Greetings, All, New to the forum, Old to GMing. I'm planning to start a not so serious post-apocalyptic role-play with only a vague sense of direction. Think of it as a sandbox with a series of soft railroads branching off in every direction. It'll be pulpy, expect plenty of pseudo-science, mutants, psychics, mutant psychics, and a healthy helping of schizo-tech, more or less anything goes, as long as it's appropriate for the forum.
The idea is that you're part of a group of four drifters, (along with any NPC's you come across and convince to join you, of course) roaming the wasteland for your own reasons, who've banded together for the sake of mutual protection. Along the way, who knows what'll happen?
I'll be rolling a 1d20 to determine the outcome of any combat-related or otherwise difficult actions, giving bonuses and penalties as appropriate, and posting the results. We're going to be using a simple HP, MP, system to determine the level of health and psychic energy a character has remaining, you know the drill. It'll be semi-high lethality, but with a bit of common sense, basic strategy, and actual combat experience, your characters will be astronomically less likely to die. All the same, don't get too attached.
If you're interested, fill out and post the following template, once I've got around a dozen character submissions, I'll choose the four I feel will make the most interesting and well-balanced party. Disclaimer: My personal preference will be a factor in the final decision, though I'll attempt to remain unbiased. Here's the template, don't worry about your character's HP or MP, I'll handle that when we start.
Name: What you're called, and what you'll be referred to. It can be a nickname, or as formal as you want. Race: Are you a "pure" human, a mutant, some kind of robot, or something else entirely? If it's not realistic, don't worry, we'll chalk it up to radiation-induced mutation, mutation-assisted hyper-evolution, and pre-apocalypse gene-modding. Age: The human equivalent for your race. Sex: If applicable, are you a male or female? Appearance: A short sentence or two of what your character looks like, a paragraph would be nice, but no pressure. Traits: Three distinguishing traits of your character. Is he big? Is he scared of heights? Is he allergic to peanuts? It goes here. Skills: Three things your character does better than anyone else they know. Mutations: If your character has any unique bodily factors, plant, animal, or otherwise, it goes here. Keep in mind the impression you'll make. Psychic: Is your character psychic? (Y/N)? Backstory: A short sentence or two of your character's backstory, a paragraph would be nice, but no pressure. Motivation: Why exactly is your character risking their life to wander the wasteland?
And that's about it for this interest check's intro.
@Ardent Debater Bumping a thread is not against forum etiquette :)
You should really give more details about the world (how, why, when etc) if you want to attract people. I personally am not interested but the name of the RP made me curious about the setting.
@Ardent Debater Bumping a thread is not against forum etiquette :)
You should really give more details about the world (how, why, when etc) if you want to attract people. I personally am not interested but the name of the RP made me curious about the setting.
Thanks for the advice, as for the setting, it's set in an alternate earth, roughly three centuries into the future, after the collapse of post-modern society. I have a vague timeline and idea of how things came to be the way they are, but I was planning to slowly unveil it to the players as time goes on, and until they pieced it together, they'd have only crumbling ruins and often contradictory myths to go on.
Color me interested!
Excellent, all you have to do is fill out the template and post.
What kind of state is the world in? Is it all deserts like Mad Max or is it more like Fallout where buildings remain albeit overgrown with vegetation and people trying to start fresh?
What kind of state is the world in? Is it all deserts like Mad Max or is it more like Fallout where buildings remain albeit overgrown with vegetation and people trying to start fresh?
Fantastic! At this rate, we'll have enough people to start the game in no time! I'm not being sarcastic about that either. Little over 99% of the world has either too little water, or too much, as such, the terrain varies wildly, and due to the lingering effects of the apocalypse, it tends to be quite inhospitable to life in general, from barren wasteland, and polluted hellscapes, all the way to acidic swamps and mutated jungles, and everything in between.
