This RP will be taking place on the world of Kordial Secundus, an Imperial Hive World of some 70 Billion people, and more specifically within Hive Proxima, second largest hive on the planet with some 12 billion people living within its cramped walls. Taking insperations from Necromunda: Hired Gun and Necromunda: Underhive Wars, the plot of the RP is fairly straight forward, you will be playing as the gangers, mercenaries, outlaws and other ne'er-do-wells living in the Underhive who have been compelled to work together by an external force in order to apply your ruthless skills and criminal trades for the promise of money.
Although the lore of 40k is vast and expansive, its NOT REQUIRED to know a lot about it. In fact, it might be more in character for you to not know the finer points and details about the universe as Hive Cities aren't exactly known for stellar education and worldlyness, the Underhive even less so. Anything that your character will be required to know will be told to you. If you want a quick summary of what a Hive World/City is, they are giant mountains of metal, industry, pollution, overcrowding and human misery. If you want a 2 hour audio book-like description of the lore, I'd recommend this video.
If you want an idea of what the aesthetics of this RP will be, think neo-medieval gothic cyberpunk. Augmentations and bionics go side by side with guilds taking the role of megacorps and the gang violence, dystopian city and transhumanism kicked up to 11.
The Imperium of Man - The largest, star-spanning empire ever created in the history of humanity, ruling over billions of worlds and untold quadrillions of souls. It however is the darkest dystopia every brought to fruition in ways beyond description, just know that what most people would consider "middle class" today, the Imperium would consider "luxuriously wealthy", especially on Hive Worlds. It stands besieged on all sides, from within and without, but has managed to stay standing for the past 10,000 years by momentum and monstrous (or "noble" depending on who you ask) sacrifice of untold trillions.
The Cult of the Emperor - The state religion of the Imperium who worships the Emperor as the Divine Master of Mankind which preaches that traitors, heretics and subverters could be anywhere and that the Emperor demands the ultimate submission and sacrifice of all his worshipers, enforced by fanatical priests. Think of the Catholic Church but in space but they decided that Jesus's message of peace and love was stupid and thought that "all heretics must die" was a better belief. Phrases like "For the Emperor!" and "The Emperor Protects!" are common from the faithful. On Kordial, there are no major noticeable local difference from the astral orthodoxy.
Hive Worlds/Cities - Hives are huge man made mountains where billions of people are forced to live in conditions that would make modern poverty look comfortable. They are cities built on top of other cities, each level going down is more polluted and dangerous than the last, with hundreds or even thousands of individual levels. The highest peaks of the Hive can often reach into a planet's stratosphere and is called the Hive Spires, where the ultra rich and nobility lives in comfort, luxury, hedonism and politicking so brutal and intense it makes Game of Thrones look like a children's show about peace and cooperation. Most food in the Hive is recycled nutrient gruel, nutrient paste smashed from whatever foodstuffs gets imported from off-world and the ever presence corpse starch which is basically soylent green but everyone knows what its made of and just accepts it.
Adeptus Arbites - Judge Dredd. No really, they're literally all Judge Dredds who are responsible for carrying out the law and are a specialized division of the Imperial government (the Adeptus Terra). In reality, full proper Arbites are rare and you might only ever get a handful or less on even a Hive World. Most active, day to day policing and riot suppression is done by local law enforcement working under the Arbites. But think of them less of a police force and more of an actual military force (they make US law enforcement look underequipped by comparison); every so often they will attempt an incursion into the Underhive to try and root out the worst heretic cults and gang leaders. This is less of a SWAT raid and more of a full on military invasion to rival Operation Desert Storm or Stalingrad if they were a magnitude of order bigger.
The Underhive - The depths of the Hive that make the stuff above look pleasant to live in. It is full of the absolute poorest wretches and filled with abandoned manufactorums, hab-blocks, arcologies, cathedrals and other super sized buildings. This is where the light of the Emperor (and the influence of the law) is at its weakest and thus filled with hyper violent gangs, dangerous heretical cults, degenerate mutants, long forgotten monsters and other miscreants trying to hide away from the rest of society. The lower levels are so full of trash and pollution that they're practically unlivable despite potentially containing lost, ancient treasures the further down you go. Incidentally its where most if not all of this RP will be taking place in.
Before nerds start yelling at me, this isn't supposed to be detailed or even complete. Its just supposed to be enough for a brief overview of what's happening.
(Also have ideas on how to turn this into an NRP but that's for a later date.)
Works well for me. I tend to like the mercenary sort anyway. Wee lil' man with a cigar and a Long Las. Trotting along on his wee lil legs shooting things and trying not to get shot. Maybe pair him with an Adeptus Arbites or two, or if that's too much some Underhive Gangers.
I'm thinking more along the lines of a bail bond agent or a debt collector. Or just your regular street goon, the type to shakedown people or kick their ass. Although now that I think about it all three sound the same.
Works well for me. I tend to like the mercenary sort anyway. Wee lil' man with a cigar and a Long Las. Trotting along on his wee lil legs shooting things and trying not to get shot. Maybe pair him with an Adeptus Arbites or two, or if that's too much some Underhive Gangers.
