If you thought that mecha and fantasy couldn't be put together, then you are very wrong! Welcome to this world in which magic, industrialization, and mechs are put together in a single solar system where imperialism, capitalism, and communism battle it out.
You play as a pilot of a strider, the newest military contraption of many of the industrialized and magical nations. However, striders are not at the top of the food chain by far, solar wyrms, heroes, and mages may just be more than a minor threat for most strider pilots in this era.
"Have you imagined a sphere so bright that it blinds you? A fire eternal that both gives warmth and burns at the prideful eyes that dare to look at it. It burns. It burns. It shan't stop burning until!-"
The horn of the newest automobile model of Hyperion made a terrible ruckus as it tried to get by, the mana-infused engine working the pistons and wheels in order to bring its owner to his destination. The exhaust pipe coughed a blueish dust that glistened with arcane power, its toxicity is rated at very low but certainly unpleasant if you accidentally inhale the entire thing. Enough to cough a pixie's worth of sparkling dust. The driver a fat-faced man belonging to the rich capitalist classes of Crystal City waved his fists angrily, his red beard and bulbous face poked through the window.
"Get out of my way, old man!" he yelled at the top of his lungs before speeding up.
The preacher of the Scarlet Fire is forced to pull away, stopping his exaggerated motions to clear the road lest he gets run over by something more ridiculous like a bicycle. He disgustedly looks at the rear of the vehicle as it disappears to the right. While the masses crowding the streets keep walking, talking, and going about their daily lives. Huge steel and glass towers are seen in the distance. Once, it was the spires of mages that dominated the skyline of Crystal City now it is offices and factories where mana is turned into technology.
The newspaper halfling calls out the front pages "Hyperion Company invests in colonial lands, thousands are already employed! Native orc population welcomes Hyperion's offer of civilization!"
A half-elf plays magic tricks on the street controlling puppets of knights and dragons as he recreates the latest battles on the corrupted lands of Rhyswyth.
Impeccably dressed elves pass by looking as dashing and clean as they can be, the magic of their clothes wiping away the dust and dirt that manages to stick to them.
Dwarves play dice with humans on the side of an alley while listening to a voxcast of the newest boxing matches between Argador the Steel Arm against Farnias the Lightning Jabs.
The sun shines on the city of dreams, technology, and rampant capitalism. While the revolution plots underground, the red banner may one day rise to paint all planets red.
Welcome to the Crystal Sphere, inspired by a series of games ran in SB. This quest is set in a solar system where space is traversable and most planets are habitable. This is an era of imperialism, technology, magic, and magiteck. Vampire lords rule mountainous provinces with vast undead armies, great knightly orders, and kingdoms with magic to fight against the forces of evil and corruption, corporations compete both at home and outside for greater market shares and mana to fuel their newest contraptions, and empires settle and conquer every corner of the Sphere they can find, Solar Wyrms roam the Aether as they migrate seasonally and trade ships make long trips across the planetoid system with smuggled goods, gold, and resources.
The protagonist of this quest will be none other than a strider (mech) pilot, striders are the newest military inventions either fueled by steam cores in its steampunk variant, mana-infused armors in the case of magical nations, and mana engines for the magiteck nations these behemoths have not replaced the great heroes of this era. Nothing stops a great knight from battling a strider with his magic sword, or a mage upon unleashing a meteorite storm upon them. Then again, I just enjoy anything much so that's what will this quest focus on. In particular, a relatively new pilot is about to enter a career as a mech pilot.
[X] The Reman Empire: You are the newest cataphract pilot assigned to an expeditionary army under legate Caius Ignatius Domitius Aquilla. The Reman Empire is ruled by an emperor who "answers" to a weakened senate. Its citizens boast that theirs is the greatest empire of all, their holdings over the Sphere are the largest, their armies the most numerous (albeit still overextended), and their legends filled with many heroines and heroes who carved this great nation out of a thousand battlefields and treaties. However, its cities in the homeland are overcrowded and poor its militaristic ventures hope to relieve the internal problems with more bread and circus, but for those, there needs to be something to give away first.
