Player 003

The story begins

Your entire body is in pain. You open your eyes slowly and realize through your
disorientation that you are naked lying on the grassy moss covered floor of a
jungle. You can't remember how you got there or even where there is. It is night
and the sky is lit with an aurora. You find a sliver of solace in gazing upon
the familiar constellations. A column or beam of light is pointed vertically
into the zenith originating about 100 yards away from you. It's colored white
and it does not seem to diffuse in the atmosphere. There are no other remarkable
sights to draw your attention away from this light and what might be originating
it.

(Aside: choices will become more apparently numerous as the game goes on.)

Despite the fact that this is the weirdest situation I have probably ever been
in, I get up, realizing there is nothing else left for me to do by sitting on
the ground staring at stars. At that point, I screamed. Much of it may have
been from the pain I am in, but the general idea was to locate somebody. I
scream various things, such as "Help!", "Hello!", "Is anybody out there?" and
"Ralph!" (I yell that one because I always envisioned somebody being named Ralph
coming to help me in such a situation.) While waiting for a response, I begin
searching for things - anything really - that might be able to help me in this
situation. A good set of clothes perhaps or maybe some survival equipment. I
look high and low in search of anything, while keeping a vigilant eye on the
light in the sky.

Finally, I find a bag and some scattered items, which must have been related to
the reason I was there... and was naked. Unfortunately, there were no clothes.
Being in the jungle, I decide to make some makeshift clothes out of large leaves
to cover up my junk. Using some of the same vine I used to fashion my clothes,
I also make a utility belt (because I have always liked Batman. Speaking of, I
wonder when the next Batman movie is coming out. It will probably be really
good, although the choice of villains sounds stupid, but oh well. I don't have
time to worry about that now).

I take the Kit-Kats that were found in the bag and put them in my utility belt
(of course everybody would bring Kit-Kats for a survival mission). I also eat
one of the Kit-Kats - for energy. Sadly enough, that only leaves me with 5
Kit-Kats, and that's not a lot of Kit-Kats. Hell, it isn't even an EVEN number.
How dreadful. But... wait a second... if there is a bag, why didn't I simply
leave the Kit-Kats in the bag and take the bag with me? I sure overlooked that
one. But the Kit-Kats do look pretty cool on my utility belt. Nonetheless,
they could fall out. That would be a travesty. I got it! Hehe... I'll take
them out of their wrapper and put them in my bag and leave the wrappers on the
utility belt. That way, I will still look cool but will have no way of losing
the Kit-Kats. God, I'm a smart man.

Alright then, it doesn't look like anybody is around here for miles. I might as
well just head towards the light. I take my backpack, flashlight in the left
hand and combat knife in the right hand and walk towards the light, prepared and
waiting for what happens next... and damn, my back hurts. No more sleeping in
jungles for me.

(aside: What you wrote was actually good except for the inclusion of out of game
material. I'm not saying you can't find a random bag of goodies because you can.
In any situation you can dictate things that you feel progress the story
positively. Your bag was a good example of preparation. You didn't find an
automatic bazooka with unlimited ammo; you found what you could get by with.
However, I'm not allowing such actions till after the intro. Especially because
you don't even know if flashlights or combat knifes exist in this world.)


While walking through the jungle you realize you were just sleepwalking. It was
all just a dream, except for the place you are in. You come to the realization
that there are no kit kats or batman in this world, you asshole.

The column of light is coming from a structure, now in front of you. It is
particularly inviting despite being made of all metal and in the shape of a
pyramid. The forest grew around the building making it seem nestled and
comfortable. A recessed door was left open yet all you can see through it is
blinding light. The warmth of its glow is alluring and hard to resist as you
stand in the wet, cold night of the forest.

Wowzers, that was one crazy dream. A pyramid, huh? Now, why would a pyramid be
in the middle of the jungle? That doesn't make much sense. Then again, neither
does a metal pyramid. I guess Ralph decided to never show up. What am I to do
now? Should I enter the pyramid? It seems like the obvious choice, but what if
Ralph DOES show up? He might not know I'm in the pyramid. Man, I wish I had
that combat knife and flashlight that was in my dream. That might come in handy
in the near future. I sure am hungry, too. There doesn't seem to be anything
to eat around here. What if I had those chocolate candies that were in my
dream? Those would probably taste really good. I bet they're made with butter
and tons of sugar, too, and when you break them off in your mouth, they make
crunchy sounds. I got it! When I get out of this jungle, I am going to make
those, and I'll name them Kat-Kits. It almost seems to roll right off the
tongue. But enough of that for now. Looks like I have no other choice but to
enter to pyramid. I enter the pyramid, ready for what is to come next.

