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Hidden 2 mos ago 1 mo ago Post by Dyelli Beybi
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Dyelli Beybi A prince among men

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WELCOME TO EMPIRE OF THE CLOUDS

Welcome to Empire of the Clouds, an RP set in a fictional low-fantasy world with a technology level roughly equivalent to Earth 1910. The RP will start off in the 'Circle Sea' region, an area vaguely analogous to Europe and the Middle East though there is a big world out there...

In this RP you will play someone fleeing the city of Inbur in the face of an advancing enemy army. You have been lucky enough to get to a recently retrofitted, but uncrewed, military zeppelin. Perhaps you are a soldier, perhaps a civilian, perhaps someone who actually knows how to operate this rather complicated piece of machinery! The choice is yours.

Inbur is a cosmopolitan melting pot so you can write a character from wherever in the world you choose and whatever culture you like the look of. Some places have descriptions below. If you are interested in somewhere that doesn't have one, ask and we'll give you more info!

The choice of what you do will also be yours. Will you try to save Inbur? Will you ally with her enemies? Will you sail off into the sunset and do a bit of tourism while the world burns? There is, after all, a big world out there for you to explore!



INTRODUCTION

The year is 1077 of the Inburian Era and there is change in the world.

The fires of industry have been lit in what were once largely agrarian societies around the Circle Sea. New inventions have changed the face of the world. The railway, mechanisation, photography, the internal combustion engine and machine guns have all changed the face of the world. In recent years people have even begun taking to the sky in balloons and, more recently, heavier-than-air vehicles.

Society has changed as well. People have begun to see themselves as part of 'National' communities linked by language and tradition and old Empires, the Inburian one amongst them, have splintered into Nation States. People have begun to increasingly see the old Medieval hierarchies as antiquated and unjust.

The Nation of Calaria was the first to embrace a new system of 'Communalist' Government. At first the Calarians sought to spread their revolution through sponsored agitation in neighboring states, most notably the Inburian Empire, though in recent weeks this has escalated into a full invasion. While the Inburians had been prepared to hold the relatively short border, they were not prepared for the use of Chlorine gas, nor were they prepared for an insurrection from Fifth Colonists within their own country, or a surprise attack from their Eastern neighbour, Xak-Shariq.

Fourteen days into the invasion, the Calarians have reached the city of Inbur, people are trapped and jusitifiably frightened, but there is still a way out for those people who happen to have looked up at the Zeppelin mast in the military base by the Imperial Palace. It seems to have been forgotten (nobody has allocated a crew to it) and the military are making a fighting retreat from the city. Nobody is really looking...

MAPS






NATIONS & CULTURES

While everyone has a history, I haven't written about everyone as that would take forever and I don't want to bog you down in lore!

Major Peoples and Nations of the RP






Minor Peoples and Nations of the RP








TECHNOLOGY

The technology level for this RP is, broadly, 1910 with one key exception: airship tech is 20 or so years more advanced than it was in the real world at this time... and most importantly you have helium in your bags rather than hydrogen so you aren't going to go down in a giant fireball of doom if someone lights a cigarette within a kilometer of you.

The reason I have made this decision, simply, so that your airship does not suck! It would rather shorten the RP if you were in an explosive death trap.

Other than that, expect bolt action rifles, very basic biplanes, electricity, poison gas, fancy hats and, potentially, trenches. Not that you need to worry about most of these things as you cruise blissfully over the battles raging below.


ZEPPELINS/RIGID AIRSHIPS

First, yes, I know that Zeppelin is a company that made/makes rigid airships, which is the correct name for the thing we are describing. Most people know them as Zeppelins though, so I'm sticking with that.

If you aren't too familiar with Zeppelins, they are absolutely colossal constructions that dwarf anything in the sky today.



In this RP, the zeppelin you are on will travel at about 80 miles per hour and can reach heights of about 21,000 feet, though typically you'd cruse quite a bit lower. Your zeppelins can stay aloft for a week or so, which is mostly dictated by how much engine fuel you have onboard. If you run out of that you won't crash immediately, but you will lose all ability to control where you are going.

Planes of the era are only marginally faster than you, cannot get as high and have nowhere near the range... though obviously they are much cheaper to build. They also haven't developed the interrupter gear that would allow single man fighters to become a thing.

Most of the living space is inside the outer shell which is good because the gondolas that are used for navigation and gun platforms get very cold (the interior is heated by air from the engine). There are also two gun platforms on the top of the airship which you can access by a long and frightening ladder, three MGs at the front and one near the tail. Combined with the four MGs in the front gondola and four in the rear, the ship is armed with 12 that can cover most approach directions and even strafe the ground... if you're low enough. Which might not be advisable since things on the ground can shoot back.

You can actually walk along the top as well... though it might be a good idea to make sure you are fastened securely. It is, after all, a long way down!