Fertile, unpolluted, or "clean" land is highly valuable, sought after, and fought over, changing hands frequently, often within mere months. The mindset of people varies from faction to faction, and even settlement to settlement, though there exists a general idea that those still living are heirs to what's left of the earth. The concept has spurred what could be described as a Second Manifest Destiny, and there's a general sense of conquest, expansion, and settlement. Of course, the world is still very much untamed, and the mutant tribes and pseudo-human clans don't tend to take kindly to outsiders.
So within the hider is my character sheet. If it's not acceptable then no drama, I just appreciate the opportunity.
"Sometimes a scalpel just won't do, that's where I come in..."
Sükharri
Formerly humans, the Südkharri evolved to adapt to the hostility of the environment around them. Living in the subway and sewers of an irradiated mega-city, they have built a bustling civilisation, digging deeper into the Earth to expand.
Over the three centuries since what they call the fall, the radiation has kicked started their evolutionary adaptations and they have now grown an additional pair of arms and also an additional set of eyes. They need to wear eye protection during daylight hours or they risk permanant blindness due to the darker conditions they have evolved in.
Their skin has toughened to cope with the harsh environment around them, providing some semblance of resistance to toxins and radiation but even so, prolonged exposure without adequate protection is still fatal. While tougher, it is still able to be pierced by blades and firearms.
The average height and lifespan has increased since their rapid evolution, rising to 6'5" and 245 years respectively. Due to this increased size, they need 50% more food than normal humans.
In addition, their scientists have also managed to maintain some semblance of technological advancement by recycling technology within the city above.
Age 73
Sex Male
Appearance He stands at 7'1" with a darkened complexion from the toughened skin. His eyes are a milky blue although they are rarely seen due to the need for eye protection in daylight.
Full Body
Head
Traits
Taller than the average human
Has a preference for pre-apocalyptic music referred to only as metal and can often be heard playing it
Bright light can damage his eyes if eye protection isn't worn
Skills
Above average strength
Able to scale most walls
Capable melee combatant
Mutations
Additional pair of arms
Four eyes allowing for better vision in darkness although susceptiple to damage from sunlight without protection
Toughened skin providing increased resistance to toxins and radiation
Psychic No Südkharri have developed psychic powers since the fall
Items
His armour incorporates two hilts for energy swords. The swords are sharp enough as normal blades but constant and prolonged use builds up an electrostatic charge. After a short time this energy can be concentrated onto the blade to allow them to cut through several inches of solid steel. However after this, the blades themselves become soft and risk breaking until they have cooled. As such they must be returned to their respective hilts.
All but the strongest humans would need to use two hands to wield a single energy blade.
The RMC is a prototype weapon that trials a unique ammo concept, using dirt and rocks as an ammo source. The RMC contains a small nuclear core that quickly heats up the contents of the ammunition cartridges, turning into a molten sludge. The RMC then fires this sludge at it's target, melting through all but the thickest heat-resistant armours.
The ability to literally scoop up ammo from your feet whether dirt or scrap metal is invaluable in a world with waning ammunition supplies. However, the RMC cartridges are one shot each with only 10 cartridges able to fit in a magazine. If a full magazine salvo is fired too quickly then the weapon will overheat.
With regards to range it is a short range weapon, not having an effective range much more than a shotgun.
In addition the gun would be difficult for the average human to wield effectively.
The standard pistol used by the Südkharri. It's design is simple, charging itself through continuous movement. While this provides an almost unlimited supply of ammo, damage is light often requiring multiple hits to kill a standard human.
Südkharri combat armour which incorporates a helmet with various settings including rangefinder, environment assessment tools, zoom function and most importantly, solar filter. The armour itself features protruding blades from the gauntlets of his secondary arms.
Clan insignia on a chain around his neck
Pre-apocolaypse music device retrofitted with small nuclear battery
Water canteen with advanced Südkharri filter technology capable of cleaning lightly radioactive or toxic water
Backstory Sullick was born into the Crimson Brothers Clan, a clan whose purpose solely revolves around the safety of the Südkharri people. Peacekeepers, military and police, they are responsible for keeping order and protecting the Südkharri home. Sullick spent many years going about his daily routine but the monotony soon became too much to bear and so he signed up for the Exodus Initiative. The aim of the Initiative is to send Südkharri out into the world and find other remnants of civilisation, to make contact and establish the viability of trade agreements and alliances.
