P R E M I S E Life in the Union has never been easy. Overlord is constantly watching every step and listening to every word. People go missing all the time for saying or implying the wrong thing. Protectors patrol the streets armed to the teeth and ready to ‘assist’ anyone who breaks protocol. Every broadcast and educational information is altered to fit the agenda of the Union. The old religion of the world and knowledge of the Way is outright removed from the collective consciousness. There is only the Union and obedience to it.
One day, a missile strikes the outskirts of the city of Oakridge. This kind of attack is usually ignored. There are three Unions in the world, and they are constantly at war with each other. The city of Oakridge is in a Union called Elkoss Combine. The relentless propaganda machine of the Union tells everyone to go about their business. However, later the same day, panic strikes the city when strange creatures emerge from the Underground and begin to attack everyone on sight. Overlord orders a total lockdown of the city. Protectors in hazmat gear and heavy firepower swarm the streets. Those who have been attacked by the creatures appear to mutate and come back to life, but seemingly devoid of all humanity.
Resistance Forces within the city seize the moment to overthrow the Union. They launch an attack on several key locations and structures. A small cell of volunteers finds itself in a bizarre situation deep within Union Headquarters. The volunteers discover a strange specimen in what appears to be a research laboratory. The creature looks nothing like anything they have ever seen before. They also find texts and instructions in a completely alien language. Moments later, they are ambushed by elite Union Forces that appears to have been mutated. The volunteers barely escape the building. After attempting to make contact with the Resistance, they hear a distress beacon coming from the other side of the city.
The volunteers arrive at the aftermath of some incomprehensible conflict. They find the leader of the Resistance at his dying breath. He speaks cryptic words about something called Project Agora and the fusion of planets. The volunteers are told to contact the Resistance forces of a nearby Neutral Zone. The volunteers learn that an Aesir of the Solar System, or beyond, may have been forcefully awakened and on its way to the Earth.
I N F O R M A T I O N In this story you play a citizen of Oakridge. While a citizen, this person is not ordinary. Not only do they sympathize with the resistance, but they also belong to a minority of powerful individuals born as such. By the unfortunate events of the story, your character is by chance put together with others of the same nature. You thereby become an extremely dangerous force to be reckoned with.
Your character is best suited to be between teenage years and the middle of their lives. With age comes greater power, but also more responsibility. The youngsters will look to you for guidance and knowledge. Your character will also be what is known as an Aeon. It is a powerful individual whose talents are prohibited within the Unions. Chances are that your character knows the characters of other players, already. It is not a requirement, but older Aeons usually offer training to younger ones in the Unions, so there is a network of trust.
There will be no specific order in which players should post. Past interactions can be completed through Flashbacks, if someone falls behind. There may be several timelines in posts, anyway. There will also not be any posting schedule. If you cannot post now, post later. It is that simple. The same goes for post length. Include in your post everything that is necessary in order to create substance for others to work with. The story has elements of many things such as Action, Drama, Adventure, and Slice-of-Life. Some sections of the story may be slower than others.
U N I O N S Three unions hold dominion over our world. Devlon Industries, Elkoss Combine, and Haliat Armory. They were prominent tech-conglomerates in the past that manufactured great technologies and weapons for the world to destroy itself with. Today, they are self-sufficient government entities at war with one another over the last bits of resources that the world has to offer. Most of the fighting is accomplished through subversion and political assassinations, but blatant warfare does occur every now and then. This has been going on for the last two decades without an end in sight.
Life within the unions is difficult. While men and women go to work and children go to school, everyone will feel the ever watchful presence of the Union and its security forces. Surveillance cameras and drones watch and listen to everything. Most of what people earn working for the union is seized and redistributed. Everyone lives on the edge of poverty and starvation while the members of the unions bask in luxury.
The neutral zones offer some respite. These are the parts of the world that the unions have not gained control over. The communities of the neutral zones live a traditional life with fair laws and high trust within the group—life is simple and quiet. Local resistance fighters work tirelessly to keep the unions at bay. People work and trade with each other openly and securely. Community wide decisions are voted on through a careful process involving several phases. The people that could be considered leaders are elected purely on merit and wisdom.
Boys and girls must attend military school regardless of where they are born. Whether it is for the unions or the neutral zones, every man and woman serves the community as a solider. They may not always be in active service, but they must stand ready when the trumpets sound. However, the discipline and sense of unity provided by such schooling has proved to be universally beneficial for any community in the world.
