Welcome to Tyrant Shell: The Answer of Rain, the first RP in my new Tyrant Shell Universe. The basis is that decades ago resources were running bare so every nation went all out in one final confrontation known as the Judgement War. The Judgement War was the first war in which highly advanced fighting machines known as Shells were deployed and used against each other. The war went on for ten years until there was literally nothing left and the era of nations came to a fall and Corporations took power from them. This event was known as the Nation Fall/Corporate Rise. In Answer of Rain, the story revolves around a team of Shell pilots under the WOLFHOUND LLC known as the Vulture Squad. The Vulture Squad is a famous team of Shell pilots that any corporation would pay anything to have them fighting for them. However, while the Vulture Squad is skilled, they're damaged people who have to contend with not just their personal baggage but the fatigue from constant fighting with no breaks. They have no choice but to power through to complete the mission. The squad is managed by their mysterious and enigmatic mission control, Ava, a person who has recently taken the position.
The latest mission of the Vulture Squad is calling them to the clash over the nation of New Zealand. You see, after the Nation Fall/Corporate Rise, there were independent colonies that formed outside of the grasp of the Ruling Corporations. One such colony became the Independent Oceania Republic (IOR), a paradise free from corporate interference. However, that did not last long as one ruling corporation known as Murakumo Robotics had control over the greater Australian continent.
Their rivals, Paragon United, invaded the IOR in hopes of gaining a foothold in Australia. Thus, a massive war erupted between the IOR and Paragon United in which the IOR managed to deter Paragon United... until the latter found a secret facility that was housing a superweapon. In the tussle, the superweapon, known as the Stormrise Project accidentally went off and altered the magnetic fields around New Zealand. Thus creating unpredictable, hostile, and extremely dangerous weather all over the nation - in addition to endless rain.
However, the conflict continues as New Zealand has developed technology to render the nation habitable. That was where the Vulture Squad comes in, Paragon United has hired the team, including others such as the legendary Death God Unit, in order to fight for them and turn the tides of the battle in their favor. However, there are other corporations and forces that are paying out just as much, so it is up to them who they fight for in a conflict that is much deeper than it seems. Other forces are at play here and they have different plans for how the conflict should play out, and wish to eliminate the Vulture Squad. The story of Answer of Rain will have the cast questioning their beliefs, and facing their own personal demons in a conflict that will determine the fate of the world. The tone of the RP will be very somber and lowly, melancholic, to convey the horrors and loneliness that come in a warzone. I won't say this story is inspired by Armored Core because it literally is a rip-off.
RULES & NOTES
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1. First and foremost I reserve the right to reject anyone from the RP and boot them out at any time. I hate to do this and I will try to avoid it but sometimes some people are too disruptive to the RP or aren't a good fit and have to be removed.
2. Please try to be respectful towards all other players.
3. Answer of Rain is meant to be a somber storyline, about pilots and their struggles in an ever-evolving and strange battlefield. I want everyone to have issues, and more importantly, a solid reason for being here.
4. The tone of the RP will be somber, a mecha-melancholy as you will say. Large swaths of time will be dedicated to building scenes showing how lonely the battlefield is. Not exactly an action-y, anime, mecha rp where people will be having their mechs do backflips n' shit. I want the mech and stuff to have weight and fit the tone.
5. Please no "wip" sheets on the OOC. Post a complete sheet or don't post anything at all. If you need something looked over, feel free to private message me. Speaking of which, the character tab is for accepted characters only.
6. Keep in mind that your character can totally die. If they make the wrong move it can result in their death and I will not jeopardize the story to save them.
7. Two characters per person, max. If you make more than one character please post your characters in the same tab.
8. Let's keep out the over-the-top mecha traits such as transformations or giving your robot superpowers. Everything is meant to be a bit more grounded and everyone will just be using weapons of their choice.
9. I want every mech to fulfill a niche and have drawbacks... if you want to be a fast sniper? Sure. But that railgun will probably shatter your robot. Do you want an armored weapons platform? Well, have fun keeping up with that helicopter! You can have all-rounders but they won't be good at any particular field.
