Ringing Hell's Bells - a Sons of Anarchy inspired game

[Gypsy]

         

GMs:

GypsyRose & KieraJade

The Game Premise:

This game is somewhat inspired by Sons of Anarchy, but will not contain any canon characters, settings, or storylines.    What it will strive to capture is something of the original feel of Sons of Anarchy.

There is an overarching plot in the background that will very much shape the club leadership’s viewpoint and long term goals, but it will NOT be the game’s main thrust.  The Hellions were started back in 1972, and had carved out a substantial bit of territory on the south end of Vegas and beyond.   Their club charter ended in 2005 when the club, already weakened by a war with the Brujas, was taken down by the FBI and the NID.   While awaiting trial, the club’s leaders and veterans were isolated and executed by their enemies, and those few remaining scattered, going outlaw or throwing in their allegiance elsewhere.

Ripley Russell & Gabriella Lane are the daughters of the Hellions former leaders.  They know their fathers were betrayed on the inside,  and getting revenge on those involved is a point of honor.  However, the club comes first – that’s part of the code, one their fathers’ followed, and one that they honor themselves.

With the backing of Cabot James, a powerful – if shady -- Vegas businessman with fingers in a lot of pies and political aspirations, Ripley and Gabby have been offered the chance to resurrect the Hellions.  While they expect that their gender, and allowing women into the club as full members, is going to draw ridicule and ire from some quarters, they are prepared to show that they are tough enough to get the job done.   

There will be episodic plots that revolve around club business – much like was done in the series.  These episodes might deal with buying or selling arms or drugs, affecting an object lesson on someone who’s making trouble, being targeted by law enforcement or another club, or moving in on a new bit of territory.  These plots will be guided by the GMs, and will take precedence over any other threads, and will have a posting requirement of (to be determined).

There will also be player driven plots that the GMs may or may not direct.  These plots will suggested/handled mainly by players.  Some examples might be two club members conducting a private deal that does not largely impact the rest of the club, going after someone for personal reasons, doing a stint in the county jail for a singular offense, or anything at all that pertains to the character and should not be acted on by the entire club.

And, of course, there will also be sexy times.  Some of it may well be club business – prostitution, celebrating at the club’s bar hangout, a ‘lesson’ that involves NC or closing a deal that requires a bit more than a handshake and handled in the primary threads.  In the main, however, sex in game will be left up to the individual characters. 

This is not a ‘hookup’ game.  The GMs will not be creating random NPCs for the sole purpose of making sure every character has someone to sex up – though, of course we might well write NPCs involved in sex if we have the time/inclination – but that should always be handled by individual agreement, and will always take a back seat to club business (ie, keeping the game moving forward.)


The Players:

While the club leadership is female,  we would like both male and female characters in the game.    While we do not rule out lesbian or gay characters on that basis alone,  straight or bi-sexual characters will likely be prevalent.  Just as we expect some of the game's action to revolve around the female bikers getting shit for being female, 'getting shit' would also apply to characters who are gay or openly bi-sexual, though we do intend to gloss over the full brunt of such discrimination using artistic license.


The Characters:

We would prefer everyone have a primary character that is a member of the new Hellions.  Secondary characters will be allowed after the game is underway and the player has established some history, but will likely be limited to characters that are affiliated with the club rather than another biker.  Examples for secondary characters would be: ‘bitches’, law enforcement, locals, bartender, mechanic, drug dealers, arms smugglers, various fixer types, etc. that aren’t expected to hang around more than a few episodes.

Character death is possible.  It is very likely in the case of non-posting characters.  While we will be happy to write anyone out of the main action for a time (the characters are engaged in criminal activity, after all, so that should be easy enough) when we are given a ‘heads-up’, but players who stop posting without notice should expect that their characters may be subjected to every bit of nastiness we can think of that’s expeditious or useful to the plot – accidents on the highway, drug overdose, murder, rape, comas, lengthy prison sentences, food for the fishes, left to die in the desert, buzzard chow, you name it.




The Writing:

The idea, an impossible idea, was born the same day Ripley Russell awoke to the knowledge that her father was dead.  The certainty was as implacable, as emotionless, as the ringing of the telephone that had heralded the news, as was the knowledge that she was going to find a way to bring her father's club back.

Her mother had done everything she could to disassociate Ripley from the biker lifestyle.  She'd been her father's high-school sweetheart, and the fascination of the bad-boy biker hadn't lasted through brushes with the law, rivalries, or the trials and tribulations of the biker code.  There'd been nothing between her parents but bitterness and anger, and by the time Ripley was a teenager, her mother had deeply regretted taking what she'd considered the 'high road' in not destroying her daughter's affection for her father.

It would have likely been pointless, in any event.  Ripley had gravitated toward her father, toward the bikes, toward the bikers and their intense loyalties, intense rivalries, from the start, even before teenage rebellion kicked in.   Of course, the teen years and her mother's demands only intensified those feelings, and the harder her Mom pushed, the more she pushed back.  By fifteen, she had simply refused to live with her mother anymore, and had left 'Rita' -- her given name -- far behind.  Her home was with the families of other bikers in her father's club, or with him when circumstances allowed.

