So I have an idea and I'd like to try to recruit some of the regular Warhammery writers to do it with me. It's based off a short story and my desire for that short story to continue on.
Here's the concept, not fully fleshed out.
This planet, let's call it Duty because that's a short word, is big on two things. Farming and duty. They have always met or exceeded the quota for sending their sons and daughters to go join the Guard and fight for the future of mankind. They are very proud of that. They don't shirk their responsibility. In exchange they have always been treated fairly, haven't been asked for more, haven't had to deal with much in the way of controls from the Empire. It's been chill basically.
We are all RPing men and women about to finish Basic. At least to start with. We're about to be made Guardsmen. We have come a long ways. Seen brothers and sisters die in training, pushed each other to get through this shit and embrace our bright new future. We are now on the precipice of graduation and, presumably, will then be immediately tossed into one fray or another.
Some of us might be excited to kill. Some might be excited to meet xenos and shoot them in the face. Some might just be doing their duty and hoping to return to their families in time or start their own. Some might just be hoping for an honorable death in keeping with the family legacy. Lieutenant Dan types are fun.
We'll RP starting with the end of the last day of training. We're doing some last physical training. Some last tactical scenarios. Filling out last paperwork so they can send your corpse back to your family in however big a box is appropriate. Then you're going back home for one final night before graduation tomorrow and shipping out afterward. Maybe you're going home to parents and siblings, or to your spouse, or maybe just to an empty apartment or condo. Maybe you're soberly giving your little bro a hug because you will all but certainly never see how he grows up. Maybe you're doing rails with some hookers.
I've a wee twist or two in mind.
1) Cribbing from an old RP book, part of your CS should be several relationships with family, instructors, fellow guardsmen, maybe the leadership of Duty. At least two of those should be characters someone else is writing.
Maybe you owe someone else's character a debt for helping pass a test.
Maybe they owe you for helping them rehab an injury or pass a physical.
Maybe you have a rivalry with someone who was always one point higher/lower on assessments.
2) The stuff the group gets into. I have an idea for the first thing which might stretch out for some time. I'm open to suggestions for future deployments or if this initial one isn't scratching an itch.
3) Itches. Let me know if there's something you really want to explore so I can try and work it in or at least create an avenue for you to work it in.
4) Other Characters and a Deadly World. I'll control several NPCs who may well get chunked, but your characters may well die as well. It's Warhammer. Part of my idea for it is to have other groups, like other companies and such, appear. This can be an opportunity to have another character or for your first character to bone out. Or if you decide you'd really rather RP as a new guy we can plan a cool death for the other one.
General Outline for What I Have Planned So Far
-Last Day in Training
-Heading Home
-Time at Home
-Something Happens
-Graduation and Deployment
-First Deployment