Zoids: Broken Century

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A thousand years ago, this planet known as Zi was a living hell, wracked by cataclysms that only...
Opening Post
Location
Australia, mostly


A thousand years ago, this planet known as Zi was a living hell, wracked by cataclysms that only the hardiest of individuals could endure.

300 years ago, the natural disasters subsided, allowing the natives to go forth and form tribes, and the conflicts began.

150 years ago, having coalesced into twin coalitions of east and west, the continent became embroiled in tribal war on a scale never before seen.

100 years ago, united by barbaric invaders from the Dark Continent, the warring nations became one.

85 years ago, the nation split in half and the continent fell to war once more.

40 years ago, the colony ship Globally III crashed down to the surface, and with the arrival of humans to Zi came a warfare revolution.

15 years ago, the war crossed the sea, embroiling the Dark Continent in intercontinental war, heralding the last stages of warfare on planet Zi.

10 years ago, an ultimate weapon in hand, at the heart of the enemy's capitol, victory was all but assured.

10 years ago, the moon fell on Zi.

At every stage of war, conflict and disaster, the people of Zi were never alone. No matter the circumstance, the great battle machine beasts endured and fought and lived. No matter the circumstance, Zoids ruled the battlefield.


It's the year ZAC 2066. A decade ago, the war between the Helic Republic and the Guylos Empire ended in the most unexpected of ways. Poised to seize victory in the heart of the Dark Continent that Guylos ruled, the Helic military forces were annihilated when a comet struck De, the nearest moon of Zi, destroying it and showering the world in a hailstorm of meteors that lit up the sky for weeks, bombarding the planet brutally. The disruptions in Zi's magnetosphere and its orbital path that followed Moonfall were worse still, tearing the home continent of the Helic Republic, the Central Continent Delpoi, into three and desolating the Dark Continent Nyx. Though the presence of Zi's two other moons eventually managed to stabilise its orbit, the damage wreaked across the face of the planet was severe, destroying much of the military might of Helic and Guylos alike and isolating nations with new magnetic storms, seismic activity and unpredictable weather phenomena.

And worst of all, for the people of Zi who had so long had the mechanical warmachines, Zoids, as their companions, the magnetic fluctuations shut those battle machine beasts down. The beasts of burden, the menial labour, the defensive forces and security that Zoids provided, all was halted, and the nations had no choice but to come to terms with what was going on. Soon enough, it was found that the smaller, older Zoids were able to resist the effects of the magnetic disruptions for the most part, but the newer models, the flying Zoid and the mammoth transport units, these were nearly all rendered useless. Life on Zi changed.

Now, a decade on from the Moonfall, life has settled somewhat. The various nations of the world established a Worldwide Council of Nations, and Guylos and Helic have set apart their differences in order to rebuild the world around them. The truce is tense, political balance on a knife-edge, but the upswing in disasters, displaced civilians, and bandits seeking to survive a post-apocalypic world have forced more than a few hands. Across the continents of Delpoi and Nyx-Tulk the new economy is in rebuilding nations. Construction is the name of the business, and business is goooo-ooood. You weren't stupid, you saw the signs, and now here you are, first day as an intern at the construction firm Zi-Builders, one of the firms contracted directly by the WCN for lucrative rebuilding projects across the globe.

This is it, a chance to rebuild the world!


You sigh slightly, rubbing your temple in frustration as you gaze at the clipboard in your hand, pen gripped loosely in the other. You should have guessed there'd be a questionnaire. A dull ache creeping into your muscles from the hard, cheap chair you're seated in, the room around you practically screams "amateur hour" at you. It's a dingy, poorly-lit room with a few other equally torturous chairs and a bored-looking receptionist pointedly ignoring you behind her desk. For a company being billed as one of the major up-and-coming forces in the regional economy, Zi-Builders sure hasn't invested much into its first impressions.

They must be sinking all the emergency funding from the WCN into… other avenues, you think sourly, momentarily wondering whether you made the right choice in taking a job here.

But no matter, opportunity is there for you to seize, so you get back to finishing your questionnaire as soon as possible.