T E C H N O L O G Y Batteries and Power Cells are the primary means of distributing electricity. Due to the hostile nature of the world, using power grids is not reliable. They are too vulnerable to attacks that it is easier and safer to provide electricity through portable means. Batteries are what one would expect them to be. They come in various sizes and can make most contraptions function in everyday life. Power Cells are a lot larger and contain pure energy harnessed from marine Fusion Reactors. These sources of electricity are used to power buildings, vehicles, and other infrastructure systems. Naturally, there is a lot of maintenance in changing Power Cells, but it offers plenty of jobs to people.
Transportation is dominated by wheel-based vehicles such as trains and cars. Air and naval travel is highly regulated by the Unions, thus not as easily available as the other options. Special permits, which are quite expensive, are required for civilians to travel by air or sea. Industry and production also requires permits to transport goods by other means than train and trucks.
The Mobile Assistance Suit (M.A.S.) is one of the world’s greatest inventions. It is an exo-skeleton designed for industrial and military purposes. The M.A.S. can be modified with numerous attachments that include tools and weapons. It can also be fitted with extra armor plating, rigs for heavy duty work, and contraptions that increase carrying capacity. The M.A.S. has its core installed into backside of the neck, just below the head of a person. The surgery is fast and painless, if the proper procedure is followed. Depending on attachments and modifications, the M.A.S. requires additional batteries or Power Cells to function.
Clothes, gear, and armor coating are mostly made out of hydrophobic and electrophobic materials. Water and electricity are the most prevalent hazards plaguing workers and soldiers alike. The world sees many days of rain and thunder each year. Most Fusion Reactors are located near coastal lines, as they use ocean water as propellant, so hydrophobic qualities are of great importance. Water and electricity are also the primary means of crowd control during civil unrest. The weapons used by riot police are based on shock and pressure.
Helmets with advanced visual enhancement and sensors are a common sight. Not only do they offer anonymity, they also protect and increase life expectancy in hostile situations. Most helmets have targeting systems, heat detection, motion detection, environment scanning, and hazard scanning. Helmets are powered by batteries. Disrupting the battery by removing it or by other means disable it will make the helmet useless, as the face is entirely covered and is not see through with the plain eye.
The unions favor different kinds of warfare. Haliat Armory focuses on land, Devlon Industries on air, and Elkoss Combine on sea. They can conduct war within all domains, but they invest more capital and research in their respective focus. Soldiers use an array of ranged and explosive weaponry. Modern forms of melee weapons are also used. All-out war between the unions have a ‘trench warfare’ style to it. They bunker down and try to outlast one another. The unions are corporations after all, not the military.
M E T A P H Y S I C S The old religion of the world holds that planets are the domains of Aesir. These beings were among the first that formed in the beginning of the universe. They feed on the remnants of the Creator that lingers in everything. The Creator is not a singular entity. It is an energy from which all things emanated. This entity is often referred to as Eon.
The Aesir of our planet is known as Gaia, Godmother Earth. All the different species of her domain are her creations. She was lucky enough to have her planet be at the perfect distance from the energy of the creator in the nearest star. Those who claim that they have met Gaia describe her as humanoid, closely resembling a female form. Others claim that her shape is not representative of neither man nor woman.
Some species are born with high sensitivity to the energy of Eon. This results in the ability to ‘push’ the energy in various ways that creates incredible effects. However, Aeons cannot do whatever they want. Most would describe it as a martial art. They move and utilize their momentum to push the world around them. The sensitivity also makes them physically stronger in direct exposure to the energy of the Creator, such as sunlight. Even if Eon exists in all things and all places, darkness is still lacking it. The longer these sensitive individuals remain in places devoid of light, the more they revert to the normal strength of their species.
Most Aesir are slumbering. The universe has expanded for such a long time that changes in the order of things are not as significant as they used to be. However, when and if they do awaken, Aesir instinctively seek the warmth and sustenance of the energy of the creator. It is easy for them to grow jealous of the ones that are in the perfect distance from a star. Creating life within their domain is a prime motivator for all Aesir.