Your bare feet touch the cold metal as you step within. As your eyes begin to
adjust, your entire body briefly tingles as if it fell asleep. You find yourself
walking down a narrow and short hallway. All the surfaces inside are white. At
the end is a door; it slides open upon your arrival.
"ah, you've arrived"
A man turns to you. Dressed in a white lab coat and surrounded by technology, he
grabs a handheld device and walks your way. It is obvious that he is benevolent
and expecting you.
"like a wild beast, tracking dirt into my lab" he shakes his head as he types
away on his device.
"alright, you pass biometrics. Debrief is right through that door... As well as
your armor..."
He motions to a door.

(aside: is this really going to be your personality?)

Hmmmmm, I say to myself. Hmmmmmmmmmm... *CHOMP*, as I imagine the great delight
at eating my newfound creation of Kat-Kits. This place is pretty neat, yet it
is all white. That's simply bad decor. "This is bad decor, Mr. Man", I say to
the man in white. The man in white, huh? "That sounds kinda creepy, sir.
What, may I ask, is your name, and what is this place? I am a bit confused as
to what this place is and why I am here." The armor sounds cool, though, as I
envision myself wearing badass battle armor and a gun in an epic battle, firing
down enemies. "Brattabrattabrattabrattabrattabaratsandbereta", I say, playing
out the fight scene in real life. I wait for the man's response, and once he's
done, enter into the "debriefing room"... So much white...

(Aside: yes)

The man stares at you blankly with his jaw slightly lowered now. He then jots a
few notes on his device. He begins to speak thinking hard on what he's saying.
He forms a sound with his lips but pauses. He recomposes himself a little bit
more disgruntled. He brightens his face with a smile and puts his right arm
around you in a friendly way. He starts leading you to the door.
"all those questions of yours are answered in the next room." he nods his head
with a great big smile as he seemingly pushes you through the door.

You walk through the door. It's automatic and slides apart. You walk into a
circular room with a domed ceiling. In the center is a place clearly meant for
you to stand on.

As soon as you do, the room lights up with a bright luminescent blue. You
realize you cannot move; something is holding you in place. Panels in the floor
next to your feet lift open and mechanical appendages begin to dress you with an
inner suit (garments made to be worn under armor). Without noise, a door appears
on the wall in front of you. A woman walks into the room from that door. She is
a gorgeous tall blonde-haired woman. She walks to you.
"there you are..."
She walks up to you and summons a holographic terminal.
"your operator left already, he's an impatient metal head."
She types away on her terminal.
"... Subject 003. Inducted into the service of the insurrection. It says here
that you've never been on Halcyon before and know little about the political
affairs surrounding this war..."
She glances up with a smirk and continues.
"you seem to have committed to the aid of the revolution or sided with us
openly. You might not remember it but you are here out of your own volition."
She seems to get frustrated as she shuffles through holographic documents.
"Ugh, these forms are incomplete. They don't even have your name!"
She continues scanning through the documents for several more seconds now
looking concerned.
"Or your preferred armor, or your skill sets, or your physical attributes, or
your upbringing, or even your age..."
She looks up from the terminal and stares at you blankly. Breaking her look she
plasters on a smile and says
"Let's start from the beginning..."

(Aside: Remember, this is a roleplaying game. The only rules which apply are
physics and telling a good story. There are no limitations to the possibilities
you can choose here or anywhere else. Thinking about what you want out of your
skills or armor will help you with this next part. This is meant to be general,
hence why I've not given you a better understanding of the universe yet. Ex: I
prefer light, agile armor optimized for melee combat. I'm good at piloting and
I'm excellent at stealth. Just because you did not mention something does not
mean you are not good at it.)

(Aside 1: Brilliant story here, G-man. I look forward to seeing how this will
play out. I kinda woulda liked to have played this game as a role-playing game,
though, considering the possibilities are endless. P.S. I wonder if Tobin
realizes he's playing a RPG, lol).

