"In our world, you can live a decent life and be safe with it. Or... you could take a chance and be great. But, be warned: Chance can be a fickle mistress."
Theme
Welcome Player,
Are you ready to be dealt your hand? If you are, then welcome to the world of Chance! Here, everyone is a high-roller and the stakes are often life or death. If you so choose to enter this roleplay, be prepared to lose a lot without promise of getting anything in return. Chance can take and take and take until you have nothing left and have to start over, but it can also reward its risk-takers with thrilling adventure, emotional enthrallment and a sense of accomplishment in a dismal world of misfortune. Death is not unexpected, but a dull moment is. On the other hand, those who fit well in this world will not only excel but find its intricacies and hidden secrets to develop and delve deeper into an even-growing labyrinth of plot and detail. It is suggested to create multiple characters for chances are, everyone will lose a few eventually. Question is... is that a chance you're willing to take, player?
The Chronicles of Chance (abbreviated CoC or merely called Chance) is a roleplay focusing on themes of humanity, alienation and unfairness. Chronicles of Chance is set in a post-apocalyptic Earth after the events of World War IV. Biological warfare, climate change and generalized bombing have left the world in shambles of its former self. Mutations have become commonplace with over half of the world baring some form of mutation. These mutations range from horrible disfigurations to abilities that seem to break the laws of physics and borderline into magic itself. Chance incorporates elements of science, psuedo-science and light fantasy in a post-apocalyptic world.
Chance has been referred to a merge of X-Men and Fallout with no true alignments. Most people struggle to survive, much less have morals or ethics. Religion is all but dead in this world with very few select practitioners still alive. Climate change has caused nights and winters to be colder, days and summers to be hotter, and grave effects such as glaciers pulverizing what was once Canada only to refreeze causing it to become a frigid icecap. Shorelines have entrenched onto land due to a global raise in water levels. What was once Mexico and South America are now mere island chain so irradiated most life cannot be sustained there. All that is left for humanity is a select bit of land inside what was once the United States, and it is ripe with conflict.
It has been hundreds of years since the last great war, but war itself still ensues. People always seek out others; towns were formed, eventually entire factions, and factions war. The present world has only two great factions: the Southern Empire and the Northern Coalition. Not only do they war over territory, but over how each run its respective domain. Neither is without fault, neither government uses tactics that could be considered moral, but both hate the other. The world is full of hate, if only because the survival of one often compromises the survival of the other. That is what this world has come to. A war of survival.
I, Booski, as the GM present you the players with this hand. These cards. This war of survival. It will evolve with its roleplayers, I will develop it to suit the community it has and its plot will evolve from a war of survival based on you, its players. I will watch as you roleplay. I will see who are the leaders of this world, and give them more opportunities; I will riddle the world with chances, and they will go to who I feel deserve it. Impress me. Fortune favors the bold, so be bold in this world and I will be bold in rewarding you for it. But, always keep in mind, my will is not the only affect on this world. Chance is still a cruel mistress even I must adhere to, and so will you.
So, what are mutants, you ask?
The correct answer is: everyone. To some degree, every living person on the planet has been mutated, even if only to such a minor degree that it is unnoticeable. The exact nature of these mutations is unknown. Some believe it is the radiation. Some believe it was caused by the Great Plague hundreds of years ago. No one is truly for sure why some men are more monster than man, but the fact remains that mutations exist. Science has been diminished so greatly in this world that no one has the proper tools to analyze the genes and alterations to our bodies to truly understand what these mutations are or how they work on a biological level. Regardless, everyone is a mutant, the real question is to what degree are you?
The Mutation Factor (MF) is the answer to that question. It is a term coined long ago inside the world of Chance and is so all-encompassing that it is also used out of character. Almost everyone in Chance understands the concept of a mutation factor, so all of its players should, too. As stated, the Mutation Factor is a rough statement of how much a person has been mutated, but it encompasses a few relationships as well. A higher mutation factor results in more powerful mutations. For example, the term "Pyro" is used to define anyone who can control fire, but not all Pyros are equal. Those with a higher Mutation Factor will have more control and more abilities. A higher mutation factor does come with drawbacks; the physical characteristics of an individual with a high mutation factor are often greatly altered and at times even completely disfiguring. This goes as far as altering certain biological functions; some mutants are born with a Mutation Factor so high they cannot reproduce, or eat certain foods, or require more sleep, or more food, or certain temperatures, or water, or have certain allergies, so on and so forth. The Mutation Factor is a very versatile thing.
The most characteristic trait of the Mutation Factor is that it is genetic. The child of a Pyro is likely to be a Pyro. Sometimes, Mutation Factors mix. Sometimes, Mutations Factors get stronger, but are more limited. Breeders exist within the world that do their best to refine this psuedo-science of breeding, and often create powerful, albeit often-inbred mutants with impressively high Mutation Factors. A notable fact about genetic breeding is that often disfigurations turn into physical traits as they "even out" over time, making them less horrendous while still increasing a Mutation Factor. Some consider this inbreeding even worse than their ancestral abominations, but the point remains that genes and traits are passed on, even out, sometimes become more 'limited' and often become more powerful generation to generation, with proper breeding.
