Humanity transcended the dried husk of Earth long ago, and went on to shape its own destiny amongst the once distant stars.
An empire which spanned countless galaxies has emerged over time; as mankind extends its influence across all of creation.
The Grand Sol Duchy comes into being, sharing dominion over all of humanity. Every ten years, the Elector Dukes of the duchy appoint a Grand Duke to rule over the galaxy-spanning empire, and to maintain peace and prosperity within its people.
However, in the 8th Millennium, trouble arises…
Whispers of the Feral Shadow, humanity's deadliest enemy, returning sets off an inferno of panic within civilised space. Hoping to stop the invasion before it begins, Grand Duke Bennet enlists the help of Captain Edward Horrigan, and his fabled ship ‘The Outlander’.
Assembling a crew of multi-talented figures from all walks of life, The Outlander speeds off into the darkness, on a suicide mission to destroy the Shadow once and for all, and to prevent the coming of a war which would surely mean the end of creation.
The Dark Father
As long as there has been life, the Dark Father has existed. An illusive being of unparalleled might, The Dark Father’s origins are as mysterious as his destructive powers. Worshiped by countless civilisations throughout history, The Dark Father seemingly exists to eradicate all those who stand against him.
The Essence
The omnipresent, universal energy which flows throughout all of creation, the Essence is a telekinetic power which grants magic-like abilities to those who have unlocked its secrets. Its celestial force bestows a mastery of creation itself to anyone powerful enough to develop a mastery of its chaotic spells.
Throughout all cultures and civilisations, users of the Essence exist. The Soul Beares, aristocratic sorcerers, dwell within the Grand Soul Duchy, whereas the Feral Shadow gives the name of ‘Shaman’ to its Essence wielders.
The Essence exists within the air itself, but its greatest source of concentration comes from The Maker’s Forge; a raging pool of pure Essence at the heart of the Morkala, the once capital planet of the Shinarus Domain.
A history of the Feral Shadow
In the dark times, the Feral Shadow were a race of Vampric aliens, who fed off of the dominant species of the universe. Unable to build or construct their own civilisations, the Shadow stole the technologies of the races and creatures that they decimated, building an empire in the farthest reaches of space.
Devote minions of the mysterious Dark Father, the Feral Shadow forged and empire with fear and blood, and for millennia all of the space-faring peoples laboured beneath their twisted dominion.
Eventually, the Feral Shadow grew too large, and could no longer governor all of the planets it had conquered. Too late did the Dark Father realise his mistake, and his empire soon crumbled all around him, as his former slaves rose up against his rule, and the Feral Shadow was reduced to ashes. Retreating to the Exstarus, a grave-world at the Galactic Core of the Milky Way, the Feral Shadow vanished from known memory.
A history of the Smouldering Gauntlet
A lone preacher who history remembers simply as ‘The Wanderer’ led his followers off into the verges of space, to revoke the war-like ways of humanity and begin life anew. It was then that the Feral Shadow remerged from hiding, and came swarming down upon the Wanderer’s disciples, spreading chaos and misery throughout the nebula.
Upon witnessing the atrocities the Shadow committed, the Wanderer revoked his pacifist teachings, and set about building an order who could combat the dark might of the Feral Shadow.
The Wanderer travelled to the Prison World of Nollavus, where the worst humanity had to offer, who had been viewed as beyond redemption, were housed. Speaking to the inmates, The Wanderer offered them a second chance, if they would pledge their lives to his crusade. A few of the former-criminals stepped forwards, and the first Knights of the Smoulder Gauntlet came into being.
Venturing into dark space, the Smouldering Gauntlet fought a costly battle which raged for over a century, but eventually they succeed in driving the Feral Shadow back into the abyss, and securing the safety of life itself.
The Smouldering Gauntlet would go on to become the protectors humanity, watching over them from on high, in case the Feral Shadow should ever return.
A history of the War of the Unmakers
The Feral Shadow slunk through the darkness for countless years, licking their wounds and preparing once again for another bloody conquest, whilst humanity expanded out into the stars, finding new life and flourishing like never before.
Creeping stealthily out of the darkness, the Feral Shadow launched an assault upon one of the universe's greatest fountains of powers; seizing control of the Shinarus Domain’s bustling capital. The world of Morkala fell to the Feral Shadow, and with it the Maker’s Forge. The Shinarus Domain was shattered, and its people were cast out into the ruins of their once mighty kingdom.
When the Shadow returned once again, it was with power unlike anything the universe was ready for. They swept across all of creation, crushing all which came before them, and leaving only misery and destruction in their monstrous wake.
The combined might of all other life rose up against the Feral Shadow, spearheaded by the glorious onslaught of the Searing Gauntlet, and it was then that the War of the Unmakers truly began.
Worlds beyond measure were extinguished, as trillions upon trillions of lives met their end. Stars died, and the universe burned.
When the haze of battle cleared, the forces of creation had emerged victorious against the Feral Shadow, but it was at such a great cost that it seemed there had never before been such a hollow and worthless victory.
The Feral Shadow fled back into the darkness, and it would be centuries before life could recover.
Factions
The Grand Sol Duchy
Ruled by the Grand Duke of Terra, the Duchy is an amalgamation of all the worlds which fall under unified human occupation. The Duchy spans galaxies beyond count, and is the main bastion of mankind in the universe. Control of the kingdom is shared out between several Elector Dukes, but overall dominion falls to the Grand Duke.
Humanity broke free from the petty bickerings of the old world, and the Duchy now stands as a monument to combined ingenuity and co-operation amongst mankind. The road to success has been a difficult one, filled with countless troubles and disputes, but the sweeping palaces of gold and marble which span Terra’s surface are a glowing reminder of the shimmering beauty which can be found when past grudges are forgotten in the name of progress and a better future.
The Shinarus Domain/The Faded Kingdom
Once one of the proudest seats of humanity, the Domain have become weakened and crippled since losing their home planet of Morkala. Without the Maker’s Forge, The once mighty nobles have succumbed to a horrifying addiction to pure Essence, and their bodies themselves have suffered because of this. The Domain is comprised of sickly pale-skinned husks, who will do anything to get another hit of the energy they crave.
