Thorn Darkblade
I know lots of things. Lots of things...
Anybody up for an anime style space opera? Here's the specifics:
-System: BESM 3rd Ed, 250 pt characters. Dynamic Sorcery, Dimensional Portal, and other such potent abilities won't be allowed.
-Semi-Troupe-Style Game. What does this mean? I will be running the majority of the plot line, but between major arcs, other players may run 'episodes' in the series. Everyone involved is both player and GM (although, you don't -have- to GM if you don't want to). Just make sure not to break the metaplot,
-Setting: Soft/Medium Sci-Fi. Series like Cowboy Bebop or Babylon 5 are good benchmarks for about how serious the tech is. In other words, a bunch of fancy words for stuff that probably would never work in the real world. Don't question it, or argue quantum physics. Have fun with it!
-Each player must come up with 3 ideas to play in this game: One piece of tech, one organization, and one location. This way, everyone's built a little bit of the world, and co-GMing will be a little easier. You do not have to post them until you're actually chosen for the game, so you don't feel like you wrote something for someone else's game (if you want to donate ideas ahead of time, I won't complain as long as you don't :tongue: )
-Looking for a minimum of 4 players, maximum of 6 to begin (including myself). Submit a basic concept of what you want to be. Purchasing a large scale ship will not be required...the troupe will attain one in the course of the story. Smaller, personal craft are allowed.
#1: Thorn Darkblade
#2: Maus
#3: Millershipper
#4:
(#5) :
(#6) :
Gonna post a bit of the timeline here for basic setting, plus a couple bits of my world
2038- World War 3/Foundation of the UEC- Rising tensions between various nations in the Middle East flared beyond control. Israel fired the first of an all out nuclear war with Iran, with numerous allies and mercenaries on both sides joining the conflict. Mass destruction reigns on the neighboring nations of Jordan, Egypt, and Syria. Pakistan fires upon India, and tensions between U.S. and China heighten. India attempts to return fire upon Pakistan, but is intercepted by the sudden unveiling of anti-missile technology by Japan. Japan demands the rest of the nations cease firing, and is met by nuclear fire from the U.S. and China. These attacks are also struck down, and, with anti missile technology and new laser satellites, Japan cripples the major offensive capabilities of all nations involved in the war. At a peace summit, Japan, China, and the U.S. become the forefront of the United Earth Confederation, with many other nations joining under their banner within 2 years. By the end of the next decade, beyond a few scattered holdouts, most nations have joined.
2088- K-E Meteorite Crashes- In the summer of 2088, a large meteor crashed into the side of the Alpamayo Mountain in Peru. A geological science team retrieved the meteor to study, but the original expedition team died of radiation poisoning a mere 3 days after recovering it. Two theoretical physicists, Edward Kaminsky and Anthony Evrett, acquired the meteor afterwards and ran many tests on it, discovering a highly radioactive isotope, the Kaminsky-Evrett Particle. This was later stabilized into the K-E Colloid, an incredibly potent fuel source, but, the only engines capable of handling the energy output were currently the size of a naval aircraft carrier. The power output, however, was incredible.
2091- K-E Engine Vanishes and Reappears- A mere year after the K-E engine went into operation, it vanished without a trace. The massive area it occupied was just empty, no signs of any sabotage. A week later, it reappeared, on top of an unfortunate investigation site which was destroyed in the process. Scientists researched it quickly learned that running the K-E Colloidal Engine at high outputs caused it to slip into a subdimensional space.
2097- Karkof Engine Designed- Russian scientist Sven Karkof took the design of the K-E Engine and streamlined it, creating a smaller and more efficient version of the original K-E Engine, with the ability to intentionally shift into subspace, now scientifically classified as Aetherial space. Test runs on oceanic ships prove that subaether travel is massively faster than normal travel, and plans to test in orbit prove equally as successful. Plans for an interplanetary vessel are made.
