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Nuju Metru

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Yeah, yeah, it was a joke.

Only character ideas I have right now is a perpetually angry Ko-Matoran who blames the war for his noticeable lack of home, and an Onu-Matoran who thinks Onu-Metru shouldn't be as neutral as it is.

 

Whoever I end up playing first uses a revolver rifle.

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My profiles

 

Read my Epic:Tales of Aoris Nui!

Profile pic by Soulemn on DA!

 

I also have a custom species approved for the BZPRPG! Click here to read about them!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey, guys?

I wanted to bring up Atlas's RPG again for discussion since it kinda died off, because I'm gonna be posting my Space RPG soon and I really want to see his put into action. That being said, I've already said a lot on it, and I don't have much anything else to say until some changes are made, so if there's somethign that's been missed, point it out.

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  • 4 weeks later...

FRONTIER

 

 

 

 

Date 23-13-2093

Temple Grounds

I stood among the silent crowds as the cold winter wisps stung like daggers across my face. The men, women and children who usually gathered here were often filled with warmth and cheeriness, but no-one would dare even smile today. On the platform high above, atop the neatly cut stairs sprinkled with a downy white layer of snow, were the three most powerful beings on the entire island.

The great mask makers; our leaders... And Him.

Out from the middle of the assembly of viewers, a procession of armed guards strode forth armed with electronic weaponry. In the center, layered in chains, was Messeck. No-one could turn from their gaze upon him; his expression, his very face was the epitome of wickedness. "Kulta Reborn", as they called him. He was layered in badly mangled furs and the shrunken head of Bingzak could be seen dangling from his hip.

 

Messeck was the leader of the Dead of Kulta, which one might describe as a fanatic cult - but they had the blood of a hundred souls drenched into their very beings; they were the epitome of wickedness on the island of Okoto, and Messeck somehow outclassed every single one. As he took each step, my careful eyes chanced to spot small, traces of powder drifting into the snow - possibly some addictive, I thought, until I noticed the bag of ashes in his hand that he was emptying upon his ascent.

 

The two guards who lead him up were afraid to be even as close as the were, widely spread apart as far as the chains and the stairs would allow. The intense fear spread over them and the crowds cannot be spoken in the same manner as for the two mask makers Hokku and Velmes, as they stood by the executioner who had little care for the event in general.

The former was of fire; wise and discreet, and was robed in a puffy coat lined with scales. Despite the incredible warmth it must have given him, he still shivered intensely, perhaps from the presence of Messeck alone. Velmes, however, was of the ice, and was known for a violent temper, precise calculating, and the way he brutally killed anyone who would pose a threat to the lives of the villagers, as we shall soon see. He did not even quiver once as the grinning master cultist was slowly marched up the stairs.

When the villain at last reached the top, The executioner strode forward and began the usual speech given for every criminal executed. "Messeck, your time in existence on this world has come to an abrupt close. None exist who can prove your innocence. As usual, the criminal will be executed-"

The criminal was shoved down onto the stone block used for this public display, but the next second had rolled off the back of it and pulled hard on the pair of chains being held by the two guards. They were immediately flung forward, as they thought no harm could come once he was on the block. They flew down the stairs, letting go of the chains and trying anything to stop their descent. The executioner came at him with his axe, but Messeck sidestepped the vertical swing and landed a knife in his throat.

 

And then - it happened so fast I still cannot recall it properly - he began his approach to the mask makers, but a blinding flash came from somewhere in the separation of Hokku's coat, followed by a horrible cry. I could not see what happened to him, but the people say that Messeck swung toward the crowds in great agony, and the right half of his face was glowing with the light of a furnace, melting to slag as he screamed. The next instant Velmes brought his powerful hand down on the back of Messeck's head, perhaps moreso than he intended, slamming onto the execution block on which he was leaning and exploding anything that made up Messeck's neck.

The bland, smoldering head of the villainous monster tumbled down the steps in an almost musical fashion, before burying itself in a pile of snow at the base. The snow on the steps ran a crimson trail down to the audience, as the audience slowly dispersed into the blizzard as it picked up speed once more.

After a long silence, as the wind whipped around them, reminding each of the horrors that life had to bring, Hokku spoke to Velmes once more.

"We're almost there, Velmes. One more step to the cosmos."

 

Velmes responded with a deep exhale, turning towards me as I finished scraping the final touches into my slate to remind me what to copy down. He placed his hand on my shoulder, leaving some of the blood of the one who just died. "Do not forget what has happened here, young one. You just may live to see the day where man will no more be murdered, no crime shall he commit, no punishment he shall face. For on that final day we shall stand at the edge of the universe and speak to the stars."

 

"But what will you tell them?" He strode into the forge, Hokku following along behind. I scraped a few more reminders and hurried after as fast as I could.

~"Pigmy" Muvoso, Chronicler of the Ancients


Sections

1: Story

  1.1: Pre-Collapse

  1.2: The Race To Space

  1.3: Death Is Thy Moniker

2: Okoto Specifics

  2.1: Locations

  2.2: Wildlife

  2.3: Technology

3: Outer Space

  3.1: To Space and Back

  3.2: Vehicle Physics

  3.3: Weaponry Physics

  3.4: Planetary differences

  3.5: Dimensional Etc.

4: Characters

  4.1: Profile Sheet

  4.2: Non-Playable Characters

  4.3: Playable Species

5: FAQ

1: The Story

1.1

Now you are speaking to Lord Hokku, elder brother of the mask makers. Velmes is my younger brother, and the two who came before us are brothers as well, but not ours. Listen now to the tale of the past, future, and present, before you be sent into the stars.

 

Long, long ago, before time had found its proper place, The Island of Okoto was filled with our people; our ancestors were quite strong indeed, morally, physically, and mentally. We always heard that the times back then were a perfect paradise, but no-one can say for sure anymore.

When Makuta dared to create the Mask of Ultimate Power, all of Okoto was riveted. Of course, Makuta was part of the mask makers: Gold-armoured and powerful Okotoran with incredible strength and skill beyond belief. Two were from the Ice tribe, Makuta was from the Earth tribe, and myself from the Fire Tribe. Velmes and I stayed to protect the people as Ekimu ventured into the Temple of Time after Makuta right as the third moon passed over it.

Anyone who says they know what happened there is a fool, for the doors sealed from the energy and a pillar of what can only be described as pure light destroyed the roof, carrying into the skies and beyond our feeble sight. When the Temple gates were broken open, there was a crater in the room, and both the legendary Mask Makers had vanished, with the powerful masks they wore.

Well, you know the rest of the story. Meteors rained down all over our tiny island, causing Velmes and I to step in and take command. We ordered for the construction of high, heavily fortified walls around Ko-Koto with special construction so nothing could possibly climb up them, and electric machinery based on technology inside the ancient city, which shattered the meteorites before they landed. We also ordered that special defense suits be made for the soldiers, and that any equipped head out in huge teams to find the fabled Masks of Unity, in the event that they could hold some fragile hope for our future. However, one day, a grave mistake was made...

1.2

An odd, crimson meteorite encompassed in flames arrived shortly after the arrival of the Skull Spiders - absolutely morbid swarm creatures, they maul everything in their path and beware if one should land on you; they control their prey and hollow out the inside of their victim's head. The meteorite was shot down like the others, but it was followed with a deafening cry of agony, and large pieces of torn metal rained down instead of rock. Upon closer inspection, the "meteorite" was a capsule, which contained one of the heroes of the prophecy - dead. The blast had ripped him apart, and completely ruined his mask.

After a saddening funeral, close inspection was carried out on the capsule and, more specifically, the mechanisms that let it travel through space. They were copied, tested, enhanced, and by the time the search teams returned with the majority murdered by the vicious spiders, vehicles were under production that would let the users travel the stars. It was unknown how far they could go, but the mystery of what lay on the orbiting moons was too great to let minor concerns hold back our ambitions.

With no outside power able to hold any threat against us, how could we fall?

1.3

The Dead of Kulta is the most wicked group of individuals I have ever come across. They are so vile and horrifying I could not believe such a calm person as Dessimus would have risen to the throne after Messeck, self-proclaimed reincarnation of Kulta, was rightfully 'executed'. Its sole purpose is to reach the moons before we do to harvest the resources and claim it as theirs. Oh, and kill everybody and take control of everything, that too. If you encounter any Dead of Kulta members, kill them - do not hesitate. Except, however, for Dessimus. His capture could lead to the surrender of the entire group- If not, it will still cripple them heavily.

2. Okoto Specifics

2.1

On this cursed island, the majority of it is cut off from access by our large walls and the hordes of Skull Spiders looking for a good way to scale them. Take heed; if you find a way out you will not be allowed back in. We do not request pilots who prove themselves to be rebellious. The village is on the back of the Temple of Time, which sits in the ice region of this island. However, the front is inside the ancient city, which is teeming with Skull Spiders and the sluggish Skull Warriors, who were defeated after Ekimu destroyed the villainous Kulta. The Temple is off-limits to anyone aside from Velmes and Myself, and the chronicler Muvoso.