UNNECESSARY LORE

This section is for a bit of extra lore that you don't really need to read in order to engage with in order to make a character but which helps flesh out the world.




CHARACTER APPLICATION



You will notice some things about this character application form aren’t normal.

First, I haven’t asked for equipment. You could conceivably have a rifle, revolver or pistol on you at the start of this RP, but even if you don't, there is an armory onboard.

I also haven’t asked what your skills are. I’m assuming all characters are generally competent, however, what you’ve written in your background will determine whether I make things easier for you, or not, if you attempt something. For instance, a librarian might know how to use a rifle, but probably won’t be as good at hitting a moving or distant target as a trained soldier.

Also note, your character is not magical. Magic exists in this setting but not really in the more industrial parts of the world and it exists mostly for me, as the GM, to create problems for you!

Finally, there is no personality section. Your backstory should give a good idea of how your character is going to behave, but more importantly, I don’t want you to feel like your character is fixed. In a good RP, characters grow and develop over the course of the story and might end up being totally different from how they started.

When making your app, delete the bits in parentheses - they are there to give you guidance.





RULES



In short, just have common sense and be courteous to your other RPers and we will have no problems! But if you want specifics...

Decisions
My word and the word of any Co-GM is binding. If you don’t like a decision, you can, of course, ask for us to reconsider it. Once. If we made a decision you don’t like, complaining for pages and pages is not going to endear you to anyone. Not me, not the Co-GM and not your fellow writers.
On that note, I intend to run this thread as an anarcho-communist cooperative. This is an unnecessarily complicated way of saying that my word DOES NOT overrule theirs. If there is an appeal and a dispute amongst the Co-GMs we will take a vote on the matter.

Post Quality
I don’t have a problem with short posts but please use proper spelling (I don’t care what regional variant), grammar etc.
Ideally also try to include a 'hook' when you write a post, which is to say something that gives other people something to respond to. If your post is something along the lines of 'Bilbo Baggins stayed in his room and read a book while the world was ending', don't be surprised if nobody responds to you.

Posting Commitment
Nothing is worse than making an RP only for it to die. Please try to make at least one post every 48 hours or so. If you find yourself unable to post, please let me know in the OOC thread or Discord. If it looks like you've abandoned a character in the middle of a fight scene I might decide to kill them off. Which is great for the plot, makes the monster all the scarier... though potentially not great for you.

Posting Speed
On the flip side, blitz posting can also be infuriating. So, especially during the important scenes, I recommend giving your fellow players a reasonable time to make a reply. We all have real lives. That being said, if someone leaves everyone waiting for over 48 hours, and the rest of the writers are rearing to go, feel free to carry on the scene without them.

OOC thread Manners
Nothing annoys me more than bad manners on an OOC thread/the Discord. Swearing, passive-aggressive sniping or any other rude behaviour are not welcome. You will be warned once. If you can’t control yourself, slow-downs, temporary bans etc. may be applied on the Discord. If you continue to cause problems these may be made permanent. I don't want to do that, so play nice!

IC thread Manners
Remember, we are writing a story together, not playing to win.

Character Death
Player death is possible in this RP, though it will be avoidable if you play to your character's strengths, work with your team and don't do anything too stupid. Likewise, if someone goes inactive in the middle of a fight scene without explanation and cannot be raised, I may decide to kill your character off.

Godmodding
In general the enemies in this thread should be treated as an actual threat. Write opening fire on the enemies, not that you gunned them all down and everyone went home for tea and medals. I will, however, write damage for your character if you get into a bad situation...

18+
18+ allows us to write a darker story that explores grown-up themes. I didn't pick it for erotica and/or gorn, so try to write tastefully. If I have to repeatedly ask someone to tone it down I will be displeased.

Banning Players
I really don’t want to be doing that but reserve the right to do so if you cannot follow the (hopefully, rather simple) rules above.
Hidden 2 mos ago 1 mo ago Post by InfamousGuy101
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InfamousGuy101 Infamous Fella

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Name: James E. Carter
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Nationality: Commonwealth of Ardell
Appearance:



Personal Effects:
- Silver pocket watch
- Personal journal booklet
- Clothing he has on
- Model II shotgun (basically an M1898 shotgun)
- Harlan Arms Model 45. Pistol (ye old 1911)
- Pack of Loro Cigarettes he's never opened

Background:

What is your job: Merchant Airship Captain/Pilot
Backstory: James hails from the Commonwealth of Ardell, a nation across the Evig of sprawling plains, winding rivers, large forests and industrious cities. Raised on his family’s sprawling farm in the dust-laden plains of the West Fork he grew up knowing only hard work, clear skies, and endless fields. His life changed forever the day he saw the glide of airships over his small town of West Fork, the airships were ornate back then but the sight of them were a promise of a future far from the soil. From that moment, he knew his fate lay not in the dirt but in the boundless sky.