As an individual he is open and will often be honest with those he is talking too. He would rather stay clear of the drama that some often crave finding that his honest approach, no matter how blunt, lets people know where they stand. This is however based on his interactions with other Südkharri, a race developed in isolation.
Motivation Due to the boredom and monotony of his life Sullick set out to explore outside the confines of the underground city. While the purpose of the Exodus Initiative is to improve the existence of the Südkharri, his own reasons are not so profound simply wanting to explore and experience some excitement.
@Sudkurve Accepted, to balance the Südkharri's strength, size, and technological advantage, I'm going to GM Fiat and say they require one and half again as much food as the average human to survive, and have a relatively small population, roughly a hundred thousand, with a few thousand scattered across the wastescape on the Exodus Initiative. Are you fine with that, or do you have another idea to balance the Südkharri? Don't worry, I'm all ears.
@Darcs Don't hesitate to suggest a character, the more the merrier!
@Sudkurve Accepted, to balance the Südkharri's strength, size, and technological advantage, I'm going to GM Fiat and say they require one and half again as much food as the average human to survive, and have a relatively small population, roughly a hundred thousand, with a few thousand scattered across the wastescape on the Exodus Initiative. Are you fine with that, or do you have another idea to balance the Südkharri? Don't worry, I'm all ears.
@Darcs Don't hesitate to suggest a character, the more the merrier!
That's fine with me, a heavier realiance on food makes perfect sense. Just glad to be accepted.
I've adjusted the character sheet so it mentions the 50% more food required.
This is just what I need, coming out of my long absence. I'm thinking of recycling a character I never got to use that much, would there have been/are there anything similar to the Vaults from Fallout in your universe?
<Snipped quote by Ardent Debater> That's fine with me, a heavier realiance on food makes perfect sense. Just glad to be accepted.
I've adjusted the character sheet so it mentions the 50% more food required.
Great.
This is just what I need, coming out of my long absence. I'm thinking of recycling a character I never got to use that much, would there have been/are there anything similar to the Vaults from Fallout in your universe?
I don't see any reason there wouldn't be, knock yourself out.
Appearance: Steeple stands at 5'10, with narrow shoulders and a muscle bound physique, wrapped in scar flecked, milky white skin. On top of his head he has a coarse rug of hay yellow hair, short at the back and on the sides but long on top, combed to the right (The Left Side is bald mostly, with only a few wispy hairs). He has a narrow head with a well defined, angular jaw and thin lips that always appear to be pursed; on the right side of his neck, he has tattooed the cog shape of a vault door , just under which he had his Vault ID number tattooed in. Over top his body, he wears the remains of a vault suit, the trouser and belt parts mostly intact but the top, torso covering area, significantly tattered; so he ties that portion around his waist, with the knotted sleeves dangling from his belt buckle, tied to the handle of a Vault Tec lunchbox. Substituting the missing torso clothing, he wears a vault t-shirt, with the cog shape of the door boldly printed in yellow on the back. Stuffed into the back of his trousers, he has a blued .32 revolver and at his left he has a combat knife. However Steeple is no average guy, his entire left side is ghoulified, pale thin skin draped over wasted, mottled muscle; the skin is slightly translucent, with black veins, and torn in some places. The skin doesn't appear to be fully attached to the flesh below, leaving areas that are loose and pliable and easy to tear off, hence the reason he has flappy patches of torn skin revealing angry, red muscle.
