shaitarn

Besieged

Just wondering if anyone would be interested in a siege-type game, with people playing either the besieged defenders or the attackers (or both!)

I was thinking of some sort of fantasy setting originally, and have two ideas:

1/ a fort on the absolute edge of an empire, which is basically where the unwanted troops get sent - those either too old or very young and inexperienced or those who have just screwed up in some major way. The young soldiers are sent to do a couple of months there to weed out the weak, the old are sent there to be forgotten and rot out the rest of their careers without troubling the empire.

2/ a tavern in a small middle of nowhere village. A group of travellers, strangers to each other, have been forced to seek shelter by the freak blizzard conditions when the building's attacked from outside. If they try to flee they'll die of exposure within a few hours - they have no choice but to stay and fight.

If anyone's interested but has a suggestion for a different setting then just say.

Allevent: the Sky Pirates of Oceanica

A figure stepped into Cally’s field of vision and she glanced up. It was the Doctor, the one that didn’t look totally human. He made a slight gesture with his hands. “Yes, you girl. Come, come.” He said. His tone was mild, not at all impatient, but he continued on his way without stopping.

Cally bit back a sigh. “Yes, Mr Octavius.” She said politely, and quickly finished coiling the rope she had been winding and replaced it carefully on the deck before hurrying after him. She knew that the captain would’ve told him to keep her in the infirmary while he and his crew attacked pirates (because of course the people they were attacking had to be pirates, didn’t they?) to ensure she didn’t get injured. Yes, father would be upset if she got hurt, but why had he bothered paying for her to have fencing lessons if he never expected her to fight? Oh well – she’d been in the infirmary before, and found it a pleasant enough place; the books that were stacked in the bookcase on the right wall, the desk in front of the window, the many plants that stood in the room, all of them gave the room an appearance almost like a study providing one didn’t look too closely at the operating table.

Cally glanced over the side at the clouds all around them as the deck jerked slightly underneath her, instinctively shifting her balance to compensate and gave a slight smile. She loved being aboard an airship – there was no feeling like it. Life on solid ground felt stale and boring afterwards.

“What would you like me to help you with, doctor?” She asked as she dropped into step beside him. No doubt there was plenty they needed to do before the battle started.

Allevent, Realm of Caith

Hider

“There’s more to life than profit”

Name: Caliana d’Arrowen
Nickname/Alias/Title: Sometimes called Cally
Sex: Female
Age: 19
Race: Human
Occupation: merchant’s daughter/currently a normal crewmember on the Aleph Null

Past: The only daughter of a well-off merchant who traded in caith crystals and high quality goods it seemed that Cally would have a life of ease and she was brought up learning the manners of polite society and developing some considerable talent in music and dance.

When she was 12 her older brother died, leading Cally as her father’s only successor. Her life changed practically overnight; her father started taking her on his voyages and tried to teach her the skills useful to a merchant. Although she was already a skilled reader and her practice in dancing stood her in good stead when it came to the dexterity needed in moving about a ship and her fencing lessons, her naïve outlook and belief in always doing the right thing means that she will probably never have the haggling skills necessary to make her a skilled merchant. Her father quietly despairs of her.

Present: Pirates attacked Cally’s father on his last trip, taking much of his cargo and leaving him badly wounded and the majority of his crew dead. Despite his losses, he still had enough money to hire Grady and his ship to recover his cargo (if it hasn’t been sold) and to avenge his crew by killing the pirates. Oh, and to take his daughter along – officially to represent his interests, unofficially in a last ditch attempt to knock her naïve ideas out of her head and make her grow up. His only instructions are to ensure she comes back in one piece without any hideous scars or pregnant.

Cally isn’t stupid so much as naïve and innocent – growing up in luxury, she tends to be fairly trusting and takes people at face value without questioning their motives. Though she has as little interest in trading as she does talent, she loves travelling on airships and would be happy to spend her life sailing from place to place. Thanks to her travels on her father’s ship she’s experienced at the everyday tasks involved in running a ship and is happy to earn her keep by working like any ordinary sailor.