Names for common mutations are also existent. I will create a list as time goes on for the roleplay of certain mutations, and players may present me with ideas regarding new mutations that I will gladly review and make canon. For now, Pyro is the only existing one, but I assure you that I can and will be happy to approve others. I will be even more glad to help out with a backstory and create a new 'type' of mutation to add to the list, and I do not mind multiple people sharing mutations. Rooting a character in the setting using more defined Mutations and even altering their physical characteristics due to a heightened Mutation Factor might just even earn the favor of Chance.
The Northern Coalition is the faction of the North and is most defined by its human-trafficking and selective breeding practices. This faction is a collective group of eight states and began as a trading syndicate between them for both resources and breeding materials. The Northern Coalition treats most of its populace like cattle, which it also raises with very similar outlooks. Most in the North are either slaves, indentured servants, breeding stock, or soldiers used to fight the war, and most within that regime are inbred due to centuries worth of breeding attempts. The secondary regime is full of skilled artisans, warriors, tradesmen the Lords of their respective states. These men are often highly-skilled as they have spent generation after generation honing their combat skills or their art, becoming excellent tailors and blacksmiths. Breeders themselves are considered some of the most well-respected artisans as their 'stock' can be traded at a high value.
The eight Lords impose no taxation and have no real currency, instead trading and bartering goods, services and their respective livestock. The only requirement of them is to send soldiers that will represent them in the war against the South, and most of them time those soldiers are either the finest bred warriors or a large some of failed breeding stock. Either way, all soldiers are accepted and made fodder for the war. The lands of each state are generally rich in some form of resources, ranging from mining that has opened up due to tremors caused centuries ago by large, powerful bombs or simply caused by rampant growth on farmland due to the trickling of fresh water and fertility from the Spring season from the melting glaciers. Regardless, the North is abundant in resources, and uses that to its advantage.
The Southern Empire is a far more structured government whose foundations are from the past. Built using the remnants of the world before, the Southern Empire is more focused on industry and manufacture as well as attaining raw resources. The Southern Empire imposes taxes on its states, each of which is simply ran by a representative from the central government. A loose form of currency is used, dating back to gold and silver and exchange rates are different per state, meaning a rich man may be poor a hundred miles elsewhere. The mutants from the South are normally hated greatly, as they try to make people 'normal' again. People live their lives, work their jobs and fight the war, with far less casualties. This is because the South creates forts and bunkers, using old schematics and their engineers, as well as refits and designs arms manufacturing, meaning guns and munitions are not completely absent from this world. The South has made efforts to rebuild much of itself and uses old railroads and the river system for its trade, being much more capable than the North in terms of efficiency.
The Southern Empire, however, has diluted its people with alcohol and drugs as well as has them addicted to gambling away most of their excess money. The Southern Empire has an oligarchy just as bad as the Northern Coalition, however theirs exist because it needs a working class to attain its raw materials and manufacture its goods, not because it requires breeding stock. The Southern Empire has taught its people, in its schools where it literally introduces them to alcohol and gambling during childhood, that the breeding of the North is disgusting and that a high Mutation Factor is a terrible thing. That mutant abilities are terrible things. The Southern Empire teaches that soldiers should use guns and raw strength, not rely on mutations. The Southern Empire does not have the artistry or the class of the North, but it makes up for such in efficiency and quality of life... if you're normal.
The Bounty Hunter Guild is a neutral alignment and is accepted in both factions, due to its frequent necessity. The North uses the Guild to kill or assassinate competitors and breeders without causing internal disruption. The South uses it to sabotage the North and spy on its competition, as it often desires the new methods of production from other manufacturers. Smuggling and illegal trade is common in the Guild and the Guild uses its own bounty hunters to regulate itself. Bounty hunters are often some of the only mutants with weapons and are ranked in order of their abilities, ranging from S-to-D rank. The Guild does not regulate what hits are put out, so one portion of the Guild may put out a hit to stop a smuggling operation that a different part of the Guild has established. The Guild is less of a unified organization and more of an entity for hiring. It is a functional organization with no true goal, and the highest payer, be it in goods, trade, favors, money or even slaves receives the best services.
- D-Rank - The most common rank of Bounty Hunter and most common in the Southern Empire. These are highly trained spies, assassins or soldiers with a low-Mutation Factor that often rely on equipment.
- C-Rank - The most common rank within the North and South, although not as common as the D-Rank. Often, some consider the C-Ranks the real start of the bounty hunters. These hunters have a low-to-medium Mutation Factor and use it, most likely as well as weaponry.
- B-Rank - The B-Rank is far less common and are considered either the prodigies or the experienced veterans within the world. There are very, very few B-Ranks in existence without a notable Mutation Factor.
- A-Rank - The A-Rank is realistically the most rare and most of the time are mutants among mutations. Insanely high mutation factors, most of the time greatly disfigured or a run-a-way from the Northern Coalition Army that made it through years of being a Bounty Hunter. The A-Rank is terrifying and are often the enforcers of the Guild, sent out to hunt down Bounty Hunters who do not follow orders.
- S-Rank - A fabled rank, at best. The S-Rank is a rank that mutants often 'claim' to have for fear factor. Only one mutant has ever truly had this rank, and he has vanished for decades. He was Vlaad, the Lightning King and it was said that if he were to side with either faction, the war would end in mere days.
Rules
- I, Booski, hold final say in just about everything.
- That which I don't have fnial say over, I generally flip a coin or roll dice for. I literally leave part of this roleplay up to Chance, and I won't change that.
- I dislike rules. I really do. So, just don't be stupid, and I won't have to make more.
- Oh, but I do like grammar. Fucking use it.
