Savage Hunger: Sci-fi/fantasy Savage Worlds RP (closed)

[Xali]

Here is the opening post for the Savage Worlds RP which I and a group of friends have gotten together. Invitation-only, sorry! Post your in-progress or completed characters here, and once we have ourselves a party the RP can begin. Rolls will be done by GM on https://rolz.org/dr?room=SavageForumVRP, and card-draws will be done using http://playingcards.io/he28. Setting information is fairly thin at the moment but I will append some text documents with more detail as soon as I get the chance. Post at will in this thread, but once the game begins, all OOC should be in italics.

Genre: Raygun gothic fantasy / planetary romance. Magic, weird science, and high tech
mingle in a pseudo-medieval setting.

Similar settings and influences: Flash Gordon, Thundarr the Barbarian, the Herculoids, Dune,
John Carter of Mars, Spelljammer, Star Ocean (series), WildStar

Setting (more to come later): For a dozen generations, the lushly-forested mountain world of
Lulon has been ruled by the Lavendrian Empire, a feudal dynasty resting on the shoulders of
many noble families with centuries-long traditions. Age-old tools and crafts co-exist
harmoniously with technological wonders that are as elegant as they are powerful. With strict
limits on the movement of commoners and the establishment of new townships, much of the
planet remains as an unsettled frontier inhabited by wild beasts and low-tech clans.

Of course, the stability and prosperity of the Lavendrian nobles breeds (literally) a surplus of
headstrong youths with not enough land or titles to go around. Intrigues are common, and in
a society bound by codes of honor it is all too easy for would-be scions to fall from grace.
However, now that the other inhabited worlds of the star system are experiencing their own
greed for new holdings and coming to Lulon to carve out their own little empires, the
Lavendrian hierarchy feels the need for a buffer against efforts by foreigners to expand into
their frontier.

As a means of killing two birds with one stone, the Empire has begun issuing great numbers
of charters for new townships and estates in the more dangerous and unsettled pockets of
wilderness full of those who don't measure up to the civilized standards of the ancestral
holdings. Euphemistically referred to as 'Shadetowns', these now holdings consist of
thousands of citizens forcibly transported there (mostly debtors and petty criminals) and a few
disfavored or disgraced noble scions to rule over them. If these colonies of misfits end up
eating eachother (figuratively or, more likely, literally) or getting wiped out by aggressive
barbarian clans or foreign interlopers, there is no great loss... and if they should happen to
succeed in building a new bastion of civilization, they become a new source of revenue.

The latest Shadetown, too young to have even been given a name yet, has just been
established on a mountainside pockmarked with natural caves and tunnels near the shore of a
great lake. Aside from some ramshackle huts and log houses left behind by a nomadic tribe
some months or years ago, there is nothing - and even though the roughly 6000 new
'citizens' have been elevated from commoners to freemen and women, they are none too
pleased to be dumped into the wilderness. The only thing these 'settlers' have been given is a
months worth of supplies, a single under-powered generator, and twoscore rusting,
malfunctioning labor robots. With everyone staying in huts, tents, or caves, this town-in-
name-only is completely open to attack and has no real natural resources aside from
abundant timber, game, and fishing. Rumors swirl as to why they were sent to this
godsforsaken place - most of the new citizens think they've simply been sent here to die.
Others say that the nobles who sent their scions here and sponsored the town's charter know
of something valuable hidden within the mountain's twisting tunnels and ancient mines, and
hope to profit from it without any personal risk. Regardless, trust is even more scarce than
supplies, and whether these disposessed young nobles can maintain order and survive their
first winter remains to be seen...





Character creation and equipment:
Edit: Important note - I have decided to increase the starting amount of money to $1000, to represent the characters' relatively privileged backgrounds and let them play around with magic and tech gear a little bit. This also means that each point of hindrances you devote to extra starting cash gives you another 1k instead of 500.

As well as humans or human-equivalent species (who are the default described in the Savage
Worlds explorer's edition and gain a free edge), the new races from the Science Fiction
Companion are available, as are the custom race creation rules.

Edit: In order to keep the focus on characters individual abilities rather than their racial traits, custom races are limited to +6 worth of positive racial abilities, including the +2 that they get by default.

Hinderances and Edges from the Science Fiction Companion are available in addition to those
in the core rules, except for those related to cybernetics.

Of the arcane backgrounds listed in the Explorer's edition, the most appropriate are 'Weird
Science', 'Magic', and 'Psionics'. (Note: In this setting, magic generally has a sinister,
witchcraft-like aspect to it, and thus the powers in the Savage Worlds Horror Companion are
available and appropriate choices). The 'Alchemist' and 'Artificer' edges from the Fantasy Gear
Toolkit are also available.

WEAPONS AND ARMOR: From the Explorer's edition gear section starting on page 48,
everything in the "Medieval Armor" and "Medieval Weapons" section is available to a starting
character. Magic weapons and armor as described in the Fantasy Gear Toolkit are available at
1/10th of the listed price, summarized here with the new prices:

Armor Enchantments:
+1 Toughness +$100
+2 Toughness +$200
+3 Toughness +$300
Arcane Resistance +$200
Berserk +$200
Charismatic +$200
Command +$200
Danger Sense +$200
Dodge +$600
Fleet Footed +$200
Hard to Kill +$200
Harder to Kill (2) +$800
Improved Arcane Resistance (2) +$400
Improved Dodge (2) +$14,00
Quick +$200
Shield Enchantments:
+1 Parry (Block) +$600
+2 Parry (Improved Block) +$800
Arcane Resistance +$200
Berserk +$200
Charismatic +$200
Command +$200
Danger Sense +$200
Dodge +$600
Fleet Footed +$200
Hard to Kill +$200
Harder to Kill (2) +$800
Improved Arcane Resistance (2) +$400
Weapon Enchantments:
+1 damage +$100
+2 damage +$200
+3 damage +$300
+1 Fighting +$100
+2 Fighting +$200
+3 Fighting +$300
Ambidextrous +$200
Berserk +$200
Block +$400
Command +$200
First Strike +$200
Frenzy +$400
Giant Killer +$600
Improved Block (2) +$100
Improved First Strike (2) +$120
Improved Frenzy (2) +$100
Improved Sweep (2) +$800
Quick Draw +$200
Sweep +$200

Edit: Other Magic Items
Aside from weapons and armor, other magic items from the 'Fantasy Gear Toolkit' are available, also at 10% of listed cost. However, items which provide a flat, constant bonus to a stat or skill [bracers/brooch] of [strength/agility/intelligence/archery/etc] are not allowed for starting characters and can only be acquired in-game. Situational and activated items are encouraged, and items giving a flat bonus to non-combat skills are allowed. If it provides a flat, constant bonus to a stat you use in combat, it'll probably be on this banned list:
Armbands of Strength
Belt of Strength
Bracers of Agility
Bracers of the Mule
Cloak of Protection
Cloak of Shadows
Gloves of Fighting
Girdle of Endurance
Headband of Intelligence
Headband of Action
Mask of Beauty
Medal of Honor
Skullcap of Intellect
Stone of Boosting
Torc of Authority
Ring of the Archer
Ring of Arcane Resistance
Ring of Dampening
Ring of Hammerhand
Ring of Mastery
Ring of Protection
Ring of the Swordsman
Staff of the Mage Lord
Staff of Warrior's Blessing

Custom magic items (aside from weapons or armor) cannot be bought with starting money.