Once the architects of pristine warmth and beauty, their beautiful civilisation has crumbled into a pile of bleak ruins. Without their former grandeur, the Domain must struggle to survive in a world where reminders of their former splendour lurk around every corner.
The Feral Shadow
A proud yet bestial horde of brutish marauders, the Feral Shadow are a seemingly limitless host of bloodthirsty savages. They adopt ancient shamanistic customs, and are zealous in their service of the Dark Father.
The Shadow have endured for millennia as outcasts, and this exile has imbued unparalleled ferocity amongst their ranks. Confined to the bleak wilderness, a searing hatred burns deep within their numb bodies, and a disdain for all other life drives them on in their conquest of complete and utter annihilation.
The Brotherhood of Mahrl
During the height of the War of the Unmakers, Tezeroth the Blind led a tribe of some of the Feral Shadow’s most lethal warriors away from the Dark Father’s influence, and joined their strength to the forces of humanity. Naming themselves after a Warlord of old, the Brotherhood of Mahrl stand against the forced slavery of their people imposed by the shadowy god, and the deathly grip with which he clasps the Feral Shadow.
Whilst they are mistrusted by mankind, the Brotherhood of Mahrl have proved themselves mighty allies countless times, as the only thing which runs deeper than their hatred of humanity is the blistering hatred they hold for the Dark Father.
The Searing Gauntlet
A gleaming beacon of justice and fortitude amidst a universe riddled with darkness, The Searing Gauntlet are the vigilant defenders of Humanity, and the sworn enemies of the Feral Shadow. Bold guardians of Terra’s purest values, these mighty warriors are mankind's greatest weapon.
The Gauntlet is divided into three Churches;
The Church of Valor: The Gauntlet’s military. The Church of Valor is comprised of holy Templars and warriors, and makes up the bulk of the Searing Gauntlet.
The Church of Harmony: The Gauntlet's governing body. A combination of generals and aristocratic politicians.
The Church of Reckoning: A shadowy cabal of some of Terra’s deadliest spies and assassins. The Church of Reckoning is responsible for carrying out the Gauntlet’s shady dealings and cut-throat operations.
The Adventure
Our story begins on Baelzarus VI, a stagnant industrial planet ripe with sickly pollution and radiation. Before the fall of the Shinarus Domain, Baelzarus was a lush jungle planet, full of rich minerals and tranquil waters. In days gone by, the once peaceful forest has fallen under the frantic gaze of the Faded Kingdom, who have exploited it of all its resources, and turned the once beautiful planet into a marshy wasteland of felled trees and muddy bogs.
The planet is caught in a bloody gang war between various splinter factions of the Domain, and slavers and pirates’ battle for control of the city-like factories which sprawl across its dying surface.
The House of Harnev, a broken cabal of once prominent Shinarian nobles, struck a deal with the forerunners of the Feral Shadow’s monstrous crusade, and have used their added numbers to take control of the Capital City of Armahford.
Making contact with the Might of Baelzarus, a militia of local freedom fighters, the crew of the Outlander have managed to sneak their way into the ruined city, with the objective of overthrowing the House of Harnev, and taking the ambassadors from the Feral Shadow captive.
The road ahead is a perilous one, full of danger and turmoil, but without the selfless actions of these few heroes, nothing will stand between the Feral Shadow and the rest of the universe.
Character Creation
Name: (The name of your character)
Age: (Their age. The Brotherhood of Mahrl/Feral Shadow have similar lifespans to mankind)
Previously affiliation: (Either The Searing Gauntlet, The Grand Sol Duchy, The Shinarus Domain, or the Brotherhood of Mahrl)
Description: (A physical description of your character. Pictures are an optional addition.)
Skills: (Any relevant abilities that your character possesses)
Biography: (Your character’s past leading up to their service aboard the Outlander)
Caelum is short at 5'4" and possesses fairly androgynous characteristics such as long eyelashes and big, doe eyes. Even without wearing a mask, his sharp, aristocratic facial features and high cheekbones would give most pause when trying to work out exactly what he is. Built slim and breakable, it seems like he has little muscle anywhere on him and would be blown over in a strong wind. Prematurely greying hair is the only thing suggesting that he isn't in his early twenties.
Other notable traits include: a pierced ear, visible eczema on most exposed skin and a missing ring and little finger on his left hand. Caelum has an assortment of scars elsewhere, some of which were from general wear and tear and mistakes; however, his knees have more scarring from surgery – knee joint replacements. Generally he stays somewhat concealed with a mask and/or a hood and a light suit of combat armor.
Skills:
As a spy first and foremost (though that is not to say he doesn't dabble in other lines of work), Caelum is naturally light-footed, stealthy and adept at mundane skills like breaking and entering and sitting in an air vent for torturous hours at a time listening in to conversations. Whilst he does not carry guns as a rule, he is not at all unfamiliar with fighting, and his weapons of choice just happen to be garrotes, his own fists or anything he can pick up around him. Notably, Caelum is particularly fast and flexible.
Biography:
Caelum C. Cassidia was born on Terra, the third son of an aristocratic family with a large brood of children. Whilst his mother hailed from the Faded Kingdom, a seemingly well put-together woman whose Essence addiction surfaced later in life when she could hide the effects it had on her health no longer, Caelum's father was a high-ranking governor of The Gauntlet – an organisation he expected all of his five sons to join when they came of age.
With twelve years between him and his next oldest brother, Caelum watched as his older siblings headed into the Church of Harmony and the Church of Valor respectively, climbing through the ranks with an ambition and thirst for power that they shared with their father. Soon there were two politicians named Governor Cassidia in the courts. From eight years old onwards, Caelum was enrolled in a strict military school from which recruits would be taken to the Church of Valor at age sixteen. His time at the school taught him a few important lessons, one of which was to speak only when spoken to.