All other regions were decimated by the forces of darkness except for this one. The temperature of the village is generally very cold, except for inside the forge itself, where the heat of the magma pools circulating keeps things very comfortable. There are small shops here and there, a restaurant with surprisingly fine wares, and one inn which never gets used, but there is no other major building with interior heating. This is another reason why we're trying to find a new home. A house exists for every Okotoran before the Skull Spiders, except for a select few who were too lazy to build a house when they had the chance.

On the way up to the forge, you will spy the two massive carvings of Ekimu and Makuta which Velmes commissioned after their demise. And in the town square, the statue of the first explorer to the stars resides, the statue of the ever-famous Hymuka. He was the one who took on the first three space adventures before a mistake occurred with his capsule and he was incinerated on re-entry.

2.2

Sadly, almost all of the creatures on this island were killed off by those arachnids. Only the most powerful ones survive, spare some that were already here that were raised as either pets or livestock. The small-toothed Reuge is a lizard-like worm, only it's the size of a person and can tunnel through anything that isn't stone or metal. It is possibly the most dangerous thing aside from the Lord Spider. Oh, the Lord Spiders! Smart as one of us, and ten times as strong. Rumors abound about this creature, and some say one found a mask of power with which to control those Skull Spiders, although I believe it's hogwash.

The livestock consist of only one species now: a variety of miniature cow known as the Ekimu Bull. They're a struggle to keep alive, especially in the cold weather. The only other creature around here is the Misken, a furry, little, four-legged creature with tiny teeth and lots of energy, which is usually considered to be a pet. But, it's rather irrelevant, so I'll move on.

2.3

Technology, despite our recent advancements, is still basic and blunt in comparison to what Ekimu and Makuta must have known. Yet, despite this, we still have made some interesting technological advancements. Of course, not everything is available to the public, but we make as much as we can available.

These publicly available advancements include:

- Very expensive heat generator, large enough to heat up a whole room
- Electricity-powered circular saw, can run for three hours
- Specialized crossbow, designed to fire bolts instead of arrows

We have also devised special baiting towers, which let off certain frequencies that Skull Spiders cannot resist. They will madly crowd around the towers, scrambling over each other and sometimes killing each other. While they are durable, the towers have an expected life span of only two years.

Of course, not many will be able to afford some of what we can offer, but the expedition to the stars can possibly assist us in making more advanced technology available. We must do whatever it takes to explore the universe!

3. Outer Space

3.1

Thanks to our most talented associates, we have constructed the most basic of all flying machines for travel beyond the skies- the Vertical Transportation Pod. I know, it's not much of a name, but the name does not matter. What matters is if it can fly through space - and it can! We have perfected the landing, cycling, fuel, and durability in zero-gravity conditions, so nearly anyone can fly it safely. Thankfully, it is constructed out of materials we have immediate access to, so the loss of a Pod in the south sea is no major concern.

All passengers on board the VTP will be required to wear the special spacesuit we have designed personally for every daring adventurer. Constructed out of several high-durability materials, it is perhaps the strongest protective armour ever to exist. It can withstand and, in most cases, completely deflect knives, arrows, and other such materials/ However it is never to be used outside of the mission itself or the return trips. Wearing it casually for whatever you wish may result in you losing the suit and the right to explore the cosmos.

A team of three at a time will climb into one of these pods, take off from the specially designed take-off area, and head through the cosmos. The vehicle is very fast, but even with its great speed, and the close proximity of our first moon, travel there still takes an hour. Then, they will explore the reaches of the new world, bring back samples of whatever they can find in specially sealed containers, and return home, landing in the south sea.

Then they must escape the pod, and survive the Skull Spiders to return to the main gates, but this will be the most trying portion. While Skull Spiders are very weak and can usually be felled if they hit something too hard, despite their ability to withstand lava, the swarms are deadly. Therefore we have placed baiting towers at different locations to draw their attention to them. Despite this, the road up to they region of ice is still very dangerous. Okotoran brave enough to volunteer to assist in guarding these researchers and explorers may go out only then, to assist them in their safe return.

3.2

With the current VTP, there is not much capability to them. They can fly to the moon and back, but not much else. Thankfully, almost every night the first moon is directly overhead. They have quite the kick when they first take off, but those who have made the trip several times may not even notice it anymore.

Perhaps, in the future, there will be a machine even more powerful that can take us to other moons and, perhaps, other planets.

3.3

Sadly, there is no weaponry on the vehicles as of yet. Someday, there will be, though! Then we can eradicate the infesting Skull Spiders from our shores!

3.4

Something to remember is: A smaller world means less gravity. And several of the conditions of our home of Okoto will be quite different on the moon(s). The atmosphere, at least on the first moon, is in no condition for breathing in any way, so you will have to rely on the air tanks on your spacesuit. Perhaps, on some of the others, the atmosphere will be safe, but we will see.

3.5

Dimensional warping? What kind of madness is this? Yet some have suggested that, someday, we will be able to cross the plane of existence itself! What rubbish! Although, we cannot cross out the possibility of its occurence. Still, the idea is ridiculously absurd. I'll wager the fur coat off my back that we'll never even come close.

4. Characters

4.1

Here's where you make your characters. This is the basic character sheet, although as technology in the game progresses, the sheet will update as well as the descriptions of vehicles, technology, and etc.

Name: What is your name? What do you call yourself?

Gender: Boy, Girl, neither, both, or something else?

Element: Where did you come from? What element do you have?

Mask: What style of mask do you have?

Weapons: What do you use to fight with?

Appearance: What do you look like?

Personality: We've got good and bad traits. What are yours?

Bio: What was your life before the race to space? (this also includes if you joined the Dead of Kulta.)

4.2

These are the major NPCs, and more will be appearing later.


Name: Hokku

Gender: Male

Element: Fire

Mask: Golden Fire mask of Unity

Weapons: Hokku is armed with a very experimental firearm. Nobody knows what it does, and very few know it exists. Rumours suggest Velmes was the original creator of it. He also carries a variety of small knives inside his fur coat, which he is very good at throwing and fighting with. Along with Velmes, he is incredibly strong, much more so than any Okotoran.

Appearance: Squat, to some degree, crystalline formations across his chest, wide-set shoulders, and muscular hands. His whole appearance displays raw power. He is usually considered the nicer of the two brothers, based somewhat on Velmes' bitterness.

Personality: In accordance with popular belief, he is gentle, loving, and kind, willing to display it on the outside instead of just by himself. Despite this, he is not very keen at making big decisions, and was often chastised by Makuta in the past for being too weak.

Bio: When he was born, he was separated from his brother, and sent to the fire region, as all born of the fire element are. He began his career as a carver, making statues and figures and such. Ekimu saw his great leadership capabilities, and he was advanced trough the ranks very quickly until he became a member of the council of four. He was finally reunited with his brother after many years, who was also chosen, and they worked together under Ekimu and Makuta's guidance up until the Collapse.


Name: Velmes

Gender: Male

Elelment: Ice

Mask: Golden Ice mask of Unity

Weapons: Velmes is very powerful with hand-to-hand combat. He wears no cloak. He has several knives tucked away in his armour, which he is very good at throwing and fighting with. He is very skilled in almost any weapon type. Along with Hokku, he is incredibly strong, much more so than any other Okotoran.

Appearance: Squat, to some degree, crystalline formations across his chest, wide-set shoulders, and muscular hands. His whole appearance displays raw power. He is usually considered the more vicious of the two brothers, based somewhat on Hokku's kindness.

Personality: Despite what his cohorts say to the public, he is snappy, harsh, and very strong-willed and stubborn. Despite this, he is a masterful calculator and planner, but was often chastised by Ekimu for being too unwilling to learn.

Bio: When he was born, he was separated from his brother, and sent to the ice region, as all born of the ice element are. He began his career as a public figure, organizing the reconstruction of the ice region after an attack by the Dead of Kulta. Makuta saw his great leadership capabilities, and he was advanced through the ranks very quickly until he became a member of the council of four. He was finally reunited with his brother after many years, who was also chosen, and they worked together under Ekimu and Makuta's guidance up until the Collapse.


Name: Dessimus

Gender: Male

Element: Earth

Mask: Black Kraakhan

Weapons: Dessimus is armoured in a very articulate suit of silver armour. The top hunch in the armour contains two tanks of air for potential space travel. He has a mechanical right hand, which is equipped with an unfolding blade, skeleton key, and small cord for choking.

Appearance: He is very tall, powerful-looking, and dark and sinister. Most of his body is covered in the silver armour, supposedly made of "the strongest steel in all of Kulta's domain." In reality, it is just normal steel.