(Aside 2: Remember, you're the GM. Anything you say goes. I know you're not
used to the whole GM thing, but you said you were waiting for people to get
through the intro, yet the intro didn't really have a huge effect on the game.
That would be a good time to simply rush the players through the story, rather
than having them RP it because it doesn't really have an effect on the game.
Just giving you some advice for the future).

"Well, ma'am. My name is Daren Allen McCurdy. I'm 21 years old, and I will be
22 here shortly in July! I like long walks on the beach, and I mean LONG walks
on the beach. As for my past, well, I don't see how my past is important,
although I suppose it could be. I don't really like telling strangers about my
personal life either. I mean, I don't even know you. I think you should tell
me a little bit about yourself first before I start telling you my whole life
story. I think that would be a fair trade. And besides, we haven't even gone
on our first date yet, and you already wanna know about my past? That seems a
little bit awkward. Though, you did say I was here of my own volition. Hmmm...
I guess that's fair. Let's just say... my past was a little turbulent. I think
that should suffice for now, alright?"

"Now, where was I? Oh, yes. Things about me. Well, I can't seem to remember
much, to be honest. Oh! About my attributes. I would say I am a fairly
well-rounded guy. I am pretty strong, and I have a lot of speed to complement
that. I am adverse to pain, though. I've never had much luck my whole life,
but hey, I tend to be pretty alert to make up for that. Like, for example, if a
fox came up behind me and wanted to surprise me, it probably wouldn't happen.
I'm too alert for that. I think I'm a pretty intelligent man. I like to
analyze things. I think it's fun. As for other stuff, oh, I don't know. I'm
pretty good at other stuff, too. Like... I don't know. Charisma. I'm pretty
good with people. I mean, you like me, don't you..... you still haven't told me
your name yet. Oh well. I'll loosen you up. Enough of this attribute stuff.
That's boring compared to armor and stuff."

"I love armor. I think it's neat. Like, have you ever heard of that Dragon
Skin armor stuff? That would be sooooo cool to have some of that. You would be
indestructible. As for my preferred armor, though, it would have to be
lightweight and agile. A man can't fight in combat if he can't move. A
lightweight armor would complement my skill set, too. Being quick and somewhat
strong, my strong point lies in fast skillful melee to mid-ranged combat,
finishing opponents in one blow before they have a chance to counterattack.
I've learned from my past, though, that I can't really take much abuse, so I
would have to rely on not getting hit. Because of this, I utilize stealth as
much as possible in order to accomplish goals. I am a person who likes
surprising and playing pranks on people, so it fits well that I'm good at that."

"As for other things I am good at, there isn't really much. I have a
survival-oriented personality and always live as simply as possible, creating
better ways to do things as I live. I also enjoy music and came from a
musically-oriented family. Because of that, I am an avid piano player, and can
play a few other instruments decently. I am also good with metals and mechanics
and can create and use various materials and tools only with basic materials.
Other than that, I am decent with medicine, but haven't had much time to study
it, and therefore only know how to patch up less complicated injuries."

"So miss, does that just about cover it all? I'm not very good at lists because
I tend to ramble, but hopefully, I kept it entertaining and informative! Now,
about food. I'm starving. Can we get something to eat around here?
Preferably, some pizza or tacos or something would be nice. I love pizza and
tacos..."

(aside 1: if you think it's good now, your going to shit your pants when it's
done. Also, I don't think he does. He'll understand when he gets to the
character creation. P.S. Just so you know, there are no numbers involved with
creating outcomes like a roleplaying game.)

(aside 2: unfortunately the intro has a huge effect on the game. Im just trying
to get through the information grind. Tobin picked up on discrepancies
immediately so I told him a little inside info. Everything has a purpose, from
the aurora to the way people speak. All things will come together in the end.
Especially your missing memories which is why I need to know a general
background. You remember your upbringing just like you remember to speak but the
memories leading up to your current present are but a mystery for me to reveal.)

The girl speedily typing and looking up to listen, barely keeps pace with you.
When you complete your long winded answer you hear her mumble to herself. She
says in a barely audible voice, "why are they all behaving like this... Am I
that attractive?" most of what you make out is lip reading.