The second was how easy it was to network, especially when he could bring contraband into the premises to barter with. Caelum, though suspiciously quiet through most of his years was a troublemaker and barely made it into the Church of Valor. He was out-of-place, instilled with none of the military precision he would need, and he was utterly miserable, moping. Not two months in, his file made it to the desk of an associate, who passed it onto the Church of Reckoning, who in turn reached out to offer him a placement – an internship – under one of their more experienced members.
And so, Caelum became the first Cassidia to join the Church of Reckoning out of a lineage that (supposedly) dated back to the War of the Unmakers if not beyond. He was talented, though that wasn't at all unusual for those recruited by said sect, but learned more from his tutor – a proud, silent man who brooked no failure from the boy. By seventeen he was allowed to be sent away from Terra and further afield to places where poverty where all too plain and corruption rank – mostly the cities of the Faded Kingdom.
Caelum kept his ear to the ground for years, working to provide intelligence for The Searing Gauntlet for the betterment of humanity, performing hits once or twice when it was necessary to prevent further death and destruction. Some were successful, some failures, and some just utter trainwrecks from start to finish such as the one that led to his capture and the loss of two of his fingers, as well as requiring new joints in his knees. Whilst out of action for three years in recovery back at home on Terra with his family, he alienated them almost completely through generally hating his life and being unable to walk without pain for most of that time. It would take until his twenty-eighth year for him to be fit for active duty again and return to the universe as a whole.
His travels led him to a planet near Baelzarus VI, and when the Church of Reckoning required an agent to 'deal' with the problematic house associating themselves with the Feral Shadow, he was the only game in town. Caelum was put into contact with a squad ready to tackle the threat of humans working with their enemies for power alone.
Hella rad. Caelum is approved. Feel free to chuck his Character sheet in the CS tab.
Description: Standing at a whopping 5’7” and weighing in at a total of 143 lbs., Rowan isn’t exactly intimidating. His shoulder length ginger hair, moody brown eyes, and spattering of freckles makes him look like the kind of person who would enjoy frolicking for hours on end in a field of wildflowers (spoiler alert: that’s exactly the kind of person he is). What he lacks in height he makes up for in attitude, and carries himself as if he were someone in authority (he’s not, really). He has his battle scars, but has been fortunate enough to have never sustained any life-threatening injuries. At first glance he certainly wouldn’t seem like a very rowdy or coarse fellow, although once you get him talking it’s hard to shut him up, especially with the habit he’s got of showering verbal abuse onto friend and foe alike.
A custom-designed suit of surprisingly lightweight body armor built for stealth and agility. Unfortunately, what it gains in freedom-of-movement it loses in protection from brute force and is thus repaired often. The mask serves not only as a filter for toxic atmospheres, but also a temporary air supply in the event its wearer suddenly finds himself floating in the vacuum of space (which is very unlucky, let me tell you…)
Skills: Years of training have honed Rowan’s athletic abilities, making him a pro at climbing, running (away), and navigating unfamiliar terrain. He can think on his feet, solve problems, and make critical decisions quickly and without hesitation. He’s proficient in the use of a plethora of weapons but prefers long-range shooting to close-combat. He’s very good at disguises. More personal skills consist of card tricks, witty comebacks, and underhanded gambling tricks. He considers himself very lucky and likes to count that in with the rest of his skills as well.
Biography: Sciurus Rowan was born into a small Terra colony in the Andromeda galaxy. His parents served as ambassadors for the Church of Harmony and were often called upon to travel from world to world as the Searing Gauntlet dictated. Much of Rowan’s early years were spent on interstellar vessels and space flight has come to feel more like home to him than any of the planets he was privileged to spend a few months or a year on when he was growing up (though he does have a soft spot for rural biospheres).
With a vested interest in his parents work, it looked as if young Sciurus was destined to become a politician. A lover of knowledge and learning, he applied to and was accepted by a stately academy with the intent of launching into a career as a diplomat. Everything changed, however, when a terrorist attack claimed the lives of his father and mother. His life seemed to go downhill after that, university life was no longer interesting to him as he realized how agonizingly slowly change is brought about by the government.
The current road of his life shifted suddenly when Rowan, on a whim, enlisted as a soldier into the Church of Valor. By doing so he hoped to make more of a difference in the universe, although the truth of the matter is he’s struggling with a revenge complex. Military life suited him surprisingly well. While he wasn’t naturally big and strong, he was athletic and adaptable—strength came with training as well as other necessary skills, and some unnecessary ones too.
He rose quickly in the ranks not only as a fighter but a brilliant strategist. Life was going pretty well again, but started to ebb as he began to fall in with the wrong sort of people. Gambling was the pitfall that did him in. More specifically: he cheated and was found out. With a severe demotion and half-a-dozen veterans very, very cross with him, Rowan felt it appropriate to flee for his life. In order to preserve some of his former lifestyle he went where no self-respecting soldier would ever go: The Church of Reckoning, naturally.
Within this shadow of his former position, Rowan’s skills were applied as an assassin. As with everything he set his mind to, he was extremely successful. The analytical part of his brain made him a very efficient killer, and since most of his work was now performed solo, he had the freedom to make judgment calls that would have gotten him court-marshaled as an ordinary soldier. His willingness to challenge the odds by working alone, coupled with his recent success, has made him a valuable asset to the Searing Gauntlet’s veiled agendas (truth is he isn’t brave, the paycheck’s just bigger when you don’t have to split it with a team).
Hearing word of the Outlander through the grapevine, Rowan actually volunteered for a spot on the ship against his employers’ suggestion of remaining a free agent. His luck was going to run out eventually, and like any sensible human being, he didn’t want to be on his own when it happened.
Appearance: Simon stands 6' 1" tall, weighing in at a paltry 165 pounds. His physique is that of a lean, muscled man, not much weight on him but he's fit enough for his duties. With a head of messy blonde hair and brown eyes, freckles and a slightly crooked nose, he isn't a real looker either, all in all putting out an image of your average everyday human male.
