[CENTER][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khMlcTE7lw8][i]We work “private security.” We're all ex-soldiers, ex-special forces, ex-cops, ex-good guys. We all have our reasons why we became ex. “Maybe now we can put things right,” we tell ourselves. But its bullshit. Trust me.[/i] [img]https://i.imgur.com/HTs1fTO.jpg[/img][/url] [/CENTER] Hey fellas, glad you stopped by. Having played through some vidya games recently (CoDMW, Max Payne, Escape from Tarkov, and a few others) I have had my mind oversaturated with certain ideas, themes, thoughts, etc. mainly regarding Private Military Companies, colloquially known simply as Mercenaries. This is the result. [u][b]The Premise[/b][/u] Contrary to the small blurb at the top, you won’t necessarily be formerly a former government employee of sorts for your military experience. You’ll be any sort of former badass, probably as mentioned above a former soldier, police officer, or something else, but just as easily you might have been a nutjob in some political paramilitary, a gang thug, or perhaps a rebel of some sort; so long as you have relevant experience to PMCs you will be suitable. Officially you are employees working for Ares Solutions, a company officially based in Switzerland doing simple security contracts protecting celebrities and the likes. [i]Officially.[/i] Journalists from all countries have mysteriously disappeared often never to reemerge after starting investigations on Ares Solutions, but before they do they have many allegations. Some claim they are an accountability-free strongarm for nations around the world from America to Russia to China, these conflicting claims all apparently having some credible proofs. Ares Solutions has been in warzones and other armed hotspots from the Middle East, to South-East Asia, Latin America, and even South-Eastern Europe and Africa. All sorts of specialists are required for the company’s clandestine work: cyberwarfare specialists, medic, private investigators, snipers, squad machines gunners, trackers, and others. Whether it was because you were to be court martialed for a crime you didn’t commit, because you just wanted the great money, or because you didn’t pass the psych evaluation for some other soldier-boys you applied to there is a reason you were sent an offer from A.S. Inc. which you accepted. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/p3B8PKq.jpg[/img][/center] [u][b]Posting Expectations[/b][/u] This RP is advanced. That means any post requires at least three paragraphs, with quality & detail. It is largely going to be action oriented, although this will vary on your character being from about 45% on average to as high as 95%. There will be intense violence and darker themes so obviously be 18+. I expect everyone to give me at least one post a week. If you cannot make that deadline, then warn me and give me the timeframe in which you think you can post. If you fail to warn me and make a post that’s one strike, if you warn me but fail to meet the deadline then that’s two strikes. Three strikes and you’re out. BUT! I’m also cognizant shit really does happen, so if you manage to for four weeks keep up the good posting then you can get a strike removed in a sort of “redemption” system. This might seem harsh, but on RPG I’ve seen far too many RPs die of the first or second round of posting after one person delays it or similar stuff, and this is with the aim of preventing us getting stuck because of one bad apple spoiling the whole barrel. There will be in addition to traditional RPG posts many “collabs”, wherein we write in a google doc for more fast paced action scenes or dialogue just to not have a single conversation or a firefight with a single MG nest take a whole month to get through. In fact, at the beginning of the RP you will have two posts at the same time; you will begin at the same time being deployed to your first assignment as new hires, while also working on a post where your character has their “interview” to give me and other players some first hand insight into your character. The RP does certainly have a degree of realism. You will run out of ammo if you spray and pray too much, and if you go leeroy-jenkins at a dude with an HMG you’ll end up as a fine red mist. However I will describe this RP as a modern day action oriented neo-noir adventure movie. Your characters are badasses and at times will get the equivalent of bullet time. When you go up against enemies of equal training/experience to you then whereas they will in effect be as though rolling a d100, while you will be as if rolling a d100 and then adding a d10. Yes, dice will have [i]some[/i] effect, but it will be really minimal and behind the scenes with player choices having about 10 times the power of luck in determining any outcomes. [u][b]Co-GMs[/b][/u] So, I would very much like co-GMs. I don’t need them for now, since we’re below eight players. However to manage more than that I will need a co-GM. Such a person will be somewhere between the developer