R E L I G I O N The collective term for many religions is the Old Religion. As the Unions suppress the practice of any religion, different variations and denominations are referred to simply as the Old Religion. The different thoughts of it centers on appreciation for Eon and worship of Aesir. The most prominent variation revered Gaia and still does, in secret. This kind of worship is the appreciation of and attunement to nature. Temples and shrines can be found all over the world, but not within the Unions. People leave offerings, incense, and prayers at these places.
Some of those who become Aeons live a spiritual life. Others simply ignore it. The teachings of ‘The Way’ usually comes from religious circles. It is the teaching of techniques that Aeons can use to push the energy of the creator. They used to get basic training at mandatory military schools, but not anymore. Now, they have to seek out temples and other gatherings outside of the Unions for training. Within the Unions, young Aeons can only hope to get a bit of training from the older ones.
To ‘push’ is to alter the energy of the creator in oneself or the environment. The reactions of this action are often destructive, but some are also protective. Elements such as fire, ice, and electricity are used for the former end, while water and light are used for the latter. The destructive techniques involve attacks that create beams, blasts, bolts, projectiles, orbs, waves, vortexes, pillars, spikes, and explosions of elemental energy. The defensive techniques involve creating energy shields of different kinds and healing, although light can be used offensively as well.
Aeons grow physically stronger in sunlight. The radiant energy of the creator saturates their cells to peak human potential. They can endure more punishment, strike with increased force, move with otherworldly agility and speed. The extent of this effect partially depends on the training and individual sensitivity of each Aeon. Age seems to play a part, as well, in that older and more experienced Aeons are stronger. However, in darkness, their strength will gradually decrease and return to normal. This decrease is slower if exposed to sunset. Similarly, the strength returns faster if exposed to sunrise.
Aeons are born as sensitives to the energy of the creator. The cause of it is uncertain, but it appears to be related to genetics and the alignments of astral bodies. However, the exact details of the process are unknown. Sensitivity is difficult to detect unless one looks for it in children. It is not until Aeons learn their power techniques that it becomes apparent.
There are many Power Techniques. They are often categorized into basic, advanced, and experimental. The basic techniques used to be taught at school. Advanced techniques are taught by sages at temples or private training grounds. Experimental techniques are mostly self-taught. They are considered highly dangerous for everyone involved, and therefore illegal in most places. As the Unions have banned the use of Power Techniques, basic training is usually found in older Aeons that live within the Unions. They usually offer private training sessions either entirely for free or a modest price. Due to this ban, Experimental Techniques have become much more common.
W O R L D The years are counted from the industrial revolution of the world. The current year is 421 thereafter. A new year of the calendar is celebrated with festivities and fireworks. It is also a day of ceasefire. The fourth month of the year is celebrated as the Month of Technology in remembrance of the industrial revolution. Events and conventions are hosted wherever possible that shows new and old technology. Nearby astral bodies are also celebrated with festivities and events. The Lunar Hail occurs during each full moon of the year. It is a single-day celebration that reveres the closest, other deity to Terra: Luna. The Festival of the Quiet, which occurs in the tenth month, is perhaps the calmest celebrations of them all whereby people honor the dead. Lastly, in the eighth month of the year, Mars and its deity, Tiu, is celebrated with a week-long feast.
The world was divided by nations just thirty years ago. It was not until after a series of political assassinations, skirmishes, and financial overtaking that the unions gained control. The remnants of the old world can be found in the neutral zones. While no longer bound by blood and soil, the neutral zones act like independent nations that usually conduct direct or pure democracy. The number of citizens are controlled so as to preserve the value of every single voter. Several resistance forces keep the security of the neutral zones, combating threats both foreign and domestic. Should one such force attempt to install a government that contradicts the current system, then the other resistance forces take it down.
The Net is an important part of world culture. The online virtual reality of the Net has for many years been a focal point of communication, activity, and expression. However, with the rise of the unions, many parts of the Net were censored. This introduced a widespread interest in digital activism and hacking. The Net can be visited with a computer of any kind. Holograms and Headsets support the virtual reality function of the Net. In the current year, the Net is a battlefield of propaganda, disinformation, and sabotage.
Ever since the unions assumed control, the culture of anonymity has skyrocketed in the world. This was also in junction with the increased restrictions on the Net and mass surveillance in the physical world. The unions have a nasty track record of going after family and friends of dissenters, rival unions, resistance fighters, and anyone who opposes them. This is why many people wear masks in combat and everyday life whenever they move around within the unions, and sometimes in the neutral zones. While masks for conflict look menacing, masks for daily use are much subtler and fashionable.