11.PM YOUR CHARACTER SHEETS TO ME. DO NOT POST THEM UNTIL I TELL YOU. My idea for the first chapter of the story is that we will only post the Shell sheets when the IC starts and refer to each other by callsign. Then after the first chapter we post the sheets for the pilots.
12. This RP will strictly be "first come, first serve." Meaning I will not reserve any character/roles/etc, and they will go to whoever finishes their character sheet first. If there's a conflict over it, I will decide the outcome.
13. All I ask for is one post a week. If it's been a week since your last post, your character will be placed into the inactive section until they are written off (mostly by death). Please be aware that once your character is inactive they can be killed off.
14. There are rules that are so beaten into your head that it should be obvious.
In the Tyrant Shell universe, the world is dominated by the three Ruling Corporations.
Paragon United: Paragon is an organization that is a combination of several different smaller companies with the grand goal of everyone else getting ahead in the current status quo. They have managed to compete with the heavy hitters in the industry and have established themselves as a versatile company. Unlike the other companies, they have no real specialization but produce a wide range of technology from cybernetics, biomedical, to war machines such as Shells. They have functionally declared war on Murakumo Robotics over control over America and Europe. Paragon is controlled by a council of sorts that are headed by the various smaller companies, and they all vote on what decisions to make. Other than that, each organization is free to do as they please long as they don't compete with the other organizations within Paragon. As a result of this, one major issue the Industries sees is that their organization is too chaotic and that there's too much conflict of interest that halts Paragon from getting ahead. The other issue is that they're the largest and they have far too much ground to cover and not even enough men. They're forced to use obsolete and outdated technology at times.
Murakumo Robotics: Rising out of Japan, Murakumo Robotics has added other East Asian countries under their control such as Korea and China. They quickly established themselves as a superpower among the corporations, and have gone relatively unchallenged until they attempted to push into Europe. Which brought them into conflict with both Grand Union and Paragon United, and there are talks that they may clash with the Remnants of the Russian Federation. Murakumo, as their name suggests, specializes in robotics and is the leader in robotic technology. In cities owned by the company, they have robot servants doing menial tasks for the citizens and have lasers and other technology we deem "futuristic" as household items. This extends to their armies, as Murakumo has the lowest population, they have delegated their entire armies to machines. They have an automated army that is controlled by a network of "Operators" that give out orders as if they were real soldiers. This goes from basic footsoldiers, to even having automated Shells and Bastions. However, they are forced to use these robotic soldiers only because they have a much lower population than the other corporations.
Grand Union: Born out of the remnants of NATO, the Grand Union is both the remnants of America and Western Europe. They boast the highest living standards despite how miserable their people are (due to poverty, hunger, and more). The Grand Union is a force to be reckoned with, having an army of foot soldiers and drones that are easily the most numerous and dangerous. Grand Union has a fleet of Bastions that are feared worldwide, and their Shells aren't too shabby, either, as they're the lead in producing Shell technology. Their entire culture is based around war and hero-worship so they don't have a shortage of soldiers - but they do have a shortage of weapons and end up using weapons from other corporations. Grand Union's government is somewhat based on the United State's; with a Senate that elects a CEO. This CEO has control of the company until he either dies, steps down, or is impeached, and then the process begins anew.
WOLFHOUND ENFORCEMENT LLC: When the wars ended, many soldiers took to becoming mercenaries to put food on the table for their families. They worked for whoever paid the most, and soon a man formed WOLFHOUND, the world-famous mercenary group. They act as an arbitration group between mercenaries, and corporations, and anybody else that wishes to hire a WOLFHOUND. They consider themselves to be strictly neutral and will take jobs for anybody long as they pay. WOLFHOUND is notable for having many Shells at their disposal that make many corporations nervous, but many of their forces are combat cyborgs. The mercenaries themselves are practically given free will to do as they please but are responsible for maintenance, ammo, travel, and anything else along those lines.