Furthermore, as this is a science-fantasy setting, the following weapons and devices are
available from the Sci-fi companion:
Everything from the 'Personal Equipment' section except for the 'Personal Data Device',
'Exoskeleton' and 'Weapon Gimble'.
Available armor and weapons:
Force Field, Personal: A personal force field typically worn as a belt.
Provides +4 Armor against all types of attack*. It’s powered by enough energy for 24 hours of
continuous use, then must be recharged for one hour. Force fields stack with all other types
of armor except other personal force fields, and are not affected by AP. Force fields ONLY
function against energy weapons, explosions and supersonic projectiles. Arcane attacks,
melee attacks, and sub-sonic projectiles (such as arrows or thrown weapons) bypass them
entirely. (4 lb, $400)
Polymer Shield: These devices function
exactly like regular shields, but are much more lightweight and durable. They add
+4 Armor vs ranged attacks instead of +2. (Small: 2 lb, $200; Medium: 4 lb, $300; Large:
6 lb, $400).
Glide Suit: A lightweight bodysuit that allows a user to glide extended distances
at high speed—Pace 48 (120 mph), Climb –2. Distance is roughly equal to 10 times
the height at which it launched, so the user could glide a maximum of ten miles from a
mile-high peak (they can’t gain significant altitude). The Piloting skill is used for
maneuvering and landing. A failed landing roll results in 3d6 damage.
Glide suits add +1 Armor and are formfitting so they can’t be worn with any other type of
protection except personal force fields. (8 lb, $1500)

Close combat weapons:All the close combat weapons listed in Savage Worlds are generally
available in science fiction settings. Any close combat weapon (including a simple glove or
gauntlet) can be enhanced with one (and only one) of the Modifications below.

Power Packs: Powered weapons require “power packs.” They continually recharge using
a combination of kinetic motion, ambient radiation, and even body heat, but can burn out.
Edit: The power pack rules listed in the Sci-fi comapanion will not be used; rather, technological
weapons roll on the weird science mishap table when a 1 comes up on the fighting die (see below).

Energy Weapon: A weapon with a blade of pure energy or high
frequency vibration. It increases the weapon’s damage by one die type
and grants +4 AP in addition to any other special abilities of the base
weapon. Energy weapons have no minimum Strength limitation and
count as a Heavy Weapon. They are unusable when unpowered.
Weight: +1 Cost: +$500

Power Weapon: The weapon contains a variable burst of energy that’s
released on impact. It adds +1d6 to the character’s damage. With a raise
on the attack roll, the character’s damage is a d10 instead of a d6. Power
weapons function as their base type when drained of energy.
Weight: +1 Cost: +$500

Stun Charge: Blunt weapons can be rigged to deliver a stunning charge
of energy. After a target is hit by the weapon (including a Touch Attack),
resolve damage. Then the victim must make a Vigor roll or fall prone and
Incapacitated. At the start of each subsequent action, he makes a Vigor
roll to revive. Success means he revives but is Shaken for the round and
can recover on the next as usual A raise means he revives instantly and is
not Shaken. An unpowered stun weapon does normal damage.
Weight: +1 Cost: +$500

Particle Accelerators (Blasters)
Electromagnetic accelerators propel tiny particles at high rates of speed. They cause more
damage than traditional slugthrowers and can hold a large amount of ammunition since
each particle is so minute.
.........Range Damage RoF Shots Min Str Weight Cost
Pistol 12/24/48 2d6+2 1 100 — 1 $300
Notes: SA, AP 2. Particle packs cost $20 and weigh .25 pounds each.
SMG 12/24/48 2d6+2 3 100 — 1 $300
Notes: AP 2, SA. Particle packs cost $20 and weigh .25 pounds each.
Rifle 24/48/96 2d8+2 1 100 — 5 $500
Notes: SA, AP 2. Particle packs cost $20 and weigh .25 pounds each.
Gatling Blaster 24/48/96 2d8+4 4 100 d6 12 $800
Notes: AP 2. Particle packs cost $20 and weigh .25 pound each.

Gyrojet Weapons
Gyrojet rounds have their own propellant, like miniature rockets, and offer several types
of warheads:
• Boomer: Damage 5d6, LBT, HW. Cost is doubled. Boomers have a minimum arming
distance of 20” (40 yards) and can only be used in rifles.
• Heat Seeker: Damage 3d6. Use the rules for missiles (see Savage Worlds), except the
attacker uses Shooting and the defender uses Agility.
• Rocket: Damage 3d6, HW. The basic line-of-sight projectile tipped with a microexplosive
warhead.
Range Damage RoF Shots Min Str Weight Cost
Gyrojet Pistol 12/24/48 By Type 1 10 — 3 $400
Notes: HW. Ammo costs $40 and weighs .5 pounds per 10 shots.
Gyrojet Rifle 24/48/96 By Type 1 30 d6 10 $600
Notes: HW. Ammo costs $60 and weighs 1 pound per 10 shots.
NOTE: Gyrojet weapons are sometimes designed to use underpowered sub-sonic rockets in
order to bypass energy shields. These 'slow rockets' are very clumsy and unstable, and suffer
a -4 penalty to hit. This same penalty applies to arrows or crossbow bolts equipped with
explosive heads, which are otherwise treated as standard gyrojet ammunition.

Lasers
Lasers fire intensely focused beams of light to penetrate and burn their targets.
• Cauterize: Anyone Incapacitated by a laser blast adds +2 to his Vigor rolls to keep from
Bleeding Out.
• Overcharge: The lasers below can overcharge to cause an extra d6 damage, but if any of
the Shooting dice are a 1, the weapon must recharge for a round before it can fire again.
• Recoil: There is no recoil modifier for firing lasers on full-auto.
Range Damage RoF Shots Min Str Weight Cost
Pistol 15/30/60 2d6 1 50 — 2 $250
Notes: AP 2, SA. Energy pack: $20, .25 lb.
SMG 15/30/60 2d6 4 100 — 4 $500
Notes: AP 2, SA, no recoil penalty. Energy pack: $20, .5 lb.
Rifle 30/60/120 3d6 3 100 d6 8 $700
Notes: AP 2, 3RB, SA, no recoil penalty. Energy pack: $20, .5 lb.
Gatling Laser 50/100/200 3d6+4 4 800 d6 20 $1000
Notes: AP 2, no recoil penalty. Energy drum: $50, 4 lb.

Stun Guns
These weapons stun foes with a beam of disruptive energy. They have no effect on creatures
without nervous systems.
Range Damage RoF Shots Min Str Weight Cost
Stun Gun 5/10/20 — 1 12 — 1 $300
Notes: After a target is hit, he must make a Vigor roll or fall prone and Incapacitated. At
the start of each subsequent action, he makes a Vigor roll to revive. Success means he
revives but is Shaken for the round and can recover on the next as usual A raise means he
revives instantly and is not Shaken. An unpowered stun weapon does normal damage.
NOTE: The +4 armor bonus from a personal force field is added to the defender's vigor roll.
Furthermore, stun guns cannot be used to 'stun-lock' a target. Once someone has been
affected by a stun gun and recovered from it, he or she is immune to stun-gun attacks for the
rest of the encounter. This restriction does *not* apply to 'stun charge' melee weapons.

CYBERSPACE RIGS:
For those who are interested in exploring the arcane and often-dangerous workings of
computer technology, the 'rigs' from the Sci-Fi Gear Toolkit (pg 16 - 22) are available at the
listed prices. For simplicity's sake, characters should stick to the listed example rigs rather
than making a custom one.