[X] The Red Banner: The anti-thesis of the new century where profits have become God, instead, your beliefs in equality are true enough to allow you to join the ranks of the promised commune and bring forth a revolution. Mostly underground, the effort of the red banner remains elusive but present in every nation, always looking to bring down monarchs, corrupt priests, presidents, businessmen, generals, and even powerful mages dressed in maid costumes. You are a volunteer who's about to find out how real this war for the common man can be, armed with a retrofitted light strider, a slug thrower rifle, and the knowledge of what the difference between halfling communism, goblin anarchism, elven social democracy, and gnome syndicalism (because trust me nobody knows) you are ready to fight.
[X] Kingdom of Victoria: You are a pilot of the Royal Cavalier Corp, sent to help in patrolling the newest colonial trade routes aboard the HMS Relentless in order to secure safe passage to a kingdom far-flung colony recently discovered full of riches and minerals, hopefully, your duties won't involve dealing with native rebels or getting flamed by a solar wyrm. Victoria is one of the lucky nations of this industrialized era, once a minor nation in the continent of Avalon, it now boasts a high income per capita compared to many nations in Abarath thanks to a stable constitutional monarchy and plenty of trade and military successes that allows for many civil programs such as education and health to be available to its citizens.
[X] Hyperion Corporation: The rulers of Crystal City are no men or women, nor vampires or werewolves. Instead, the ones who reign from their massive tower complex of steel and glass are the suits, shareholders, and bureaucrats of the ever-rising corporations. One of them happens to be your employer. You are given a contract as a test pilot, part-time mechanic, and mercenary to help field test some of the newest contraptions coming from the engineering laboratories and testing chambers of Hyperion Co, you may or may not be required to battle mutants, mad scientists, criminals, rebellious robots, monsters, alien slugs, or the rival corporation Atlas Corp.
[X] Holy Imperium of Zepthin: You serve the Majestic Queen and have recently been appointed a custodes knight. She and the twelve disciples of Light watch over this feudalistic empire where technology has only started to come in and most power is reserved for the temples and their orders. Pilgrims abound through the realm while titanic cathedrals reach the sky, casting a long shadow upon the earth below. Will you protect this land from the evils beyond or fail in your task?
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Final words, this will be a military themed quest with some adventure on the side and anime banter maybe. Of course, this will mostly take place from the perspective of the pilot but do expect some level of combat maps and mechanics for your character.
You are born in what is considered the most powerful empire in all of Abarath if not the sphere. The tales of the birth of the city of Reme to the founding of the Republic and the Empire have been ingrained into your memories since the moment you could talk. A nation that stands upon the accomplishments of great men who expanded and kept the empire united and strong against external and internal foes alike. The marble of the streets of Reme is paved in gold while its monuments stand eternal in remembrance of those legendary heroes. Status the size of towers adorn the gates of every city and in each forum. With this pride in mind, it should come as no surprise that eventually, you were driven into seeking the path of glory.
You still remember the first time you entered the cockpit of one of Reme's cataphracts, you settled down on its rather tight seat and looked at the small portholes to see the world outside. The gauges, runes, switches, and levers appeared overwhelming to someone as green as you but even then a smile had crept onto your face at the thought of piloting one of these behemoths in service to the empire. You looked back at what brought you to this position and how things came to be...
First, your name, every Reman citizen has a name.
You start with 10 Character Points.
Name
[X] Random
[X] Write-In
Gender
[X] Male
[X] Female
Background
[X] Pleb (0 CP): "Rare but not impossible, this kiddo must have impressed an officer to join the Cataphract Corp."
[X] Citizen (1 CP): "Common enough. They make up the bulk of the class since they don't know how to do actual math."
[X] Equites (2 CP): "Minor aristocracy and still as glory-seeking as the old days. It's often a roll of the dice with these guys."