She'd wanted to be part of the Hellions, and in some ways she was, but always in an unofficial capacity.  She knew a lot about the business, both the good and the bad, right and wrong, and she'd done things that she wasn't proud of in retrospect.  It had been the wife of her father's lieutenant who'd sat her down and opened her eyes, in the woman's typical hard-assed but straight forward fashion, who'd showed her that if she wasn't careful, she'd end up being nothing more than some dumb-ass biker's bitch.

Ripley didn't want to be someone's bitch.  If she wanted to be anything, it was her father, but the older she grew the more she started to see that it wasn't possible, at least not in his club or in any of the existing clubs.  They were too entrenched, and even the women who were solid support for their men were expected to put up with a lot of shit that Ripley'd sooner shove down their throat.

After a brief stint in jail for a bit of stupidity, Ripley started getting her act together, and with support from her father, she went to a vocational school, learning both mechanics and some principles of art and tattooing.  She's worked in garages, bike shops, and tattoo parlors, and while she still has views on personal property and responsibility, standing up for yourself and exactly what society should be able to tell others they couldn't do, she found she could get along better in the real world than she thought she could.

It was a good thing, too, as it was about the time she was finding herself that things went bad for the Hellions.  A feud with another gang heated up hot and heavy, dredging up a lot of old grudges from the past, and all the stops were pulled out.  People that never should have been pulled into gang business were, and they got hurt badly, and the police moved in hard and fast.

Even that didn't end it, though.  Her father had known he wouldn't last long in jail.  He'd been able to pass along some information to Ripley, but he urged her to get out while she could.  To let it go, and for a while after his death, she had.

But some old bones, some old longings, didn't stay buried.  They clawed their way out of the ground and started tearing into your skin, so when she got an unexpected offer of help to reinvent her father's old charter, to take the life she wanted and make it suit her instead of changing to suit it, she couldn't not try ... even if she knows there's more to the story, a reason why the chance got thrown at her out of the blue.

One way or another, she's going to find out why, and leave her mark.  Along the way, she'd met others with the same mindset, the same stubborn drive, the same need to cut against the grain.  The Hellions are gone, but that's not what she wanted, anyway.  She wanted something better ... something that took the best of the old and fused it with vision and hope for the future, with little bits of necessity thrown in for good measure.

The Hell's Belles could be a reality.  It wouldn't be easy, but easy was for pussies.  Better die trying than never try at all, and that was the good from what her father had taught her that she wanted to represent.



It was early evening, and the temperatures were just slightly on the chilly side for the season.  Ripley was glad for her leather jacket, and the comforting weight of the gun in her pocket.   It wasn't her only weapon, but it was the only one that was going to get her arrested if she was pulled over and searched, but there was no way she was going to this meeting unarmed.

Both Cabot James and Rodney Fielding had had a long association with the Hellions.  Her father had always liked and trusted James, as much as you could like anyone destined to be a politician.  The quote was her father's, and Ripley agreed with it.  Rodney was a different story.   His father was with the Black Pistons, but Rodney himself had remained on the fringes.  It was pretty easy to see why in retrospect.  Rodney was loyal to Rodney first and foremost, though he traded on his father's name enough to get himself an 'in'.  He and Gabrielle had been a 'thing' back when Gabby was young and stupid, though in truth, Gabby had never been stupid, just horny.

That was something that Ripley couldn't give her friend much grief over, though she hoped that ol' Rodney wouldn't try to use their potential business dealings to get back in Gabby's pants.  This time, he might be leaving his balls behind ... and, hell, Ripley might even help her play ping-pong with them, see if she still had the wrist action.

She shook her head and snorted, and rode on.  They were going to meet up on Joshua Tree, just past the Walking Box Ranch Road, and Ripley was running a little late, as usual.

Cabot James was older, the age her father would have been if he'd still been alive, but there was ab-so-fuckling-lutely nothing 'paternal' about Cabot.  He had been hot enough to melt rubber, and Ripley'd spent a summer getting herself off to juvenile fantasies of the older man.  There was a time or two when she still thought about him when she was in a day-dreaming mood, particularly when there was no steady fuck in her life.  Hell, he was still hot enough to melt rubber, but she was under no illusion that he'd called her up because he was hard up for someone to warm his bed on a cold desert night.  No, when he'd called, he'd been all business, despite the friendly reminiscences of the past, and condolences, asking her how and what she was doing.

Despite his questions, he'd been keeping up with her, and Gabby too.  She knew more or less what he was doing as well.  Bikers were close-lipped, but the little circle of friends, even distant friends, was something they took seriously.  Even without that resource, it seemed that Cabot's political ambitions had only grown, and it seemed like he was getting serious about becoming 'King of Vegas' as her father had once teased.  When he'd dangled the possibility of reviving the Hellions, orchestrating a little support so she and Gabrielle could pick up where their fathers left off, Ripley hadn't given in to her impulse to tell him he was fucking crazy and slam the phone down.

Had it been Rodney calling, she would have burnt his ear to a crisp, whether he was calling from some bar payphone, or one of those fancy bluetooth devices, with her reply, and done it with extra viciousness to make up for the fact that you couldn't slam phones down anymore without cracking the screen.

But Cabot James was somebody she knew to take seriously.  He had a lot of clout, a good bit of money, and a wad of influence big enough to choke a horse.  If he said that it could be done, then there was at least a chance.  Ripley would have rode through hell for a chance to be a full fledged biker -- not just some broad, somebody's old lady, some weekend warrior.   It didn't matter what the life had done to her dad, or that he'd likely been betrayed by someone he held closer than a brother to have died like he did.  It didn't even matter if she died the same way.  It wasn't how you died, it was how you lived, and Ripley had always wanted that life so bad that she'd have risked it all a hundred times over on a chance smaller than Cabot James' word.