VEHICLES AND OTHER MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTS:
Wheeled ground vehicles are very rarely used in this setting due to cultural reasons: most
commoners are legally forbidden from riding (which is to say, controlling) any 'mount',
organic or mechanical, and must rely on trains and carriages for transit. Those privileged to
own their own mode of transportation prefer to ride horses or various exotic creatures, and
those who desire something mechanical tend to opt for lumbering robotic walkers. However,
vehicles and robots are mostly out of the price-range of starting characters and will have to
be acquired in-game. Power armor and military vehicles are relatively rare: There are no
main battle tanks, attack helicopters or the like. Those military vehicles that exist are usually
huge, clumsy robots specialized in laying siege to shielded fortresses, or bipedal droids that
simply function as tireless guards or disposable infantry.

EDIT: MORE HOUSE-RULES!
In order to help produce the feel of a dramatic setting with larger-than-life battles and a dynamic balance between the arcane and the technological, we'll be using a couple of rules changes:

Weird Science Weapons: Although incredible high-tech wonders exist in this setting, they are not the utilitarian devices mass-produced in central factories like their equivalents in most sci-fi settings. Whether it is laser pistols, robots, holograms, or force fields, most high-tech devices are made by guilds of the so-called "Clockmakers". These devices are not crude or primitive; most Clockmakers take enormous pride in their work and use only the highest-quality materials possible. But neither are their creations designed with user-friendliness in mind, and the fact that most technological devices are manufactured in small runs of a few dozen or hundred means that most have design flaws which manifest under certain circumstances. The upshot of this is that all technological weapons and other devices are considered to be 'weird science' devices, and thus, all technological devices roll on the Weird Science mishap table when a 1 is rolled to activate (shoot, strike, or otherwise use) them. This is the reason that powerful weapons such as gattling-barreled particle blasters are eschewed in favor of swords, shields and halberds made from advanced super-materials: knights and warriors are reluctant to rely on a weapon that might explode in their face when they need it most!

Devices such as personal shield generators which don't normally require a roll to activate require a character to make a smarts roll when turning on the device for the first time in a day with a TN of 2. If a character somehow fails this roll but doesn't score a malfunction, they must try again. If the device is working when turned on the first time, it doesn't require any more activation rolls for the rest of the day, until it is turned off for an extended period.

Wounds from non-physical sources: I want to encourage attempts to talk/frighten/trick enemies into submission. Therefore, unlike in the base rules, combatants can suffer a wound if a psychological or magical effect that would cause them to be shaken affects them while they are already shaken, if the attacker scored a raise. That means that if a target is shaken and a hero uses an intimidating 'test of wills' or a fear spell against them and beats the defender's opposed roll with a raise, the defender suffers a wound. This doesn't necessarily represent physical damage (though it might - say a rogue taunts an enemy henchman into lunging for her and sidesteps just in time for the foe to plunge off a rooftop), but it affects the victim all the same. If a 'wound' is purely psychological, it can be healed in a few minutes with a successful persuasion check by an ally or a guts roll (standard TN) by the one who suffered it.

VORE RULES:
Even though most do not practice it (at least not regularly), all humanoids and predatory
animals/monsters are assumed to be capable of vore.

Swallow whole: Predatory characters can swallow prey as large as Size +2 whole. If the pred
scores a success on its Fighting roll it has grappled its prey. Edit for clarification: This
is resolved the same as any other grappling attempt as described in the combat chapter, except
the would-be pred must have her hands free, and the target is swallowed if it can't escape, and
instead of the prey being shaken on a raise, they get instantly swallowed.[b]
A pred must have both hands free in order to make a vore attack. Unless the foe can escape,
it Swallows him or her on its next
action. On a raise, the victim is grappled and Swallowed in the same action. If a predator has
already swallowed someone, he or she suffers a cumulative -1 penalty to any further swallow
attempts per prey already in the stomach. Even prey smaller than the predator make it hard to
stuff more victims down due to their struggles.

Being swallowed is very shocking and terrifying turn of events for most folk - and those who
don't fear it often enjoy it a little too much. A predator who successfully swallows someone
may use their action to make a 'test of wills' attack against their prey (intimidate vs. spirit, or
taunt vs. smarts) with a +4 bonus. The predator also gets this bonus on intimidate or taunt
attacks against the prey's allies.
(Note: Because of the way that damage works in Savage Worlds, being 'shaken' essentially
counts as any target's first layer of defense. Therefore, it is just as effective at 'softening up'
an uninjured target as a physical attack would be.)

While engulfed, the target is at [b]–4 on all rolls including damage, to hit and Strength rolls to
free himself, and suffers 1d6 damage per round from digestive juices. (Armor offers no
protection.) The predator can also 'gurgle' the target as an attack action, dealing Strength +
d6 damage. This is treated as an opposed fighting roll just like the initial attempt, and the pred does
deal an extra d6 damage on a raise as usual.

Anyone who is incapacitated by a stomach can roll their Vigor, and multiply the result by 10
minutes to see how long they endure inside before they perish and are considered digested.
After 30 minutes per point of the prey's size, they are considered completely digested and
ready to be passed.

[sansuki]

. . . huh. That's... that's quite a bit more scifi than I was expecting. I'll, uh, quietly go back to the drawing board and try to get a character up by Sunday.

[CassyInko]

Well, here she is! Character is complete! I will be writing up a backstory for her, along with a personality profile, and getting that up shortly...but at least for the moment, here's a breakdown of Arcea, her race, and her general appearance!



Arcea (Arcealandria) Marlust


As the previous character concept didn't go over too well, here's the new one...a tribal anthro catgirl! Will include a backstory and personality profile soon!

[sansuki]

(deleted for fail)

[sansuki]

Aaaaaand my sheet is completely wrong in terms of skill because I still instinctively think all point-buy systems are really just GURPS and pretending not to be to spite me.

[XarcesTheDelicious]

Took longer than I had hoped but here she is Shall go into background and such a bit later, likely when we begin the actual game.

Celrie Psionic/Entertainer

Spoiler: show

[spoiler]

Spoiler: show

RACE

Celestial elf

Attribute increase Smarts start at d8 (cost 3)

While their dexterity is formidable, the Celestial elve's true power stems from the mind. The sky is quite literally the limit when it comes to the power of a Celestial elves mind, be it a life dedicated to the arts and creativity, a study of medicine, or scientific breakthroughs, Celestial elves tend to far outshine the "lesser" races of the galaxy in all such endeavors.

Strength may never advance above a d6 (cost - 3 )

the race is not without it flaw's, for while possessed of capable minds, and agile bodies, their musculature is such that true brute strength is all but unheard of among their race.


5 power points ( cost 1 )

The mental capabilities of the Celestial elves stretch far beyond the realms of arts academics and science. For among their kind stand some of the most accomplished Psionics in the galaxy. While not every Celestial elf is capable of manifesting destructive storms of energy with a thought, many believe the race as a whole to be psychic in nature, experiencing emotion, pleasure, and pain far greater than that of an average human.

Charisma +2 (cost 2 )

Many are the stories told of elven beauty, and the Celestial elves do not disappoint, their race epitomizing much of what other races of the galaxy deem as beauty. It is no wonder so many find themselves star struck, fascinated, or even obsessed upon first meeting even the lowliest of their race.


Vengeful minor (cost -1)





Attributes

Agility: d6
Smarts: d12+1
Spirit: d6
Strength: d4
Vigor: d6

Charisma: +6
Pace: 6
Parry: 6 (5 base)
Toughness: 9 (5 base) 1 armor
Encumbrance: 16/20

Skills

Fighting: d6
Healing: d6
Notice: d6
Persuasion: d6
Psionics: d12
Streetwise: d6

Hindrences
Curious (major)
Loyal (minor)
wanted (minor)

Edges

Attractive +2 charisma

Very Attractive +2 charisma

Arcane background Psionics
Power points: 15 (10 base+5 race )
Spells 3

Healing
Boost/Lower Trait
Bolt


Gear: 1000/1000

+3 toughness leather armor= 350 15lb
mana stone +5 = 500
rapier =150

[CassyInko]

There we go! x3 Character uploaded above, round two! First time playing an anthro, this should be fun! ^_^

[Xali]

Sorry it took so long guys, but I have part one of the backstory/setting information finished and ready to post. This one is the more specific information, with descriptions of the major noble houses which make up the Empire and a short briefing about local groups in the vicinity of the PCs town. Speaking of which: I (or you guys!) need to think of a catchy, appropriate name for said town.

