Hey there! I've explained The Falling World, the fictional universe me and my friends created and share, a couple of times now. Hopefully that means I'm getting better at it.
Here goes: The Falling World is a lot like our own world - They have cars, air, the Sun, Switzerland, people have two Kidneys, eyes, ears, and nostrils (among other things). Unlike our world, they have supernatural beings; civilization has been aware of this since early 2009. The Most Common supernatural creature in the Falling world is the Vampire. Vampires have been fully integrated into modern society; there are charity organizations aimed towards helping them find work and lodging, Barnes and Nobles have nonfiction books about Species rolls and Vampire self help books, there are prescription drugs available to temporarily cause livelihood to return, and Vampire characters are beginning to appear in sitcoms and romantic comedies. People are not commonly afraid of them anymore; they still require blood to survive, and like humans can sometimes murder other humans, some Vampires kill people, but it is swiftly growing marginalized. Discrimination against Vampirism is generally akin to discrimination against Homosexuals in our world... with all that entails. People consider it a disease or physical state which becomes a lifestyle choice for some people - after all, the cure exists, though it isn't widely available. Other supernatural beings are less common. There are lots of people out there who have never met any Metahumans (as they're called), and those who have have probably just met a Vampire or something nearly as common. A factor in this is that there are certain areas of very high Metahuman concentration, and much of the rest of the world has a somewhat low number of metas to be found.
Werewolves, because of their recognition, are the second (or possibly third) most well known being, but there are not nearly as many of them as there are Vampires; the Second most common superhuman being would be Superhumans, or people with powers that can't be categorized as another superhuman race. This is the group which is at the center of some of the worst tensions. Also to be found are Ghosts, Mermaids, Demons, Fairies, and countless others, All of them with their own subcultures and issues integrating into modern society. Of course, everything is not all well and good with these developments. Under the surface of society, factions have gained incredible power, and the Government is of course scrambling to maintain control. Often Overmatched, some deals have been made in secret, silent wars going on behind the scenes, untold to the public, and much of what the public knows is false. Outright war with other races has been flirted with, multiple times, but thankfully so far has been averted. All the same, it is clear that the Status Quo cannot remain for much longer. Essentially, it's like our own world, but with the supernatural actually existing, only thought out to the logical conclusion of how the world would react to that. As I've said here already, the core principal is this: No matter what kind of being, supernatural or otherwise, a person is, that's just it: They're still a PERSON. Flawed, embarrassed, moody, unpredictable, capable of change and complexity, just trying to lead a good life.
(If you want some more info, feel free to ask me or check out my profile and intro post!)
So, I've been thinking over and coming up with some roleplays and story ideas that should make ideal introductions to the Falling World or aspects of it. These cover a pretty wide variety of story types and themes - it's a world with a lot of range, after all! Some are roleplays I've tried before, some are brand new ideas, but all make good introductions and should make for some fun writing.
1. Homecoming
The Small town of Still Falls, Iroquois, U.S.A. is a humble little lake town in the middle of the woods, sunny and a little boring, somewhere between corn-farmers and coal-miners. The talk of the town just now is the High School Reunion, the ten-year anniversary of the class of 2010. Students who left to do great (or ordinary) things, or who stayed right here at home, reconvening for a weekend of fun and reminiscing... and hopefully, get back to their hotel rooms by twilight. See, this sunny little town is a little different after dark, especially in the woods. Nothing significant - probably just an especially rambunctious generation of teens, stealing things, breaking things, ransacking buildings. The occasional missing or mauled livestock - probably just bears. One or two missing persons cases - usually just hunters or kids who'll show up sooner or later. Even though it's probably nothing, most folks still know to stay inside on darker nights, or at least out of the woods. Who knows what could be out there, creeping it's way on in to the town...
Homecoming - a Casual Falling World Roleplay. Free form, room for plenty of players. Characters will most likely be the former students returning for the Reunion. Slice of life/ordinary people Roleplay with background elements of Supernatural Mystery creeping in later.
2. Corporate Secrets
In early December of 2015, a Terrorist Attack in the city of Heartvale, Rhode Island destroys several buildings and kills several hundred civilians. In the investigation, the Government begins to believe that destruction was caused by a very powerful weapon thought to have been lost half a decade earlier, a weapon that is powered by Aether, the life energy of sentient beings and the earth. Their intelligence suggests that it is in the possession of, and being researched by, Livingston Macro, a corporation involved in everything from Private Military contracting to pharmaceuticals. To keep Lucy Livingston and her organization from being too powerful, the NSA quickly organizes a team of metahuman Criminals and Rejects that could easily be dismissed as terrorists themselves if the operation goes badly. This team has the mission of infiltrating Livingston's Headquarters and Vacation resort, the Island Fortress Babel. While there, they must retrieve the weapon and Livingston's research, neutralize her resources, and, if possible, capture Lucy Livingston herself. If they fail, they'll be captured and detained, or left on the run as pariahs and fugitives. If they succeed, they may get their sentences shortened or a new lease on life. Regardless, whether they succeed or fail, they are entirely on their own. The only thing they can count on is each other.