Personality: He is hard and cold, sometimes colder than the ice region itself. His intentions are just and right, although he is responsible for several deaths. Rumours abound for the commoners; is Dessimus trying to destroy the Dead of Kulta? Is he trying to resurrect Kulta himself? or does he know of some dark secret in the island's core? nobody knows for sure, and it might be possible that not even Dessimus knows...

Bio: Dessimus' past is clouded in mystery. No-one is really aware of his history, but this very quiet gardener jumped to command after Messeck was executed.

 

 

4.3

 

These are the playable species and their specifics. So far only Okotoran are playable, but who knows what you might find on the other moons.

 

Okotoran

 

    Fire: These Okotoran have a high tolerance of heat and a bitter hatred of cold. Many in their youth are taught to work with metals, others focused more on being physically capable.

 

    Water: The water Okotoran have a deep connection with the sea and any large bodies of water. They tend to be better swimmers and were the first to discover the Skull Spiders.

 

    Jungle: The Jungle Okotoran are excellent climbers, and the fastest on foot. They tend to have very athletic capabilities and some speak with an odd slang, mainly involving plants.

 

    Earth: These Okotoran are the strongest and have better vision in the dark. Looks can be deceiving with them; even the scrawniest one is tougher than he appears.

 

    Ice: The Okotoran of Ko-Koto have the most technology, most of which was destroyed in recent events. They have a high tolerance of cold and a bitter hatred of high heat.

 

    Stone: The Okotoran of stone have no special traits, except their ability to control the odd, floating blocks in the Labyrinth of Control, which have not been found after the eruption.



FAQ:

There will be questions here as they come up in discussion. In the meantime, here's a few that I figured would be obvious.

Q: What's this about a mask? Dessimus appears to have a G1 mask; what's with that?
A: I'm not limiting the masks to G2, although they are only in design. Masks with elements may come later, but we'll see.

Q: Those gender rules are pretty secluded. boy, girl, or nothing? That's it?
A: I'm trying to avoid circumstances that have occurred in the past, which helped to destroy the last RPG I was in charge of. In short, there will be no joke characters. At all.

Q: What even is this "Dead of Kulta"?
A: Basically, the main evil organization of the game. This won't stop you from creating your own group, though!

Q: When more technology is discovered, can we customize out ships?
A: The pods will eventually be replaced entirely with a new kind of vehicle, and customization will occur then. In the meantime, try your best to find as many resources as you can!

Edited by The Ghrinch
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I don't know how many of you actually remember the old version of Skyrise, but the more I went over it, the more I started to feel that the setup I'd originally had was too constricting and railroady. So, I've progressively been working on a full overhaul of the game's setting and mechanics. Now that I've gotten most of my assignments for this half of the semester out of the way, I've been able to focus on finishing off this draft.

 

It's more of a sandbox now, rather than a single linear narrative, while still keeping a lot of the mysteries, events and plot conflicts I had lined up for the original version. So, let me know what you think - criticisms, questions and feedback would be appreciated.

 

 

(I was going to put a cool banner here, but forgot to make a smaller version of it)

 

When the universe fell, we rose…

The Story:

 

Welcome to Skyrise. In this world, Mata Nui was unable to restore Spherus Magna to its former glory, and the Mask of Life was lost. Without the mask’s energies to stabilise it, the newly-reformed planet became prone to earthquakes and floods, the decades of natural disasters drastically reshaping the landscape and decimating many of the existing population centres.

 

Bara Magna was transformed into a maze of plateaus and canyons, with the seas of sand at the bottom being ruled by rabid bands of Zesk, Vorox, and vicious Rahi. In the chaos, Marendar was unleashed, wiping out the few Toa who remained before presumably being destroyed. The sentient races that were left made their homes atop the sturdiest of the rock formations, further reinforced by the efforts of friendly Skakdi and other powered beings. On the less secure plateaus, criminals and other outcasts still cling to life in settlements of their own, living in constant fear of the next tremor being the one to spell their doom.

 

While most of those within the settlements remain content in their uneventful lives, toiling each day to ensure there’s enough food and resources to go around, there are those tasked with travelling between settlements to bear news, ferry resources, and most importantly, keep the peace. It is into these roles that players will be stepping, captaining airships or piloting scout craft across the hostile surface of the new Great Barren.

 

Locations:

 

The new Bara Magna is a dangerous, desolate place, with the various permanent settlements serving as the only real safe havens. (Map)

  • Tesara – Sitting astride a singular pillar of earth and stone in the centre of an immense crater, the roots of this jungle village’s immense trees have withstood the test of time, and have held it together for untold decades. Tesara supplies most of the Great Barren’s food, and maintains long-standing trade deals with all of the other settlements (with the exception of Cliffside). Tesara is undoubtedly the most open and accepting of all the settlements, although there are some who would argue that they’re too trusting…
  • New Atero – Originally little more than a shanty town built up next to the remains of the fallen Great Spirit Robot, New Atero has endured the disasters that have lashed the planet, and coalesced into a singular, colossal fortress. Being in fairly close proximity to a freshwater lake and the open ocean, they don’t trade as frequently with the other settlements, and their increasingly militant approach to negotiations lead many to distrust and fear them.
  • Fe – An underground village nestled somewhere in among what remains of the Black Spike Mountains, this mining settlement supplies most of the Barren’s raw materials, weaponry, and aircraft. Its people are reclusive by nature, and as such no outsider knows the exact location of the village itself. Those who attempt to find it are intercepted by Fe aircraft and turned around, or escorted to the village blindfolded.
  • Cliffside – A precarious shamble of random structures with no coherent order or organisation, this is where the outcasts and rogues flock together for survival. Its populace is too small to pose a true threat to any of the major settlements, but too big to be easily destroyed, and as such this pirate port continues its uncertain existence, its citizens stealing or bartering for what they need.
  • Aqua Magna – Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes have turned the oceans foul and polluted, with only the strongest, most vicious of creatures still able to thrive there. Despite this, the beasts that dwell there make for good eating, for those who have the means and the skill to hunt them.
  • The Arena – No one is entirely sure who built this place, or when, or why, only that it is hewn from some seemingly indestructible stone, the strongest of earthquakes and most powerful of Kanoka alike having no effect on this mysterious structure. Given its proximity to The Chasm, most beings chose to avoid it entirely, but it is still occasionally used for trade meetings or impromptu tournaments.
  • The Chasm – While the planet slowly shook itself apart, the colossal corpse of the Matoran Universe remained where it lay, sprawled across the fragmented canyons. That was, until Marendar did battle with the last remaining Toa atop the long dead machine, and the ground gaped open like a hungry maw, swallowing the entirety of the Great Spirit Robot into the darkened depths. The resulting chasm still frequently belches fetid smog into the air, and every now and again some kind of horrendously mutated rahi crawls up from below. Those who’ve attempted to explore what lies below have never returned.

Aircraft:

 

Travel between settlements, aerial combat, and scouting is accomplished using various vehicles, reverse-engineered from technology that was salvaged from Karda Nui before the evacuation of the Matoran Universe. In addition to these uses, it is strongly encouraged by the rulers of the settlements that those who feel the need for violence to take their altercations away from where innocent people can be caught in the crossfire, and fight their battles in the skies instead.

 

Please note, each character is only allowed to have a single vessel/vehicle.   

  • Airships - Utilising a complicated system of levitation and weight increase Kanoka, each of the airships is controlled by pulleys that cause either the levitation or the weight increase Kanoka Disks to strike the Airship's framework, forcing the Airship to rise or fall. A modified version of a transport Chute, capped at both ends, is built into the back of the Airship, providing forward thrust by letting a small portion of pressurised air jet out from the back. These vessels are usually slow and unarmed, but often come equipped with a small number of Cargo Haulers to make the task of transferring goods easier. Some pilots have repurposed these vessels with additional armour or weaponry, but their bulk and slowness makes them poor combat vessels nonetheless.
  • Jetpacks - utilised solely by smaller races, these are simple, sturdy devices. With in-built parachutes and enough energy to last several hours, they can get up a decent amount of speed, and depending on the skill of the user, can be highly manoeuvrable.
  • Skyfighters - again only able to be used by the smaller species, these speedy, agile fighters are equipped with a single weapon. It is worth noting, however, that these glorified gliders are far from the most versatile of aircraft, and a few well-placed shots can easily knock them out of the sky.
  • Rockoh - used primarily by many of the larger races, these stocky, armoured craft are equipped with enhanced engines, capable of putting on incredible, albeit brief, bursts of speed in order to ram targets. As well as their characteristic rams, these craft are usually equipped with a single weapon.
  • Jetrax - the perfect midpoint between speed, agility and firepower, these craft are also used by most of the larger races. Capable of carrying three weapons, the Jetrax model’s most noteworthy vulnerabilities are its two bulky wing-mounted engines. In addition, although most of the vehicle is armoured, the cockpit is not, leaving the pilot somewhat exposed.
  • Axalara - the biggest and heaviest of the vehicles in the fleet, it’s not as fast or agile as the Jetrax, but is much more heavily armoured. It can carry only two weapons, as its primary purpose is to serve as a bomber, deploying explosives from a hatch underneath to drop onto targets. This aircraft’s main drawback is that its pilot is left even more exposed than that of a Jetrax.