She stands about average height, possibly an inch or so taller than most, with a lean but fairly solid build. She has long light brown hair tied back (strands are always coming loose), grey-blue eyes and features that are a little too strong to be considered pretty. Ever since spending most of her time on a ship she’s been wearing masculine clothing of breeches and a plain white shirt with a sleeveless jerkin (much to her mother’s distress).

Future: Cally knows her father is expecting her to take his place, and although she doesn’t want to upset him, her heart just isn’t in the business. Her own dreams involve a rather romantic idea of sailing the world as a renowned bard or musician.

Skills: Cally has some considerable skill as a musician; she has a good singing voice and is a capable lute player.
She has been trained by some fine fencing masters and is very good with the sword she carries.
Despite her lack of diplomatic skills, she has been brought up with good manners and is happy dealing with people in various levels of society.
She is literate and has reasonably good mathematical skills.

Strengths: [Dexterity; Charisma;]
Having been onboard airships for much of her life, Cally has fine airlegs and moves with a quick graceful confidence on ship.
Cally may be naïve and occasionally irritating, but her general friendliness, her willingness to attend to any tasks that need doing on ship and her good natured response to any teasing means that most people feel reasonably positive about her.

Weaknesses: [Choose two and describe/elaborate: Attack; Perception]
Although she’s skilled with her sword Cally has never used it in real combat and is likely to freeze up or panic in a real fight, particularly when blood starts flowing. She’ll almost certainly be violently sick afterwards.
Cally’s black and white outlook means that she’s blinded to the various shades of grey that make up the majority of people in the world.

Equipment:
She carries a side-sword (similar to a rapier, but with a wider blade with a cutting edge) and a couple of knives as back up weapons.
She also has a small lute, though obviously she doesn’t carry it about on her all the time.

(Sorry of the picture link doesn't work - including pictures in character descriptions is still a relatively new thing to me! Also, please let me know if her description needs expanding at all).

~~~The Harlequin's Shadow ~~~ A Supernatural Circus

Cassie hummed softly as she brushed Spirit's flank. She always insisted on caring for her horses herself, especially after a performance. The horse dropped its head slightly to nuzzle her shoulder and she smiled, giving the animal one last affectionate pat.

"A decent show tonight," she murmured. Her mind started to drift back to her act as she checked her horses were comfortable for the night. There was a new trick she wanted to start working on tomorrow - the Cossack Death Drag.

Sable lifted his head, snorting. Cassie looked up, catching a glimpse of white a second before a small origami bird fluttered down to land on the fence next to her. So. It seems that we have a real show tonight. She gave a slight smile as she packed her brushes away.

The slightest ripple of movement travelled along her back and arms, tiny wisps of colour drifting up into the air and disappearing like smoke as the tattoos on her skin changed; the painted birds spread their wings in preparation of a hunt, the tightly curled petals of a rosebud half-unfurled.

She was smiling as she made her way to the gate.

~~~The Harlequin's Shadow ~~~ A Supernatural Circus

@shaitarn, approved but please try to break up your paragraphs a bit. It's nitpicky I know, but I have trouble reading blocks of text.