Personality: Simon is one of those people that sticks out his neck for his friends. Very humble, helpful and caring for those under him, he regularly makes himself out to be one of those guys that is liked by everyone in the workplace, even though he's mostly silent. He communicates his happiness or pleasure the most with his bright smiles and cheerful demeanour, even if he says little. More often than not, his actions convey his feelings more than his words do. He is also slow to anger, and takes criticism with a level head and optimism to soften harsh words or gestures. He is also often referred to as a mediator or a counsellor, in part due to these tendencies of his.
Class: Medical Officer
Skills: Expert Class - Field and General Medicine Class - Combat Surgery
Skilled General - Electronics
Proficient Combat - Marksmanship
Non-standard Abilities: N/A
Equipment
This set of lightweight, high strength, flexible plas-steel armour is the latest in PharmCo's line of military-grade medical gear. It comes in built with multiple sensors on the gloves to detect a casualty's pulse, breathing rate and blood pressure, along with a small array of miniature x-ray beams that transmit a direct image of the skeletal or organ structure of the casualty to the user's helmet visor. The armour also monitors ambient weather conditions like oxygen, pressure levels, temperature, harmful gases and radiological or biological hazards in the vicinity of the user. Finally, rounding out the armour's sensory capabilities, it also monitors the user's own vital signs, displaying injuries where they are sustained on the body. Its crisp, white design also comes with a red cross on the left breastplate and on the shoulder pauldrons, not depicted in the picture due to the above being a representation before final painting.
PharmCo Field Combat Implants This set of biotech implants serve to augment and assist his armour's functions in the field. They are:
Eyes: his retinas have been fitted with very thin, light contact lenses that are able to wirelessly receive and display information sent to them from his armour. These include a HUD with his own vital signs (heart rate, breathing rate etc), a compass, micro-map and various vision types like infra-red or low light.
Nervous System: PharmCo's revoluntionary wired nerve implants have served as one of Simon's greatest aides. These wired implants serve to vastly accelerate the speed at which his brain sends electrical impulses to the various parts of his body, thus greatly increasing his ability to react fast to threats.
Heart: PharmCo have graciously given Simon a pacemaker grafted onto his heart. The little coin sized device will jump start his heart if he goes into cardiac arrest. The battery itself is solar powered, being able to be charged by him simply being out in the sunlight so his skin can absorb the energy and store it within itself. However, it also serves a dual purpose, as it's also wired to his hands, which leads to...
Hands: Implanted within his hands are insulated shock pads which are wired straight to the pacemaker in his heart. These two implants together function as a defibrillator built inside his body. Rubbing his palms together activates the defib function of the pacemaker, and by placing his palms on the appropriate landmarks on a casualty's body and blinking twice, he delivers the charge straight to the casualty.
Skin: lightweight dermal armour has been placed all through Simon's skin, giving him protection against mild things like knives or blunt force trauma if he's without his combat armour. The dermal armour also serves as a solar panel for the pacemaker on his heart; it absorbs the sun's energy when he's out and about and stores it within the pacemaker's battery.
PharmCo Full Surgical Field Assembly
One of PharmCo's finest inventions, the FSFA is a set of armour rigging and webbing that is designed to fit over any of the company's many lines of combat armour. The rigging is specially made for field doctors or surgeons, and contains a myriad of sleeves and pouches designed to hold medical equipment designed by PharmCo, or otherwise. These include the AMSD, the LASC, and a wide array of other medical devices, such as medigel tubes, morphine syrettes, disinfectant sprays and other related equipment. Simon's rig comes fitted with the following:
5 x PharmCo MediGel Tubes (Instructions: twist open top, squeeze contents liberally onto wound) - These small, palm-sized tubes are full of PharmCo's proprietary MediGel, a non-toxic gelatin-based healing agent that speeds up cellular growth and regeneration, and prevents profuse bleeding. Its method of action is, after application, the cold gel rapidly warms from body heat and melts, turning into a liquid that diffuses and is absorbed quickly into the body. Once there, haematostatic agents within the liquid act quickly on open blood vessels, causing clotting and preventing any further bleeding, while regrowth agents activate and superspeed the body's ability to heal, quickly sealing any small or medium-sized wounds. The gel is quick-acting, and are normally used in the field by combat medics to stabilise casualties with small to medium-sized wounds. Larger wounds, however, will require more stabilisation than just gel and morphine. Designed by PharmCo to be effective on any form of biological tissue, human or alien!
5 x PharmCo Quick-use Syrettes (Instructions: pop top with thumb, insert needle end into exposed flesh, wait five to ten seconds, remove and dispose) - These syrettes are filled with numbing morphine, and are made from a special 3D-printer and refiller within his armour's chest plate. He can only carry five at a time and the amount of spare morphine he carries is limited to another ten syrettes.
1 x PharmCo Disinfectant Aerosol Canister (Instructions: pop top, shake well, spray on area to be treated) - Also known as a simple disinfectant spray, this hand-sized spray canister contains a specialised liquid that, upon being aerosolised, is capable of removing 99.9% of bacterial or viral agents in a specified area. It also contains a moderate amount of a topical anesthetic that numbs an area in preparation for treatment.
1 x PharmCo Malleable Splint - A mid-sized device, this roll of malleable, high-strength plas-steel is made for casualties with broken limbs. Once removed from its plastic seal, the splint can be unrolled and then formed precisely according to the limb that is injured. Once formed, the material will stay solid and stiff while the casualty is being transported, and is easily cut open or removed upon reaching a field hospital or surgical suite.
PharmCo Laser-Assisted Surgical Cutter
Everything it says on the tin, the LASC is a glorified laser cutter, small in size so that it fits within one of his kit's recesses. The LASC operates on the basic principle that doctors or medics in the field need quick and easy access to wounded soldiers' flesh, and PharmCo's solution was a high-powered laser cutter that could easily eat through the layers of adaptive armour and webbing that comprised a regular Terran soldier's gear, yet was safe enough to use without cutting the casualty underneath. Their solution was a high-strength, low-intensity laser that merely heated flesh to a slightly uncomfortable level, but was strong enough to penetrate multiple layers of armour and clothing with ease. All this was packed into a neat pen-sized device that is able to be carried anywhere feasible on the body.