"I was able to find your extended records using the information you gave me."
She said as she makes a decisive key press and a computerized voice sounds
"initializing armor"
A suit of armor descends from the ceiling. The armor reflects your personal
stylization and specifications; mechanical arms begin to lock the armor to your
inner suit. It feels natural and comfortable as if you've worn it many times
before. The entire wall surface of the room opens up to display a gun rack with
every imaginable type of weapon. However, you still can't move.
The women throws her hair back with a smirk. "well, it looks like your entire
history is already in the books. I would read it myself but I would rather you
tell me. This information is necessary for a better knowledge of you as a person
which could mean life or death on a battle field."

(omitted:
(Player input)

She gives a reluctant smile. "I guess fair is fair. My name is Enix. I'm a lot
older than I look and at the same time, a lot younger. I was involved in higher
technology from a very young age. My parents payed for me to be in school ever
since i started remembering life. My partner and I were developing a method for
living longer. It was a machine. We tested it out on ourselves when we completed
it. Let's just say, it worked. The rest as they say is history, literally. There
were some major downfalls to the system however so we abandoned it. In all, I'm
only about 16. Don't even think about asking me my real age." she gives a
devilish smile. You eye her up curiously looking for signs of age. She seems to
be a solid 27 year old and she is damn good looking.

:omitted)
(revision:

"If it's a trust issue then how about I go first," she says to you as if she
were speaking to a child. "My name is Enix. I'm a lot older than I look and at
the same time, a lot younger. I was involved in higher technology from a very
young age. My parents payed for me to be in school ever since i started
remembering life. My partner and I were developing a method for living longer.
It was a machine. We tested it out on ourselves when we completed it. Let's just
say, it worked. The rest as they say is history, literally. There were some
major downfalls to the system however so we abandoned it. In all, I'm only about
16. Don't even think about asking me my real age." she gives a devilish smile.
You eye her up curiously looking for signs of age. She seems to be a solid 27
year old and she is damn good looking.

"well?" she looks at you prompting an answer. You grumpily stand with you arms
crossed and back to her in a refusal to answer.

"fine then, I guess it's not completely necessary. "

:revision)

"by the way," she says "the food is awful here but your armor has a sustenance
mediator built in. You shouldn't be hungry in a few minutes."

A projected image appears all around the two of you. For now it is blank space
and stars. She recomposes herself. "if that was all I will proceed."

The image now zooms to a binary planet system (aside: both planets are
earth-like, one with much more water.) a low voice begins to speak.
"Long ago, humanity spawned from one of the two bodies known as Gemini. They
quickly dominated their surroundings and turned to the sky. Wars were fought
over the second planet once they got there. That's all speculation now. Over
1000 years ago both planets fell victim to a total technology failure. Caused by
an unknown and catastrophic cosmic event, both planets were left to rebuild from
nothing. No infrastructure, no communications, no tools and no history. They
rebuilt idealistically, knowing already what to plan for in the future. All
nations of both worlds came together to build a monument to their united
success, Halcyon."
The focus of the projection now zooms in on a large space station between the
planets.
"The most massive structure ever build. The space station Halcyon is positioned
at the barycenter of the two planets and acts as the bridge between the two
worlds. It was constructed after the outlawing of artificial intelligence but
still is self governed by the single most advanced and A.I. like system; capable
of constructing itself, producing robotic troops and even taking sides in a
conflict. The conflict at hand is named to exodus wars."
The projection zooms now to another planet. Slightly smaller and less green.
This planet is the next farthest in this system.
"For the past 200 years the close neighbor planet Pandora was being terraformed
by a joint effort. Nearing the end of the terraforming, some nations jumped the
gun in attempting to populate the planet. Mind you, overpopulation is at this
point uncontrollable and the pushing factor in politics today. The war started
when the colony ships (or displacement ships) were shot down while entering
Pandoras atmosphere. Dozens of vessels now lay strewn upon the surface with no
survivors. No nation is claiming responsibility."
The Gemini planets are brought back into focus.
"Still, war broke out between 2 of the nations and all others filed suit shortly
after. Today, almost all nations of Gemini participate in an all out skirmish on
the now ironically named Halcyon. It's the only space port capable of
accommodating a population displacement therefore whoever controls the station
controls Pandora. This war would have been long over had Halcyon chose a side.
By not doing so Halcyon has prolonged the war by not letting anyone win. Also,
it's creators never gave it the option to not choose a side. Much talk is about
Halcyon becoming sentient and the implications of that."