2105- Ares Launched- The UEC launches the first interplanetary colonization vessel, with Mars as the destination. The large space freighter is outfitted with a Subaether Karkof Drive, and makes the trip in a mere 12 days. Everything continues to go as planned, as an outpost is established. Within 5 years it grows into the first colony off of Earth. The ship itself was eventually scavenged as resources to build more of the colony.
2112- Luna Shipyards Built- After the success of the Ares expedition, another such expedition is set much closer to home, on the moon, but, an industrial outpost is built instead of a mere research facility. Mass production of interplanetary ships are built, as well as smaller ships for easier transportation back and forth from the earth. These smaller craft do not carry the Karkof Subaether drive, but instead have smaller K-E Particle engines incapable of reaching the output needed to slip into the subaether stream, able to reach Mars in 4 months of normal flight.
2142- Subaether Gates Built- The rapidly growing status of the Mars colony of Ares drove the UEC to develop less expensive means of interplanetary transit. Dr. Philip VanHook developed these means. A pair of gates, both an entrance and an exit, sustaining a very slightly opened subaether entrance at all times, no larger than a pinhole, only expending the energy to open it wider for entering and exiting ships, which could travel through the subaether stream using a regular energy output rather than the massive amounts needed to sustain subaether travel. Construction of the Luna and Phobos Gates were both completed in a mere 10 months, and smaller craft, including private craft owned by civilians, were able to travel freely to and from Mars, albeit not without paying a hefty toll.
2149- First Contact Made- Radio signals transmitted in the Subaether Stream are picked up by the Gilesian race. First contact is made on the moon of Deimos, and a interspecies embassy is set up on the moon. The race proves to be hospitable, and the advanced race shared much technology with humanity, in exchange for cultural items that they found simply fascinating. In particular, the race found a love for cane sugar, which was apparently native only to Earth with no similar plant on their world. Through connections, contact is made with several other alien races, although, none are nearly as prevalent as Gilesians within the Solar System.
2152- Terraforming of Mars Begins- With help from the Gilesians, the UEC began mass terraforming of Mars, starting with warming the icecaps, and introducing Gilesian plants, combined with gasses mined from space brought in by Gilesian ships. The massive project took a mere 30 years to give the planet a breathable, if somewhat thin, atmosphere.
2167- First Colony on Venus- The colonization ship Aphrodite reaches Venus without problem, although orbit decays quickly. The ship is cannibalized to make expansions to the colony, and terraforming plants are moved in, and although the toxic environment will take far longer to become breathable, the caustic environment is reduced in 5 years, requiring only minor life support and breathing apparatus for traveling outdoors.
2190- Longbow Gate Built- Longbow, the first inter-system Subaether Gate, is completed near a newly built outpost on Pluto, connecting the Gilese System with the Solar System. For the first time, private ships are able to travel to the Gilesian system, which serves as a hub to other galaxies. A secondary gate, nicknamed the Hades Gate, is built for military purposes only.
2249- Luna Gate Explodes- The most heavily used gate, the Luna Gate, becomes the subject of an anonymous terrorist attack. The resulting explosion rips a temporary tear into subaether space. The explosion is so massive, the moon itself begins to break apart, causing widespread destruction on Earth. The space near the moon remains forbidden space to this day, due to fluctuations of real and subaether realities.
2250- UEC Enforces Martial Law- In response to the terrorist attacks, the UEC declares martial law in effect within the Solar System. Accused 'terrorists' are tortured and executed quickly, and many military outposts take advantage of the declaration to become ruthless tyrannies with the backing of the UEC to overrule smaller outposts throughout the system. In reaction, many small resistance groups are formed. Most of these are crushed quickly, but, the UEC military bases underground on Mercury are overthrown with an almost complete and well organized mutiny, only a handful of officers being killed, giving the varying rebel factions a major staging point for freedom fighting.
2272- Mercury Bases Wiped Out- An unknown biological weapon is unleashed on the rebel fortresses on Mercury. Leaked video data shows a horrible sight, the entire population dying in less than a quarter hour, most in nearly a minute of exposure. While not linked directly to it, suspicion rests on the UEC, whom quickly moved in and cleaned up the base for their own personal use.
