You know, looking back on things, on your circumstances and choices. Prison is pretty high up on...
You've been struck by, a Space Criminal
- Thread starter deadcrystal
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User Total deadcrystal 6
Post 0 - Prison Decision
deadcrystal
Slaaneshi Cultist
- Location
- The Warp
You know, looking back on things, on your circumstances and choices. Prison is pretty high up on the list of places you'd really not rather be. Pretty high indeed. You're going to have to see about breaking out, because, hoo boy, they're certainly not going be releasing you any time soon. And hey, you'd never intended to end up in prison. There would have been something to go for it that, say, getting imprisoned under a false identity so you could break someone else out as part of a job. At least then you'd have made some godamned money. No, you had to actually get caught. Ugh. This was the worst. Frell Prison.
Welcome to Space Criminal! In this you'll be playing a rogue of unclear depravity, your first order of business being to get the heck out of prison, then get a ship, then actually get back on track. Primary setting influence for this is Farscape, which I'll probably steal the odd word from, and a touch of Riddick flavour.
First thing first of course, where are you imprisoned? The higher security the prison then the greater the severity of crime that landed you there, or the bigger the people you pissed off, or even just the worse your luck is. Decide what landed you there, and the combined points from the causes will determine where you are. The higher the prison security the more starting character creation points you'll have, but the harder the breakout and possibly the more issues you'll face after your escape.
Apply them in order to determine final score
Did a Crime (0-7 Points)
What constitutes a crime, and how severe it is will vary depending on what jurisdiction you're in.
0- Did no crime at all
1- You dine and dash once and this is what you get?
2- It barely even counts as smuggling if the cargo isn't even illegal, surely?
3- Hey now, you're the victim here, if someone is just going to leave their valuables in a tri-lock safe, in a private suite, you're just supposed to leave them there?
4- Okay, so maybe you did sort of murder them a bit. In your defence if they'd handed the money over you probably wouldn't have shot them
5- Look. Look. Look...okay no, you don't really have an excuse for the high explosives, and that whole thing with the hospital, but be lenient anyway?
6- Hey now, it was an entirely legitimate business deal. You can't be blamed for what they used the viral warheads for after they bought them.
7- There are thousands who still dream about the nightmares you unleashed across their skies. They can't grasp the scope of your vision.
Made an enemy (0-3 Points, cannot increase above double max security by more than one)
1- Word in the judge's ear
2- Hey what do you know, law enforcement have a couple unsolved cases that took place whilst you were on planet, guess we know who did those now, don't we?
3- Funds exchanged, paperwork altered, prison transport redirected
Bad damned luck (0-2 Points, cannot increase above single max security by more than one, cannot land you at score 7)
1- Not technically wrong, but presented in the worst possible light
2- Look, the automap malfunctioned, you aren't involved in this arms deal at all
Starting locations, security rating ranges from 2-7
Other creation!
[] Character Name
[] Description
Race- Human (LOCKED), a relative oddity in two fifths of the galaxy, and a near total unknown in the remainder.
I will happily be taking submissions for alien races, including any details you wish to include.
System base stats will be based on shadowrun.
Welcome to Space Criminal! In this you'll be playing a rogue of unclear depravity, your first order of business being to get the heck out of prison, then get a ship, then actually get back on track. Primary setting influence for this is Farscape, which I'll probably steal the odd word from, and a touch of Riddick flavour.
First thing first of course, where are you imprisoned? The higher security the prison then the greater the severity of crime that landed you there, or the bigger the people you pissed off, or even just the worse your luck is. Decide what landed you there, and the combined points from the causes will determine where you are. The higher the prison security the more starting character creation points you'll have, but the harder the breakout and possibly the more issues you'll face after your escape.
Apply them in order to determine final score
Did a Crime (0-7 Points)
What constitutes a crime, and how severe it is will vary depending on what jurisdiction you're in.
0- Did no crime at all
1- You dine and dash once and this is what you get?
2- It barely even counts as smuggling if the cargo isn't even illegal, surely?
3- Hey now, you're the victim here, if someone is just going to leave their valuables in a tri-lock safe, in a private suite, you're just supposed to leave them there?
4- Okay, so maybe you did sort of murder them a bit. In your defence if they'd handed the money over you probably wouldn't have shot them
5- Look. Look. Look...okay no, you don't really have an excuse for the high explosives, and that whole thing with the hospital, but be lenient anyway?
6- Hey now, it was an entirely legitimate business deal. You can't be blamed for what they used the viral warheads for after they bought them.
7- There are thousands who still dream about the nightmares you unleashed across their skies. They can't grasp the scope of your vision.
