ReedeThe23rd

From Ashes We Rise: The Galaxy At Large

Parrisan

Jonatan Rhen liked to think he was a simple man. He owned quite a bit of farmland, sure, and was one of the wealthiest in town because of it. But that didn't mean he was afraid of some honest work. Which was why he found himself knelt down, working away at his crops by hand. He'd been told the town would be getting some new tools he could buy to help with this. They'd told him that last year too. And the year before. By now, Jonatan had consigned himself to simply whittling away at it on his own. He sighed, looking up from the dirt to wipe his brow. Maybe he could-

His thoughts were cut off by a thunderous roaring from the sky, and a sharp glare catching him across the face. He looked to see what looked to be some sort of falling star careening off across the horizon. And it was headed straight for his fields several acres away. He stood, and quickly began to sprint off towards his farm home.

"Marthe, Marthe, come quickly!" he shouted as he ran, calling his wife to come outside. She did, startled look across her face.

"What is it, Jonatan? Why are you shouting, is something wrong?"

"I don't know! Something strange just came falling from the sky! It crashed in the field a ways away! Grab some water and come look with me, I don't want it to burn the crops!"

As Jonatan rushed away from the home and towards the object's landing site, his wife hurried to fill a pair of buckets from their well, rushing after him.

Marthe arrived heaving a bucket in each hand, nearly dropping them from shock at what she saw. Jonatan stood there too, eyes transfixed upon what had fallen into their world, changing it forever. A large, shimmering metal object, looking unharmed from the impact and partially burrowed into the ground. The strange thing opened with a hiss, and what was inside shocked them even more. A baby, the largest either of them had ever seen. The couple looked at each other before both carefully stepped towards the object, reaching in and hefting the child out together. Silently, they carried him to their home, both contemplating the bizarre situation they'd found themselves in. The baby looked up at them both, emerald eyes glinting in the daylight, hands reaching out to them.

Bringing the child inside, the two quickly worked to make up something they could set him on, as they figured out what to do.

"What do you think it could mean, Jon? A baby, falling from the sky? Its like something from out of an old fairy tale!"

"Well, this definitely isn't a tale. We've got to deal with this somehow. We need...we need to take him in."

"What if he's dangerous?!"

"We can't just abandon a baby out into the wilderness, Marthe! The right thing to do is to take him in and...see if anyone comes looking for him."

"Who would come looking for him? He fell from the sky, Jon!"

"Well maybe there's people out there. People like him. He's big, far bigger than he should be, he's definitely no normal man's son."

"So we're raising him then? Adopting a baby from the stars... Not at all how my mother would've expected her first grandchild."

"Well, if we're raising him, he'll need a name. Got any ideas, Marthe?"

At his, Marthe knelt down to look the child in the eyes, letting him softly grip one of her fingers in his hand.

"Wolfram, after my grandfather. People said he was a strange man, and I have a feeling they'll say the same about this boy here."

"Wolfram it is, then." Jonatan said with a small smile, kneeling down as well to gently rub the boy's head. Then he stood, heading back for the doorway. Marthe gave him a concerned look as he did, standing up.

"Where are you going now?"

"To bury that thing he came in. Last thing we need is people flocking from all over to oggle at the strange thing crashed into our farmland."

---

Wolfram grunted as he hefted several sacks of grain onto a cart in quick succession. He gave his father a smile as he dusted off his hands. The boy had grown incredibly fast, almost inhumanely so. He was already almost twice as tall as Jonatan, and seemed to have no sign of slowing down. He was strong, insanely strong. In the time he'd been helping around the farm he'd already made the job far easier than it could be. And that wasn't mentioning just how smart and gifted the boy was. When he'd heard about some of the new tools his father had been expecting, what they were supposed to help him do, he'd gone out, examined the crops for a while, then gone into town, and come back having built them himself. Standing here now, Jonatan couldn't help but be equally awed and startled at the way Wolfram was progressing.

"Thanks again, son. I can do it, it just goes by a lot quicker with your help."

"You're welcome, father. Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"Why don't you ride into town with me? I've got some stuff I need to tell you, and I think you're ready to hear them."

---

Wolfram stood in front of the mirror, examining what he could of his massive body within the frame. He was barely large enough to fit into the room without needing to duck down, much less the whole mirror. Nonetheless, he looked over the well-tailored outfit he'd been given, designed to fit his large size. It didn't bother him too much, being so large in comparison to those around him. Not after what his father had told him, shown him. He knew he wasn't a normal person, wasn't really his father's son. That strange object he'd been found in, buried at its crash site years ago, was still something he dwelled on from time to time. Its part of the reason he was doing what he was now, preparing to leave his hometown for the first time, to head to the largest university in Korstel, his homeland.