The girl chimes in.
"we are the group Solaris. We are a defecting group who's intentions are to take
Pandora away from the nations of Gemini. To do that we need Halcyon on our side.
That's where you come in. You are an agent of Solaris. As an agent your orders
are to make your way into Halcyons core. Once there it is your mission to
convince Halcyon to side with Solaris. We are far too small to ever conceive
winning this war without the aid of Halcyon. We've spent a large deal of money
conditioning you for war. Even though you may not remember doing it, you've
signed your service to us. They said your memories would come back gradually but
we just don't have the time... Do you have any questions about what's going on?"

(Aside A: I do have some questions about what's going on but rather than
roleplay them with a character that is hard for me to roleplay, I will simply
ask you. So, there are these 2 planets which live basically right next to each
other? Humanity spawned from 1 of them (like Earth), and people fought over
planet #2. Now, people live at both planets. We'll call one of them GA and the
other one GB. (To start, where am I? Am I on GA or GB? Do I know this
information or not?) So over some time, the technology at GA and GB both
failed, and they were forced to rebuild. They did it and to commemorate doing
it, the nations at GA and GB built the self-governing robotic nation of Halcyon
between GA and GB. Now, does Halcyon actually connect GA and GB, or is it
simply in the middle of the two? Also, is everything robotic in Halycon or do
actual people live there, as well?)

(Aside B: Enix - she LOOKS 16 but is actually 27?)

(Aside 2: I wasn't saying the intro wasn't important. What I was saying was
there is no point in having people roleplay something that has no effect on the
game. Rather than having people walk towards the light and bla bla bla, just
make them walk towards the light and skip that whole entry altogether. It's a
way to speed up the game without losing the story.)

"Questions, huh? Well, this is all quite a bit to take in here. So you want me
to "infiltrate" Halcyon? Is that what I'm getting out of this? Surely, I need
to be prepared for war, but why should I find resistance by entering Halcyon?
Cannot I simply enter Halcyon and talk to...... umm... Halcyon's leader? Also,
how BIG is Halcyon? This seems like quite the task. I guess what I'll need to
know next is how I'm going to accomplish this goal. I assume that will all come
next. Also, will there be other "agents" accompanying me on such a mission? I
assume I am not the only person you have recruited for such a task? It doesn't
seem very likely for one person to even be able to accomplish such a momentous
heist by him-themself. And assuming there are other agents... ... oh god...
this food is great. So filling. Anyways, the agents... who are they? And are
all agents tasked with the same goal? I assume if my goal is to get to the core
of Halcyon, other agents have other goals related to the controlling of
Pandora."

"As for Solaris..." My eyes get smaller, filled with suspicion and seriousness,
and I begin to stare straight into Enix's eyes. "As for Solaris..." I begin to
say again... "How many people are working here?" I say in an inquisitive tone,
smiling at the end of my sentence. "This place is pretty neat. While I suppose
it is true I have previously signed my service to you, I don't see any reason
why I should not know more about the company I am working for. What is the
overall purpose of Solaris? What is Solaris going to do once Pandora is in our
hands? I'm not sure I can work for a company if I do not know their intentions.
Also, you said my memories will come back in time, yet we don't have the time
for that. May I ask, why do we not have the time for that? What is so urgent
that we must rush through things? Did you not also say all of my history is
already in the books? If that is true, there has to be some clue as to my
memory. Tell me, what did I know then that I do not know now? I would very
much like to know."

"Other than that, when does this whole mission begin, and what equipment will
you be providing me with? This armor is comfy and all, but I assume I will be
fighting with more than armor. If I am, I have personal specifications for my
equipment. I fight best when my specifications are met. Also, will I be
receiving any formal training before my mission starts? I feel like the loss of
memory from my past may hinder the future progress of the mission, and that
could be a catastrophe. And who else works in this fine laboratory? I would
sure like to meet them..." I let out a long yawn after all of my ramblings.
"I'm tired..." I mumble to myself. "So, did you understand all of my
questions?"