That made it the kind of want that was dangerous.  She could see the warning in her Dad's eyes even through the haze of memory, but she also knew that he'd understood.  He'd lived, breathed, hoped, and dreamed the Hellions.  He'd given it everything he had, burnt bridges and every chance at any other kind of life.  "It's like telling a fish that they could have legs and walk on land.  That dumb-ass Disney crap story aside, a fish wouldn't even know what the hell you were talking about to want something so foreign to its nature.  When it comes right down to it, some of us got it so deep inside that there ain't no other way."

Her dad would've understood.

Hell, her dad was probably riding beside her, wondering why in the hell she wasn't giving it more gas.  "Move your ass, girl!"

Ripley's grin was wide as she tore off, no longer concerned that there'd be any cops out here to give a fuck how fast she was going.   Reviving the Hellions -- now THAT was a dream worth anything.

“You know the beauty of pink, motherfucker?  While you're busy laughing, it gives me time to draw a good bead on your balls.  Say goodbye to 'em -- you never used 'em for nothing anyway."

Gabriella Lane had been 19 when she uttered those words to the man that had stood laughing over her, ham-hock fists clenched. The next sounds were the small shot from her gun, his scream and grunt of pain, and then the great shaking of the floor as he toppled over, clutching his groin.

She had rolled out of the way, gave him a kick in the chest for good measure when she stood. And then gotten the hell out of Dodge.

Pink was something that had lit Gabriella’s way ever since. It was a deceptive color that was most related to being weak, innocent or childish.

No trait she, or the women she ran with, possessed.

And currently, it was the color of the skin-tight exercise pants she wore. Bracing one foot in front of the other, the eldest of the Lane children raised her gloved fists and readjusted the black tank top over her curvy frame. The logo of the first bar she ever worked at was emblazoned on the back, but too many washings had worn away some of the screenprint off, making it the perfect shirt to wear to the gym.

Something to burn off the sweat and grime in and not worry about the outcome.

Two quick jabs put her fist into the bag, there was a pause, and then an easy uppercut. Her muscles warmed with the routine that she’d had down by heart now and soon, a soft sheen of sweat took over on her brow.

And a shit-eating grin took over on her lips.

They could do this. As sure as each of her punches connected with the heavy hanging bag, Gabriella knew that she and Ripley were being given a chance to seize what was theirs. To right old wrongs and forge a new path, a new future, for themselves.

Gabriella had not always been so cock-sure. Growing up the daughter of a lieutenant in a biker gang, watching her mother and aunt go through men, whiskey and homes like they were all tissues to be used one and done, she’d hung in the shadows, learned what she could, taken care of business, and stayed out of sight. Until one of those young men in her father’s gang had found her, brought her into the light and promptly left her there.

Where she met Ripley.

Also a Hellions daughter, the two had become fast friends, following much of the same path once they were set straight on it. The roads were put in front of them, and they could choose one or the other. Most of the time, they tried both until something stuck. Mishaps, break-ups, trip-ups, mistakes and sometimes winning a round or two were all part of the game. Surviving their world coming crashing down was all part of the learning experience that brought them to where they were today.

Ready to do battle.

Gabriella had worked in bars all her life. And now she was getting ready to own one with her best friend. Not only that, but they were forging alliances that would raise the Hellions from the dead and turn them into Hell’s Belles.

Now, pink would decorate the back of the leather vest she wore. It would light the sign outside of the bar/night club she co-owned. It would act as a beacon. And it would match the shade of lipstick she put on in the morning and be the war-paint she and the other girls used. Pink wasn’t for pussies, and if this didn’t work, she’d make damn sure it decorated all their caskets in the end.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabriella could still see the words of the text message in her mind’s eye. Pull out every letter in the little gray bubble.

“Can’t wait to see you, Cheeks. Wear those pants I like.”

With a grit of her teeth and a narrowing of her eyes behind the mirrored aviators, Gabriella twisted the grip on the gas a touch harder, sending the engine of the matte black Triumph Thunderbird purring louder between her legs. The speed it pumped into the tires as they took her down the stretch of highway fed the ire that still burned for the man that had the gumption to send her such a chauvinist message.

More balls than brains, was Rodney Fielding. But he was a means to an end at the moment. And once that end was reached, she was going to make damned sure he never sent another text like that again.

Could you type without thumbs? Maybe fuck without a cock?

Her painted matte lips twisted up in a sardonic smile against the wind that tried to whip her dark locks into a frenzy. A well-placed black bandanna and long braid took care of that problem, however. And the leather jacket fit her perfectly. Well-worn, cut with an eye for design, and just the right amount of give to hide the piece at the small of her back.

Since that fateful call almost a year ago between her and Ripley, she hadn’t gone anywhere unarmed. She’d never had to use the pretty pink-handled pistol, but being prepared never hurt anyone.

Good boyscout shit, and all that.

Gabby let the tension and anger bleed from her shoulders into the bike and road. She became a part of the machine and asphault, even as she let her left hand drop and rest on her thigh. Blind anger wasn’t a good mix for tonight’s date. This kind of cocktail called for more control.

