Welcome, interested players! I am sure that there are many reasons why you have clicked on this thread. Perhaps you know me and might have been interested in what my mind had in store this time? Maybe you have been seeking an interesting space game? Or maybe just the title intrigued you? Whatever the case, the concepts will be explained below. Before we get to that, I want to make sure that you all know this important fact:
I am not a fast poster by any means. As such, this game will be quite slow-paced. The fastest this will likely go is maybe one post from every writer every one-to-two weeks in the main thread (the OOC would likely be daily depending on chatting and plotting).
So, with that out of the way, let's get to what you all have really wanted to hear:
The setting:
The setting where this takes place is known as the
Tri-Galaxies, which are three massive Galaxies that orbit one another in a very stable fashion (I.E. they will never collide with each other). These Galaxies are called:
Corkscrew,
Moor, and
Thunderstorm. The Milky Way and the origin planet of humans are basically a lost mystery. However, humans have inhabited the three galaxies and now are 8% of the entire species population (nearly 3 trillion people!), making them the most common sentient species in the stars! The only species that come close are the
Wol'Fare (4% of the sentient species in the galaxies), a humanoid species of Canine-like beings who often take the appearance of humanoid Wolves, and the Keegrok (2% of the sentient species in the galaxies), a large. reptilian species that stand about 8 feet tall with a powerful, four foot prehensile tail. Of course, with nearly 5000+ species in the Tri-Galaxies, there are many sorts of alien wonders throughout, some more populous than others. Of course, no other race makes up more than 1% of the total and considering that a population of 5 billion makes up less than 0.05%, most races make up less than that. Despite that, many races have power and influence that makes their smaller numbers less of a 'disadvantage.'
Now, with so many races, how do people communicate? Well, someone asked that same question a millennia or two ago and a system was figured out. Known as Galactic Voices of Trade, or 'Voice' for short, anyone who knows one of these Voices has a high chance of being understood in most civilized areas. There are a total of
- Voice One: The oldest of the Voices, Voice Nine can be easily learned and communicated by any air-breathing species as it includes many hand motions during speech.
- Voice Two: Telepathic races prefer this Voice. Those with no telepathic ability miss about 40% of what is trying to be communicated and have a hard time communicating.
- Voice Three: A variation of the natural tongue of the Wol'Fare race, it is somewhat guttural with growls accenting speech. In order to speak this Voice, one who isn't Wol'Fare must pay close attention on emphasizing growls and whines else they miss-communicate with others who speak this Voice.
- Voice Four: A variation of Human English, it is somewhat different than the original as it has new slang terms that are similar to other Human languages.
- Voice Five: A variation of the Keegrok tongue, it uses many hisses, whistles, and clicks in place of many words. This is a favorite for reptilian and insect-like races and, although humans and other air-breathing races can learn and understand it, they have to make special emphasis on the hisses, whistles, and clicks, else they risk miss-communicating what they say.
- Voice Six: A language for aquatic species, there is a very heavy emphasis on clicking, similar to the Human Morris Code. Speakers of Voices Five and Six can learn each other easily, but Six is extremely fast-paced, so understanding and speaking it can be very difficult.
- Voice Seven: The newest, only created 1000 years ago, of the Voices, this is an attempt to create a universal language. For this to work, every word has 3-4 equivalents, at least one being a gesture or particular sound. So, while it can be learned easily, the different sounds and gestures make this slightly confusing for those who don't know Voice Nine.
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Money in the Tri-Galaxies vary from planet to planet, but a universal system of Credits has been established due to the need for a universal way of trading currency. Credits are almost always accepted in various starports, but the prices of items may vary wildly. For example, an energy rifle sold on one station may cost 8000 Credits, but the same rifle sold at another station may cost up to ten times as much! Credits are exchanged by 'Cred-Chips' which look like large Jump Drives from Earth and hold the Credits. Luckily for everyone, Credits cannot be forged, so one can forge a Cred-Chip, but it will never have Credits unless Credits are transferred to it through another source. A Credit is the rough equivalent of an Earth Dollar, but one Credit is the minimal that can be paid. Of course, even if one has no Credits, one can trade for Credits or other objects as long as they are willing to barter.