PharmCo Adaptive Medical Solution Device
Unlike what its elaborate name suggests, the AMSD is essentially a medigun. Developed by PharmCo's experimental research division, the AMSD, or Amsad as it's affectionately called by the staff, is a hybrid between a battle rifle and an all-purpose field medical apparatus. In its battle rifle form, it fires slugs made of superheated steel shorn from a single rectangular magazine within its grip through the use of magnets powered and operated by an onboard computer system, making it an effective railgun. Its medical uses are far more diverse, as apart from being able to preserve the life of its user through rapid application of molten metal into potential aggressors, it is also able to be loaded with alternative ammunition, by way of overriding the main barrel's load with an external feed. These are:
Painkiller Rounds - These special capsule rounds are designed to be fired at allied targets. When they burst on impact with a solid surface, say armour, the pressurised liquid painkillers within aerosolise and disperse into a cloud that a soldier can inhale to suppress his pain and keep on functioning as long as it takes for a medic to reach him.
Morphine Syrettes - If the medical officer or orderly on hand does not have the time to reach for a syrette from his back pouch, he can instead load a syrette that's already attached onto the gun's side into the rifle's breech on the top of the assembly. Once done, the gun's onboard computer system detects that it is firing syringes, and will lower its power output significantly to reduce injury. Pulling the trigger will apply the syrette similar to an injection gun, and the syrette is easily removed by simply pulling the gun barrel away from the patient's flesh. Of course, if the gun's safety system is overridden, it can and will fire a syrette at railgun speeds with deadly accuracy, though it's not designed to. Each AMSD comes pre-fitted with two syrettes on either side of the gun assembly.
Surgical Staples - Just like the syrettes, each AMSD comes pre-fitted with a double load of superstrength alloy staples, on either sides of the gun in small, disposable loader magazines. When a load of staples are pushed into the rifle barrel, its computer detects the wanted function and lowers its power levels to make it function as an overly large staple gun. Once this is done, the AMSD can be used to quickly close gaping wounds, similar to a modern medical staple gun. And, just like the above mentioned, if the safety system is overridden, the AMSD will fire its staples with deadly force, though it's not designed to.
MediGel - The only load for the AMSD that is not dangerous when fired, MediGel is able to be loaded within the AMSD and applied over a longer surface, much like how a glue gun works. The rifle's barrel is more suited for insertion into slightly gaping wounds, thus allowing the medical officer or orderly to apply gel to deeper wounds, thus stimulating healing from the inside out and enabling him to quickly treat a casualty with moderately serious wounds.
Bio: Simon Brewer is a surgeon and combat doctor, human of course, but not born on Earth. Instead, he came to be on a colony on Mars, and his interest in medicine was piqued due to his family's attachment to the colony's lone clinic and surgical suite. The clinic itself was the only actual medical facility on the industrial sprawl that was the Mars colony; conditions were poor enough and the injured and dying that arrived in their makeshift A&E usually didn't survive the week.
Mars itself was a horrible place to live; after its early colonisation, a huge industrial sprawl was built on the Red Planet's surface, presumably to house infrastructure that would be used to manufacture much of the Duchy's machines, tools and vehicles. However, due to the planet's low levels of natural resources, coupled by its distance from the other colonies and worlds of the Duchy, the Mars colony was soon left on its own.
From an early age he was attracted to the study of biology, the human body, what makes it tick and so on, and his parents were happy to help him in his studies. After high school they enrolled him into medical school back on Earth, specifically in New Boston, after which he graduated as an assistant medical orderly. Shortly thereafter, he furthered his career in medicine and became a full-fledged doctor, specialising in reconstructive surgery, before returning to his home on Mars to work at the family hospital in the slums.
It wasn't long before Simon's talents were found by PharmCo. The roving military medical company's talent scouts approached Simon with a proposition: work at one of the most prestigious medical firms in the galaxy, and in return have the opportunity to explore the furthest reaches of space in their everpresent attempts to understand alien biology and to deepen their studies of medicine in both human and alien physiologies. His interest highly piqued, he signed on, and after three months of preparatory training, he was shipped from Mars to one of PharmCo's largest life ships, the PCLS Nightingale. Once there, he was given a lab for his own use and he joined the Nightingale's research staff as one of the doctors en suite. With the PharmCo staff, he looked into the effects of their proprietary products, like MediGel, on both human and alien test subjects, as well as helping them test various sets of equipment meant for their military wing.
Soon it dawned upon him that PharmCo, as ambitious as they were, were a primarily military company in structure, as most of their inventions went to the Grand Sol Duchy's military, for use in battlefield scenarios in the hands of field medics and surgeons. And, by that time, Simon had grown bored of the ship life. Tempted by the prospects, he approached his superiors with a request: have him be a field tester for their medical military gear and technology. The job came with high risks - death obviously being one of them, injury being another, getting shot at being a third - but the perks were higher; he'd get to visit more alien worlds, use the gear provided by the company, along with a larger risk pay packet and hefty bonuses for putting his life on the line in the name of medicine. He agreed on the spot. A new contract was signed and two weeks later Simon was on his very first deployment as a medical officer attached to a Federation Navy vessel, where he underwent rigorous physical training to meet the military's standards.
His first deployment was to the GSDN Staedtler, an abandoned colony vessel found adrift in deep space. There, he was the only survivor of a mysterious alien enemy that wiped out the team of soldiers he was attached to, and he only escaped by the skin of his teeth, goal unaccomplished, evryone else dead. After being summarily pulled from his field op unit, his dossier and duties in PharmCo were put on hold while the company decided what to do with the traumatised doctor. It was then that news of the Outlander reached their ears: a recruitment call for a desparate mission. It was the perfect opportunity for one last field test. With that, they sent Simon by shuttle to the Outlander as their lone medical officer, decked out in gear that would make even the best combat medic jealous.
Quote: "Stay still, I'm trying to help you. Just keep calm, relax. You're safe."