Once we've got all of the character sheets posted in here then I can make an actual first-post to start the RP. I may change my mind a bit but I was picturing the opening scene as a celebration in the dining car of a luxuriously appointed hover-train (or possibly airship, if the group would prefer) just arriving at the new settlement for the first time. A few representatives of the families your characters originate from will be there but won't be staying long after the arrival at the makeshift station - mostly they'll be there to answer any last-minute questions and drunkenly laugh to one another about how glad they are to finally be getting rid of the player characters without any kind of scandal. In a pulp-style game like this I'll always strive to keep things lively, and occasionally I'll suggest we skip forward a few days, hours, or even weeks.

Despite all of the nerdy details in the attached text document I'll treat this as a semi-collaborative setting. If you want to go ahead and describe the actions and reactions of minor NPCs or fill in the details of side locations, feel free! More than free, actually - I'll even give out bennies (a Savage Worlds earnable re-roll mechanic) for good examples!

Edit: It won't let me post the extension no matter what I do! I'm going to have to fall back on pastebin for this one, sorry guys! Let me know if any of you can't get to it. http://pastebin.com/cKj7f6jb

[sansuki]

Okay! Try two.

Meet Yasha. Alternately known as Captain Redtail, the Scourge of the Southern Skies. Or, briefly, as Lady Redtail, an entirely above-board and not at all criminal minor noblewoman. But for now, just Yasha. She was a pirate; she worked her way up from gunner to first mate and then a captain (with stomach full of her predecessor, as one does) of the good airship Pirate's Mercy.

The ship's name is a joke. Most people don't find it very funny.

Still, for a five year period, Yasha led her ship through preying on trade caravans on land and sea from her flying warship with great talent and luck. Things only went bad when she started getting the hankering for something more than the smell of unwashed pirate bodies and the bumpiness of a turbulent thermal at night. Plowing a large proportion of her money into bribes, she managed to buy up enough land nobody else was using at the time and build a small ersatz castle, and began attending high society as though nothing were amiss. The local nobility was not amused, since some of them had been on the receiving end of Captain Redtail's attacks. After a hasty trial, Yasha managed to bribe enough people to not get a hanging, and even more to let her take most of her personal belongings with her when a sentence of exile was passed. Her ship is off somewhere months away on the other side of the world, but Yasha's got a good chunk of money and most of the gear that she had as a captain. In many ways, she still hasn't changed- she still boasts reflexively, she still covets money and power... but without a ship and without a pirate's career open to her, and with the nobility definitely closed, it remains to be seen what route will open up for her to get that power.

Code: Select all

Name: Yasha Redtail
Character: SQUIRREL
Job: Famous Ex-Air Pirate


Race: Squirrel!
Racial Abilities: Attribute Increase (Agility) [2], Pace (+2, running die + a type) [1], Small (-1 toughness) [-1]


Attributes:
Agility- d8 (1)
Smarts- d6 (1)
Spirit- d8 (2)
Strength- d4 (0)
Vigor- d6 (1)

Skills:
Climbing(Str)-    d4 (1)
Fighting(Agi)-    d6 (2)
Gambling(Sma)-    d4 (1)
Know:Battle(Sma)- d4 (1)
Persuasion(Spi)-  d10(4)
Piloting(Agi)-    d4 (1)
Shooting(Agi)-    d8 (3)
Streetwise(Sma)-  d4 (1)
Taunt(Sma)-       d4 (1)

Hindrances:
Big Mouth (Minor)
Greedy (Minor)
Phobia- BARKING DOGS OH GOD RUN (Major)

Edges:
Rich! (3x normal starting money)
Command (Can give +1 to allies' spirit rolls to recover from being shaken)

Stats:
Pace- 8" (1d8 extra if running)
Parry- 5 (+1 when wielding rapier)
Charisma- 0
Toughness- 5 (+4 when force field is on)

Gear: 1950/3000$, 15.25/20 encumbrance

Energy Rapier (Str+d6 damage, +4 AP, +1 Parry, Weight 4, Cost 650)   
Blaster Rifle (24/48/96 range, 2d8+2 damage, RoF 1, Shots 100, Semiauto, AP 2; Weight 5, Cost 500)
Stun Gun (5/10/20 range, RoF 1,  Shots 12; Weight 1, Cost 300)
Personal Force Field (+4 Armor, Weight 4, Cost 400)
5 Energy Packs for blaster rifle (Cost 100, Weight 1.25)

(still not happy with the gear, but I wanted to put up the sheet)

[Xali]

Characters that have been posted so far look good! I'm optimistic that we'll be able to start early next week. At this point I'm mostly waiting for character creation to finish up - I think that instead of writing up tons of backstory right now, I'll try to let the plot and supplementary background emerge organically from what the players come up with.

So, something that I was planning on introducing later on but, in retrospect, will be good to make a part of character creation: allies (a.ka. retainers, henchmen, servants, pets, mounts, and so on). Each character will be allowed to start with 2 modestly-powerful allies or one more potent one. Savage Worlds encourages the practice of players controlling small numbers of friendly NPCs, usually extras, that help fill in gaps in their skills and support them in battle. These extras are only loyal to a specific player character - others in the party can't control them, even if their "owner" is absent at the time.

Rather than creating them from scratch, I'll allow choosing pre-made NPCs from the bestiary sections of the SW Deluxe corebook, science fiction companion and fantasy bestiary companion (PM or AIM me if you need access to that last one - though you might be able to decide you want a certain NPC just based on their job description, in which case you only need those stats). Extras in this list marked with an asterisk count as 2 choices, I.E. that ally is the only one you'll start with.
These creatures and characters start with the equipment listed in their stats, and can't be given magic items with your starting money. In the case of the fantasy bestiary companion, use the gear stats from the deluxe book rather than those listed (I.E. a longsword does str+d8 rather than str+2 or whatever they list). In the case of NPCs from the Sci-fi Companion, any high-tech armor they have will be replaced with a portable shield generator.

From the Savage Worlds Deluxe bestiary:
Dire Wolf*
Dog/Wolf
Horse, War
Lion*
Orc (Note: Represents strong/tough anthros and demis rather than actual orcs)
Snake, constrictor

From Fantasy Bestiary Toolkit:
Bandit
Centaur
Dragon-man warrior*
Dwarf
Elf
Frost Wolf*
Hellhound*
Knight
Veteran Knight*
Lizard man
Novice mage
Mercenary
Veteran Mercenary*
Noble
Court Jester
Ranger
Veteran Ranger*
Rat-man
Thief
Master Thief*
Unicorn*

From Science Fiction Companion, "Travelers and Xenos" chapter:
Bounty Hunter*
Diplomat/Politician*
Explorer*
Pirate (Note: Exchange 'Gravitic Adaptation' for block)
Scientist
Spy*
Thug

[Jermayan]

Alright, I think I have this right. If there's anything wrong, let me know. I threw something of a character bio in, but if anyone has any ideas for ways to work character backstory, feel free to let me know.