2282- Current Year
Organization: The Black Sun Dragons-
A well organized 'guild' of pirates, the Black Sun Dragons (also, Black Suns or Black Dragons) are a renowned and feared organization. While their influence near Earth and Mars is limited, in the major shipping lanes to Pluto, and in other systems, they are a major threat. Local security forces are paid off, and even a few entire colonies owe homage to them. The leaders are enigmatic beings, some rumored to be human, but none confirmed. Beyond mere piracy, some of their endeavors include advanced weapons research and recovering artifacts from long dead worlds, although the latter isn't used as an avenue of profit, but for some other purpose.
Location: Corus-4
An odd planet located by accident when a subaether jump failed, this out-of-the-way place is mostly a scientific curiosity, a nearly dead world with only sparse vegetation lit by the dim glow of a dying sun. Scattered about, however, are the remains of an ancient civilization that is not record in Gilesian or any of their allies' history. Constant geological disturbances have made it difficult for any long term archaeological research, and so it sits, most likely to crumble into nothingness. Those who have visited though claim to have vivid recurring dreams, urging them to return to the world, but accompanied with a feeling of unease. So far, all have avoided any return trips.
Tech: Magnetic Coil Rifle (MCR)
The issue of using combustibles to propel projectiles became somewhat problematic in space. As fusion power become easier, with safer materials and smaller builds, it wasn't long before stronger electromagnets could be developed. MCRs, often nicknamed 'rail guns' after the eponymous tech in many a sci-fi story, were large affairs at first, only suitable for attachment to military vessels. Technology progresses, however, and personal MCRs are standard issue to any UEC personal expected to fight in strange or no atmosphere. These weapons are incredibly dangerous, able to puncture through thick armors, and thus are not available for general civilian purchase, and even local law enforcement tend not to have them. Black markets, however, have recently been acquiring them and selling them to high bidding criminal organizations.
Questions? Comments? Concepts? Post away!!!
-System: BESM 3rd Ed, 250 pt characters. Dynamic Sorcery, Dimensional Portal, and other such potent abilities won't be allowed.
-Semi-Troupe-Style Game. What does this mean? I will be running the majority of the plot line, but between major arcs, other players may run 'episodes' in the series. Everyone involved is both player and GM (although, you don't -have- to GM if you don't want to). Just make sure not to break the metaplot,
-Setting: Soft/Medium Sci-Fi. Series like Cowboy Bebop or Babylon 5 are good benchmarks for about how serious the tech is. In other words, a bunch of fancy words for stuff that probably would never work in the real world. Don't question it, or argue quantum physics. Have fun with it!
-Each player must come up with 3 ideas to play in this game: One piece of tech, one organization, and one location. This way, everyone's built a little bit of the world, and co-GMing will be a little easier. You do not have to post them until you're actually chosen for the game, so you don't feel like you wrote something for someone else's game (if you want to donate ideas ahead of time, I won't complain as long as you don't :tongue: )
-Looking for a minimum of 4 players, maximum of 6 to begin (including myself). Submit a basic concept of what you want to be. Purchasing a large scale ship will not be required...the troupe will attain one in the course of the story. Smaller, personal craft are allowed.
#1: Thorn Darkblade
#2: Maus
#3: Millershipper
#4:
(#5) :
(#6) :
Gonna post a bit of the timeline here for basic setting, plus a couple bits of my world
2038- World War 3/Foundation of the UEC- Rising tensions between various nations in the Middle East flared beyond control. Israel fired the first of an all out nuclear war with Iran, with numerous allies and mercenaries on both sides joining the conflict. Mass destruction reigns on the neighboring nations of Jordan, Egypt, and Syria. Pakistan fires upon India, and tensions between U.S. and China heighten. India attempts to return fire upon Pakistan, but is intercepted by the sudden unveiling of anti-missile technology by Japan. Japan demands the rest of the nations cease firing, and is met by nuclear fire from the U.S. and China. These attacks are also struck down, and, with anti missile technology and new laser satellites, Japan cripples the major offensive capabilities of all nations involved in the war. At a peace summit, Japan, China, and the U.S. become the forefront of the United Earth Confederation, with many other nations joining under their banner within 2 years. By the end of the next decade, beyond a few scattered holdouts, most nations have joined.