Your name is…
[ ] Write-in

You are a young 20-something…
[ ] Man
[ ] Woman

You hail from… and your tribal heritage is...
[ ] The Helic Republic. It remains the main nation across the entire Central Continent and despite the hardships of the Moonfall it is seen by most as the strongest nation on Zi, economically- and politically-speaking. You tend to forget that despite being from the Central Continent, the world doesn't actually revolve around you and your nation.
  • [ ] The Wind Tribe. Hailing from high-altitude plateaus and grasslands, you descend from an ancient megalithic civilisation. Generally gentle, logical and protective of peace, Wind Tribes can often be idealistic and naive about the world beyond their verdant cradle. They favour intelligent wolf-type zoids, which they use in all walks of life.
  • [ ] The Bird Tribe. The vast forests are your ancestral home. Harmony with nature and, reverence to the nature deities and a headstrong free spirit are the lessons your parents impressed upon you. Warriors who battle upon the backs of bird-type zoids are held in high regard.
  • [ ] The Insect Tribe. Ancestrally nomadic people who travel the wetlands other tribes ignored, building strong familial ties among their small population. Slow to anger, they are among the fiercest warriors once met on the battlefield. The beetle-type zoids whose shells they once used as shields and armor are their totem.
  • [ ] The God Tribe. A mysterious minority hailing from strange valleys others dare not approach. Mysticism and divination are standard politics among these cloistered and secretive people, rumored to possess minor psychic abilities claimed as a gift from the divine dinosaur-type beasts they protect above all else.

[ ] The Guylos Empire. Located in the frostbitten northern landmass of Nyx-Tulk, referred to with either affection or derision as the Dark Continent depending on who you ask, the technologically-advanced Guylos Empire was the most severely devastated region of Zi after the Moonfall. Ask any Helic citizen though, and they'd say that you warmongering barbarians probably deserved it.
  • [ ] The Dark Tribe. A straightforward name for a straightforward people who live in the constant shadow of Nyx's rumbling stormclouds. Dark Tribesfolk are direct, blunt and straight to the point. Slim and pale to the point of being derisively known as "ghosts", and possessed of more natural metallic skinplates than most Zoidian folks, the Dark Tribe have harnessed unique materials to power up their fighting Zoid units.
  • [ ] The Frost Tribe. Adapted to the harsh winters of Nyx, the Frost Tribe are burly, hairy folk with stout constitutions and big emotions all the time. Utmost survivalists, the Frostfolk will do whatever they need to survive alongside their mammoth-type zoids, worrying about the moral quandaries of life only once the living has been done..
  • [ ] The Maze Tribe. Situated amongst a complex labyrinth of jutting rocks and sheer cliffs on the inhospitable coasts of Nyx, the Cliff Tribe are hardy, slim and possess great dexterity, as they would clamber spider-like across the walls bordering the seas. The Moonfall substantially rearranged much of the tribal lands into rocky marshlands.
  • [ ] The Myth Tribe. Strange to the point of absurdity, pureblooded Myth Tribe are shunned for their atavistic lizardlike appearances, and their genetic lineage is highly diluted in the common era thanks to witch hunts in bygone times and a rigid unwillingness to accept change by these tribesfolk. It is said that they nurture small drake-type Zoids and other mutant chimeric Zoids that should not exist.

[ ] The Zenebas Remnants. Although officially your land is now under the "rightful rule" of the Helic Republic, the great unifier of the continent, when you were born that homeland of yours proudly flew the Zenebas flag. Absorbed by Helic prior to its invasion of the Dark Continent, the people of Zenebas are ostensibly citizens of the Helic Republic, but it sure doesn't feel that way sometimes.
  • [ ] The Fire Tribe. A common joke among Zoidians is that the Fire Tribe inherited their explosive, dynamic and sometimes-dangerous personalities from their geologically active homelands. Prideful and stubborn, they have harnessed geothermal energy and were a united warlike people in the past. Distrustful of the mind, particularly the minds of others, they are skilled martial artists who hone their bodies to physical ideals.
  • [ ] The Sand Tribe. Descended from a once-great nation which built great stone cities in the desert, the Sand Tribe have become humbled after the collapse of their cities due to population exceeding the natural resources available to them. They now practice simple living in subsistence-based villages, favouring reptile-type zoids on the sunbaked dunes.
  • [ ] The Sea Tribe. Possessed of a blue-tinged skin, the Sea Tribes are really a hodgepodge of various seafaring peoples, from violent raiders in the northern seas to industrious fishing folks in the southern seas. Socially advanced due to their wide scope of travels, the Seafolk are friends to all who draw food from the water. Said to have great economic savvy due to imposition of sailing taxes on other tribes and a strong transport navy, the Sea Tribe are of course most comfortable with fish- and ray-type Zoids.
  • [ ] The Worldcore Tribe. Living in the depths of the planet's crust, Worldcore folk have subsisted in crisscrossing mazes of caves and tunnels beneath the Central Mountains since time immemorial, alongside all types of creeping, burrowing creatures. There is animosity between the Worldcore and the tribes of the surface, as the latter see the former as raiders who emerge from the ground to steal food from their farmed lands, while the former enviously look up at the latter and hold a dream of the surface in their hearts.