Sevana Bucovina:

Code: Select all

Sevana Bucovina
Concept: Acquisitionist
Racial Traits:
  Flight - +2
  Edge - +2
  Keen Sense (hearing) - +1
  Free d6 in one skill - +1
 
  -1 Toughness - -2
  Habit (Major - Blood dependancy) - -2

Attributes:
  Agility  - d8
  Smarts   - d8
  Spirit   - d6
  Strength - d4
  Vigor    - d4

Skills: 15 points
  Fighting                - d4
  Intimidation            - d6
  Knowledge (Engineering) - d6 (Free)
  Persuade                - d6
  Notice                  - d4
  Shooting                - d8
  Stealth                 - d6
  Streetwise              - d6
  Weird Science           - d8

Derived stats:
Charisma  - 0
Pace      - 6
Parry     - 4
Toughness - 6 (3 base, 3 armor)

Edges:
  Ambidextrous
  Arcane Background (Weird Science)
  Quick Draw
  Two-Fisted
 

Hindrances:
  Arrogant - Major
  Cautious - Minor
  Vengeful - Minor
 
   - Sevana's upbringing and experiences has very much colored her worldview; having experienced firsthand the power that magic (and by extension the devices that use it as a power source), she has a bad habit of flaunting that power over those that can't or won't use it.  Similarly, if such a person actually manages to seriously inconvenience her or actually harm her, she nurses the grudge that develops until she has a chance to pay back the offender (with interest, of course).  Her overly-careful nature means that this can take quite a while to actually occur, however.

Powers:
  Portable Synaptic Overcharger - Boost/Drain Trait

   - This device appears to be a large, oversized belt, lined with what looks like micro-circuity and set with a pale green crystal where the buckle would normally reside.  When activated, it bathes the user in an exotic form of energy that can selectively boost different aspects of their body, depending on how it is calibrated.  The fact that the user typically ends up ravenously hungry after use is seen as a minor inconvenience.
 
Gear:
  +2 Toughness 'leather' armor - $200
  Blaster Pistol x2 - $600
   - Particle pack x2 - $40
  Dagger - $25
 
Ally:
  Dire wolf - 'Ludwig'


Bio:

A member of one of House Bucovina's sub-houses, Sevana is about as stereotypical a member of her house as one could imagine.  Tall and thin, she prefers light, unobstructive clothing to allow her the ability to take flight at a moment's notice, although lately she has been favoring clothing with a bit more flair to it.  Although not entirely unfamiliar with a blade, her skill with ranged weaponry suits her far better, as her slight form and hollow bones can't take much punishment, and she will typically only approach an opponent after they have been removed as a threat.

Raised in a culture that prided itself on knowledge and to a lesser extent magical prowess, Sevana was initially something of a let-down to her parents.  Although she showed a great aptitude for learning, she was far more interested in the study of clockwork mechanisms and engineering, pursuits that most of her companions saw as quaint and outmoded at best.  This opinion changed dramatically when she, while tinkering with a shipment of magically-resonant crystals, managed to wire them to a small generator and subsequently nearly burned down her parent's laboratory when it overloaded a storage battery connected to it from sheer output.

Travelling with her parent's blessing to study with a nearby enclave of Clockmakers, her capacity with technology and magically-based devices expanded greatly, eventually culminating in her construction of a device that could dramatically increase the natural capabilities of an individual, and do so relatively safely.  However, it had required more than a few expensive components, and she had begun taking 'side jobs' to pay for them, working with more unscrupulous elements of society to acquire them.  Along the way, she also discovered that not only did she have a natural talent at finding and moving sensitive information and items for these groups, but that she found the work far more exhilarating than tinkering in a secluded lab all day.

Thus, she took an extended leave of absence from the Clockmakers and began working full-time as an 'acquisitionist', someone who could find and deliver sensitive material to virtually anyone (for the right price, of course).  At the same time, she also started to indulge the hunger her belt caused in more dramatic ways, as it also served as a way to eliminate otherwise incriminating evidence or dispose of unwanted attention discreetly.

Unfortunately, she started to also make more than a few enemies, and while her catalog of incriminating transaction records meant that they couldn't simply have her killed, they were able to pull enough strings to get her publicly assigned to the latest Shadetown initiative.  Unable to work her way out of it, Sevana is reluctantly going along with it, resigned to having to spend a few years out in the wilderness before she can safely return once people have forgotten about her.

[sansuki]

I think I will take on that Dragon-man warrior as a companion, the brave 2nd mate of her ship that chose ot go into exile with his captain than to stay with the ship.

[MouseRem]

Name: Sequo, Quil
Age: 21
Gender: Female
Height: 2'1"
Species: Pika


A rather diminutive creature here, Quil is certainly one who's existence is constantly at risk of being caught underfoot. Her face and front is covered in brown fur, while black fur covers her back, arms and legs, and her body has a build similar to a stocky rabbit, sans ears and tailtuft.

Starting from the top, Quil's ears are short and wide, and very much round. Short fuzz covers all areas, including the interior. The right ear commonly twitches, even if she concentrates on it. Her eyes take up a fair amount of space on her face, not to mention heterochromic eyes, the left being blue and the right being green. She has a habit of squinting some of the time, idly staring into space some others, appearing a little disconnected from the outside world. A pair of steampunk-style goggles rests on her browline, leather straps with bronze frames. When lowered, the lenses magnify her eyes greatly. Definately not something the average person should wear for a long period. Just below, her muzzle is rounded, wide with a fair bit of length as well.

Being quite small, she seems more cute then anything else. Sitting down or crouching, she looks more like a big puffball. Typically, she covers herself in a white labcoat, but underneath her clothing, it appears that she doesn't possess much tone to her body. Her arms are a little short, and her midsection carries a little extra weight on her. Her legs are actually exposed, lacking any pants to fit her properly, not to mention her coat only covers her down to her knees. A little on the thick side, but if one compares them to other rabbits, they're pretty typical, and probably pretty nimble as well.



Quil is an eccentric creature and once medical student, but she did conduct a few of experiments in secret. They were a little on the disturbing side for anyone discovering them, often using trapped animals and often implanting them with creepy devices or chemicals. Once she was discovered, she was facing expulsion, which soon turned to arrest, after one of her subjects escaped and spontainously cumbusted, despite how she tried to argue the fire was well under control.

Her sentence was initially admission in asylum and mental health treatment, but she found herself shipped off to the shadetowns instead, possibly by her own choice. After all, she'd have plenty of space doing what she enjoys, just so long she could avoid their gullets. Or they avoid her experimentaions.

Code: Select all

Race specifications

Tiny being               Size-2, Toughness-2
-Small                   Attackers take -2 penalty to attack small targets
Quick Footed             Pace 8
Clever                   Smarts starts at d6
Keen Hearing             +2 to notice checks involving hearing


Attributes

Agility:       d6
Smarts:        d10
Strength:      d4
Spirit:        d6
Vigor:         d6


Vitals

Charisma:      0
Pace:          8
Parry:         2
Toughness:     3

Skills

Healing:            d6
Wierd Science:      d10
Shooting:           d6
Repair:             d8
Knowledge[Biology]: d6
Knowledge[Science]: d6

Edges:
Arcane Background [Wierd Science], 10 power max
Gadgeteer, 5 power max

Hinderances:
Clueless
Stubborn
Bad Eyes


Qizmos:

The Sequo Gloop Launcher
Entangle, 10/10 Charges, 2-4 charge per blast
Wierd Science vs. Agility, Range: 10, Area: Medium[2C] - Large [4C] area

A rather bulky looking weapon, at least for Quil's size.  This Bazoka looking weapon is outfitted with a number of hoses fitted into the back of the chamber, drawing liquid from a trio of canisters protruding from the right side.  Upon pulling the trigger, the weapon fires a pink globual, busting explosively and covering everything with a cherry scented and flavoured goop, quickly drying and stiffening, and capable of pinning down anything covered by it. 