He'd gained more and more of an interest in machines, cities, and people as he'd grown. Learning how people grew their food, built their homes, traveled, and protected themselves. And eventually, he'd reached the limits of what he could learn in the town, and the neighboring towns. He knew he'd need a proper education if he wanted to learn more, especially if he wanted to learn about the object he'd come from within. And this was why his father and mother had been kind enough to give him a large amount of their savings, to help him see out his dream by attending the Vohenburg University for Science and Engineering.

The large man gave his parents one last hug goodbye, taking his things and loading them onto the cart they'd prepared for him. Guiding the animal and the vehicle out onto the road, he looked back at his home, and then forward towards his future. He didn't know what was in store for him, but he knew he had much to learn.

From Ashes We Rise : The Imperium Is Born

The Schuisse Guardians

Nico and Malthis stood outside their command tent, observing the battle before them. The troops of their company fighting side by side with the forces of the so-called Emperor of Mankind, assaulting the forces of Gyptus. Watching their men stand with the mighty Thunder Warriors was a sight to behold, the gene-modified warriors carving a path for their men and others to fill.

"I still don't like this." Malthis said, arms crossed as he looked over at Nico. "He might have a strong army, but he's far from the first person to try to conquer the world just because his army's big and strong."

Nico watched his troops through a set of magnoculars, lowering them to turn and face Malthis. "Your objections are noted, Malthis. But I feel differently. Look at how his troops fight for him. Its clear there's something more to him than just another warlord."

"So he's inspiring? We're mercenaries, Nico, our inspiration should be the biggest pay!"

"We're mercenaries *now*, but you know our heritage as well as I do. We used to serve a cause. We used to have dedicated purpose. We were the Guardians of one of the most important positions on the planet! And seeing this man, how he leads his men, how he inspires them, how he convinces them of his cause, I think we can have purpose again."

Malthis sighed and shook his head. "You're too much of an idealist, Nico. The world our founders lived in is long gone. The only thing important now is making sure you have the supplies to live to fight another day."

"Malthis, my friend. You need to learn to see the bigger picture. We are who we are because of our heritage, our regimentation, our organization. I made you leader of the Honorbound because I trusted you to drill our best and brightest in that philosophy. And you've done a fine job. But now I'm asking you to hold fast to that mindset, see where this goes."

"...Fine. But if this blows up in your face, I won't hesitate to say I told you so."

The two returned to watching the battle unfold. In the distance, a squad of Honorbound leapt to the defense of a pair of Thunder Warriors, lasers from their halberds cutting down the men that had ambushed them. The mercenaries stood at guard as the Thunder Warriors readied to rush back into the fray, and as the gene-soldiers charged forward, the squad rushed in after them, weapons at the ready.

Nico smiled. That kind of dedication to duty was what it was all about.

From Ashes We Rise : The Imperium Is Born

VIIth Primarch: Wolfram Rhen

Name: Wolfram Rhen

Legion: VIIth

Homeworld: Parrisan - A world in a stage roughly analogous to mankind's original Industrial Age on ancient Terra. Continents of forests, mountains and plains interspersed with vast oceans give way to a rapidly growing industrial population, reclaiming lost ancient technology and fully dominating the wilderness around them. Small villages and walled cities give way to urban sprawl and the first factories. The land Wolfram found himself in, Kortstel, is in a centralized location in one of the dominant continents of the world, and is steadily becoming primed to become a dominant powerhouse in the world.

Psyker Grade: Kappa - Wolfram's psychic potential manifests itself as a form of subconscious precognition he interprets as a "gut feeling" that regularly guides his decision-making process. It has been known to manifest more strongly in situations of high tension, stress, or anger.

Skills/Abilities:
Strategic Genius: - Wolfram is a master of logistics and broad strategy, the movement and planning of an entire front, directing entire army groups across fronts spanning an entire continent, armadas patrolling an entire ocean. Though he carries arms, they are not his true tools of battle. His weapon is the pen of a cartographer, his shield the map of a war theater, his armor the order directing distribution of forces, supply, and relief. While he has the same natural aptitude and inherent talent for physical combat as all other Primarchs, in terms of proficiency, the more intimate the fight becomes, the harder it becomes for Wolfram to comprehend. His mind is not build to lead a squad, a single division, or a ship. It is honed and trained to direct the men and women that do, to ensure they are able to operate at their peak in their chosen field of engagement.