No on the Arbites since this is definitely illegal (as is just about everything short of breathing in the Underhive but even that's up for debate), but if you want to have a Ratling tall tale of you know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy whose an Arbite, sure.
I'm thinking more along the lines of a bail bond agent or a debt collector. Or just your regular street goon, the type to shakedown people or kick their ass. Although now that I think about it all three sound the same.
I would say best bet is that you either work for a gang or one of the shady fellows who work for like the Water or Promethium Guild. Shanking people if they don't pay their utilities bill. Being in a gang is no guarantee of safety, but its still marginally better than being alone.
Sounds good. I probably underestimate how powerful Arbites are. I know Astartes are like uber Gods. Will definitely have that tall tale idea. I love that.
Look look, call me a liar if you want but you'll see. I'm telling you man. He was like this tall. Big ass las. Killed fitty men. Said I was pretty damn tough for an Abhuman and he bought me a drink. Best night of my life. Aside from that one time on - hey...hey you're not listening.
@Dark Cloud Becuase 40k runs on neo-medievalism, Guilds sometimes take the place of companies and corporations (although those still exist.) Think of them as the Water Company and the Natural Gas company but as mega-corps. Promethium is a fuel source that can be used domestically for heating and lighting but is primarily used to violate the Geneva Convention as fuel for flame throwers. Think of it as super space napalm.
They're not unique to Kordial and can be found just about anywhere there's a hive world.
Here is some character creation information. At the start of the RP, all of your characters will have been arrested but intercepted during transport. Thus the CS layout is meant to mimic a police record. It should be written as impersonally as possible for greatest effect.
[H3][b][CONVICT IDENTIFICATION][/b][/H3][.hr][indent](Name, age, gender, human/abhuman and a random string of numbers and letters.)[/indent]
[H3][b][CONVICT DESCRIPTION][/b][/H3][.hr][indent](Physical appearance, any bionic or augments, common outfit/the clothes you got arrested in.)[/indent]
[H3][b][CHARGES OF SIN][/b][/H3][.hr][indent](Your "background"; should be a list of major criminal or life defining events. Could be anything from simple murder or not attending church, to traitorous sedition and mass gang violence.)[/indent]
[H3][b][MEDICAE REPORT][/b][/H3][.hr][indent](A health check that is also where your "temperament"/personality goes as if it was described by a physiatrist.)[/indent]
[H3][b][CONTRABAND FOUND][/b][/H3][.hr][indent](An "equipment list". Of what you had prior to coming in.)[/indent]
[H3][b][ADDITIONAL NOTES][/b][/H3][.hr][indent](Anything else you want to put in.)[/indent]
Example:
[CONVICT IDENTIFICATION]
Convict 21A57UL | Johnathan "Ham Slammer" Doe | 38, Male, Human
[CONVICT DESCRIPTION]
Subject stands at 6ft 6in/2m and possesses strong, muscles build with well defined biceps; shows evidence of alchemical enhancement. Shaggy black hair and blue eyes. Tribal, geometric tattoos found on the chest and right shoulder indicate affiliation with the Meat Beater gang. Left leg has been replaced with an unlicensed bionic from below the knee. Internal chemical stimulant pump detected within subject's body.
Subject was apprehended in a standard industrial serf uniform from Nutrient Recycling Facility 22-Alpha, defaced with unauthorized rips and tears. Subject was wearing armored boots, a scrap metal chest piece consisting of several sections of sheet metal layered on top of one another, hammered into shape. Chains were crossed around the chest in an X shape and around the waist to hang various trinkets and small ornaments on.
[CHARGES OF SIN]
Incident 1 - Subject was caught taking unauthorized additional rations. Sentenced to 15 standard days in an public shock stockades.
Incident 2 - Subject was discovered carrying an unauthorized improvised weapons (a pipe). Sentenced to public penance and flagellation.
Incident 3 - Subject was found carrying illegally obtained batteries for the Meat Beater gang. Sentenced to death but interrupted; escaped following breakout at Convict Containment Facility Delta 80.
Incident 4 - Subject was arrested following gang shoot out with rival Hebejebys gang after being inducted as a full member of the Meat Beaters. Subject had killed four people with a makeshift sledge hammer and beat 1 office to death. Sentence to death but interrupted; transport convoy was ambushed and all convicts escaped.
[MEDICAE REPORT]
Subject shots signs of chemical damage, likely from overuse of stimulants and growth enhancers. Subject's mental test show a high level of aggression having destroyed two servo-skulls during testing. While the subject does not seem particularly intelligence, they are receptive to promises of soft, fluffy objects and beating people to death with either said soft, fluffy objects or large chunks of meat, preferably bone-in. Does not seem to value loyalty or cunning, idealizes strength and a carnivore diet.
[CONTRABAND FOUND]
Two handed makeshift power hammer (powered head connected to improvised batteries), three improvised incendiary explosives, five doses of narcotic drug "Shwoko", one hold out las-pistol.
[ADDITIONAL NOTES]
Please do not use the Meat Beater or Hebejebyes Gangs, they're just stupid names I made up and I thought were funny in the moment.
