THE INTERPLANETARY SPACE FRIENDS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY HENDERSON'S RIBSA Lighthearted Casual Roleplay About Space Adventures, Friendship and Fast Food Aboard The Quest For Flavour
The ISF started off as a much smaller, humbler institution. It began life as the Henderson's Kid Club - a way to encourage children to associate the fledgling Henderson's Ribs fast-food empire with fun and games, ensuring a lifetime of brand loyalty. When the planet of Henderson's Ribs (as it came to be known) joined the galactic community, the Kid Club became the Interplanetary Space Friends, and helped turn the company into the galaxy's largest provider of barbecue ribs. In any given inhabited system, you'll find the familiar brown and red flag flapping gently over a domed building emblazoned with those wonderful words - HENDERSON'S RIBS.
New members of the ISF receive a membership pack, containing the following things:
A badge. It's made of plastic, and painted gold. It features a smiling, oversized bovine and the letters ISF. It comes with a little badge holder, made of an even flimsier plastic. A membership number is printed on the reverse side, along with some text explaining that this badge remains the property of Henderson's Ribs.
The latest copy of the Space Friends Monthly, a newsletter about all the great and wonderful things members have done. It's also filled with adverts for Henderson's Ribs, crosswords, word-searches and other puzzles. The back of the newsletter contains an editorial written by Henderson himself on whatever topic the company feels is particularly important.
The Handbook. It basically promotes the three core values of the ISF - Be Good, Help Others, Eat Ribs. There are all sorts of rules and regulations within the handbook, many of them contradictory. Most members have a passing familiarity with at least some of the rules, and it's rumoured that there are different editions of the ISF Handbook.
The Notebook. This is the most treasured of belongings for most ISF members. Each page has the ISF logo embossed upon it, and the pages are perforated down one side, so that they can be torn out easily. A sticker applied to the inside of the notebook explains the purpose of the notebook - write in the good deeds you have done, get it signed by the person you helped, and exchange it at any Henderson's Ribs franchise for fantastic prizes.
New members of the ISF receive a membership pack, containing the following things:
A badge. It's made of plastic, and painted gold. It features a smiling, oversized bovine and the letters ISF. It comes with a little badge holder, made of an even flimsier plastic. A membership number is printed on the reverse side, along with some text explaining that this badge remains the property of Henderson's Ribs.
The latest copy of the Space Friends Monthly, a newsletter about all the great and wonderful things members have done. It's also filled with adverts for Henderson's Ribs, crosswords, word-searches and other puzzles. The back of the newsletter contains an editorial written by Henderson himself on whatever topic the company feels is particularly important.
The Handbook. It basically promotes the three core values of the ISF - Be Good, Help Others, Eat Ribs. There are all sorts of rules and regulations within the handbook, many of them contradictory. Most members have a passing familiarity with at least some of the rules, and it's rumoured that there are different editions of the ISF Handbook.
The Notebook. This is the most treasured of belongings for most ISF members. Each page has the ISF logo embossed upon it, and the pages are perforated down one side, so that they can be torn out easily. A sticker applied to the inside of the notebook explains the purpose of the notebook - write in the good deeds you have done, get it signed by the person you helped, and exchange it at any Henderson's Ribs franchise for fantastic prizes.
An Unofficial & Slightly Abridged History Of The Quest For Flavour
The Quest For Flavour has a chequered past, as can be expected of any retrofitted ship. Initially purchased by the Erikkson & Yarflug Ice Cream Company as a glorified ice-cream truck, hence the rather unique shape of the ship - it looks like a rather large ice cream cone. When Erikkson fell afoul of the politics surrounding the Great Ice Cream Wars, it was put up for auction along with the other company assets. It fell then into the hands of the less-than-notorious Doctor Frosty, who put in a bid on the spaceship without paying too much attention to the attached photographs. Doctor Frosty, one of many amateur super-villains in the galaxy, spent a small fortune on trying to arm the ship, such that he could (according to an interview) "strike icy fear into the warm hearts of do-gooders". His budget didn't stretch particularly far, and his do-it-yourself efforts didn't fare well, but at least the Quest For Flavour has a kit-built "Ice Cannon" mounted on the hull.
Nobody knows what happened to Doctor Frosty.
The Quest For Flavour passed through many hands and pseudo-pods in quick succession, with relatively few changes made to the ship during this period. It served as a personal courier for the Royal Family of Button Moon, it did a stint in a local destruction derby league, it almost served with distinction in the Kerffufle At Turkey Aid 4 and, finally, it ended up in the hands of Captain Action. He'll tell you that this was when the real history of the Quest For Flavour began, but actual historians will tell you that they've never heard of him, or that ship, and to stop bothering them because they're busy doing actual historian stuff.