With the exception of jetpacks, which have built-in parachutes, all vehicles are equipped with teleportation devices that will automatically transport their pilots safely to the nearest stable surface if their aircraft is destroyed, or they’re severely injured. This system is in place to prevent the rampant murdering of PCs, and hopefully stop people from godmodding in order to save their characters from otherwise inescapable deaths.

 

New or replacement aircraft, as well as upgrades to existing ones, can be obtained from staff NPCs such as settlement leaders, usually in exchange for favours or as a reward for some kind of special quest or mission.

 

Character:

 

Name: what do they call themselves?

Species: what species are they? With a few obvious exceptions, most canon species will be taken into consideration, but it will ultimately be up to the GM’s discretion as to what races are approved.

Gender: does your character identify as male, female, neither, both, etc.

Powers: include here things like elemental affinity, vision powers, and so on.

Gear: this is where weapons, Kanohi, as well as items such as Rhotuka/Zamors should be listed.

Personal Aircraft: if they have one, list it here. This includes jetpacks.

Allegiance/Role: Which settlement are they from? Are they a ranger, criminal, outcast, captain, etc?  

Appearance: pretty straightforward - what does your character look like? Can be a short description, a MOC, etc.

Personality: some description regarding what your character is like as a person.

Bio: Give us a bit of insight into your character’s past. Where did they come from, why did they choose this particular lifestyle/profession, etc.

 

Aircraft:

 

Name: what does your character call their craft?

Model: what type of craft is it?

Weaponry: what weapons does your craft have? Feel free to use canon weapons or come up with your own, but please try to be reasonable about it.

Appearance: What does the craft look like? Does it have a custom paint job, extra spikes, etc.

 

Rules:

  1. Please use IC (in character) and OOC (out of character) tags in your posts. OOC-only posts should be limited solely to the discussion topic.
  2. This is a pet peeve of mine, but please put both your character’s name and their location in your posts. It’s confusing for other players seeking interaction, otherwise, especially in an open-world game such as this one.
  3. No god-modding, metagaming, fightbotting, autohitting, etc. In general, play fair.
  4. Please be considerate of other players, and recognise the distinction between OOC and IC. If someone’s character kills/injures/dislikes one of your characters, it doesn’t mean that their player has a personal problem with you.
  5. Most importantly, have fun.
Edited by The Good Guys
  • Upvote 4

Embers - a new Bionicle Epic - Coming 2024 

Class Is Out - A Farewell To Corpus Rahkshi - Chapters/Review

BZPRPG Characters - Minnorak, Kain, T'harrak, Savis, Vazaria, Lash

BZPRPG Mercenary Group - The Outsiders - Description - History - Base

Ghosts Of Bara Magna - Ash Tribe - Precipere - Kehla, Somok, Skrall, Gayle, Avinus, Zha'ar

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I don't know how many of you actually remember the old version of Skyrise, but the more I went over it, the more I started to feel that the setup I'd originally had was too constricting and railroady. So, I've progressively been working on a full overhaul of the game's setting and mechanics. Now that I've gotten most of my assignments for this half of the semester out of the way, I've been able to focus on finishing off this draft.

 

It's more of a sandbox now, rather than a single linear narrative, while still keeping a lot of the mysteries, events and plot conflicts I had lined up for the original version. So, let me know what you think - criticisms, questions and feedback would be appreciated.

 

 

(I was going to put a cool banner here, but forgot to make a smaller version of it)

 

, I like that banner.

 

 

When the universe fell, we rose…

The Story:

 

Welcome to Skyrise. In this world, Mata Nui was unable to restore Spherus Magna to its former glory, and the Mask of Life was lost. Without the mask’s energies to stabilise it, the newly-reformed planet became prone to earthquakes and floods, the decades of natural disasters drastically reshaping the landscape and decimating many of the existing population centres.

 

Bara Magna was transformed into a maze of plateaus and canyons, with the seas of sand at the bottom being ruled by rabid bands of Zesk, Vorox, and vicious Rahi. In the chaos, Marendar was unleashed, wiping out the few Toa who remained before presumably being destroyed. The sentient races that were left made their homes atop the sturdiest of the rock formations, further reinforced by the efforts of friendly Skakdi and other powered beings. On the less secure plateaus, criminals and other outcasts still cling to life in settlements of their own, living in constant fear of the next tremor being the one to spell their doom.

 

While most of those within the settlements remain content in their uneventful lives, toiling each day to ensure there’s enough food and resources to go around, there are those tasked with travelling between settlements to bear news, ferry resources, and most importantly, keep the peace. It is into these roles that players will be stepping, captaining airships or piloting scout craft across the hostile surface of the new Great Barren.

 

Locations:

 

The new Bara Magna is a dangerous, desolate place, with the various permanent settlements serving as the only real safe havens. (Map)

  • Tesara – Sitting astride a singular pillar of earth and stone in the centre of an immense crater, the roots of this jungle village’s immense trees have withstood the test of time, and have held it together for untold decades. Tesara supplies most of the Great Barren’s food, and maintains long-standing trade deals with all of the other settlements (with the exception of Cliffside). Tesara is undoubtedly the most open and accepting of all the settlements, although there are some who would argue that they’re too trusting…
  • New Atero – Originally little more than a shanty town built up next to the remains of the fallen Great Spirit Robot, New Atero has endured the disasters that have lashed the planet, and coalesced into a singular, colossal fortress. Being in fairly close proximity to a freshwater lake and the open ocean, they don’t trade as frequently with the other settlements, and their increasingly militant approach to negotiations has lead many to distrust and fear them.
  • Fe – An underground village nestled somewhere in among what remains of the Black Spike Mountains, this mining settlement supplies most of the Barren’s raw materials, weaponry, and aircraft. Its people are reclusive by nature, and as such no outsider knows the exact location of the village itself. Those who attempt to find it are intercepted by Fe aircraft and turned around, or escorted to the village blindfolded.
  • Cliffside – A precarious shamble of random structures with no coherent order or organisation, this is where the outcasts and rogues flock together for survival. Its populace is too small to pose a true threat to any of the major settlements, but too big to be easily destroyed, and as such this pirate port continues its uncertain existence, its citizens stealing or bartering for what they need.
  • Aqua Magna – Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes have turned the oceans foul and polluted, with only the strongest, most vicious of creatures still able to thrive there. Despite this, the beasts that dwell there make for good eating, for those who have the means and the skill to hunt them.

You've mentioned both Aqua and Bara Magna, but what about Bota Magna? Was Mata Nui unable to reunite Bota Magna with the other two parts, or was it obliterated during the reformation process?

  • The Arena – No one is entirely sure who built this place, or when, or why, only that it is hewn from some seemingly indestructible stone, the strongest of earthquakes and most powerful of Kanoka alike having no effect on this mysterious structure. Given its proximity to The Chasm, most beings chose to avoid it entirely, but it is still occasionally used for trade meetings or impromptu tournaments.
  • The Chasm – While the planet slowly shook itself apart, the colossal corpse of the Matoran Universe remained where it lay, sprawled across the fragmented canyons. That was, until Marendar did battle with the last remaining Toa atop the long dead machine, and the ground gaped open like a hungry maw, swallowing the entirety of the Great Spirit Robot into the darkened depths. The resulting chasm still frequently belches fetid smog into the air, and every now and again some kind of horrendously mutated Rahi crawls up from below. Those who’ve attempted to explore what lies below have never returned.

Aircraft:

 

Travel between settlements, aerial combat, and scouting is accomplished using various vehicles, reverse-engineered from technology that was salvaged from Karda Nui before the evacuation of the Matoran Universe. In addition to these uses, it is strongly encouraged by the rulers of the settlements that those who feel the need for violence to take their altercations away from where innocent people can be caught in the crossfire, and fight their battles in the skies instead.

 

Please note, each character is only allowed to have a single vessel/vehicle.   How would this work if an airship has some number of PC Skyfighters on board to help defend it? Would that be allowed?

