Credit to HeySeuss as the original GM, who had to step out before the details could be finalised, and the game started. Also credit to the others who all contributed in creating the final product.
TL;DR Summary:- Earth has undergone a nuclear apocalypse following a great chaos in the 21st and 22nd centuries that depopulated much of the planet and set it back to a new dark age
- Hundreds of years later, civilization exists, but as isolated communities focused on subsistence, and some kingdoms of cobbled-together tech attempting for trade.
- It's a world lit only by fire - In all, the tech level is pre-industrial -- while useful technological knowledge for survival survives in some aspect, the means of manufacturing has devolved. Also, resource depletion makes redevelopment of technology much, much harder.
- That means electronics and things that are generally made with advanced industry do not exist. Blacksmithing, for example, has made a comeback.
- Humanity continues, though at a greatly reduced population level with a much reduced life expectancy due to a lack of modern medicine.
- And then the aliens invade, with advanced weaponry and tech, intent on goals they have not explained, using robotic foot soldiers to do their bidding.
- The characters are part of the same region; The United Trade Federation, based around the Independence, Missouri area. Characters will come from the any of the Federation member towns, but all will meet in Independence in the first stage of the story.
- The story begins with a tribal invasion of the foremost eastern settlement, Rockhelm, on a scale never before seen. In response, the Federation musters its militias from all corners of its borders in an attempt to relieve the besieged town. Your character is either called into service for this mission, or is trapped in the ensuing chaos and panic, and swept eastwards towards Rockhelm.
- Advanced Standards
- Please post the character sheets in the
original Those that Remain sheet home, but do not use the OOC link as it will only lead you into a pit of fire. I'd of created my own serpate thread, but there has already been too much delaying so I've reused the old one.
- Once your sheet is posted, I'll give it a look over, makesure there's no machineguns and howitzers, then your character name will be posted in the 'Accepted Characters' list :) simple as that, eh?
Those That Remain: Post-Apocalyptic Earth Invaded"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." – Matthew 24:7
In the 21st and 22nd centuries, Humanity shot its wad; they reached their pinnacle of technological development and were in the process of a new frontier in space when disaster struck -- the details are hazy to those left behind, but historians argue about the causes. Some blame religion, some blame a lack of morality, some blame the enchantment with consumer goods and an obsession with a luxury lifestyle. Some play out the old exploiters and exploited model or argue makers and takers. Others invoked Malthus -- population vs. resources. Others pin the blame on the greed of individuals. Whatever the case, that civilization went up like a matchstick in nuclear flame, and the hopes and dreams of humanity went with it -- details of that period are hazy, the history incomplete and the stories of survivors kept by the descendants of those survivors. Each of those accounts varies.
What followed was a brutal dark age of depravity and fighting as humans went to war with what weapons they had and managed to exacerbate the problems humanity faced to the point where civilization itself was destroyed as the cycle of wars made people even more desperate to do whatever they had to in order to gain a short term respite from these problems.
In the end, nothing stopped the decline of humanity, the series of increasingly brutish events that brought low all of civilization and left nothing but rust and ashes. What emerged, like in the Fall of Rome, was a new and different human civilization that was shaped by the necessities of survival, with little thought to the things that elevated the society that preceded it -- technology was a dream dimly remembered as people once again toiled and lived and died in nasty, short, brutish lives. The flame of humanity had guttered out, and Earth was finished. Never again could humanity develop the same paths that it did the first time, where it used basic technology to extract certain resources, because those resources were used up and then squandered -- the very things needed to recreate high technology were only accessible with that technology, which became the irony of the age.
However, from the fires of his darkest hour, did Man arise anew. From community farms, striving against the common enemy of famine, to mighty Kingdoms grasping tirelessly for the ever evasive strings of power, He marches onwards. The greatest war he has ever known almost blew him from his home, yet still he has not learnt.
Brother against brother, village against village, nation against nation; the depressing cycle of Man’s inability to work towards a common goal is now more prominent than it ever was. As soon as a community grows strong enough to offer a light of hope to the shattered world, it is set upon from within and without, torn a sunder like the empires in Man’s infancy. This is a primal world, where the strength of a man’s punch carries much more weight than his ability to reason, and yet…
… and yet there are those who strive against the current. In what was once the United States of America, nestled along the western waters of the Missouri River, is an emerging power. Different from her predecessors and competitors, in that she encompasses the old world values of civil-cooperation and the rule of law, this power has achieved strength through diplomatic unification rather than military supremacy.