Upon coming of age, he eagerly joined the Ardellian Defense Corps, seizing the chance for adventure and the possible opportunity to some day pilot an airship of his own. When the Commonwealth sent a force across the river to establish a beachhead on Iktani soil, they were spotted by an Iktani observation balloons. It wasn’t long before the Iktani encircled them, launching a brutal assault to drive the Commonwealth forces back. Despite heavy losses on both sides, the Commonwealth troops managed to hold their position, though without advancing. To bolster the assault the Commonwealth finished building it's first bombing airship, the CBS-11, which came to be nicked "The Screaming Eagle" by the crew, and Carter was part of that crew which was dispatched to bomb a key Iktani city believed to be a staging ground for reinforcements.

The bombing mission was chaotic. From the altitude required to evade anti-air defenses, it was impossible to gauge where the bombs would land, but Carter knew they weren’t hitting the intended rail yard. The mission left him feeling conflicted and disillusioned, as he sensed that innocent lives had been lost without clear military gain. The Iktani's reaction was immediate and fierce, swelling their ranks with reservists who had lost homes and families in the bombardment.

The Commonwealth troops fought to preserve the beachhead but were soon overwhelmed by the wave of Iktani reinforcements. Forced to retreat, the Commonwealth began negotiations, ultimately withdrawing their forces and suing for peace. As The Screaming Eagle headed home, it was caught in a storm it wasn’t built to withstand. Fire spread through the vessel, sending it crashing into the Gulf. Carter was one of the few survivors, rescued days later by a Nordisle patrol. Returning to a hero’s welcome in Ardell, he felt only grief and guilt. Requesting discharge, he left the military to join The Evig Traders' Guild, a merchant company offering steady work far from Ardell.

Carter spent years with the Traders' Guild, shipping goods across the continents. His journeys took him from the rugged (rumored to be haunted) mountains of Bayn Alain to the icy reaches of the northern seas of Brendahl, where the airships had to navigate treacherous winds and frigid salt spray. He has traversed jungles, deserts, and even the mysterious islands of the Southern Archipelagos where he witnessed skybeasts and all kind of otherwise fantastical creatures most couldn't even fathom. Yet, despite the thrill and freedom that the open skies brought him, he found little peace. The memories of the war, the fallen friends, the burning wreck of the Screaming Eagle, and the lives lost from his own actions followed him wherever he went, a weight on his conscience that no distance could lift.

Through it all, he led his small crew with a steady hand, navigating his ship through occasional ambushes, violent storms, and encounters with beasts that haunted the southern seas. Despite the money and respect he had earned the sense of unease gnawed at him, a reminder of the past he couldn’t fully leave behind.

Carter and his ship now find themselves in Inbur, a city under siege. Originally, he’d come here on a rare but necessary assignment for The Evig Traders' Guild: transporting high-value artifacts and essential supplies from the embattled Inburian forces as they braced against the Calarian advance, the only reason why he accepted this task was the company offering to pay him double the bonus, triple if he brought everything unscathed. Inbur’s Imperial Palace held a trove of relics and important documents, treasures deemed too valuable to risk falling into enemy hands. The mission was simple enough; arrive, load the goods, and leave before the Calarian forces could fully encircle the city.

But the situation has spiraled faster than anticipated. Enemy forces have pushed through the defenses faster than anyone had expected, cutting off traditional supply routes. The Inburian command is in disarray and scrambling to evacuate its highest officials and essential personnel. As the city’s defenses crumbled, the military base near the palace was abandoned in the rush to withdraw. In the chaos, Carter's airship was targeted by Calarian artillery, now with his airship burning and his crew missing Carter must make his way back to the homeland he's avoided for years, how he will do that only fate may tell, for now though the large unattended airship in the imperial palace seems to be his only hope for escape.

Hidden 1 mo ago 1 mo ago Post by PrinceAlexus
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PrinceAlexus necromancer of Dol Guldur

Member Online

Name: Post Captain Hamelin Le Marinier
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Nationality: Favis
Appearance: A taller man and bearded to hide the Scars from his injuries that caused his active retirement. Right eye is glass or an eyepatch depending on comfort and part of his right hand is a mechanical prostatic from a blast injury.

Has a number of miscellaneous scars from said explosion on his right side.



Personal Effects:
.455 Favis Heavy pattern Navy Revolver
Favis Diplomatic papers
Old Riggers Knife and spike.
Silver plated hip flask with Whiskey.
Navy wool overcoat.
1 glass right eye, 1 eye patch, 1 Right partial hand prosthetic
A folded bundle of small maps and a simple small metal compass.

History:

What is your job:
Former active Naval gunnery Officer and Diplomatic mission staffer from Favis..

Born into a long family of sailors from pirates to merchants and even the odd privateer down the family history it was almost expected that he would serve, sail in some way related to the sea. Hamelin did not disappoint and joined the Favis Navy as a junior midshipman when the chance was first available.