You've been hired to work at Zi-Builders in the role of…
[ ] Logistics and coordination
[ ] Electronics and communication
[ ] Maintenance and upkeep
[ ] Security and defense
[ ] Construction and labour, obviously!

Although it's not why you were hired, you also have some basic skills in…
[ ] Logistics and coordination
[ ] Electronics and communication
[ ] Maintenance and upkeep
[ ] Security and defense
[ ] Construction and labour

Finally, what type of Zoid do you love the most?
… Well, ever since I was a kid I've loved Zoids that look… (Pick up to 2)

[ ] Strong!
[ ] Tough!
[ ] Fast!
[ ] Adaptable!
[ ] Hard-working!
[ ] Cute!
[ ] Cool!
[ ] Creepy!

Oh, whoops, what number do you want on your company jersey?
[ ] Pick a number between 1 and 24!

Do you remember a TV show from the early 2000s about big honkin' machine animals battling each other? Well yeah, it's set in that universe. The Zoids are dubiously sentient at times in the anime, but like all good kids' shows it totally ignores this whenever it's convenient. I'm drawing a lot of elements from other storylines here, one major one being the war story that unfolded as the toy models were released in the 1980s, while I'll mostly be ignoring the anime's canon entirely.

It's my first major story-focused quest, and it's going to be narrative in style. There'll be a character sheet and you'll accumulate skills and bonuses, and of course a garage of Zoids, as you go on, but it's not crunchy and mechanics-based, being more nebulous in nature. Given how it'll be narrative and flexible, I want to say that I will be allowing write-ins if they work well in the current vote, but I will only accept write-ins and any votes for them once I've looked over the write-in, possibly made some changes, and added it to the vote on my post. This is just so things don't get too out of hand until I'm more comfortable with this sort of questing.
 
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Character Sheet + Garage
Player Character: Mira Troposphere

Sex: Female
Age: 26
Race: Zoidian
Lineage: God Tribe
Likes: Flashy rides, [Unknown]
Dislikes: [Unknown]
Personality Traits: [Unknown]
Personality Flaws: [Unknown]
Job: Construction & Labour [Zi-Builders]​


  • Minor Psychokinesis - You can levitate small objects by focusing on them and manipulating them with your mind, though this is a tiring feat.
  • Shared Telepathy - When making direct skin contact with someone, you can communicate with them through thought, and they to you.
  • Foresight - Occasional fleeting moments of insight may assist you in anticipating events in the split-second moment before they occur, though this is not a gift you control.
  • Zoid Pilot - Proficient in most basic forms of piloting, you have some minor level of self-defense and combat training, but can handle most civilian-model or early-era military models with relative skill.
  • Affinity [Divine Dinosaur] - Your ability to understand, communicate with and pilot Zoids that meet the criteria of [Divine Dinosaur] is enhanced beyond your normal skill.
  • Construction & Destruction - You have an eye for structural stability, and can tell when structures are likely to collapse, or how to most efficiently cause structural failure.
  • Attentive Watch - Having previously served at a quiet outpost of the God Tribe's security perimeter, you are attentive and keen-eyed when tasked with watching out for trouble.


Zoid Garage


Model: Helldiver
Model Number: EAZ-14
Type: Hammerhead Shark
Terrain Capabilities: Subaquatic, surface aquatic, Near-Surface Hover
Depth: 6.6 m
Height: 2.0 m
Weight: 2.9 t
Speed: 80 kn (max submerged speed)
- 50 kn (cruising submerged speed)
- 150 km/h (max hover speed)
- 100 km/h (cruising hover speed)

Arms:
- Strike Iron Hammer Head
- Hardened Alloy Fin Blade x3
- Laser-Charging Tail Fin Blade

Equipment:
- E-Shield Cockpit Bubble

Unique Traits: Hellrider is coated in a completely black carbon fibre shell, lightweight but tough, and has metallic gold detailing outlining its panels and mechanisms, as well as golden-chromed fins.
 
