Wastelands, Run 2 [OOC - Closed!]

[Arcalane]

So I've decided to start up a new run of the Wastelands. A brief rundown of the setting;

Planet Adelphus. A large, Terra-like planet in a distant galaxy, mostly green from space... apart from two large patches of wasteland. It's currently 2066, mid December.

In 2055, the inevitable happened. War broke out between two of the five major superpowers of Adelphus. The end result was mutually assured destruction, with both Enteria and Fahlburg wiping each other off the map and turning large areas of Adelphus into cratered, sand-covered wastelands. The three remaining superpowers suffered minor fallout from the scenario, thankfully, and have received some very interesting news about the warzones.

There were survivors in both Enteria and Fahlburg, hidden away in a network of bunkers - civilian, government, military, scientific... all built to keep technology in stasis should the nations ever fall. Both nations were known for their advanced technology, something all the other superpowers wanted. With news that radiation levels are falling to 'acceptable' levels, and that the technology can be salvaged, all three superpowers have begun fighting for it. Of all the times for this to happen, it has to be the about the same time the bunkers are starting to open their doors, sending out groups into the world.

The bunkers aren't the only things getting some fresh air, however. Something else has been stirring in Fahlburg since the war started, and it's about to wake up...

In this run, we cover the exploits of a group from Bunker C-17, a remote civilian-grade bunker high in the northern Fahlburg mountains. Bunker C-17 shut it's doors in 2062, about a month before the first missiles were launched.

A small group of survivors, chosen primarily for their skills or just to get them out of the damn place already, have been called to the Bunker's Control Center, to be briefed for their journey to a nearby town.

Before departure, the Bunker's self-nominated Overseer goes over the files for each of those chosen.

~~

Rules are simple;

Any race/species is allowed. This includes robots/cyborgs/androids. Given technology advances, many are powered by tiny internal reactors which often feed hidden energy weaponry as well. Whilst most civilian "`mechs" are unarmed, use of armed `mechs is not uncommon, and they are just as capable of using weaponry as normal people are.

The technology levels are pretty advanced, and Fahlburg was pretty much the leader of all things scientific. Nine out of ten civilians have basic neural links, and many have other cybernetic upgrades or enhancements.

Fahlburg weaponry restrictions are pretty lax. Civilians are encouraged to arm themselves at all times, but to keep any carried weaponry concealed whenever possible. All weaponry from kinetic pistols to plasma pistols are available. This covers basic projectile handguns and rifles, laser based handguns and rifles, and plasma bolt pistols. All heavier weapons are off limits to civilians.

Believable history for a character is encouraged. This is a primarily civilian bunker, so there won't be any military commandos running around, although squads were assigned to bunkers.

I'm not going to take more than 6-8 people out on this first run. There will be another run for a seperate group that may or may not have crossovers. This is my way of making sure things don't go too fast for me to GM. I prefer small groups. First signups will run for a couple of weeks. Once the group sets off, signups are closed. They will re-open whenever the group makes it to a major site of habitation, such as a town, city or another bunker, unless specifically stated otherwise (say, the city got a nuke dropped on it, or the bunker was already abandoned) and will be noted as open during these periods.

Other than that, usual forum-specific rules apply.

Hop to it, gentlemen, I want an excursion group ready by the end of next month!

[Boog]

Sounds cool. I'll join.

Name: 457782-B
Alias: Dr. Nickolas Moskawitz, "Nicky"
Species: Medical robot
Personality: Not as dry as most robots tend to be. Kind of a smartass at times, but takes his job seriously.
History: A while ago, 457782-B overheard complaints about Bunker C-17's medical staff. Apparantly, having mostly robots doing the job of healing real people was something a handful disapproved of. They were more at ease, he overheard, around somebody with a name and a personality.
Not wanting to be lax in his duties, he aquired both. After selecting a name from his database that sounded sufficiently friendly, he immediately began studying the histories of those who he had been told had interesting personalities. From here he was able to construct a program that reached a reasonable facimale of individual creativity. The complaints stopped, if only because they were worried what else he would take to heart.
Appearance: Over the years, Nicky's gotten damaged or had parts of himself cannibalized for prosthetics. The makeshift replacement parts they had on hand weren't all perfect. While his right hand is a dexterious replica of a human hand, his left arm looks as though it would be better suited for a construction robot; bright yellow, and ending in four thick black fingers. One of his optical sensors are cracked, and the antenna on the side of his head that nobody remembers the purpose of is bent in four places. He found that people take him for being more "real" if he wore clothes, and thus located an old doctor's coat and a pair of jeans. His chassie has an apparantly hastily welded on patch on one side, and one of the servos in his legs tends to go a little funny every so often, giving him a sort of shuffling gait.

