Dyelli Beybi

Empire of the Clouds - A Zepellin Crew RP

Theme Music

Do you like Zeppelins? Yes, of course you do, everyone likes Zeppelins!

This RP will focus on a group of survivors from an invasion in a low fantasy world who manage to escape a fallen city on an airship. Maybe you're a crew member. Maybe you're a soldier. Maybe you're a random civilian who got lucky.

Will you try to do something to save your nation or will you just sail off into the sunset and hope the enemy doesn't catch up to you? Perhaps you might explore the unknown corners of this world's uncharted continent in search of ancient treasure or powerful artefacts?

The choice will be yours, but first, you'll probably want to choose a Captain.

There will be adventure! Romance! And villains with twirly moustaches!

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Low Fantasy Elements

I am describing this setting as low fantasy as it will be set in a made-up world. Magic does exist in this world, though your characters are mundane and probably won't encounter it. Magic is an ancient thing that has faded as the fires of industry have grown.

The only fantasy race that will appear in this setting are the immortal elves who rule a geographically vast but sparsely inhabited Empire in the West of the continent most of the action will take place in.

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Technology

The technology level for this RP is, broadly, 1912 with one key exception: airship tech is 20 or so years more advanced than it was in the real world at this time... and most importantly you have helium in your bags rather than hydrogen so you aren't going to go down in a giant fireball of doom if someone lights a cigarette within a kilometer of you.

The reason I have made this decision, simply, so that your airship does not suck! It would rather shorten the RP if you were in an explosive death trap.

Other than that, expect bolt action rifles, very basic biplanes, electricity, poison gas, fancy hats and, potentially, trenches. Not that you need to worry about most of these things as you cruise blissfully over the battles raging below.

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A bit on Zeppelins/Rigid Airships

First, yes, I know that Zeppelin is a company that made/makes rigid airships, which is the correct name for the thing we are describing. Most people know them as Zeppelins though, so I'm sticking with that.

If you aren't too familiar with Zeppelins, they are absolutely colossal constructions that dwarf anything in the sky today.



A zeppelin in this RP travels at about 80 miles per hour and can reach heights of about 21,000 feet, though typically they'll cruise much lower than that. Zeppelins can stay aloft for a week or so, which is mostly dictated by how much engine fuel they have onboard. If you run out of that you won't crash immediately, but you will lose all ability to control where you are going.

Planes of the era are only marginally faster, cannot get as high and have nowhere near the range... though obviously they are much cheaper to build. They also haven't developed the interrupter gear that would allow single man fighters to become a thing.

Most of the living space for a zeppelin at this tech level is inside the outer shell. This was done to help keep the temperatures manageable though there are gondolas for things like navigation or as gun platforms. There are also gun platforms on the top of the airship which you can access by a long and frightening ladder. And you can actually walk along the top... though it might be a good idea to make sure you are fastened securely. It is, after all, a long way down!

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So you got to the end...

Well, what do you think? Would you be interested in this RP?

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Adam Temple

"Everything is documented and there are those living who were present to witness the event," Temple didn't confirm or deny if he were one, but did blow a thoughtful smoke ring, taking a few moments to let it drift towards the ceiling.

"Miss Treich," he said after a moment, "there is no end to the dusty old tomes the night watch has! And if that interests you I can arrange for you to see some. But if someone does not wish to believe they will treat them as every bit as fictitious as one of my novels. A medieval bestiary full of superstitious nonsense.

"I do not aim to move anyone with words, written or spoken," he added, "The proof, as they say in England, is in the pudding. We may find some terrifying hell spawn in this city. Or we may find a murderer akin to the one in Whitechapel when I was a teenager. Or we might simply find rabid, neglected hounds. I would be most surprised if it were the latter, but I will keep an open mind. All I ask of our skeptics is that, for now, they do also."

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Adam Temple

"Yes," Temple agreed, "Yes, it should be. Perhaps it is. There are more ghost stories from that war than I could recount in an afternoon. Soldiers returning to their units after death is common."

"However, that isn't your main question Sir. I'm a writer by trade," he said with a shrug, "I write stories, people enjoy them. Whether what we find here or any other day is true or not as interesting to me as the stories that come along with them. Stories speak to truths in the human heart that we find difficult to articulate otherwise. Dracula is a book about a vampire, but it is as much about lust, modernity and fear of the outsider."

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Temple paused for a moment, to take a puff from a cigarillo, "It was many years ago, that a man named Thomas Vaughan was killed at the Battle of Banbury. 1469, to be precise, whilst supporting the Yorkist cause in the War of the Roses. Legend says that he was an incredibly evil man, although I suspect that tradition relates me to what happened later than before. He was named 'Black Vaughan' in any case, though I rather suspect that was for his hair."

Temple paused, taking another puff and he looked between the group to see who was paying attention, "Whatever his state before life, it is believed his restless spirit, sometimes appearing in the form of a large black bull would torment the town of Kington, where his body was buried. Sometimes, it is reported, his dog would appear as well."

