“The Cosmos extends, for all practical purposes, forever. After a brief sedentary hiatus, we are resuming our ancient nomadic way of life. Our remote descendants, safely arrayed on many worlds throughout the Solar System and beyond, will be unified by their common heritage, by their regard for their home planet, and by the knowledge that, whatever other life may be, the only humans in all the Universe come from Earth. They will gaze up and strain to find the blue dot in their skies. They will love it no less for its obscurity and fragility. They will marvel at how vulnerable the repository of all our potential once was, how perilous our infancy, how humble our beginnings, how many rivers we had to cross before we found our way.” -Carl Sagan This is the discussion thread for the RPG "New Hope's Last Overture (All the Distant Ships)". Here, you may place your character sheet (once approved by myself) and background (if you wish to reveal it; alternatively, you may withhold your background if you intend to reveal it as a method of advancing storyline). This will be my first time GM'ing an RPG of this style. However, I do have an extensive Table-Top RPG background, including DM'ing Dungeons and Dragons (as well as creating and running my own campaign) and d20 Modern/Future campaigns. This game is intended to share the harrowing accounts of Earth's species as they struggle for survival in an ever expanding universe. I can't wait to see how you, the players, will tell that story. I look forward to sharing the future of the known galaxy with you!
OOOOOOOH BOY! Sign me up! I'm going to have to make my own rpg some day but for now you bet I'll join. I just got to think of a character now. Hmmmmmm. I'll pm you when I come up with something, but creativity can't be rushed so it might take a little while.
This sounds interesting! Can we get some more information on the races? I'm thinking of making a dark elf character and am wondering what you imagined them to look like.
Exzalia: Sounds great! I look forward to your RPG, but for now, I look forward to seeing your character! I fully understand the creative process. Please, take your time, and feel free to play with the history of "After Earth", as well. It may help to inspire classes and characters! Forgotten_Memories: Certainly! Dark Elves have ashen-gray to ink-black skin, with dust-grey to white hair. They possess all the same physical characteristics as traditional Elves, though their species is often discriminated against because of their origins as "creatures of the night". In the distant past, they were sensitive to light, and would rarely spend more than a few minutes in full sun. That trait has since been bred out, but they are still victims of prejudice. Consequently, they draw their magical abilities from a different source than most Earth Peoples (possibly gamma rays or dark matter?), so their magic tends to be the most powerful of the species, also furthering the prejudice against them. They should be a most interesting species to play!
While I am here, I might as well post my character sheet. Exzalia, you're probably somewhat familiar with his future self! *Name: Aeros *Species: Moon Elf *Gender: Male *Age: 59 Earth years *Appearance: 6' 2"; pale, Elven skin; loose, freely flowing, medium-long dark brown hair; rugged and unshaven. *Class: Infiltrator *Class Feat: Light-footed (Grants speed, stealth, and acrobatics) *Alliance: Rebellion *Faction: Primum Exercitus (The First Army) *Weapons: Long Range: HK G36E rifle & HK USP .40 pistol Melee: Infiltrator's shortsword *Character Background: Aeros was born in New Hope during the final decades of its stability. His mother, a bio-technical engineer, and father, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Extra-Solar Colonization, both worked tirelessly on Project Long March; a mission to develop an Earth Peoples’ colony on extrasolar planets. They were instrumental in successfully engineering the first colony to orbit Kepler-22, an alien sun. In his advanced education, Aeros studied Exobiology, receiving his specialist degree in Molecular Exobiology. However, just three months before his graduation from the Planetary Institute, New Hope's economy collapsed, due largely to scientific research and development organizations moving to a colony on the dwarf planet Eris in order to more easily facilitate further exploration of the galaxy. Shortly after the scientific exodus, New Hope became an isolated colony, too small and non-industrial to develop its own interplanetary transports, and was soon forgotten by the Earth Peoples at large. Aeros joined the Rebellion within days of its formation, quickly playing an important role in gathering intelligence against the New City Father's organized military forces.
I'll get you a character sheet by this evening. I'm already writing my character's first post in my head.
Name: Anna McKeller (prefers Kelly) Species: Half human/half Elf. Kelly, however, keeps her elvin heritage hidden from those around her because of the prejiduce she has seen against the other alien races. Gender: Female Age: 25 Earth years Appearance: 5' 6", Has sandy brown hair that is always covering her pointed ears. She also has light blue eyes. Kelly is wearing a dark blue pilot's jumpsuit. It has been altered to protect one from the Radiation on planet earth. Class: pilot Class Feat: Advanced instincts. Her elvin side gives her a boost on all her senses as well as uncanny instincts making her an invaluable fighter pilot both in space and in the atmosphere. Alliance: Rebellion Faction: The United Earth Federation Space Force Humanitarian Division Weapons: concealed pistol and an army knife in her shoe
To address some questions and promote greater clarity of the storyline, I'll make a few points. The Earth was left an uninhabitable waste land after the great nuclear war. There is no life on Earth because of the deadly radiation. New Hope is a colony on the Earth's moon. Because humanoid settlements were growing outside of the solar system, New Hope, along with other solar system colonies, was left behind (much like a city that has stopped growing loses much of its progress to a larger, more advanced city). There is now a civil war on New Hope (the colony on the Earth's moon) between humans and the mythical species (like Elves, Dwarves, Goblins, etc.). "Earth Peoples" refer to all hominids who descended from Earth; so basically, all hominids in the story. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, Goblins, Sprites, Dragonborns, etc., are all considered "Earth Peoples". For further clarification, just ask! Sorry about the confusion.