Gear
Name                                    Weight     Cost
Laser Pistol                            2          250
Range: 15/30/60, Damage: 2d6 AP2
50 shot clip, 1 RoF, SA
2x Energy Cartridges                    0.5        40

Satchel                                 2          50
Tool Kit                                5          200
Prescription Goggles                               200

Load:     9.5/20
Cash:     $260

[Xali]

I've decided to go ahead and plop down a first post! I know not all of the characters have officially been posted yet but I'm pretty sure everyone is at least close to being done, and this will allow other players to start working on a first post. I agonized a bit over how much information to include and how long or detailed the first post here should be, but I eventually decided to not try and pack too much in at once or overload the post with information. The details not yet covered will be put into future posts as asides, probably in the form of italicized pre-scripts or post-scripts like this one has! The assumption so far is that the characters, with a few exceptions such as Celrie/Arcea, are unfamiliar with one another and have only had minimal interaction on this journey so far. Though the following might suggest a starting point/location for your characters, where exactly you begin is up to you. Your allies and retainers are also assumed to be present unless you'd rather have them already at the town waiting for you to arrive.

Don't worry about it if you haven't posted your character sheet or bio yet. Just post them when you're ready, either separately or appended to your first IC post, as you prefer.

Cookering Trading Post marked the very edge of the Empire's influence on the
southeastern tribal lands. A prime example of the current Empress's obsession with oversized
and impractical architectural mandates handed down from above, it resembled nothing so
much as an enormous, 4,000-yard-long donut powdered with snow, and airships alighting on
top of it like bumblebees. Despite the huge size and expense of the structure it was mostly
unused so far, except for trappers and loggers setting up tents inside the cavernous halls.
The clearing around the structure, a field of recently-cut tree stumps, extends only a few
hundred feet before giving way once again to dense alpine forest. A small herd of oversized
elk lingers at the edge of the clearing, nibbling casually on underbrush, undeterred by the
presence of humanoids or their contraptions.

Almost all of the naive fortune-seekers and exiles coming to settle in the new
shadetown (currently called 'Catspaw' in reference to an old carved shrine in the shape of a
feline paw overlooking the village) passed right through Cookering without stopping. The
toroidal structure had ramps allowing hover-trains to pass over or through it without slowing
down. Due to airships being appallingly slow - not much faster than a horse-drawn carriage
unless there was a good tailwind - these trains were the preferred method for the majority of
commoners and free-women and men who were forbidden any sort of 'mount' - even poor
farmers who relied on oxen rather than machines to bring their goods to market had to walk
and guide the beasts with carrot-and-stick or noserings rather than from the saddle - riding
on a train conducted by a landed baron was the only option for coming this far out into the
tribal lands. However, the last train of new arrivals to this town - the one carrying those who
would supposedly rule over it - was the only one stopping here, still five miles of rough
terrain and a river-crossing away from the newly-finished Catspaw station.

The energized tracks leading in that direction were blocked by a newly-erected
barricade of felled timber just 100 yards out. Hanging on the front of this disorderly pile of
fallen logs was a freshly-painted red sign: "BRIDGE OUT". Not having expected to have to stop
at this trading post at all, the conductor (an elderly mouse whose grumbling announcements
to the passengers had been rather incomprehensible) was barely able to bring the heavy
six-car, two-engine train to a halt before a collision.

Sharp declarations of annoyance began to emanate from the palace car
immediately, Duchess Glana (whose presence was required for the official on-site signing of
the town's charter) and her friends (including Alexis Du'Bucovina, a favorite sycophant of hers)
sent servants to inform the conductor that this trip was taking far too long already so far as
they were concerned. Conversely, the rearmost car, a spacious cargo car in which Chief
Marlust and his court had set themselves up, had catfolk eager to get out of this metal box
and stretch their legs pouring out of the doors almost immediately. Representing the official
Imperial governance of this territory and the newly-established which was joining it, neither
the Taileton nobility nor their new tribal peers had been interested in one another's
company, nor expecting to stay at such an out-of-the-way place long. The old-family nobles like
Glana would be eager to get back to 'civilization', and the catfolk tribe had herds to hunt and
territory to defend.

The lead car, just behind the engine and separated from the Duchess and the cat-
tribe's chief by the dining car and crowded servants' quarters, were the newly-minted
countesses who would lord over Catspaw. The town and surrounding territories had been
divided up into six sections and given to them in return for the expectation that they would
find some way to establish worthy estates and keep the settlers safe enough to facilitate
further expansion. Since the earliest settlers had arrived mere months ago, there wouldn't be
much for them to move into upon their arrival except for log cabins and minimally-furnished
caverns.

Those bivouacing in the front car had an... interesting experience to say the least.
One of the rooms had actually been barred from the outside and bars installed on the
windows, with a guard stationed to ensure the tiny, furry little female inside didn't make any
unscheduled stops. There were rumors that she was being sent out of sight here only to avoid
the scandal of ending up in an asylum. There were also a pair of rooms with heavy black
fabric draped over the windows and doors to keep out the daylight for... passengers who
preferred to be active at night.

The largest and most finely furnished passenger compartment also happened to be
under even heavier guard than the room with barred windows: a tireless knight-like guardbot
had stood sentry in front of the door, telling anyone who asked that the passenger (only
referred to cryptically as "Lady R") was "feeling unwell" and shouldn't be disturbed. A few
times, the other passengers had noticed someone trying exit the cabin - but the door only
opened one way and the machine's bulk blocked it shut. That was until today, however - the
sudden, screeching halt by the train caused the war machine to topple to the floor
motionless, making no effort to keep its balance or rise again. Apparently, it had broken or
run out of power cells sometime over the last two days and no-one had noticed.

There was also one additional room set up for an elven passenger - but Duchess
Glana and her courtiers had been insisting that she spend most of the trip with them. They
didn't have much interest in meeting the others, but the elf was considered great company...
though said elf had soon discovered that the aristocratic rat and bat pair of Glana and Alexis
had ulterior motives, subtly trying to convince her to return back to the Empire proper rather
than staying in Catspaw. There were many prominent nobles happy to have her as a guest or
performer at their court. Of course, they still didn't consider this elf to be an equal - in fact,
she was the one they ended up sending up to the engine car to see how soon the conductor
could get them back underway. Since the conductor was demanding that the operator of this
shoddy trading post come to him and apologize for not warning them of this delay earlier
(and for blocking the track so crudely), the elf had no satisfactory answer to give.

No word comes from the station - aside from the few airships docked up top, the
trade post seems even more deserted than usual. Eventually, a shrill whistle floats in through
the front car's doors and windows - a solitary figure has emerged out of a shack situated
about 50 feet away from the hover-rail. (http://postimg.org/image/oi2k8ohk3/ ).
The brown-furred female waves cheerfully with an apologetic expression on
her face and beckons anyone looking to come closer.

Mechanical actions and dice rolls should be placed at the end of a post in OOC italics. Players may choose to allow the GM to roll or log onto the rolz.org room and roll themselves, but to keep things from getting messy, card-drawing should be done solely by the GM. Also, of course, feel free to inquire on skype, aim or PM if you have further questions before you start posting.

If/when combat breaks out, we will probably need to use a map for anything involving more than a couple of characters, and sometimes even with that few. Roll20.org has a pretty nice map function that I'll be making use of with the standard inch-based distances used in the Savage Worlds book.