Though minor nobility their Title meant little more than a long family history, a coat of arms and a large home that cost too much to heat but they also refused to sell, a sense of pride and also the old stone building had withstood the centuries as their protector from storms, conflict and more unnumbered. It was this family that shaped the officer who rose in the Royal Flavis Navy, showing promise and being assigned first as a navigation officer until his real talent as a gunnery commander was revealed.

Success began to follow success until he was aboard the heavy dreadnought class, Hammer of Vich', a large ship clad in iron and steel, mounting the heaviest and most powerful armaments Flavis Forges and war smiths could craft. It lead the fleet forward befitting its name, fire, fury and wrath where exchanged without mercy or pause.

It was In B main turret an anti armour shell slammed into a plate already weakened by several hits from a heavy cruiser that lingered close exchanging close fire but losing it was when his world went black and his memory only returned aboard a land based hospital after the battle taken away by the the hospital ship Mercy of the Angel then to the main Naval hospital.

Victory came at a price for all, for our noble office it came high. His hand was a mass of bandages, Half his face was too. Shrapnel from the hit that buckled the turret's side sending a wave of steel into space and leaving grievous wounds and death to many. 1 man in 20 got out walking.

Decorated, promoted, His active career was over, honourable service meant he had a choice, a quiet retirement or to take what job was available and serve behind the desk instead of gunplot. Hamerlin chose to stay and soon his command was a desk in a comfortable enough office building trying to learn how to use his new hand and adapt to a single eye after a long stay in hospital.



Years passed.



Years passed and Hamerlin now held a role in the Embassy to a semi allied nation, their Naval attache, his job was not what he wanted, to have commanded warships, maybe even fleets but he had found at least a life that kept him from getting bored. He still was an expert at reading maps, able to calculate terrain, elevations, and transform the 2D into a 3D puzzle to crack complex tables and calculations easily. Those skills he kept, advising on situations and attending various events on behalf of the nation he served.

He rose to Post Captain on both seniority and merit, he was unlikely to make a flag but he had risen as far as a land based officer likely could. His rank also came with responsibilities and pressures that he had not shouldered before but privilege was never freely given.



Fire came.



Forts, defence lines and established defensive plans expected to hold the enemy for weeks, months if not drive them to utter stalemate buckled and broke far faster than anyone could have believed and soon the Capital rang with guns before even people could move to escape. The armies of the Red tide could not be held back as they began to pound the city, their batteries and heavy siege armies now able to dig, bombard and break the final defences before all was consumed.

Expecting no such army to obey the Diplomatic niceties, he grabbed what he could, his pistol and so from his drawer, stuffing ammo where he could, his knife and a few other things before he left. He would find his own way out and he believed he saw one last do or die plan in his eye. He was likely dead anyway so a small chance of success was more than none.

He had carefully studied the city and its plan, its maps, layout and what he helped would save his life. He made for his desperate plan, avoiding those places he knew would likely be main targets, and navigated his way to the last escape route he could devise.

Hidden 1 mo ago 1 mo ago Post by Expendable
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Expendable The Certifiable

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Hidden 1 mo ago Post by Dyelli Beybi
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Dyelli Beybi A prince among men

Member Seen 5 days ago

Name: James E. Carter
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Nationality: Commonwealth of Ardell
Appearance:



Personal Effects:
- Silver pocket watch
- Personal journal booklet
- Clothing he has on
- Model II shotgun (basically an M1898 shotgun)
- Harlan Arms Model 45. Pistol (ye old 1911)
- Pack of Loro Cigarettes he's never opened

Background:

What is your job: Merchant Airship Captain/Pilot
Backstory: James hails from the Commonwealth of Ardell, a nation across the Evig of sprawling plains, winding rivers, large forests and industrious cities. Raised on his family’s sprawling farm in the dust-laden plains of the West Fork he grew up knowing only hard work, clear skies, and endless fields. His life changed forever the day he saw the glide of airships over his small town of West Fork, the airships were ornate back then but the sight of them were a promise of a future far from the soil. From that moment, he knew his fate lay not in the dirt but in the boundless sky.

Once he came of age Carter eagerly joined the Ardellian Defense Corps during one of its many wars with the Iktani Confederacy. The war saw the widespread use of airships by the Commonwealth mainly for reconnaissance, all the while rhe rest of the war was brutal battles across the fields and forests of the Confederacy as the Commonwealth attempted its efforts to expand across the continent to coast.

Serving as a scout and later a reconnaissance airship pilot, Carter flew missions over charred battlefields and shattered towns. Losing countless of friends to trench combat and skirmishes forced Carter to face the reality that war was not a noble or glorious ordeal but a gritty and ugly tragedy, survival was not a matter of powerful but luck and sheer will.