(Aside C: Was I supposed to actually answer "(Player input)", or was that
already assumed from my previous entry? I just assumed it from before and
didn't write anything.)

(aside a: think of the system as the earth and moon. They circle each other.
However, instead of the moon, it's just another earth. Neither is a moon of the
other and therefore called a binary planet system. The center of gravity for
both planets combined is the barycenter. It's between the two planets. That's
where halcyon is. Halcyon is not a nation nor is it a robotic nation. It is
simply a space station built by humanity for humanity. No nation owns it but for
the sake of peace onboard, halcyon can build robotic security units. Halcyon
runs itself but that's not much of a job. All it needs to do is maintain it's
systems and expand it's size. Nothing connects the station to either planet
physically. This would be impossible due to the planets spin. The entire station
is like a figurative sandbox for humans to use. Some parts are designated for a
specific purpose but for the most part humanity can do w/e the fuck they want
anywhere. There are many residencies on halcyon but due to the war everyone was
evacuated. You were not told where you are nor will I tell you.)

(aside b: enix looks 27 like I said. She says her age is 16 and how long she has
lived is unknown. Don't ask how this works, I will not tell you.)

(aside 2: I'm not giving each person the same intro. When Adam started this game
the first thing he did was turn around and start walking the other way. Because
of that I gave him info that no one else has. Because you asked the girls
background, you not only know her name but a glimpse of her background. This
whole thing is like a mystery novel that all the players are the detectives and
you get to ask the details and try to figure out whats going on based on the
clues I give you. Also, now that I mentioned that I also have to warn, DO NOT
META GAME. If you so much as start to resist Solaris group I'm going to call the
metagame. The only thing I need to keep this game and story good is that you
fulfill the goals of your cause. Do not bother me with "Solaris is the bad guy"
shit cause it's nothing like that.)

(aside c: yes... I was expecting you to tell me your background. I still am
waiting for that entry. Like I explained to you in the last post, I need a
background for you. Make one and fit it into (player input) in the previous
entry)

She looks up at you after getting done typing. "I took notes this time" she
smiles.
"the mission would be considered infiltrating but the goal is to convince
halcyon of something. Halcyon has identified all coat of arms as threats and is
protecting itself with brute force. Everyone is fighting each other and halcyon
at the same time. Unfortunately, there is no way to simply enter. Since halcyon
is not owned by any nation, the main systems are protected from people who wish
to tamper. A human hasn't been in the core room since it's inception but, we
need in there because it's the only place for us to talk to halcyon. There is no
leader or subordinates, it is only halcyon. The station itself is considered an
entity and it controls everything. All the robotics in this station are just
mindless drones told to "find enemy", and "fire". It is halcyon who coordinates
them, tells them to move, tells them to group. The station like I said before is
the largest structure ever built. It is large enough to facilitate this war and
still have room to spare. The stations area is around 300 square kilometers
divided into 4 main levels. Those levels are the docks, commodes, production,
and the urban district (also known as just district)."

"there are other agents just like you, one surprisingly similar. Truthfully you
are part of the first group of agents to be acclimated. You and 4 others will
have the same overall objective. This objective is to convince Halcyon to side
with us. Solaris at the moment is small but growing fast. Everyday we gain more
support from the populous and because of that it is indeterminate how many we
consist of. Our cause is all the same though. To start a new nation away from
the corrupt governments of Gemini."

"the reason we don't have time is because of halcyon. A nation has broke the
conventions of war and are sending an illegal war machine onto halcyon to
destroy it's production level. It's the level where halcyon makes it's robotic
troops. If halcyon is subdued we as a nation will never succeed."

"the information on these forms do not hold memorandums. It is simply your
accumulated info database."

(aside: I am saying it's filled in and leaving it blank. This is for you the
player to reveal through the story if you wish. If there is something you wish
to add about your character in the future to your own benefit you may do so.)

"the mission starts as soon as we are done here. After you choose your mission
path, you may choose a weapon. We picked only the best agents for this mission
so I'm sure we had a reason to choose you for it. Wether or not you had formal
training, I know you are well suited for the task. We do not offer training
ourselves due to a budget constraint. As you can see, it is only the doctor and
myself. "she takes a sigh of relief.

"There's a few more things to cover with you. There are many different entry
points to Halcyon's core. You are the third agent to be acclimated so you get
your pick of the remaining mission paths. All paths will be taken and are all
necessary for each others success."