Founded by the rich merchant council of Fartown upon the twisted ruins of a once great metropolis, the United Trade Federation (UTF) has much to be proud of. With a population of over forty thousand people, five separate and unique settlements and a bountiful supply of food and water (for those who can afford it), the United Trade Federation has achieved more than any other nation in the past one hundred years.
But the UTF is not without its problems. Wealth distribution is terribly flawed, and political corruption is rife within the higher echelons of its society. Cultural falls out between member settlements has often led to limited, but nonetheless devastating civil war. In the East, barbarian tribes rally under a single banner in an attempt to lay waste to this bustling miracle of human survival. In the West, foreign powers, greater and lesser than the UTF, attempt to sabotage it from within, or place upon it harsh trade deals with the aim of toppling its economy.
There have been wars fought against these foreign powers, and the barbarians, and so far the UTF remains undefeated economically and militarily. But the night is growing darker, and with each passing second her enemies grow in number. The stalwart people of this civilised land do what they must to survive the storms, but time and history are against them.
Through all this, life for the ordinary man goes on. Whether it is tilling the fields from dawn to dusk, or labouring ceaselessly in an arms factory, the people work hard to achieve what little they have. Family life is now more important than ever as a means of security and survival. Every day is a struggle to survive starvation and disease; every soul prematurely lost is a terrible tragedy to many.
Still, some claim that Humanity is better than it was, even in this technologically devolved state, though most like the idea of returning to a state of great leisure, of short work hours and long lives. Most can't imagine a world like the one that existed before, of the technology of magic.
But times, as always, are changing, and the hard fought relative stability of the UTF is but a grain of sand in the whirlwind that is about to land. Bright stars can be seen in the eastern night sky, and Rockhelmian scouts tell long winded tales of soulless creatures out in the wilderness, that hunt their prey with fire. Barbarian raiding parties have gathered in strength, and march united towards Rockhelm in numbers not seen for over two hundred years. Every able bodied man and woman, regardless of age or heritage, is called into action; united they will stand, under the Federation banner, to restore peace to the eastern frontier once and for all.
Independence
"Blacksmiths, farmers, tanners and huntsmen. Simple folk, with hearts of gold. They labour tirelessly to put weapons in the hands of men who would do both good and evil; they are a town of fence sitters, intent only on making a living. No less honourable, than being intent on taking the living. Yet there is good there, in that little town of thatched houses and bright forges, and the people have on occasion shown their worth." - Letter from the Fartown Ambassador to the Merchant Council.
Independence is the smallest member town of the UTF. With a population of a mere one thousand, she is small yet very productive. Forges rage day and night, as her many talented blacksmiths work tirelessly around the clock to provide the other member settlements with weapons-grade metals, and other goods. Such a trade has garnered many riches, and the people do much better than elsewhere within the Federation.
The population here is liberal to outsiders, and many religious practices exist. Law and order is maintained by Chief Smith Jon Hanock, who has led the town’s government for the past twenty years. However he is old, and his health is ailing. Many are in doubt who to elect after his passing.
Anthastiln
"The greatest naval and industrial power of the known world. Through dealing in much valued fish and firearms, the Great River Admiral has his iron grip on the Federation’s economy. His militia stands proud, undefeated upon the smoke-ridden fields of battle. Yet he stands angry; he sees only weakness all around him, and many have paid the ultimate price for his misconceptions. He wants the world, and one day, he may well have it – even if he is the last soul left alive to marvel at his triumph." - Extract from Philip's Observations of Federation Cultures
Sailors. River bandits. Fishermen. Explorers. These words are often associated with the people of Anthastiln; a fortified port-town located on the northern bank of the Missouri river. She is home to many of the known world’s best engineers, who through usually fatal trial and error methods, have managed to recreate flintlock firearms. This has made her a powerful member of the Federation, and her militia is well armed and funded. She sells these weapons to the Merchant Council of Fartown, who in turn sell the weapons onto other nations further west.
In the past, Anthastiln has launched sporadic amphibious invasions against her southern neighbour, Independence, in an attempt to annex the town and control the flow of metal. However, these attempts have always ended in failure due to Outpost 29’s repeated interventions, and harsh sanctions from the rest of the Federation. As a result, there are constant tensions between the two settlements.