"Eventually, many centuries later, 12 local clergymen along with a number of lay members of the Night Watch came together to put an end to the terror. There were difficulties. The spirit was violent. People were flung across the room causing injuries though thankfully no deaths. Eventually though the spirit was imprisoned in a silver snuff box. From there the procession left for Hergest Court, the ancestral hall of the man himself - it is a rather drab and dreary building I must say - and the box was cast into the pond out the back - Hergest pool."

"And for many years, people say the spirit was quiet. Though of late there has been a story of the bull reappearing. Perhaps the box was found by an unwary angler and opened -" he opened his own cigarillo case with a snap, "- Or perhaps it was the result of an overactive imagination and too much cider. Who is to say?"

"Keep an open mind always," he finished, "The world has many strange and frightening legends. Many are pure fancy.... but some are rooted in terrible truths that sit uneasily with polite and rational society. When you hear a noise in the dark, make sure you look carefully into the shadows, don't pull your bedclothes over your head and hope it is all in your mind."

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

@Tackytaff

Looks like a pretty excellent app! Feel free to assume Sonja is in the Nightwatch HQ and either join in with a cowrite or solo post, depending upon what you want to do!

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Adam Temple

As a large portion of the group took off, Temple sat down at one of the tables, his glass of port before him, reaching into his jacket pocket for a silver cigarillo case, plucking one of the slender brown stems from the case and lighting it up. He took a puff, "Well, I hope our intrepid friends do not run into any difficulties at the graveyard. Regardless of who or what may be hunting people in the vicinity, the streets are not the safest at the moment."

He paused, taking another puff from his cigarillo before asking the assembled group, "Well since we are still here, who would care to hear a story?"

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Name: Ernst Heller
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Nationality: German
Appearance:

Personal Effects:

1. Luger P08 Pistol: A standard-issue sidearm for German officers during WWI, retained by Ernst for personal defense. It's kept in a worn leather holster under his coat.

2. Pocket Watch: A brass heirloom from his father, engraved with the Heller family crest. It holds sentimental value and serves as a symbol of his family’s former status.

3. Leather Wallet: Contains a few Reichsmarks, identification papers, and a photograph of his parents and younger sister from before the war.

4. Cigarette Case: A silver-plated case with a few hand-rolled cigarettes, a habit Ernst picked up during trench life.

5. Small Flask: Filled with schnapps, carried more out of habit than necessity. It provides warmth and a sense of familiarity during moments of uncertainty.

6. German Army-Issue Folding Knife: A practical tool that Ernst keeps for utility, but which could double as a weapon in close combat if necessary.

7. Notebook and Pencil: Used to jot down notes, information, or names of potential allies and contacts.

8. Rosary Beads: A keepsake from his Catholic mother, carried not for religious devotion but as a quiet homage to his family's past.

9. Brown Leather Gloves: Worn during cooler months or when he expects to get his hands dirty, either literally or figuratively.

10. Matchbox: For lighting cigarettes or providing quick illumination in dark or cramped spaces.

Background: Ernst Heller served as a junior officer in the German Army during the Great War, where he gained extensive combat experience on both fronts. Currently, he works as a notary in Munich, using his legal skills to navigate post-war bureaucracy while maintaining ties to his nationalist organization.

Backstory: Born into a prominent Munich family of industrialists, Ernst Heller enjoyed a privileged upbringing with a strong sense of national duty. When the Great War broke out, he enlisted with zeal, eventually serving as a junior officer. Ernst’s combat experience was marked by brutal trench warfare on the Western Front and grueling campaigns on the Eastern Front. His military career was distinguished by tactical skill, but he also witnessed the devastating costs of war, leaving him hardened and deeply cynical.

After the war, Ernst returned to a Germany on the brink of collapse. His family’s business suffered as the economy spiraled, and the Hartmann wealth dwindled rapidly due to reparations and inflation. Ernst, embittered by the outcome of the war and the subsequent chaos, joined the Freikorps—paramilitary units that fought communist uprisings in German cities. He played a direct role in suppressing the Bavarian Soviet Republic, engaging in brutal street battles that shaped his perception of communism as a mortal enemy of Germany.

Now part of a clandestine far-right organization seeking to restore Germany's strength, Ernst’s political activities have grown more intense. While the group speaks of taking decisive action soon, Ernst’s exact role in these plans have been ambiguous to him as he awaits for them to be set in motion, though he sees himself as an instrumental figure in Germany’s resurgence.

Ernst is strategic and methodical, with a sense of honor born from military discipline. While he is slow to trust, he is fiercely loyal to those he sees as kindred spirits. His bitterness towards Germany’s political landscape drives him, but beneath the hard exterior is a man seeking meaning beyond mere vengeance. Ernst is both drawn to and wary of the darker forces that seem to be rising around him, unsure whether they are tools to be used or threats to be confronted.