Made an enemy (0-3 Points, cannot increase above double max security by more than one)
1- Word in the judge's ear
2- Hey what do you know, law enforcement have a couple unsolved cases that took place whilst you were on planet, guess we know who did those now, don't we?
3- Funds exchanged, paperwork altered, prison transport redirected
Bad damned luck (0-2 Points, cannot increase above single max security by more than one, cannot land you at score 7)
1- Not technically wrong, but presented in the worst possible light
2- Look, the automap malfunctioned, you aren't involved in this arms deal at all
Starting locations, security rating ranges from 2-7
Medium Security (2)
Intake Processing - Haloss Prison Complex - Qvern - Ittelet System - Concordat Space
High Security (3)
Isolation - J Johns Memorial Prison - Eos - Prozia System - Terran Confederacy Space
Maximum Security (4)
AftSector 7 - The Mendicant - Hierarchy Outlands
Double-Max (5)
Cocytus Block - Tartarus Facility - Gehenna - Xibalba System - Frontier Territory
Triple-Max (6)
Cell Block C - HadoPelagia - Caustia - Roil System - Badlands
Unclassified (7)
Horizon Chamber - The Maw - The Harrow - Tormented Space
Intake Processing - Haloss Prison Complex - Qvern - Ittelet System - Concordat Space
High Security (3)
Isolation - J Johns Memorial Prison - Eos - Prozia System - Terran Confederacy Space
Maximum Security (4)
AftSector 7 - The Mendicant - Hierarchy Outlands
Double-Max (5)
Cocytus Block - Tartarus Facility - Gehenna - Xibalba System - Frontier Territory
Triple-Max (6)
Cell Block C - HadoPelagia - Caustia - Roil System - Badlands
Unclassified (7)
Horizon Chamber - The Maw - The Harrow - Tormented Space
Other creation!
[] Character Name
[] Description
Race- Human (LOCKED), a relative oddity in two fifths of the galaxy, and a near total unknown in the remainder.
I will happily be taking submissions for alien races, including any details you wish to include.
System base stats will be based on shadowrun.
Last edited:
Post 1 - Character sheet
deadcrystal
Slaaneshi Cultist
- Location
- The Warp
Name: Annie Arenyoke
Description: Tall woman with long black hair.
Personality:
History: You don't understand! I had to destroy that heavily populated world!
Description: Tall woman with long black hair.
Personality:
History: You don't understand! I had to destroy that heavily populated world!
Body- 1/6
Agility- 1/6
Reaction- 1/6
Strength- 1/6
Willpower- 1/6
Logic- 1/6
Intuition- 1/6
Charisma- 1/6
Edge- 3/7 (3)
Initiative = R+I
Agility- 1/6
Reaction- 1/6
Strength- 1/6
Willpower- 1/6
Logic- 1/6
Intuition- 1/6
Charisma- 1/6
Edge- 3/7 (3)
Initiative = R+I
Undecided
Undecided
Undecided
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Post 2 - World Info
deadcrystal
Slaaneshi Cultist
- Location
- The Warp
Galaxy details, information and lore
Each controlling a very rough fifth of civilised space, these are the movers and shakers of the Galaxy.
The Hierarchy - Hey, you didn't know aliens had read 1984 and made a tribute band. Or entire society. You're exaggerating maybe more than a bit, but still.
Concordat - They say that unless you're from the Concordat you can't understand it. Which could very easily be true. A collaboration of maybe a dozen species and power blocks, continually vying politically with each other to be on top whilst still remaining cohesive. Somehow.
Nemit Diaspora - Administered, sort of, by what might be called a Venetian system of Nemit Merchant Princes. Absolutely incomprehensible from the outside and running, as far as anyone can tell, on a complex mix of economic power, social status, and kudos.
The Glorious and Eternal Frohz Imperium - Hidebound, Archaic, Traditionalist, and exceedingly militarily powerful. How an Emperor even exists, let alone operates on a galactic stage is an absurdity. Still works somehow.
The Democratic and Aligned Federation of Systems - A noble conglomeration bound to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before. To then drown those new worlds in red tape, regulation, and ethics committees. Not very fun. They do not know how to party.
The Hierarchy - Hey, you didn't know aliens had read 1984 and made a tribute band. Or entire society. You're exaggerating maybe more than a bit, but still.
Concordat - They say that unless you're from the Concordat you can't understand it. Which could very easily be true. A collaboration of maybe a dozen species and power blocks, continually vying politically with each other to be on top whilst still remaining cohesive. Somehow.
Nemit Diaspora - Administered, sort of, by what might be called a Venetian system of Nemit Merchant Princes. Absolutely incomprehensible from the outside and running, as far as anyone can tell, on a complex mix of economic power, social status, and kudos.