Anthastiln is headed by the eccentric self-proclaimed River Admiral Carlos Barnes. He is ruthless as he is unpredictable, and at forty years of age, he is by far the most turbulent political figure of the Federation. With his plentiful supply of firearms and river barges, he holds the Missorui River in an iron grip, and is chiefly responsible for keeping it that way, much to the Federation’s benefit. He is generally feared by his ten thousand citizens, who are often persecuted for so much as sneezing in the presence of his image.
Outpost 29
"Men do not kill men, weapons do. Men do not run from men, cowards do. Men do not steal the gold for themselves, thieves do. Honour your brothers and sisters, honour the Outpost, and waver not in the face of this decimated world – for we are the last of our kind, we are soldiers." - Jake Irons, on his assention to the rank of Marshal
Outpost 29, a former US military outpost, whose people are the descendants of the occupying soldiers and who have adhered to a time-tested military doctrine, but are too few in number to become a regional power (approximately six thousand). They are ruled by Marshal Jake Irons, who leads them with determination. They look down on outsiders, and consider themselves their own race of stronger and superior humans. Interracial marriage with outsiders is illegal, and punished by death. Their population has stalled as a result of this extremism. All being said however, they are on good terms with all member states, and are generally left alone to their own devices unless the Alliance is threatened.
Outpost 29 is the only member to hold a small yet professional army, and often trades with its neighbours by sending advisors to train their militias. They use mostly spears and crossbows, but also have a small unit of reliable 12. pdr cannons that even Anthastiln's engineers have been unable to produce.
They are loyal to the Federation’s integrity, having many times dispatched their small yet effective army to the defence of the various member settlements. They are friendly with the people of Independence, upon whom they rely for much of their wares, and are proud to stand side by side the warriors of Rockhelm. However, they feel the Federation could fair better if Fartown and Anthastiln were liberated from their incompetent leaders.
Despite their militaristic outlook on life, Outpost 29 is generally a very socially equal place – far ahead of other towns. Women are expected to do a man’s work, and no one is spared from the field of battle in times of war. No one is richer than anyone else, and wealth is distributed equally. Military training is manadory for all between the ages of 18 and 25. At any one time, Outpost 29’s small army of a few hundred could transform instantly into an army of five thousand battle hardened soldiers – she is a bear her neighbours, especially the barbarians to the south, do not wish to poke.
Rockhelm
"Spears on the eastern hills, looking down upon the caravan of women and children. Rockhelm’s people would have ended there; killed, taken into slavery or worse. Were it not for the timely intervention of the Independence and Outpost 29 joint military, there would be no palisades or stalwart warriors standing today against the crushing might of man’s inhumanity" - Maknan Toehand, Rockhelmian Historian
Rockhelm, a fortified town with a large wooden wall circling around it. They bare the brunt of the 'savage' tribes in the wilderness beyond, and recieve an annual fee from all member settlements to maintain their defences. Rockhelm is the newest town to the Alliance, having originally been the camp of the late Chief Award Rockhelm. They traded their savage ways for the more enlightened ways of their sister towns after Rockhelm fell in battle against another tribe, and his surviving peoples became a target for mass rape and genocide by rival tribes. Tribal heritage is rich here as a result, and the inhabitants still see themselves as fierce warriors, very practiced in fieldcraft and hunting. They rely on all manners of weapons, but the bow is their favourite.
Rockhelm’s law gives great sway to all kinds of sexual and religious practices, but this law does not always hold up. From time to time a foreigner will be burned as an evil wizard for chanting a hymn unknown to the locals, or a homosexual will be nailed to the city’s palisade to endure the sun’s mercy. It is far from perfect, but Rockhelm’s Tribal Elders do what they can to adapt their people to the ever changing times, and the influences of their neighbour settlements.
Population: 8000.
Fartowm
"If you’re looking for a whore, you’ll find one. Sometimes they wear nothing, sometimes they wear gowns of the highest stately formality; here, everything is for sale, even one’s very own soul." - Chief Smith Hanock, on his opinions of Fartown.
To the west, on the old state border, is Fartown; a bustling trade gateway to the west. It is the richest of the towns, and therefore the defacto capital of the Federation. It is ruled by a council of wealthy merchants, who command large personal militias. They periodically try to seize the lands of their allies, citing unresolved legal or contractual issues as their reasons for doing so. The town incorporates many of the ruins that were once Kansas City, and efforts have been ongoing to renovate these where possible. However, the general population are confined to slums, and live in tents within the crowded ruined streets.