Human Plus: The very lead in cybernetics, the Human Plus (Stylized as H+) is a neutral entity in the corporate world but they have links to each of them. Almost all of the cybernetics in the setting are made and distributed by them - as they've aggressively pushed out other corporations. They offer a wide variety of cybernetics at a wide variety of different prices... but their practices are extremely predatory and exploitative. The H+ advertisements are seen in almost every major city and media.
Cybernetics was the development of technology that melded both man and machine together and has come a very long way. Now a variety of different cybernetics is available, from replacing missing limbs and organs, to giving a person superhuman abilities. Cybernetics are capable of many feats that would be impossible in our modern times. It has become a common sight to see on the street as many people have lost their limbs (to war or mutations or to up their marketability to the corporations), but there are more advanced cyborgs out there. Many of these are known as "Combat Cyborgs" and these are cyborgs who have been given top of the line cybernetics that has turned them into super soldiers. They have superhuman abilities and are given incredibly powerful weaponry (which can range from guns to swords) and can decimate a squad of average soldiers on the battlefield. However, it's not an idealistic dream, as the body rejecting the part is still a real possibility. Drugs have been developed that prevent rejection but they are not infallible, nor are they perfect. Many have to cope with the loss of their body parts, or even up to their entire body.
Shells are powerful robotic war machines that were created by corporations with the intention of waging war with each other. They are highly valued and incredibly coveted as a single Shell can turn the tide of a battle. Highly customizable, the Shells come in a variety of different shapes and appearances as they change to suit the needs of the pilot and the corporations. All Shells are about ten to fifteen meters tall. Generally, the Shells have the same components, a head, chest, arms, legs, weapons, and internal systems such as FCs, radiators, boosters, and even a gravity matrix. The gravity matrix is more or less the "heart" of the Shell and prevents it from collapsing in on itself. Shells can have a variety of different weaponry affixed to their being, however, Shells are incredibly expensive and only certain corporations can reliably manage a Shell.
Bastions on the other hand are legendary weapons. Bastions are, as the name implies, massive mobile fortresses super weapons deployed by the Corporations after being developed in secret. Once the Corporations began their grand offensive against the nations of the world, they were widely successful with not a single Bastion being destroyed. Since then, the Bastion always saw usage as a means of maintaining control over their territory and persuading other corporations from attacking them. Bastions are incredibly powerful weapons capable of giving a squad of Shells a problem. They are the only form of weaponry above the powerful Shells. However, they are still capable of falling to a well-prepared and equipped team of Shells (with rumors having it that a single Shell once defeated a Bastion). Bastions come in many shapes and sizes and can be ground-bound, airborne, or a sea-vessel. Every major corporation has at least two Bastions, with more being developed. However, they are a point of controversy and contention, as many want a limit placed on the amount of Bastion each Corporation may have.
The Triple-A stands for AI, Automaton, and Android - three different beings that have one common strand: Artificial Intelligence.AIs are self-explanatory but generally, they're used as virtual assistants and planted inside computers. They have varying amounts of intelligence but usually, they're prevented from learning on their own - an AI can be moved from one system to another provided that it can handle their capabilities. Automatons are machines that are not human and come in a variety of different sizes and shapes - some of which are not even bipedal. They are usually assistants but Automatons can be designed to do anything. Androids on the other hand are like automatons, except they are designed to appear human as possible. Usually, androids have the most advanced AI, and some androids are impossible to discern from regular human beings.
The Judgement War created a lot of problems that the future civilizations have to come to grips with. The Mutants are on top of that list, as they are either created from pollution or are the leftover bio-organic weapons from the war. Some of which are former humans, but anything organic from animals, to plants, can become mutants. They have varying amounts of intelligence... and aggressive, and they make roaming the Wilds dangerous. The Corporations - usually - never have to deal with them in their territory but there have been reports of mutants in the sewers or being brought in by the criminal factions. The cities on the edges of the wilds have to deal with the Mutants the most. However, not all of the mutants are dangerous, some are kept as pets for people in the wild. The humans that are mutated can get their mutations removed and replaced with cybernetics. However, these mutants are more susceptible to cancer and other genetic diseases. However, some are massive monsters that barely retain intelligence or memory of their old lives, and are dangerous enough to be on par with combat cyborgs. However, they barely go past twenty or so feet in height and are no match for a Shell or a Bastion.