Corporate Secrets - An Advanced Falling World Roleplay. Action/Adventure, the Characters will be the members of the ragtag team sent by the NSA to stop Livingston. The roleplay will include action, but also espionage, undercover segments, interactions between team members, and major choices in the complex and powerful plot. Limited number of characters, and probably no late entries once the team is assembled. Also for the record I came up with this way before I even heard of the 'Suicide Squad' so when I first found out what that movie/comic was about I was understandable pissed.
3. The Moon over San Gabriel
Somewhere in Comancheria, there is an old pile of stones in the shape of a building. There is no historical marker, there is no guided tour. There is not even a road leading up to this old, forgotten Mission. It languishes, completely forgotten by the world. But for three nights in the Civil war, this Mission was the most important place in the war. This is where Government Forces first made their stand against Vampires. It was late in the War - The Mississippi River was the prize, and the Union was striking towards it. But Helmsworth's Brigade, 5,120 Men strong, while en route to take the railways to the River, were struck suddenly by a Confederate Force of unstoppable soldiers, red-eyed and faster than bullets. In a single nighttime strike the Brigade and it's commander was almost completely lost, a small number of survivors retreating during the daytime to the San Gabriel mission, with only what food and supplies they carried on their backs. There was no strategy in the choice, but as it turned out, their foe could not attack - the Mission was holy ground. However, as the full Moon rose over San Gabriel, even the sanctity of the Mission could not keep the Vampires from trying to wipe the last of them out. This Handful of men were faced with a daunting task: Survive the three nights it would take for reinforcements to arrive, fend off unkillable soldiers who fight with the ferocity and fearlessness of the Devil, and to endure all the other challenges of this wilderness position without much food and less water. If they failed, the monsters would surely make for the rest of the Union Army, possibly with enough force to turn the tide back in favor of the Confederacy. If they succeed, they get to leave with their lives.
The Moon over San Gabriel - an Advanced Falling World Roleplay. Action, Horror, survival, Historical. Characters will most likely be the Union soldiers and civilians holding the Mission, although possibly some might play Vampires if there's a way to work them into the day-to-day writing believably. Roleplay will follow the defenders as they attempt to survive the ordeal.
Reckless Powers Running Wild
The Streets of Port Astor, all the way out in Oregon Territory, are nothing compared to the flashy hustle of New York or the Concrete and glass Towers of New Constantinople, but they are Home to a small cluster of Yuppies, Hipsters, Metas and other young(ish) aimless types. However, the illusion of the young - that they'll live forever - even when it's held by people who very well might, like Vampires, is crashing suddenly to an end. Corpses are showing up, cannibalized by what appears to be a human-like being, although one far too powerful to be just Human. The Serial killer appears to be targeting Vampires, but they do not seem especially picky. On the Streets of Port Astor, where nobody wants to live forever, some are getting robbed of the chance. Will you be next?
Reckless Powers Running Wild - a Casual Falling World Roleplay. Slice of Life with a low-key, high-stakes plot running in the background. Occasionally, characters will be killed, or at least attacked! There is a high likelihood that your character might die without your approval! Unless that's universally shot down, I'm willing to do this roleplay without the 'killing off main characters willy nilly thing'. Since this is more free-form, late-entry characters would always be accepted, a revolving door is fine. Characters can be anybody! A young Urban Unprofessional, a musician, a Politician, a Detective working to solve the murders, a Cat Person, a Ghost, any type of person who'd be living in that kind of environment. No Character Limit.
The Saga of Magnus
(don't kill me, @RadioactiveRat, this is one of those ideas I tried before a while back, I'm not trying to rip off your idea!) In the Late Seventies, a Archaeological dig in the United Kingdoms of Newfoundland and Vinland discovered the tomb of a Bard from a Millennium ago, and in it, an Epic Norse Poem, the Saga of a Warlord and his Party of 500 men who came across the sea and then, with the help of his 'Second Soul', conquered a wide swath of America using the Magical Powers it granted him. For Almost Thirty years, the value and historical legitimacy of the Saga was a matter of academic debate, as some of the elements in it could be supported by fact, and it's content led to other successful excavations across the Northeast. However, the fantastical elements were wholly dismissed as storytelling and legend-building... that is, until the Valentines Riots of 2009 that revealed the Supernatural to the public. Now, the true story of Magnus Olafsson and the unrivaled power he achieved and then lost has been revealed.