2088- K-E Meteorite Crashes- In the summer of 2088, a large meteor crashed into the side of the Alpamayo Mountain in Peru. A geological science team retrieved the meteor to study, but the original expedition team died of radiation poisoning a mere 3 days after recovering it. Two theoretical physicists, Edward Kaminsky and Anthony Evrett, acquired the meteor afterwards and ran many tests on it, discovering a highly radioactive isotope, the Kaminsky-Evrett Particle. This was later stabilized into the K-E Colloid, an incredibly potent fuel source, but, the only engines capable of handling the energy output were currently the size of a naval aircraft carrier. The power output, however, was incredible.
2091- K-E Engine Vanishes and Reappears- A mere year after the K-E engine went into operation, it vanished without a trace. The massive area it occupied was just empty, no signs of any sabotage. A week later, it reappeared, on top of an unfortunate investigation site which was destroyed in the process. Scientists researched it quickly learned that running the K-E Colloidal Engine at high outputs caused it to slip into a subdimensional space.
2097- Karkof Engine Designed- Russian scientist Sven Karkof took the design of the K-E Engine and streamlined it, creating a smaller and more efficient version of the original K-E Engine, with the ability to intentionally shift into subspace, now scientifically classified as Aetherial space. Test runs on oceanic ships prove that subaether travel is massively faster than normal travel, and plans to test in orbit prove equally as successful. Plans for an interplanetary vessel are made.
2105- Ares Launched- The UEC launches the first interplanetary colonization vessel, with Mars as the destination. The large space freighter is outfitted with a Subaether Karkof Drive, and makes the trip in a mere 12 days. Everything continues to go as planned, as an outpost is established. Within 5 years it grows into the first colony off of Earth. The ship itself was eventually scavenged as resources to build more of the colony.
2112- Luna Shipyards Built- After the success of the Ares expedition, another such expedition is set much closer to home, on the moon, but, an industrial outpost is built instead of a mere research facility. Mass production of interplanetary ships are built, as well as smaller ships for easier transportation back and forth from the earth. These smaller craft do not carry the Karkof Subaether drive, but instead have smaller K-E Particle engines incapable of reaching the output needed to slip into the subaether stream, able to reach Mars in 4 months of normal flight.
2142- Subaether Gates Built- The rapidly growing status of the Mars colony of Ares drove the UEC to develop less expensive means of interplanetary transit. Dr. Philip VanHook developed these means. A pair of gates, both an entrance and an exit, sustaining a very slightly opened subaether entrance at all times, no larger than a pinhole, only expending the energy to open it wider for entering and exiting ships, which could travel through the subaether stream using a regular energy output rather than the massive amounts needed to sustain subaether travel. Construction of the Luna and Phobos Gates were both completed in a mere 10 months, and smaller craft, including private craft owned by civilians, were able to travel freely to and from Mars, albeit not without paying a hefty toll.
2149- First Contact Made- Radio signals transmitted in the Subaether Stream are picked up by the Gilesian race. First contact is made on the moon of Deimos, and a interspecies embassy is set up on the moon. The race proves to be hospitable, and the advanced race shared much technology with humanity, in exchange for cultural items that they found simply fascinating. In particular, the race found a love for cane sugar, which was apparently native only to Earth with no similar plant on their world. Through connections, contact is made with several other alien races, although, none are nearly as prevalent as Gilesians within the Solar System.
2152- Terraforming of Mars Begins- With help from the Gilesians, the UEC began mass terraforming of Mars, starting with warming the icecaps, and introducing Gilesian plants, combined with gasses mined from space brought in by Gilesian ships. The massive project took a mere 30 years to give the planet a breathable, if somewhat thin, atmosphere.