of the RP (me, the GM) and a participant (most of the players). They will both make it and be in it It won’t be like a second job, but you will have some responsibilities: reading more stuff about militaria, writing settings, introducing new characters, possibly even GMing individual fight scenes and such, helping find good music and visuals, helping other applicants create characters or dealing with players being a little bit naughty, dealing with the parts of the RP dictated by dice, helping with general housekeeping/bureaucracy et cetera. At least one of the co-GM characters will be a Field Manager. [u][b]OOC Rules[/b][/u] Right, there’s no “real” rules. Don’t be a dick OOC, don’t meta/powergame, don’t start conflating IC with OOC. You can always question one of my decisions indefinitely, but until I agree with you that what I did is wrong my fat GM dick will stay on the table and the decision is in effect. Don’t blogpost (post off topic shit) [i]too much[/i]. Cool little updates and memes are fine, but when there’s more off topic chatter than on topic chatter I’ll kindly nudge everyone because there’s better places for that. All these rules also apply to the discord, which is below: https://discord.gg/9tDSsHD Note, the discord isn’t absolutely mandatory, but its sure as heck very useful for instant communications and I'd really, really prefer it if you did join the server rather than not. [u][b]Inspirational Media[/b][/u] These are just some things that I think will give a good feel for the RP after going through them. Maybe if you’re on the fence about joining this will help you decide whether you want to or not, or if you do and you have writer’s block then just have a gander through here. Oh, and I will keep updating this . [hider=food for thought] [i]Max Payne[/i]: [url=https://maxpayne.fandom.com/wiki/Max_Payne_Wiki]1[/url], [url=https://maxpayne.fandom.com/wiki/United_Souls_of_the_People]2[/url], [url=https://maxpayne.fandom.com/wiki/Crach%C3%A1_Preto]3[/url], [url=https://maxpayne.fandom.com/wiki/Unidade_de_For%C3%A7as_Especiais]4[/url], [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYIYYUSrwQs&]5[/url], [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as9BCiK16d0]6[/url], [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTrjqBUvDQI]7[/url] The events and ideas of Max Payne - particularly the third installation of the game - very much go into what I mean by neo-noir when I describe the RP. The above links are the most pertinent. While our mercs certainly aren’t as evil as the AUP, UFE, and the Cracha Preto, we’re still some nasty sons of bitches. The feeling of action and badassery is also spot on. [i]Tom Clancy[/i]: [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Clancy]1[/url], [url=https://splintercell.fandom.com/wiki/Tom_Clancy%27s_Splinter_Cell]2[/url] Tom Clancy’s works (particularly Splinter Cell/the story of Sam Fisher) are great for neo-noir as well, but I more like them for this because of the badass, but nevertheless realistic or at least plausible stories they tell (particularly the earlier ones, before Tom Clancy became a brand rather than author). [i]CoD[/i]: [url=https://callofduty.fandom.com/wiki/Chimera]1[/url], [url=https://callofduty.fandom.com/wiki/Yegor_Novak]2[/url], [url=https://callofduty.fandom.com/wiki/Sebastian_Krueger_(Modern_Warfare)]3[/url], [url=https://callofduty.fandom.com/wiki/Sydney_%22Syd%22]4[/url], [url=https://callofduty.fandom.com/wiki/Nikolai_(2019)]5[/url], [url=https://callofduty.fandom.com/wiki/Mace]6[/url] CoD in general has good military aesthetics, but the Chimera PMC is a very big inspiration for what Ares Solutions Inc. is. [i]Escape From Tarkov[/i]: [url=https://escapefromtarkov.gamepedia.com/USEC]1[/url], [url=https://escapefromtarkov.gamepedia.com/Terra_Group]2[/url], [url=https://escapefromtarkov.gamepedia.com/BEAR]3[/url], [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xECVQV1EhMk&list=PLHWoCotuxs61cuC0OQShmUoR0mP_8YXFx]4[/url], [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPnrY5BxddI]5[/url], [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uoahlpj8noI]6[/url], [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISRskAi9q5A]7[/url] Just thematic merc stuff man, especially links 5-7 [i][url=https://twitter.com/404ruserr0r?lang=en]Dima[/url][/i]: I actually personally know this fella. His twitter gives a lot of insight on what some mercenary work is like, both the mundane and exciting parts as a Russo-Ukrainian PMC in DNR/LNR. Warning, very 18+ edgy shit, enter at own risk. [i]Real PMCs[/i]: [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_military_contractors]1[/url], [url=https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Private_Military_Corporations/list_of_PMCs]2[/url], [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagner_Group]3[/url], [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academi]4[/url] Just to read about some real mercs out there, what they’ve done, how they operated, controversy, etc. [i]Misc[/i]: [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tT1aJK5oSc&app=desktop]1[/url] Other stuff that is just cool and relevant. This I’ll update on the regular, possibly even every week add new links [/hider] [u][b]Your Application[/b][/u] Your character sheet will sort of be done as if an IC document, the dossier Ares would keep of your character in their office basements behind a very thick lock inside a very thick safe. Of course it’s not the most important thing to make this super formal in universe looking, but at least give an effort. [hider=Dossier: {first name initial + Last name}] [quote][b]Name[/b]: full legal name [b]Sex[/b]: what it says on the tin can [b]Date of Birth[/b]: Ditto. [b]Aliases & Pseudonyms[/b]: what else has your character gone by? [b]Callsign[/b]: leave this blank, I will assign it to you upon your character being accepted [b]Physical Description[/b]: Only describe the physical. Be very detailed, I want height, weight, eye colour, skin colour, hair colour, an ethnic descriptor, signs of age or absence thereof, birthmarks, tattoos, piercings, scars & other blemishes, build, and any other features, particularly distinctive ones. Depending on why you chose to join up A.S. Inc. may have given cosmetic surgeries to you and you should separately describe what your character would look like without it; furthermore any other cosmetics surgeries should also be described (including things like laser tattoo removals). You can attach a picture photographic or art but plz no anime or other "intentionally unrealistic" art styles. [b]Psych Evaluation[/b]: when being hired you'd be forced to sit for a few hours with a shrink, maybe a whole day if uncooperative. You could be a pristine calm individual just looking for a good job, or you could be a nutter that enjoys hurting people. Again try to be detailed, include any conditions you may be diagnosed with mentally, phobias, religion, signs of lingering trauma, addictions, obsessions, etc. At some point describe what made your character decide to become a PMC. [b]Physical Evaluation[/b]: your vision, any physical defects or abnormalities (asthma, diabetes, chronic injuries [i.e. a missing eye or finger, damaged knee, metal hip, hearing aids, etc.]) [b]Medical history & Miscellaneous[/b]: any prescriptions you might have and medicines you might take, allergies, illnesses you might have had, blood type, surgeries, and anything else potentially important. [b]History[/b]: Ares would scour the internet along with all public records (and even some private/secret ones) for a mention of you. Social media, news stories, jail/police websites, university records, even potentially interviews with people who know you; with all these things in mind try to reconstruct a history of your character up to the modern day. [b]Experience[/b]: basically a snip from your character's resume. What have they done that makes them a good asset for Ares to hire. If they don't have a lot of formal relevant experience working military and similar jobs, make this a sort of sales pitch your character would write about themselves, i.e. If they fought for some cartel you can say "Shot twenty cops for his boss, then stabbed seven people in prison. Worked with low resources to achieve high results, would achieve more working with sophisticated PMC resources." [b]Languages[/b]: what it says on the tin can. Don't pile them on just because, the average between all characters should be about 2, English being the sole mandatory one. Describe the level of fluency, if there is an accent, etc. [b]Nationality[/b]: list every passport your character holds. If for some reason important (i.e. Your character is a Sri-Lankan passport holder but is a Tamil separatist) list their ethnicity [b]Position[/b]: Field Operator - {choose a role here like canine expert, demolitionist, B&E specialist, interpreter etc. Your character will obviously have many valuable talents, but use the most important things here, try to only put one and at the very most three (unless you are a co-GM, in which case your position will be “Field Manager” and that’s it)} [b]Kit[/b]: For now leave this blank, this’ll only become relevant as time goes on and the company lets you pick and choose what gear you bring. Still, what you receive (ammo, guns, medicine, batteries and equipment that uses them) will be kept track of. [b]Misc[/b]: Anything important but not previously mentioned. [/quote] [/hider] Outside the dossier you can add stuff like a character theme song to help me and others get the feel for the character. Copy-paste the sheet from [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5087243/raw]here[/url] Please, ask me questions, ask for help, give suggestions. If you’re having any issues I’d be more than happy to sit down and work stuff out with, if you have an idea you can’t get through on to the CS I’d be more than happy to even sit down and write chunks of it for you, if your idea shows promise. Communication is everything, and with that I can’t wait to see your applications!