Traits: Steeple Can't be healed with conventional medicine or techniques, instead he needs radiation in high or consistent doses to repair any damage; this being said, anti-radiation medicines are toxic to him, and are life threatening in any significant amount. Being a necrotic creature, the needs of the the average human being are lost on Steeple; his need for food and water are significantly decreased, and mutation of his nervous system mean that he doesn't need much sleep (but if he's critically injured, he needs to consume more food and water and needs more sleep than the average person, to repair himself). The side effects of radiation to his brain have impaired him to a degree, on occasion he phases out and sometimes he becomes unresponsive all together; scientists who've examined him have called him a remarkable specimen as almost all of his kind are feral and animalistic, yet as he takes on more and more radiation that is also likely to be his fate as well.
Skills: Steeple is skilled in hand to hand combat, and rapid disabling of opponents. Steeple can go places most people can't, like into highly radioactive or places plagued with feral ghouls. He is is a decent shot but dislikes anything larger than pistol caliber, he won't admit it but the recoil of a rifle round is a bit too much for him. Steeple is also a fair electrician and knows his way around locks and terminals, having been a door technician back in the vault.
Mutations: Other than his entire body, no.
Psychic: No
Backstory:
BIOGRAPHY - Chase was born in vault 121, one of the few vaults that were actually meant to save people, to his drunk of a mother and a father of whom he had never met, as he died prior to Steeple being born. From the onset of his life it seemed that he was going grow up, live and die in the vault, If the mandatory tattoo on his neck wasn't enough evidence, he didn't know what was. But other then that life was normal, or as normal as life in a subterranean fallout shelter could be. Though at 10, his life started taking a turn for the worst; on his tenth birthday he wasn't presented with a PipBoy as others had been, there were none left in stock, instead he was given a pen and a book and was sent off to begin with his first vault responsibilities completely and utterly miserable. Life after that point was hell, he was the target of all the other children's malice, they poked fun at him for not having a PIPboy.. Or a father.
Years passed though, scars opened and closed but one thing was constant, his mother's sorrow. She had been utterly miserable, even a child could see that, the death of his father - her lover - had never left her. After he was old enough to care for himself, at the age of 14 or so, she had dropped mothering all together, instead favoring the bitter rim of acrid, home brewed alcohol. His childhood and young adult life was a depressed mess of disappointment and caring for his mother. Upon reaching 16 years of age he sat the GOAT, the Generalized Occupational Aptitude Test, "You can't fail this." he recalled his teacher telling him but the outcome sure did feel like a failure. Maintenance, where they put those who were good at nothing, he reported downstairs the very next day. In the middle of his second year, Steeple and the other apprentices were stood in front of a large projector screen, as the instructor explained something; as he stood, he caught fragments of a whispered conversation from behind him. His blood went cold. Apparently the two had taken a route that took them past his and his mother's quarters and had heard a commotion inside. Slowly he turned and started to push his way through throng of his peers, his instructor noticed and ordered him to get back into line, he kept pushing until he was out and dashed to his room. His mother was inside, yelling and struggling against the restraining grip of a large man; in fear and rage Steeple didn't think, picking up a pencil he and lunged at the man, pushing the sharpened implement into the man's back.
Eventually the man died and Jingo was in big trouble, he was held in solitary for months and when he was released for his disciplinary hearing he was greeted with bad news. He had to leave the vault, 'we can't have a menace like you continue to be among us.' They told him before unceremoniously shoving him out of the vault. At first he found it hard to cope he was crippled with fear but slowly, over weeks, that fear turned to resentment and that to anger. He didn't last long in the wasteland, after a few months he had gotten into trouble with some unsavory types and they were after his head for not paying his tab; they chased him into a pre-war power plant where they snuffed him out, shooting him and dumping his body into a waste vat.
Though that wasn't the end of the story.
He woke up with a groan to find himself still alive, walking out he caught a glimpse of himself in a reflective surface and began flailing and screaming in anger. He was a ghoul. After a hundred years, all his anger and hate simmered down into a dull throb, everyone he knew in the vault were now dead, replaced by their descendants and the people who ghoulified him were also most likely dead. He had no one to get revenge on.. So why bother?
Motivation: What drives him on is the hope that there is a way to reverse the ghoulification, or at least stop its effects on his brain.
Sorry it took me so long. I've been having a packed week.