In front of her, Ripley was an easy two-lengths ahead. They rode in an easy, perfect formation that was built on years of friendship and trust. It didn’t matter who led, or where they went, when you found something like what she and that girl had – you fought for it. Body and soul. You rode or died for it. You bled or cried for it.

And most importantly, you reached for it and once grasped, held on with both hands tight.

Tonight, they had a chance to reach once more. The Hellions deserved this ride. Deserved this chance.

They could be up against any number of Rodney’s and Gabby would’ve run them all over for the possibility that Cabot James had hinted at. But even as their speed picked up on the mostly deserted highway and their bikes ate up the miles with a hunger only matched by the girls astride them, she kept her eyes on their twelve and six.

Gabriella was determined not to have history repeat itself where she, or Ripley, were concerned.



The rest of the prologue can be read here, if anyone is interested, but reading isn't necessary for the game.

LINKS:

<a href=https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=263829.0>Game Info & Approved Character Sheets</a>
<a href=https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=263818.0>Game Discussion (OOC) Thread</a>



The Cast: (so far)

Character		| |		Player
Rita "Ripley" Russell   Gabriella "Gabby" Lane   Mia "Chastity" Locke   Jack Walker   Benecio Santos   Galit Avigdor Levi   Meera Krishnan   Noelly "Nelly" Rodriguez   Jason Thompson, aka Havok   Marlena Adair De Santis aka "Marlie" / "Dare"		| | | | | | | | | |		GypsyRose   KieraJade   Rhedyn   TyCaine   Aiden   Napanee   rekhaiyer   HoneyCrisp   Doomblade403xxx   Kokaine

[Gypsy]

Q&A




Q:
With terms likes Hell's Belles and Daughters of Anarchy thrown around, is the club makeup going to be all-female?

A:
A lot of that depends on the players we get, but the short answer is that we're looking for good-fitting characters and players of both sexes.  Ideally, we'd like the game to have a feel of "women can be bad-ass bikers, too" rather than any sort of "guys vs. gals" dynamic.

This isn't "Lesbian-Biker-Bitches-from-Hell" or that type of B-movie setting.

The prologue we've written is a good example of the kind of feel we'd like to maintain in the game.    Yes, female bikers on an equal footing with their male counterparts is rare, but we don't want that aspect to comprise the whole of the game.  It's a spice, not the meat.



Q: What kind of players are you looking for?

A:  Good writers who are going to put more effort into making the game work and last than in making a character, and that are going to put an effort into making the game work as a whole.



Q:  Wow.  That sort of sounds like you don't want cool, kick-ass characters.  What's up with that?

A:  Well, the truth is that someone whose main emphasis is on the coolness of their character rather than the coolness of the game concept and its promise is probably not going to be a good fit.

IMO, one of the things that made SoA so much fun to watch was that the characters, themselves, were strongest when they operated as part of the club.  Take them outside that, and they were a hot old mess of human weaknesses.  They had power, yes, because of their lifestyle, but it also extracted a hefty price.



Q:  Are Ladies going to get preference over Lords or Lieges as players?

A:  No.  'nuff said.



Q:  Is this game LGBTQA+ friendly?

A:  As per above, good players with a good fitting character will be welcome, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, etc., of player or character.   The storyline proposed is one that already places women in a male dominated dynamic in a competing role.  We want to make this 'an' issue, but not THE issue.



Q:  This game will be / is in the NC boards.  What sort of non-consensual themes will be included?

A:  This game is not 'themed' around non-consensual sex.  However, SoA used rape as a plot point in effective, gritty, thought- and emotion-provoking ways.   Players who do not want their character to be involved in NC situations won't be, plain and simple.   While rape of a character MAY be featured as a storyline at some point, KeiraJade and I will either handle the dark and gritty, or work with interested players so that nobody who doesn't want to go in-depth into the subject need not.

Also, if players want to play out NC in 'sexy times', then we'll likely figure out a way to separate threads to maintain comfort levels.  The NC label is mostly to maintain our freedom to use it as a plot element.

[Gypsy]

Howdy.  My name is GypsyRose.

If you're reading this, it's probable that you're at least interested enough in the game concept to be wondering if you would like to join.  To help you decide, I thought it might be helpful to tell you a little about myself and a bit about my approach to running a group game and writing.

First, feel free to call me Gypsy, Rose, GR, or just omit the salutations and closings altogether.  I tend to be pretty informal with stuff like that.  If I have a preference, it's probably 'Gypsy'.

I've been writing since I figured out that a pencil was more than something unsanitary to chew on, and I've been roleplaying since I was 16.  My love of writing began with horror short stories -- and that's a medium I still love, as horror is often best captured with brevity.  When I discovered online roleplay, I also found that I could combine two of my passions in one.  I started out running system games -- D&D / CoC mostly -- and I have run a few successfully (mostly on RPoL).  This will be my first attempt running one here, unless you count an ill-fated attempt to co-GM a game that I'd joined and floundered due to the dreaded GM-RL syndrome.

Over time, I fell out of love with system games.  I prefer a cooperative game where GM(s) and players alike work together to create a cooperative story and derive the challenge and success from doing it well.  If that sounds good to you, then you might be in the right place.  If you're looking for challenges to overcome, fights to win, and puzzles to solve -- well, the best I will offer is a few elements of that in the cooperative process,  so you might want to sketch a salute and keep going.