The Saga of Magnus - an Advanced Falling World Roleplay. Adventure, Low Fantasy, Historical, Medieval Intrigue. Characters will most likely be the Vikingr, Members of Magnus' Party and Inner Circle, or the Civilians and Colonists who came across the sea with him. Magnus himself will presumably be played by myself. The Roleplay will detail the lives of the Viking travelers as their faction arrives, and then changes once Magnus acquires the immense power of his 'second Soul', found soon after his arrival. The story will feature action and interactions between characters about equally.
The Broken Chain
The City of New Constantinople is steeped in blood, and it's history is a Litany of suffering. From tensions with Natives and a brutal slave trade in it's past, to organized crime dominating the city for the last century, it is a City that is not easily survived or endured. Home to violence and corruption, New Constantinople is ruled and owned by No One, but the closest anyone has ever come to being the unquestioned kings of the city is the Chainland Cavalry Motorcycle Club, the outlaw MC so ingrained in the city that the region has a nickname referring to them: The Chainland. However, in this city, nobody can hold on to anything forever, and forces are steadily beginning to rip control from their hands. From the Redneck outlaws from Port Iroquois across the Chesapeake bay, to Political forces and independent criminals trying to run them out in their own interests, their list of enemies is growing ever longer. Will they remain on top or will they just become another link in New Constantinople's endless chain of destruction?
The Broken Chain - a Casual Falling World Roleplay. Crime, Slice of Life, Action. Characters will most likely be members of the New Con underworld in one way or another. They can be members of the Outlaw Biker gang, of the Rival gangs, independent criminals or ordinary people getting sucked into that dangerous world. The plot will therefore be up to the players as they struggle against their friends and enemies! No character limit. Plenty of options!
The War of Blood
The old gods may be mostly gone by now, but there was time when their rule was as absolute as it was broken. Angels sent to earth to do the work of a silent God, the Archons were failed, unknowable godlike creatures who lived on earth and lost their way far quicker than expected. Living off of and wielding the power of Aether Fonts in the earth, The Archons created beings in their own image - one of them, the Transylvanian Archon, being responsible for Vampires. Another Archon, filled with spite for it's sibling, decided to wage war against him by gifting some of it's worshipers with the power of Aether, to use in slaying these Vampires. In the warring states of the Middle Ages, these petty Gods moved their cults and kings to fight each other in a futile war for their own glory. The Cult of the Light, the bloodthirsty Vampires, Aristocrats and Peasants of the human world all sucked into this Sibling Rivalry to end all Rivalries.
The War of the Blood - a Casual Falling World Roleplay. Action, Adventure, Low Fantasy. Characters can be any type of person who might become involved in this conflict, be they a Vampire, a Light Slayer, a ruler or Knight, a traveler, or a humble peasant. Another very freeform roleplay with the plot being up to the Player's desires. Plot develops as needed.
So, those are some of the ideas I've come up with to start some people off! Any of them sound interesting or stick out? I'd love to get some feedback!
Cleaned up the post to make it a little more manageable. So is anybody interested in any of these ideas? If not it's cool, but if one or two catch your attention I'd love to get a chance to put it together and get something going here!
Awesome! It's great to see some interest! Thanks for your votes of confidence, @Wraithblade6 and @AtetEmberscale!
@spearofhope I'm hoping you're going to narrow down on a topic, Lancelot?
As it happens, I was just about to mention that. I was looking for input on which ideas seemed more popular, but if nobody has a preference I'm thinking Corporate Secrets and Homecoming would both be worth doing, with Homecoming being a more casual, lighter everyday story with more room for simple fun stuff and relationships, while Corporate Secrets would be more serious and plot-heavy. Those ones sound good to you guys?
@spearofhope You see, I liked Magnus and War of Blood. Of course the others are ok too.
Which one of those would you prefer?
I'm thinking I'll throw up interest checks in the right section for the options and see if the rps themselves can get some traction and players on their own. Kind of an iffy in-between step, but I dunno if I want to jump straight into making an OOC for them.
Well, once you decide which topic you're to pursue, poke around the other interest threads and make an appropriate post. You'll get much more attention in specific categories/difficulties.
I'm interested in trying this, I think corporate secrets is a really good idea.
Well then you're in luck, cause the OOC for Corporate Secrets just went up! Check it out, make a character if you like, everybody's welcome! I'll be working on the other two ideas in the finals tomorrow.