@Trinais

No problem; I've spaced it up on the character sheet list.

~~~The Harlequin's Shadow ~~~ A Supernatural Circus

Name: Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Bellefontaine – she never uses her full name.

Sex: Female

Description: Cassie stands about 5’5” tall and is slim but somewhat curvy. She has long black hair which she usually wears tied back unless performing, when she wears it loose and flowing. She has dark green eyes and a gracefully pretty face, looking genuinely beautifully when she smiles. Her entire body from her shoulders to her ankles is covered in colourful tattoos. Stars, hearts, birds, moons, suns and flowers can be seen among the colourful mix along with sailing ships, webs and roses with thorny vines. People who study them may notice that they seem to change position on her body, though no one ever sees them moving.

Date inducted: Late 1700s.

Role: Former tattooed lady/trick daredevil

Offensive Power:
Her horse riding act has left her limber and agile – while nowhere near as graceful as Aurelie, she can perform basic acrobatic moves quickly enough to get herself out of harm’s way.

Her tattoos function as both armour and weapon: when fighting shadows they wrap and flow around her like form-fitting armour, and two long streams of colour flow into her hands which she wields as whips of multi-coloured light against the darkness.

Biography: Born in a family with a name and title but precious little money, Cassandra (as her parents insisted on calling her) grew up in a world of genteel poverty. She was taught the arts that a young lady of the time should know, though her parents despaired of her spirited temper, and was raised to snare a rich husband. When she was 20 she as married off to a rich slave trader move than twice her age. Cassie tried to make the best of the match, but her new husband soon proved to be a cruel, vicious man who treated her much as he might one of his own slaves – something he’d bought and can use as he chose. Which included breaking her if he wished.

She endured marital rape and his emotional and physical abuse for the next eighteen months; she tried to flee to her parents but they refused to help her, claiming it would disgrace the family if she left him and forced her to return.

After enduring another beating, Cassie snapped. She dismissed the servants for the night, sending them off to see the circus that had arrived that day, stole a knife from the kitchen and while her husband slept that night she stabbed him. Repeatedly. The only thing she felt as his blood splashed against her skin was a tired relief that it was over – he couldn’t hurt her anymore. She set fire to the house as she left and released the horses from the stables, taking one to ride away to a safe distance and watch the house burn.

At this point the mysterious ringmaster offered her his deal – join him, and everyone would assume Cassandra Bellefontaine had died with her husband; no one would look for her in the circus. She accepted without hesitation, and when they shook hands the bruise and blood on her skin transformed into colourful tattoos, concealing the marks of the abuse she had suffered. She’s travelled with the circus ever since; as tattoos are no longer a sensational thing on a woman, she’s graduated as a daredevil horseback rider.

Other:
Nationality: English/British (obvious from her soft accent).

She professes to be bisexual, but seems to prefer other women as partners. Whether this is natural inclination or a reaction to the abuse she suffered is debateable.

She never talks about her past, but shows a marked empathy for others who show the signs of physical or mental abuse.

She has two horses – one pure white called Spirit, the other jet black named Sable. She knows they’re not original names, but so what?

Audition: “And now, a tradition that dates back to the first days of the circus – Cassie our daredevil rider!” The lights went up and wild gypsy music began to play as a pair of horses, one black, one white, galloped into the ring. The small girl watching the show clapped enthusiastically as a young woman rode on the white; her long black hair whipped out behind her as she raised her arms above her head.

The two horses galloped side by side around the ring. The girl watched spellbound as the young woman spun smoothly from one impossible pose to another, standing upright with both arms raised, swinging out of the saddle and re-mounting in a quick swirl of limbs so she faced backwards until she remounted again, her body lying sideways across the saddle, head downwards. The girl gave a gasp as the young woman performed a quick backwards roll on the horse before vaulting onto the black.

She rolled up into a headstand, and the crowd cheered as she performed the splits upside down, holding the pose for one full gallop around the ring.

The small girl gasped as the young woman swung out of the saddle, hanging almost upside down for a minute, one hand dangling to the ground before she swung back and up to her feet. She vaulted backwards, balancing on her hands before springing up into a somersault that left her standing with one foot on either horse. She raised one arm, acknowledging the cheers from the crowd. Streamers of colour seemed to flow from the limb.

The child applauded until her hands ached as the horses reared up in unison and then stretched out their front legs, lowering their bodies as they too took their bows.

Allevent, Realm of Caith

I'm currently toying with the idea of a swashbuckling young miss who's the representative (possibly a relative) of a client who's officially been sent aboard to ensure the client's business is handled correctly, unofficially to get rid of her for a bit as she's still very innocent or idealistic and to be honest is a bit of a pain. She doesn't mind working like a normal crewmember, but is likely to be shocked the first time the crew go all out pirate on her.

~~~The Harlequin's Shadow ~~~ A Supernatural Circus

Name: Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Bellefontaine – she never uses her full name.
Sex: Female
Description: Cassie stands about 5’5” tall and is slim but somewhat curvy. She has long black hair which she usually wears tied back unless performing, when she wears it loose and flowing. She has dark green eyes and a gracefully pretty face, looking genuinely beautifully when she smiles. Her entire body from her shoulders to her ankles is covered in colourful tattoos. Stars, hearts, birds, moons, suns and flowers can be seen among the colourful mix along with sailing ships, webs and roses with thorny vines. People who study them may notice that they seem to change position on her body, though no one ever sees them moving.
Date inducted: Late 1700s.
Role: Former tattooed lady/trick daredevil

Offensive Power:
Her horse riding act has left her limber and agile – while nowhere near as graceful as Aurelie, she can perform basic acrobatic moves quickly enough to get herself out of harm’s way.
Her tattoos function as both armour and weapon: when fighting shadows they wrap and flow around her like form-fitting armour, and two long streams of colour flow into her hands which she wields as whips of multi-coloured light against the darkness.