The war came to an end after the bombardment of Tihacoma, the capital city of Confederacy. Carter war part of the crew that manned the Screaming Eagle, the Commonwealths first large airship meant for bombardments. The mission was relatively successful as it forced the Confederacy to the bargaining table. Carter felt a sense of grief at the thought of having taken part in such a task as he felt that with every bomb dropped more innocent lives were lost in a pointless war.

Once the Screaming Eagle began making way back home across the Gulf it was caught in bad weather it had not been designed to fly through, the ship caught fire and fell into the Gulf, Carter and only a few lucky ones survived the burning wreck as it sank into the seas. They were eventually picked up by a Nordisle Patrol boat and brought back to Ardell just in time for the celebrations of the Treaty of Hulanak, which saw the end of the war snf the Confederacy conceding mineral rights snd various other humiliating demands by the Commonwealth, unbeknownst to them that the Commonwealth's trump card was no more. Carter and the other survivors were hailed as heroes but he felt anything but that and upon requesting discharge he went off to join The Evig Traders' Guild, a rapidly emerging Ardellian flight company known for shipping all sorts of commodities across the continents, his skills were highly sought, the pay good and it allowed him to stay far away from Ardell as he could.

Carter spent years with the Traders' Guild, shipping goods across the continents. His journeys took him from the rugged (rumored to be haunted) mountains of Bayn Alain to the icy reaches of the northern seas of Brendahl, where the airships had to navigate treacherous winds and frigid salt spray. He has traversed jungles, deserts, and even the mysterious islands of the Southern Archipelagos where he witnessed skybeasts and all kind of otherwise fantastical creatures most couldn't even fathom. Yet, despite the thrill and freedom that the open skies brought him, he found little peace. The memories of the war, the fallen friends, the burning wreck of the Screaming Eagle, and the lives lost from his own actions followed him wherever he went, a weight on his conscience that no distance could lift.

Through it all, he led his small crew with a steady hand, navigating his ship through occasional ambushes, violent storms, and encounters with beasts that haunted the southern seas. Despite the money and respect he had earned the sense of unease gnawed at him, a reminder of the past he couldn’t fully leave behind.

Carter and his ship now find themselves in Inbur, a city under siege. Originally, he’d come here on a rare but necessary assignment for The Evig Traders' Guild: transporting high-value artifacts and essential supplies from the embattled Inburian forces as they braced against the Calarian advance, the only reason why he accepted this task was the company offering to pay him double the bonus, triple if he brought everything unscathed. Inbur’s Imperial Palace held a trove of relics and important documents, treasures deemed too valuable to risk falling into enemy hands. The mission was simple enough; arrive, load the goods, and leave before the Calarian forces could fully encircle the city.

But the situation has spiraled faster than anticipated. Enemy forces have pushed through the defenses faster than anyone had expected, cutting off traditional supply routes. The Inburian command is in disarray and scrambling to evacuate its highest officials and essential personnel. As the city’s defenses crumbled, the military base near the palace was abandoned in the rush to withdraw. In the chaos, Carter's airship was targeted by Calarian artillery, now with his airship burning and his crew missing Carter must make his way back to the homeland he's avoided for years, how he will do that only fate may tell, for now though the large unattended airship in the imperial palace seems to be his only hope for escape.


Generally a pretty good app, there are one or two little details I would like you to change in the backstory though.

1. Around the war you've written with the Iktani. I've written there has been no frontier movement in the last 50 years, so since before Carter was born. I don't mind having a war, but perhaps write it as something like this. The Commonwealth send a force of a few thousand troops to make a beachhead on the far side of the river but are spotted by an Iktani observation balloon. The Iktani then surround the beachhead and assault it, with heavy casualties on both sides but without dislodging the attackers. Carter's airship is sent to bomb an Iktani city where they believe the Iktani are massing troops to send to the front. From the height it's impossible to figure out where the bombs are landing but he's pretty sure it's not on the rail yard...

... Keep the crash in if you want, but switch the Iktani response from surrender to 'they are really, really, really pissed off' (this is generally the effect that terror bombing of civilian targets has - think the Zeppelin raids on London and the Blitz). Commonwealth troops try to fight their way off the beachhead and fail. Iktani are arriving in large numbers. Commonwealth withdraws troops and sues for peace.

This is a bit of a change but elevates the Iktani threat level to about where I want them to be - they are intended to be a major power in the RP.

2. Small change to the Screaming Eagle... call it something like the 'CAS17' (Confederate Airship 17 it's boring, but vaguely based on how the Germans named there's, which incidentally gives a good incentive for the crew to give it a better name), which he and his crew nicknamed the Screaming Eagle.

Hidden 1 mo ago Post by Dyelli Beybi
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Dyelli Beybi A prince among men

Member Seen 5 days ago

Name: Post Captain Hamelin Le Marinier
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Nationality: Favis
Appearance: A taller man and bearded to hide the Scars from his injuries that caused his active retirement. Right eye is glass or an eyepatch depending on comfort and part of his right hand is a mechanical prostatic from a blast injury.