  • Airships - Utilising a complicated system of levitation and weight increase Kanoka, each of the airships is controlled by pulleys that cause either the levitation or the weight increase Kanoka Disks to strike the Airship's framework, forcing the Airship to rise or fall. A modified version of a transport Chute, capped at both ends, is built into the back of the Airship, providing forward thrust by letting a small portion of pressurised air jet out from the back. These vessels are usually slow and unarmed, but often come equipped with a small number of Cargo Haulers to make the task of transferring goods easier. Some pilots have repurposed these vessels with additional armour or weaponry, but their bulk and slowness makes them poor combat vessels nonetheless. Why no good combat airships?
  • Jetpacks - utilised solely by smaller races, these are simple, sturdy devices. With in-built parachutes and enough energy to last several hours, they can get up a decent amount of speed, and depending on the skill of the user, can be highly manoeuvrable.
  • Skyfighters - again only able to be used by the smaller species, these speedy, agile fighters are equipped with a single weapon. It is worth noting, however, that these glorified gliders are far from the most versatile of aircraft, and a few well-placed shots can easily knock them out of the sky.
  • Rockoh - used primarily by many of the larger races, these stocky, armoured craft are equipped with enhanced engines, capable of putting on incredible, albeit brief, bursts of speed in order to ram targets. As well as their characteristic rams, these craft are usually equipped with a single weapon.
  • Jetrax - the perfect midpoint between speed, agility and firepower, these craft are also used by most of the larger races. Capable of carrying three weapons, the Jetrax model’s most noteworthy vulnerabilities are its two bulky wing-mounted engines. In addition, although most of the vehicle is armoured, the cockpit is not, leaving the pilot somewhat exposed.
  • Axalara - the biggest and heaviest of the vehicles in the fleet, it’s not as fast or agile as the Jetrax, but is much more heavily armoured. It can carry only two weapons, as its primary purpose is to serve as a bomber, deploying explosives from a hatch underneath to drop onto targets. This aircraft’s main drawback is that its pilot is left even more exposed than that of a Jetrax.

With the exception of jetpacks, which have built-in parachutes, all vehicles are equipped with teleportation devices that will automatically transport their pilots safely to the nearest stable surface if their aircraft is destroyed, or they’re severely injured. This system is in place to prevent the rampant murdering of PCs, and hopefully stop people from godmodding in order to save their characters from otherwise inescapable deaths. I get the logic behind this, but in-universe, couldn't this teleportation tech be used to allow instantaneous travel between settlements, instead of only as a safety mechanism on aircraft? I guess you could just say that Fe is very secretive about its teleportation technology- kind of like Onu-Koro in the BZPRPG- it could even become a decent plot point then.

 

New or replacement aircraft, as well as upgrades to existing ones, can be obtained from staff NPCs such as settlement leaders, usually in exchange for favours or as a reward for some kind of special quest or mission.

 

Character:

 

Name: what do they call themselves?

Species: what species are they? With a few obvious exceptions, most canon species will be taken into consideration, but it will ultimately be up to the GM’s discretion as to what races are approved.

Gender: does your character identify as male, female, neither, both, etc.

Powers: include here things like elemental affinity, vision powers, and so on.

Gear: this is where weapons, Kanohi, as well as items such as Rhotuka/Zamors should be listed. What level of tech are we going up to? Adaptive Armour level tech, or Metru Nui level tech?

Personal Aircraft: if they have one, list it here. This includes jetpacks.

Allegiance/Role: Which settlement are they from? Are they a ranger, criminal, outcast, captain, etc?  

Appearance: pretty straightforward - what does your character look like? Can be a short description, a MOC, etc.

Personality: some description regarding what your character is like as a person.

Bio: Give us a bit of insight into your character’s past. Where did they come from, why did they choose this particular lifestyle/profession, etc.

 

Aircraft:

 

Name: what does your character call their craft?

Model: what type of craft is it?

Weaponry: what weapons does your craft have? Feel free to use canon weapons or come up with your own, but please try to be reasonable about it.

Appearance: What does the craft look like? Does it have a custom paint job, extra spikes, etc.

Any chance of a slot for other functional modifications, such as extra armour or more engines? 

 

Rules:

  1. Please use IC (in character) and OOC (out of character) tags in your posts. OOC-only posts should be limited solely to the discussion topic.
  2. This is a pet peeve of mine, but please put both your character’s name and their location in your posts. It’s confusing for other players seeking interaction, otherwise, especially in an open-world game such as this one. YES
  3. No god-modding, metagaming, fightbotting, autohitting, etc. In general, play fair.
  4. Please be considerate of other players, and recognise the distinction between OOC and IC. If someone’s character kills/injures/dislikes one of your characters, it doesn’t mean that their player has a personal problem with you. Try telling that to Ghidora...
  5. Most importantly, have fun.
  6. Remember, all normal forum rules apply.

 Corrections/comments in red.

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@Ghidora; I like the RPG. My two main gripes are a). lack of mask powers, but that's a problem with G2, not you, and b). the presence of only one craft. I would start the game with two or three, each with a different use, like one is an orbiter with enough manuverability to get into and out of orbit but not enough range to go much further, one is a lunar lander with limited manuverability but excellent range and one is an emergency rescue craft with alright range and excellent manuverabilty. Also, who gets to decide when missions start or who gets to go?

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@Ghidora; I like the RPG. My two main gripes are a). lack of mask powers, but that's a problem with G2, not you, and b). the presence of only one craft. I would start the game with two or three, each with a different use, like one is an orbiter with enough manuverability to get into and out of orbit but not enough range to go much further, one is a lunar lander with limited manuverability but excellent range and one is an emergency rescue craft with alright range and excellent manuverabilty. Also, who gets to decide when missions start or who gets to go?

Thanks for the feedback!

 

The mask powers may become a thing later in game. Toa may come around later as well, but we'll see. ;)

 

As for craft, the idea is to start with simple, then go on to Star Fox level later on. It all depends on what you find on the moon(s).

 

When do missions start? who gets to go? well, the pods are, of course, not just one pod. The first mission might only be two or three teams, and stay around that relative number until more resources become available. As for when missions occur, they will take a while, and the next one will start shortly after the previous one ends. As for who gets on, it's whoever gets there first, fully prepared.

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You've mentioned both Aqua and Bara Magna, but what about Bota Magna? Was Mata Nui unable to reunite Bota Magna with the other two parts, or was it obliterated during the reformation process?

 

 

I'd imagine Bota Magna is still around, but it won't play any part in this game. Remember that Spherus Magna is huge, much bigger than earth, so I'm not going to make the whole planet available to players. The game just focuses on this small cluster of settlements in this region of the Great Barren. 

 

 

How would this work if an airship has some number of PC Skyfighters on board to help defend it? Would that be allowed?

 

 

Yes, absolutely. A group of characters could work together, with one piloting the airship and others storing their personal aircrafts in the hold. However, I'm probably not going to approve a group of characters like that who are all operated by a single player. 

 

 

I get the logic behind this, but in-universe, couldn't this teleportation tech be used to allow instantaneous travel between settlements, instead of only as a safety mechanism on aircraft? I guess you could just say that Fe is very secretive about its teleportation technology- kind of like Onu-Koro in the BZPRPG- it could even become a decent plot point then.

 

 

Well, no one in the MU was able to use teleportation Kanoka to instantaneously travel from anywhere in the robot to anywhere else in the robot. As I recall, Kanoka teleportation was somewhat random and unpredictable, but also limited to a fairly small range. The failsafe in the aircraft is also limited to a short range - it's not teleporting people to the nearest settlement or anything, just the nearest bit of flat ground that's stable enough to bear the pilot's weight. 

 

 

What level of tech are we going up to? Adaptive Armour level tech, or Metru Nui level tech?

 

 

Eh, I'm too fussed by the tech level. I'd be dis/approving items on an individual basis depending on how fair/balanced they would be in an RPG setting. 

 

 

Any chance of a slot for other functional modifications, such as extra armour or more engines? 

 

 

I didn't really want people trying to circumvent/negate the strengths and weaknesses of each aircraft type, but I'll give it some thought. Maybe I'll give people the option to make some significant changes/additions at the cost of a weapon slot, or something. 

Embers - a new Bionicle Epic - Coming 2024 

Class Is Out - A Farewell To Corpus Rahkshi - Chapters/Review

BZPRPG Characters - Minnorak, Kain, T'harrak, Savis, Vazaria, Lash

BZPRPG Mercenary Group - The Outsiders - Description - History - Base

Ghosts Of Bara Magna - Ash Tribe - Precipere - Kehla, Somok, Skrall, Gayle, Avinus, Zha'ar

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Skyrise

 

I cannot tell you how excited I am for this game. I've been eagerly anticipating it since the very first post. As Scorp said, "Sky Pirates!"

 

 

Locations:

There's some great worldbuilding going on in here. I like how unique and balanced each city is; there's no obvious place you "have" to live, especially given most of the game takes place above the cities.

 

Aircraft:

...

With the exception of jetpacks, which have built-in parachutes, all vehicles are equipped with teleportation devices that will automatically transport their pilots safely to the nearest stable surface if their aircraft is destroyed, or they’re severely injured. This system is in place to prevent the rampant murdering of PCs, and hopefully stop people from godmodding in order to save their characters from otherwise inescapable deaths.

Thank you so much for that teleportation system. Seems it will resolve many of the same issues as the Infinite system from Bionifight.

 

As for the vehicles themselves, overall they seem alright, though I feel like there are some classes missing. I mean, what's the point of flying around a Rockoh or Axalara if the aircraft is more durable than the pilot? Would it be possible to modify the base design of one or both to add armor for the pilot? The way I see it, it could be something like this:

 

Airship: Pros: Cargo carrier, large platform, Cons: Slow, generally unarmed. ("Freighters")

Jetpack: Pros: Lightweight, long-lasting, Cons: Little carrying capacity, small species only, unarmed. ("Long distance")

Skyfighter: Pros: Fast, agile, Cons: Weak armor, small species only ("Offensive")

Rockoh: Pros: Heavy armor, ramming, Cons: Slow ("Tank")

Jetrax: Pros: Fast, agile, three weapons, Cons: Weak armor, vulnerable ("Glass Cannon")

Axalara: Pros: Mid armor, reasonable speed, Cons: No specialty, exposed pilot? ("Balanced")

 

Also, one question about the Axalara: Does the bomb doors count toward the two weapons?

 

Character:

...

Species: what species are they? With a few obvious exceptions, most canon species will be taken into consideration, but it will ultimately be up to the GM’s discretion as to what races are approved.

Might be a good idea to clarify that Toa are extinct in this universe, just in case.

 

Also, I'm totally making a "neutral" Junker who scavenges the deserts for parts to trade.

 

Rules:

  • This is a pet peeve of mine, but please put both your character’s name and their location in your posts. It’s confusing for other players seeking interaction, otherwise, especially in an open-world game such as this one.
  • ...
  • Please be considerate of other players, and recognise the distinction between OOC and IC. If someone’s character kills/injures/dislikes one of your characters, it doesn’t mean that their player has a personal problem with you.

Please and thank you.

 

 

Other than that, I don't see any glaring problems, and I look forward to playing!

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I can't help but notice that you say that Tesara trades with every other city but then go on to say that none of the other places trade with anybody.

 

Hm, that's not quite what I meant. I'll have to reword some of the location descriptions. 

 

As for the vehicles themselves, overall they seem alright, though I feel like there are some classes missing. I mean, what's the point of flying around a Rockoh or Axalara if the aircraft is more durable than the pilot? Would it be possible to modify the base design of one or both to add armor for the pilot? 

 

The 'base designs' are literally just the vehicles as they appeared in set form, which all seemed to leave the pilots pretty exposed. But Miras brought up a similar point about this, so I'm thinking of incorporating some kind of customisation field into the profile that lets players add things like scary spikes, additional armour plating, cockpit reinforcement, maneuvering thrusters, etc.

 

The way I see it, it could be something like this:

Airship: Pros: Cargo carrier, large platform, Cons: Slow, generally unarmed. ("Freighters")

Jetpack: Pros: Lightweight, long-lasting, Cons: Little carrying capacity, small species only, unarmed. ("Long distance")

Skyfighter: Pros: Fast, agile, Cons: Weak armor, small species only ("Offensive")

Rockoh: Pros: Heavy armor, ramming, Cons: Slow ("Tank")

Jetrax: Pros: Fast, agile, three weapons, Cons: Weak armor, vulnerable ("Glass Cannon")

Axalara: Pros: Mid armor, reasonable speed, Cons: No specialty, exposed pilot? ("Balanced")

 
These are some good ideas as well; I'll give it some thought. 

 

Also, one question about the Axalara: Does the bomb doors count toward the two weapons?

 
No, it's got the two weapon slots, plus the bomb hatch. 

 

Might be a good idea to clarify that Toa are extinct in this universe, just in case.

 
I would've hoped that was implied in the part where I said Marendar killed them all, but I guess it's worth reiterating. I figured there's already enough going on in this game without everyone having super easy access to elemental powers as well. Besides, if there were Toa around, resources wouldn't be as much of a problem. 

Embers - a new Bionicle Epic - Coming 2024 

Class Is Out - A Farewell To Corpus Rahkshi - Chapters/Review

BZPRPG Characters - Minnorak, Kain, T'harrak, Savis, Vazaria, Lash

BZPRPG Mercenary Group - The Outsiders - Description - History - Base

Ghosts Of Bara Magna - Ash Tribe - Precipere - Kehla, Somok, Skrall, Gayle, Avinus, Zha'ar

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Are we allowed to post crossover roleplays?

 

Yes and no. Such things are not exactly the norm, but they are permitted... Provided they are, to use a rather vague term, "Bionicle-y enough". This is the Bionicle RPG forum, RPGs should be focused on Bionicle if other elements are present. RPGs with a focus on something else would belong in OTC or in Lego RPG, depending on that something else.

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On this eve, the thirtieth anniversary of that first colony, many are left to wonder; is the world fast approaching a breaking point?

 

 

  Breaking Point: An OTC Mecha RPG

 

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Are we allowed to post crossover roleplays?

 

Yes and no. Such things are not exactly the norm, but they are permitted... Provided they are, to use a rather vague term, "Bionicle-y enough". This is the Bionicle RPG forum, RPGs should be focused on Bionicle if other elements are present. RPGs with a focus on something else would belong in OTC or in Lego RPG, depending on that something else.

 

You'd also probably want something that meshes well into a BIONICLE-y thing.

 

Crossovers, from experience, are like cooking.

 

You want ingredients that work well together. I mean you can do something wacky too, but you better be a real good chef.

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Alright, to save everyone from having to scroll halfway back up through the page, here's an updated edition of Skyrise. I've tried to take into consideration all of the feedback I got, and there's a fair bit of new content. I also clarified and reworded a few things, as well as adding a couple of details that I'd forgotten to put into the previous draft. 

 

Oh, and I fixed the banner. 

 

lWvW4fC.jpg

 

When the universe fell, we rose…

The Story:

 

Welcome to Skyrise. In this world, Mata Nui was unable to restore Spherus Magna to its former glory, and the Mask of Life was lost. Without the mask’s energies to stabilise it, the newly-reformed planet became prone to earthquakes and floods, the decades of natural disasters drastically reshaping the landscape and decimating many of the existing population centres.

 

Bara Magna was transformed into a maze of plateaus and canyons, with the seas of sand at the bottom being ruled by rabid bands of Zesk, Vorox, and vicious Rahi. In the chaos, Marendar was unleashed, wiping out the few Toa who remained before presumably being destroyed. The sentient races that were left made their homes atop the sturdiest of the rock formations, further reinforced by the efforts of friendly Skakdi and other powered beings. On the less secure plateaus, criminals and other outcasts still cling to life in settlements of their own, living in constant fear of the next tremor being the one to spell their doom.

 

While most of those within the settlements remain content in their uneventful lives, toiling each day to ensure there’s enough food and resources to go around, there are those tasked with travelling between settlements to bear news, ferry resources, and most importantly, keep the peace. It is into these roles that players will be stepping, captaining airships or piloting scout craft across the hostile surface of the new Great Barren.

 

Locations:

 

The new Bara Magna is a dangerous, desolate place, with the various permanent settlements serving as the only real safe havens. (Map)

  • Tesara – Sitting astride a singular pillar of earth and stone in the centre of an immense crater, the roots of this jungle village’s immense trees have withstood the test of time, and have held it together for untold decades. Tesara supplies most of the Great Barren’s food, and maintains long-standing trade deals with most of the other settlements (with the exception of Cliffside). Tesara is undoubtedly the most open and accepting of all the settlements, although there are some who would argue that they’re too trusting…
  • New Atero – Originally little more than a shanty town built up next to the remains of the fallen Great Spirit Robot, New Atero has endured the disasters that have lashed the planet, and coalesced into a singular, colossal fortress. Being in fairly close proximity to a freshwater lake and the open ocean, they’re becoming increasingly self-reliant, having severed many of their trade deals in recent months, and their militant approach to negotiations lead many to distrust and fear them.
  • Fe – An underground village nestled somewhere in among what remains of the Black Spike Mountains, this mining settlement supplies most of the Barren’s raw materials, weaponry, and aircraft. Its people are reclusive by nature, and as such no outsider knows the exact location of the village itself. Those who attempt to find it are intercepted by Fe aircraft and turned around, or escorted to the village blindfolded. They send traders to the other settlements once a month, bringing new vehicles and equipment which they exchange for food, water, and other necessities.
  • Cliffside – A precarious shamble of random structures with no coherent order or organisation, this is where the outcasts and rogues flock together for survival. Its populace is too small to pose a true threat to any of the major settlements, but too big to be easily destroyed, and as such this pirate port continues its uncertain existence, its citizens stealing or bartering for what they need.
  • Aqua Magna – Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes have turned the oceans foul and polluted, with only the strongest, most vicious of creatures still able to thrive there. Despite this, the beasts that dwell there make for good eating, for those who have the means and the skill to hunt them.
  • The Arena – No one is entirely sure who built this place, or when, or why, only that it is hewn from some seemingly indestructible stone, the strongest of earthquakes and most powerful of Kanoka alike having no effect on this mysterious structure. Given its proximity to The Chasm, most beings chose to avoid it entirely, but it is still occasionally used for trade meetings or impromptu tournaments.
  • The Chasm – While the planet slowly shook itself apart, the colossal corpse of the Matoran Universe remained where it lay, sprawled across the fragmented canyons. That was, until Marendar did battle with the last remaining Toa atop the long dead machine, and the ground gaped open like a hungry maw, swallowing the entirety of the Great Spirit Robot into the darkened depths. The resulting chasm still frequently belches fetid smog into the air, and every now and again some kind of horrendously mutated rahi crawls up from below. Those who’ve attempted to explore what lies below have never returned.