Description: Standing at a whopping 5’7” and weighing in at a total of 143 lbs., Rowan isn’t exactly intimidating. His shoulder length ginger hair, moody brown eyes, and spattering of freckles makes him look like the kind of person who would enjoy frolicking for hours on end in a field of wildflowers (spoiler alert: that’s exactly the kind of person he is). What he lacks in height he makes up for in attitude, and carries himself as if he were someone in authority (he’s not, really). He has his battle scars, but has been fortunate enough to have never sustained any life-threatening injuries. At first glance he certainly wouldn’t seem like a very rowdy or coarse fellow, although once you get him talking it’s hard to shut him up, especially with the habit he’s got of showering verbal abuse onto friend and foe alike.
A custom-designed suit of surprisingly lightweight body armor built for stealth and agility. Unfortunately, what it gains in freedom-of-movement it loses in protection from brute force and is thus repaired often. The mask serves not only as a filter for toxic atmospheres, but also a temporary air supply in the event its wearer suddenly finds himself floating in the vacuum of space (which is very unlucky, let me tell you…)
Skills: Years of training have honed Rowan’s athletic abilities, making him a pro at climbing, running (away), and navigating unfamiliar terrain. He can think on his feet, solve problems, and make critical decisions quickly and without hesitation. He’s proficient in the use of a plethora of weapons but prefers long-range shooting to close-combat. He’s very good at disguises. More personal skills consist of card tricks, witty comebacks, and underhanded gambling tricks. He considers himself very lucky and likes to count that in with the rest of his skills as well.
Biography: Sciurus Rowan was born into a small Terra colony in the Andromeda galaxy. His parents served as ambassadors for the Church of Harmony and were often called upon to travel from world to world as the Searing Gauntlet dictated. Much of Rowan’s early years were spent on interstellar vessels and space flight has come to feel more like home to him than any of the planets he was privileged to spend a few months or a year on when he was growing up (though he does have a soft spot for rural biospheres).
With a vested interest in his parents work, it looked as if young Sciurus was destined to become a politician. A lover of knowledge and learning, he applied to and was accepted by a stately academy with the intent of launching into a career as a diplomat. Everything changed, however, when a terrorist attack by the Feral Shadow claimed the lives of his father and mother. His life seemed to go downhill after that, university life was no longer interesting to him as he realized how agonizingly slowly change is brought about by the government.
The current road of his life shifted suddenly when Rowan, on a whim, enlisted as a soldier into the Church of Valor. By doing so he hoped to make more of a difference in the war against the Feral Shadow, although the truth of the matter is he’s struggling with a revenge complex. Military life suited him surprisingly well. While he wasn’t naturally big and strong, he was athletic and adaptable—strength came with training as well as other necessary skills, and some unnecessary ones too.
He rose quickly in the ranks not only as a fighter but a brilliant strategist. Life was going pretty well again, but started to ebb as he began to fall in with the wrong sort of people. Gambling was the pitfall that did him in. More specifically: he cheated and was found out. With a severe demotion and half-a-dozen veterans very, very cross with him, Rowan felt it appropriate to flee for his life. In order to preserve some of his former lifestyle he went where no self-respecting soldier would ever go: The Church of Reckoning, naturally.
Within this shadow of his former position, Rowan’s skills were applied as an assassin. As with everything he set his mind to, he was extremely successful. The analytical part of his brain made him a very efficient killer, and since most of his work was now performed solo, he had the freedom to make judgment calls that would have gotten him court-marshaled as an ordinary soldier. His willingness to challenge the odds by working alone, coupled with his recent success, has made him a valuable asset to the Searing Gauntlet’s veiled agendas (truth is he isn’t brave, the paycheck’s just bigger when you don’t have to split it with a team).
Hearing word of the Outlander through the grapevine, Rowan actually volunteered for a spot on the ship against his employers’ suggestion of remaining a free agent. His luck was going to run out eventually, and like any sensible human being, he didn’t want to be on his own when it happened.
:D
Just one note; The Feral Shadow have literally JUST returned, so they couldn't be responsible for his parents deaths. If you could change it to a terrorist splinter group of the Domain or something then that'd be rad. Other than that Rowan is accepted!
Simon Brewer
Race: Human
Previous Allegiance: Grand Sol Duchy
Appearance: Simon stands 6' 1" tall, weighing in at a paltry 165 pounds. His physique is that of a lean, muscled man, not much weight on him but he's fit enough for his duties. With a head of messy blonde hair and brown eyes, freckles and a slightly crooked nose, he isn't a real looker either, all in all putting out an image of your average everyday human male.
Personality: Simon is one of those people that sticks out his neck for his friends. Very humble, helpful and caring for those under him, he regularly makes himself out to be one of those guys that is liked by everyone in the workplace, even though he's mostly silent. He communicates his happiness or pleasure the most with his bright smiles and cheerful demeanour, even if he says little. More often than not, his actions convey his feelings more than his words do. He is also slow to anger, and takes criticism with a level head and optimism to soften harsh words or gestures. He is also often referred to as a mediator or a counsellor, in part due to these tendencies of his.
Class: Medical Officer
Skills: Expert Class - Field and General Medicine Class - Combat Surgery
Skilled General - Electronics
Proficient Combat - Marksmanship
Non-standard Abilities: N/A
Equipment
This set of lightweight, high strength, flexible plas-steel armour is the latest in PharmCo's line of military-grade medical gear. It comes in built with multiple sensors on the gloves to detect a casualty's pulse, breathing rate and blood pressure, along with a small array of miniature x-ray beams that transmit a direct image of the skeletal or organ structure of the casualty to the user's helmet visor. The armour also monitors ambient weather conditions like oxygen, pressure levels, temperature, harmful gases and radiological or biological hazards in the vicinity of the user. Finally, rounding out the armour's sensory capabilities, it also monitors the user's own vital signs, displaying injuries where they are sustained on the body. Its crisp, white design also comes with a red cross on the left breastplate and on the shoulder pauldrons, not depicted in the picture due to the above being a representation before final painting.
