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Zeppelin Quest I: A New Adventure!

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[] Hauler


[] Experimental

[/spoiler]
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Adventure Begins
  • Threadmarks
    • 7734

    7734

    Trust and verify.
    Location
    Philmont
    Looking yourself over in the mirror, you ruffled your hair and sighed dramatically as it pushed itself back into a slightly under-greased slick. Most people would love to have your hair, thick and straight, but to you it was always a bit of a despairing item. No style would stick, no fashion touched it. All you got was a straight waterfall of raven-black meh.

    "Hoy!" your manservant called up to you. Well, you said manservant, but in all honesty he was really just a batboy, heavy on the boy. You had scraped together all your cash up for this operation, and you'd known this rascal for years. Now, if only you remembered his name. "We're leaving soon, Mister!"

    Well, at least he repaid the favor about forgetting names. Either way, you were off to the yards. Today was a dicey day, a fateful day. Every fiscal quarter, the local breaker yards and banks had a ship sale and auction- blind bids on everything on display, or a straight cash payment of the list price of the ship. It was the perfect storm of opportunity for you, and you were fairly sure you could pick up a ship, any ship, for cheap.

    ---

    Once you got to the breaker yard, you looked up with a small gasp. You'd seen a lot in your seventeen years, but the sight of dozens, if not hundreds of zeplins and aerostrats and balloons floating there was enough to take your breath away. From monstrous cargo haulers to slim pickets, it was an aerial zoo. Still, you had to step lively to keep from getting trampled as everyone scrambled for the craft they needed.

    "This way, sir." Your batboy said, grabbing your sleeve and dragging you to a spiral staircase. Climbing, you got to the upper catwalks and grabbed a magazine on what Large Vessels were on sale today. Making your way to one of the few benches, you flopped the magazine open, and got to reading.

    The first ship on the docket was an older frigate, back from the eighties. A survivor of the Scramble for Africa, it had supposedly been part of the anti-piracy operations over South Africa and the Congo regions. Last modernized in '91, it had been outfitted with an Aethic Sail and improved Zeppelin Device and given to the Coast Guard to serve as a patrol vessel in low Aetheric layers and around the main transfer points from Aether to the normal sky. Lightly armed, it would be a good choice if you ever wanted to run the dangerous, and more importantly lucrative, cargo routes in Asia or any of the Ottoman Empire's numerous airship paths.

    Next up, a forclosed bulk cargo hauler. A sturdy design hailing from the German Empire, it was a Zeppelin original with all the pros and cons that came with. Sturdy as hell, it had a full and unabridged internal skeleton plus a structural belt arrangement designed to give it maximum cargo capacity. Armed with only a few machine guns there as a tax break and formality, this was the classic design of an airship, perfect for the calm Atlantic routes and South American bulk trips. Previously owned by an unlucky independent who tried to use it to run longitudinal routes without air traffic permissions, it was the definition of a sedate ship.

    Last in the catalogue was a scientist's experimental ship he'd designed for the New York Aerosat Fair and needed to dispose of. Equipped with an amazing engine suite and Aetheric systems, it bore a moderate armament and more importantly it also boasted a number of unknowns. As much as you liked the principles of Science, the ship was an uncomfortable middle point on a number of factors. Between the unknown speed, enough guns to slow it down but not enough to fight with, unknown handling, unknown profit factor, cargo holds too big for specific cargo and too small for general cargo, and overall just a really uncomfortable feeling. Even the picture felt judgmental, for chrissakes!

    "Hey, sir." Your batboy said, looking at you with a selfish grin. "It is about lunchtime, and after that's the bidding and buying. Better get a move on."

    Nodding at him, you replied. "In a minute. Anyway, what smells good?"

    "Well, there's a frybread stall a few ships down, and the counter girl there's pretty cute…"

    ---

    Looking over the paperwork, you got ready to sign it. One ship, with one crew lined up back at Copper Harbor, all for the low low price of every penny you had. No matter the past, no matter the present, no matter the future: this was your path.

    "Sign here, please."

