Well, I now know where my slavers shall be wandering thanks to that map.
@ClocktowerEchos I personally have slavers with some energy staffs of highly ceremonial design (mainly since I figure the ancient advanced culture is nothing like our advanced culture in terms of how their technology developed), but i've seen other factions who have what amount to a shiny cube of unknown purpose.
The vice president is a tall person, in uniform as always with slicked black hair as per tradition. As Liam approaches the vice president in the somewhat compact hanger of the orbital platform, he can’t help but notice the private shuttle has come docked not only with a couple escort microfrigates (never can be too safe), but also a quite grey, bleak looking ship with none of the flair the VIP’s green stripped shuttle has. The ship, as per UF standard is a blocky and modular craft that gets the job done, but it lacks any of the angular markings or orange stripes the engineers on Mars are apt to use. It is just this dull grey thing, absolutely depressing and dreadful to even observe. It’s a prisoner transit ship.
Liam walks over to the Vice President, shakes his hand and takes a diligent posture while the Vice President just nods approvingly before telling Liam “Good to see you are here on time. The reports from Concordia of secessionist activity going out of control are looking like they have been right this whole time. I have with the escort of two other agents been able to bring on this weapons platform a convicted felon.” Liam, puzzled to hell says “You brought a criminal on a weapons platform?”
“Look, I just brought him here since I figured you can get something out of him. I was able to clear this whole hanger just so we can handle this here since no one else has their ships docked in this hanger anyways. I came here mainly out of convenience, along with well, your connections. You are an agent after all, an agent who knows how to talk to these people.” The Vice President tells Liam, attempting to address the question with a surprising amount of transparency.
Liam, knowing what happens if you keep asking questions just decides to obey and with the Vice president walks over to that grim vessel which has been docked. Two heavily armed security guards in full armor from head to toe, the whirring of their hydraulics and bulky armoring complemented by similarly rigid rifles with slit-like nozzles. Their glowing cyan helmets obscure whatever soul may be within, if there even if a soul. It could just be machinery all the way down for all Liam knows. With absolute obedience, the two heavily armored guards open the storage bay of the prison vessel and drag out a man with numerous vials stuck in him, the tubes winding all around his feet as the large guards drag the prisoner’s meaty body across the metallic furnished floors of the hanger.
One of the guards in a strangely feminine voice starts to describe “Straight from Bernard’s Star, Prison 15. Had to keep him there for two years but dedicated teams of interrogators and security ops were unable to get him to clue in on where the secessionists are hiding their weapons cache. He keeps claiming he does not know. This offworlder keeps referring to BD plus 50 degrees 1725 c as ‘CONCORDANCE’ and keeps demanding ‘COCORDANCE’ to be the official name.”
Liam inspects the large, yet still fragile man and asks “You’d think we’d have better ways of getting information out of people’s heads by now.”
The guard replies “That is why we brought him to Earth. Bernard’s Star is not stocked with any technology good for getting information from people.”
“Shipment problems again. Always the shipment problems. So why didn’t you just bring him here first then?” the agent asks.
The Vice President, with embarrassment starts to say “Well… It was a bit of a mishap. He wasn’t ever supposed to go to Bernard’s star. He was supposed to go straight here where proper interrogation techniques can be used and that’s why I brought him here to you since you have a good clue how that interrogation stuff works.”
“I do.” Liam states with an air of semantics that rubs the vice president off the wrong way, so the Vice president just shrugs and mouths ‘well you do your thing’ before heading into his personal shuttle.
I think it may take quite a few players before I close the doors here. I may limit based on faction and species (much more so on species), but still allow for many organizations/characters.
-Faction Type: Slave trading nomads with guild-like order. -Flag/Banner: (A cyan diamond at the center of a black-grey-black banner) -Population: 5,000~ -Unique Trait #1: Power of the Sands, they have great experience wandering the sands and do not suffer heat stroke nearly as much. This does not apply to recruited acolytes, only those who are part of the Azure Guild by blood. -Unique Trait #2: TBD -Unique Flaw #1: Slaving reputation. Their reputation means there are factions who will pretty much attack them on sight. -Unique Flaw #2: TBD
GEOGRAPHICAL -World-Realm Map; The Azure Guilds tends to travel around the Dried Sea to the various city states of the wastes. -Major Cities: N/A -Major Castles: N/A -Buildings of Interest: N/A -Geographic Features of Interest: 1. The forgotten vault, in the middle of the deserts, completely forgotten by time itself, a vault holding the Azure was found. It currently is empty, but it stands there somewhere in the most lifeless parts of the dried sea, forever isolated from the rest of society.
