[OOC] Wasteland Restoration

[Tim the Yeti]

[The Wasteland]

No one knows what caused the world to burn away the way it did. Some blame it on the avarice of man, digging so deep that a great evil was unleashed. Others simply think that whatever gods exist out there became tired; disenchanted with the world that they created and have decided to start anew. Only it wasn’t quick like one might think an apocalypse should be. No, it was like smoldering embers against the skin, burning and stinging long after the coals are removed.

First, the forests died, and the very essence of magic itself evaporated away. Illnesses spread, killing off thousands until just a handful were left, and a silence descended over the land like a sheet. Then, the rivers dried up, the seasons disappeared, and dry heat reigned supreme. People dispersed into clusters and clung to what life they could. They held on with farming for a while, but eventually their cows lay dead among crumbling fields of wheat. Finally, the clouds covered the sky like a black tarp and people couldn’t even feel the warmth of the sunlight on their skin. The nights became frigid while the days remained just as hot as ever. From then on, people existed in a dim haze. Then, it began to rain. Instead of water, black tar-like liquid fell from the sky. When it touched their skin, it burned, and when it fell into their eyes, they were blinded. People scrambled for shelter, and killed each other just to get out of the rain until it stopped.

This is the world now. The people have become scavengers, thieves, bandits, and warlords. But only the most ruthless are able to rule, and they are almost always cruel. They enslave people to dig and build for them, constructing ziggurats and monoliths out of the bricks of long dead kingdoms. These people cast themselves as gods here to save, when their only true intent is to oppress.

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Then there’s the small colony called Tinleaf. Strictly speaking, they are one of the luckier ones. They live in the south, and are a close-knit colony of mostly friendly folk. There is no local warlord to enslave them, and there is usually just enough food and water to prevent everyone from dropping dead of starvation. Usually. Every morning the people of this colony wake up to see the mountains on the western horizon. Perhaps there are some among them that dream of crossing them one day. Maybe there’s a better life on the other side of those rocks.

The younger folk of this colony know nothing of the time before the dry wasteland around them. Most of them don’t care, they only worry about food and water. Why should they long for more? But, there are some who do. Somewhere deep inside they feel an emptiness. Is it in their hearts? Their souls? Either way, all they know is that when they listen to the old blind man tell stories of a time when he could see — when the grass was green, the trees were lush, and the wind whispered sweet nothings into his ear — their heart begins to race and their palms become sweaty. Is it excitement or fear?

Then, one afternoon, the rain watcher comes running into the middle of town. He is out of breath and his eyes are wide. Is this the day their entire life ends? The people fearfully crowd around the man as he pants. “Is it a warlord?” they ask. “Is someone here to enslave us all?”

“No.”

Just as the rain watcher catches his breath, a faint light can be seen bobbing on the horizon. People gasp, they run and hide to watch from the safety of their homes. Others remain rigid in the center of town. The light draws closer. The people of the town hold their breaths as they watch the figure of a man step out of the darkness. The bright light is coming from a staff he is holding in one hand. It is just as refreshing as it is blinding. He walks into the middle of the crowd and his staff dims to a warm glow. The people of the town crowd around him.

“Forgive me for startling you,” he said in a deep voice. “My name is Nikolas Alexander Ivanson, and I am here to repair these lands.”

There is silence among the crowd. No one knows what to say first. But the man continues speaking. He explains that he knows of the old ways, and also knows of a way to bring back the fields and forests. But why he is here, wasting his time in this small colony when he could be out doing the great things he speaks of? People begin to murmur among themselves, suspicious of this stranger. Then, his voice becomes low.

“Sadly, I cannot do this alone,” he says.

A hushed silence falls over the town.

“Is there anyone who is willing to come with me? To fight for the life of these lands?”

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[Rules]

Advanced roleplayers only!
No Mary-Sues, Godmodding, or OP characters.
No Smut.
2-3 paragraph minimum per post.
Must have proper spelling and grammar.
(More rules will be added as needed)

If you have any questions, ask the GM.