[Malakin]

What can I say? Other than w00t of course

Hmm, will try to think of a good backround this time..

Edit, ah, what kind of advanced tech are we talking about this time?

[Arcalane]

About the same level as last time, although there's no antigravity technology this time around. Vehicles will mostly be wheeled or tracked, with some slow prototype walkers.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Mind if I rejoin Sheridan?

Name: Paladin Sheppard
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Species: Wolf Anthro.
Height: 196cm
Weight: 136kg
Eye colour: Light brown
Hair: Grey/brown
Fur: Rusty brown fur with black patches

Appearance: Currently wearing a BDU jumpsuit with body armor and a sidearm in a thigh holster. Has a standard army issue neural-interface/IFF at the back of the neck.

Background: SGT fresh out of sniper school sent to his old unit that was guarding the bunker. Once in the bunker worked on armorer detail looking after the bunkers smallarms and training those who wished to on shooting and maintenance of weapons.

[Azlan]

Can I rejoin with my old character by any chance?

[Arcalane]

This is a seperate bunker, mind. I'd prefer if people used new characters. Also, this is a primarily civilian bunker, not a scientific bunker, governmental bunker or military bunker. Scientific 'experts' would have been relocated to the scientific bunkers about the time the war actually started.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Ok then btw just before I make a new charcter quick question: Was there any Mercs or Bounty Hunters during the war?

[Azlan]

This is a seperate bunker, mind. I'd prefer if people used new characters. Also, this is a primarily civilian bunker, not a scientific bunker, governmental bunker or military bunker. Scientific 'experts' would have been relocated to the scientific bunkers about the time the war actually started.

Eh okay... consider this an official "calling" of a spot in this group.  As I need to get to sleep so I can get to work in a few hours, I will have the full character details up tomorrow.  Can you elaborate on what type of professions and skill sets you classify as "civilian".  Mind you, I want to do a better job of producing a more acceptable character then the last time and your guidelines are generally vague in these areas. 

[Arcalane]

Ok then btw just before I make a new charcter quick question: Was there any Mercs or Bounty Hunters during the war?

Two superpowers going to war on such a scale that would have made mercs, etc. look like a 7-year-old with a supersoaker. So no.

~~

Eh okay... consider this an official "calling" of a spot in this group.  As I need to get to sleep so I can get to work in a few hours, I will have the full character details up tomorrow.  Can you elaborate on what type of professions and skill sets you classify as "civilian".  Mind you, I want to do a better job of producing a more acceptable character then the last time and your guidelines are generally vague in these areas.

Doctors, Firefighters, Policemen, Teachers, that kind of thing. Every-day jobs that are fairly common. No quantum physicists and so on.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Ok then to my backup plan :

Name: Ephrael Falco
Species: Tasmanian Devil
Sex: Female
Age: 24
Height: 175cm
Weight: 58kg (She'd kill ya for asking though)
Fur/Hair: Black fur with a white stripe across the chest and a white spot around her right eye. Red shoulder length hair.
Eyes: Blue
Appearance/clothing: Normally seen in a T-Shirt and jeans with her hair drawn back in a ponytail and under a bandanna.
Past occupation: Criminal Enforcer

Skills: Ambidextrous
          Able to open just about any electonic or convenonal lock
          Skilled in unarmed combat, Tae Kwon Do style
          Skilled in SMG and pistol use
          Skilled in moving silently (Has used this skill to pull pranks on others in Bunker 17)
         
Possessions: A pair of expensive glasses with mirrored lenses, and various items. Raptor-Five Seven SMG equiped with lasersight, scope, silencer and 50 round mags. Two Guardian 5.7 pistols reflex scoped, 13 round mags and using the same ammo as the Raptor. A pair of daggers in arm sheaths that she as not worn since being in the bunker.

