Traveller's Cafe 3: Brainstorming, discussion, tea, advice

[Dayganistan]

RP INTEREST AND FEEDBACK REQUEST

---

Please provide as much detail as possible.
RP's Overarching Concept: Police procedural focusing on the KGB in the final years of the Soviet Union
Genre/s: Police procedural, crime, espionage
Character or Faction Based: Character
Detailed Description: The year is 1986. Mikhail Gorbachev brings massive reforms to the Soviet Union, hoping to prevent the collapse that, unbeknownst to you, is coming in five years. For the first time ever, people in the Soviet Union are free to criticize their government and leaders, speaking out on issues such as the economy and the war in Afghanistan.

These reforms leave the KGB in somewhat of an awkward position. While their mission to function as the Soviet intelligence organization remains, their purpose as an internal organization comes into question. The KGB is supposed to be the secret police of the Soviet Union, cracking down on anti-communist thought, nationalists, and any dissidents who present a threat to Soviet power. But with Gorbachev's reforms, what exactly constitutes dissidence has become much more muddy. Despite Gorbachev's reforms, the KGB continues on its path, arresting dissenters and trying to find their purpose in the Gorbachev era. Some believe the internal elements of the KGB should split off and become a law enforcement organization akin to the American FBI, while others believe it should remain an intelligence organization. In some parts of the Soviet Union, local KGB officers try to force themselves into a law enforcement role while continuing to crack down on dissent against the communist party as much as they can in the Gorbachev era.

We come to Alma-Ata, 2000 miles from Moscow and the capital of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. Here, the local KGB office struggles to find their purpose in the Gorbachev era. Many of the officers here are ethnic Kazakhs and are not particularly interested in cracking down on Kazakh nationalism, fearing the backlash if the unthinkable happens and the Soviet Union does in fact collapse. However, they also need to follow their orders from Moscow to crack down on dissent, without being told exactly what constitutes dissent in the Gorbachev era. With little guidance from Moscow and the fear of cracking down on anti-Soviet ideologies, the Alma-Ata KGB office is in a state of confusion. They continue to arrest dissidents, but this is often just for show and only the most extreme dissidents arrested in Alma-Ata make it to trial. The local KGB officers start losing motivation, knowing they're doing all this work to arrest dissidents only for nothing to happen. They continue on with their job, just following orders. As they will continue to until the Soviet Union eventually collapses. Their only motivation to continue being the chance that if it does fall down, they'll have a job in whatever agency happens to succeed their branch of the KGB.


Need Help With: Just looking for general feedback

Please leave this hashtag in place: #Mentorhelp

[The Wyoming Peoples Front]

Hi, I am looking for some players interested in playing former US states in a kind of post apocalypse RP.

The states I am most looking for are:

Idaho
California
Arizona
Texas
Montana
New Mexico
Nevada

But anyone interested is welcome.
If you are interested, TG me or post here.

[Harbertia]

Hi, I am looking for some players interested in playing former US states in a kind of post apocalypse RP.

The states I am most looking for are:

Idaho
California
Arizona
Texas
Montana
New Mexico
Nevada

But anyone interested is welcome.
If you are interested, TG me or post here.

Seems an interesting concept. It's early in the morning so I don't want to say I'll join yet. I'll consider it.

[Korhal IVV]

RP INTEREST AND FEEDBACK REQUEST

---

Please provide as much detail as possible.
RP's Overarching Concept: An alternate timeline of WH40K where it is now M61 and the grimdarkness of the galaxy has been cranked to eleven.
Genre/s: Science Fantasy
Character or Faction Based: Maybe both??
Detailed Description: It is the Sixty First Millennium. The galaxy, already a war torn hell as it is, has become an even worse hell for its inhabitants. The Imperium has died, but not with a bang, but rather, with a whimper. In the final days of M45, no vox nor astrotelepathic transmission was received from Holy Terra once again, as it was slowly but surely consumed by a miasma of chaos and insanity. The Emperor expired on the Golden Throne, causing the Warp Rift which He has kept in bay for so long to expand with utter violence. Daemons flooded the Imperial Palace as hundreds of vessels sought to escape the new Eye of Terror of Sol. Alas, they would not find escape. The Void Dragon awakened at last, and enthralled the Adeptus Mechanicus of Mars, and utterly slaughtered every escaping vessel they could find. The forces of Chaos fought the Dragon's legions of silver sentinels and corrupted Mechanicus forces, but in the end could only contain it, as the Dragon ensured that Sol was his.

His, except for one orb of diamond hard resilience - Titan. The Grey Knights and the Custodian Guard fought on in the moon for thousands of years, destroying wave after wave of daemons that sought to take the relics in the hands of the Grey Knights. Every mundane human on Titan has died a thousand years earlier, but the mighty warriors stand fast to their ground.

The Necrons have returned in full force, but many have become slaves to the merged C'tan, some of whom are once again whole. The Deciever, the Nightbringer, and the Void Dragon, to name a few. And yet, the Silent King marshals his forces, determined to bring the galaxy under the dominion of the Necrontyr once again.

Elsewhere in the galaxy, Ultramar has become mankind's last bastion of hope in an insane galaxy. Roboute Guiliman returned to life without any known reason, and has forged his realm into an indomitable fortress. His brothers Vulkan and Lion El'Johnson have returned from their stupor as well, leading the Empire of Ultramar as an unstoppable Triumvirate. They seek to refound the Imperium, but the road is still long.

The Eldar, who have held to dear life for so long, feel the end approaching. The Eldar race now keeps only five bastions of power - Commoragh, the Black Library, the Exodite Worlds, defiant Biel-Tan, and the wandering super fleet of Ulthwe. Half of the others have been consumed and devoured as the Tyranids crashed into the galaxy with a final, mighty Hive Fleet many times greater than Leviathan, aptly known as Hive Fleet Apocalypse. Others were destroyed as Chaos ran rampant. All that remained of the ghost craftworlds are the giant wraithbone skeleton, the pulsating Infinity Circuit, and numberless scattered soul gems, containing the souls of the murdered Eldar. The Eldar, however, are as defiant and arrogant as ever - they will not give the galaxy to any usurper.

Unknown to the rest of the galaxy, it was the Orks that saved it from the ravenous hunger of the Tyranids. As the Tyranids surged, the Orks met them with equal violence. Octarius drew upon thousands of WAAAGH!!s to itself as the Orkish race fought the Great Devourer with joy. A billion trillion Orks fought Hive Fleet Apocalypse in a final confrontation in the east of the galaxy, expending their numbers as they unknowingly saved the rest of the galaxy. As the last Ork slew the last Tyranid of Apocalypse, he died with a smile from his wounds. But while the Orks all but disappeared, hulking, armored figures have emerged from the Webway, wielding armor and weapons of crystalline composition. The Old Ones have returned. And with them, the Krork.

The Tau, in their naivety, have expanded into a realm of corpses and ash. Every world they found was dead, its life consumed by the hunger of the Tyranids. As they terraformed each world with impunity, the Tau became less optimistic. They became cynical, and vowed to destroy all those in their path, as the other races cannot be trusted with the galaxy. This was the Tau Empire after all, isn't it?

But most terrifying of all was the birth of a new Chaos God: The Star Father. As the Emperor died upon the Golden Throne, the Star Child suckled into reality, killing the Astronomican. When the Emperor destroyed Horus' soul utterly, part of His soul was cast into the Warp as well. This fragment became the Star Child. At first, it was benevolent. But as it was fed by the fanatical devotion of the citizens of the Imperium, it became increasingly insane. The Star Child came to see that to enforce order, one must dominate and repress. Thus, as the Emperor died, the Star Child screamed into existence, and became the Star Father over time. Whereareas the daemons of others spread chaos and disorder, his daemons dominate the minds of mortals. Where the daemons of others are nightmares incarnate, His daemons are faceless automata, suppressing the free will of mortals. The daemon worlds of the Star Father sprung all over the Eye of Terror, places where men and women are subservient to the point of lobotomy in a cycle of self defeating order.

In all of this, hundreds of petty Imperiums have been carved into the great Imperium's corpse. All claim legitimacy over every other. Some are controlled in secret by Exodite Eldar, those erie and strange lords of the realm who never seemed to die of old age. Others are ruled by Space Marines and Fabricators that could not fully comprehend the terror of these times. Another is ruled by the Ecclesiarch in exile, and is a station of religious insanity as "heretics" were burned by the billions. Still more are ruled by surviving Inquisitors.

Dark times indeed!
Need Help With: Deciding if this should be character or faction based, as well as the concept itself.

(Inspired by a WH40K fanfiction of the same concept btw, called the Shape of the Nightmare to Come and Age of Dusk by Lord Lucan.)

Please leave this hashtag in place: #Mentorhelp

Just reposting dis...

[Korhal IVV]

Here's a shot in the dark;

I'm thinking of making a mechanics RP set in the 40K universe on the idea of the Imperium finding another human interstellar nation but destroyed it but had colony ships that made their way to an unexplored part of the galaxy, only to be found a thousand years after via an exploritor fleet.

I was going to have faction relations, chaos mechanics, and of course the Imperium but I'm hesitant of working on the idea becuase of lack of support but if people like the idea then I can try it.

Perhaps that destroyed nation is the Interex or the Auretian Technocracy.

Also, most probably Eldrad will be a dick here.

[G-Tech Corporation]

-snip-

Interesting concept- I do love me some timeline progressing 40k.

Offhand, whether to make the RP faction-based or character-based is a hard choice to make, given how it will fundamentally alter both the scale and the feel of the RP. What ideas did you have for a character RP?

[Ralnis]

Here's a shot in the dark;

I'm thinking of making a mechanics RP set in the 40K universe on the idea of the Imperium finding another human interstellar nation but destroyed it but had colony ships that made their way to an unexplored part of the galaxy, only to be found a thousand years after via an exploritor fleet.

I was going to have faction relations, chaos mechanics, and of course the Imperium but I'm hesitant of working on the idea becuase of lack of support but if people like the idea then I can try it.

Perhaps that destroyed nation is the Interex or the Auretian Technocracy.

Also, most probably Eldrad will be a dick here.

I was trying to not have them related to the two and make it a new set of nations trying to survive and maybe thrive in the frontier against all known odds.

[Pax Nerdvana]

I've noticed that a lot of WWII alt. history RPs that involve Nazi takeover of the US tend to give no reason as to why this happened. Am I only the one who has noticed this?

[Barapam]

I've noticed that a lot of WWII alt. history RPs that involve Nazi takeover of the US tend to give no reason as to why this happened. Am I only the one who has noticed this?

It's not that many when you compare to the massive amount of superhero rp:s, or high school rp:s, or superhero high school rp:s. A minor trend, a small drop in the Pacific.

[Pax Nerdvana]

I've noticed that a lot of WWII alt. history RPs that involve Nazi takeover of the US tend to give no reason as to why this happened. Am I only the one who has noticed this?

It's not that many when you compare to the massive amount of superhero rp:s, or high school rp:s, or superhero high school rp:s. A minor trend, a small drop in the Pacific.

I know there aren't a whole lot, but the ones I've seen mostly give no rhyme or reason as to why the Nazis won/are winning.

[Harbertia]

I've noticed that a lot of WWII alt. history RPs that involve Nazi takeover of the US tend to give no reason as to why this happened. Am I only the one who has noticed this?

Your not the only one to notice.

The idea has been trending as of late with games like Wolfenstein, and shows like Man in the High Castle.

But even those gave a reason.

In both the Axis simply created the A-Bomb first and hit New York or Los Angeles causing the US to surrender like Japan in our time line.

Though such is very over simplified- even Japan took two hits before it surrendered. Such scenarios then have the US being remade like Japan in ourtimeline to fit a more Nazi imagine;

Pretty much as a quick fix to the question such authors tend to just have the US be like Japan in our timeline.

[Pax Nerdvana]

I've noticed that a lot of WWII alt. history RPs that involve Nazi takeover of the US tend to give no reason as to why this happened. Am I only the one who has noticed this?

Your not the only one to notice.

The idea has been trending as of late with games like Wolfenstein, and shows like Man in the High Castle.

But even those gave a reason.

In both the Axis simply created the A-Bomb first and hit New York or Los Angeles causing the US to surrender like Japan in our time line.

Though such is very over simplified- even Japan took two hits before it surrendered. Such scenarios then have the US being remade like Japan in ourtimeline to fit a more Nazi imagine;

Pretty much as a quick fix to the question such authors tend to just have the US be like Japan in our timeline.

I have this RP idea where the Nazis learned about the Japanese plans to raid Pearl Harbor, and convinced the Japanese not to go through with it. Thus, the Nazis conquer Europe, the Italians Africa, and the Japanese much of Asia and the Pacific islands. Then the Axis Powers try diplomacy for several years with the Americas, but it fails at every turn. The Axis then invade. It happens quickly. Soon, the last nations standing are America and southern Canada, with Axis forces knocking at the US-Mexico border, and the northern Canadian border. America and Canada unite and vow to fight the Axis to the end.
How does this sound?

[Harbertia]

Your not the only one to notice.

The idea has been trending as of late with games like Wolfenstein, and shows like Man in the High Castle.

But even those gave a reason.

In both the Axis simply created the A-Bomb first and hit New York or Los Angeles causing the US to surrender like Japan in our time line.

Though such is very over simplified- even Japan took two hits before it surrendered. Such scenarios then have the US being remade like Japan in ourtimeline to fit a more Nazi imagine;

Pretty much as a quick fix to the question such authors tend to just have the US be like Japan in our timeline.

I have this RP idea where the Nazis learned about the Japanese plans to raid Pearl Harbor, and convinced the Japanese not to go through with it. Thus, the Nazis conquer Europe, the Italians Africa, and the Japanese much of Asia and the Pacific islands. Then the Axis Powers try diplomacy for several years with the Americas, but it fails at every turn. The Axis then invade. It happens quickly. Soon, the last nations standing are America and southern Canada, with Axis forces knocking at the US-Mexico border, and the northern Canadian border. America and Canada unite and vow to fight the Axis to the end.
How does this sound?

First; the Axis will need to secure a supply of oil for Japan to import and levels with in their budget before the date of Pearl Harbor.

Second, the Axis wouldn't really have that hard a time negotiating with the US save in regards to Great Britain which the US has cultural ties to. Such debate will be the source of tension.

That being said, sounds like it'll be very military focused. From whose perspective will the RP be? As in what is it going to be like.

[Pax Nerdvana]

I have this RP idea where the Nazis learned about the Japanese plans to raid Pearl Harbor, and convinced the Japanese not to go through with it. Thus, the Nazis conquer Europe, the Italians Africa, and the Japanese much of Asia and the Pacific islands. Then the Axis Powers try diplomacy for several years with the Americas, but it fails at every turn. The Axis then invade. It happens quickly. Soon, the last nations standing are America and southern Canada, with Axis forces knocking at the US-Mexico border, and the northern Canadian border. America and Canada unite and vow to fight the Axis to the end.
How does this sound?

First; the Axis will need to secure a supply of oil for Japan to import and levels with in their budget before the date of Pearl Harbor.

Second, the Axis wouldn't really have that hard a time negotiating with the US save in regards to Great Britain which the US has cultural ties to. Such debate will be the source of tension.

That being said, sounds like it'll be very military focused. From whose perspective will the RP be? As in what is it going to be like.

It is only an idea/draft, so it can always be edited. I'm thinking from the perspective of a member of the US Armed Forces.

[Harbertia]

First; the Axis will need to secure a supply of oil for Japan to import and levels with in their budget before the date of Pearl Harbor.

Second, the Axis wouldn't really have that hard a time negotiating with the US save in regards to Great Britain which the US has cultural ties to. Such debate will be the source of tension.

That being said, sounds like it'll be very military focused. From whose perspective will the RP be? As in what is it going to be like.

It is only an idea/draft, so it can always be edited. I'm thinking from the perspective of a member of the US Armed Forces.

While I'm not into military RPs I can bring myself together (I've been agitated recently because of something in real life) and assist. I won't join but I can aid in world building and in a less critical tone. I tend to hold frustration at bay but then something small sets it loose (thus the recent outburst).

[Olthenia]

Anyone here ever heard of the game Deep Sky Derelicts?

[Pax Nerdvana]

It is only an idea/draft, so it can always be edited. I'm thinking from the perspective of a member of the US Armed Forces.

While I'm not into military RPs I can bring myself together (I've been agitated recently because of something in real life) and assist. I won't join but I can aid in world building and in a less critical tone. I tend to hold frustration at bay but then something small sets it loose (thus the recent outburst).

I'm a military history nut, so I love this sort of thing. I just threw this idea out here in case anyone had advice or was interested. By no means do you have to participate, if you don't want to. I still have to actually finish putting together that TF RP.

[Harbertia]

Anyone here ever heard of the game Deep Sky Derelicts?

I believe I saw it on Steam but didn't take a good look at it. I gather it's something like the sky being an ocean; lots of sky ships and fantastic species or mutants or something.

[Olthenia]

Anyone here ever heard of the game Deep Sky Derelicts?

I believe I saw it on Steam but didn't take a good look at it. I gather it's something like the sky being an ocean; lots of sky ships and fantastic species or mutants or something.

Well, from what I can tell, it's basically like Darkest Dungeon in space.

[Ace Lone]

Hello all, I am in need of some constructive and helpful input and opinion on a Roleplay on which I have been working on this week. I in fact intend to release it either tomorrow night or Friday afternoon, as it is nearly finished.

[Olthenia]

Hello all, I am in need of some constructive and helpful input and opinion on a Roleplay on which I have been working on this week. I in fact intend to release it either tomorrow night or Friday afternoon, as it is nearly finished.

What's on your mind?

[Talchyon]

Hello all, I am in need of some constructive and helpful input and opinion on a Roleplay on which I have been working on this week. I in fact intend to release it either tomorrow night or Friday afternoon, as it is nearly finished.

Well, not having much to comment on here, I can give some generals. Don't start the IC til you have a solid number of characters. I go with at least 6, and expect that a third that apply may not actually write, or may do so seldomly...

-Talc

[Korhal IVV]

-snip-

Interesting concept- I do love me some timeline progressing 40k.

Offhand, whether to make the RP faction-based or character-based is a hard choice to make, given how it will fundamentally alter both the scale and the feel of the RP. What ideas did you have for a character RP?

Initially if it is a character RP, I thought of having players play as an organization dedicated to defeating Chaos, and draws members and support from each Order faction in the galaxy(except for the Necrons and C'tan). So, this organization is mostly made up of Ultramarines, Dark Angels, Salamanders, and members of the former Inquisition, but Craftworld Eldar, Exodites, other humans, Grey Knights, uncorrupted Cult Mechanicus, and Farsight Enclave Tau are also part of it.

If it is a nation RP, players would either play as one of the established factions(Ultramar, the Star Father's Empire, the Silent King's forces, Biel-Tan, Ulthwe, Abaddon's Chaos Imperium, Blackheart's Chaos Imperium, Commoragh, the Harlequins, Tau Empire, Farsight Enclaves, and established Necron dynasties), or as custom nations of their own making(most probably the petty Imperiums, Exodite worlds, custom Necron Dynasties).

[The Wyoming Peoples Front]

Doing a sort of post apocalypse "after America" RP where states have become their own nations.
Each "nation/state" will have to be essentially self sufficient, rely on it's own resources, strengths and most importantly, weaknesses.
The RP takes place roughly a decade after the US fell apart, each nation will be asked to research things like their state's national guard, military bases, natural resources, culture and citizenry, then base their RP loosely on that.
There is a LOT of wiggle room but essentially it is a MT/soft realism RP set in 2017/2018.
Thoughts?

[Pax Nerdvana]

Doing a sort of post apocalypse "after America" RP where states have become their own nations.
Each "nation/state" will have to be essentially self sufficient, rely on it's own resources, strengths and most importantly, weaknesses.
The RP takes place roughly a decade after the US fell apart, each nation will be asked to research things like their state's national guard, military bases, natural resources, culture and citizenry, then base their RP loosely on that.
There is a LOT of wiggle room but essentially it is a MT/soft realism RP set in 2017/2018.
Thoughts?

That sounds interesting.