Biography: Born in a family with a name and title but precious little money, Cassandra (as her parents insisted on calling her) grew up in a world of genteel poverty. She was taught the arts that a young lady of the time should know, though her parents despaired of her spirited temper, and was raised to snare a rich husband. When she was 20 she as married off to a rich slave trader move than twice her age. Cassie tried to make the best of the match, but her new husband soon proved to be a cruel, vicious man who treated her much as he might one of his own slaves – something he’d bought and can use as he chose. Which included breaking her if he wished.
She endured marital rape and his emotional and physical abuse for the next eighteen months; she tried to flee to her parents but they refused to help her, claiming it would disgrace the family if she left him and forced her to return.
After enduring another beating, Cassie snapped. She dismissed the servants for the night, sending them off to see the circus that had arrived that day, stole a knife from the kitchen and while her husband slept that night she stabbed him. Repeatedly. The only thing she felt as his blood splashed against her skin was a tired relief that it was over – he couldn’t hurt her anymore. She set fire to the house as she left and released the horses from the stables, taking one to ride away to a safe distance and watch the house burn.
At this point the mysterious ringmaster offered her his deal – join him, and everyone would assume Cassandra Bellefontaine had died with her husband; no one would look for her in the circus. She accepted without hesitation, and when they shook hands the bruise and blood on her skin transformed into colourful tattoos, concealing the marks of the abuse she had suffered. She’s travelled with the circus ever since; as tattoos are no longer a sensational thing on a woman, she’s graduated as a daredevil horseback rider.

Other:
Nationality: English/British (obvious from her soft accent).
She professes to be bisexual, but seems to prefer other women as partners. Whether this is natural inclination or a reaction to the abuse she suffered is debateable.
She never talks about her past, but shows a marked empathy for others who show the signs of physical or mental abuse.
She has two horses – one pure white called Spirit, the other jet black named Sable. She knows they’re not original names, but so what?

Audition: “And now, a tradition that dates back to the first days of the circus – Cassie our daredevil rider!” The lights went up and wild gypsy music began to play as a pair of horses, one black, one white, galloped into the ring. The small girl watching the show clapped enthusiastically as a young woman rode on the white; her long black hair whipped out behind her as she raised her arms above her head.
The two horses galloped side by side around the ring. The girl watched spellbound as the young woman spun smoothly from one impossible pose to another, standing upright with both arms raised, swinging out of the saddle and re-mounting in a quick swirl of limbs so she faced backwards until she remounted again, her body lying sideways across the saddle, head downwards. The girl gave a gasp as the young woman performed a quick backwards roll on the horse before vaulting onto the black.
She rolled up into a headstand, and the crowd cheered as she performed the splits upside down, holding the pose for one full gallop around the ring.
The small girl gasped as the young woman swung out of the saddle, hanging almost upside down for a minute, one hand dangling to the ground before she swung back and up to her feet. She vaulted backwards, balancing on her hands before springing up into a somersault that left her standing with one foot on either horse. She raised one arm, acknowledging the cheers from the crowd. Streamers of colour seemed to flow from the limb.
The child applauded until her hands ached as the horses reared up in unison and then stretched out their front legs, lowering their bodies as they too took their bows.

~~~The Harlequin's Shadow ~~~ A Supernatural Circus

I'm probably using the wrong term; I'm thinking of the sort of woman in sequins you see performing stunts on horseback.

Apologies if I can't get this link thing to work; if I can, this is what you'd see while she's practising:

I have to go to bed, so I'll get her posted first thing tomorrow.

Rampant: A Superhero/ Supervillain RP

I might drop in a metal manipulator if that's okay.