Following up on the positive response in
this topic, I'll be starting this RP before too long. In brief, it is about a group of gamers who were testing a comprehensive virtual reality protocol but were stranded in an actual Elements world, in forms capable of commanding the energies and creatures of the world. Their future efforts will either be about accepting this reality as their own or attempting to return home.
In order to know who's joining in and to get a rough idea of who they are, I ask for participants to answer the following
in-character, letting replies reflect temperaments.
Spoiler for "Departure Science Volunteer Registration Form":
Project #9066 - Epidimensional Location Excitement Motivating Extradimensional Novel Transit Status
Name:
Other Aliases:
Age:
Gender:
Preferred Species/Race:
Preferred Appearance:
Primary Elemental Affinity:
Secondary Elemental Affinity (if applicable):
Profession:
Notable Hobbies:
Concerns About Test (if any):
Test Expectation Rating out of 5 Cakes:
At this time, accessing the sub-regional dimension and, in its use, applying uniform distribution of friction is a developmental imperative in an emerging guided fantasy. The same being licensed herewith (except those consultants and in the survivor of such date the Committee under Warrant Agent and all respects be required by it may the same and shall have all of the rights except those belonging to a Stockholder which the latter have acquired in new Directives issued upon the surrender of Certificates or the return of a product duly described by an on-duty Theft Investigation Agent appointed by Licensee, or in Licensee's absence, a family member, if available, who has been both charged with and acquitted of larceny, or otherwise the Committee, with respect to the extent lawful) all stamp taxes and acknowledgement of the Procedure being duly issued as well as second-party recognition that the Participant has made this Agreement or superseding order in writing and in person, according to customary law, the User may request a restoration by the Company and the Plan, but he shall be in no event of supplication informed of Contents issued after the Procedure but before the restoration in its acting as the same, and local taxes cannot be exercised until and unless the Company has been indemnified by the local government for all tax revenues. Parties agree that the terms and conditions, set hereinafter and thereuntobefore, are subject to considerable and deserved mockery, and are bound together solely by a redundancy of fabricated prepositions.
Signature:
For sake of example I'll be submitting my form here; for sake of reference a list and set of links to future sign-ups (expanded as necessary) will follow.
Spoiler for Jaye / 'Aurora':
Project #9066 - Epidimensional Location Excitement Motivating Extradimensional Novel Transit StatusName: Jaye Granger
Other Aliases: In my writing projects, often Jayne or Aurora, characters into whose shoes (or paws) I suppose I'll step.
Age: 19
Gender: Male (although the two I mentioned are vixens, so...I suppose I'll do the same for this simulation).
Preferred Species/Race: Kitsune
Preferred Appearance: A silver-furred vixen, six-tailed (or I guess three-tailed if it makes more sense at whatever point we start), fairly recognizable as a vulpine but also distinctly humanoid, somewhat lithe and athletic. 5'9", roughly? Fur probably fairly long and soft, same for tails. Stripes of steel blue down the sides of tails, patch of red over heart. Paws which work just fine as hands and feet, but nonetheless allow for slashing if need be. Bright blue eyes that seem to sparkle...anyway. One last thing that might happen is a faint luminescence based on energy, for good or for ill.
Primary Elemental Affinity:
, since...I guess I'd just say that I'm 'neutral good' as some classifications would go. Even though that's not a one-to-one comparison. I'd like to stick with light for peace's sake, my peace and that of others.
Secondary Elemental Affinity (if applicable):
. Been fascinated with the idea of time-travel...and of dimensional warping, which is part of why I was interested in this project.
Profession: Student (collegiate)
Notable Hobbies: Writing, puzzles, gaming, logic, a bit of metaphysics, some others.
Concerns About Test (if any): I have difficulty believing that you're actually harnessing higher dimensions, as opposed to just being the next generation of VR...how is this supposed to work? Those dimensions have mostly been theoretical...what if things go wrong in transit? What if they go wrong when we get there...if, that is, we even are going anywhere?