The Glorious and Eternal Frohz Imperium - Hidebound, Archaic, Traditionalist, and exceedingly militarily powerful. How an Emperor even exists, let alone operates on a galactic stage is an absurdity. Still works somehow.
The Democratic and Aligned Federation of Systems - A noble conglomeration bound to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before. To then drown those new worlds in red tape, regulation, and ethics committees. Not very fun. They do not know how to party.
Terran Confederacy - The largest single political group of humanity, sitting at the fringes roughly between Hierarchy and Concordat Space
Humans - Little known species from frontier space, unstable and intuitive, largely unfairly thought of as a species of lunatics and mystics
Outlands - Areas within a Major Power's influence, without technically being part of their zone of control
Frontier Space - Areas outside of the influence of any Major Power, frequently sought after by the Major Powers to gain resources
Badlands - Notably lawless and dangerous areas of Frontier Space
Tormented Space - Uncontrolled and incomparably dangerous areas of space, frought with anomalies and unclassified dangerous species
Frontier Space - Areas outside of the influence of any Major Power, frequently sought after by the Major Powers to gain resources
Badlands - Notably lawless and dangerous areas of Frontier Space
Tormented Space - Uncontrolled and incomparably dangerous areas of space, frought with anomalies and unclassified dangerous species
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Post 3 - Character Design
deadcrystal
Slaaneshi Cultist
- Location
- The Warp
Skewfiend's vote handily takes that one, now for the actual meat of character creation. @Skewfiend I only just noticed the invisitext, godamn you. Damn you to heck. That was a really clever reference to the song.
I was tempted to do it in a series of votes, circumstance tilting your character towards one thing or another, but I think total free reign will honestly will give you a lot more room to make the character you want. Like I mentioned, going to be using the stats from shadowrun (5e) for this and I'll get into the options there in just a sec, firstly though. (Only for the stats and basics of rolling, SR does suffer from a bunch of overcomplicated unnecessary bloat I'll happily totally ignore)
Personality:
[]Write-in
History: You don't understand! I had to destroy that heavily populated world!
What exactly did you do?
[]Write-in (Absolutely throw in a general history here if you like) (Note, The Maw is not a recognised prison by any government anywhere, very few people know it exists. Whoever saw you sent there had to want a; there to be no chance you'd escape, b; there to be no chance anyone could find you, c; not to just kill you, d; would have reason to think they might wish to retrieve you at some point)
Linguistics: It's a big damned galaxy and there are a metric fuckton of species and languages, which can present an understandably large difficulty. How do you manage?
[]Implant: Microcomputer hooked into your auditory network, can store up to ten languages and allows for on the fly receipt translation. The most common translation on a personal scale. Take additionally a single other alien language at rating 4. After all, they have to understand you as well.
[]Translation Microbes: Complex microbial colony that colonises at the base of the brain stem, allows understanding of the majority of all languages. Less than a tenth of sapient species can tolerate translation microbes, and they aren't typically seen outside Concordat space, rumour has it they're actually illegal in Federation space. Take additionally a single other alien language at rating 4. After all, they have to understand you as well.
[]The Hard Way: Just learn languages yourself. Karma costs for learning languages are halved, can gain languages up to rating 2 via exposure without cost. Start with an additional 15 karma for spending on language skills only.
Veteran Criminal: You've been knocking around for a while, and you've picked up a few tricks here and there. Security rating of The Maw is 7, start with an additional 70 karma and 7 special points. Alternatively trade this karma in blocks of 10 for an additional attribute point, or an additional 2 skill points.
[]Pure Experience: 70 Karma, 7 Special Points
[]Pure Skill: 14 Skill Points, 7 Special points
[]Pure Power: 7 Attribute Points, 7 Special Points
[]A mix: Specify
Specials: Because riding around the galaxy doesn't just knock the rust off your skills, occasionally you pick something a bit more unusual up.
[] Pilot Multi-Tasking (2 Points): Sometimes you need to get out of dodge in a hurry. Sometimes you don't have the luxury of choice in your choice of escape vehicle. And sometimes the entire crew of a ship has caught a sudden case of death. Whatever the reason, you've learned how to make do when circumstance demands. Allows you to pilot a class 2 spaceship solo without penalty (Normal operating crew 4-5). Allows you to just about get a class 3 spaceship moving, if you can wrangle the computer system well enough (Normal operating crew 15-20)
[] A touch of luck (1-4 Points): Because, what you've found, more than anything else, is that you're far luckier than you have any right to be. Increases Edge by one point per point of special.
