Sometime, somewhere in a possible version of Earth that could be our own, or one very close to it, a cataclysm occurred. Maybe it was the conjunction of celestial bodies creating a weakness between the boundaries of realities. Maybe it was the increase in cult activity and obsession with dark magics and forbidden, fogotten rituals, entities and powers. Maybe it was the experimentation with exotic particles and matter in order to research the knowledge of the origins of the universe. Or maybe some conjunction of all of them, or none at all. But whatever it was, the world tore itself apart on that day. Seismic activity wracked the Earth, as weather the likes of which had never been seen tore across the planets' surface. Reality itself tore asunder, and screamed in protest as the walls of the universe were torn down. Other, parallel realities converged, and the whole landscape of Earth itself was altered and twisted as realities converged and overlapped, collapsing in on themselves to create a merged, patchwork reality of numerous realities and Earths that overlapped with one another. The death toll was incalculable as many were torn off of one other and sent to others, and the violent spasms of the planet consumed billions more. The scale of death was impossible to conceive of, as was the sheer runination wrought upon what had once been human society. Yet, from all that, new people, races, and societies were transposed onto this new world. Some human and familiar, others far more fantastic and different. It was centuries before the scope of things came to be revealed, and new communities, societies and civilisations started to emerge. The survivors came to call the catastrophe The Shattering.
Amidst the patchwork world, among the ruins and chaos, one citie rose as a beacon of society, knowledge, and most of all, civilisation. Sanctuary. It's technology, knowledge, and power providing a guiding light to those left among the ruins and the darkness to find a way back into the light. They accepted all races and species that chose to accept their teaching and knowledge, spreading the light of civilisation wherever they went, and defending it with their defence forces, the most iconic symbol of which are the Steel Knights, teams of the bravest, brightest and boldest that Sanctuary could offer, equipped with the best of their technology; the Multirole Combat Robot, MCR or, to coin an old and obscure reference, Mecha.
But Sanctuary is not alone, and there is always a darkness chasing the light. Other powers have been building and rising in the years since the Shattering. An Empire rises elsewhere in the Patchwork world, looking with jealous eyes toward Sanctuary's power and civilisation. And there are other threats. Ones bought to the world by the dimensional crossover. Other species of creatures, other machines, monsters, and vicious, fiendish minds. And then there is the world itself. The Shattering itself may be over, but its' effects are still felt, as the Shatter Storms sweep across the land, leaving, taking, and changing things at seemingly random. And somewhere out there, there are new things to discover, new things that are rising...
T H E G A M E
Shattered Steel is a Mecha-oriented roleplay game where the players take on the role of mecha pilots in a 'Knights' team, the 23rd Tactical MCR Team, the Ghost Hunters belonging to the city-state of Sanctuary, a bastion of civilisation in the patchwork, amalgamated world that Earth has become following 'The Shattering', a great cataclysm that tore apart human society centuries ago.
The role of the players will be to deal with threats, dangers and hostile forces that arise as they discover a new, rising threat to not just Sanctuary, but the world as a whole and all the people that have come to call it home.
There is a variety of extensive lore and background information I have written up for the setting available in a Google Drive folder here: Shattered Steel. You shouldn't need to sign in to view the files and read them.
Following this, if you're still interested, please feel free to read further and create a character and their Mecha.
Players may play one of the created races already available, or may create their own. Any created race/species must be posted here for approval first, and it is the GM's decision to approve or deny them. Races or species from other works of fiction may be allowed, as long as they are not overpowered or otherwise would upset the balance of the setting in other ways, and must fit into the setting and storyline - after all, this is a mecha-based game where mecha-based action will be the primary focus. Superpowers and abilities that would render this useless or pointless would not be a good fit. Similarly, a 'canon' race or species will probably need to have their background updated to allow them to fit into the setting.
Similarly, while the game is a multi-dimensional setting where different genres cross over, the primary one is still science fiction and the plot, setting and game idea is based around Real Robot anime, rather than high fantasy, excessive supernatural content, superheroes, and so on, though all of things are possible within the bounds of the setting. But the idea is primarily that even if magic and paranormal abilities; such as telepathy and suchlike, do exist, then those without them and technology and science can lead to the same results and end points, and stand as much of a chance of victoy over those with powers or abilities.
New places, settlements and regions may be created also, and may be adopted from outside materials or sources, but not taken 'as whole' and introducing a huge, new faction to the setting and game that would unbalance things or otherwise not 'fit' with the setting or radically alter the storyline, plot, and so on.
Mecha do not have to be a specific model, but must fit the concept and format explained in the lore and background documentation regarding Mecha as laid out; being the same size (i.e. 3-4 times the height of an average person) and have a similar 'aesthetic' of rugged, military-looking practicality and with the same modular equipment and weapon systems as outlined in the document.
Shattered Steel is inspired by the Real Robot genre of anime. See the linked TV Tropes page for examples of the genre if you're not familiar with it. In short, however, the game is inspired more by the Universal Century of Gundam, Macross, and other similar anime, specifically from the 'golden age' of the 80's and 90's. As well as that, there is also inspiration from various sci-fi, fantasy, horror and other various pop culture sources, especially with the idea that the setting is a crossover or a melting pot of ideas and genres.
The setting is intended to be one that has elements of drama, desperation, danger and darkness to it, but also hope, which is key. There will be an overarching sense of drama, action, excitement and high stakes, and the arc of the plot is one that takes the characters through a journey that will have highs and lows, as well as moments of humour, lightness and fun, as well as interpersonal drama, character focused moments, and even room for romance - as in the best tradition of all good mecha anime. The idea is that while it is a setting that can be serious and where danger and hardships abound, it is not all grim and bleak - and as such, characters - and their players - should fit this expectation. Your characters will be the heroes of the setting, and while brooding, miserable, borderline psychotic/evil, anti-social, tropey and cliched loners won't be welcome - it is a social game and a team one, after all - neither will 'prophesised heroes', or 'chosen ones' or other equally cliched on the other side characters. Well-rounded backgrounds with hooks for future plot ideas and things to be interesting are what would fit the bill.
Likewise with mecha; think of room for expansion and improvement. Your characters' mecha will have been issued to them by the Sanctuary Defence Force, and will be one model of many in service with them, not some super-prototype-one-of-a-kind machine. Over time there will be chances and story-related occasions where your mecha can be improved and upgraded - it happens in almost every mecha anime, after all, especially real robot ones, so starting at the top leaves nowhere to go upward.
Finally, embrace the setting. I have seen real robot mecha-themed anime in the past where people have got spectacularly stuck on the 'real' part, and not the 'anime' and 'sci-fi' part. The plot is king and the story is the point. Dramatic licence and tension will always win out over the 'realism' of the setting or the scene, because that's what the point is. And really... this is a setting where multiple dimensions have crashed together, and various species and races of people pilot bipedal giant robots. Realism isn't exactly in massive abundance, so trying to explain away every piece of scientific and technical information just... isn't the point. Getting into the minutiae of the tech isn't the point, and isn't the goal.
Be nice to one another - we are all here to have fun.
Don't be a dick - this goes hand in hand with above. But it's worth mentioning: You don't have to play a 'nice' character. But if your character acts like a dickhead, expect to reap the consequences in character too.
This game features anthropomorphic animals. Aka, furries. If you have a problem with that, then this isn't a game for you, and I don't care, or want to hear, about why you think they're bad or awful, or whatever. However, just as equally; just because it does feature them doesn't mean it's an UwU furry gaem where people can be idiotic and cutesy-wutesy, use furry slang and terms everywhere, or act like children. Or sex-crazed maniacs. This is a sci-fi mecha action game, not a furry sex RPG.
The GM's word is final - My setting, my rules on how it works. But as well as this - if I don't know about something? Then it doesn't exist. If you want to surprise other characters, then run it past me in PM first so I can be prepared for it and write it into things properly. And likewise don't assume something works or is a certain way in the setting or plot just because you saw it somewhere else.
The GM will be playing a character that will guide and inform you on missions and objectives, and also in control of NPCs and hostile forces you may come across. While the GM's character(s) will give an objective to accomplish, it is up to the players to decide how they handle this.
Expectations for post length are at least one paragraph, with two to three being preferred. And that it has at least had some effort made to spell check and use proper grammar. Fancy coloured text, fonts and formatting are lovely and fluffy, but not at all required. I certainly won't be using them.
When combat happens, keep the results ambiguous. Post what actions your character is taking as part of your narrative - e.g. 'John fired his missiles against the enemy mecha as he dived forward' but not the outcome.
The post order will be a GM post to set the scene, introduce events and such, then a round of posts from all players (order not specific), and then another GM post to resolve actions and move the scene along. This will be conducted over the course of 14 days maximum, though if the posts are quicker, then the pace will be quicker.
If a player does not post after 14 days with no explanation, then one PM will be sent and one tag posted in the OOC. If nothing after that, I'll assume you've dropped out.
Likewise, it is not my job to chase you. If you're interested enough to join, then I'm going to assume you're interested enough to post. If the best you can offer is you're 'too lazy' to check, then you obviously didn't care enough in the first place, and I don't want you here.
As an addendum to above; extenuating circumstances do apply - if something happened and you're unable to post and weren't able to notify, then of course you will be allowed to catch up. Although, notification of absences would be greatly appreciated.
I have no current plans for a Discord chat; the OOC is here for chatting about the game already, and I'm not expecting enough activity to make it worthwhile having a separate Discord too. However, if by some miraculous turn it suddenly gets hella busy, then I'll consider creating one.
Player characters must be mecha pilots for, or at least allied to, the Sanctuary Defence Forces. Non-pilot characters will not be approved.
While you are free to create your own races or species, and they may have some form of other-than-human abilities, they must still be reliant on and have reason to pilot a mecha for the majority of combat, and be physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of doing so, and also of interacting on the same level as a human being with their fellow pilots. E.G., speaking a recognisable languague, having a physical and corporeal body, having recognisable goals, morals, etc etc.
Likewise, any mecha created for your character must fit the aesthetic and style of the setting - that is, Real Robot anime mecha, and of the style and type outlined in the related documents.
Reading the lore for the game and setting is mandatory to join and play, and any character submitted that has clearly not been created with it in mind will be instantly rejected.
Please delete all items in italics when posting your finished sheet. Character submissions should be placed in the OOC for approval, and pasted into the Characters tab when approved. If you wish to have hidden details about your character from other players, they must still be known to the GM. As stated, characters must be part of, or allied to, the Sanctuary Defence Forces, and be mecha pilots. God-modding Mary Sues will be laughed at, and not accepted.
The standard Sanctuary Defence Force MCR pilot is trained in the use of small arms to defend themselves when dismounted from their machine, and for survival and security skills. As such, every pilot is issued with a personal sidearm - i.e. a pistol - of their choice and expertise, a longarm (shotgun, SMG, rifle, etc), and a survival knife or other melee weapon/tool as standard. Sufficient ammunition for a short engagement is also issued with this, enough to fill the magazine pouches on their pilots' body armour/load-bearing vest. Additional types of weapons can be requisitioned if expected to be needed for a mission.
A Sanctuary MCR pilot is also issued with an MCR Pilots' suit, which is a garment similar to a flight suit, made of modern synthethic materials with various pockets and pouches. A pair of matching boots and gloves are also issued along with it, along with a Pilots' survival /armour vest. The garments are tailored to the various races in Sanctuary's population. They are made of flameproof fabric that is also resistant to most common-strength acid or alkali splashes, is tear-resistant, and is water-resistant. It is not, however, the most comfortable thing for long periods, and is not the best in extremely hot or extremely cold conditions, and is water-resistant, meaning it can get very wet, and thus heavy sometimes. The vest is a combination of load-carrying survival vest with modular pouches for ammunition for the pilots' weapons, their survival kit equipment (detailed below), and has a slash and shrapnel-resistant fabric outer layer with a mesh of inner flexible armour materials that are bullet and stab-proof against low-calibre firearms, and resistant to larger calibres and energy beams. The inner layer is a cushioned breathable fabric. The suit and vest are paired with a modular helmet that can be worn closed or open-faced depending on the needs of the pilot. The helmet has integrated targeting systems that wirelessly interface with the mecha, and integrated communications systems that do the same. The inner visor acts as a heads-up display for various data and information, and also has built-in helmet lights.
The standard pilots' survival kit includes:
Small emergency water canteen with built-in purifier
Small personal medical kit; contains spray-on wound cleaner and disinfectant, spray-on bandage/healing hardening foam, pan-spectrum antibiotic tablets, painkillers, hardening gel emergency splint/cast
Survival blanket
Folding pocket knife/tool
3 days emergency field rations
4 pencil flares (different colours)
Penlight with signal strobe function
Solar cell blanket (for charging batteries)
Emergency communication beacon/receiver
All pilots and Sanctuary Defence Force personnel are also issued a military-grade PADD; a small electronic device about the size of a playing card and a few millimetres thick. The blank high-impact plastic exterior has only a couple of status LEDs. Most PADDs are worn strapped to the back of a hand or wrist, or clipped to a belt or garment. They combine all the functions of a personal computer and a communications device, and can wirelessly interface with any other enabled devices, from appliances to vehicles, and run cloud-based programs and services to aid with the users' control and usage of those devices, equipment, etc. Holographic projection acts as both displays, and also as a customisable touch-interactive control system. Batteries are recharged by ambient solar and thermal energy, and also by the wearers'/users' movements, and galvanic skin response.
Character Name:Self Explanatory, I'd hope.
Callsign:A nickname given that is used when piloting. Nothing too edgy, please.
Sex/Gender:The biological sex and the gender they present and/or identify as
Race & Species:Human or non-human, and any sub-species thereof.
Age:Must be adult for their species, while also not so old they wouldn't be in a frontline combat role.
Appearance:Link to a piece of art or an image of your character. Real Life/Photographic referencs are not allowed.
Demeanour:A few lines describing their general personality and outlook on life
Personal History:Their life and any defining events, people, and incidents in it, in short, brief form, up to this point. This is where to include plot hooks for the GM to get their teeth into.
Special Skills:Other than Mecha piloting, what are three other useful traits your character has? Need not just be combat-related ones, can be other practical or esoteric skills from other parts of their life. Anything that may be useful or relevant in the course of roleplay.
Personal Weapons & Gear:A short, bullet-pointed list of what weapons and notable equipment your character carries. see above for more details. This is for anything otherwise that may have a roleplay effect outside of the 'standard' items listed.
Mecha Name:The name of your machine. For example 'RX-78-2 Gundam'
Appearance:A link to an image of your mecha
Internal Weapon Systems:All mecha have four hardpoints for weapon systems, but may also have mounted light anti-personnel/anti-missile machine guns or other similar light weapon systems, these are detailed here.
Additional Systems/Equipment of note:Anything that isn't a weapon system or standard sensors, commes, or other expected features. Winches, speakers, hot dog warmers, it goes here.
Other notable features/Traits:Anything specific or unusual to your mark and make of mecha. Something mundane or a quirk, or a design note. Note that it must still fit in with the guidelines, so no transforming, flying, invisible or other super-prototype qualities. If it has a particular paint scheme or something, this might be where to put it.
That said, as I read the lore, I am thinking of making either a former Imperial Slave or a Roxborough Citizen allied with Sanctuary... But again, it depends on whether my existing RPs pick up the pace or I make a new one.
Demeanour: Urien feels a sense of obligation to his country, Sanctuary, and the gifts it has given to its people. He genuinely believes that its way is better, and that it is proven by the lives made better by its ways, customs, and systems, including his own. So to pay for his upbringing, even though it was a freely-given gift, Urien has volunteered for duty despite the risks; for he knows this, that a better way of life must be defended from those who do not know its virtues... Or disregard them as weakness. At the end of the day, Sanctuary is where all come together despite their differences, and work for a shared future - This to him is a high ideal, one that is under attack and must be defended.
That said, one flaw he has is that he can be unimaginative as regards how to customize his mech and gear, sticking with the standard loadouts he has longer than sanity would dictate. He also does not see the need for customizations that are purely for aesthetic purposes; what place does art have in an actual battlefield, after all?