Logistical Wizard: - There's a saying on Parrisan: The amateurs discuss tactics, the professionals study logistics. This quote is etched into Wolfram's very being, a core of how he views the world. To him, the matter of asset distribution is as much his hobby as it is his livelihood. Ensuring the people under his care have what they need, when they need it, where they need it and as quickly as possible is what gives him purpose. Efficiency, reliability, and consistency are the tenants he lives and works under every day.

Appearance: Wolfram resembles the common flavors of ancient North Europe stock, fair skin and hair, with a brighter verdant green eye color. In physical build and height, Wolfram is the best example of what would be the closest to a ‘stock Primarch’ were there ever such a thing. He stands at roughly 11 feet tall, with a build that towers over others, but with proportions more in line with one who does not actively serve in combat and instead keeps fit through physical regimens.

Concept: The VIIth Primarch was created to serve as the Emperor's Chief of Staff, to organize and direct the vast and labyrinthine military and administrative hierarchies of humanity's future empire, and service the will of those at their head. Turning the disparate and lost tribes and worlds of humanity into a well-oiled galactic nation capable of sustaining and defending itself is no easy feat, and even the Master of Mankind needs those who can organize, unite, and defend these worlds.

VIIth Legion: The Emperor's Hands

Legion Name: The Emperor's Hands

Associated Primach: Wolfram Rhen

Concept: Intended to serve as the shepherds and watchmen of humanity's development, the VIIth are a legion created to protect and organize mankind. Originally drawn from all across Terra at their founding, the legion's primary focus is to ready humanity to rule itself, occupying a land, fortifying it, and organizing its people before they are deemed ready, and moving on to carry again. They follow behind their gene-cousins, taking the lands they've supplanted and conquered, and forging them into living monuments to the strength of mankind.

From Ashes We Rise : The Imperium Is Born

VIIth Primarch: Wolfram Rhen

Name: Wolfram Rhen

Legion: VIIth

Homeworld: Parrisan - A world in a stage roughly analogous to mankind's original Industrial Age on ancient Terra. Continents of forests, mountains and plains interspersed with vast oceans give way to a rapidly growing industrial population, reclaiming lost ancient technology and fully dominating the wilderness around them. Small villages and walled cities give way to urban sprawl and the first factories. The land Wolfram found himself in, Kortstel, is in a centralized location in one of the dominant continents of the world, and is steadily becoming primed to become a dominant powerhouse in the world.

Psyker Grade: Kappa - Wolfram's psychic potential manifests itself as a form of subconscious precognition he interprets as a "gut feeling" that regularly guides his decision-making process. It has been known to manifest more strongly in situations of high tension, stress, or anger.

Skills/Abilities:
Strategic Genius: - Wolfram is a master of logistics and broad strategy, the movement and planning of an entire front, directing entire army groups across fronts spanning an entire continent, armadas patrolling an entire ocean. Though he carries arms, they are not his true tools of battle. His weapon is the pen of a cartographer, his shield the map of a war theater, his armor the order directing distribution of forces, supply, and relief. While he has the same natural aptitude and inherent talent for physical combat as all other Primarchs, in terms of proficiency, the more intimate the fight becomes, the harder it becomes for Wolfram to comprehend. His mind is not build to lead a squad, a single division, or a ship. It is honed and trained to direct the men and women that do, to ensure they are able to operate at their peak in their chosen field of engagement.

Logistical Wizard: - There's a saying on Parrisan: The amateurs discuss tactics, the professionals study logistics. This quote is etched into Wolfram's very being, a core of how he views the world. To him, the matter of asset distribution is as much his hobby as it is his livelihood. Ensuring the people under his care have what they need, when they need it, where they need it and as quickly as possible is what gives him purpose. Efficiency, reliability, and consistency are the tenants he lives and works under every day.

Appearance: Wolfram resembles the common flavors of ancient North Europe stock, fair skin and hair, with a brighter verdant green eye color. In physical build and height, Wolfram is the best example of what would be the closest to a ‘stock Primarch’ were there ever such a thing. He stands at roughly 11 feet tall, with a build that towers over others, but with proportions more in line with one who does not actively serve in combat and instead keeps fit through physical regimens.

Concept: The VIIth Primarch was created to serve as the Emperor's Chief of Staff, to organize and direct the vast and labyrinthine military and administrative hierarchies of humanity's future empire, and service the will of those at their head. Turning the disparate and lost tribes and worlds of humanity into a well-oiled galactic nation capable of sustaining and defending itself is no easy feat, and even the Master of Mankind needs those who can organize, unite, and defend these worlds.