Lastly, due to a play-by-post format and the very human failings of me the GM, there will undoubtedly be continuity issues arising from time to time. Whenever I need to edit a post to clarify or retcon something, I'll make a dated note of it in bold italics at the bottom of the post.

[Larax]

Late character post.

Spoiler: show

Racial Details (Bucovina Bats):
Bonuses:
Edge +2
Flight +2
Charisma +2
Racial Hindrances:
Frail -1
Low-G -1
Dependency (blood) -2

Abilities:
Agility d6
Smarts d8
Spirit d6
Strength d4-1
Vigor d6

Skills:
Fighting d6
Investigation d4
Knowledge (arcana) d6
Knowledge (darkarts) d4
Notice d4
Persuasion d6
Spellcasting (arcane) d8
Stealth d4
Taunt d6

Hindrances:
Curious (major)
Loyal (minor)
Phobia (minor)
Edges:
Arcane background: Magic
Noble
Rich (as part of being noble)
Filthy Rich

Arcane:
Confusion
Entangle
Stun

Equipment:
Starting funds: 5x1000
Weapon:
Rapier $150 3 weight
- +3 fighting $300
- +3 damage $300
- Quick Draw $200
Chain Hauberk $300 25 weight
- Improved Dodge $1400
- +3 Toughness $600
Large Shield $400 20 weight
- Improved Block $800
Force Field $400 4 weight
Total: 4850

Derived stats:
Pace: 6
Parry: 10(front/left)/8(everywhere else) = 2(basic)+3(fighting)+1(rapier)+2(shield)+2(enchantment)
Toughness: 12(against energy/supersonic/explosions)/8(against everything else) (+2 from shield against arrows) = 2(basic)+3(vigor)+2(armor)+4(forcefield)+2(enchantment)-1(racial)
Charisma: 2(racial)+2(noble)
Encumbrance: -2

Name: Cassandra Bucovina

Cassandra was born in a powerful rich family - she is a close relative of her house ruling matriarch and she is, probably, all what you can expect from a noble bat to be - hedonistic and slightly arrogant, she may seem cruel sometimes - but one should keep in mind that she was raised among people, who consider rituals that require sacrifices of innocent people better than replacing those people with lifeless machinery or automatic servants. On the other side - she is caring and loyal to those, whom she considers her friends or loyal subjects.
Unlike many other, who came to Shadetown, because it was only one possible turn of their lives (other than being hanged or sold into slavery) - Cassandra came here on a purpose - as her house is making a move in a never ending game of intrigues in attempt to be recognized as one of Great Houses - along with Skadi and Hammamat - they are aiming to claim as much territory as possible and Cassandra is here to convince people of Shadetown through deeds and persuasion that they'd be better under rule of House Bucovina.

Cassandra's loyal servant and friend:

Name: Sairif Bucov (Hammamat)

Sairif was a bastard child of some noble of the House Hammamat and his concubine - when her mother found out that she is pregnant , she decided to flee Hammamat lands, understanding that it's highly unlikely for bastard to be accepted into the ruling family and very likely to end as a victim of witch hunters - if a child would show a magical gift. How she had managed to escape and get to lands of Bucovina House, where magic is free and taught freely to whoever has gift for it - is an epic story of what mother could do for a safety of her child, that should be told at some other time.
As a result - young Sairif got a privelege of growing up in one of Bucovina residences - Bucovina ruling family planned to use her in some intrigues against Hammamat, but they didn't get a chance and then she and Cassandra became friends, due to studying many things together, so eventually young jackaless was adopted as if she was a bastard child of Bucovina family (thus her surname) and it's not surprising that she followed Cassandra into Shadetown to help her with her task there.

Spoiler: show

Racial details (Exiled Jackal):
Bonuses:
Charisma +2
Magical Affinity (arcane) +2
+2 Notice +1
+4 against heat +1
Hindrances:
Arrogant -2
Vulnerability to cold -1
Enemy (Hammamat) -1

Attributes:
Agility d8
Smarts d8
Spirit d8
Strength d6
Vigor d6
Skills:
Climbing d6
Driving d6
Fighting d6
Knowledge (Arcana) d8
Lockpicking d8
Notice d8
Persuasion d8
Spellcasting d6
Stealth d8
Streetwise d8
Taunt d6

Charisma: +2
Pace: 6
Parry: 5
Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Cautious
Edges: Connections, Thief
Gear:
Laser pistol
Knife

[sansuki]

Yasha appreciated the... subterfuge. Part of the deal she'd struck, and lubricated with the majority of her remaining gold, was to be exiled without official judgment being passed against her in any way. Given that she was at least notionally on trial for her life, piracy typically being a crime punishable by hanging by the neck until dead, this was rather an unexpected turn of events for most people not receiving a healthy dose of pirate gold for their leniency. Still, given that she was in legal point of fact a criminal, until leaving the empire she was supposed to be under guard. This made for a very irritating confinement during the train ride out, with the officious and too stupid to bribe robot keeping her locked with her erstwhile former second mate, and now simply 'companion', and enough food and drink to see them through to the edge of the civilized world. When the train screeched to a stall, Yasha- bounding quickly onto her feet from years of practice on the sometimes treacherous deck of a well-streamlined airship- quickly tests the door and finds it open.

"Marik!" She hisses to her still-prone companion. "Stay here and guard the remaining money- I'm going to stretch my legs, the stupid robot isn't getting up!" With that, she quickly opens the door and ducks through, but when she straightens up there's none of the furtiveness that a fugitive might expect; rather she has on the easy, friendly smile of someone who had every right to be exactly where she wished to be. Strolling down to take a look around the train, her peregrinations are interrupted by the sight, outside, of the rather gaudy trading post and their only semiofficial greeter. Finding the nearest door, Yasha hops out, big and eponymous red tail fluffing out nicely behind her despite a criminal lack of adequate grooming supplies, and starts to head towards their brown-furred greeter. With a wave, she calls, "Aho- hello there! Any particular reason we're stopped here?" She asks, having not seen the sign far to the front of the train.

[Jermayan]

Well, given that Larax and I apparently managed to independently come up with nearly identical characters, I went with a second character idea and reworked Sevana into a smuggler/courier character. Stats are in my earlier post.

-----

Blinking her eyes blearily, Sevana got groggily to her feet after being awakened by the sudden stop. After being politely 'asked' to stay in her cabin unless absolutely necessary, the lack of any reasonable way to pass her time along with her curtains not blocking enough light (in her opinion) had led to her resolving to spend as much of the trip as possible asleep. Ludwig was even more unhappy, as for someone accustomed to being able to roam almost wherever he pleased, confinement to the cabin had been even more uncomfortable.

Shushing Ludwig and seeing no particular reason to rush as there hadn't been any sign of an emergency, Sevana rather casually strolls out of the train several minutes later, squinting at the light. The whistle catches her attention, but it is immediately stolen by the sight of the large red tail and the individual attached to it, apparently already conversing with some form of greeter. 'That couldn't possibly be...'

Making her way over, Sevana just shakes her head and stops a foot or two behind Yasha once her suspicions are confirmed. "Well, at least I know that the company out here won't be quite as bad as I thought, although I shudder to think what you'll be doing cooped up on the ground with the rest of us."

[sansuki]

"Sevana?" Yasha blurts, seeing the other woman on half-turning and breaking into a grin. Hopping forward, she wraps the bigger (but then, very few aren't bigger than her) woman in a quick hug. "I had no idea you were on this trip too! Marik's back in my cabin- the rest of my crew scattered." She releases the hug, beaming. "I was Politely Invited to stay quiet in our cabin until we left the boundaries of the empire- politics, you know how it is," she waves off the capital conviction with a flick of her tail. "What are you doing out here? I hope it's not for the same reason I am, you always seemed slippery enough to not get fingered for anything too serious. As for my ship," she rolls her eyes. "Well, there's always other ways to get rich and have fun, right?"