She carries 15,000 souls within her decaying bosom. The laws are liberal, as are morals, and in the stinking streets of Fartown, everything can be had for a price. It is the greatest symbol of Man’s ability to thrive, but also of Man’s fallibility.
Tears of Regret
"…and He looked upon the broken bodies of His children, and was there shattered by Himself. Sin answers sin, and evil responds with evil. Had He been denied the Holy Light of Our Lord, half the known world would have been put to the fire…" – Marcus Nebworth 23:11 Book of Tears
Tears of Regret, usually referred to as Tears or Regret, is a heavily fortified holy temple. Occupied by a feverous brotherhood and sisterhood of repentant murderers, rapists and thieves, she is considered the only Holy structure in the known world. Established by an unknown tribal warlord over a hundred years ago, Tears of Regret follows a vague form of the Christian New Testament, and is home to five hundred monks and nuns. Medicine rules the day here, and many of the monks and nuns provide the Federation’s key health services.
Though persecuted at times for their die hard beliefs in forgiveness, and their reluctance to join a militia in battle, the monks and nuns of Tears of Regret are admired across the Federation for their humility and dedicated compassion. In return for protection from the savage world beyond the borders, the Order of Tears established hospitals and orphanages in each of the settlements and shared their enlightened yet primitive medical knowledge with any who would listen.
They are however by no means defenceless, and are defended by a few dozen members of the Fallen Order. These men and women have condemned themselves to an eternity of suffering, in exchange for the security of their flock in the living world. They are suicidal in battle, and they have several times turned away a much larger aggressor from the high walls of Tears of Regret.
Their influence is great within the populous, and the Order of Tears is the largest religion of the Federation; though it is a small majority.
Lesser Members
"Tribal communities, family farmsteads and nonconformists. These smaller entities dot the landscape within the Federation, and it costs us a great deal to keep them safe - even when they would not lift a finger to help themselves. Why, Councilmen, do we continue to enable their existence? The Federation's strength is through cohesion, not divided loyalties. We should make citizens of them all, whether they are willing or not." - Fartown Security Minister, reporting his concerns to the Merchant Council.
Aside from the larger settlements, there are several smaller communities existing within the Federation's borders. Some of these are passive tribal clans, who do not seek to provoke anyone, but rather to live in peace. Others are small farming communities, doing their best to evade the Federation's taxes. Their loyalties to the Federation are mixed, and some do not recognise the Federation as an authority. From time to time, Federation forces absorb these small communities, especially if they are deemed a strategic or economic threat. Usually though, they are left alone.
However, with the Federation's very existence threatened, their existence is now called into question. Without foreign soldiers dying for them beyond the borders, their communities will be thrown to the mercy of the barbarian invaders. The time has come to answer the question that many have been avoiding: To join the Federation, or not to join the Federation. To live in peace and reletive freedom, or to live as slaves under the iron boots of the Western Wildmen.
For many, the question is an easy one to answer.
The Story Begins…This is a rough outline of events that the RP plot will follow. This is to keep players, and the RP itself, on track and moving.- News reaches the member settlements of the Federation that Rockhelm is under heavy attack by tribals, and will fall without assistance. A muster call is sent out to assemble the militias at Independence.
- Once assembled in Independence, the united Federation army heads out towards Rockhelm and defeats the tribal aggressors.
- It is learned from a tribal chieftan that the wild men of the East were actually fleeing an unknown enemy, and Rockhelm just happened to bar their passage to safety.
- Later that night, Rockhelm and the Federation army are obliterated by an attack from the air. The survivors are then pursued by alien ground forces; they are faced with the task of either disappearing into the wilderness, or attempting to reach the Federation and warn the peoples of their impending doom.
- Melody Franquis
- Alex Walker
- Brandon Walker
- Amy Walker
- Jake Irons (GM)
- Carlos Barnes (GM)
- Desiree Anne Simone-Lacroix
- Guamá Heylel
- Father Mason, Grand Master of Tears of Regret (GM)
- Consul Octavian Gatus (GM)
Late joiners welcome. Post CS for acceptance; will expect late joiners to have read the posts and know what everyone's been up to so that they don't create a paradox with their entry.