Aircraft:

 

Travel between settlements, aerial combat, and scouting is accomplished using various vehicles, reverse-engineered from technology that was salvaged from Karda Nui before the evacuation of the Matoran Universe. In addition to these uses, it is strongly encouraged by the rulers of the settlements that those who feel the need for violence to take their altercations away from where innocent people can be caught in the crossfire, and fight their battles in the skies instead.

Please note, each character is only allowed to have a single vessel/vehicle.   

  •  Airships - Utilising a complicated system of levitation and weight increase Kanoka, each of the airships is controlled by pulleys that cause either the levitation or the weight increase Kanoka Disks to strike the Airship's framework, forcing the Airship to rise or fall. A modified version of a transport Chute, capped at both ends, is built into the back of the Airship, providing forward thrust by letting a small portion of pressurised air jet out from the back. These vessels are usually slow and unarmed, but often come equipped with a small number of Cargo Haulers to make the task of transferring goods easier. Some pilots have repurposed these vessels with additional armour or weaponry, but their bulk and slowness make them poor combat vessels nonetheless.
  • Jetpacks - utilised solely by smaller races, these are simple, sturdy devices. With in-built parachutes and enough energy to stay airborne for several days, they can get up a decent amount of speed, and depending on the skill of the user, can be highly manoeuvrable. (Parachute, no weapon or customisation slots).
  • Skyfighters - again only able to be used by the smaller species, these speedy, agile fighters are equipped with a single weapon. It is worth noting, however, that while these glorified gliders are able to stay airborne for much longer than most other craft, they’re far from the most versatile of aircraft, and a few well-placed shots could easily knock them out of the sky. (Pilot teleportation, 1 weapon slots, no customisation slots).
  • Rockoh - used primarily by many of the larger races, these stocky, heavily armoured craft are equipped with enhanced engines, capable of putting on incredible, albeit brief, bursts of speed in order to ram targets. As well as their characteristic rams, these craft are usually equipped with a single weapon. (Pilot teleportation, 1 weapon slots, 2 customisation slots).
  • Jetrax - the perfect midpoint between speed, agility and firepower, these craft are also used by most of the larger races. Capable of carrying three weapons, the Jetrax model’s most noteworthy vulnerabilities are its two bulky wing-mounted engines. In addition, although most of the vehicle is armoured, the cockpit is not, leaving the pilot somewhat exposed. (Pilot teleportation, 3 weapon slots, 1 customisation slot).
  • Axalara - the biggest and heaviest of the vehicles in the fleet, it’s not as fast or agile as the Jetrax, but is much more heavily armoured. It can carry only two weapons, as its primary purpose is to serve as a bomber, deploying explosives from a hatch underneath to drop onto targets. This aircraft’s main drawback is that its pilot is left even more exposed than that of a Jetrax. (Pilot teleportation, 2 weapon slots, 1 customisation slot, 1 bomb bay).

 

With the exception of jetpacks and airships, which carry parachutes, all vehicles are equipped with teleportation devices that will automatically transport their pilots safely to the nearest stable surface if their aircraft is destroyed, or they’re severely injured. This system is in place to prevent the rampant murdering of PCs, and hopefully stop people from godmodding in order to save their characters from otherwise inescapable deaths.

 

All aircraft share a default cruising speed, which allows them to travel between settlements within only a few short hours. While airships and jetpacks cannot accelerate much beyond this speed, most other aircraft can, making them ideal for use as messengers or scouts. It is worth noting, however, that the unique energies that power these faster aircraft also render the pilots unable to use any powers or powered weapons they might have, forcing them to rely solely on their vehicle’s capabilities.

 

New or replacement aircraft, as well as upgrades to existing ones, can be obtained from staff NPCs such as settlement leaders, usually in exchange for favours or as a reward for some kind of special quest or mission.

 

Character:

Name: what do they call themselves?

Species: what species are they? Most canon species will be taken into consideration, but it will ultimately be up to the GM’s discretion as to what races are approved.

Gender: does your character identify as male, female, neither, both, etc.

Powers: include here things like elemental affinity, vision powers, and so on.

Gear: this is where weapons, Kanohi, as well as items such as Rhotuka/Zamors should be listed.

Personal Aircraft: if they have one, list it here. This includes jetpacks.

Allegiance/Role: Which settlement are they from? Are they a ranger, criminal, outcast, captain, etc?  

Appearance: pretty straightforward - what does your character look like? Can be a short description, a MOC, etc.

Personality: some description regarding what your character is like as a person.

Bio: Give us a bit of insight into your character’s past. Where did they come from, why did they choose this particular lifestyle/profession, etc.

 

Aircraft:

Name: what does your character call their craft?

Model: what type of craft is it?

Weaponry: what weapons does your craft have? Feel free to use canon weapons or come up with your own, but please try to be reasonable about it.

Customisation: There is limited room for additional modifications to be applied to some aircraft. This can take the form of extra armour plating, thrusters to aid in manoeuvrability, reinforcement to the cockpit or other vulnerable areas, and so on. Again, be reasonable.

Appearance: What does the craft look like? Does it have a custom paint job, extra spikes, etc.

 

Rules:

  1. Please use IC (in character) and OOC (out of character) tags in your posts. OOC-only posts should be limited solely to the discussion topic.
  2. This is a pet peeve of mine, but please put both your character’s name and their location in your posts. It’s confusing for other players seeking interaction, otherwise, especially in an open-world game such as this one.
  3. No god-modding, metagaming, fightbotting, autohitting, etc. In general, play fair.
  4. Please be considerate of other players, and recognise the distinction between OOC and IC. If someone’s character kills/injures/dislikes one of your characters, it doesn’t mean that their player has a personal problem with you.
  5. Most importantly, have fun.
Edited by The Good Guys

Embers - a new Bionicle Epic - Coming 2024 

Class Is Out - A Farewell To Corpus Rahkshi - Chapters/Review

BZPRPG Characters - Minnorak, Kain, T'harrak, Savis, Vazaria, Lash

BZPRPG Mercenary Group - The Outsiders - Description - History - Base

Ghosts Of Bara Magna - Ash Tribe - Precipere - Kehla, Somok, Skrall, Gayle, Avinus, Zha'ar

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Are we allowed to convert customisation slots to weapon slots? Also, I think you forgot to add weapon/customisation slots for the Airship.

 

No to the first, although I might consider allowing the opposite.

 

And no, there's no specific slots for airships. They're big and slow by default, with a lot of cargo space, and not much else. What players choose to do with that cargo space - carry trade supplies, scavenge goods from the wasteland, store the crew's aircraft, outfit the airships with guns, etc. - is largely up to them. 

Embers - a new Bionicle Epic - Coming 2024 

Class Is Out - A Farewell To Corpus Rahkshi - Chapters/Review

BZPRPG Characters - Minnorak, Kain, T'harrak, Savis, Vazaria, Lash

BZPRPG Mercenary Group - The Outsiders - Description - History - Base

Ghosts Of Bara Magna - Ash Tribe - Precipere - Kehla, Somok, Skrall, Gayle, Avinus, Zha'ar

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  • 3 weeks later...

Planning an arena game.

 

Basic rundown is an alt universe Brotherhood hosting a tournament with fabulous prizes and bragging rights to attract fighters.

 

Having makuta as overseers makes death a near impossibility, story and plot are minimal and secondary to the tournament fighting aspect.

 

Fights are one on one, or small groups.

 

'Sall I've got so far.

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Arena games are... Tricky. 

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; most arena games can't survive for long purely as an arena game. Without plot people may get bored, and you will certainly need a heavy GM presence. Heavily PvP oriented games (tournament and arena games, namely) require a heavy GM presence to deal with the many, many disputes that crop up. 