Under the mercenary powerhouse known as WOLFHOUND LLC, you can choose to run solo and take missions independently - or you can join a team. The corporation is the umbrella to several teams, but only a few stand out: The Vanguard, The Nine, The Wandering Fist, The Death God Unit... and the Vulture Squad. The Vulture Squad was initially formed by a man named Joseph Eldridge, a talented mech pilot who had a knack for birds.
His original Vulture Squad was a team of Shell pilots who were his closest friends, but over time they either died, moved on to different teams, or simply retired from WOLFHOUND. In a few years, the Vulture Squad was unrecognizable from the original that Joseph had assembled. However, the seeds and traditions that Joseph had implanted were here to stay and even the latest iteration of the Vultures still follow Joseph's model - possibly out of memorial.
The primary tradition was the most important to Joseph: the bird thematic. You see, when Joseph created the Vulture Squad, he mandated that each and every Shell was named after a bird, referenced a bird, or brought a bird to. That was strictly mandatory and the Squad has turned away prominent pilots because they refused to change their Shell's name.
The second tradition revolves around the mission control known as a Birdwatcher/Falconer - you see it's less of a name and more of a title. The Squad will not address a mission control either until they prove themselves. A Birdwatcher/Falconer is responsible for getting the squad missions, making sure the squad is in good shape (mentally, physically, and equipment-wise), and managing the team while on missions. The Falconer/Birdwatcher is considered to be a leader and not a boss - which was why several Birdwatchers/Falconers in the past were ejected from the position.
The Vulture Squad recruits new members for its team by carefully scanning for solo Shell pilots under WOLFHOUND (and sometimes completely independent mercenaries) and plucking them out. This is a duty resigned to the Birdwatcher/Falconer, and it is an important task to ensure that the pilot isn't just skilled but gels with the current Squad.
"Wings of fortune! And let that bird fly high!" The Vulture Squad's CreedEmbelm of the Vulture Squad. ......................................................................
The Vulture Squad is more about cohesion than pure skill (which was still important) because Joseph's belief was that a well-rounded, moral, squad that all liked each other was more important than just selecting the best of the best. The Vulture Squad is still considered an elite team that the corporations would love to employ but the Falconer doesn't just take missions anyone. Only missions that are worth the dough, or perhaps worth the cause (if any exist in this cold, desolate, world), are taken by the Vulture Squad. The two missions that the Vulture Squad were famous for were Operation Ascent, in which the Vulture Squad took down the Bastion of a terrorist organization in the Sahara Desert, and Operation Phoenix, in which they infiltrated a major Murakumo Robotics factory and destroyed it from within.
The Vulture Squad's base of operations is a flying fortress known as The Nest. The Nest acts as a mobile hangar where the Vultures can store, upgrade, and repair their Shells, and act as their barracks. The Nest is equipped with advanced stealth technology that makes it very difficult to detect on radar (but can be visually seen), so The Nest drops the Shells off outside of the range of enemy weapons and has them enter the operating area manually. The Nest was never designed to be a part of operations, but it is equipped with pulse shields and cannons in the event that the Nest is attacked.
The previous Birdwatcher was Birdwatcher Eric, who was put On Vacation (slang for assassinated by the corporation) for unknown reasons. He was replaced by a mysterious woman named Ava, who had assigned the Vulture Squad the New Zealand mission.
After the fall of Nations and the rise of the Ruling Corporation; the balance of the entire world was thrown out of wack and borders were constantly being redrawn. It was complete chaos and some people wanted nothing to do with the corporate world, so they fled to the fringes and outskirts of the world. Leaving the major nations with resources to be fought over by the Ruling Corporations, and various colonies were placed in the New Zealand area.
They all originally started out as independent colonies that took over the various major cities and towns but for a variety of reasons; they decided to unify. They created the New Zealand Republic, forging their own destiny independent from the design of the Ruling Nations and in hopes of remaining free from their control.
