It isn't too unusual for Enlil's communication to be lost, truthfully. The Solar Storms of the star Hoc were known to occasionally damage the satellites used for FTL communication. Sometimes ships might be grounded for hours or even days in respect of the unpredictable radiation storms.

Communication was down longer than expected, however, and people started to get nervous. Expeditions were sent to investigate the unusual radio silence, and one brave crew managed to restore communications, although not without incredible cost.

Four days ago, news that Enlil and Daphne IV had become the subject of a massive blockade reached the Citadel. The reason? Although not a lot of information is known, the following facts have been confirmed by Phoebus' own military presence.

*  A massive Solar Storm did indeed happen two weeks ago, knocking out communication. This isn't unusual and was even predicted and forecasted by those in the know both on the planet, and on the moon.
*  During that Solar Storm, an unknown attack rocked several sites on Enlil. Chaos has made it impossible to look into every attack, because...
*  One of the attacks focused on the Pandora's Hope facility. Several key members of the recently-opened facility have been confirmed dead.
*  A virulent, viral outbreak has occurred; an unknown infection of unknown origin that seemingly kills and reanimates the corpses of individuals within 24 hours of infection; with a lethality rate of around 75%.

Due to this outbreak, and coordinated by a survivor of the Pandora's Hope team, the entire Moon has been locked down and cordoned off. Estimations have approximately 10% of the Moon's population already being infected with the disease. It is suspected that hundreds of thousands of civilians have already perished as a result of this outbreak. The Citadel, keen to prevent the spread of this disease and ease a humanitarian crisis – as well as trying to stop a project costing trillions of credits from burning to the ground – has spent the last few days trying to muster a team to spearhead the operation. A Spectre and his team are being selected to coordinate with the survivor of the Pandora's Hope team and whatever allies they have gathered to establish facts of just what the hell happened. Who led these unusual attacks? How did this viral outbreak happen? What was the reason for all of this madness?

[Malrunar]

Most of this goes without saying; but, just like warning labels, these are here for a reason.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

No OOC drama. We’re all adults here, so let's act like it. Be respectful. Be Patient. Writing will be in the third-person point of view. Please post at least once a week. Post length minimum is two full paragraphs. Quality over quantity. This won't be a speed game, the GMs don't have the time to post a dozen times a day. Communicate. If you’re going on vacation, please let us know. If something is bothering you, or if you're confused or just stuck in a creative rut, communicate, communicate, communicate. No godmoding. Get permission before you do anything with anyone else’s character. No means no. Always. All characters must be original, and have no direct connection to the canon characters of the series. No long-lost siblings, sorry!

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Combat:

A short and sweet explanation of how combat works: This is a freeform game, with a bit of variable guidance from the GMs via dice rolls. This restricts anyone from being too O.P and has lead to some zany misadventures in the previous version of the game. GMs have the final say, but feel free to ask any questions you might have.

[Malrunar]

Please PM Character Sheets to BOTH GMs -Pink Professional & Malrunar- for approval.

Where do I start?

That all depends! The team put together for the Spectre is backed by the Citadel Council. Here you will be expected to follow orders and may be faced with tough moral decisions. There are rumors floating around about the origin of this virus, and a Spectre has every bit of authority and the capabilities to wipe a planet off of the solar maps should it be deemed necessary. (tldr; your character will start on the Citadel with the rest of the team, and will begin with a briefing of the mission to come.)

Example Roles-
Captain (Spectre):- Will be played by Pink
Engineer:-
Pilot:-

Life on the moon is comfortable; so long as you have the funds to reach daylight. It's not unknown for powerful scientists and politicians to flaunt their status and wealth by hiring mercenaries to act as bodyguards. But an Alliance-backed facility on a turian colony world doesn't provide much excitement. Now that there is chaos in the streets, it's only natural that the strongest survives... (There is a fortified building on the moon that is protected by several mercenaries -hired by a doctor who is determined to not only survive, but find a way to fix the problem. There is just one issue she hasn't mentioned: she's almost out of funds, and these mercenaries aren't cheap.)

Example Roles-
Doctor:- (Will be played by Malrunar)
Mercenary:-
Politician:-
Scientist:-
Civilian:-

»  Character Name Goes Here  «

Name:- Your character's name (include a nickname if you wish to use one) Here's a name generator if you need some ideas!

Age:- We recommend you be over 25 unless you have a good reason as to why you should break that rule; I.e Salarians might want to be younger.

Sexuality:- What sexuality does your character identify with?