Personal History: Urien was born to loving parents from Sanctuary's upper class who made time for him, and he knew this was a gift. Though rich, he knew that wealth was something worked for and reinvested back, that happiness was worth more than mere lucre and that rights and obligations were two-way. And to be honest, that was fine; from his youth, he knew how to volunteer in charitable efforts, bringing to attention the causes of those neglected even in Sanctuary's kinder setting. Nevertheless, he viewed this; Sanctuary was legitimate, and while those who held to other ideals did not deserve hate, his way of life deserved to be defended.
This was cemented when he shared a classroom with a refugee, a war orphan from Imperial Territory, one Laurence Collinsworth, entered his life. They sat next to each other; they began sharing notes, they began going to the same clubs and they eventually became boyfriends. And so Urien had a happy life until he joined the Sanctuary Defense Force, and even then, he saw that as the culmination of his life so far...
Special Skills:
Well-read - Urien loves reading, whether it be fiction, nonfiction, or even cookbooks. Even trashy romance novels get a read sometimes, even if only so that he can cringe and quietly laugh at how bad they are.
Unarmed Combat - Urien is good in fighting without a weapon, able to punch, kick, and grapple his way out of a close-quarters fight... Provided his enemy does not have a gun.
Enhanced Blood - Thanks to some sorcery or superscience in his DNA, Urien's blood contains every immunity and antibody in the known universe, granting him an increased healing rate and immunity to all diseases, including cancer, and a resistance to poisons and toxins and other pollutants.
Personal Weapons & Gear:
- The standard gear and the PADD. - A Cockatoo Keychain given to him by his little sister. - A Civilian PADD containing videogames, e-books, and other means of amusement; all potentially classified information is kept out.
I'm like halfway through (it's been a hell of a week) and I got stuck trying to find a reference image for my felness - is it OK to just give a written description?
I'm like halfway through (it's been a hell of a week) and I got stuck trying to find a reference image for my felness - is it OK to just give a written description?
Sure, that's fine. I haven't managed to find a good one for my Avriala either, so I used a written one
So, are there any more characters forthcoming and any other interest and activity?
Everyone seemed pretty keen over on the interest check, but now the OOC is up... it all seems a bit dead.
I'll wait another few days, but if there's nothing else happening and no further activity, then I'm probably going to call the game dead, because it's been almost a week and there's been no real activity, and I'd be expecting at least some kind of engagement and activity at this point.
Admittedly, I have been on holiday, but at the same time; there's only so much I can do to stir up hype. I've posted the OOC, I've posted a wealth of information on the setting and background, and I've posted my own character as an example so...
So, are there any more characters forthcoming and any other interest and activity?
Everyone seemed pretty keen over on the interest check, but now the OOC is up... it all seems a bit dead.
I'll wait another few days, but if there's nothing else happening and no further activity, then I'm probably going to call the game dead, because it's been almost a week and there's been no real activity, and I'd be expecting at least some kind of engagement and activity at this point.
Admittedly, I have been on holiday, but at the same time; there's only so much I can do to stir up hype. I've posted the OOC, I've posted a wealth of information on the setting and background, and I've posted my own character as an example so...
I've been trying to free up time for my second OC, but I've been distracted trying to recruit for my own.
Character Name: Laurence Collinsworth (Laurent Helreach)
Callsign: Deutragonist.
Sex/Gender: Male/Male.
Race & Species: Human (Half-Creel).
Age: 18.
Appearance:
Demeanour: He's happy with his life, happy with Sanctuary, and happy with his boyfriend, Urien Sanctus, whom he loves and respects dearly. Deep in his heart, Laurence suppresses the ambitious feelings common to all Creel or Creel-blooded, finding them a taint that reminds him of his mother, whom he hates and fears and who only carried him to term on a whim, seeking a pawn whom she can use to embed a dagger inside Sanctuary. He is ambivalent to his birth father as well, who smuggled him into Sanctuary, then realized that he can use 'Laurent' to claim the Imperial Throne, or at least foment civil war inside the nation that had enslaved him. For what it's worth, he sees Urien's parents as more worthy of love than his' own are, and hopes to call them in-laws one day.
