A W A L K I N T H E D E S E R T
The Game...
sci-fi fandom post-apoc
high casual to advanced
4-6 players
This is a mature take on a very particular established lore; that of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Avatar: The Legend of Korra. Adult themes will be explored and played out including love, murder, death, war, possible drug references, psychological trauma, etc. The Setting is near future and although the original game took place in the world of Avatar in it's entirety, our game will be smaller in scale to help keep things in focus. To sum it all up in one sentence: You are on the run for having the ability to bend the elements during a time when bending is punishable by death. As the GM, I move events in the world depending on ANY actions you take. So beware that stealing from what you think is just a random nobody may come back to haunt you later. Also keep in mind that this game is something of a trial run before I introduce the larger world around the characters and the themes expressed therein. There's a political war raging in the background, an uprising brewing, the dawn of a civil war and planes of existence that hang in the balance. However, right now, you're just running for you life and that's where we'll keep things. Because I'm looking for a long commitment in the larger story, I've put together this small game to separate those who want in with those who do not. If you're down for the challenge and if the setting tastes like your cup of tea, please continue.
The World...
We begin two centuries after Aang's passing (a century after Korra's) in a place known as The Republic, the last nation on Earth. This nation is made up almost entirely of nonbenders after benders were aggressively removed from the face of the planet following an event known as the Great War. Most lead happy lives within the walls of Ba Sing Se where they have been enjoying a time of great peace.
The Republic - Ba Sing Se
The nation, or city as I'll refer to it, is still divided by walls composed now of both earth (lower ring) and steel (upper ring). Replacing the parts that have been torn down are man made metal sections that stand just as tall and are twice as strong. Technology here is near future, near future as compared to real life modern technology. They have computers, jets, wearable tech, limited AI. There are two types of firearms in the world: Conventional and those that utilize Spirit Energy or Synergy. The later is rare and is only distributed among those Republic troops stationed in the inmost wall. During the length of our game, we'll touch on the subject briefly but it will otherwise be largely absent from the game. Social class is still divided by the walls, with poverty increased the farther away from the center you travel.
Benders are effectively extinct, now a part of a culture that is near completely forgotten. To keep a peace, they are outlawed and are actively search for and expunged. Law enforcement officers are armed with scanning devices that detect the ability to bend in one's genes and if one is found, lethal force is authorized. Many establishments in the city have them installed over doorways both out of necessity for their own protection and by law. Hospitals have begun enforcing abortions when an expectant mother is discovered to be carrying a child sensitive to spirit energy. Any who do exist do so under great effort to keep their curse hidden or risk execution. All other citizens of the Republic are ruled justly under the King who rarely reveals himself to the public eye.
However, despite The Republic being the last city, there is still an entire world that needs rediscovery. Outside the protection of the Republic's walls is where the breadth of our game will take place.
Outside the Walls
...Lies the abandoned world. A great conflict from the past scarred much of the landscape with destructive weapons leaving the former capitals of nations blanketed in spiritual radiation. Wandering into these areas will leave one with a life force draining effect that will eventually kill that person… or so it’s believed. Since no one from inside the walls has been in these areas for years, no one really knows what’s out there. For those who live outside the walls, and there are plenty, these irradiated areas tell a different story.
Most of these zones are marked by signage or some other such warning. The war pushed some flora and fauna to the brink of extinction with some no longer being found in the wild. This has left some parts of the world barren with little life to be found and sources of water contaminated. Much of the landscape between the former major cities of the world remained untouched but those surrounding what was once populated areas are now uninhabitable. The northern and southern spirit portals have been sealed while the remaining portal in Republic City has been kept open and is used to harvest Spirit Energy.
The Desert of Death
Also known as the Si Wong Desert, is a large swath of land that was largely overlooked during the war. Despite it's barren surface, freckled with the hallucinogenic cacti that dot it's landscape, and the hostile environment the desert fosters, this is where the game will actually take place. Bordering this desert is the mountain range to the east and south and remnants of the surrounding forest and swamp to the North and West. There are rumors of a safe place on the far side of the desert but the impossible nature of the journey across and the fact that few have been beyond the walls of the city and back to tell of their discovery, all are hard pressed to believe.
The Story...
My original story had a focus on not just the discovery of one's ability to bend and the ramifications thereof but also an investigation into what happened to the Avatar. We're going to focus on the "coping" aspect. Now that you're on the run, will you accept your powers or reject them? Use them for good or evil? The choice is up to you.
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I know I've only touched lightly on some of the more prominent subjects of this RP and you're probably asking yourself "What happened to the other Nations?", "What exactly is Synergy", "Who's King?" and "What is there to do in a desert?". More information on the game and it's aspects will be added and our world's lore filled in the OOC. I simply wanted to get this out to see if there was any interest at all for a game of this nature before I pour too much work into it. There is already an entire history spanning the time between Korra's turn as the Avatar and the start of our story waiting to be read. I'll be happy to share it here for those who are interested. Some of the other topics still need some work. Suggestions and ideas are always welcome. If you have any questions, please ask away and I'll be happy to answer them.