VIIth Legion: The Emperor's Hands

Legion Name: The Emperor's Hands

Associated Primach: Wolfram Rhen

Concept: Intended to serve as the shepherds and watchmen of humanity's development, the VIIth are a legion created to protect and organize mankind. Originally drawn from all across Terra at their founding, the legion's primary focus is to ready humanity to rule itself, occupying a land, fortifying it, and organizing its people before they are deemed ready, and moving on to carry again. They follow behind their gene-cousins, taking the lands they've supplanted and conquered, and forging them into living monuments to the strength of mankind.

From Ashes We Rise : The Imperium Is Born

The Schuisse Guardians

Faction Name: The Schuisse Guardians

Faction Overview/Concept: An elite mercenary regiment claiming a heritage of bodyguards and hired soldiers for rulers dating long before the Age of Strife, roving the wastes of Terra to offer their services in exchange for supplies and advanced technology. What they lack in numbers they make up for in skilled training and organization.

Faction Assets: The core fighting force of the unit is around 1,000 combatants, with additional support staff, transportation, and similar. Primarily they operate as a special operations infantry force, outfitted with general infantry small arms and body armor. Their more specialized troops, known as the Honorbound, utilize a special form of power weapon, a halberd with a tip that fires a concentrated beam of energy.

Key Characters:
Nico Thron - The current standing leader of the Schuisse Guardians, he's a stern man with a fierce dedication to duty and tradition. Much of his time outside of battle and day-to-day affairs of the company has been to organize what they know of their traditions into a unit history of sorts, cataloging everything the formation's stories say about their past, and how they claim to have been organized and drilled since the start of their existence. After recent success in the lands east of Europa, he's ordered the unit to move further east, hearing rumors of a great warlord in Hymalazia preparing for battle.

Mathis Risch - The second-in-command and leader of the Honorbound, Mathis has long had a reputation for playing opposition advocate to Nico, pushing for consideration of various reforms, reorganizations, and reconsiderations on who to ally with for a contract. He's currently trying to talk Nico out of introducing the company to the ruler of Hymalazia, fearing the lands' proximity to Ursh makes it an unenviable position.

The Honorbound


Regular Infantry

From Ashes We Rise : The Imperium Is Born

Soon-to-be-Imperial Army bois

Faction Name: The Schuisse Guardians

Faction Overview/Concept: An elite mercenary regiment claiming a heritage of bodyguards and hired soldiers for rulers dating long before the Age of Strife, roving the wastes of Terra to offer their services in exchange for supplies and advanced technology. What they lack in numbers they make up for in skilled training and organization.

Faction Assets: The core fighting force of the unit is around 1,000 combatants, with additional support staff, transportation, and similar. Primarily they operate as a special operations infantry force, outfitted with general infantry small arms and body armor. Their more specialized troops, known as the Honorbound, utilize a special form of power weapon, a halberd with a tip that fires a concentrated beam of energy.

Key Characters:
Nico Thron - The current standing leader of the Schuisse Guardians, he's a stern man with a fierce dedication to duty and tradition. Much of his time outside of battle and day-to-day affairs of the company has been to organize what they know of their traditions into a unit history of sorts, cataloging everything the formation's stories say about their past, and how they claim to have been organized and drilled since the start of their existence. After recent success in the lands east of Europa, he's ordered the unit to move further east, hearing rumors of a great warlord in Hymalazia preparing for battle.

Mathis Risch - The second-in-command and leader of the Honorbound, Mathis has long had a reputation for playing opposition advocate to Nico, pushing for consideration of various reforms, reorganizations, and reconsiderations on who to ally with for a contract. He's currently trying to talk Nico out of introducing the company to the ruler of Hymalazia, fearing the lands' proximity to Ursh makes it an unenviable position.

From Ashes We Rise: An Alternate Warhammer 40,000 Unification and Great Crusade RP

All ready to be on board if you'll have me.

Star Wars -- Winter of the Confederacy

Did wanna say I am still around, just got some IRL stuff kicking my ass.

Star Wars -- Winter of the Confederacy

@Dusty Horthy said a couple days ago he'd get started today, and it's barely been a day since he was last around. RPs far from dead still lmao. Serious "dead chat XD" vibes

Star Wars -- Winter of the Confederacy

Markus Obel

[Markus Obel]

Age: 50

Species: Human

Allegiance: Confederate Clique

Physical Appearance: Markus has the look of an older man too stubborn to give up. His fair, weathered skin carries his wrinkles of age and stress like scars of battle, his blue eyes carrying a fire behind them that deceives their own age. His hair, once a smoothly parted deep brown, is now a roughly combed grey slowly and steadily fading to white.

Markus carries himself with an impressive and formal posture in all but the most relaxed of times, standing at a full six feet of height. He maintains a fit and well-exercised body in spite of his age, worn sinewy muscle across his body.