PharmCo Field Combat Implants This set of biotech implants serve to augment and assist his armour's functions in the field. They are:
Eyes: his retinas have been fitted with very thin, light contact lenses that are able to wirelessly receive and display information sent to them from his armour. These include a HUD with his own vital signs (heart rate, breathing rate etc), a compass, micro-map and various vision types like infra-red or low light.
Nervous System: PharmCo's revoluntionary wired nerve implants have served as one of Simon's greatest aides. These wired implants serve to vastly accelerate the speed at which his brain sends electrical impulses to the various parts of his body, thus greatly increasing his ability to react fast to threats.
Heart: PharmCo have graciously given Simon a pacemaker grafted onto his heart. The little coin sized device will jump start his heart if he goes into cardiac arrest. The battery itself is solar powered, being able to be charged by him simply being out in the sunlight so his skin can absorb the energy and store it within itself. However, it also serves a dual purpose, as it's also wired to his hands, which leads to...
Hands: Implanted within his hands are insulated shock pads which are wired straight to the pacemaker in his heart. These two implants together function as a defibrillator built inside his body. Rubbing his palms together activates the defib function of the pacemaker, and by placing his palms on the appropriate landmarks on a casualty's body and blinking twice, he delivers the charge straight to the casualty.
Skin: lightweight dermal armour has been placed all through Simon's skin, giving him protection against mild things like knives or blunt force trauma if he's without his combat armour. The dermal armour also serves as a solar panel for the pacemaker on his heart; it absorbs the sun's energy when he's out and about and stores it within the pacemaker's battery.
PharmCo Full Surgical Field Assembly
One of PharmCo's finest inventions, the FSFA is a set of armour rigging and webbing that is designed to fit over any of the company's many lines of combat armour. The rigging is specially made for field doctors or surgeons, and contains a myriad of sleeves and pouches designed to hold medical equipment designed by PharmCo, or otherwise. These include the AMSD, the LASC, and a wide array of other medical devices, such as medigel tubes, morphine syrettes, disinfectant sprays and other related equipment. Simon's rig comes fitted with the following:
5 x PharmCo MediGel Tubes (Instructions: twist open top, squeeze contents liberally onto wound) - These small, palm-sized tubes are full of PharmCo's proprietary MediGel, a non-toxic gelatin-based healing agent that speeds up cellular growth and regeneration, and prevents profuse bleeding. Its method of action is, after application, the cold gel rapidly warms from body heat and melts, turning into a liquid that diffuses and is absorbed quickly into the body. Once there, haematostatic agents within the liquid act quickly on open blood vessels, causing clotting and preventing any further bleeding, while regrowth agents activate and superspeed the body's ability to heal, quickly sealing any small or medium-sized wounds. The gel is quick-acting, and are normally used in the field by combat medics to stabilise casualties with small to medium-sized wounds. Larger wounds, however, will require more stabilisation than just gel and morphine. Designed by PharmCo to be effective on any form of biological tissue, human or alien!
5 x PharmCo Quick-use Syrettes (Instructions: pop top with thumb, insert needle end into exposed flesh, wait five to ten seconds, remove and dispose) - These syrettes are filled with numbing morphine, and are made from a special 3D-printer and refiller within his armour's chest plate. He can only carry five at a time and the amount of spare morphine he carries is limited to another ten syrettes.
1 x PharmCo Disinfectant Aerosol Canister (Instructions: pop top, shake well, spray on area to be treated) - Also known as a simple disinfectant spray, this hand-sized spray canister contains a specialised liquid that, upon being aerosolised, is capable of removing 99.9% of bacterial or viral agents in a specified area. It also contains a moderate amount of a topical anesthetic that numbs an area in preparation for treatment.
1 x PharmCo Malleable Splint - A mid-sized device, this roll of malleable, high-strength plas-steel is made for casualties with broken limbs. Once removed from its plastic seal, the splint can be unrolled and then formed precisely according to the limb that is injured. Once formed, the material will stay solid and stiff while the casualty is being transported, and is easily cut open or removed upon reaching a field hospital or surgical suite.
PharmCo Laser-Assisted Surgical Cutter
Everything it says on the tin, the LASC is a glorified laser cutter, small in size so that it fits within one of his kit's recesses. The LASC operates on the basic principle that doctors or medics in the field need quick and easy access to wounded soldiers' flesh, and PharmCo's solution was a high-powered laser cutter that could easily eat through the layers of adaptive armour and webbing that comprised a regular Terran soldier's gear, yet was safe enough to use without cutting the casualty underneath. Their solution was a high-strength, low-intensity laser that merely heated flesh to a slightly uncomfortable level, but was strong enough to penetrate multiple layers of armour and clothing with ease. All this was packed into a neat pen-sized device that is able to be carried anywhere feasible on the body.
PharmCo Adaptive Medical Solution Device
Unlike what its elaborate name suggests, the AMSD is essentially a medigun. Developed by PharmCo's experimental research division, the AMSD, or Amsad as it's affectionately called by the staff, is a hybrid between a battle rifle and an all-purpose field medical apparatus. In its battle rifle form, it fires slugs made of superheated steel shorn from a single rectangular magazine within its grip through the use of magnets powered and operated by an onboard computer system, making it an effective railgun. Its medical uses are far more diverse, as apart from being able to preserve the life of its user through rapid application of molten metal into potential aggressors, it is also able to be loaded with alternative ammunition, by way of overriding the main barrel's load with an external feed. These are:
Painkiller Rounds - These special capsule rounds are designed to be fired at allied targets. When they burst on impact with a solid surface, say armour, the pressurised liquid painkillers within aerosolise and disperse into a cloud that a soldier can inhale to suppress his pain and keep on functioning as long as it takes for a medic to reach him.
Morphine Syrettes - If the medical officer or orderly on hand does not have the time to reach for a syrette from his back pouch, he can instead load a syrette that's already attached onto the gun's side into the rifle's breech on the top of the assembly. Once done, the gun's onboard computer system detects that it is firing syringes, and will lower its power output significantly to reduce injury. Pulling the trigger will apply the syrette similar to an injection gun, and the syrette is easily removed by simply pulling the gun barrel away from the patient's flesh. Of course, if the gun's safety system is overridden, it can and will fire a syrette at railgun speeds with deadly accuracy, though it's not designed to. Each AMSD comes pre-fitted with two syrettes on either side of the gun assembly.