Has a number of miscellaneous scars from said explosion on his right side.



Personal Effects:
.455 Favis Heavy pattern Navy Revolver
Favis Diplomatic papers
Old Riggers Knife and spike.
Silver plated hip flask with Whiskey.
Navy wool overcoat.
1 glass right eye, 1 eye patch, 1 Right partial hand prosthetic
A folded bundle of small maps and a simple small metal compass.

History:

What is your job:
Former active Naval gunnery Officer and Diplomatic mission staffer from Favis..

Born into a long family of sailors from pirates to merchants and even the odd privateer down the family history it was almost expected that he would serve, sail in some way related to the sea. Hamelin did not disappoint and joined the Favis Navy as a junior midshipman when the chance was first available.

Though minor nobility their Title meant little more than a long family history, a coat of arms and a large home that cost too much to heat but they also refused to sell, a sense of pride and also the old stone building had withstood the centuries as their protector from storms, conflict and more unnumbered. It was this family that shaped the officer who rose in the Royal Flavis Navy, showing promise and being assigned first as a navigation officer until his real talent as a gunnery commander was revealed.

Success began to follow success until he was aboard the heavy dreadnought class, Hammer of Normandy, a large ship clad in iron and steel, mounting the heaviest and most powerful armaments Flavis Forges and war smiths could craft. It lead the fleet forward befitting its name, fire, fury and wrath where exchanged without mercy or pause.

It was In B main turret an anti armour shell slammed into a plate already weakened by several hits from a heavy cruiser that lingered close exchanging close fire but losing it was when his world went black and his memory only returned aboard a land based hospital after the battle taken away by the the hospital ship Mercy of the Angel then to the main Naval hospital.

Victory came at a price for all, for our noble office it came high. His hand was a mass of bandages, Half his face was too. Shrapnel from the hit that buckled the turret's side sending a wave of steel into space and leaving grievous wounds and death to many. 1 man in 20 got out walking.

Decorated, promoted, His active career was over, honourable service meant he had a choice, a quiet retirement or to take what job was available and serve behind the desk instead of gunplot. Hamerlin chose to stay and soon his command was a desk in a comfortable enough office building trying to learn how to use his new hand and adapt to a single eye after a long stay in hospital.



Years passed.



Years passed and Hamerlin now held a role in the Embassy to a semi allied nation, their Naval attache, his job was not what he wanted, to have commanded warships, maybe even fleets but he had found at least a life that kept him from getting bored. He still was an expert at reading maps, able to calculate terrain, elevations, and transform the 2D into a 3D puzzle to crack complex tables and calculations easily. Those skills he kept, advising on situations and attending various events on behalf of the nation he served.

He rose to Post Captain on both seniority and merit, he was unlikely to make a flag but he had risen as far as a land based officer likely could. His rank also came with responsibilities and pressures that he had not shouldered before but privilege was never freely given.



Fire came.



Forts, defence lines and established defensive plans expected to hold the enemy for weeks, months if not drive them to utter stalemate buckled and broke far faster than anyone could have believed and soon the Capital rang with guns before even people could move to escape. The armies of the Red tide could not be held back as they began to pound the city, their batteries and heavy siege armies now able to dig, bombard and break the final defences before all was consumed.

Expecting no such army to obey the Diplomatic niceties, he grabbed what he could, his pistol and so from his drawer, stuffing ammo where he could, his knife and a few other things before he left. He would find his own way out and he believed he saw one last do or die plan in his eye. He was likely dead anyway so a small chance of success was more than none.

He had carefully studied the city and its plan, its maps, layout and what he helped would save his life. He made for his desperate plan, avoiding those places he knew would likely be main targets, and navigated his way to the last escape route he could devise.


Perfect. Before shoving into characters, can I please recommend changing 'Hammer of Normandy' to something like 'Hammer of Vich' to reference an in-universe location? :)
Hidden 1 mo ago Post by Dyelli Beybi
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Dyelli Beybi A prince among men

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Looks good to me! Feel free to move this to the character page!
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Hidden 1 mo ago 1 mo ago Post by InfamousGuy101
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<Snipped quote by InfamousGuy101>

Generally a pretty good app, there are one or two little details I would like you to change in the backstory though.

1. Around the war you've written with the Iktani. I've written there has been no frontier movement in the last 50 years, so since before Carter was born. I don't mind having a war, but perhaps write it as something like this. The Commonwealth send a force of a few thousand troops to make a beachhead on the far side of the river but are spotted by an Iktani observation balloon. The Iktani then surround the beachhead and assault it, with heavy casualties on both sides but without dislodging the attackers. Carter's airship is sent to bomb an Iktani city where they believe the Iktani are massing troops to send to the front. From the height it's impossible to figure out where the bombs are landing but he's pretty sure it's not on the rail yard...