Something that I realized when I offered to co-GM someone else's game is that the only way you can really have 2 GMs in a game successfully is if the GMs communicate and stay active, or one GM pretty much releases at least a directed portion of creative control to the other.  KieraJade and I plan to take both routes.  This is a joint game and I think we're very good at improvising and following the other's lead.  There's no situation, no scenario, that might arise in game that I don't trust her to decide on her own without consulting me to keep the game rolling (I hope she feels the same about me), and we will support each other's decisions in game. 

I invite you to read my my ons/offs -- not for what I'm comfortable to write so much as as getting a feel for my approach, and please, peruse my post history.  I also have a handy list of current/past stories in my A/A thread and a little sampling of my erotic writings in my O/Os.  I enjoy writing erotica, and make no apologies for it.  I'm comfortable in a fade to black approach, but left to my own devices, my writing of sex is as detail oriented as the rest of my writing.   I like plot, I like smut, and best of all is when both combine in a rich, dynamic, interesting story.

I'm a straight forward kinda gal with a leaning toward politeness.  What that means is if you have something to say, say it.  You can put it diplomatically -- that's always appreciated -- but feel free to leave off the sugar coating.  If you join the game and find you don't have time for it, we can address the situation as simply as a PM that states, "Sorry, but I just don't have time for this game."  I'll say something like "Thanks for letting us know - hope things settle down for you soon'.  If the game just isn't to your taste after all, see the previous sentence and adjust as appropriate.  I abhor drama (except IC drama) and prefer not to engage in it, and above all, I 'get' that this is just a game, just a hobby, that is meant to be enjoyable.

If you like something, be it in game, my writing, a smartass comment that I make (Yes, I will make them eventually -- of that you can be sure!) feel free to let me know.  If you don't like something, you can let me know that, too, and expect a reasoned, polite response.

And this you can take to the bank -- I'm not going to vanish, I'm not going to just stop posting without notice, and I'm going to put just as much effort into keeping this game going as I do my 1x1's.  I'll let you be the judge of just how much effort that is, based on my posting history and/or personal experience.

If you made it through all that without skimming, then I'm impressed.   I'll look forward to hearing from you, should you decide to get in touch.

[KieraJade]

Hey there!

I’m KieraJade. Or Kiera. Or KJ. Or “Hey, what up girl?!?” I’ll respond to it all.

Welcome to the little world of Helle’s Belles that Gypsy and I have created. If you’ve made it this far, we must’ve hooked you somehow and thanks for reading! The idea for this group game literally started with one PM, one joke, one little spark of an idea on a sentence that passed back and forth between Gypsy and I. It was cultivated into this world you’re reading through today and we couldn’t be happier with it.

Here’s hoping you enjoy it as much as we have!

I’ve been roleplaying both on the table and on the computer for more than 15 years. This is one of the first fully-functional group games I’ve co-GM’d on E, but not the first one I’ve co-GM’d in my writing career. I truly believe it is a team effort to make the story great and Gypsy and I make a great team.

In writing, I believe in collaboration and open communication above all. Some of the best stories have come out of great collaborations with characters that practically write themselves. So feel free to read my posting history, On/Offs, ask whatever questions that come to mind! My PM box is always open to inquiries.

~Kiera

[Gypsy]

All right ... we've got a bit more stuff in the works, but for now, let's just leave this here and see who might be interested ...

(chirp! ... chirp-chirp-chirp!)

Get away, crickets!   Hopefully there will be some.  Feel free to ask questions, toss out commentary, or suggestions.  This is a work in progress!

[Dariusfallenstar]

Howdy, y'all. Please consider this a placeholder. My time is tight these days, but if I were to play, I'd be leaning towards a grizzled old former gang leader-type. Someone who comes in to either shake things up, or negotiate with the established leaders of this club. Powerful, yet distant, with a dynamic brutality and enough backing to make a difference without really having any motivation to muddle in the gang's internal affairs.

Maybe?


Update: Between an extra 20 hours of OT per week for work and my growing photography business, I am having a hard time maintaining my 1-on-1 threads, let alone participating at any level in a really active group one. If things change and you still have an opening, I'd love to participate. For now, I'm going to bow out. Warmest thanks to Gypsy and Kiera for working to make room for me in this popular and, no doubt, amazing group!

[Doomblade403xxx]

I am quite interested...Loved Sons of Anarchy

My idea for a character is quite simply a very large and scary man who is the enforcer. Someone screws with the club and needs dealt with, it's generally going to be him who does it. Loyal to the club, might give a suggestion occasionally but will follow his orders and fiercely loyal to his president. His name is Havok and no one in the crew knows his real name.

[Kokaine]

I am interested.

Still pondering a concept but I'm leaning toward a crazy chica who, at least outwardly, seems to have more balls than brains and a whole lot of luck. It will either be that or the deceptively quiet type.

[Napanee]

I'm in. Totally, 100%. I'd write parking tickets if I got to do it with GypsyRose.

So the image to the left is just a placeholder (maybe) for now. It was something to do with the intro post for Gabriella and the punching bag that got me thinking that my char will be a Krav Maga expert (hand to hand combat). He's not the biggest or the baddest, but he'll probably be the one left standing in the case of a bar fight. If its not going to cause too many problems I'll have him being a little on the eccentric side of things: not a Harley rider (maybe a Triumph or a Norton?), and maybe not even an American - Krav Maga has me thinking Israeli but that can be changed if it would be too problematic in terms of club membership to non-Americans.