[Arcalane]

On a sidenote, at least one member of the group should have some skill driving large articulated vehicles. You'll see why during the departure.

[Malakin]

Hey, have an idea for a char, might be pushing it a bit though


Name: Spork : GPR-M6
Class: General Purpose Robot Mark 6,

The mark six is a kind of old and now rare class of GPR..
Made originally by the landmark GPRI company (think microsoft of the robot world), the company is gone now due to large numbers of lawsuits brought against them thanks to a fatal error in the initial programing of their GPR mark 7...
The GPR-M6 was similar to the M7, having a full artificial neural net and the ability to self adapt to any task that it was set to, it was also highly customisable.
The GPR-M6 was designed for the higher class, being very expensive and full of the latest (at the time) features and abilitys suited for a GP-robot. However since the downfall of GPRI, the blueprints/specifications for these robots have been spread around the black market and many crime lords have come to use them for much of their more important busness..

Appearance: All original mark 6 units where copper coloured and humanoid in appearance, thus gaining the nickname 'Copper-Top'.
They have all metal casings, so no syntha-skin.
Usualy sculpted as a perfect example of the male form (minus the.. very.. male bits ) Spork retains some of this original look, however due to his modifications (will get to this later) he has a fair few 'scars' from botched repair jobs and various other things..

Posessions: none..


Backround:
'Spork' was a GPR-M6 constructed post GPRI.. He was constructed and used as a robotic Hitman/bodyguard of sorts. However during one 'mission' he was captured along with his master by the local lawinforcement and taken in for analysis of his neural net and eventual destruction.
At the time, the bunkers were still being made, and quickly. Not enough manpower was avalable for the construction of C-17 and local GP and specalised construction robots where drafted to complete it.
Due to this need, instead of his destruction 'Spork' (having been tested and found to be 'sane' from a robotic POV) was sent down to the law inforcement stations robotics expert, he was tasked to reprogram the robot for use on the construction site.. (spork has stayed on to help with routine mantanence and so on)
Being swamped at the time the programer assigned to the reprograming made a bodge job of it, rather than wiping the most of Sporks neuralnet and starting from scratch he left most of it in place. However he has included a few small adjustments of his own, firstly the unit is now renamed 'Spork', also implanted a false religion of sorts based around him, The almighty programer, any question of his wiped memorys from before sporks capture will result in a verbal salute to the 'almighty creator and programer that IS' along with an account of how he created robotics and the world as we know it in 7 days. This is ofcourse all along with basic programing to disalow the robot to harm humans directly..
However thanks to the intact neuralnetwork from before this (minus the memorys) spork is fully aware that this 'religion' is false, though he still has to repeat the stuff anyway >.<

Another side effect and one of the main problems that had occoured in the Mark-7 GPR is that the neuralnetwork implemented in these models has the unintended ability to (through experiances) develop ways to bypass most of the basic 'hard coded' programing over time.
So eventualy the programing will degrade to the point that, say, the robot will only be stoped from harming humans if he happens to be holding a peice of buttered toast in his left hand at 6PM on fridays...


Now on to the upgrades:
The original owner wanted his robot to act as a bodyguard and hitman, while at the same time passing most checks for armed robots, to this end most of the modifications are passive or programing based...

Armour plating, Spork has substantial armour plating, contained underneath his outercasing it is rather patchwork but covered the most vital parts of his construction. It is fully capable to stop most small arms fire, however the rest of the body is as unarmoured as a metal person gets

Loyalty programing, this is a hardcoded feature, and is able to be 'learnt around' eventualy by the neural net, basicaly he is totaly loyal to whoever is his current master, however he is still able to have his own thoughts about his mission even though he has no choice over the subject.. As for the ability to learn around this programing, basicaly eventualy he will find some blind spot to exploit if he is repeatedly sent into situations he dissagrees with...
Currently he is loyal only to the overseer..