... Keep the crash in if you want, but switch the Iktani response from surrender to 'they are really, really, really pissed off' (this is generally the effect that terror bombing of civilian targets has - think the Zeppelin raids on London and the Blitz). Commonwealth troops try to fight their way off the beachhead and fail. Iktani are arriving in large numbers. Commonwealth withdraws troops and sues for peace.

This is a bit of a change but elevates the Iktani threat level to about where I want them to be - they are intended to be a major power in the RP.

2. Small change to the Screaming Eagle... call it something like the 'CAS17' (Confederate Airship 17 it's boring, but vaguely based on how the Germans named there's, which incidentally gives a good incentive for the crew to give it a better name), which he and his crew nicknamed the Screaming Eagle.


You got it boss. All adjustments done.
Hidden 1 mo ago 1 mo ago Post by Bingelly
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Character Description:

Name: Volodar Naesandoral
Gender: Male
Age: 450ish
Nationality: Imperial
Appearance:


Personal Effects: 6 Makarios C94 Pistols and web-gear, a Haltian Cavalry Sabre, a bear-skin hat, several books and manuscripts in Elgan, a small collection of jewelry and trinkets from around the world.



Background:

What is your job: Airship Pilot
Backstory: Volodar was born approximately 200 years before the Hasikos were restored to their imperial throne, and spent most of that time serving in the cavalry of the old Haltian armies that once dominated the battlefields north of the Circle Sea. With sympathies towards the reformist groups within the Empire, he remained within what is now the Imburian Empire after the Haitian defeats during the War of the Five Emperors and joined the newly established Imperial House Cavalry and served the Iburians in various functions, both on the field and in the barracks and palaces.

After a few decades of service with the Hasikos, Volodar resigned his commission with the Hastikos and decided to join the Monchian efforts to settle what would become the NordIsles in the Gulf of Equaterra, and managed to secure a governorship on one of the smaller island, more through conquest than appointment, despite little experience with government. This was arguably one of Volodar’s most productive ventures, as he effectively owned several plantations growing cash crops therefore improving the economic prospects of the island via what he viewed as an innovative workforce retention program and strict discipline of the laborers. He would eventually tender his resignation with grace in face of increasing demands from Vich.

Undeterred in his new situation, he turned his attention southward to the Calarian colonies in Equaterra in an attempt to weaken his old enemy, and found himself swept in with the spirit of revolution simmering through the region. Providing both money and expertise, he helped equip and build the Equaterran cavalry force, and lead a squadron through the revolutionary war. He found himself well suited to the guerilla nature of the war, although he was wounded by shrapnel twice and shot on one occasion. While recovering from his wounds, and a bout of tropical disease, he rested for a few years while enjoying his status as a minor hero and lived on a pension and accumulated plunder. Volodar made a comfortable life on the coast and served in a minor government post, before leaving Equaterra due to a scandal involving the President’s wife and another cavalryman.

From there, Volodar returned home to Imburia and Haltia for a few years due to the demands of certain family situations and to allocate his accumulated wealth towards projects at home. Here, he lived well and lived easy, enjoying frequent social events and balls as he reconnected with old circles and refreshed his lists of human contacts in Inbur. Such calm was not to remain, as his restlessness soon caught up to him again after two decades or so.

An era of increasing industrialization and a second wave of exploration greeted Volodar as he took on the mantle of adventuring again. The first flights of fancy were to the arctic and the ice sheets north of Frosseland. Rumor had it that it may be a navigable passage connecting the two seas, at least during the summer months. To say this expedition was a failure would be an understatement. The ships broke against the ice not long after departure from the northern trading posts in Frosseland, and the survivors of the ships had to make a perilous journey back to civilized territory through hellish colds and ice. They survived on good will from the natives, and whatever meat and pelts they managed to scavenge.

His second venture during this period was to chart some of the jungles far to the south of Finiquia and Sahk in the search for signs of an ancient civilization. Sailing up a mosquito infested river, tropical diseases plagued the expedition while hostile locals whittled down their numbers. It wasn’t all for naught though, because, after a 23 day trek through the jungle, he found a tribe of strange bird-like people, who he bartered with. Trading pelts, guns, and liquor for jewelry, artifacts, and coins, he obtained the proof that he sought and made the trek back home.

Once more, Volodar settled down in Inbur for a few more decades, and took up a rather stereotypical hobby: breeding and racing horses. This was a moderately successful venture for him, although a questionable financial decision as he invested quite a bit of funds but never produced a truly spectacular horse. Such is the nature of passion products.

Then an inventor approached him specifically, touting a new design for a machine. A machine that could enable one to fly like the birds through the heavens above, the airplane that promised heavier than air-flight. The concept enamored Volodar, who had previously been in a hot air balloon several times, and he eagerly funded its development and badgered the man to test fly the design once it had been finished, but the inventor held fast.