There are many different currencies in the world. The unions use their own credit system. It is all digital and easy to track. However, there are plenty of shops and underground networks that accept other currencies. In the neutral zones, citizens can choose from a wide range of payment methods involving ‘hard’ currency. Gold and silver are always welcome and valuable. Union credits work sometimes, but are not worth much. Other precious metals such as palladium and platinum as well as gems are often traded with. On the front and in the wilderness, one can trade almost anything for other goods.
L O R E★ Netrunners — A collective group of individuals in the neutral zone that hack into union satellites, allowing people to use features like GPS on their devices. ★ Call-to-Arms Alert — Mandatory mustering for citizens in defense of a town or city. ★ General Alert — Non-mandatory mustering, but has a reward incentive. ★ Lunar Hail — Celebration on every full moon honoring the deity Luna. ★ Festival of the Quiet — Festival remembering and honoring the dead. ★ HA-12 — A 10-shot revolver by Haliat Armor powered by a small power cell. ★ Elkoss Carbine - A lightweight, tactical firearm with a lot of attachment potential. ★ Yumchug — Very tasty. ★ Union Wheat — A brand of cereal, often mixed with Yumchug to produce an edible grey mixture. ★ Sensitive — A term for an Aeon. ★ Children of the Sun — A term sometimes used to describe Aeons. ★ Hellhog — a slang term used for motorcycle. ★ U-Wake — A commonly used personal media player. ★ Foxtrot 11 — Powerful contact or shadow organization that buys and sells information.
C O M B A T Your character’s attacks will count towards a number in the enemy. When this number has been met, the enemy is staggered and can be instantly killed by anyone. This mechanic works both ways. Your character can also become staggered. When this happens, you roleplay it in a way that you see fit, but your character does not die. There are no complex formulas to the numbers. It is all very basic, but it still provides some excitement and sense of lack of control in combat scenes. You also have to choose an Aesir for your character. Depending on which one you choose, your character will receive traits that manipulate how the combat mechanics work. You do not need to worry about any numbers. They will be invisible to you. I will take care of everything.
T E C H N I Q U E S Spend points on the techniques that you want your character to know. How many points each technique costs is indicated by a number. You have 10 points to spend.
BEAM ★ This technique projects concentrated beams of elemental energy for the duration of a few seconds. The beam has a naturally high damage output to most enemies. The beam is channeled from the palms of both hands in the desired direction. The beam is about a meter wide, which is a significant area of effect. Beam emission is great against specific spots and armored targets. 3
ORB ★ This technique projects a sphere of elemental energy that is hurled at a target or area. When fully channeled, the sphere becomes about a meter wide. These spheres or orbs move rather slowly after being hurled, but always result in violent explosions upon impact. Orb projection is great for causing damage in large areas. 2
BLAST ★ This technique releases elemental energy in a concentrated area. The energy emanates from the user's palm or fist, but is not ranged. Blasts have high impact, which means that the target may be knocked down and vulnerable to further attacks. 1
WAVE ★ This technique releases a wave of elemental energy that travels forward and obeys the laws of physics. The height of the wave reaches about two meters. The energy behaves in the same way as water even if its elemental properties are different. Wave emission results in pools of elemental liquid on the ground, which continues to harm enemies if they are weak to that element. 4
MISSILE ★ This technique projects missiles of elemental energy. The missile shape reaches about a meter in length and is propelled by great force. Impact is always explosive, but concentrated. Missiles travel much faster than Orbs, but are less destructive. Missiles can be guided by the user, so they offer better precision over an extended area. 4
VORTEX ★ This technique creates a vortex of elemental energy. The vortex becomes about five meters wide and reaches up to fifty meters in height. The vortex is constantly swirling, violently, like a tornado. This technique is classed as an 'advanced' technique due to its dangerous and destructive nature. Vortex Projection must be constantly channeled, which means that the user is vulnerable at that time. The vortex can be directed as desired. 6
BARRIER ★ This technique creates a dome of elemental energy that protects against other elements or physical damage. The size of the dome can extend around the user, only, or a few additional people nearby. Barrier Creation is not channeled. It is created and persists until depleted. It protects against 1-3 attacks, depending on strength. The Metal element is the only element that protects against physical damage.3
REFLECTIVE ATTACKS ★ This technique projects bullet-sized beams that bounce off of surfaces. This technique is ideal for hitting enemies multiple times. It can be particularly devastating in small spaces with surfaces in all directions. 4
CLUSTER BOMB ★ This technique projects a cluster bomb of elemental energy. It is the ideal long-range technique for bombarding a large area. The impacts are concentrated explosions. Depending on element, this attack can be extremely devastating, as it is able to level entire buildings and towns. This is classed as an 'advanced' technique due to its dangerous nature. If used at short range, the user will likely kill herself. 6
E L E M E N T S You can combine any element with any technique that your character knows. Elements are free to harness, which means that your character automatically knows all of them. Elements: Fire, Ice, Air, Water, Earth, Electricity, Gravity, Poison, Metal, Crystal, Light, Dark. The Light and Water elements have restorative properties, if an Aeon directs it as such. Use the normal techniques with the intention of healing, and the technique will heal. Healing will lower the stagger number of another character.