[X] Patrician (5 CP): "Rare but not unwelcome, well connected that they may rise rapidly through the ranks."
[X] Imperial (8 CP): "Did you double-check this one? Huh, must be some political power play I am too pleb to understand."
Cohort -> The experience of the cataphract cohort you are assigned to.
[X] Urban (0 CP): "We need the numbers, convince the governor to reassign them to military duty."
[X] Green (1 CP): "Rookies, but they will do as reinforcements. I expected nothing else."
[X] Veteran (3 CP): "Good news all around, the legion needs these kind of units."
[X] Palatini (5 CP): "We are blessed by Mars to receive such quality reinforcements, send our thanks to the Emperor."
Stats
[X] Piloting (2 CP): You are very dexterous at pulling levers and working the complicated interfaces of the striders.
[X] Accuracy (2 CP): Aiming as a giant humanoid is easier when you have the power of visualization and good eyesight.
[X] Melee (2 CP): Mass and speed are concepts that your brain manages to work rather well into combat situations.
[X] Leadership (2 CP): Something about your voice and choice of words leads to people paying you attention when you speak.
Abilities
[X] Iron Will (1 CP): Never give up, never surrender! Moral penalties are for the weak.
[X] Machine Savant (3 CP): The connection man-machine is strong with you and sometimes allows you to get the most out of your cataphract.
[X] Crystal Clear (1 CP): You make the most of the limited visibility of your Cataphract.
[X] Quick Learner (2 CP): You enjoy learning and in particular things related to cataphracts usage.
[X] Reflexive Dodge (1 CP): Your reflexes move faster than your mind when it comes to dodging the enemy's attacks.
[X] Battle Sense (1 CP): You are able to notice changes in the battlefield and may not be as easily surprised.
Legion Duties
[X] Colonial (1 CP): Relegated to colonial duty in one of the many planets, moons, and planetoids of the Sphere. Expect minor intensity conflicts, allowing you to learn the basics in a sort of low-risk environment.
[X] Standard (0 CP): The empire has many enemies and your legion is assigned to quelling the fires wherever they may arise. Medium-intensity conflict is expected.
[X] Vanguard (+1 CP): Your legion is amongst the empire's finest leading to the legion being used as a fire extinguisher of last resort against powerful threats to the empire across the shore.
Misc
[X] Companion (1 CP): "You can always count on me! Pinky promise!"
[X] Mechanic (2 CP): "If we just adjust this valve, we can get 5% more efficiency and 1% increased chances of random explosion!"
[X] Magic (2 CP): The arcane arts have their place, even among the machines of war.
[X] Gladius (1 CP): A civilized weapon from more civilized times.
[X] Bishonen/Bishojo (1 CP): Somehow you make piloting look glamorous.
The times when you were a mere cadet are now gone, you are a recently graduated rookie pilot and are now assigned to a cohort in one of the many legions of the empire to serve and fight as necessary. The empire has many enemies and rivals at home and abroad, meaning plenty of opportunities for valor and death equally so. Who knows maybe you will become a Hero of Reme and enter the annals of history? or perhaps simply suffer a sad fate when a solar wyrm decides that you are a tasty snack?
[X] Plan: Average Silent Ace Combat/Armored Core Protagonist
The Reman Empire
Ave Caesar! The Reman Empire stretches from one end of the sphere to the other, from Astroath to the passage of Valtor and the recently accessible outer planet of Virelium. Its population numbers in the hundreds of millions, and the blood of its enemies has stained its path at the top. You are a citizen of Reme, one amongst its millions someone who has stumbled or fought their way into the ranks of the legions of the most overextended, unequal, and yet glorious empire of the Sphere.
Now as for which part of the empire you come from:
(Pick one)
[X] The Capital: The megalopolis of Reme stands to this day, and each district of the city is different from the last. Its historic streets and monuments rise and shine, while airships ascend and descend upon its skydomes. Railways connect it to every last corner of the continental empire. Nowadays, most of the city is covered in slums where hunger and crime combine with cultists and dissenters to make legionnaires needed to patrol and secure it. Still, the great city remains a hotbed of secret societies, ancient secrets, and prophecies of Reme that may one day turn true if they haven't already from here have come Emperors, Warlords and Tyrants.