"First there is the front door. This entry will need the most firepower, which
you don't have. You'll need to be creative for this path." (aside: this path
will require the player to have a basic understanding of physics and be able to
solve logic problems to which have many solutions. Recommended player: Tobin)

"Second is the maintenance entry. It consists of a zero-G approach. Besides
there not being any simulated gravity within the core itself, the agent will not
be assisted along the way by the centrifugal layers. This path will take a
master of agility." (aside: you will float your way through a mechanized shaft.
Magnetic fields barrage you as you stop at terminals along the way sending power
surges to gate controls. The horror movie path. This path has already been
chosen by Pete.)

"Third is the backdoor. Though not technically a door, the weak section of wall
will be more than adequate to get in. The real trouble is getting the explosives
there. Having skill in the art of deception and speaking will be mandatory."
(aside: this path requires you to infiltrate the ranks of enemies. Recommended
player: Adam)

"Fourth, the remote access. Though this path goes nowhere near the core, it is
still an essential part. The agent on this path will navigate the battle scared
layers of halcyons commodes to reach specific terminals. These terminals will
allow you access to hack into mechanical units and help out your allies remotely
with an expendable body. The operator will directly accompany the agent on this
mission and is already heading to the first terminal" (aside: on this path you
will always be greatly outnumbered and will need to use what you have to it's
maximum effectiveness. Recommended player: Daren)

"The fifth path is reserved for another agent. it a... Has to do with stuff like
detective work. Don't worry about it." (aside: Just because I'm a dick and want
to make Paul put some effort into this.)

"I apologize, I forget to explain things a lot. I realize this is all new to you
right now so if you have any questions I'll try to answer them before you head
out. If not, you always have a direct communications link with the operator. If
you run into anything in field, he can do more than answer questions." she makes
a cute smile.

(aside: write history, choose path, choose weapon. I think you forgot about the
whole room now being one huge gun rack... Just think up anything.)

(Aside A: Ok.)

(Aside B: I wasn't sure. Your explanation was long-winded. That's why I
asked.)

(Aside 2: I'm well aware that once the game gets more complex, the less recycled
the text becomes. My point was you SHOULDN'T have let him pick a direction.
You should've said... "You wake up. It was a dream. You see a light. You walk
towards the light. You find yourself in this building. This guy leads you to
this room..." until Enix arrives. Since he HAD to go towards the light to
progress the game (and apparently Adam was being an ass), you just make him,
rather than having to tell him details about the story just to get him to
comply. Also, a good way to get people to comply to what you want them to do is
by punishing them for doing something you don't want them to do. For example:
"I walk away from the light." "Alright. These wolves appear in front of you,
seeming to impede your path..." or some dumb shit like that. Also, I don't meta
game. What do you take me for: a savage? Also, "If you so much as start to
resist Solaris group I'm going to call the metagame." That sentence doesn't
make sense, lol. ALSO, I'm naturally skeptical in most games I play. I'm
usually the one who walks the other direction, just to be a douche. Considering
this isn't a rpg necessarily and the more fucking around I do, the more time it
simply wastes, I won't do that this time. It saves both you and I time. BUT,
I'm still going to be skeptical. It got me a name and background of our friend
Enix, didn't it? So it serves a purpose.)

(Aside C: I kept my background out specifically because I didn't want Enix to
know. If you want to know to progress the story accordingly, then I'll make one
up right here, but know that I am NOT telling Enix my background. Why? Because
I don't want to. If she NEEDS to know (which I don't know why she would), then
just assume she does, but for story-telling purposes, I didn't tell her.