The Quest For Flavour was never supposed to have a warp engine built into it, but that didn't stop Captain Action gutting the majority of the interior of the ship to make room for one. The engine dominates the interior of the ship, where the cargo hold, independent quarters, cineprojector room and back-up ice cream refrigeration units used to stand. While the first crew under Captain Action complained about the lack of their own living space, and the cancellation of movie night, the Captain was quick to point out that the engine required so much power that running it and the projector would be a bit of a tall order, especially if they wanted their rooms heated at the same time. The crew dispute was settled with fisticuffs and a sack race down the length of the ship. Because of the rather careful balancing act required to balance the power needs of the ship, Captain Action also invested in embedding a "computational substrate thing" into the hull, which could run "some sort of artificial intelligence whatsit to help out around here".
Captain Action, like many Interplanetary Space Friends, died helping others. His name is memorialised by a dog-tag, bearing his name, welded to the hull. This inadvertently started a tradition of adding the dog-tags of fallen captains and crew members to the hull. There is an impressive collection of dog-tags on the hull. Following his death, the ship changed hands many times, and some sense of stability eventually came about when The Will assumed command of the ship; there were few objections, as the hive of adorable little creatures were the longest lasting crew members. The Captain's Hat has been taken apart and fashioned into many smaller hats, suitable for the denizens of the Hive to wear, further securing the position of the Will as Captain - after all, it'd take an exceptionally skilled tailor to sew all those hats back together into one "normal sized" Captain's Hat.
The Quest For Flavour has a chequered past, as can be expected of any retrofitted ship. Initially purchased by the Erikkson & Yarflug Ice Cream Company as a glorified ice-cream truck, hence the rather unique shape of the ship - it looks like a rather large ice cream cone. When Erikkson fell afoul of the politics surrounding the Great Ice Cream Wars, it was put up for auction along with the other company assets. It fell then into the hands of the less-than-notorious Doctor Frosty, who put in a bid on the spaceship without paying too much attention to the attached photographs. Doctor Frosty, one of many amateur super-villains in the galaxy, spent a small fortune on trying to arm the ship, such that he could (according to an interview) "strike icy fear into the warm hearts of do-gooders". His budget didn't stretch particularly far, and his do-it-yourself efforts didn't fare well, but at least the Quest For Flavour has a kit-built "Ice Cannon" mounted on the hull.
Nobody knows what happened to Doctor Frosty.
The Quest For Flavour passed through many hands and pseudo-pods in quick succession, with relatively few changes made to the ship during this period. It served as a personal courier for the Royal Family of Button Moon, it did a stint in a local destruction derby league, it almost served with distinction in the Kerffufle At Turkey Aid 4 and, finally, it ended up in the hands of Captain Action. He'll tell you that this was when the real history of the Quest For Flavour began, but actual historians will tell you that they've never heard of him, or that ship, and to stop bothering them because they're busy doing actual historian stuff.
The Quest For Flavour was never supposed to have a warp engine built into it, but that didn't stop Captain Action gutting the majority of the interior of the ship to make room for one. The engine dominates the interior of the ship, where the cargo hold, independent quarters, cineprojector room and back-up ice cream refrigeration units used to stand. While the first crew under Captain Action complained about the lack of their own living space, and the cancellation of movie night, the Captain was quick to point out that the engine required so much power that running it and the projector would be a bit of a tall order, especially if they wanted their rooms heated at the same time. The crew dispute was settled with fisticuffs and a sack race down the length of the ship. Because of the rather careful balancing act required to balance the power needs of the ship, Captain Action also invested in embedding a "computational substrate thing" into the hull, which could run "some sort of artificial intelligence whatsit to help out around here".
Captain Action, like many Interplanetary Space Friends, died helping others. His name is memorialised by a dog-tag, bearing his name, welded to the hull. This inadvertently started a tradition of adding the dog-tags of fallen captains and crew members to the hull. There is an impressive collection of dog-tags on the hull. Following his death, the ship changed hands many times, and some sense of stability eventually came about when The Will assumed command of the ship; there were few objections, as the hive of adorable little creatures were the longest lasting crew members. The Captain's Hat has been taken apart and fashioned into many smaller hats, suitable for the denizens of the Hive to wear, further securing the position of the Will as Captain - after all, it'd take an exceptionally skilled tailor to sew all those hats back together into one "normal sized" Captain's Hat.