External multi-adapter, this is a feature probibaly quite common in robots these days that alows the unit to directly interface with a range of different dataports..

Lowlight/night vision, self explanitory, though sporks normaly dark eye sockets glow gently blue when active..

Advanced operations programing, basicaly he can use a wide range of tools, cars/vans, as well as many types weapons..
He also has the ability to maintain himself to a certain degree..


Other notes:
A bit more about his physical capabilitys:
He, like many robots designed atleast partialy with physical labour in mind is very strong, can run/move very fast if he wants, however his reaction times are slightly slower than a normal humans..
Due to the complex nature of his hands (being fully modeled replicas of human hands) his hands can not be used to say break down walls or strong doors, even though they are tougher than a humans by miles, combined with his stregnth they still can be dammaged easily.

What others may know of him from the start:
Basicaly anyone who knows a fair bit about robots will recognise a mark6 easily, they will also recognise a 'counterfit' mark6 just as easily.
People who know their stuff will be able to work out that most 'counterfit' mark6's where used for rather unplesent busness.. And if they dont know the robot in person might be a bit apprehensive of his presence..
He, as I said before, has been classed as 'sane' enough to be resold.
As for how smart he is, if he was human taking an IQ test, he would score a bit above average, about 110 or so..
Somthing else to note, untill his neuralnet advances sufficiantly, he can not harm any human or human like organisms.. Atleast he cant harm them directly, causing an explosion by say shooting a car full of people with a rocketlauncher would be fine, he was shooting at the car not the people, the fact that they all died a fiery death is totaly besides the point 
"Thank you oh great programer! Thank you for the gift of shoddy workmanship"


Ehh, i think thats it, might have forgotten somthing...

Anyway I know it goes into a fair bit of detail so im not too sure if it is ok to use..
Mostly thought up on the spot, give me a break 

[Azlan]

Name: Caden Brighton
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Species: Jackal

Appearance: Fox-like appearance, tan fur, a thick stripe of black and silver running down his back and black tipped tail, ears and socks.  He has violet eyes and blond head-fur (hair).  His clothing generally fits the comfortable and utilitarian roles.

Personality: A quiet and melancholy sort, who hides behind a wall of dry wit and sarcasm.  Professional and businesslike, avoids public displays of emotion and dislikes drawing attention to himself.

Background: As a young lad, Caden was indecisive as to what he wanted to do when he became an adult.  After completing all primary education, he enlisted for reserve military service and placed high in an aptitude for special tactics and possessed a flexible moral character that others did not.  He was brought into Military Intelligence.  He learned the required sniping, surveillance, intelligence work and computer security penetration and hacking.   He found his work interesting, but the strict environment of the military was not appealing to him and he choose to not to go for Active service.  While the Reserve military position was good training, he still needed a career.  He sought a position in Law Enforcement for the steady job, if not a career, as he was well suited to this line of work and it worked well with being in the Reserves.  He made a Special Weapons and Tactics appointment where he spent a year before posting to the more exclusive Special Tactics division.  Once again he found his work stimulating, but the authority driven system reminded him of military service and if not for his posting to the bunker, would likely have drifted away from his position and possibly perished in the resulting conflicts. 

Caden has skills in sniping, surveillance, military intelligence gathering, police procedures, investigation and computer cracking and penetration.  He is relatively adept at sneaking, hiding, small arms and unarmed combat.  He completed BCT and MOS for military service, Police Academy and has been attending college to complete his university degree.  He completed his studies in the bunker, not that such things mean much at this point.