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[Plot]

The goal of this story is to rebuild the wasteland. It is set in a Post-Apocalyptic StamPunk Fantasy world, and everything will be told in a series of episodes or chapters. Each chapter will have a specific goal in mind that will be accomplished by either a single string of quests, or one major quest line.

The actions our characters take in this world will have an impact upon everything. This plot is about adventure, discovery, action, and restoring the wasteland to its former glory.

I will control the pacing. This is a world shaped by choices, and I intend to place our characters into situations where they need to work together in order to survive.

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Tech

[Technology]

After the apocalypse, technology has been largely wiped out or buried. The only thing that exists is a rudimentary steam engine that can hardly power a single-person vehicle, or maybe a lone, clunky automaton. There is room to create and rediscover technology that has been lost over time. Perhaps, even, if enough resources are collected, things like airships, steam-driven mechs, and clockwork soldiers will be possible, it all depends on the choices made throughout the roleplay.

That being said, I will have power over when things are discovered. My character (as you will see) is an engineer, and much of the inventions will come from him. That is not to say that your character cannot be an engineer as well, just run it by me first. I don’t want 6 engineers and nothing else.

Arms

[Weapons]

All manner of fantasy weapons are available here. Spears, swords, shields, bows, etc. Guns are also available, but they are going to be simple from the start; muskets and flintlocks, that is all. I intend to keep shields and armor relevant even when facing off against a gunslinging marksman. New guns may be discovered along the way, but I’m going to work hard on keeping swords and whatnot relevant all the time.

Be aware, if you choose to use a ranged weapon, you will have to explain how you get ammo. There aren’t going to be any shops or marketplaces, so scavenging is your friend in this case.

Character Requirements

[Characters]

As I said before, making choices is an important part of this roleplay. Therefore, it is my intent to have your characters start out as mostly blank slates aside from their personality and whatnot. They have spent their whole lives in the colony having no knowledge of the world that came before this abysmal wasteland. As the roleplay and storyline continues, your characters will be presented with choices that will shape who they become. Things like weapons, magic, and even pets can be obtained, but must be chosen over other things.

When your character has something happen that is important for them, I will give you a small paragraph that you will put under the [Event] section of your character sheet. Something along the lines of:

During (quest line) Sally found an injured boar and fixed its leg. From that point onward, the boar became her companion.

These events will build up, and eventually you will have a library of accomplishments, weapons, and maybe even titles that have been gained by your characters over the course of the adventure.

One final thing to keep in mind before we get to the actual character sheets: if your character finds something like a sword on their adventure, bear in mind that they won’t be a master from the start. They will have to work on getting better and, over time, they might be able to achieve mastery. I’ll explain more about this as we get into the roleplay.

Character Sheet

Basic Info
Name: (First name only, the colonies lost the use of multiple names over time.)
Age: (Approximate if necessary. Characters between 20-35 are preferred.)

Appearance
Height: (In feet and inches.)
Weight: (In pounds.)
Build: (This can vary — slender athletic, slender, bulky, husky — it’s what you think describes your character the best as far as body type. Try to use no more than three words.)
Short Description: (As short as you can make it while still being clear. If you want to include a picture, you’re more than welcome to.)

History
(Something long enough for us to get an idea of what your character went through growing up in the colonies. Who were their parents? What was their situation growing up? Things like that.)

Personality
(This also can be short. Heck, if you can do it in three words, go for it. Nothing longer than a page, please.)

Equipment
Clothing: (No armor, just basic clothing descriptions. If you want to add clothing preferences here as well, go ahead.)
Other: (Trinkets, mementos, etc. If your character carries a journal, a necklace, or a picture of their grandma, put that here. No weapons, no magical artifacts.)

Events
(To be added as the RP goes on)

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[About your GM]

I’m 22 years old, Male, and a recent college graduate. I roleplay as a hobby, but I write as a career. I have been roleplaying for a solid 7+ years now, and I have experience doing group work.

If you have any questions, or are interested, let me know! This RP is probably not going to officially start for another week or so, leaving us plenty of time to work out kinks.

Cheers!