Surgical Staples - Just like the syrettes, each AMSD comes pre-fitted with a double load of superstrength alloy staples, on either sides of the gun in small, disposable loader magazines. When a load of staples are pushed into the rifle barrel, its computer detects the wanted function and lowers its power levels to make it function as an overly large staple gun. Once this is done, the AMSD can be used to quickly close gaping wounds, similar to a modern medical staple gun. And, just like the above mentioned, if the safety system is overridden, the AMSD will fire its staples with deadly force, though it's not designed to.
MediGel - The only load for the AMSD that is not dangerous when fired, MediGel is able to be loaded within the AMSD and applied over a longer surface, much like how a glue gun works. The rifle's barrel is more suited for insertion into slightly gaping wounds, thus allowing the medical officer or orderly to apply gel to deeper wounds, thus stimulating healing from the inside out and enabling him to quickly treat a casualty with moderately serious wounds.
Bio: Simon Brewer is a surgeon and combat doctor, human of course, but not born on Earth. Instead, he came to be on a colony on Mars, and his interest in medicine was piqued due to his family's attachment to the colony's lone clinic and surgical suite. The clinic itself was the only actual medical facility on the industrial sprawl that was the Mars colony; conditions were poor enough and the injured and dying that arrived in their makeshift A&E usually didn't survive the week.
Mars itself was a horrible place to live; after its early colonisation, a huge industrial sprawl was built on the Red Planet's surface, presumably to house infrastructure that would be used to manufacture much of the Duchy's machines, tools and vehicles. However, due to the planet's low levels of natural resources, coupled by its distance from the other colonies and worlds of the Duchy, the Mars colony was soon left on its own.
From an early age he was attracted to the study of biology, the human body, what makes it tick and so on, and his parents were happy to help him in his studies. After high school they enrolled him into medical school back on Earth, specifically in New Boston, after which he graduated as an assistant medical orderly. Shortly thereafter, he furthered his career in medicine and became a full-fledged doctor, specialising in reconstructive surgery, before returning to his home on Mars to work at the family hospital in the slums.
It wasn't long before Simon's talents were found by PharmCo. The roving military medical company's talent scouts approached Simon with a proposition: work at one of the most prestigious medical firms in the galaxy, and in return have the opportunity to explore the furthest reaches of space in their everpresent attempts to understand alien biology and to deepen their studies of medicine in both human and alien physiologies. His interest highly piqued, he signed on, and after three months of preparatory training, he was shipped from Mars to one of PharmCo's largest life ships, the PCLS Nightingale. Once there, he was given a lab for his own use and he joined the Nightingale's research staff as one of the doctors en suite. With the PharmCo staff, he looked into the effects of their proprietary products, like MediGel, on both human and alien test subjects, as well as helping them test various sets of equipment meant for their military wing.
Soon it dawned upon him that PharmCo, as ambitious as they were, were a primarily military company in structure, as most of their inventions went to the Grand Sol Duchy's military, for use in battlefield scenarios in the hands of field medics and surgeons. And, by that time, Simon had grown bored of the ship life. Tempted by the prospects, he approached his superiors with a request: have him be a field tester for their medical military gear and technology. The job came with high risks - death obviously being one of them, injury being another, getting shot at being a third - but the perks were higher; he'd get to visit more alien worlds, use the gear provided by the company, along with a larger risk pay packet and hefty bonuses for putting his life on the line in the name of medicine. He agreed on the spot. A new contract was signed and two weeks later Simon was on his very first deployment as a medical officer attached to a Federation Navy vessel, where he underwent rigorous physical training to meet the military's standards.
His first deployment was to the GSDN Staedtler, an abandoned colony vessel found adrift in deep space. There, he was the only survivor of a mysterious alien enemy that wiped out the team of soldiers he was attached to, and he only escaped by the skin of his teeth, goal unaccomplished, evryone else dead. After being summarily pulled from his field op unit, his dossier and duties in PharmCo were put on hold while the company decided what to do with the traumatised doctor. It was then that news of the Outlander reached their ears: a recruitment call for a desparate mission. It was the perfect opportunity for one last field test. With that, they sent Simon by shuttle to the Outlander as their lone medical officer, decked out in gear that would make even the best combat medic jealous.
Quote: "Stay still, I'm trying to help you. Just keep calm, relax. You're safe."
Accepted. Feel free to put his CS in the character sheet tab.
Just one note; The Feral Shadow have literally JUST returned, so they couldn't be responsible for his parents deaths. If you could change it to a terrorist splinter group of the Domain or something then that'd be rad. Other than that Rowan is accepted!
My bad, I guess I was a bit confused about the timeline. Fixed it.
Yeah there is no way anything is getting forced im too unmotivated XD I cant even be bothered to play a video game that takes too much concentration as of the last 60 hours ^^' It will come to me. I'm just hoping my muse returns from vacation soon
Before I go off making my CS, a question about Essence. Can it be used to, for lack of a better word, summon or create a creature or weapon?
For example, could it be used to summon/create a knight (with all the upgrades necessary to survive in the futuristic gun filled world) to fight for the summoneer, or a create a sword of light or what have you?
Before I go off making my CS, a question about Essence. Can it be used to, for lack of a better word, summon or create a creature or weapon?
For example, could it be used to summon/create a knight (with all the upgrades necessary to survive in the futuristic gun filled world) to fight for the summoneer, or a create a sword of light or what have you?
Nae, its more of an elemental magic/telekinesis type deal.
Yeah there is no way anything is getting forced im too unmotivated XD I cant even be bothered to play a video game that takes too much concentration as of the last 60 hours ^^' It will come to me. I'm just hoping my muse returns from vacation soon
We've all been there, man. Hope your special one is home soon.