Former Occupation: Law Enforcement, Special Unit (Military Reserve)

[Somber]

I'd like to give it a shot.  Might be stretching it but... ::crosses fingers::

Name: Terra Sheer
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Species: Rat

Terra was born in the Chalean Protectorates, a teritory unaffiliated with the war that obliterated its neighbors.  Drafted at a young age into the civilian services sector, she was trained along with others in her creche to serve as an engineer.  While she had a natural aptitude for engineering, the strict and repressive society of the Protectorate wore on her.  When the opportunety presented itself she stole an armored transport and made her way into the Fahlberg Badlands as one of countless scavengers willing to risk radiation poisoning for a technological score.  Unfortunately her luck ran out when her vehicle suffered a critical failure while she was exploring the remains of a settlement she believed may have built a technology redoubt.  When the doors to the bunker unsealed she eagerly offered her services as a guide, liason officer... whatever... in return for medical treatment and vehicle repairs.

Terra appears as a 133cm, 35 kg rodent with cinamon colored fur.  She dresses in a ragged leather jump suit with a dozen or more pockets, fairly bristling with tools and sensors.  Her tail ends in a ragged stump, a foot short, as a result of disciplinary action.  Terra's weapon of choice is a modified nail gun that is surprisingly powerful if unwieldy.  Her vehicle is a Entiera Centipede, armored transportation vehicle.  Like a wheeled train it is built of five interlocked modules supported by massive tires.  The Centipede is designed to be completely invertable.  The front module contains the cockpit and living quarters.  The second module contains the reactor and power systems.  The third, fourth, and fifth are all storage modules that are half full of anything and everything Terra's found that might be of value.

Despite her offers of being a "guide" Terra in reality knows very little about the Badlands, but know an opportunety when she sees one.

[ITOS]

Here comes another Itos:

Name: 2 AI-TOS Johanna.ai v.37.00.21 (responds to Itos, Johanna or Jo)
Species: Artificial Intelligence
Age: 12 years
Voice: Female, soft and calm even during stressed situation.
Weight: 3 kilo per unit (the more units the better).

Appearance: A unit is a very hard silver box with black rubber corners. On one side there is a blue display and many holes for connecting the AI to various machines. These machines can be everything from music players and other units to small helicopters and rovers.

At the moment Johanna has two units mounted on a six weeled rover similar to those that you send to explore other planets. It's about a meter high when fully stretched out, can climb over obstacles about 1,5 meters high and moves quick over difficult terrain.
It has a strong, black frame that allows you to install several upgrades. While it currently lacks both arms and weapons it has a sensor rig at the back (the units are placed at the front).

Background: Johanna is one in a series of AIs designed to oversee structures and installations with built in computer systems. Not very advanced in the ways of social interaction these AIs mostly spend their time keeping track of inventories, communications and security systems. Versions 34 to 38 are better since they were made to expand outside their normal duties to actively rebuild a destroyed network. This requires a more free thinking AI (and more units).

[bill]

Name: Jean Arnage
Gender: Male
Age: 41
Species: Human
H/W: 5'11.5'', 144lbs
Eye color: Blue/Gray
Hair: Black, medium length, straight.


Le Ground de la Back:

Previously a vendor for GulfDynamics, a rather shady arms manufacturer based in southern Fahlburg. Perpetually wanted for suspicions of sales of illegal and unregistered firearms, though never charged. 18 years of education, 6 at University of the Harbor. Rather nice education in firearms at a training course at GulfDynamics (Good for demonstrating weapons to potential customers, and for self-defense; useful, given the "not-quite-legal" groups that GulfDynamics were selling to).

During his time at GulfDynamics, he was notable for being one of GDn's primary vendors to Enteria, an obviously illegal position that payed well. Literally a month before he went into the Bunker, GulfDynamics was finally implicated in massive violations of Fahlburgi embargo laws, and Arnage was lucky to miss the fallout.

Le Other Stuff de la Random
Never actually told anyone in the bunker what his job was, other than that he was a "salesman". Always seems to wear a light jacket, regardless of the conditions.

[Arcalane]

Malakin;

Apart from the loophole with the car, it seems alright. Since launching a rocket at such a vehicle would almost certain kill a passenger on impact (if it was merely a civilian car) from the explosion, then... 

~~

Azlan;

Looking good. Unusual set of skills for someone in such a role, but I can see why such decisions were made. Not wanting to die horribly in the war is kinda persuasive.

~~

Somber;

Good, apart from the vehicle. I'd prefer if people started off from the inside of the bunker, mind, so everyone has the full 'briefing'. Vehicle also sounds far too big. Far, far too big for the situation.