 

Bionifight is a good example of a lot of these issues. It was popular enough to last for a pretty long time, but it needed a nearly constant GM presence and disputes over combat were pretty much eternal. You would get half a dozen per tournament round. Since you usually can't survive on arena alone, either, the plot generally needs to be integrated well enough that a transition in focus isn't jarring.

 

It's a difficult balancing act in all respects.

fK5oqYf.jpg

 

On this eve, the thirtieth anniversary of that first colony, many are left to wonder; is the world fast approaching a breaking point?

 

 

  Breaking Point: An OTC Mecha RPG

 

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bionifight also had a fun thing where you could bring a lot of fresh character ideas to the table.

 

My idea is that the combatants -want- to participate, and aren't required to stay.

 

Your concerns about GM presence are completely valid, and it's something I'm giving thought to. That said, I don't mind solving fight disputes.

 

That said, I'm hoping that smaller skirmishes of one on ones would help to alleviate the chaotic nature of Bionifight rounds.

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If you keep it to smaller skirmishes, though, what does everyone else do in the mean time? There's only so much hanging around in the locker room, so to speak, you can do before that interaction starts to get stale.

 

Which is a big portion of why tournament games usually need some kind of plot. Otherwise it might as well just be something like the original game Bionifight, where it's just about the fighting.

fK5oqYf.jpg

 

On this eve, the thirtieth anniversary of that first colony, many are left to wonder; is the world fast approaching a breaking point?

 

 

  Breaking Point: An OTC Mecha RPG

 

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Planning an arena game.

 

Basic rundown is an alt universe Brotherhood hosting a tournament with fabulous prizes and bragging rights to attract fighters.

 

Having makuta as overseers makes death a near impossibility, story and plot are minimal and secondary to the tournament fighting aspect.

 

Fights are one on one, or small groups.

 

'Sall I've got so far.

 

bionifight also had a fun thing where you could bring a lot of fresh character ideas to the table.

 

My idea is that the combatants -want- to participate, and aren't required to stay.

 

Your concerns about GM presence are completely valid, and it's something I'm giving thought to. That said, I don't mind solving fight disputes.

 

That said, I'm hoping that smaller skirmishes of one on ones would help to alleviate the chaotic nature of Bionifight rounds.

 

If you keep it to smaller skirmishes, though, what does everyone else do in the mean time? There's only so much hanging around in the locker room, so to speak, you can do before that interaction starts to get stale.

 

Which is a big portion of why tournament games usually need some kind of plot. Otherwise it might as well just be something like the original game Bionifight, where it's just about the fighting.

 

Krayzikk makes some very strong points. As far as the fights go, if you want to avoid the overall craziness of the rounds from Bionifight (which were just stupid big), perhaps an elimination or progression system could be put into place? If you plan a definitive end for the tournament, then the number of combatants in each round would shrink as time goes on.

 

But then you still need something for eliminated characters to occupy their time, and there's the issue of new characters & players coming in as well.

 

I would recommend finding at least two other members to help you GM; if the RPG turns out small enough that three is unnecessary one of you could always step down, but having three GMs means you're more likely to have at least one person on hand to solve any disputes that arise.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Heyyo, so I haven't RP'd in like 85 thousand years but I remembered about my Skakdi RPG idea "Warlords of Zaktan" which I was pretty proud of. If anyone wants to take over or make it a real thing you can go ahead since I haven't the time or the effort to put something as complicated as that together. Y'all can assemble a pretty team to work on the stuff I had already written and I can sort of just be your pretty little George Lucas and stand by creepily smiling at what I've started.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I had an idea for a space RPG, but on a much smaller scale than others. I haven't got much on the backstory aside from a ship all PCs(in the current idea) came from in the unreachable distance, but I'll put what I have here. The name, at the moment, is

Solitary Drift

 

It's set in a dense section of an asteroid ring around a planet. Dense enough that many rocks are large enough to gravitate to and stand on. Multiple people can safely occupy some with room to spare. If you head too far out, the ring either stops or becomes much thinner again. You can try traversing these much more dangerous areas, but it's nobody's fault but your own if you drift off into space and die. The largest rock, which PCs start on/near, possesses a large, crashed shuttle called the Funo A2,and is a 'hub' of sorts. While damaged, the control systems virtually eradicated, the shuttle is otherwise intact, (relatively)safe and can comfortably house a lot of people.

 

The ship PCs originate from, the Kanatu, sits in the distance if you head away from the planet. A gaping hole exploded in the side exposing much of the ship and bending it awkwardly into a rough V, the Kanatu looks abandoned. It would seem whatever dealt the lethal damage to the Kanatu is what led to the PCs being stranded in the ring, being vented and thrown into it. You can attempt to fly to the Kanatu if you want, but even if you don't screw it up and actually get there, the ship is a trashed wreck.

 

All PCs are assumed to have a base spacesuit. While what intact oxygen recyclers in the Funo A2 prolong the longevity of the atmosphere inside, it cannot sustain it forever, and anyone brave enough to venture into the ring to find things vented by the destruction of the Kanatu, such as tech, equipment and oxygen tanks is rewarded with...well, it depends I haven't thought on that. They are also allowed to keep anything wanted from finds made while exploring, such as armour or additions to their suit.

 

SOME KIND OF PROFILE THING

 

NAME: (Well, people need something to call you)

SPECIES: (Only Matoran, but any element is allowed.)

DESCRIPTION: (What do you look like? Mask, colours, gender etc etc. Some idea of physical traits here would be appreciated also.)

PERSONALITY: (What are you like? Rude, friendly, selfish, selfless, cold, outward. Describe your character's...well, character, here.)

EQUIPMENT: (All characters are allowed one piece of tech. Keep it simple, keep it lower-powered, alright? Other than that, get creative. A laser pistol might be acceptable, but a nuclear assault rifle or energy sword that can cleave through virtually anything is not. You need to find the good stuff. You are free to update this whenever something is found, and if a character's starting tech is not allowed, I'll just say. Give it a description also, not just a name.)

aBlR6jE.png

My profiles

 

Read my Epic:Tales of Aoris Nui!

Profile pic by Soulemn on DA!

 

I also have a custom species approved for the BZPRPG! Click here to read about them!

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Well I'm always up for a good space RPG. I do see some spots that raise questions though, so I'll run through them.

 

Some stuff about the asteroid belt first off. You say that the belt is dense enough that one can "gravitate to an asteroid and stand on it." Does that mean that said asteroids have their own gravity? Because that would make said floating chuncks of rock rather gigantic. Also, I guess it's safe to assume that you are using the movie style belt rather than the realistic version right?

 

In any case, on to the Kanatu. The first and most glaringly obvious question. What put a giant hole in what used to be our ship? I'm not seeing anything in there that would have made our characters lose their memories. So most likely we would know about whatever or whoever blasted our ride. Even if none of the PCs were on the bridge at the time they should still have had a vague idea of what was going on. It also seems like you want to discourage people from heading to the ship by saying everything there is broken. Well, I can garuntee you that a lot of the stuff there is going to be in much better condition than anything that was thrown from the ship and slammed into an asteroid.

 

I must congratulate the shipbuilders though. Anyone who can build a ship that let's the crew survive a blow like that deserves praise. I'm surprised the thing is even in one piece.

 

Spacesuits. These things have like, basic maneuvering jets right? Maybe a low powered disk of flight? Because all a Matoran needs to survive in space is an oxygen supply. I feel like they would have a few more bells and whistles than what is on our current suits.

 

Not much to say on the profile, it's all pretty standard. I do like how you restricted it to Matoran though. I feel like it fits.

"I serve the weak. I serve the helpless. I am their sword and their shield. If you want to strike at them, you must go through me, and I am not so easily moved."

zsUPm2E.jpg?1

 

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Right, yes.

 

I can't really say what dealt the blow to the Kanatu because I don't have an answer, really. Perhaps a mechanical fault led to a supercombine explosion. Perhaps something similar was instead triggered by an asteroid collision. Maybe some darker forces are at work. And, like the crew, things flung out into the belt are intact because the force ejecting them wasn't enough to damage anything besides equipment that's actually fragile. If it was, the chances of the crew surviving are equally low.

 

As for the belt, it isn't the most realistic, no. Some asteroids in it are huge, yes, but some are much denser also.

 

The spacesuits have simplistic maneuvering jets, yes. By default, they're the kind that gives a short burst to adjust trajectory rather than a full EVA maneuvering harness. Those might be discoverable, though, as might disks of flight, which would make moving from place to place a breeze.

 

Oh, right. I forgot to add an OCCUPATION part to the profile, which states what the crewman did aboard the Kanatu. Because otherwise everyone might be something of a jack-of-all-trades, even if unintentionally.

aBlR6jE.png

My profiles

 

Read my Epic:Tales of Aoris Nui!

Profile pic by Soulemn on DA!

 

I also have a custom species approved for the BZPRPG! Click here to read about them!

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