[] Secret Cache (1-3 Points): Trying to run everything perfectly is all well and good, but sometimes, no matter how great your plan things will go horribly wrong. It pays to have to have something squirreled away, in case of emergency. Know the location of a secret stash of equipment and money you put by in case of emergency.
[] Unique Tech (Variable, one only): A life on the move and you end up visiting interesting places and meeting interesting people. Places like secret research facilities hidden inside a large asteroid. People like crazed scientists plotting to seize control of their local planet. Look, mistakes were made, people died, you didn't make any money, but you do have this funny little doohickey you picked up.
-[] Phasic Displacement Engine (4 Points): You can walk through walls! Well, okay, wall. Provided it isn't too thick, and it isn't made of too dense a material, and there are no weird energy effects. Takes 8 hours to recharge, lasts three seconds at most, cannot be improved. Concealed by merit of being grafted to your spinal column.
-[] Write-in: Be inventive! Keep it pretty low-key, but mostly keep it flavourful
[] Expert Skill (1 point per skill selected): Allows you to start play with a skill above 6. Normal Skill maximum is 12, this also allows it to reach 13.
[] Exceptional Attribute (1 point per attribute selected, two attributes at most): Increases an attribute maximum to 7.
[] Something Else: Something you feel I've forgotten that really ought to be an option.
Normal attributes start at 1 for free, and have a normal maximum of 6. Skills all start at 0 and have a starting maximum of 6, except language where you have a free Native rating in your native language. (I'm presuming English)
You have 24 Attributes points available, and 46 Skill points available. Spend all attribute and skill points before spending karma. Skill specialisations cost 1 skill point and give a +2 dice pool bonus.
Please vote by Plan, for convenience, will happily answer any queries.
I was tempted to do it in a series of votes, circumstance tilting your character towards one thing or another, but I think total free reign will honestly will give you a lot more room to make the character you want. Like I mentioned, going to be using the stats from shadowrun (5e) for this and I'll get into the options there in just a sec, firstly though. (Only for the stats and basics of rolling, SR does suffer from a bunch of overcomplicated unnecessary bloat I'll happily totally ignore)
Personality:
[]Write-in
History: You don't understand! I had to destroy that heavily populated world!
What exactly did you do?
[]Write-in (Absolutely throw in a general history here if you like) (Note, The Maw is not a recognised prison by any government anywhere, very few people know it exists. Whoever saw you sent there had to want a; there to be no chance you'd escape, b; there to be no chance anyone could find you, c; not to just kill you, d; would have reason to think they might wish to retrieve you at some point)
Linguistics: It's a big damned galaxy and there are a metric fuckton of species and languages, which can present an understandably large difficulty. How do you manage?
[]Implant: Microcomputer hooked into your auditory network, can store up to ten languages and allows for on the fly receipt translation. The most common translation on a personal scale. Take additionally a single other alien language at rating 4. After all, they have to understand you as well.
[]Translation Microbes: Complex microbial colony that colonises at the base of the brain stem, allows understanding of the majority of all languages. Less than a tenth of sapient species can tolerate translation microbes, and they aren't typically seen outside Concordat space, rumour has it they're actually illegal in Federation space. Take additionally a single other alien language at rating 4. After all, they have to understand you as well.
[]The Hard Way: Just learn languages yourself. Karma costs for learning languages are halved, can gain languages up to rating 2 via exposure without cost. Start with an additional 15 karma for spending on language skills only.
Veteran Criminal: You've been knocking around for a while, and you've picked up a few tricks here and there. Security rating of The Maw is 7, start with an additional 70 karma and 7 special points. Alternatively trade this karma in blocks of 10 for an additional attribute point, or an additional 2 skill points.
[]Pure Experience: 70 Karma, 7 Special Points
[]Pure Skill: 14 Skill Points, 7 Special points
[]Pure Power: 7 Attribute Points, 7 Special Points
[]A mix: Specify
Specials: Because riding around the galaxy doesn't just knock the rust off your skills, occasionally you pick something a bit more unusual up.
[] Pilot Multi-Tasking (2 Points): Sometimes you need to get out of dodge in a hurry. Sometimes you don't have the luxury of choice in your choice of escape vehicle. And sometimes the entire crew of a ship has caught a sudden case of death. Whatever the reason, you've learned how to make do when circumstance demands. Allows you to pilot a class 2 spaceship solo without penalty (Normal operating crew 4-5). Allows you to just about get a class 3 spaceship moving, if you can wrangle the computer system well enough (Normal operating crew 15-20)
[] A touch of luck (1-4 Points): Because, what you've found, more than anything else, is that you're far luckier than you have any right to be. Increases Edge by one point per point of special.