~~

ITOS;

..unusual, I'll give you that. But useful and unique.

~~

Bill;

Nice history.

--

You're all clear except for Somber.

I'm a little incapacitated with a nasty cold since my immune system apparently imploded yesterday, but I'm doing my best.

[Malakin]

Malakin;

Apart from the loophole with the car, it seems alright. Since launching a rocket at such a vehicle would almost certain kill a passenger on impact (if it was merely a civilian car) from the explosion, then... 

Yeah your right, writing this stuff up at 2AM certainly makes for some intresting logic.

Eh, actualy, now that I read over what I typed up last night, it kinda looks a bit daft..

However unless I think of somthing better I will just stick with the scary robot thing.

[Somber]

Size it however you like.  I was just barrowing from the idea of an all terrain vehicle big enough to carry multiple people, supplies, and what ever nick-knacks we come across.  If you you tube "rockfish" you should find a video of a cartoon with the vehicle I have in mind.

As for getting into the bunker and the briefing I guess it depends on where you want to start.  If they're opening up for the first time ever, well then I'll have to wait outsidea bit.  n.n

"I don't mind."

Somber

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Eh, actualy, now that I read over what I typed up last night, it kinda looks a bit daft..

However unless I think of somthing better I will just stick with the scary robot thing.

It's a big loophole - what can we say, the lowest government bidder on the contract, cheap rates, shite programmers, minimal test cases, etc etc.... :-]

[Arcalane]

Size it however you like.  I was just barrowing from the idea of an all terrain vehicle big enough to carry multiple people, supplies, and what ever nick-knacks we come across.  If you you tube "rockfish" you should find a video of a cartoon with the vehicle I have in mind.

As for getting into the bunker and the briefing I guess it depends on where you want to start.  If they're opening up for the first time ever, well then I'll have to wait outsidea bit.  n.n

"I don't mind."

Somber

The group will be departing in a smaller, more 'conventional' vehicle to begin with. There, I've said why people needed experience driving large articulated vehicles. :p

~~

And now I've watched that... that's waaaaaaay too big.

[Somber]

Really?  Huh.  All righty then.  Well she's driven everything that's had contact with the ground... and if she hasn't then she'll learn really quick... even if it is some kind of Fahlberger techno junk.  I mean you can't even call it a vehicle if you can't drive it through a house, can you?      

"Russian components... American components... all made in Taiwan!"

Somber

[Arcalane]

Really?  Huh.  All righty then.  Well she's driven everything that's had contact with the ground... and if she hasn't then she'll learn really quick... even if it is some kind of Fahlberger techno junk.  I mean you can't even call it a vehicle if you can't drive it through a house, can you?      

It's fully capable of driving through houses. It just has a little more difficulty with entire mansions.

[Arcalane]

Alright, we're go for launch. Get your asses to the Control Center. Any posts from anyone not on that list will be marked for nukeage.

Working on Somber's part now as it's a bit more longwinded.

EDIT: Whew! Done with that part.

I have to say, I rather enjoyed writing Captain Richter's recording.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Just in case anyone is unsure, any posts that the GM asks the management to "deal to" will be dealt to.

We -do- try to be reasonable, mind, but deliberately making Sheridan's job harder is frowned upon. :-]

[Arcalane]

Just in case anyone is unsure, any posts that the GM asks the management to "deal to" will be dealt with.

Fix'd.

That also includes commentary in here from you, box.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

You mean I'm not allowed to comment in the OOC thread? But... that's half the fun of watching the IC thread, and I'm -definitely- not allowed to comment in there, so...

... well... unless I offer a character, and it's closed now, isn't it? :-P

[Arcalane]

You mean I'm not allowed to comment in the OOC thread? But... that's half the fun of watching the IC thread, and I'm -definitely- not allowed to comment in there, so...

... well... unless I offer a character, and it's closed now, isn't it? :-P

For the next couple of weeks, depending which way our valiant heroes decide to go.

Assuming they don't flee the country.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

"Run away - always a valid career choice."