[CassyInko]

((Made a last change to my character sheet, and also uploaded an ultra-basic backstory. Nowhere near as in-depth as I normally go, but...well, there it is anyway. x3 Brief overview. Might add more and more to it in the form of 'side moments' as the game progresses.))

Arcealandria was not exactly the largest of the of the Cal'Drua tribe. Quite to the contrary, standing at only 5'8", she was by far the smallest of the group assembled in the spacious yet rather sparsely furnished cargo car, and among the smallest of the Cal'Drua tribe that was old enough to be considered adult. That, however, seemed to do little to detract from the general air of almost 'reverence' the members of the Cal'Drua tribe - most of them seasoned, large, and most of all, STRONG - seemed to regard the young woman with...

...An air that she simply did not abide in the slightest.

"I swear, if you call me by my title rather than my name ONE MORE TIME, I'm going to sock ya right square in the chompa', ya get me, Krello? Now, pass me the damned drink a'fore it's all gone!" Arcea's snatch of the thick, mud-fired jug from the big tiger's hand elicited a small round of chuckles from the assorted Cal'Drua, though it was something Arcea largely ignored, instead choosing to partake of an especially long draw from the jug. The liquid within was somewhat foul-tasting, though it did have a rather pleasant aroma, something that hid it's true potency from the uninitiated - and unwary. Petalwater, as it was so appropriately called, had a penchant for knocking visitors on their ends....and sometimes, even the Cal'Drua themselves, after an especially potent batch of the fermented flower found it's way into the tribe.

Arcea, though, was not particularly concerned about the effects, merely the enjoyment of drinking amongst her own kind once again, however stuffy and uptight they might be about her 'rank'. Her time with the Du'Bucovina had taught her more than a few things, and chiefmost amongst them was how absymally BORING drinking in a so called 'civilized setting' was. There was a certain mindset one had to maintain, and that generally meant small, calculated sips of wine that was far too weak or too heavily flavored for any REAL enjoyment, no boasting or bragging or carousing, and...well, just far too much boredom for her tastes. Given she'd...'accidentally' made one of her host's sons, who'd overheard a little TOO much, disappear a mere day before she'd left....

...Well, it became quite conclusive pretty quickly she was simply not entirely cut out for the 'civilized' way of life. At least, not how it had been protrayed amongst the Du'Bucovina. Worst, Alexis - ugh, that snooty, thickheaded BRAT - had been sent on the same train as she had. It was Alexis' fault she'd had to eat her brother, anyway. If she wasn't such a stuck up--

--Feh. It hardly mattered. It was only a matter of time before the disappearance was realized to be something more than a simple 'trip into the countryside', and then...?

...Well, what then? It's not like she'd left very much evidence behind. Nothing, at least, that looked like a wolf...

Oh well. It was something to deal with when and if it decided to bite her furry behind. Until then, there was the promise of new adventure in the town, and best of all...her first time out and about, completely on her own. Well, on her own, save for the contingent of warriors and crafters that were there to establish their new household as official 'nobles', with all that entailed. A household she'd head...at least for the time being. Why one of her older and more experienced sisters or brothers had not been chosen for the honor was far beyond her, but...well, it meant her future was likely to lack excitement, at the very least. Plus, it let her experience new things, new peoples, new sights, new sounds, new foods, new smells...

Ooohh, it was so EXCITING!

Taking another long draw of the Petalwater, Arcea finally passed the jug along to a nimble, sleek looking cheetah-woman by the name of Prata, whom accepted it graciously...and immediately took a draw. The exuberance drew a small laugh from Arcea's throat - THIS is what she wanted to see more of! Now, if only she could get---


*Krrrrrrsssshhhhhhhhh....!*

The sudden shifting of weight within the cargo hold, and the subsequent sounding of the breaks caused Arcea's ears to perk. They'd stopped? That meant they must be there then! Without so much as a single beckon, the Cal'Drua stood almost in unison, and it was mere seconds before they were piling out of the confines of the cargo car, more than happy to stretch their legs in the cool, frosty air just beyond the official boarders of their homelands. Even Arcea was not immune to the sudden rush of excitement and energy, though rather than filing out of the car, Arcea - after rechecking her weapon and armor - bounded into the accompanying car, sifting through the handful making their way off the train, and again into the NEXT car...where she knew Celrie to be.

The elf was a bit of an enigma to her still, despite the length of time they'd spent together. Still, Arcea liked her - not only was she a skilled dancer, but she was also kind, and was not completely averse to her...rather 'physical' moments, as frequently as they came. It was quite pleasant.

Even if she WAS staying with...Alexis.

The thought of...THAT invidivual stopped Arcea seconds before she rapped upon the door to what she knew was the Duchess, Alexis', and Celrie's cabin on the train. Eeegh.....Celrie would be out soon...

...Or would she....?

"...Celrie...? Choochoo's stopped, wat-say we go an' see the sights, eh? Make sure it's not too muddy! Would hate for overly delicate feet to get dirty an' all, right?" Arcea's voice rang, loud and clear, into the cabin, though the door remained shut. It was...a rather appropriate jab at Alexis, one of many she'd taken, but...as always, still 'polite' enough to not draw outright ire from the overly pampered wolf. Still, those jabs were fun to make "My legs are cramped, could use the stretch! Whatcha say?"

[MouseRem]

It had felt like an unnecessairly long trip for Quil. Although the room she was staying in was furnished for a creature with her needs, Quil still had to contend with several restrictions for her unique situation. Not even a pencil was permitted beyond her door, but she at least got a few books. Still, it didn't stop her from causing a little trouble in her own room. After all, she did want to proceed to the shadetown, but the security detail in her room seemed more like a challenge to her then a restraint, or it was at the start. There was quite a bit of commotion amongst the crew overnight, something hauled off in a strongbox, and someone scolding someone else about leaving behind a dime.

Even now, once the train stops at the trading post, the posted guard, a grey-furred wolf armed with a stun baton opens up the door into Quil's room, prompted by the shouting from within. He looks like he knows to expect a headache, but he has to do his job. If anyone looked in beforehand, it doesn't look like there was anything to worry about. Some of the furniture was moved around, and the wall mounted radio looks like it had been broken and sealed up. The room's occupant is certainly restrained, shouting from a luggage case leaning against a wall with a few holes punched into the case. The guard leans up against the wall, trying to reason with the loudly ranting pika.

"When are you going to open this damned case! We've arrived, haven't we? I need to pick out suitable slaves so I can have my lab built right away! I don't have all day!"

"It's an unscheduled stop," the wolf simply replies. "And before you ask, no, I don't know the situation. Ten minutes, and I'm sure the engineers will inform us. Until then, you'll just have to sit tight, alright?"

"Well, this has nothing to do with keeping me in here! Open this fucking case!"

"You're right. That bomb you built has to..."

"It wasn't a bomb! I don't have the stuff to build a bomb! It was a rail gun! There's a difference!"

"What? Other then the size of the hole you'll blow in the train?"

"It would be a controlled! And it would only break a hole in the door, so the structural intregity of the rest of the train wouldn't be affected, and even if it did, the *hole* would only be superficial! It wouldn't affect the train's..."

"Or your chances of getting out anytime soon."

The guard proceeds out into the hall, a little more exasperated from the "chat". About to close the door shut, the occupant just blurts out, "Bathroom!" The guard lets out a heavy sigh, bumps his forehead against the door, and proceeds to wheel the case down the hall.