He's a regular member. Nothing special. Not expecting him to be an office-holder or anything.

I'd also LOVE to roll a Gang-unit cop if that's allowed later on. Probably a female and probably quite a good cop. But I understand that that will be for later......

[Capone]

Siiiiiigh.... I've pretty much sworn off group games, but dammit, leave it to GypsyRose and KieraJade to have an idea that gets my mind thinking.

Seeing above, my idea might not work out so well in terms of roles, as mine would basically be a gunman. Not muscle, specifically, but still less talky more hurty. An Army Vet that had returned home from the war to discover his wife had not only been cheating on him, but just days prior passed away due to a drug overdose with her addict lover. His child was taken by the mother's parents and given to child services, leaving him unable to see his own child. Not without a fight, at least, but it was a fight he didn't know the strategy for. After two years failing to adjust to civilian life, he finally hit the open rode in search of his disavowed Uncle that had joined up with a biker gang known as the Hellions. Upon arriving, however, he found that his Uncle had died some time ago, leaving his few belongings to his son. But having no use for a bike, a journal, or a jacket, the son decided he was going to eBay it all away. Which is when the struggling Army Vet decided the bike would be better off in his hands, stealing it away in the night. Studying the journal, he began making his way to the old bar the Hellions used to call home, searching for such a place himself.

He'd be sort of quiet, but more just unable to properly communicate with others. Closed off, untrusting of girls that smile and flirt, finding comfort in no-nonsense men and women that speak their minds and get down to business. Having been a soldier, he's familiar with firearms and can thus partake in any arms deals the club may have to take part in. He enjoys hunting and fishing in his free time.

That's the rough sketch. No face claim yet. Not even sure I'll be joining. I might sit and see how many posts a day on average and determine if I can even keep up. I cannot sign on daily these days.

[Aiden]

Dibs on the Mencanic spot, possibly the prospect who is on the verge of patching in.

I pictured him as the owner of a local gas station, possibly went to high school with the younger generation. Not much in for the crime things up until some X reason for him to get pissed with banks or some shady white collar thing.

I see him more as a support type, knows his way around bikes and possibly the shipment/smuggling trade with potential contacts into a side character.

Side character - A contact into the cartels, a good source for guns or drugs, that need to pass their newly establised turf. Perhaps worked with the club back when it was under the old leadership.

[Gypsy]

Yay for interest, and the lack of crickets.

One of the things we'd like to take from Sons of Anarchy is the incorporation idea, a business that provides some legal cover.  Part of that will be the bar, but I see the aim of the club will be starting to bring other small businesses in - a bike shop, repair shop, etc.   Owning as much of the town as they can, providing employment and stability, a reason for people to stay or move in should be an aim, for practical purposes.  If you're an outlaw, it doesn't hurt to be thought of as Robin Hood.

Hopefully a few more ladies will also want to play.   Kokaine, good to see you again, and glad you're still interested.

One thing, with the above point in mind, is that all the Hellions will need to have a legitimate presence -- i.e., everyone will need a legal identity in the game.  That means while you certainly could have created a fake identity that holds up, the club would know that identity.

As for non-American club members, I don't think that would be an insurmountable problem - dual citizenship, or legal immigration of some sort.  Love of the bikes, the code, the lifestyle, trumps nationality, and in this case, gender and a few other things as well.

[Aiden]

I'm curios on the setting, it doesn't have to be real but I like the idea that it is vegas adjacent but not quite in the jurisdiction of big law.

Small law, perhaps used to be in pocket back then..

And can be again

One of my favorite things about soa was them keeping the town small. No Walmart or big corps, no Starbucks etc.

[Honeycrisp]

I'm interested in this game, and it touches on a plot idea of mine that I have posted.  I don't know that it would work here but the setting is very, very crispy.  Yum!

[Gypsy]

I'm curios on the setting, it doesn't have to be real but I like the idea that it is vegas adjacent but not quite in the jurisdiction of big law.

Small law, perhaps used to be in pocket back then..

And can be again

One of my favorite things about soa was them keeping the town small. No Walmart or big corps, no Starbucks etc.

This is what we are thinking for the setting:  Searchlight, NV

     

Hellion's Base

Hellions Base 2

Images have been copied over to Imagur, which I hope is less buggy than Photobucket has become.

[Rhedyn]

Thought I'd take a look after Napanee pointed me over here to check the concept out. I'm interested and hanging on to see what the posting requirements are going to be. I generally don't get involved in group games because I can't guarantee multiple posts a week. Bookmarking and adding my interest. If I did join I'd like to write a female character, perhaps who runs a strip joint or something, that said I'd be happy to fit in around other people and what's needed to balance the game.

[Gypsy]

We haven't nailed down a speed yet, but ideally, I'd like to see something like this ...

1 post per week (at least) in the main threads -- I would consider these threads the GM led plots, where (most) of the gang is involved.  At first, this will be just basic settling in as the club gathers, getting a first 'job' going, which might be something like retrieving a stash left behind by the original Hellions - stolen goods, perhaps? - that will now be marketable to help finance the club's activity.

Beyond that, I'd also like to see some character driven plots that don't need everyone involved.  For example, two or three of the club might be sent out to clear out vagrants who're squatting in an abandoned building that the club wants to use.  If the people involved in that wanted to post more frequently, that would be up to them -- and Kiera and I could either help drive the plot or leave it to the group as to how to achieve the agreed upon end and let them go to town. 