Late one evening, Ernst received a letter delivered to his modest flat. The handwriting is unfamiliar, but the contents mention a meeting of the “Nachtwache,” supposedly recommended by an unnamed acquaintance. Intrigued and believing it might be connected to his political movement — perhaps a covert recruitment meeting or an opportunity to network — Ernst decides to attend. The venue, a notorious cabaret, struck him as an odd choice, but he assumes it’s a necessary cover. With his Luger hidden under his coat and a mix of curiosity and cautious optimism, Ernst makes his way to the meeting, unaware of the true nature of the group he’s about to join.

@InfamousGuy101

Looks good to me

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Rudy Rudeanu, Adam Temple, Nicola Hoffman & Masako Yamamoto

Cowritten by @Tesserach, Dyelli Beybi & @enmuni

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"Ungoldly things in Munich you say?" the man, Rudeanu replied as he set his glass aside to the gentle clanking of ice. His tone suggested faux scandal at the prospect. "I wager I can solve this mystery right now." Rudeanu stood up, addressing those assembled, gesturing dramatically. It was evident this man was something of a showman. "Let us examine the facts of the situation. First, we have a sudden escalation in attacks by dogs. The frequency is beyond normal experience, so, it serves to reason there must be an extraordinary explanation. On this I think there can be no disagreement. Certainly, some supernatural explanation could be considered. But are there other, more natural - if less extraordinary - changes that would suggest why feral dog attacks have suddenly begun?

"Let us consider the present economic situation. An ungodly situation indeed! How many people here, most I notice seem a more genteel disposition than the average worker, find food even remotely affordable? How many people, do you suppose, are being forced to do without? Perhaps even abandoning family pets to the charity of the streets? Indeed, given the extraordinary circumstances, I would go so far as to say it would be extraordinarily unlikely that we not witness a rise in both ravenous strays, and attacks on people and pets. And who could these animals most easily approach? Why the very sort of victims here described. Indeed, with recent issues distracting Münchener Polizei, I'd be surprised if animal control hadn't been somewhat lax recently.

"Of course, I could be wrong but asks yourselves this: 'which explanation is more likely to be the truth? That the presence of strays went unnoticed, or unreported? Or that something supernatural, which - as it were - looks like a dog, barks like a dog and hunts like a dog.' There are two things I am certain of though. First: there is only one way to prove our hypothesis. Second, in this economy, I for one cannot afford to turn down Swiss francs."

"Well, I'm glad you don't want to turn down the francs," Temple remarked affably, from where he was standing by the port, "If you can find a feral dog in the area, you will have more than earned your pay. That is why the Night Watch were called after all. Tomorrow, however, I am going to see what kind of bite marks there are on the victims," he took a sip from his port, "I hope it is dogs. A pistol will put a dog down permanently... most of the time. It might also be worth finding out a bit more about the cemetery. I am sure there are records somewhere in the city."

"All attacks in, or around, the same cemetery?" Rudeanu ventured to Temple, as though he suspected the answer and were considering the implications of an affirmative response.

"All attacks in or around the cemetery," Temple confirmed.

Finally Rudeanu turned to Nicola. "The evening is yet young, Nicola, you ready for an easy job?"

Nicola gave Rudeanu a slight smile, "Oh, I'm definitely happy for an easy job that pays in Swiss Francs," she gave a small laugh, "I'm not exactly qualified for this, but I'll help as best I can. The people being taken... well... that could very easily have been me after I was deported from Mulhouse. I am just lucky."

“Excuse me,” Masako interjected, approaching the group of men quickly, “I am a trained nurse, and I have seen many animal bites from my time in the…the…the Siberian Intervention! May I offer to help in looking at these bites? If it is an animal, I can surely tell you.”

"That would be most helpful," Temple replied to Masako, "I prefer it when our own people can find clues rather than needing to pry them from suspicious individuals."

Masako turned her attention to Rudeanu and the older man, and smiled brightly at the scene. She delivered a small golf clap, and commented to Temple, “Ah, a sceptic-magician! So we do have a diverse group here, then? Do you have any idea why we are gathered here, Sir?”

"Why we, specifically we, I assume you mean," Nicola chipped in, "Because the purpose is to destroy whatever or whoever it is that is taking these poor souls."

Masako froze for a second. Her eyes darted around, as if to indicate that she was thinking of what the other woman could have meant.

“Yes, yes, that is right. That is what I mean, anoooo, why…it is…us rather than some other people. After all, there are surely other nurses who will be less noticeable for such a secretive organization than myself, for example? This is why I wonder, because surely a local “chapter” should have more locals in it—who are more knowledgeable of their home?”

"It's a good point, even I'm not quite a local, nor are you, Mister Temple," Nicola put in.

"Locals aren't necessary," Temple gave a small shrug, "I do not send the invitations, my duty is just receive those who have been sent one. Ours is not to reason why."

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Cool :) Not strictly necessary, just thought having an unusual personal effect deserved a story to go with it...

Feel free to move your character sheet across BTW! And post ICly.

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

That's cool... or you could run with something like he got involved in the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War and potentially picked it up off a dead Chekist as a trophy...

Just an idea as he'd have been using a Webley Mk VI for most of the war which was is a darned good revolver.