Test Expectation Rating out of 5 Cakes: 2.5/5...cakes?
<Legal jargon>
Signature:
Jaye C. Granger I'll continue adding space to the list as need requires, hope you join in!
- I've been asked and will note, please make your sign-up form a reply in this thread. I'm just adding the links to specific posts for convenience.
Additional information:
- Each player has a multipurpose watch, which, among other things,
provides provided information to Departure, has a map of the land (see below), and can perform a number of other yet-unspecified functions. Its displays are color-coded to the wearer's element/s. It also seems to be nigh-indestructible and, if taken off, will follow its bearer in the shape of a mini-helicopter.
- Creatures and permanents/artifacts are to be hidden away in a personal sub-space which will keep them nearby and summonable; this space is accessible by a watch but may not be entered by players.
- You start with the ability to perform elemental magic approximately equivalent to the starter deck of your primary element. Within the RP,
magic is simply magic, and does not require cards. Your skills should progress over time, which is your prerogative.
- Limitations on magic: For our purposes,
magic is a shortcut. By expending an amount of energy proportional (but not necessarily equivalent) to physically doing a task, with consideration for the distance you're doing it over, you may will some effect as an extension of your elemental power (spells) or bring an owned piece of equipment or loyal creature immediately from your watch's rift (summoning permanent/creatures). In this definition, manifesting your stated elements is considered not very physically draining; while other types are possible in theory it's simply not how you're specialized. You're not limited to the cards from EtG. The point at which you become tired should be reasonable in accord with your character's elemental experience and the number of Shards you've recovered.
- Magic does exist in the natural world and may be drawn on to help ease the physical strain, but the method of drawing on one particular type of element when many can be said to be present is imperfect and not recommended unless: a) Near a particularly potent source of that element, or b) When using gear which helps isolate a particular element.
NPCs:
You are free to add NPCs, with the stipulation that beyond my initial documenting them, they are your responsibility to: a) keep in check and not steal the spotlight from the character you signed on to write; and b) if you don't want them to be public domain you have to let me know and I'll make a note here.- Dave Smithson, founder and CEO of Departure Science. In his late 60s and in pretty poor health, hoping to cure himself (among other things) if this experiment works. Is pretty ruthless in the pursuit of science.
- Rachael Whitman, works for Departure Science, Project Coordinator for E.L.E.M.E.N.T.S. She and her team are currently in the form of scavenging animals trying to piece back together the shattered gemstones used in the experiment; their efforts are Project #9067.
-
(Silver Only) Virtual Assistant, better known as 'The Oracle'. An algorithm given flesh, he was supposed to help the players but the gateway crash has left much of his knowledge and power corrupted, hidden from him except in the form of strange predictions. Still wields a potent amount of control over each of the elements...but is mostly absorbed in trying to recover from the portal implosion.
Geography/Politics:
- Departure Science HQ has been determined to be somewhere in the north of the US state Michigan.
-
The map in this post by vrt is our reference map. We begin at the unmarked Oracle Shrine, located centrally between
and
.
- Pillars and shards are unique; each element has built up its civilization around its pillar (an ancient artifact, the origin of which is unknown) since the pillar provides a localized purification effect which significantly improves the 'density' of its element in the region and thereby makes accessing native magic easier for that element. This has also kept the elemental borders relatively stable in the past, though squabbles over defining the borders are not uncommon. The 13th pillar, the Quantum Pillar, is part of the Oracle Shrine and is understood to be a neutral zone.
- The Shard of each element is among the greatest treasures of its civilization and confers a more portable form of the Pillar to its holder, in addition to some other effect. Rulers are generally leery to give them up, but when they do so, according to epics of heroes gone by, it shows that the ruler trusts in the recipient to use it well and trusts in the Oracle to be able to mysteriously recover the Shard if should anything untoward happen. Whether that's still possible in his weakened state remains to be seen.
Poll