Race:- All are welcome, with the exception of the Geth or Collectors and non-sapient creatures. 

Birthplace:- Where are they from?

Role:- What is their specialty?

Personality Traits:- What is this character like? How is their temperament? Do they have any quirks? What makes this character likable/frustrating?

Synopsis:- Give us a rundown on your character’s history. We’re asking for a minimum of two paragraphs here.

Skills:- Three skills that your character might specialize in, plus one unique skill-set that makes them stand out from the rest.

Weaknesses and Flaws:- I've always believed that flawed characters were the most interesting! Give us a secret: are they impulsive and rash? Quick to anger? What makes them imperfect? 

Kinks:- Please provide a link to your On's and Off's page, no need to list them all out.

Rumors:- Give us two lies and one truth here, but don’t indicate which is which.

Equipment:- What is commonly on your character at all times? Do they travel light? Or are they bogged down and slow because they are a borderline hoarder?

Code Select Expand

[center][size=12pt]»[i]  Character Name Goes Here  [/i]« [/center]


[float=left][img height=250 padding=10]https://i.imgur.com/0YydNMW.png[/img][/float]



[b]Name:-[/b] [font=ariel black]Your character's name (include a nickname if you wish to use one) Here's a [url=https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/mass-effect.php]name generator[/url] if you need some ideas![/font]

[b]Age:-[/b] [font=ariel black] We recommend you be over 25 unless you have a good reason as to why you should break that rule; I.e Salarians might want to be younger.[/font]

[b]Sexuality:-[/b] [font=ariel black]What sexuality does your character identify with?[/font]

[b]Race:-[/b] [font=ariel black]All are welcome, with the exception of the Geth or Collectors and non-sapient creatures.  [/font]

[b]Birthplace:-[/b] [font=ariel black]Where are they from?[/font]

[b]Role:-[/b] [font=ariel black]What is their specialty?[/font]

[b]Personality Traits:-[/b] [font=ariel black]What is this character like? How is their temperament? Do they have any quirks? What makes this character likable/frustrating? [/font]

[b]Synopsis:-[/b] [font=ariel black]Give us a rundown on your character’s history. We’re asking for a minimum of two paragraphs here.[/font]

[b]Skills:-[/b] [font=ariel black] Three skills that your character might specialize in, plus one unique skill-set that makes them stand out from the rest. [/font]

[b]Weaknesses and Flaws:-[/b] [font=ariel black]I've always believed that flawed characters were the most interesting! Give us a secret: are they impulsive and rash? Quick to anger? What makes them imperfect?  [/font]

[b]Kinks:-[/b] [font=ariel black]Please provide a link to your On's and Off's page, no need to list them all out.[/font]

[b]Rumors:-[/b] [font=ariel black]Give us two lies and one truth here, but don’t indicate which is which.[/font]

[b]Equipment:-[/b] [font=ariel black]What is commonly on your character at all times? Do they travel light? Or are they bogged down and slow because they are a borderline hoarder?[/font]


[center][img height=200]https://i.imgur.com/mtRzyzC.png[/img] [img height=200]https://i.imgur.com/UueCzuS.png[/img] [img height=200]https://i.imgur.com/lBKJLOO.png[/img] [img height=200]https://i.imgur.com/Ahokz30.png[/img] [/center]

[Malrunar]

Docking Bay: Victor-12

     While the city burns and chaos ensues, a small bubble has been created in the docking bay. Saying that it’s ‘safe’ is a stretch of the imagination, but several well-paid and slightly desperate mercenaries have gathered to keep the landing zone clear. It’s not public knowledge as to who is expected to land, but many hope to see evacuation ships sweeping through the sky in vast numbers.

     -- Due to the lock-down of the moon, no aircraft is permitted to leave the station without an override. No one around happens to have Citadel authority, and the last few shuttles that tried were shot out of the sky.
     -- There are some strange-looking creatures lurking in the shadows. Too large to be varen, but so far they're keeping to the shadows and seem to be watching and waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Dangerously patient.

The Corvidae.

      Working for a Spectre isn't for the weak of heart. When you're tasked with the most dangerous or politically damning missions, there is no room for error, no slacking on the job, no leniency when expectations are to be met. But the Spectre who captains the Corvidae knows the importance of a rested crew and treats his team well.

     -- The Corvidae only had a few hours to restock and refresh it's stores before shoving off for it's latest mission. While the Citadel council didn't brief the entire crew on the next destination for the team, it wouldn't be long until the Spectre brings everyone up to speed.
     -- While the crew waits for a briefing on their next mission, keen observation wouldn't miss the Spectre's own level of anxiety regarding what he must have learned.