    Looking at the title, you breathed in and out one last time. Your new life began now.

    ---
    VOTES

    What is your Name?
    [] Noble: Something evoking the great houses of the Continent and their interleaving with American Industrialists. This name elicits a sense of power and might.
    [] Merchant: The skies are home to a precious few who take to them forever, and these merchant houses are infamous for their command of the clouds and currents. This name elicits a sense of confidence and familiarity.
    [] Smuggler: As long as there's been trade, there's been those who circumvent the works of honest governments and instead speak to the profit or cause. This name elicits a sense of cunning and deceit.

    What is your Ship?

    [] Frigate
    Armament
    2x Spinal Mounts
    4x Broadside Mounts

    Stowage
    -6x Compartments

    [] Hauler
    Armament
    0x Spinal Mounts
    4x Broadside Mounts

    Stowage
    -12x Compartments

    [] Experimental
    Armament
    1x Spinal Mounts
    2x Broadside Mounts

    Stowage
    -9x Compartments
     
    Last edited:
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    Rules and Mechanics
  • Informational
    • Rules

    Working on this, you see nothing here
    Mechanics

    Currently this quest is built out of a d% or d100 system, in which percentage dice are rolled to determine if you succeed a thingy. Unlike a lot of FATE systems, this is a roll-over system, so higher=better. I'll be taking the best of the first three rolls after a post calls for them, and if there's a re-roll on the item or an opportunity to "take ten" and re-try the task then I'll bump it up to best of six.

    First big item to look at is You, Yourself. As you play as the Captain of the Ship, you're the boss and will also end up doing most of the rolling. Fortunatly, there are only four basic skills. Unfortunetly, everything else falls under a Trait you have that lets you add a bonus to a straight roll or gets fobbed off to one of your Crew

    Next item; the Crew. Each division of Crew is represented by their Division Head, of which there are several. Bigger ships with more crew get better Crew rolls, while your relationships with the Division Heads also matter too.

    Finally, there's the ship. While not responsible for rolls, the Ship has a lot of modifiers tied up in it, including damage modifiers, speed modifiers, and ease of transit modifiers. Fortunaly, ships are easily modified, and as such can be made to suit your playstyle better, as well as be bought and sold wholesale.
     
    Last edited:
  • Informational
    • Character Sheet 1
  • Informational
    • Personal Stats

    Name: Aleksander van Riebeck
    Family Name: van Riebeck, Merchant

    Stats, Raw
    Leadership: 17
    Mercantilism: 16
    Air Sense: 29
    Personal Combat: 13

    (ed. to reflect system changes)

    Talents and Traits
    -Skyborn
    --Gain +5 to Handle Ship and Navigation while in the air
    -Market Sense
    --Halve all penalties form Monopolies and gain +10 to Mercantilism when selling
    -Air Feet
    --Take no personal penalties for rough weather
    Ship Stats

    Ship Name: Caroline Anaheim
    Ship Type: Small Experimental

    Ship HP: 45
    Ship Max Lift: 180
    Ship Standard Lift: 55

    Raw Bonuses
    -Crew Use Bonus: +0
    -Engineering Bonus: -10
    -Damage Control Bonus: -5
    -Weapons Bonus: +0
    -Handling Bonus: +15
    -Medical Bonus: +20
    -Boarding Action Bonus: -20

    Weapons Slots
    -Prow Spinal
    --Armstrong 6lbs gun (3d4 damage)
    -Port Broadside
    --Model 1895 Gatling Gun (1d6 damage, 2x Continuous Fire)
    -Starboard Broadside
    --Model 1895 Gatling Gun (1d6 damage, 2x Continuous Fire)

    Hull Slots
    -Crew Quarters (Cramped)
    - Zeppelin Device (Anaheim Pattern)
    - Aetheric Sails (Large, Singular)
    - Powerplant, Medium (Anaheim Pattern)
    - Motor, Medium x2 (Anaheim Pattern)
    -Cargo Bay x6
     
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  • Informational
    • [X] Merchant: The skies are home to a precious few who take to them forever, and these merchant houses are infamous for their command of the clouds and currents. This name elicits a sense of confidence and familiarity.