[] Secret Cache (1-3 Points): Trying to run everything perfectly is all well and good, but sometimes, no matter how great your plan things will go horribly wrong. It pays to have to have something squirreled away, in case of emergency. Know the location of a secret stash of equipment and money you put by in case of emergency.
[] Unique Tech (Variable, one only): A life on the move and you end up visiting interesting places and meeting interesting people. Places like secret research facilities hidden inside a large asteroid. People like crazed scientists plotting to seize control of their local planet. Look, mistakes were made, people died, you didn't make any money, but you do have this funny little doohickey you picked up.
-[] Phasic Displacement Engine (4 Points): You can walk through walls! Well, okay, wall. Provided it isn't too thick, and it isn't made of too dense a material, and there are no weird energy effects. Takes 8 hours to recharge, lasts three seconds at most, cannot be improved. Concealed by merit of being grafted to your spinal column.
-[] Write-in: Be inventive! Keep it pretty low-key, but mostly keep it flavourful
[] Expert Skill (1 point per skill selected): Allows you to start play with a skill above 6. Normal Skill maximum is 12, this also allows it to reach 13.
[] Exceptional Attribute (1 point per attribute selected, two attributes at most): Increases an attribute maximum to 7.
[] Something Else: Something you feel I've forgotten that really ought to be an option.
Normal attributes start at 1 for free, and have a normal maximum of 6. Skills all start at 0 and have a starting maximum of 6, except language where you have a free Native rating in your native language. (I'm presuming English)
You have 24 Attributes points available, and 46 Skill points available. Spend all attribute and skill points before spending karma. Skill specialisations cost 1 skill point and give a +2 dice pool bonus.
Body- 1/6
Agility- 1/6
Reaction- 1/6
Strength- 1/6
Willpower- 1/6
Logic- 1/6
Intuition- 1/6
Charisma- 1/6
Agility- 1/6
Reaction- 1/6
Strength- 1/6
Willpower- 1/6
Logic- 1/6
Intuition- 1/6
Charisma- 1/6
Physical
-Athletics
-Stealth
-Swimming
Combat
-Unarmed
-Melee Weapons
-Small arms
-Rifles
-Automatics
-Heavy Weapons
Social
-Con
-Negotiation
-Intimidation
-Etiquette
Pilot
-Groundcraft
-Aircraft
-Spacecraft
Technical
-Biotech
-Computer
-Demolitions
-Electronics
-Medicine
-Mechanics
-Chemistry
-Athletics
-Stealth
-Swimming
Combat
-Unarmed
-Melee Weapons
-Small arms
-Rifles
-Automatics
-Heavy Weapons
Social
-Con
-Negotiation
-Intimidation
-Etiquette
Pilot
-Groundcraft
-Aircraft
-Spacecraft
Technical
-Biotech
-Computer
-Demolitions
-Electronics
-Medicine
-Mechanics
-Chemistry
Politics
Law
Art
Engineering
Physics
Philosophy
Biology
Weaponry
Spaceships
Underworld
Other - Specify
Law
Art
Engineering
Physics
Philosophy
Biology
Weaponry
Spaceships
Underworld
Other - Specify
New Attribute Rank =5*new rank
New Skill Rank =2*new rank
New Skill Rank =2*new rank
Please vote by Plan, for convenience, will happily answer any queries.
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Episode 0: Poison Seeps In Gently
deadcrystal
Slaaneshi Cultist
- Location
- The Warp
Your first memory is of sitting on a hill overlooking soft green fields. A slight breeze stirred the grass oh so softly, and the sun filtered through the leaves of the tree above you. Your family were by you, warm at your back and the world was calm.
Looking back you can't capture the way that felt, your impressions feel like a shallow pretence. It was a good day. It makes for a sad memory.
----------
When you were young, you learnt early on about the way things were 'supposed to be'. Your family had status, a name, a position in society. You were 'supposed' to do right by it. Attend the right parties, say the right things, excel in the right fields. None of it was quite stated directly, at least at first, a raised eyebrow, a glance that lingered a second too long. Your family had a way of lending them as much weight as a hammerblow. Your heart burned and your teeth turned to fangs behind your lips. The first time they saw you, blood on your knuckles, bruised lip, their foreheads furrowed in tell-tale disappointment. Somehow, adrenaline singing in your blood, it lacked the usual sting. You grinned and their disappointment felt like dust before you. By the end of the week you'd started sword lessons and every frown on their brow was a little glory.