Eventually, after they gained a large swath of influence in the world, they renamed themselves The Independent Oceania Republic (or IOR) and declared themselves to be off limits to the Ruling Corporations. The IOR's borders remained open, however, they have an extremely picky and selective process for entering the IOR involving mountains of background checks and paperwork. Despite their borders being open the IOR is moderately xenophobic and their streets are lined with anti-corporate propaganda - calling the Ruling Corporations fascists.
The nation's economy is based on technology; exporting its cutting-edge creations to Corporations and engaging in Shell-related research and development. Natural resources are carefully managed to ensure self-sufficiency at all costs, and a barter system has been developed based on the exchange of essential goods and technology. The people of the IOR are known for their resourcefulness and adaptability, traits born out of their unique environment. A culture of unity and an unwavering belief in freedom and self-determination permeates every aspect of life. Shell pilots are celebrated as heroes with a strong sense of camaraderie. Citizens are deeply connected to nature, and they are more connected to the sea than not. Rituals celebrate the importance of balance and harmony, and the nation places a premium on education, encouraging the pursuit of knowledge and technological advancement.
The IOR operates under a democratic system, with a President elected every five years. However, a council of brilliant scientists and engineers, known as the "Technocracy," plays a pivotal role in decision-making in the IOR. This council ensures that technological advancement and environmental sustainability remain at the heart of the IOR's priorities. Every citizen, regardless of age or occupation, has the right to vote, ensuring that the government is accountable to the people.
The Independent Oceania Republic boasts a formidable Shell army, highly trained and equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Their military strategy emphasizes agility, precision, and teamwork. In times of war, the citizens themselves often rally to defend their nation, making it a formidable force in a world dominated by the Ruling Corporations and their mercenaries. The IOR's crowning achievement is its cutting-edge Shell technology. The Independent Oceania Republic has developed a unique line of amphibious Shells designed for both land and underwater combat. These advanced Shells are equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry and defensive systems, but what truly sets them apart is their environmental consciousness and their use of environmentally friendly energy sources. Their army was so formidable that the other Ruling Corporations dared not cross them.
That was until the IOR was invaded by Paragon United's forces as they wanted to gain a foothold on the greater Australian continent. A massive war erupted on the once peaceful IOR and the two forces clashed, with neither gaining ground on the other. However, the tide of the war was changed as Paragon United forces located the top-secret superweapon in development known as the Stormrise Project.
The details behind the Stormrise Project remain a mystery but a battle erupted in the facility and the secret weapon was damaged, causing it to prematurely activate... damaging the magnetic fields over the island causing an endless rain to cover the nation. The nation, and battlefield, was forced to adapt to the sudden change in weather, as some parts of New Zealand were completely uninhabitable. However, the IOR continues to passionately fight so peace can return to New Zealand.
Paragon United almost entirely rules the North Island, and has refitted Auckland as their hub - renaming it Modal Auckland. Modal Auckland is a blend of neon-lit skyscrapers and grimy elements. Modal Auckland has been transformed into a high-tech metropolis where advanced technology coexists with the natural beauty of the region.
The skyline of Modal-Auckland is a stunning fusion of gleaming neon skyscrapers and sprawling, interconnected megastructures that create a dreary sense of loneliness mixed with the endless rain. Billboards and holographic advertisements shine brightly at night, creating a dazzling, ever-shifting display that blocks out the stars. You're unlikely to see anyone wandering the streets here that is not a member of Paragon United's army, or a mercenary-contractor who works for them. You'll see some business workers here and there, but everyone who came to Modal-Auckland came to capitalize on the war. Thus you can find plenty of diverse restaurants, entertainment, and even strip clubs and brothels. Auckland's iconic harbor has become a high-tech port, where Paragon United uses enormous cargo drones and container ships to haul in more weapons of war and supplies. Without the IOR, environmental degradation has taken its toll on Modal Auckland. Pollution and climate change have left their mark on the city with areas suffering from unbreathable air and rising sea levels.