[X] The Provinces: The playground of the Gens, there are various provinces in the Empire from the ones with the richest aether mines, and factory complexes to agricultural backwaters filled with monsters and rebellious subjects. The Great Gens currently control 2 to 4 provinces in the Empire while most Gens are able to contend their control over one. They act as the feudal domains of the great families of Reme and the home to various legions raised by the Senate.
[X] Babil: Babil has a harsh environment with a thin atmosphere, where entire patches of crater-covered surface where the air is breathable are surrounded by grey wasteland. Reme holds colonies here taken from the Elves of Revilas, who maintained magical domes around their ancient cities only to have them replaced by enormous industrial lungs that spit aether into the atmosphere. Reme here must contend against barbarian tribes, dwarven incursions, and elven nations scattered throughout the surface and living in underground bunker complexes that stretch into several floors of the hollowed Moon. Here Reme's colonists from disgruntled legions of the past have mixed up with the native elven population while exploiting its rich mana and metal resources.
[X] Dustinari: The ancient red planet told to be the battleground of mythical battles between the pantheon of much of the Sphere. While not as harsh to life as Babil, it's no longer in the prime of life it once was. Its enormous canals that drove water from its poles to the rest surface are dry and filled with dust. Instead, ancient cities remain isolated and separated from one another by vast wastelands and roaming bands of orcs. Only a few places have the lush beauty that once characterized Dustinari, but these are controlled by hermit kingdoms and warlords. Still, many magic scholars go to Dustinari to visit arcane libraries with untold secrets. As for Reme, they maintain a significant military presence on the red planet after conquering a green valley in one of the canals, enslaving the local orc population, and maintaining half-ling tributary republics that exploit deep deposits of rare and exotic fluids and materials used in both industrial and biological applications.
[X] Astroath: The lush jungle planet promises land for colonists with breathable air, clean water, and endless fields for agriculture. However, the local population of beast tribes and the occasional wyrm incursion make it a harsh frontier. Here Remans come with hopes of a new life or to get away from trouble in the capital, where they will find a land of rebellious natives, pirates, and dangerous fauna but also clear examples of new clean and orderly cities, with the conflicts of Abarath very far away from here.
[X] Valtor Passage: The further one goes from the inner planets, the more dangerous the travel and the treacherous everything becomes. Mana anomalies and strange beasts in the Dravakor rift have long impeded travel to the outer planets. However, with the discovery of the Valtor Passage and the ancient ruins in Virelium, many nations have set up shop in asteroids in the passage for exploring warships. This frontier remains pretty far away and it's only crossable by the most experienced of ship captains so most expeditions are limited to the scientific and archeological in nature. The Remans that live here will be used to the harsh spaceborne life, where water, food, and even sunlight are limited.
The Sphere
1900 S.T
You joined the Reman legions from the boot camp you eyed the steel cataphracts with curiosity and awe. You managed to pass several tests and found yourself in the lucky spot to get into the list for kataphract training. This was not unusual, the Reman Empire has kataphracts and..."kataphracts" the awe-inspiring beasts that can destroy entire ships and incursion into enemy defenses are often reserved for the elite of the elite, the heir of a Gens, a veteran primus pilus or the Emperor's personal legions. The lesser kataphracts the ones that are there to fill the frontline and provide support to infantry forces are less flashy and more utilitarian...and yeah, its pilots don't tend to have a long life expectancy. After all, you are one big bipedal target in the middle of combat.
[MECHANICUS] Well, you guess being in an iron coffin requires knowing the thing inside and out since if anything goes wrong, you are pretty screwed. So you decide to invest quite a bit of time and effort learning what the deal of your potential death trap is all about. Learning more than a few things along the way. "Lesser? Leave it to me, I will have the engine screaming terror into our enemies at the price of possible instant combustion."