    [X] Experimental

    MMM, new quest smell.
     
    [X] Noble: Something evoking the great houses of the Continent and their interleaving with American Industrialists. This name elicits a sense of power and might.
    [X] Experimental
    Noble, because we need a butler.
     
    [X] Merchant: The skies are home to a precious few who take to them forever, and these merchant houses are infamous for their command of the clouds and currents. This name elicits a sense of confidence and familiarity.

    [X] Experimental

    These are the interesting options...
    Adhoc vote count started by Spectral Waltz on May 4, 2017 at 8:12 PM, finished with 31 posts and 15 votes.
    • [X] Merchant: The skies are home to a precious few who take to them forever, and these merchant houses are infamous for their command of the clouds and currents. This name elicits a sense of confidence and familiarity.
      [X] Experimental
      [X] Noble: Something evoking the great houses of the Continent and their interleaving with American Industrialists. This name elicits a sense of power and might.
      [X] Experimental
      [X] Merchant: The skies are home to a precious few who take to them forever, and these merchant houses are infamous for their command of the clouds and currents. This name elicits a sense of confidence and familiarity.
      [X] Frigate
      [X]Noble
      [X] Frigate
      [x] Smuggler
      [X] Experimental
      [X] Merchant: The skies are home to a precious few who take to them forever, and these merchant houses are infamous for their command of the clouds and currents. This name elicits a sense of confidence and familiarity.
      [X] Hauler
      [x] Smuggler
      [X] Frigate
    Click to expand...

    Adhoc vote count started by Spectral Waltz on May 4, 2017 at 8:13 PM, finished with 31 posts and 15 votes.
    Click to expand...
     
    [X] Merchant: The skies are home to a precious few who take to them forever, and these merchant houses are infamous for their command of the clouds and currents. This name elicits a sense of confidence and familiarity.
    [X] Frigate


    theJMPer said:
    dude, what do you want me to do? There's no waifus yet.
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    Click to shrink...

    The airship is the waifu. The waifu is the airship. The airship is all.

    7734 said:
    Right now you need to bump thread and we wait for your horde of followers comee like moths to a literrary flame.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Oi, if you have to characterize us that way at least spell literary right.

    Anyway, lets see where this journey goes.
     
    [X] Noble: Something evoking the great houses of the Continent and their interleaving with American Industrialists. This name elicits a sense of power and might.
    [X] Experimental
     
    [X]Noble
    [X]Frigate
    Because more gun is always better, in my opinion. Weird science thing might be cool, but I'd rather take guns.
     
    Spectral Waltz said:
    I thought this wasn't airshipgirls quest...
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    As if a ship has to be in human form to be your best girl. Who carries you from place to place despite the uncaring blue ocean whose only desire is your ruin? Who protects you from everything from hard weather to harder enemies? Who wears all your burdens upon her back yet still carries on to your betterment, until she finally becomes old and broken in your service despite tender maintenance to prevent such?

    From their faithful service to the little personal idiosyncrasies that any sailor will tell you all ships have that give them personality; ships are best girls.
     
    [X] Merchant: The skies are home to a precious few who take to them forever, and these merchant houses are infamous for their command of the clouds and currents. This name elicits a sense of confidence and familiarity.
    [X] Hauler

    MAX MERCHANTMAN
    The Frigate is solid, but we're giving up 6x cargo slots for just 2x Spinal mount weapons, so forget that. The Experimental has 9x cargo, but barely any weapons, 1x Spinal, 2x Broadside, so nix to that too. Also, too many unknowns. I'll take the nice, solidly built actual Zeppelin.
    And if we're going Hauler, then a Merchant background to go with it, and match us to the ship. It's Jakob Fugger time. Let's be rich bastards.

    7734 said:
    C'mon, you're not a Rouge Trader here, you have a budget.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    And a distinct lack of mascara!
     
    [X] Noble: Something evoking the great houses of the Continent and their interleaving with American Industrialists. This name elicits a sense of power and might.
    [X] Experimental
     
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