----------
You relish every moment of basic training. They shout and scream and beat you down, make every attempt they can to make you miserable. You're flying high at the sheer atavistic physicality of it all. You throw yourself into every exercise, feel your muscles burn and scream and it's all you can do to not laugh out loud. It isn't in you to hesitate any longer, it isn't in you to doubt. You see people crippled by their doubt all around you. They're afraid of making the wrong moves, of screwing it up, of the negative outcomes. Making no choice at all is far more damaging than making the wrong choice, most of the time. You aren't afraid to commit, to go all in. It's why you're getting recognised, making a name for yourself.
----------
The doctors had been reluctant to give you a clean bill of health after the aftermath of your last mission. They had concerns, they didn't understand the tech now grafted to your brain and CNS. You wondered what it would feel like to snap their necks right where they stood. Your CO had taken one look at the mission report, at the corpse of the dead scientist, orbital imagery of his wrecked laboratory, at your improved reaction times. He'd spoken to your subordinates, all alive thanks to your efforts. He ordered an exemption, effective immediately, and started briefing you for the next mission. You had your captaincy a mere year later.
----------
Your battlegroup filtered into the shuttles, weary, but successful. The enemy forces had expected a response to their actions, had known one would be coming months before they ever took the colony. They'd prepared, they'd been clever and cunning and resourceful. They hadn't been prepared for you. They hadn't been prepared for the water system to back up and flood the streets with waste. Hadn't expected the disease that struck, half their forces bedridden and dying from disease in less than a week. They'd expected a conventional campaign, you hadn't felt inclined to give them one.
----------
Humanity has learnt that space is not unoccupied, that on near all sides ancient dominions hold sway over vast regions of space. They've known this for over a century now. But when the construction of a fast-response fleet to defend all human territory finally reached completion, it needed an Admiral in charge. Your name was at the top of the list. It wasn't the first time you'd been recalled to Earth itself to be decorated. It was however, the last.
----------
An intellant virus is a threat that simply cannot be tolerated. You've had dozens of reports of the rumours of one. Rumours that lead here, an alien planet within Concordat influence, though not their space. A full-fleet is a power to be reckoned with. But, on the other hand. Can a power really be said to exist, if it is not used? There are battleships that have not once fired their primary armanent. What exactly, is the point of that? Well, let it not be said you have ever been one to waste the power you have been granted. You lay out your orders, you emphasise the scope of the threat, your subordinates have no need to know of its' uncertainty. You turn on the vid-links to watch your fire ravage the world underneath you.
----------
And now here you are. In a blackout cell, in a ship located you have no idea where. You suppose they couldn't just execute you, not when that would leave no-one to stand for blame the Concordat were sure to assign. Could hardly hand you over either, that'd be a tacit concession of power. Who knows what they'll do with you. You won't apologise for taking action where others would have hesitated. You did what you decided to do.
----------
You've been changed from ship to ship a dozen times, but now you think you've finally reached your destination, wherever that might be. Your hood and restraints are removed, leaving you thrust into a heavily built but sparse chamber. The door seals behind you, the only decoration in the room being a screen inset into one wall. Recording depth, or something like it, of all things. The room hums around you, a slight shudder the tell-tale sense of movement. An odd, heavy sensation. You feel stretched out, too big and too small all at once. The meter ticks down, more slowly as it goes. It stops when it reaches Horizon Depth. So does everything else.
((Hope I sufficiently matched what you were going for here. On the Skewfiend/Stillreflections plan here, you need to decide definitively on which translation method you're using here, but you've got a bit more time to adjust the build before we start.))
Looking back you can't capture the way that felt, your impressions feel like a shallow pretence. It was a good day. It makes for a sad memory.
----------
When you were young, you learnt early on about the way things were 'supposed to be'. Your family had status, a name, a position in society. You were 'supposed' to do right by it. Attend the right parties, say the right things, excel in the right fields. None of it was quite stated directly, at least at first, a raised eyebrow, a glance that lingered a second too long. Your family had a way of lending them as much weight as a hammerblow. Your heart burned and your teeth turned to fangs behind your lips. The first time they saw you, blood on your knuckles, bruised lip, their foreheads furrowed in tell-tale disappointment. Somehow, adrenaline singing in your blood, it lacked the usual sting. You grinned and their disappointment felt like dust before you. By the end of the week you'd started sword lessons and every frown on their brow was a little glory.
----------
You relish every moment of basic training. They shout and scream and beat you down, make every attempt they can to make you miserable. You're flying high at the sheer atavistic physicality of it all. You throw yourself into every exercise, feel your muscles burn and scream and it's all you can do to not laugh out loud. It isn't in you to hesitate any longer, it isn't in you to doubt. You see people crippled by their doubt all around you. They're afraid of making the wrong moves, of screwing it up, of the negative outcomes. Making no choice at all is far more damaging than making the wrong choice, most of the time. You aren't afraid to commit, to go all in. It's why you're getting recognised, making a name for yourself.