Personal History: Even the Empress of the Creel had her whims and pleasures, and plenty of slaves to attend to her. Before she became Empress, she allowed herself to become pregnant by one of them, hoping to use the resulting child as her private weapon and assassin, to be trained as an agent against their enemies. The slave she used, however, found out about her plan and as revenge, escaped with the baby as soon as he was born and named, and more importantly, took a 'Claimant Box', one of the relics of the Imperial Family used to provide some order to challenges for the throne, with him. This slave managed to escape to Sanctuary, where he found asylum, but not a true home; that can wait for when the child grew up, his own dagger into the heart of the enemy's nation.
For the first few years, Laurent was raised by his father, who taught him how to read, write, do sums, and the basics of politeness and courtesy. But as the boy grew up, the father turned to drink and drugs and Sanctuary's child protective services stepped in as quick as lightning, putting him into foster care with the Sanctus Family. There, Laurent found love and affection and people to care about; Oswald and Elaine Sanctus and their son Urien, plus Urien's little sister, Beatrice/Betty. Urien, his light and love, and also the darkness that was benign, the night of sleep and security. He would protect them from anything; he vowed, and when Urien grew up and joined the military, he followed.
In the intervening time, he found out from his birth father that he was the son of the Empress of the Creel, and was given the 'Claimant Box' that had been stolen a long time before from the enemy's treasury. A long-suppressed fire began flickering inside him, kept from burning out of control only because of what could happen to Urien and his adopted home...
Special Skills:
Swordsmanship - Laurence/Laurent knows how to fight with a sword as a proper duelist would; this is important if he is to earn the respect of his future opponents, and hopefully, subjects.
Oratory - Laurence/Laurent is good at public speaking, at playing into an audience's feelings and thoughts, and changing that audience's crowd and mood to the direction he desires.
Pyroknesis (Minor) - Laurence/Laurent can light small fires, up to a campfire-sized blaze, with his thoughts and mind alone. Useful for survival out in the countryside.
Personal Weapons & Gear:
- The standard gear and the PADD. - A Red Macaw Keychain given to him by Urien's little sister, Beatrice. - A Civilian PADD containing video games, e-books, and other means of amusement; all potentially classified information is kept out. - The 'Claimant Box', is a small cube containing the Coat of Arms of the Helreach Family that only opens when fed with the blood of someone with their DNA. This box transmits a signal to the Imperial Capital, announcing not just the existence of the person who fed it with their blood and their genetic credentials, but also that they are claiming the Imperial Throne; a challenge that no member of the Imperial Family can deny. To use this box is an irrevocable step, not just for Laurence/Laurent, but for his allies.
Internal Weapon Systems: 2 x Head-mounted light machine-guns; mounted on either side of the head for anti-personnel/anti-missile use.
Additional Systems/Equipment of note: High-speed winch mounted on the lower torso. Reinforced cockpit with extra gas filters and oxygen reserves. External speaker and microphone system
Other notable features/Traits: A white, gold, and blue paint scheme (suggested by Laurence).
Laurence/Laurent's Mech:
Mecha Name: SMW-019 Claw
Appearance:
Internal Weapon Systems: 2 x Head-mounted light machine-guns; mounted either side of the head for anti-personnel/anti-missile use.
Additional Systems/Equipment of note: High-speed winch mounted on lower torso. Overclock System for the Reactor. External speaker and microphone system
Other notable features/Traits: The red, orange, with a little green and gold paint scheme shown on the picture.
So this is the 40' tall standing target kind of mecha. Hmm.
Uhh... no? Did you read the lore? Also, if you don't like it/want to embrace the setting and it's conventions, then don't join in with snarky, smart-ass comments, thanks. What exactly were you expecting? I've made it clear at every point that mecha anime like Gundam and Macross would be the major inspiration for the mecha aspect.
Uhh... no? Did you read the lore? Also, if you don't like it/want to embrace the setting and it's conventions, then don't join in with snarky, smart-ass comments, thanks. What exactly were you expecting? I've made it clear at every point that mecha anime like Gundam and Macross would be the major inspiration for the mecha aspect.
Sorry, I'm evaluating. In Macross, the mecha are so tall because the aliens they're fighting are that tall, too. 18-24' mecha are better off than 40' mecha, but still have pros and cons.
