Mass Effect: The New Galaxy [EX]

[thebobmaster]

It's been 50 years since the defeat of the Reapers at the hands of Commander Shepard. One would think that this would reduce crime rates, make the galaxy a safer place. Truth is, the galaxy was not fixed. Some elements have vanished. The Reapers are gone, destroyed by Shepard. Cerberus met the same fate.

Things have changed since. Having retaken their homeworld, acclimating with the help of the geth shortly before their destruction, a large percentage of quarians are able to take off their suits, though many choose to keep their environment suits, in respect of tradition. Due to the part played in saving the galaxy, krogans and quarians now have Council seats, bringing the total number of councilors to 6. In addition, there have been a handful of krogan and quarian Spectres, mostly picked up through C-Sec.

Not all is well, however. Crime is still fierce throughout the galaxy, threatening the peace. One of those criminal elements will be reaching the Citadel soon, and will bring with it the biggest threat since the Reapers to stability.

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Well, now that I got the background out of the way, some clarifications. First, this is not intended to be entirely true to the Mass Effect universe. I'll try to stay true to the broad strokes of what was stated to have happened in the games, but I also have no problems bending some of the more arguable elements if needed. Besides, the Codex is unreliable and not entirely accurate.

In addition, this follows the Destroy ending for ME 3. However, as 50 years have passed, certain machines, such as VIs and geth, are back up and running. After all, the machines were destroyed, but not the knowledge or ability to make them. At least, as far as I'm aware. If I'm wrong, I invoke artistic license!

As a final note before getting to the meat of the roleplay, the reason I have this listed under Extreme is because, well, I figure that the players should have freedom in doing as they will, to a degree. Also, the Mass Effect universe was already quite dark, so making it any lighter than Extreme didn't seem true to the games, in a way.
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OK, the meat of any roleplay is...well, the story and rules. But before I ruin the fun with rules, I think I should go into characters! Well, I'll post a sample sheet to indicate what is expected. You don't have to follow it strictly, but these are the elements I want included in some way.

Name: Seriously, if you can't figure this out, you are too young for the site.
Gender: See name.
Race: Just about any race is allowed, but keep in mind that, for example, a volus would make for a weird mercenary. Also, no yahgs or other obscure species, though that should go without saying.
Occupation: It is tempting for everyone to be a Spectre, but I want it limited to have maybe one other Spectre besides my character. Not because I'm the GM, but because of the story. I mean, how interesting would Mass Effect be if it was Shepard and 5 or so other Spectres saving the day?
Class: Any of the six classes would work fine.
Powers: You are allowed up to three powers, with one caveat.
Weapon: You are allowed up to two weapons. If you want more weapons, you must give up a power. This is for balance reasons.
Description: What does your character look like? You can either use a picture, if you have one, or text.
Notes: This is for anything you want known about your character. Background, weaknesses, etc.
Limits: This is for what you don't want happening to your character.

Now, as promised, a sample. This will be my character.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name: Sera'Zarda vas Citadel
Gender: Female
Race: Quarian
Occupation: Spectre
Class: Engineer
Powers: Tech armor, AI hacking
Weapons: pistol, submachine gun, shotgun
Description: Sera stands about six feet tall, with a gymnast build of lean muscle. She usually is clad in an environment suit. The environment suit is entirely black, except for a dark blue visor. She has decent curves, but not large enough to be overly distracting. When she talks, she has a deeply feminine voice with a Midwestern accent.
Notes: Sera got her position as a Spectre after being nominated for her role in breaking up a drug ring. In doing so, however, she was shot in the stomach by one of the drug pushers. She still has a scar from that injury, and will limp if forced to exert herself greatly.
Limits: None

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*sigh* Rules...man, do I hate rules. So limiting. For that reason, I'll try to keep this list short.

1. I will not kill off characters without permission. That said, your character will be at risk for a good portion of the game, and injuries are quite likely. If your character gets injured, I don't hate you, and medigel will cover it. If you are the kind to get upset over your character being injured, this is not the roleplay for you. Sorry.

2. By the same token, please don't kill off other characters without permission from the character's controller. Unless they are NPCs. No one cares about them.

3. If you have to leave the RP, I understand. Real life comes first. That said, tell me first. If it's a brief absence, we'll work it out. If the roleplay just isn't working, that's fine too. I just don't like being left in the lurch.