2.The corpse of Zakyrs, the immortal one. Located in the middle of the dried seas west of the Godfang. The massive statue's ruins suggest a massive, massive man of craftwork akin to Bronze strewn across the dunes preserved by the dry expanses. It is slightly north of the Sea of Giants, acting in a way as the point where the dried seas end and the Sea of Giants begins. (Not really related to the Azure, just a Point of Interest someone else may find of interest)
RACIAL -Majority Race: Humans. -Minority Races: Rockmen. The rockmen inhabit the Godfangs in the East and have been taken in by the Azure as draft animals who will snack on pretty much anything you hand them, including your own hand. They are a dense people who are deeply resilient and hard to kill, however easy it is to keep your distance from them. They are capable of welding tools and if too irritated will be all too willing to maim whoever strays too close. What keeps them in line are the staffs, naturally.
What makes them so useful is how they are able to go such long distances and days without ever needing to eat, even than a slave that has gotten too sick to sell usually placates them.
NATIONAL DRAMATIS PERSONAE -Head of State/Monarch: Ardash Layadro, the Unstoppable Master Welder of all the Azure -Persons of interest: The 15 welders who hold the staff; those who weld the staff hold the greatest power in the Guild, he who slays a welder must become a welder. Those who deny their ascent to the status are left to the fate of another welder.
CULTURAL -History: Once, a few traders wandering the sands out in the desert happened upon a vault in the middle of the dried sea. In that strange vault, there was 21 staffs and nothing else. It was in a region so lifeless it never rains, in a regions few ever dare go. These traders grabbed these staffs seeking fortune, but as they travelled through the dried sea the staffs begun to speak to them of war true wealth is. But at the time, the traders greedy as they were sold two of the staffs and with those staffs gained the wealth to have a personal army of mercenaries who progressively became convinced of the power of the traders as they progressively changed in their identity, becoming the first welders.
These welders gained a reverence on what first were hired swords as they saw the power of the Azure themselves in their travels, smiting horrifying monsters with light and telling events of the old gods themselves. The thaumaturge, the primordial forge, the Azure all being known.
The taming of the rock men took time, but with patience and the infallibility of the welders (well, with a powerful staff) allowed them to take control of these beast-men and in time gained a relationship most strange. The rock men if you could speak their primitive, script less dialects would speak of how much food they now have by letting the little men move them around and burden them with cages.
Now today, the Azure Guild has been a successful group of slavers whose markets penetrate several of the city states and even empires. Their unique craft works and ability to ration their resources well has made them a periodic, but very noticeable presence. They do not trade in slaves alone (spices being one of their major secondary trades), but it is certainly their speciality.
-List of Historical Grievances; They have lost four of their staffs to deserting welders and they seek annihilation of these thieves.
-Relations; Works with city states who buy their slaves in exchange for gold (which they than use for water and food, which they are very unitary about). Those who do not buy slaves from them tend to be who they prefer to raid, and may attack other groups of other nomads for slaves if the opportunity arises. Their way of life is reliant on being able to leverage their archeo technology and control of the rock men to make their smash and grabs. They are well equipped due to having equipment from across the lands, with former mercenaries having become part of the Guild.
It goes with no need to state, that the Great City of Qarthine will attack the slavers on sight.
-Cultural Notes; The Azure Guild is basically a nomadic group which pretends to be a guild, and acts as such. Some people in the guild joined from city states, others have been part of the Guild by blood since the first staffs were unearthed, and many in the guild are expected to participate in raids. Not everyone in the guild is part of the raiding forces, instead they tag along as craftsman working on the back of rock men or as maidens of the warrior mercenaries who make up a large share of the Acolytes. The craftsmen are well reowned for their mastery of human skin and hair, and have been able to work on their craft in their personal caravans gained from their merchant work for the guild.