hope you like her! She's actually one of my own character concepts that never saw fruitation. TILL NOW! I forgot to mention, she has blue eyes and black hair. *Name: Kate *Species: human *Gender: female *Age: 21 *Class: Psy programmer *Class Feat: psy programmers can build automated units and control them with something called a psyck link. Part of their brain is converted into an actual computer, it translates human brain waves into computer codes allowing her to control the cpu's she linked with, in this case her A,S (Auto sapien) Nate. If she manages to hack into other cpu's like the cpu of a space cruiser, she can influence what it does. Example causing the engines to randomly shot off, Of course she can only do this if she hacks it first which is impossible unless she has access to it prior to take off. All psy programmers have an A,S (auto sapien) Or A,M (Auto mate) Kate has an A,S based off her now deceased twin whos' name was Nate. Psy programmers also have enhanced brain function due to the fact a third of their brain is a computer, shes the worlds ultimate human calculator, she has enhanced reflexes, and flawless memory. She can also communicate with out external devices (Like cell phones) It's all done with her brain. *Alliance: (New City Fathers or the Rebellion) Neither, though that will change depending on how the story unfolds. *Faction: (You may create your own "group") none, though again that may change. *Weapon: (two long-range weapons maximum, one melee weapon maximum) Her primary weapon is her Auto sapien Nate. It used to be just a service droid but after her twin died she modified it giving it the means to defend her. It carries a double barrel automatic bolt pistol in it's right arm, it shoots like a standered machine gun. Each round carries a electronic charge, if it penetrates armour, the charges will electrocute the target. She carries the same weapon to defend her self, she also wields a small bolt gun made for close combat and disabling hostile mechanical units. If up close she can fire the bolt gun to stun other machines (Making hacking easier) or she can use it to damage enemy organics. *Character Background: (PM to the GM) Now for the big twist, she's actually from earth! Dun dun DUN! she comes from a long line of survivors who fled to the north pole when the great war erupted. They lived under ground for centuries perfecting the technology she now wields. While she was young she and her twin heard stories passed down from her grand fathers about the the paradise that was New Hope. Fact became legend and New hope was propped up as some sort of heavenly paradise like from the bible. Finally centuries later they gathered enough resources to try flying there them selves, but then tragedy struck. Her family suddenly started dyeing from a strange illness, soon it was only her and her twin and for years they were alone trying to leave this god forsaken planet, But just as they were almost ready he too died. That's when she modified their auto sapien to look like him. the death of her family was too much for her, especially her twin brother who was her only comfort for ten years. it has affected her mentally, but you would never guess it until you see her treating her auto sapien like it's actually her twin. whether she realizes it's just a machine and is just her way of coping, or she really believes it's him is up for you to decide. *Other Relevant Modifiers: (For Pilots or for PCs stationed aboard orbiting ships/stations, name your Vessel/Ship/Station Class, Vessel/Ship/Station Name, and Call Sign) For untold time her family had collected resources to build a space craft under ground capable of flying to New hope, the fabled paradise. The ship is named Hope, it's call sign is 7124. It has no weapons and is a little shoty, but it flies well enough.
*Taps fist against chest* Thankyou very much! I think that was my best writing yet. I think I was able to give an adaquit opening to any rebels/ civilans in the war torn city that want to jump in the game. If you want to interact with Kelly and get on/ or attack the ship, feel free to write it's landing and six soldiers filing out.
Phoenix: Sounds great! I look forward to it! LTW: *Taps fist against chest in response* It was definitely an excellent, powerful, moving piece! I'm looking forward to interacting with Kelly!
*Name: Alistair Sur'ma-rac *Species: Dark Elf *Gender:Male *Age:207 *Class:Void Mage *Class Feat:Vortex-(causes a localized dark matter vortex that nullifies gravity and causes havoc with electronics for about 20 seconds. Takes a heavy toll on Alistair however, and if he uses it to often, he runs the risk of over exerting his magical ability and draining energy directly from his life force.) *Alliance:Rebellion *Weapon: Long Range:SMG, Battle Rifle Melee: Halberd *Character Background: Alistair had been a special forces agent for the new hope government before they declared themselves The New City Fathers. After that, they cut ties to all Elven agents, and attempted to remove information leaks by eliminating them all. Alistair was the only on in his unit to escape. After going into hiding until the war broke out, Alistair immediately joined up with the rebellion forces. His hatred for the NCF, and humans, knows no bounds. Because he is a dark elf, he has always suffered persecution, and over the course of his life, developed a hatred for humans. He wants to see them all destroyed. *Other Relevant Modifiers: In combat he can unleash smaller versions of his Feat, vortex, to disorient his opponents. He can also use moderate telekinesis infrequently.
I might just make Kate side with fathers just to shake up the demographic here. hmm... guess it depends on the story though. I wonder what Alistair will think of her.
Got my first post up! I wanted to set up Alistair as a dark character right away, I hope this works! @Exzalia: He would hate her, on principle, at first. But...maybe with time they could learn to work together...depending which side you choose of course. But, definite hatred to start. He's just a jerk like that
I love characters with faults so I understand completely. Anyone who's plays the spell bound rpg KNOWS I love characters with faults. (Magnolia yelling in the back ground "What are you talking about? I have no faults!"
Excellent post! It's easy to see that Alistair's contempt for Humans and th NFC is unrivaled. I feel like he and Aeros are in the same besieged city. Maybe we'll meet soon? Also, I'll be signing off for the night, it's late enough here, I suppose. I'll be responding bright and early tomorrow morning! See you all then.
yes I had a feeling Alistair is in the same area that Kate and Areos is in this will be fun. good night!
That's what I was thinking! Seems like that's where things are happening right now! Am I right in assuming that Kelly is flying into that area too?
I really like the sound of and idea behind this story. Just wondering if there might be a character that I might be able to start to help this story. Open to ideas!