Gold Stars - Because The ISF Values Resourcefulness Too (As Per Corporate Directive 847.11b (Amended)
Following the collapse of the Interplanetary Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, the ISF have agreed to take on the challenge of promoting responsible weapon use via the new "Gold Star Standard". No longer will the citizens of the galaxy fear the well-intentioned involvement of heavily-armed ISF Members, as the Gold Star Standard ensures that the most dangerous prizes are kept in the most responsible hands/talons/tentacles.
Interplanetary Space Friends will now earn Gold Star Stickers for demonstrating their commitment to the principles of safe weapon usage, responsible equipment ownership and (REDACTED) in five fun-filled categories. Earning ten stars* in a category grants you access to more exciting prizes in that category. Amassing an arsenal has never been so fun!
The Five Categories** are:
Space Ship Adventurer, for demonstrating an aptitude in using space vessels! Set a course for fun and excitement, Space Ship Adventurer!
Space Ship Combat Safety, for knowing when not to shoot at other space-faring vessels! Get those broadsides ready and remember to take measures to rescue survivors!
Rib Trekkie Scout, for demonstrating an understanding of how to use gear that will let you survive every environment the galaxy can throw at you! Remember, only you*** can prevent firestorms engulfing entire forest planets!
Rib Trekkie Friendship Force, for safely and responsibly using weapons in the course of self-defence and furthering the principles of the Interplanetary Space Friends! Don't forget, friends don't let friends waste ammunition!
Rib Buddy, for (REDACTED), spreading the word and successfully opening franchises of Henderson's Ribs. Don't forget to smile at the customers!
It's not all fun and games though. Members of the Interplanetary Space Friends will learn to fear the Red Scowl Stamp. Betraying the principles set down in any of the Five Categories will earn one (or more) Red Scowl Stamps from a manager of Henderson's Ribs. Accrue ten stamps*, and you'll lose one of your hard-earned ranks!
Cards to track your Gold Star Standard will be made available to all members of the Interplanetary Space Friends via postal service, or by picking up your card at your nearest Henderson's Ribs - Out Of This World Flavour!TM
* Number subject to change.
** Categories may be added or modified without warning.
*** (REDACTED)
Following the collapse of the Interplanetary Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, the ISF have agreed to take on the challenge of promoting responsible weapon use via the new "Gold Star Standard". No longer will the citizens of the galaxy fear the well-intentioned involvement of heavily-armed ISF Members, as the Gold Star Standard ensures that the most dangerous prizes are kept in the most responsible hands/talons/tentacles.
Interplanetary Space Friends will now earn Gold Star Stickers for demonstrating their commitment to the principles of safe weapon usage, responsible equipment ownership and (REDACTED) in five fun-filled categories. Earning ten stars* in a category grants you access to more exciting prizes in that category. Amassing an arsenal has never been so fun!
The Five Categories** are:
Space Ship Adventurer, for demonstrating an aptitude in using space vessels! Set a course for fun and excitement, Space Ship Adventurer!
Space Ship Combat Safety, for knowing when not to shoot at other space-faring vessels! Get those broadsides ready and remember to take measures to rescue survivors!
Rib Trekkie Scout, for demonstrating an understanding of how to use gear that will let you survive every environment the galaxy can throw at you! Remember, only you*** can prevent firestorms engulfing entire forest planets!
Rib Trekkie Friendship Force, for safely and responsibly using weapons in the course of self-defence and furthering the principles of the Interplanetary Space Friends! Don't forget, friends don't let friends waste ammunition!
Rib Buddy, for (REDACTED), spreading the word and successfully opening franchises of Henderson's Ribs. Don't forget to smile at the customers!
It's not all fun and games though. Members of the Interplanetary Space Friends will learn to fear the Red Scowl Stamp. Betraying the principles set down in any of the Five Categories will earn one (or more) Red Scowl Stamps from a manager of Henderson's Ribs. Accrue ten stamps*, and you'll lose one of your hard-earned ranks!
Cards to track your Gold Star Standard will be made available to all members of the Interplanetary Space Friends via postal service, or by picking up your card at your nearest Henderson's Ribs - Out Of This World Flavour!TM
* Number subject to change.
** Categories may be added or modified without warning.
*** (REDACTED)
Rule 1: Do not be a jerk. Treat your fellow players with respect, kindness and be willing to work with one another.
Quite how all these weapons came to be aboard the Quest For Flavour is a mystery. Some are legitimate purchases from respectable weapons-merchants, others are legitimate purchases from extremely disreputable weapons-merchants, and others may have simply appeared in the armoury due to wrinkles in the fabric of space-time. Commentary on the weapons, where available, provided by Vonny.
4 x Mindwave Pistols - “Bloody hell, these fuck up your mind and give you headaches in the process, though take awhile to recharge up.
1 x Ye old Minigun - “Big old beast, fires the traditional bullets, though maybe we can repurpose it… if I get around to it.”