He regularly wears paramilitary clothing emblazoned with the shoulder patch of the Zantian Militia, a pair of black rifles crossed over a blue shield crest. In the few occasions in his career that still necessitate a more formal dress code, he dons a stately suit of a blue tunic with white trousers matched with black leather shoes.

Background: Markus originally hails from the Mid Rim world of Zantia, a decently successful agricultural and trade route world. The Obel family had long been a staple in the business and politics of the world, with members occasionally serving as Senators and Governors, and their name found in much of the history of the Zantian Merchant Militia. Markus himself entered into the militia with a junior officer's commission fresh into adulthood, diligently serving against assorted pirates and raider bands, earning a bit of a reputation with both the militia grunts and Republic Judicial forces as an honest, dutiful, and trustworthy officer. However, Markus' time placed him in direct conflict with the results of the increasingly ineffective central government of the Republic. This increasing disillusionment culminated in his first move upon leaving the Militia roughly 10 years before the Clone Wars: running for Senator.

Markus' senatorial campaign was born from genuine concern for the people of Zantia and the Republic as a whole. Tensions between the systems of the Mid and Outer Rim and the Inner and Core worlds of the Republic were flaring, and Markus wanted to make sure he could carry the voice of the people he'd seen left helpless right to the doorstep of the people causing it. Two terms in the Senate and mounting political frustrations resulted in Markus and Zantia being brought into the fold of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. But even the CIS was far from a unified front, and early on Markus was branded as a reconciliationist for his openly stated desire to see the CIS used as a means of addressing issues within the Republic and seeing them repaired, rather than fully supplanting and replacing the Republic or standing as an independent nation.

This was a weakness ruthlessly exploited by his opponent in the first, and ultimately only true CIS senatorial election. A man named Cathus Throge proved an expert political rival and speaker, stoking the fires of the ongoing war to have Markus lambasted as a useless anti-war politician and potential Republic sympathizer. Markus, for all his ability and career history, had no real means of striking back, and was promptly replaced early into the Clone Wars. In a desire to continue doing what he could for his people, Markus requested to reassume his commission in the Zantian Merchant Militia, at this point fully integrated into the wider CIS military command. Happy to welcome back an officer during the brunt of the Clone Wars, Markus' reunion with the Zantian Militia was cut short as the nature of the Galaxy rapidly changed.

The Chancellor of the Republic was nearly assassinated, a massive blow was struck to the CIS with the death of Count Dooku, General Grievious and much of the CIS leadership, the Republic reformed into the Galactic Empire and much of the assets of the CIS were lost. And at the top of it all, the invasion of Zantia. Imperial forces rapidly assaulted the planet, leaving very little time for anything resembling a defense. Instead, efforts of a concentrated evacuation were spearheaded by Markus and other militia leaders, bringing much of the population into an emergency flotilla before Imperial capture of the planet.

Much of the political leadership, including Cathus, were executed and replaced with an Imperial appointed governor, the world blockaded from future arrivals or escape. The Zantian exiles were forced to retreat to Outer Rim territory held by remaining CIS forces, where they quickly began to splinter under a lack of leadership. Seeing a chance to once again lead his people, Markus stepped up and presented himself to the Zantians and remnants of the CIS as the Governor-in-Exile of Zantia. A portion of the militia sided with Markus given his history with them, but many of the evacuated civilians rejected him, still seeing a hated reconciliationist and sympathizer. As the war dragged on and the Grand Alliance formed, Markus worked to balance the careful situation of both legitimizing his position and working to push back against the Empire and turn the tide of the war.

Skills:
Career Politician: Markus' history as a politician and spokesperson for the people of Zantia has given him a distinct insight in the bureaucratic and diplomatic game, an angle not many with a military focus can approach.

Multi-Branch Officer: As a militia officer, Markus' command experience was divided across both ground and space command, giving him a versatile military understanding

Weaknesses:
Soured Reputation: Markus' legitimacy as the leader of the rebellious Zantians is in question, with much of the population still viewing him as a sympathizer to the enemy even in spite of his service, limiting his reach into wider Alliance affairs.

Militia Commander: A militia, no matter how well drilled, is still a part-time army, and while Markus might be a seasoned commander, his familiarity is still with farmers and dockhands that learned to march, shoot, and operate retrofitted and upgunned cargo haulers.

Equipment: Markus primarily carries an SE-14 blaster pistol, E-5 blaster rifle, and a vibroknife as his armaments. In addition he carries a comlink, rangefinder magnoculars, first aid kit, and basic survival tools.