Then, there'd be the relationship plots, be it sexual or otherwise, that people would be able to post at their discretion.

I'd ask, though, that if there is something that anyone is involved in posting wise, that they don't leave others hanging without a word for more than a week.  If something's going on and we need to put a plot point on hold for a while, a quick message can accomplish that, and KieraJade and I will endeavor to work with everyone to make sure there's at least the opportunity for a post a week.  Maybe more, but this isn't going to be a super-fast-paced game, or a super-slow-paced game, so let's aim for a happy medium.  We'd also ask people to be a bit 'fluid' on the time schemes, so that side plots can be going on and incorporated into the overall story without getting bogged down on the 'whens'.

Oh, and I should also mention that I sometimes write 'a lot' in my 1x1 stories, and if any of you read the prologue that KieraJade and I wrote together, some of those posts are pretty wordy, by some standards.

We don't expect huge posts, every time, especially in situations where multiple people are involved.  I'd prefer to keep away from one-liners, and at least aim for a paragraph or so, but I'm never going to be upset over getting more.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on what they'd like to see posting-wise, and how the above might fit into wants & expectations.

[Amarlo]

I am intrigued and will be keeping an eye on this. -clicks to bookmark.-

[KieraJade]

This post is simply to echo my beautiful co-gm's words!! We're working closely together behind the scenes and are loving what we are seeing so far in interest!! Everyone is coming up with unique and individual character ideas, the muse juices are flowing, and we're getting excited to get our kick-ass girls off the ground.

Just a couple added notes too:
-We also loved the "small" town feel. Close enough to a big city to go and take care of whatever business you needed to, but still far enough from the lights that you could stick to the shadows. It makes it a bit more gritty, bit more real.
-We are currently working on some more background for historical club members as a whole. Rap sheets, arrest records, history, etc. That way, when the character sheet building time comes (soon!) characters can be interconnected in history.

GypsyRose and I are also always open to hear new ideas! Plots, connections, eye color, bike type, you name it. We want to hear what you think!! Keep 'em coming!

[rekhaiyer]

I am new here and I have never before been part of D&D or group games, but I like writing. If people are willing to guide me through the game via PMs when I pester you with questions, I would love to be a part of this. If you all don't mind it if I take part in this, I would love to give this a bit of thought, flesh out more details and enthusiastically participate.

[Keaton]

Tentatively placing interest here. 

[Rhedyn]

We haven't nailed down a speed yet, but ideally, I'd like to see something like this ...

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

1 post per week (at least) in the main threads -- I would consider these threads the GM led plots, where (most) of the gang is involved.  At first, this will be just basic settling in as the club gathers, getting a first 'job' going, which might be something like retrieving a stash left behind by the original Hellions - stolen goods, perhaps? - that will now be marketable to help finance the club's activity.

Beyond that, I'd also like to see some character driven plots that don't need everyone involved.  For example, two or three of the club might be sent out to clear out vagrants who're squatting in an abandoned building that the club wants to use.  If the people involved in that wanted to post more frequently, that would be up to them -- and Kiera and I could either help drive the plot or leave it to the group as to how to achieve the agreed upon end and let them go to town. 

Then, there'd be the relationship plots, be it sexual or otherwise, that people would be able to post at their discretion.

I'd ask, though, that if there is something that anyone is involved in posting wise, that they don't leave others hanging without a word for more than a week.  If something's going on and we need to put a plot point on hold for a while, a quick message can accomplish that, and KieraJade and I will endeavor to work with everyone to make sure there's at least the opportunity for a post a week.  Maybe more, but this isn't going to be a super-fast-paced game, or a super-slow-paced game, so let's aim for a happy medium.  We'd also ask people to be a bit 'fluid' on the time schemes, so that side plots can be going on and incorporated into the overall story without getting bogged down on the 'whens'.

Oh, and I should also mention that I sometimes write 'a lot' in my 1x1 stories, and if any of you read the prologue that KieraJade and I wrote together, some of those posts are pretty wordy, by some standards.

We don't expect huge posts, every time, especially in situations where multiple people are involved.  I'd prefer to keep away from one-liners, and at least aim for a paragraph or so, but I'm never going to be upset over getting more.

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on what they'd like to see posting-wise, and how the above might fit into wants & expectations.

Thank you for the info, that's very helpful and a pace that I think I could keep up with 

[TyCaine]

Color me interested, though with the number of threads I had to respond to this morning to catch up I am still on the fence about adding another game to my list, however, the idea intrigues me so as a precursor, and depending on how things pan out, here's an intro for Jack Walker, drifter passing through looking for a place to land:

Jack Walker - Drifter

Face Claim:
Josh Mario John

Jack Walker sat at the bar and nursed the drink in front of him, he was just passing through this two-bit town but had needed some gas for his 'hog' and some food in his belly, not to mention a little bit of a pick-me-up, but it had become rapidly apparent that this town didn't like drifters. That didn't bother him much, he could hold his own in a fight and considering he was the epitome of the tattooed, leather clad biker most people didn't mess with him, at least not unless they were in a group... And groups normally took time to assemble so that he usually had time to get some gas, food, a drink and be gone before trouble started, but groups were quick to assemble here it seemed...