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[X] Plan Creepy bastard

[X] Elan Nyx
[X] Man
[X] The Guylos Empire. Located in the frostbitten northern landmass of Nyx-Tulk, referred to with either affection or derision as the Dark Continent depending on who you ask, the technologically-advanced Guylos Empire was the most severely devastated region of Zi. Ask any Helic citizen though, and they'd say that you warmongering barbarians probably deserved it.
-[X] The Myth Tribe. Strange to the point of absurdity, pureblooded Myth Tribe are shunned for their atavistic lizardlike appearances, and their genetic lineage is highly diluted in the common era thanks to witch hunts in bygone times and a rigid unwillingness to accept change by these tribesfolk. It is said that they nurture small drake-type Zoids and other mutant chimeric Zoids that should not exist.

[X] Electronics and communication
[X] Maintenance and upkeep
[X] Creepy!
[X] Cool!
[X] 5


^_^ A serious Zoids quest! I'm behind that.
 
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[X] Mira Troposphere
[X] Woman
[X] Helic Republic
- [X] God tribe
[X] Construction and labour
[X] Security and defence
[jk] Berserk Fury Z
[X] Zoids that look strong!
[X] Zoids that look fast!
[X] 7

Glad to see you launch something on SV, my friend. And man, I'd forgotten that 'Guylos' was such a cool name.

e: forgot that jersey number!
ee: forgot to pick two zoid characteristics!
eee: changing some other details to make vote counting actually possible!
 
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Your name is…
[x] Dominick cicada

You are a young 20-something…
[x] Man

You hail from… and your tribal heritage is...
[x] The Helic Republic.

[x} The Insect Tribe. Ancestrally nomadic people who travel the wetlands other tribes ignored, building strong familial ties among their small population. Slow to anger, they are among the fiercest warriors once met on the battlefield. The beetle-type zoids whose shells they once used as shields and armor are their totem.\

You've been hired to work at Zi-Builders in the role of…
[x] Security and defense

Although it's not why you were hired, you also have some basic skills in…
[x] Logistics and coordination

Finally, what type of Zoid do you love the most?
… Well, ever since I was a kid I've loved Zoids that look… (Pick 2)
[x] Fast

Oh, whoops, what number do you want on your company jersey?
[21] Pick a number between 1 and 24!
 
Your name is…
[X] Pandora Brigham

You are a young 20-something…
[X] Woman

You hail from… and your tribal heritage is...
[X] The Helic Republic.
-[X] The God Tribe. A mysterious minority hailing from strange valleys others dare not approach. Mysticism and divination are standard politics among these cloistered and secretive people, rumored to possess minor psychic abilities claimed as a gift from the divine dinosaur-type beasts they protect above all else.

You've been hired to work at Zi-Builders in the role of…
[X] Maintenance and upkeep

Although it's not why you were hired, you also have some basic skills in…
[X] Security and defense

Finally, what type of Zoid do you love the most?
… Well, ever since I was a kid I've loved Zoids that look… (Pick 2)

[X] Fast!
[X] Adaptable!

Oh, whoops, what number do you want on your company jersey?
[X] 12
 
Zoids? Never thought I would see that here. It's been a long time ago...

[x] Plan Swift Violet

[x] Amethyst Fiala
[x] Woman

[x] The Helic Republic. It remains the main nation across the entire Central Continent and despite the hardships of the Moonfall it is seen by most as the strongest nation on Zi, economically- and politically-speaking. You tend to forget that despite being from the Central Continent, the world doesn't actually revolve around you and your nation.
[x] The Wind Tribe. Hailing from high-altitude plateaus and grasslands, you descend from an ancient megalithic civilisation. Generally gentle, logical and protective of peace, Wind Tribes can often be idealistic and naive about the world beyond their verdant cradle. They favour intelligent wolf-type zoids, which they use in all walks of life.

[x] Security and defense
[x] Logistics and coordination

[x] Fast!
[x] Cool!

[x] 23
 
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I don't envy Vagrant counting these votes lol
I don't really mind. This is more than likely the only particularly complex vote in the game, it's all rather fiddly behind the scenes anyway for this character gen. I figured I'd get it out in one hit instead of breaking it into two and slowing it down.

Task votes would have been better...
Task votes? I've not familiar with that phrase. I'm familiar with line and plan votes, those are simple enough but this is new to me. I've mostly run faster, more loose votes on /tg/ and /qst/ before so never really worried with complex votes before.
 