----------
The doctors had been reluctant to give you a clean bill of health after the aftermath of your last mission. They had concerns, they didn't understand the tech now grafted to your brain and CNS. You wondered what it would feel like to snap their necks right where they stood. Your CO had taken one look at the mission report, at the corpse of the dead scientist, orbital imagery of his wrecked laboratory, at your improved reaction times. He'd spoken to your subordinates, all alive thanks to your efforts. He ordered an exemption, effective immediately, and started briefing you for the next mission. You had your captaincy a mere year later.
----------
Your battlegroup filtered into the shuttles, weary, but successful. The enemy forces had expected a response to their actions, had known one would be coming months before they ever took the colony. They'd prepared, they'd been clever and cunning and resourceful. They hadn't been prepared for you. They hadn't been prepared for the water system to back up and flood the streets with waste. Hadn't expected the disease that struck, half their forces bedridden and dying from disease in less than a week. They'd expected a conventional campaign, you hadn't felt inclined to give them one.
----------
Humanity has learnt that space is not unoccupied, that on near all sides ancient dominions hold sway over vast regions of space. They've known this for over a century now. But when the construction of a fast-response fleet to defend all human territory finally reached completion, it needed an Admiral in charge. Your name was at the top of the list. It wasn't the first time you'd been recalled to Earth itself to be decorated. It was however, the last.
----------
An intellant virus is a threat that simply cannot be tolerated. You've had dozens of reports of the rumours of one. Rumours that lead here, an alien planet within Concordat influence, though not their space. A full-fleet is a power to be reckoned with. But, on the other hand. Can a power really be said to exist, if it is not used? There are battleships that have not once fired their primary armanent. What exactly, is the point of that? Well, let it not be said you have ever been one to waste the power you have been granted. You lay out your orders, you emphasise the scope of the threat, your subordinates have no need to know of its' uncertainty. You turn on the vid-links to watch your fire ravage the world underneath you.
----------
And now here you are. In a blackout cell, in a ship located you have no idea where. You suppose they couldn't just execute you, not when that would leave no-one to stand for blame the Concordat were sure to assign. Could hardly hand you over either, that'd be a tacit concession of power. Who knows what they'll do with you. You won't apologise for taking action where others would have hesitated. You did what you decided to do.
----------
You've been changed from ship to ship a dozen times, but now you think you've finally reached your destination, wherever that might be. Your hood and restraints are removed, leaving you thrust into a heavily built but sparse chamber. The door seals behind you, the only decoration in the room being a screen inset into one wall. Recording depth, or something like it, of all things. The room hums around you, a slight shudder the tell-tale sense of movement. An odd, heavy sensation. You feel stretched out, too big and too small all at once. The meter ticks down, more slowly as it goes. It stops when it reaches Horizon Depth. So does everything else.
((Hope I sufficiently matched what you were going for here. On the Skewfiend/Stillreflections plan here, you need to decide definitively on which translation method you're using here, but you've got a bit more time to adjust the build before we start.))
Episode 1: Escape the Maw, Part 1
deadcrystal
Slaaneshi Cultist
- Location
- The Warp
"I still don't think we should be doing this. It's not worth the risk."
"Need I remind you how low we are for supplies? To say nothing about nav-data, repairs, or help?"
"I know that. That's why I don't think we should be doing this, have you seen this place? It's not exactly at the top of my list of places I'd call friendly-looking, I really don't think we should be taking the risk, when out supplies are so low."
"Look, I understand the urge, I do! We're in a bad spot, and it seems to make sense to try and hold onto what we have, that we should only try things like this when we're in a better position. But all that would lead us to is us drifting dead in space. Trying to play it safe, as odd as it may seem, is the exact opposite of what we should do."
"...I suppose. Still feels wrong, and this place gives me the creeps, and all the sensors were going all over the place. As long as we're quick I guess. What's that thing in our cargo bay want this time?"
"She gave me a list. Last set of stuff before she finishes that project of hers, or so she claims anyway, it's not like we have any way of telling. As long as she actually delivers on what she promised. Anyway the others should handle that stuff, place as well-equipped as this is bound to have replacement parts. We're after information, don't want to get caught out by something that'll completely frell us. Okay, here we go, this is promising."
"Jeez that's heavily encrypted. Can you make anything out from it?"
"Not a damned thing. Not from the data anyway, the controls on the other hand...uh, storage I think. Rated for biomaterial, heavy security, internally facing. Cell I think, and an occupied one, can't tell the status properly."
"Don't."
"Don't what? I didn't say anything!"
"I could see it in your face, you were thinking about opening it up."