2167- First Colony on Venus- The colonization ship Aphrodite reaches Venus without problem, although orbit decays quickly. The ship is cannibalized to make expansions to the colony, and terraforming plants are moved in, and although the toxic environment will take far longer to become breathable, the caustic environment is reduced in 5 years, requiring only minor life support and breathing apparatus for traveling outdoors.
2190- Longbow Gate Built- Longbow, the first inter-system Subaether Gate, is completed near a newly built outpost on Pluto, connecting the Gilese System with the Solar System. For the first time, private ships are able to travel to the Gilesian system, which serves as a hub to other galaxies. A secondary gate, nicknamed the Hades Gate, is built for military purposes only.
2249- Luna Gate Explodes- The most heavily used gate, the Luna Gate, becomes the subject of an anonymous terrorist attack. The resulting explosion rips a temporary tear into subaether space. The explosion is so massive, the moon itself begins to break apart, causing widespread destruction on Earth. The space near the moon remains forbidden space to this day, due to fluctuations of real and subaether realities.
2250- UEC Enforces Martial Law- In response to the terrorist attacks, the UEC declares martial law in effect within the Solar System. Accused 'terrorists' are tortured and executed quickly, and many military outposts take advantage of the declaration to become ruthless tyrannies with the backing of the UEC to overrule smaller outposts throughout the system. In reaction, many small resistance groups are formed. Most of these are crushed quickly, but, the UEC military bases underground on Mercury are overthrown with an almost complete and well organized mutiny, only a handful of officers being killed, giving the varying rebel factions a major staging point for freedom fighting.
2272- Mercury Bases Wiped Out- An unknown biological weapon is unleashed on the rebel fortresses on Mercury. Leaked video data shows a horrible sight, the entire population dying in less than a quarter hour, most in nearly a minute of exposure. While not linked directly to it, suspicion rests on the UEC, whom quickly moved in and cleaned up the base for their own personal use.
2282- Current Year
Organization: The Black Sun Dragons-
A well organized 'guild' of pirates, the Black Sun Dragons (also, Black Suns or Black Dragons) are a renowned and feared organization. While their influence near Earth and Mars is limited, in the major shipping lanes to Pluto, and in other systems, they are a major threat. Local security forces are paid off, and even a few entire colonies owe homage to them. The leaders are enigmatic beings, some rumored to be human, but none confirmed. Beyond mere piracy, some of their endeavors include advanced weapons research and recovering artifacts from long dead worlds, although the latter isn't used as an avenue of profit, but for some other purpose.
Location: Corus-4
An odd planet located by accident when a subaether jump failed, this out-of-the-way place is mostly a scientific curiosity, a nearly dead world with only sparse vegetation lit by the dim glow of a dying sun. Scattered about, however, are the remains of an ancient civilization that is not record in Gilesian or any of their allies' history. Constant geological disturbances have made it difficult for any long term archaeological research, and so it sits, most likely to crumble into nothingness. Those who have visited though claim to have vivid recurring dreams, urging them to return to the world, but accompanied with a feeling of unease. So far, all have avoided any return trips.
Tech: Magnetic Coil Rifle (MCR)
The issue of using combustibles to propel projectiles became somewhat problematic in space. As fusion power become easier, with safer materials and smaller builds, it wasn't long before stronger electromagnets could be developed. MCRs, often nicknamed 'rail guns' after the eponymous tech in many a sci-fi story, were large affairs at first, only suitable for attachment to military vessels. Technology progresses, however, and personal MCRs are standard issue to any UEC personal expected to fight in strange or no atmosphere. These weapons are incredibly dangerous, able to puncture through thick armors, and thus are not available for general civilian purchase, and even local law enforcement tend not to have them. Black markets, however, have recently been acquiring them and selling them to high bidding criminal organizations.
Questions? Comments? Concepts? Post away!!!
Last edited by a moderator:
