RTJ Information
Firstly
Before you opt to Request to Join this game please ensure that you have read the other Notice Threads. These outline the style and theme of the game and indicate the aspects that will likely be a focus of play.
1 - If you are not willing to deal with a bit of bookkeeping then this is not a game for you. This is a setting where you buy ammunition 'by the bullet'. Damaging a characters wallet is an often utilized mechanic in this setting and that needs to be understood by everyone.
2 - If you are not on board with the Horror element of SLA industries then this is not the game for you. Sometimes you will be dealing with unnamed entities that are damn scary and a large part of the Horror is psychological in nature. The setting is dark and unfair and the system can, at times, be unforgiving. Not everyone has the mentality to deal with that kind of thing in a game and that's OK, there are plenty of games out there where these aspects are not explored. No character is immune to fear and every character will experience stress at some point.
3 - It is also important to understand the style. Edgy outfits with a lot of leather or flame decals on your gear are par for the course. Chrome and flashy personas are not only commonplace sights but are supported and even expected in many operatives. In essence, you should work to find a style that work for your character even if it does seem outlandish to you and you should be prepared to defend your style or be willing to update it if it's not getting the positive attention you want.
4 - As an Operative of SLA Industries your starting level of skill puts you far and beyond the capabilities of ordinary people and you have the very real possibility of becoming a star in the eyes of both the public and the media, if you can play the crowd that is, but similarly, you can end up the 'heel' and be fighting for every credit you earn, battling uphill to find that gimmick or element you can play with that will give you your big break.
5 - And finally, it is integral to understand that although you get a lot of freedom to take the jobs you want, those with higher SCL than you can and and will order you around and you need to be able to deal with that as a player. I understand that it's not always fun to be told what to do, especially if you don't want to do it but your characters livelihood, your earnings and even your very life on the line and knowing when to obey is key to survival. If you plan on railing against the system at every turn then you will quickly get a bullet in the head and I will have no hesitation in doing so if you're not with the program. There is a hierarchy in place and it's unlikely to be going anywhere and I will enforce it when I feel the need to.
Now with all that said and done, you are in the top percentile of people on the planet and you are awesome. The company has spent on average two million credits to train (and condition) you, so you are not disposable. There are breaking points but something that you can keep in mind (mostly ooc) is that this amount is about the amount of damages you can inflict upon the company before they would kill you as a first point of call - Not that it is a safety net or anything but the financial barrier is an element to NPC's too.
6 - The Company is All.
The above is very important for me to consider any player so that we don't run into ground later if people get uncomfortable playing in that style of game. I am not an adversarial GM but for the sake of the setting and for the game to be engaging in the way it is supposed to be, then there may be times it seems as if I am. If you understand all that and are still willing to play then jump on in and give character conception and creation a try.
Secondly
If you have read this far then it's time to consider your character. The things I want to know before acceptance and then complete character creation are:-
Character Name - This is really as open as you want.
Classification (Species) - If you intend on playing a non-human please be aware that you will be expected to roleplay according to the racial briefs in the core book. This will of course be modified depending on your birth. If you are Mort Born then it is permissible to 'act' more human that the brief would suggest but it is also unlikely that you would be fully integrated with your culture as a side effect.
There are ups and downs for either choice and really depends on what you want to play. Also, if you plan on playing an Ebb using race and using the Ebb then you must understand how the Ebb works in regards to the system. Some coaching will be given and correction will be made where needed but if you don't at least grasp the basics of it then go for something simpler to begin with.
In order to take Jade BPN's the squad is required to have an Ebb user so where possible I would be looking for an Ebb user. Though I will state that I do not intend on running an all Ebb party and will only accept 1, maybe 2 Ebb using characters into the squad at any one time.
Intended Package - This not only determines your likely group role but certain packages are required to take on certain BPN's, or make it easier to get accepted as the active squad for them, yellows, whites and jades being the BPN's that often possess package restrictions.
Gender / Age / Description - Similarly to name you have a lot of agency here. The only limitation is age really. You cannot be too young or too old. No younger than 18 and no older than 35 for most species. Wraith Raiders will start younger because they learn/mature quickly and don't naturally live as long (The Wraithen secret is a secret even to Wraith Raider PC's) as other races. Stormers can start as little as 1 year old, or even younger, for the start of play as they are grown in vats.
The game will begin in the year 900.
Personality Profile - There is only one thing that will be a definite part of your mentality and that is the conditioning of the company that you have been raised with and that has been reinforced through training in Meny.
It may fade with time but that conditioning was a sizable portion of your training, not that you'll know that in character of course. 'The Company is right and is working for a better tomorrow.' You don't need to be a fanatical true believer but subversion of the company is not something I want to see in starting characters and that alone will be enough for a character to be denied without reading anything else. If you plan on playing a character that plans on bringing the system down from the inside, play a different character. Other than that point, go wild. The company regularly hires oddballs for their problem solving ability or survive-ability and even the real crazies just need to attend regular visits with a company appointed psychologist and as long as they are approved for duty and carry their card they are good to go.
By default, Stormers are hard-coded for loyalty to SLA Industries and barring some special circumstance in game this hard coding will not be going anywhere.
Background - This one is harder for players who don't know the setting very well but there is enough in these threads that you should be able to work something. What was your life like? What key points about your family and upbringing have affected your character? Who sponsored you into Meny? (Where you were trained by the company). Why did you decide that being an Op was the life for you? What is your biggest fear? What are your ambitions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:19, Tue 17 July 2018.