RELIGION, MAGIC and ARCHEO-TECH
-State Religion: Azure Faith
-Religious Information; More a philosophy than a religion as it does not predicate the existence of the gods, if anything affirms their existence. For the Azure knows. The Azure knows of the thaumaturges from before time who crafted it in the primordial forges of reality.* Those who weld the staffs will know of the Azure, and soon enough of its infallible wisdom. That being the value of flesh, of which is why slavery is so important- there is no currency more valuable than the descendants of gods. And there is always need for more slaves. To let a corpse rot is waste, it must be used to nourish the rock men and be made into cloth, fabric and construction material. Their banner even, is made from the refined skin of man. It is a honor to the dead in a way, proper burial being a privilege of the settled. The nature of flesh, in a world where nothing grows makes it all of great value. Value comparable to that of water, and with the power of the Azure making those who are weak into slaves is redemption. As now the weak have purpose.
*More belief than fact, how reliable it truly is being quite unknown.
-Religion Demographics: Tends to be multi-faith, simultaneously devoting themselves to the Azure cause while also adopting religions from various city states they trade from to and fro. However, the dominant faith outside superstitions of the Azure is pretty much reverence to the Old Gods who they believe the Azure descended from. In particular, they believe of a primordial forge which the staffs were crafted from, by a powerful thaumaturge millennia ago.
-Holy Relics In Possession: Their 15 energy staffs are considered holy relics by the Azure. They named their guild after these staffs, called such due to the
-Holy Sites Under Control: N/A
-Magical Information: No magic other than sigils and runes they have attained from other factions in their trades.
-Archeo-Tech: They have energy staffs collectively referred to as "The Azure". The staffs are highly ceremonial in design, lined in intricate craft work with alloys from the primordial forges millennia ago, giving a gleaming bronze-like alloy duller than gold, yet just as vibrant. At the head of the staff, highly stylized wings at as a podium for metallic orb which in the light shines a intensive shade of cyan. The staff's head must be concealed in darkness for the light to not make a welder's approach obvious. The staffs have two judgements which not even the welder knows- it is the Azure alone who decides who is annihilated or who is enslaved. dispels intense, paralyzing pain to its victims making them easy to capture while the kill mode causes the target to be electrified. The user does not get to pick which mode, it is the staff which seems to decide; so it is to fate on if you shall be a slave or die. They are few in circulation, having only 15 of these staffs. The Azure once had only 21 staffs, the 6 lost staffs they persistently search the lands for. They are willing to kill whoever has the staffs, but are just as likely to make attempts at converting those who possess a staff to accept their role as a welder. The staffs tend to require a period of time in the sun until they are able to smite even the imposing rockmen with a jolt of energy which a particularly agile person may be able to dodge. There are welders who claim the staffs speak to those who weld them, compelling the welders to be ever merciless. Speaking to them what is wise, what is just. And through every strike against those it is acted upon, making judgement upon its victims. These staffs are referred as Azure, and those who weld them hold total power in the Guild.
MILITARY -Total Military Size; 15 Staff Welders (also on horse back), 30 rockmen, 90 Enforcers and ~300 acolytes, acolytes tend to fluctuate unlike the other groups.
They have a several caravans pulled by horse back that tend to keep a distance from where the raiders occur; usually trying to be beyond the horizon. Welders themselves go into the raids, and after a set amount of time must begin retreating should anything go wrong. But that is rare; the Welders are wise and know best when to strike, with timing that is impeccable and with a nature that is always opportunistic. Or if you are out there alone, and see giant rocky men with cages on their back, run. Run as far as you humanely can and never look back. Or else the azure shall find you.
-Military Details;
The staff welders always seek the sun, for without the sun the Azure is blind and unable to channel its power of judgement against the enemies of the guild or against those who are to be enslaved. They tend to go on horse back, said horses either being stolen in raids or bought with slaves (or having to use currency from the slaves to buy the horses, ridiculous step they demand of you).
Thirty rockmen in total have been under the control of the Azure. They tend not to be used in the actual raids due to their slow speed, instead they are used as mobile storage places, often carrying a dozen cages with those they have captured fastened onto the backs of the rock men. Rock men also carry food, water, goods and so forth. The welders never place their staffs near a rock man, out of fear a rock man may get too opportunistic and steal the staff for themselves. Sometimes a rock man may also grab and maul to pieces someone in front of them, so being in front of a rock man is also avoided.