4. No god moding. Seriously, characters are not gods, and no one wants to play with a Mary Sue. Or Mary'Sue vas Badass, or what have you.

That's really about it for the rules. I'll be kind of guiding the story from point A to point B, but how we get to each point will be in control of the players. I don't really like being railroaded, so I'll do my best to not do that to others.

_{If you can read this, you don't need glasses. Unless you are wearing glasses.}

This will be a freeform game, as systems are a bit complicated to work with, and I feel like this gives more freedom. Plus, I trust myself to be able to keep things fun without relying on dice. Plus, dice are devils and will screw you over, as anyone who has ever rolled a 1 can attest to.

If you are still interested, post below. Once I have enough interest (and I don't need all that much), I'll put up an OOC and Character topic. Once I have enough characters, I'll start the main RP! Links will be below this post when available.

OOC

Characters

Citadel

[eBadger]

 

Suzie Lao
Suzie Lao is a counterculture icon, famous throughout the galaxy for her illegal broadcasts detailing the excesses, hypocrisy and tyranny of the major governments.  A Champion of the People, she’s sexy, fun, a pistol-wielding Robin Hood of information broking – half rock star glam and half folk hero violence.  As much as she pisses off big business and government, she enthralls everyone else.  She’s not above burglary, shootouts or seduction to get a story, and her news station – the Underground – hacks its way into normal feeds and brings anarchy, chaos and free love to every man, woman and Asari that ever felt sick of the powers keeping them down.  The revolution will be televised!

Sex: Female
Race: Human
Occupation: Information Broker (Freelance journalist/subversive/corporate terrorist)
Class: Engineer
Powers: Hacking (Locating, infiltrating and subverting computer systems and AIs), Combat Drone (Weaponized micro-VIs), Throw (Biotic telekinesis)

-Suzie is a technological savant with a penchant for hacking systems to seize information or defensive assets.  She's rarely without at least one armed camera drone, for later editing and broadcast.  Her abilities at telekinesis provides the key to many of the dramatic acrobatics featured on her broadcasts. 
 
Weaponry: Pair of 7.7R Ciriatto Pistols and a 7.7X Rubicante Pistol, typically with Warp ammo

-With a focus on getting a story or creating mayhem rather than mere slaughter, Suzie doesn't stock a heavy arsenal.  Her preferred sidearms are a pair of prototype heavy pistols liberated from a corporate facility during an investigation of Alliance governmental corruption, as well as a small custom holdout designed to collapse down to a tiny, scan-proof package. 

History: Suzie's childhood is a mystery that she prefers not to have answered. According to every record she was a model suburbanite whose parents died tragically.  Left with a fortune, she vanished for two years and suddenly reappeared with a vendetta that captured the galaxy's imagination. 

In reality, she was indeed born to an affluent family in Vancouver, the daughter of a powerful and unscrupulous lawyer and a wealthy heiress.  However, it was hardly idyllic; during years of abuse Suzie hid away with her studies until her father's violence culminated in her mother's suicide.  Legal recourses proved fruitless, and in the end Suzie solved the problem with her father's own pistol at the age of 14. 

She grabbed some funds and escaped off-world to avoid capture by police.  After a difficult start she fell in with a pirate vessel, where she learned to fight and put her education and aptitude with tech to malicious - and surprisingly fun - use.  Suzie learned to delight in chaos, pushing back against the oppressive legal hierarchy that had destroyed her mother and her childhood.  A series of short, amateur videos showing raids of everything from slavers to bankers, with suitably witty commentary, quickly went viral. 

An arrest on the Presidium for minor vandalism changed her life.  Fearing murder charges for her father, she was surprised to learn that his death had been reported accidental: a move by his firm to avoid scandal.  She was being hunted by the government as a missing person with a large inheritance, not a felon. 

She quickly set that to rights.  Nearly the entire fortune was sunk into a small ship with a stealth system and massive communications suite - the Underground itself - as well as top of the line weapons and armor.  Shedding the anonymity of her first videos she blossomed as a cult hero, pirate captain, and information broker. 

Her exploits should, by all rights, make her a wanted terrorist.  She delights in sabotage, burglary, and bombings.  She gives repeated injunctions to overthrow the government, attack police, and defy the law.  However, her actions have been aimed almost exclusively at the rotten core of the galaxy's corporations and governments: corrupt officials, rapists, slavers, the immoral rich who meet with little public pity.  The only serious attempt to prosecute her resulted in an outrage against the defense of her targets and doomed a judge and several politicians to disgraceful early retirement. 

With a charisma that sways billions and a daredevil attitude, Suzie is plunging headlong into a self destructive spiral.  She's willing to try most anything for an extra edge, from illegal gene hacking to prototype implants.  Her personal habits are a combination of manic attempts at perfection and unbridled hedonism. 

Inspirations: Bonnie & Clyde, Michael Moore, Rock Stars, the Irish Troubles. 

Sexual Orientation: Primarily lesbian, but willing to try most anything just for the sake of being outrageous. 

Availability: Suzie presents herself as a flirtatious tease.  She may pursue a relationship with a female, although that would depend largely on roleplaying. 

Ship: The Underground is a mid-range ship, designed as a swift yacht.  It has a small cargo hold and living quarters intended for a couple to live comfortably.  Most of the hold is now converted into a massive communications array, while a stealth suite has also been added to foil electronic detection.  Armament is minimal, intended for superiority against a lightly armed merchant, errant patrol fighter, or to cover a swift retreat. 

Limits: See my O/Os for the kink stuff; play-wise, I'm fine to see her fail but not humbled or humiliated.  She's a rock star, after all!

[Rel Mayer]

Maybe interested. :) I'm going to se where it goes.

[thebobmaster]

eBadger: Like the character. Could always have a hacker. Might be a bit tricky to work the "anti-government" part in, but hey, desperate times, etc.

Rel Mayer: I hope it goes well! The more, the merrier, after all.

[la dame en noir]

OMG A MASS EFFECT RP! PLEASE

[thebobmaster]

I'm going to take that as an expression of interest.

[la dame en noir]

I love ME. I'm trying to get a group RP going on Gaia and its taking a while, but I have a 1x1 going on here right now and I was thinking of making a ME group RP, but I FOUND THIS SOOO I THINK IM GOING TO JOIN!

Not sure if I want to use my Alliance Vanguard or my Spectre for this.

[Landshark]

definetely interested but could you specify what the group would be asked to do more. Is it a purely official Citadel group that was put together or will your Spectre character gather up the people they think best to help do the job ahead?

[thebobmaster]

It'll be a group my character puts together, like how Shepard got his/her group together.

[Landshark]

Hmmm Asari biotic or Batarian merc? Ooooh the decisions

[la dame en noir]

Is it okay to have a spectre in your group? Cause I love my Human Spectre. She's amazing.

[thebobmaster]

One other Spectre is fine. I just didn't want to overdo it and have EVERYONE be a Spectre.

[la dame en noir]

Well I would like to reserve that spot please! I'm about to make my character profile in a moment if thats okay.

[thebobmaster]

It's fine.

[la dame en noir]

You don't seem too happy about that. I'll just make her my Human vanguard then. :)

[thebobmaster]

No, really I'm fine with it. I try not to control players too much.

[Landshark]

Spectre is just a title. She wouldnt have to be a one to play her.
Seriously leaning toward Batarian Merc. Figured they would have become a little more open since they were all but wiped out. Blade armor, biotic charge and ballistic blades. Give him a Mattock and the  M-358 Talon.

[la dame en noir]

Batarians scare me!

I'm still working on my profile while I'm working! :) Trying to find a good photo to represent Olivia.

[thebobmaster]

OOC and Characters topics are up. Links posted in the main post.

[la dame en noir]

I'm still excited. But, I'm having one hell of a time finding a character picture cause I'm never satisfied with descriptions.

[thebobmaster]

Take your time. Don't want you to feel rushed.

[eBadger]

eBadger: Like the character. Could always have a hacker. Might be a bit tricky to work the "anti-government" part in, but hey, desperate times, etc.

As long as they're after bad guys together it shouldn't be a problem...just a friendly rivalry.  Suzie's an opinionated loudmouth, but she's out to help people. 

[eBadger]

I'm still excited. But, I'm having one hell of a time finding a character picture cause I'm never satisfied with descriptions.

Always pictures first, THEN make a character!  ...It's so hard to do it the other way. 

[EuRo]

*Puts a placeholder*

I'd like to join as well.

Maybe a.. Infiltrator scout or 'tank-like' bodyguard adept character. 

[thebobmaster]

Both of those sound like they could be interesting characters.