You were assigned to one kataphract cohort of the many legions of the empire, one meant for the frontlines of the Empire. To the places where many a legionnarie go to die fighting under the banner of Reme, often as meat for the grinder, cannon fodder, or whatever else you may call them.
[SHIVERS] You know that wherever you go death will follow, you can feel the sharpness on every inch of your skin. A thousand razors about to sink into your flesh.
(Pick One)
[X] XXI Legio "Aurorae"
All but recently raised, the wealthy but still relatively new Gens Aradas has been given a mission by the Emperor to reinforce its colonies in Babil. Gens Aradas does not have the centuries of expertise in warfare that the other gens have and have complemented their forces with mercenaries, veterans, and a few families of distinguished Equites in need of funding. They are led by Lavinia Aradas, the industry-savvy daughter of the current pater familias who sees an opportunity to build up a reputation as both a businesswoman and a military leader through success in the colonies of the Empire. Nonetheless, most of their forces are composed of green provincial rookies and colonials from Dustinari where the Aradas have a province.
[X] III Legio "Invicta"
Its lack of complex numerology marks it as a legendary legion and part of the imperial legions. However, it has recently all but been wiped out requiring a complete reformation, one that has been assigned to the 10th Fleet in orbit around Abarath. It is commanded by Imperial Prince Caius Augustus, 5th son of the current Emperor. He is eager to prove himself and live up to his heritage. He himself is a glory hound but most of the legio while green and around a third of the size of other conventional legios is equipped with superior technology and backed up by elite auxiliaries from the nobility.
[X] XLVII Auxiliary Legio "Battalis"
Colonial Legions are not very popular due to the conditions and pay of their soldiers. Most of the mainstay formations of the Reman empire are mainly composed of humans, however, certain auxiliary legions are allowed to employ non-human soldiers and exist in order to grant citizenship to non-humans who serve with distinction in the legions. Currently, the 47th is led by Legate Herius Albinus, an experienced centurion who rose the ranks through the skillful use of his mostly diverse racial auxiliary force. Right now, they are deployed in Dustinari on orc hunting patrols though colonial tensions with other nations of Abarath may push them into a more offensive position soon.
Regardless of where you would be assigned, you knew that battle would not be lacking. The Empire has many enemies and there is always an ambitious patrician or pleb that wants to make a name out of themselves in the Sphere. Besides, who knows if the 9th Infernal Crusade may begin tomorrow anew?
Stats:
Base Stats: Mook (1d4 for all dice)
Mook with talent: (+1d4 to Kataphract Combat Activities)
Reflexive Dodge: (+1d4 to Defensive Actions)
Crystal Clear: (1d2 to Melee or Ranged Attacks)
Quick Learner: (Gain extra Cataphract skill points)
Battle Sense: (+1d4 towards battle awareness and against ambushes)
Mechanicus: You may be able to increase Ordnance Points for your cataphract.
Honestly, you feel right at home piloting a kataphract. There's something about feeling the machine in tune with your body as if you could almost become part of the steel armor and hull. Perhaps with more practice, you'll be even better. Take it to its maximum capabilities and see just how far you can push a kataphract. For now, though, you'll be fine going through some routine exercises and learning the ways of the Legion from some veterans before you are sent off to some godforsaken corner of the world.
[FERROSTRATUS] You understand me well enough. No words are needed, only actions and maneuvers. My steel speaks to you.
The time shortens and you must choose your next duty to pass the time.
[X] Mechanical affairs take you to your kataphract.
[X] Train while you have the time.
[X] Meet with your fellow pilots over lunch.
[X] Pray to the Gods of the Empire.
[X] Leave it to fate.
![The Crystal Sphere, Gold Plated Version [Fantasy Mecha Quest]](/data/threadmark-index-icons/l/78/78761.jpg?1735610748){kind=icon}