"Hey you, shit-head! We're talking to you!!" yelled the bigger braver of the bunch while Jack took a sip of the beer in front of him, had he been less irritated and thought things through, he might have taken the hint and left already, after all he'd eaten and had already filled his bike up, but something about the attitudes of these locals had pissed him off and, once again, Jack Walker's temper had gotten the best of him. "I will, just let me finish my drink..." he said softly, his tone carefully neutral even as he felt the three goons closest to him tense, expecting more of a response, while the four hangers back strutted and showed how bad-ass they were.

The old man behind the bar tried to calm them down, "Come on, guys, Jimmy, he's almost finished, let him be will ya?" he said, but Jimmy was having none of it and, not having gotten the response he wanted, he tried again. "Fuck that, Red, this might be your bar but we don't like his kind in our town, do we fellas?" he said, to the sound of the six responding in kind.  The rest of the patrons had quietly moved tables to give them room, expecting the single man at the bar to get a whupping shortly, and he might at that, but Jack figured he had better than average odds...

"Just let me finish my drink..." Jack said, his tone slipping from neutrality to something colder, more dangerous, he knew he should have left and this was probably going to cost him, but likely less than it was going to cost these idiots... "I say you're finished now!" yelled the one called Jimmy, before adding, "Tony, Frank, grab his arms!"  Jack felt hands grabbing him and with a sudden jerk he felt Jimmy grab his hair, a moment later his head impacted the bar as Jimmy slammed his head forwards laughing evilly, "We'll show you how we deal with drifters!" he said, and for just a moment Jack felt the pain of the impact, even saw stars for just a moment, and then he scowled...

With a sudden movement he jerked his head free and kicked away from the bar, tipping the stool he was on so that he fell into the two goons trying to hold on to him, they released their grip scrambling to try and stop their fall, while Jack aimed an elbow and landed hard on the one he assumed to be Tony. Tony's breath left him in a harsh grunt, and then a pained whine escaped him as Jack pushed himself off and to his feet. Jimmy was struggling to make sense of things, Tony was down temporarily and Frank had spun off into a table impacting it hard and tipping it over onto himself.

Jack spared no time as the other four started forwards and, to make sure Tony stayed down, Jack kicked him hard, the man letting loose a harsh grunt and lapsing into unconsciousness. The four men approaching paused, suddenly wondering how brave they were, and Jack seized on that and grabbed Jimmy by his jacket, the man suddenly less brave now, whimpered in fear after seeing Tony dropped and Jack pulled him and flung him into the bar, there was a resounding thud and Jimmy lay still.

Off to the side Frank was on all fours trying to get up and, to push the point home, Jack took two long strides to him and kicked him, hard, between the legs.  The shriek echoed around the bar and Frank fell onto his side, writhing in agony as he clutched at his groin, whimpering shrilly. The four remaining had taken a visible step back, and at that moment there was the ominous sound of a shotgun being pumped.

"Alright, I think they've had enough..." said old man 'Red' from behind the bar, and Jack slowly turned on his heel to look at him, to his credit the old man wasn't pointing the gun at anyone, but he was holding it as if he was ready to. "Shoot him, Red!!" yelled one of the four, and Red scowled, "I'm not shooting anyone!  Shut the hell up, Bill!  I saw one man getting set upon by seven of you, and in less than a minute there's only four of you left!  He's earned his right to walk outta here, and the rest of you will clear this mess up!!!" he yelled, as Frank lying on his side retched from the pain.

Jack could feel a bruise coming up on the side of his face and tasted blood from where he'd had his head slammed into the bar, but otherwise he was fine and, keeping his hands where the old man could see them, he reached slowly for his glass and downed the remaining beer. "How much do I owe you?" Jack asked as he placed the glass back on the bar, "Consider it payment for the entertainment...  But I'd advise you to leave and not come back..." Red said, keeping his eye on the four who were still trying to decide how brave they were, "Don't even think about it, you fucking idiots..." Red warned and Jack tilted his head in the old man's direction, "Much obliged.." Jack said and, keeping his eye on the rest of the bar, he walked out the door.

Outside he moved to his bike, pausing to spit out some blood, before settling himself on the 'hog' and starting it with a rumble... Next town over was smaller than this one and probably as like to react as this one did, but the one after that was larger, called Searchlight for whatever reason. "Guess I'm heading to Searchlight..." he said to himself as he slipped on his sunglasses and put the bike into gear, he eased forwards and pulled out onto the highway, starting on down the road...  He had no delusions of what he'd find at Searchlight when all he was looking for was somewhere to belong, at least for a while, but there was a chance at least.

He smoothly brought the bike up to speed and rode, as the sun slowly dipped lower in the sky.

[rekhaiyer]

I am going to play a twenty-three year old doctor who lost her licence for not reporting the fact that she treated her brother and his friends who were involved in shady dealings. And when she is goes to the local bar where the story is set as usual one morning, she might run into someone involved with the group and become the emergency medic for the team. Yes, it is only a skeletal sketch but it can be fleshed out further depending on how other things work out.

[Gypsy]

That age is not really realistic for being a doctor in the US, Doogie Howser excepted.  4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, then residencies - at 23, likely they'd still be in medical school.

We'll probably be wanting to start the game out with characters that already have good reason to associate with the club -- and mostly bikers -- though secondary characters will be welcome a bit later once we have the 'core' established.