Rock men are usually followed by a man on horse back with composite bows and curved blades. Their sole purposes is to punish and kill slaves who attempt a escape, and should the rock men take actions unwanted (which is rare in reality- the rock men perceive their relationship as just getting lots of free food and aren't too bothered by the burdens the little people place on them since it means potential morsels). In that case, the curved blade is used the slash the tendon of the rock man. An it must be a blade, for rock men are huge creatures however slow they are. Enforcers tend to be from well experienced allocates, and have skill in both bow and sword.
The Acolytes are diverse and comparatively disorganized, being promoted to enforcers be welders should they need to replace a fallen Enforcer. Acolytes tend to go on horse back or foot, depending on what they have brought with them. Those who serve the guild are paid in virtue for their service, with weapons, food and water. 60-70 of these allocates tend to act in raids.
Has anyone made plans to make some assyrianesque civilization?
Or at least some civ based on ancient sumerians?
I can't help but imagine this RP setting is perfect for such a brutal and harsh empire to thrive that has a very long and complex judicial code with most of the punishments being some arbitrary and horrible death.
I'd do it, but I don't want to spend too much of my freetime on RPing. Not to mention I just want to go around on horseback raiding for slaves and disintegrating people with magical staffs, all the while act like i'm running a business.
This is pretty cool and interesting. I have been awaiting for an NRP like this a long time to satisfy my Sci-Fi needs due to in part by playing SOASE and Homeworld a lot for many years. I will be making my sheet.
I hope what this RP works well to satisfy that itch. What you have in mind doesn't get as gamey as the 4X games you mention, correct?
If I seem to vanish for a week or so, it's because I am one to wait and see how other factions develop first. (I.e other players w/ nation apps)
My guild needs places to base themselves and costumers. It goes without saying that slaves are a important commodity in the desert be it for bone tools, sacrifices, hides, cleaning the house, being food for large hungry dungeon creatures or simply as pleasure in some local noble's harem. The Azure deliver for all purposes.
Our sources come from distant lands **other factions who are not important customers of the Azure guild**.
Oh well, here goes a quick doodle for a guild of slavers since I want to do something small for once.
-Faction name: Slavers of the Azure -Faction Type: Slave Trading Guild -Flag/Banner: (A cyan diamond at the center of a black-grey-black banner)
GEOGRAPHICAL -World-Realm Map:TBA -Major Cities: N/A -Major Castles: Their only castle is a trading post turned fortress called the Azure. It is pretty much in the middle of nowhere and it is where they secretly hide their weapons and wealth in a massive vault hidden away in a dark dungeon full of putrid monsters. Said vault is never to be opened, not even by the mysterious leader of the guild. -Buildings of Interest: -Geographic Features of Interest:
RACIAL -Majority Race: (Please avoid the bog-standard D&D fare here. If using versions of fantasy races pls give them your own twist, and please find ways for different factions to include races created by different players.) -Majority Race Appearance: -Majority Race Characteristics: -Minority Races: (If any)
NATIONAL DRAMATIS PERSONAE -Head of State/Monarch: -Ruling Dynasty (If applicable): -Constable Of The Army (If applicable): -Religious Head (If Applicable): -Persons of interest:
CULTURAL -History: -List of Historical Grievances -Relations -Cultural Notes; Slavers
RELIGION, MAGIC and ARCHEO-TECH -State Religion: (If applicable. Either create your own local religion or take on a major religion. If creating your own, I will need to approve.) -Religious Information; N/A -Religion Demographics: -Holy Relics In Possession: The energy staffs are considered holy relics by the slavers. -Holy Sites Under Control: N/A -Magical Information: No magic other than sigils and runes they have attained from other factions in their trades. -Archeo-Tech: They have energy staffs, origin is lost to time. They are very ceremonial in design. There's a few staffs that jolt a burst of energy which disintegrate targets. They seem powered by the sun and are few in circulation. Some say the staffs speak to those who weld them, compelling the warlords who weld them to be ever merciless.
MILITARY -Total Military Size -Military Details (Unit Types and distribution of numbers)
There's something from design that applies to world building and creative projects in general. That being planning while iterative working on the product iteratively is more productive than focusing heavily on pre-planning. And the end product tends to be of the same quality regardless.
That basically means instead of spending weeks building 5000-6000 word apps (but seriously that is not impressive since it's just a 6 hour writing binge), set up a basic frame work for the setting and than start IC in a timely manner. If a RP takes more than 2 weeks to start IC I tend to get worried since it usually means people lose interest and drop. It's actually relieving to me when a RP within 5 days from the interest check has multiple IC posts.