A E S I R All the stagger you cause is contributed towards your character’s Energy. When this energy has been met, your character can summon an avatar of their chosen Aesir. The avatar will be under your control as a second character until its stagger is filled, in and out of combat. Aesir cannot be healed. When they disappear, you have to fill your Energy to summon it again. You can only have 1 Aesir, and you cannot change, so choose wisely. If you have an idea for your own Aesir, then I'm all for it. Make sure that you've got the lore written down and a high resolution image of it.
You can change the colors if you want. Character image/gif/mood board goes on top of the sheet. Character appearance should be the same across all characters, so it should be art similar to the image in the OOC thread. Completed character sheets go into the OOC for check-up before being posted in the Character Tab. Combat rules will be posted in the Character Tab, as well.
[CENTER][SUB][COLOR=cecece]N A M E S U R N A M E ◄ [color=4e5766]AGE[/color] ▎ [color=4e5766]MALE/FEMALE[/color] ▎ [color=4e5766]HEIGHT[/color] ►[/COLOR][/SUB][/CENTER]
[SUB][COLOR=4e5766]P R E S E N C E[/COLOR][/SUB][hr.][color=7a7a7a] This is about the way your character [i]is[/i]. It could be personality, but also general behavior and attitude. Presence can also include appearance descriptions.[/color]
[SUB][COLOR=4e5766]C H R O N I C L E[/COLOR][/SUB][hr.][color=7a7a7a] This can be any noteworthy event in your character's history. The only requirement is that your character lives in Oakridge.[/color]
[SUB][COLOR=4e5766]M E M O R I E S[/COLOR][/SUB][hr.][color=7a7a7a] Memories are for creating relations with other characters, be it player or non-player. A memory can be any kind of moment that two or more characters shared together. It can also be memories of non-player characters or events that shaped your character. Memories can be anything. Also include, somewhere, which Techniques your character know (found in the Combat hider).[/color]
[SUB][COLOR=4e5766]A E S I R[/COLOR][/SUB][hr.][color=7a7a7a] This section is for describing how your character's Aesir has affected him or her. You can only choose one Aesir for your character, and you cannot change later. Choose wisely.[/color]
What type of images are you looking for? And for what exactly?
Images that convey mood. It's essentially Final Fantasy + Dark Souls meet Orwell's 1984 + Half Life. I've got a few images collected already. I'm going to go through my art bookmarks, see what I can find.
Doing some finishing touches. I wanted to change the mood of the whole roleplay a bit with the addition of the summonable Aesir. Looking for visual inspiration images at the moment to go with the OOC. I'll take care of the map when the OOC is up and running, which will happen today or tomorrow. Everything is ready, just need some nice images to stir the imagination.
It's a simple combat system that I've used before. Your character's actions in combat count towards a number in the enemy. When that number has been filled, the enemy is 'staggered' and can be instantly killed by anyone. How much 'damage' you do is based on a mix of my judgement and static + random numbers. It's more of an anti-godmodding mechanic than anything else, really.
Member
TokyoPewPew
mickilennial
Candlelitsoul
vietmyke
Shadow Daedalus
Tally Dor
Einherjar 906
Blizz
Silent Showers
CaliforniaState