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Task votes? I've not familiar with that phrase. I'm familiar with line and plan votes, those are simple enough but this is new to me. I've mostly run faster, more loose votes on /tg/ and /qst/ before so never really worried with complex votes before.
Examples:

[][NAME] Amethyst
[][GENDER] Woman
[][NATION] Helic
[][TRIBE] Wind
[][PRIMARY] Security
[][BASIC] Logistics
[][ZOID1] Fast
[][ZOID2] Cool
[][NUMBER] 23

The vote tally can classify votes by tasks like those.
 
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Examples:

[][NAME] Amethyst
[][GENDER] Woman
[][NATION] Helic
[][TRIBE] Wind
[][PRIMARY] Security
[][BASIC] Logistics
[][ZOID1] Fast
[][ZOID2] Cool
[][NUMBER] 23

The vote tally can classify votes by tasks like those.
Oh yes, right, I've seen them in a few of the civquests, I assumed it was a sort of genre convention for them. Probably would have been easier, yes. But since I'm used to counting out votes manually based on the unique hashcodes of anons on 4chan I think I'll manage with this one. I should definitely get used to the vote tally tool though, seems helpful.
 
[X][NAME] AmethystIris
[X][GENDER] Woman
[X][NATION] The Guylos Empire.
[X][TRIBE] The Myth Tribe.
[X][PRIMARY] Electronics and communication
[X][BASIC] Security and defense
[X][ZOID] Fast
[X][ZOID] Cute!
[X][NUMBER] 17
 
This looks promising, and I'm all for the nostalgia of something involving Zoids.


[X] Mira Troposphere
[X] Woman
[X] Helic Republic
- [X] God tribe
[X] Construction and labour
[X] Security and defence
[jk] Berserk Fury Z
[X] Zoids that look strong!
[X] Zoids that look fast!
[X] 7
 
[x] Dominick cicada
[x] Man
[x] The Helic Republic.
[x] The Insect Tribe. Ancestrally nomadic people who travel the wetlands other tribes ignored, building strong familial ties among their small population. Slow to anger, they are among the fiercest warriors once met on the battlefield. The beetle-type zoids whose shells they once used as shields and armor are their totem.
[x] Security and defense
[x] Logistics and coordination

[21] Pick a number between 1 and 24!

ZOOOIIIIDDDDDDSSSSS fuck yeah.

Hope we get molga. Love the caterpillars with nukes.
[X] Tough!

 
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[X] Tahian Schultes
[X] Man
[X] The Guylos Empire. Located in the frostbitten northern landmass of Nyx-Tulk, referred to with either affection or derision as the Dark Continent depending on who you ask, the technologically-advanced Guylos Empire was the most severely devastated region of Zi after the Moonfall. Ask any Helic citizen though, and they'd say that you warmongering barbarians probably deserved it.
[X] The Dark Tribe. A straightforward name for a straightforward people who live in the constant shadow of Nyx's rumbling stormclouds. Dark Tribesfolk are direct, blunt and straight to the point. Slim and pale to the point of being derisively known as "ghosts", and possessed of more natural metallic skinplates than most Zoidian folks, the Dark Tribe have harnessed unique materials to power up their fighting Zoid units.​
[X] Logistics and coordination
[X] Maintenance and upkeep
[X] Adaptable!
[X] Hard-working!
[X] 5
 
[X] Elan Nyx
[X] Man
[X] Helic Republic
-[X] God tribe
[X] Security and defense
[X] Maintenance and upkeep
[X] Strong!
[X] Tough!
[X] 7

Big-ass dinosaurs FTW!
 
So current tally is as follows:

[5] Plan Creepy Bastard
[4] Plan Ford Prefect
[2] Plan Swift Violet
[2] Plan Dominick Cicada
[1] Plan Amethyst Iris
[1] Plan Pandora Brigham
[1] Plan Tahian Schutes
[1] Plan Derek58

I'll probably keep the voting open for another hour to 2 hours, and do a final tally when I've got a break at work.

If you want to change your votes knowing that the deadline is very close, I recommend you do that soon. In the event of a tie, I'll... flip a coin or use the dice roller to decide I suppose.
 
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Huh Zoids.

I admit to not knowing much about this series. But if there's one thing I do know, you can never go wrong with giant robot animals.

[X] Ford Perfect
 
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