In the Tri-Galaxies, there are three major governments:
United Warlock Federation (UWF),
Coalition of Free Species (CFS), and
Citadel of Splynne (CoS). These three governments rule the
Thunderstorm,
Corkscrew, and
Moor galaxies respectively. The UWF is an alliance of Magic and Psyonic species that promotes exploration and study of the universe. There are many magical academies throughout the various systems in the Thunderstorm Galaxy. The UWF is the most neutral of the three governments and will only officially engage in war if they are directly threatened. Otherwise, Warlocks (magic users) and Psyonic beings are on their own when it comes to choosing one side or another. The CoS rules the Moor Galaxy and openly engages in a massive slave trade that snakes its through all three galaxies. The Splynne, very powerful amphibian-like species, are the rulers of the CoS and are known for their arenas where slaves, captives, and vicious beasts are set on each other for blood sport. The CoS and the CFS are actively engaged in a very tense truce. The CFS abhors slavery of all kinds and would normally open in war with the Splynne, but their own power isn't enough to defeat them in a full-on battle. However, the Splynne know that, while they are stronger than the CFS, they would win at very great cost. If the UWF sides with one or the other, then overwhelming victory will be assured. So, while the CoS allows pirates, mercenaries, and all sorts of illegal activities to happen openly, the CFS are their polar opposites. As of now, the peace has continued, but no one knows how much longer it will last...
Now, travel throughout the Galaxies is done by spacecraft. Most spacecraft can achieve a max speed of 1-5 lightyears per hour, but more advanced spacecraft can achieve 30 lightyears an hour, however those are quite rare. Now, not every ship can be in lightspeed, so most spaceships can achieve a max speed of Mach 3-7, with only the most advanced reaching speeds of Mach 20! The only thing is that to go from Mach speed to Lightspeed, it takes about three minutes for the reactor to charge up to the minimum speed. If it isn't already obvious, NO combat ever happens at Lightspeed unless it is between people in a ship. Otherwise, no ship-to-ship combat can happen.
Finally, though many species have their own skills and abilities, there are such things as Magic and Psyonics (telekinetic power). However, someone who is Psyonic can never learn Magic or vice-versa. The same can be said of anyone who has any bionic parts. Let's say that a magic user has been badly injured and needs to have his leg below the knee replaced. He'll come to find out that even that much has destroyed his magical strength by 75% of what he could do before. Any more than that will forever keep him from using or learning magic. Even if he were to somehow replace the mechanical parts with newly grown biological parts, the damage has already been done. This means that if a Human wishes to try to learn magic, he or she cannot have so much as a bionic eye because the mechanical parts will block any learning he or she can achieve.
Finally, it should be noted that Magic and Psyonics will NOT work if the character is wearing anything greater than medium body armor or is piloting a Power Armor (think Master Chief) or a mecha. Obviously, Magic and Psyonics in the middle of ship-to-ship combat is impossible due to massive speeds and distances!
The situation:
The situation is simple: The characters start out on a small station on the edge of a large nebula just slightly off the main travel routes (not enough to leave them totally isolated, but just off the beaten trail enough to not be a first choice for docking) in the Corkscrew Galaxy. This station is basically a 'Grey Market' where things are bought and sold, most of it legal, but there are some illegal things. Such things can be bought and sold so long as they understand that if anything illegal at all is even hinted to being linked to the one who runs
Crimson Station, they will immediately be arrested and given to the authorities without question or mercy. Otherwise, they can sell and buy almost anything.
Now, the characters will be on the station for various reasons, perhaps even have been born and raised there. The main thing is that
NO ONE owns a ship. Gol'Fan, the Keegrok who controls Crimson Station, will send a friend of his to my character and offer him an opportunity as long as he can find a crew. That's where your characters come it. They can be almost any race, gender, orientation, and have their own goals and dreams. Somehow, they are found by my character for their skills and the group meets with Gol'Fan who offers them 500,000 Credits! More than any of them have ever seen in their lives! They will use this to purchase a simple ship and still have perhaps 2,000 Credits each for personal things. There is a catch, however: Though there is no time limit for it, Gol'Fan will require them to pay back 1,000,000 Credits, twice what he has loaned them for the ship!
Now, they can do legal and illegal jobs to pay him back as they are free to do what they want. However, if he ever catches wind that they have become pirates, he will send an alert to everyone who he has ever loaned money to in order to plant a target with a massive reward on the crew's capture or destruction. In order to make sure that they pay him back, he will assign a robot who will take 40% of whatever Credits they receive for jobs and send it back to Gol'Fan. If the robot happens to be destroyed, they have one year to return to Crimson Station and get a new one, else he will assume the deal is now void and will place a heavy bounty on their heads if they ever are in the Corkscrew galaxy again.
So, this story will start soon after my character has assembled the rest and they meet in Gol'Fan's office and learn of the Loan and deal offer. Obviously, they'll accept it, so the adventure will begin there. As one can see, there are many, many adventures they can get into with three Galaxies, billions of worlds, and the option of doing illegal and/or legal job ventures.
Game Rules: These rules are non-negotiable
- Follow all of Elliquiy's rules
- Real Life always comes first. If you need to step away for a little bit, your character will become a semi-NPC until your return. Nothing exceedingly horrible will befall your character during this time. However, if you need to leave the game, let use know in OOC. We can then discuss how to tie up loose ends and figure out what your character's fate shall be.
- Please no God-Modding
- This is NOT a system game. It is a semi-focused freeform game.
- Okay, we're adults here, so if there happens to be a problem, take it to PM. Include your GM if things get too much, but once I've ruled something one way or another, that's it.
- No 'Mary Sues' or 'Gary Stues!' Your character isn't a perfect person who can do any and everything without effort.
- Magic and Psyonics will be looked at very closely since they have the potential to be extremely powerful. These characters must have some kind of limitations!
- OC Characters only!
- Minimal character age is 18, no exceptions!
- Although this game will go into the
Extreme section of E, sex will
not be the focus. If sex does happen, I ask that you respect each player's Ons and Offs.
Character Sheet
Character Rules:
- Only one character is allowed per player.
- Characters can be Human or an alien species. However, please, please, please run an alien species by be first!
- This game is open to ALL genders, races/ethnicities, sexual orientations, etc.
- Connections between characters are not only allowed, but they are encouraged! This makes it easier for them to actually join up together as a crew!
- Although I don't mind a character having 'bad' traits (anger issues, stuck-up preppy, elitist, etc), I would prefer you not make a character that is totally an antagonist, however.
- Creativity, though not totally required, is highly encouraged. After all, this is your character and I want you to be comfortable with him or her! Just because the group may 'need' someone who has a few black market connections or a medical expert doesn't mean that you need to make one. Play the character you want to play.
- Magic, Psyonics, and Mecha: These will be very limited as the first two can be overpowered and the last is unlikely to be had considering our characters' start and the fact that I doubt they will have a ship big enough for a mech.
- Consequences: Whatever you do IC can and will affect how a character or group handles the world around them. Your character likes to collect jars of alien blood? Well, things may not be so pretty for the group later on if the ship is searched!
- All characters MUST be,
at minimal, eighteen years or older. This is for everyone's comfort and peace of mind.
- Character Deaths MUST be decided beforehand!
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[b]Player Name:[/b]
[b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Sex:[/b]
[b]Orientation:[/b]
[b]Current/Former Occupation:[/b]
[b]Physical Features:[/b] Height, Weight, Hair Color, Eye Color, distinguishing features, ect; Be as descriptive as you like.
[b]Personality:[/b] Just a few lines are all that's needed.
[b]Voices:[/b] Characters should know Voice Four + 0-3 other Voices.
[b]Abilities:[/b] Do they have abilities signature to their race, such as a reptile that can regenerate a limb they lost in about a month's time?
[b]Magic:[/b] What kind of Magic User is he/she? What sort of magic do they use? None if they have bionic parts.
[b]Psyonics:[/b] What sort of Psychic are they? What psychic powers do they have? None if they have bionic parts
[b]Bionics:[/b] What mechanical parts do they have? None if they are Magic or Psyonic unless you want to play a Magic or Psyonic character who is effectively crippled in those departments.
[b]Strengths:[/b] Between two and five major strengths/beneficial skills that your character has, be they big or small.
[b]Weaknesses:[/b] Between two and five major weaknesses/liabilities that your character has; All characters have weaknesses. They should mirror the character's strengths in a way.
[b]Background:[/b] How did your character get to where they are now? I don't mean a year-by-year summary where you talk about your character's 10th birthday party. Really, a short summary is all that's needed. No more than a paragraph or two.
[b]The Meeting:[/b] What was it that made your character stand out to be chosen as part of the crew? Just a couple of lines or so.
[b]Starting Gear:[/b] Please don't go crazy with it, but tell us what sort of things your character has on them at the beginning. What weapons do they have, if any? Is there a certain thing they enjoy wearing? Everything in this category is subject to approval.
[b]Personal Credits:[/b] Either the character starts with 500 Credits OR you can roll one 10-sided die on the Dicebot and multiply the result by 10 if you want to play risky.
[b]Character Ons/Offs:[/b] Can combine with Player Ons/Offs if you want.
[b]Player Ons/Offs:[/b] Put the link to your Ons/Offs page here.
Potentially Interested Players / Character Occupation:- Ithnuul: Species Unknown / Unknown Skills/Occupation
- 1SAZ: Species Unknown / Unknown Skills/Occupation
- ThatRPGuy: Species Unknown / Unknown Skills/Occupation
Accepted Characters:- Greyzak, played by King Serperior
- Kayda Vendar, played by Vergil Tanner
- Phineas (Fin) Voegel, played by Landshark
- Ma'Maw, played by Elven Sex Goddess