Dragged out to a flat along the coast of Inbur, the wooden and canvas craft sat gloriously in the middle of the field, and the crew started up the engine. Volodar watched with amazement as the man’s craft successfully lifted itself off the ground and climbed to about 100 feet, before it spectacularly crashed after the inventor lost control. The coinciding development of the rigid lighter-than-air craft also caught the Elga’s desire for flight, and offered a far safer and practical alternative which he funneled some funds into. Aiding such developments allowed him to take roles in the maiden flights of a few craft, an experience he very much enjoyed from both a physical and mental exercise and a flaunt of his own wealth.

The invasion of Inbur from the Calarians, once it began, posed an existential threat to the rather wealthy Elgan, who soon looked for means to flee the surrounding city. Upon seeing the craft tethered to the Imperial Palace, an idea crossed the old cavalryman’s mind. A bold idea that promised adventure, and gallantry.
Hidden 1 mo ago Post by Dyelli Beybi
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@Bingelly Looks excellent!
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Character Description

Name: Giogoula "Giogio" Giorgiou
Gender: Female
Age: 25
Nationality: Inburian
Appearance:


Personal Effects:
- Snubnose revolver
- Pocketwatch
- Inbur City Police Department Badge

Background:

What is your job: Policewoman
Backstory: Giogoula "Giogio" Giorgiou was born to a working class family of four in the city of Inbur. Her father, Yiorgous Giorgiou, was a sergeant in the city police and worked hard to ensure his family's safety and well being, even going as far as teaching his wife and children self defense lessons. Growing up, Giogoula never felt that she was in a struggle despite her working class background, she attended and completed public schools by her late teens and enrolled in a women's college.

After college, Giogoula would follow in her father's footsteps and join the city police, due to her looking up to her father's tireless work in trying to keep the city safe before retiring. Despite her father’s initial opposition due to the possible dangers of police work, he would eventually relent and put in a good word for her to his colleagues. Giogoula's initial work with the police was limited to handling domestic disputes and interviewing female and juvenile witnesses and victims. Overtime, however, she would be assigned to taking part in investigations, particularly in infiltrating criminal activities.

Using various disguises and identities, she was instrumental in the police busting some underground activities. Soon, she was tasked in infiltrating a suspected communalist cell that may have been cooperating with Calarian agitators. It was an joint operation with the military in busting the fifth columnist as the threat of war looms, and she was willing to take part in it, having no love for communalists.

Giogio would continue her police work even as war seems more likely. Her family had moved north but she remained, seeing it as her duty to keep the peace in the city. Plus, Inbur is pretty far away from Calaria. Eventually, the Chief of Police wants her to stay away from infiltrating the communalist cell; there was ample evidence that her cover could be blown if she continues her work and that the Chief was worried that there is a traitor within the police department giving informations to possible insurrectionists. The decision to have her move north happened right when war broke out between the Empire and the Calarians.

The Inburians were set back by insurrections within the fifth column, despite the best effort of the empire's intelligence agency, and a surprise attack in the east by Xak-Shariq. Even the police was involved in the defense of the city, albeit they too were getting overwhelmed. Trapped in the city and knowing what fate becomes to the military and police informants, Giogio and some of the others were ordered to flee the city alongside many of the other civilians for their safety.
Hidden 1 mo ago 1 mo ago Post by Expendable
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@Athol@Theyra@Badarby@Expendable

All look good to me.

Bear in mind there is a bit of sexism in this period... but it's also the time of women's liberation starting to take off.

Incidentally I've dumped character 1 of 2 into the character sheets
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Bear in mind there is a bit of sexism in this period... but it's also the time of women's liberation starting to take off.


Itzi isn't above conducting a little concussive attitude adjustment if she needs to :D

Hidden 1 mo ago 1 mo ago Post by Terrans
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@Terrans Couple of small changes I would like to suggest, otherwise super!

You've spoken about 'scouting, patrolling, camouflage, infiltration and advanced marksmanship.'... change that to 'scouting, patrolling and marksmanship'. Because camouflage is really in it's infancy as a concept - they know muted colours are helpful and trying to disguise artillery emplacements can help but that's about it. Infiltration hasn't been invented yet (historically this is a response to the battlefield conditions of WWI... which is just kicking off in this world) and marksmanship is also pretty basic... that being said snipers do exist. So all good with the general concept!

Can I also recommend you change the name of the 'Scout-Trackers' to an Alpine Regiment? Just gives that early 20th century feel... and it fits with the terrain!
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@Athol@Theyra@Badarby@Expendable

Bear in mind there is a bit of sexism in this period... but it's also the time of women's liberation starting to take off.


If Christina wore a dress to work, the odds are very good it would get caught up in the machinery.
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Sorry for the delay, this has been sat half-written for far too long and I finally got round to finishing it off. Fun fact, his last name was originally Carter, but I saw that we now have a Carter already and decided to change it to avoid giving someone a distant cousin they didn't ask for haha
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