3 x Crossbows - “Explosive Bolts are here somewhere, plus other fun bolts, good fun for the whole family."
40 x Spears - “We going fishing?”
3 x Iron swords - "Gotta start from somewhere yes?"
1 x Superduper Megaman Evil Launcher Mark Six Point Two - “It’s big and clunky, and the only few rockets we have are either out of saren gas, laughing gas, or mustard gas”
Toaster Launcher - “Shove some junk in here and fire away!* (* May not kill enemy or kill them in an gruesome fashion)
Refurbished Chainsaw - “I recently fitted the tracks with a laser generator at the bottom, so when it cuts through something the laser does the damage… should work?”
2 x Bows - “Got a lot of arrow’s that need using”
1 x Energy Sword - “I think this is the stolen plasma one that the military was gonna pay a million for.. huh”
4 x Mindwave Pistols - “Bloody hell, these fuck up your mind and give you headaches in the process, though take awhile to recharge up.
1 x Ye old Minigun - “Big old beast, fires the traditional bullets, though maybe we can repurpose it… if I get around to it.”
3 x Crossbows - “Explosive Bolts are here somewhere, plus other fun bolts, good fun for the whole family."
40 x Spears - “We going fishing?”
3 x Iron swords - "Gotta start from somewhere yes?"
1 x Superduper Megaman Evil Launcher Mark Six Point Two - “It’s big and clunky, and the only few rockets we have are either out of saren gas, laughing gas, or mustard gas”
Toaster Launcher - “Shove some junk in here and fire away!* (* May not kill enemy or kill them in an gruesome fashion)
Refurbished Chainsaw - “I recently fitted the tracks with a laser generator at the bottom, so when it cuts through something the laser does the damage… should work?”
2 x Bows - “Got a lot of arrow’s that need using”
1 x Energy Sword - “I think this is the stolen plasma one that the military was gonna pay a million for.. huh”
The (Current) Crew
Captain "The Will" of "The Hive", ISF Membership Number αξορρδινγ το αλλ κνοων λαωσ οφ αωιατιον τηερε ισ νο ωαψ α βεε σηουλδ βε αβλε το φλψ ιτσ ωινγσ αρε τοο σμαλλ το γετ ιτσ φατ λιττλε βοδψ οφφ τηε γρουνδ τηε βεε οφ ξουρσε φλιεσ ανψωαψ βεξαυσε βεεσ δοντ ξαρε ωηατ ηυμανσ τηινκ ισ ιμποσσιβλε, as played by @DracoLunaris.
Elarin, Reptiloid Pilot, ISF Membership Number "%XYN)p(Xf@vlv)fL, as played by @DepressedSoviet
Fiddlesticks, Humanish Engineer, ISF Membership Number 0-1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34^^NO CARRIER^^, as played by @TwelveOf8
Vondon "Vonny" Randu, Space Dwarf Weapons Expert & Chef, ISF Membership Number Z1-2ZZ94o-c---cg555***))111dj[._33361a_66-5, as played by @Sovi3t
Vanessa Kiyvana, Vampire, ISF Membership Number #830303, as played by @Valor
Coming Soon
Bunz, Diplomat from the Darkest Octocat Timeline, ISF Membership Number ZV-78-94IC-21, as played by @Fancy Party
Captain "The Will" of "The Hive", ISF Membership Number αξορρδινγ το αλλ κνοων λαωσ οφ αωιατιον τηερε ισ νο ωαψ α βεε σηουλδ βε αβλε το φλψ ιτσ ωινγσ αρε τοο σμαλλ το γετ ιτσ φατ λιττλε βοδψ οφφ τηε γρουνδ τηε βεε οφ ξουρσε φλιεσ ανψωαψ βεξαυσε βεεσ δοντ ξαρε ωηατ ηυμανσ τηινκ ισ ιμποσσιβλε, as played by @DracoLunaris.
Elarin, Reptiloid Pilot, ISF Membership Number "%XYN)p(Xf@vlv)fL, as played by @DepressedSoviet
Fiddlesticks, Humanish Engineer, ISF Membership Number 0-1-1-2-3-5-8-13-21-34^^NO CARRIER^^, as played by @TwelveOf8
Vondon "Vonny" Randu, Space Dwarf Weapons Expert & Chef, ISF Membership Number Z1-2ZZ94o-c---cg555***))111dj[._33361a_66-5, as played by @Sovi3t
Vanessa Kiyvana, Vampire, ISF Membership Number #830303, as played by @Valor
Coming Soon
Bunz, Diplomat from the Darkest Octocat Timeline, ISF Membership Number ZV-78-94IC-21, as played by @Fancy Party