Sam

Galeaus

Luus

Drack

Zelgraviana

Mischa

Jarv

Viella

Ashton

[Pink Professional]

Hello there.

As the other GM, It seems right I be saying something.

[Wheresmycow]

I'll have a sheet for a krogan merc for you two soon.

[Malrunar]

Glad to have Drack back! 😁

[Pink Professional]

I'll just reiterate this as the Co-GM, and this is for everyone.

Please PM your characters to the GMs, as it allows us to offer any critique, advice, or alterations without clotting up the Interest Check.

As for general advice...

1) I'd like to know a little more about the personality. A lot of the older players adopted a general bullet point system for a few characteristics, and then expanded upon them in a more indepth write-up similar to what you've offered. Half of the Personality Trait is just a repetition of his Weaknesses and Flaws, after all. I understand that trying to figure out a character who lives in a vacuum and hasn't been played yet can be tough, but I trust you've got this.

2) I worry that you might not get a whole lot out of your skills as they stand. They are very general and safe. I'm also worried that putting so much stock in your role as the A-61 Pilot. Not every mission will allow you to make use of this, which seems to be the core principle of your character. Is your character able to show any technological prowess when dealing with machines? It's hard to tell if, in terms of game mechanics, he is more of a 'Soldier' or an 'Engineer'. Just something to think about.

3) I'm not sure if he is being geared towards a 'Merc' role as a survivor of Enlil, or as a member of the Spectre's crew. This is the smaller detail which can be decided upon in conversation with GMs, but I'm not sure what Randy Andy Anderson's plan is.

Hopefully that helps, and please do send your future versions of the character to the GMs via personal message.

[Malrunar]

Approved characters are coming in! Check out the 4th post in the thread for links and photos of the cast.

[Malrunar]

Looks like everyone is team Sam. 

Two more sheets have been turned in! Would love to see some characters attached to the Spectre's team, just to add a little more balance.

[TreyWalker]

I'm interested so would love to know what's expected to fill in the spectre team.

[Malrunar]

We're pretty flexible, and the slots are wide open. Pilot. Engineer. Soldier. Anything would work. I would only suggest that their work ethics and motivation be aligned on the Spectre's side. You can read his character sheet for inspiration if you'd like. (Fourth page of the thread, the character names below nthe icons are links to approved character sheets.)

[Pink Professional]

Spectre here.

The Turian is uninterested in race politics, so would likely have a quite cosmopolitan team. Asari, Krogan, Batarian, or Human. There are obvious places for technically savvy individuals, because every good ship needs a few techies to run it, as well as doctors, scientists, and just about anything besides that could have a military or investigative application.

Basically, if you can justify why a Spectre might want your character in one sentence, they'd likely fit on Galeaus' crew.

[Malrunar]

Our cast is currently at 8, but we're still openly accepting! I'm hoping to get things started off this weekend. It's not too late to join, even when the ball is rolling!

[AmandaShow]

Definitely interested!
Any specific roles that need filling?

[Malrunar]

Hello!

We could certainly use more members on the Spectre's team. All roles are open, but we don't have anyone with tech skills yet, or a pilot. 😁

[arkhos]

Greetings - had an idea for a pilot, but just wanted to make sure no one else has shown interest/reserved the seat?

Thanks! :)

[Malrunar]

Its still unclaimed. 

[Pink Professional]

An Update for those interested still.

We have the Prologue Up. In it, the two smaller teams will meet up and connect, and the first event will occur planetside.

Just because we have the start of the IC going up, doesn't mean we aren't still accepting. It is easy enough to retroactively fit in characters for either group.

So far, we have...

3 Humans
2 Asari
2 Turian
1 Krogan
1 Batarian
1 Salarian
and 1 Quarian

We also have 5 Male, and 5 female characters, as well as a nice mix of Mercs and Spectre Crew.

That is to say, we have a lot of options open for prospective players.

[Malrunar]

The cast list has been updated!

[TheTech]

What are you still looking for to round out the teams?

[Malrunar]

At this point we're fairly even, so both sides can easily take another member. The story is going to reach a point (probably in the next couple of days, even) where everyone is in the same space, so any unbalance wouldn't be there for long. We do not have an engineering role, however!

[Malrunar]

We're still open for a few more interesting characters to join the crew. The prologue scene is wrapping up now, but the real fun has yet to start! 😎

[TheTech]

I would have loved to join in.