"Okay, I was. We're short-handed and you know it. Can't run the ship properly like this, I really don't think we can afford to ignore any potential source of help."
"Ugh. Fine. But I want you to know that if it's some horrific abomination that's been sealed here for the sake of all sentient life I'll let it eat you."
"Duly noted. Bringing the cell to us, I think. Yeah okay, here we go. Should just be a minute. Still don't have a clue why the system is so complicated for just a cell. This whole place is far more complicated than it should be."
----------
And starts again. You're going back up, if the depth meter is to be believed. What, they forget to check you over or something?
A minute later the heavy door unseals and swings open to reveal what are definitely not guards, unless they have a very lax uniform policy.
One of them is Nemitean, you think. You've only ever seen pictures of them. The other's Coboldt, a Hierarchy species. They look tense, as much as you can judge alien body reactions. They're also armed.
What should you do?
[]Write-in
----------
They arrived in a ship, they absolutely legally own, why do you ask? What was it?
[] Federation Basic Survey Vessel (Class 2 Spaceship, Improved Sensors, Special - Probe Drone)
[] Courier Vessel - Nemitean (Class 2 Spaceship, Improved Power, Special - Jaunt Drive)
[] Trade Vessel - Concordat (Class 2 Spaceship, Improved Shields, Special - Reactive Shielding)
[] Hierarchy Deliverance Vessel (Class 2 Spaceship, Improves Weapons, Special - Target Beacon Ammunition)
[] Imperium Sloop (Class 2 Spaceship, Improved Hull, Special - Grav-Lock Armoured Plating)
((Last chance to make character sheet adjustments))
"Need I remind you how low we are for supplies? To say nothing about nav-data, repairs, or help?"
"I know that. That's why I don't think we should be doing this, have you seen this place? It's not exactly at the top of my list of places I'd call friendly-looking, I really don't think we should be taking the risk, when out supplies are so low."
"Look, I understand the urge, I do! We're in a bad spot, and it seems to make sense to try and hold onto what we have, that we should only try things like this when we're in a better position. But all that would lead us to is us drifting dead in space. Trying to play it safe, as odd as it may seem, is the exact opposite of what we should do."
"...I suppose. Still feels wrong, and this place gives me the creeps, and all the sensors were going all over the place. As long as we're quick I guess. What's that thing in our cargo bay want this time?"
"She gave me a list. Last set of stuff before she finishes that project of hers, or so she claims anyway, it's not like we have any way of telling. As long as she actually delivers on what she promised. Anyway the others should handle that stuff, place as well-equipped as this is bound to have replacement parts. We're after information, don't want to get caught out by something that'll completely frell us. Okay, here we go, this is promising."
"Jeez that's heavily encrypted. Can you make anything out from it?"
"Not a damned thing. Not from the data anyway, the controls on the other hand...uh, storage I think. Rated for biomaterial, heavy security, internally facing. Cell I think, and an occupied one, can't tell the status properly."
"Don't."
"Don't what? I didn't say anything!"
"I could see it in your face, you were thinking about opening it up."
"Okay, I was. We're short-handed and you know it. Can't run the ship properly like this, I really don't think we can afford to ignore any potential source of help."
"Ugh. Fine. But I want you to know that if it's some horrific abomination that's been sealed here for the sake of all sentient life I'll let it eat you."
"Duly noted. Bringing the cell to us, I think. Yeah okay, here we go. Should just be a minute. Still don't have a clue why the system is so complicated for just a cell. This whole place is far more complicated than it should be."
----------
And starts again. You're going back up, if the depth meter is to be believed. What, they forget to check you over or something?
A minute later the heavy door unseals and swings open to reveal what are definitely not guards, unless they have a very lax uniform policy.
One of them is Nemitean, you think. You've only ever seen pictures of them. The other's Coboldt, a Hierarchy species. They look tense, as much as you can judge alien body reactions. They're also armed.
What should you do?
[]Write-in
----------
They arrived in a ship, they absolutely legally own, why do you ask? What was it?
[] Federation Basic Survey Vessel (Class 2 Spaceship, Improved Sensors, Special - Probe Drone)
[] Courier Vessel - Nemitean (Class 2 Spaceship, Improved Power, Special - Jaunt Drive)
[] Trade Vessel - Concordat (Class 2 Spaceship, Improved Shields, Special - Reactive Shielding)
[] Hierarchy Deliverance Vessel (Class 2 Spaceship, Improves Weapons, Special - Target Beacon Ammunition)
[] Imperium Sloop (Class 2 Spaceship, Improved Hull, Special - Grav-Lock Armoured Plating)
((Last chance to make character sheet adjustments))