Background: When I was growing up, I had a wonderful family and was pampered by
my parents. I was an only child and grew up in a family that may be considered
well-to-do, yet by no means were we rich. We had no butler or maid or anything
of that sort. I was considered a child prodigy and quickly began mastering
everything that my parents put before me. When I was only 8 or 9 (I can't quite
remember anymore), my parents decided to board the first colony ships to
Pandora, to establish a house and a new life, leaving me behind until they knew
that the journey would be safe for their son. I stayed with my aunt and uncle
in the meantime. Catastrophically, my parents were killed in that expedition,
and I was left alone, with no parents and no siblings, my immediate family
destroyed. This was a major turning point in my life, and it actually stunted
my growth. At the same time, it gave me the drive and the motivation to really
dedicate myself to the things I valued in my life. In a way, it was both a
blessing and a curse, although probably much more of a curse. This is when I
started obsessing over things, and while I am somewhat normal, when somebody
talks to me, it is clear that there is just this "thing" about me that clicks in
other people's minds as being a little bit "different" than other people. Those
"things" I valued in my life really turned out to be my parents. I began
studying my parents, their lives, Pandora, and the cause of their deaths, and I
vowed to one day make the journey to Pandora myself to see if my parents really
did die in that accident, and at the very least, I hoped I could go there to
retrieve the items that they had left behind after their deaths. Because of
this, I eventually joined the group Solaris, thinking that it would be the best
way for me to get to Pandora, seeing as how it is currently a war zone across
the nations and to get there would surely mean death to myself, as well. By
joining Solaris, it would give me the best chance of controlling Pandora over
Gemini and making the safe journey to Pandora. [I am assuming like... a lot of
this. If it is not kosher, then I don't know. Edit it or something, haha.])

"What on Gemini is an operator? Or, I suppose I should ask, "who" is the
operator?" I say this as I am walking around the room looking at the weapons I
have at my disposal. "Nope... this won't do... Also, who are the other agents?
Will I be running into them on the field? I suppose I should know about them
before I start this whole mission. It would make sense if I knew who my allies
were. I don't want to go out there swinging and end up taking out one of the
good guys. That would kinda be bad, wouldn't it?" I say jokingly, as I start
laughing a little bit.

"As for those doors, well, seeing as how there are 1, 2, 3, 4... ah... 5... 5
mission paths... Hmm... and 2 of them have already been taken..." I seem to go
into deep thought as I'm considering the options. "Well... If I'm one agent,
and there are 5 total agents, then clearly 5-1=4. I'm going to have to take
path #4, Miss Enix." (I wish you didn't tell us our recommended paths. Seems
like you're meta-gaming yourself there, lol, and I don't wanna pick a different
path simply to be a dick. Also, can we die (or effectively lose) in this game?
I like to know that the choices I make in the game actually matter and that if I
play well, my ACTUAL actions lead to me "winning" the game, rather than simply
having me live by virtue that you need me for storyline purposes.)

I shake my head. "These weapons simply won't do." I say, as I continue walking
around the room. "Other than that, I really don't have any questions. Ohhhhh,
wait. I do! Wait... I forgot it. Hmm... Yeah... Aha! This suit! What
does this suit of armor do? How well does it actually protect me, and what
exactly is it best at protecting me against? I figure I need to know the
armor's capabilities that I'll be wearing into battle. OH! Is it like dragon
skin armor? Did I tell you how awesome that armor is?"

At this point, you notice that I have fully equipped myself with my weapons of
choice. I have 3 sets of daggers: one set of trench knives, designed
specifically so I can still use my hands in combat by parrying blows and
throwing punches and making body throws, one set of double-bladed knives, for
multiple enemy battles, and one set of normal combat knives, designed for quick
execution and sleek blows. I also have a kusarigama, equipped with a very long
chain. (You won't know what a kusarigama is, so I'll link you one here to
familiarize yourself with the weapon. [LINK NO LONGER WORKS])
I have also chosen out one sniper rifle that I feel is of fine quality, one
lightweight combat rifle, two uzis, and two pistols (all with silencers).

"I think that about does it, then. I'm ready when you are."

(aside: I forgot to tell you before but the conventions of war do not apply to
you. All nations are made to follow strict warfare rules set long ago. Standard
issue weapons are plasma/energy based weapons. That is what you will see the
enemy using. This means ammo for ballistic weapons is hard to come by. I would
suggest making a few of those guns plasma weapons.)

(aside: previous entries will be altered to reflect your refusal to give a
background in game. I will not be as generous in the future.

I added recommendations so players would get the most fun out of there mission.
It's not like I built a mission around a player but thought up each mission and
considered what I know of each of you personally. If pete decided that something
else then his recommendation looked more entertaining, I gave him that option. I
can't read each person perfectly, especially when they are roleplaying.

I have thought long and hard about how to let you fail and still have a story.
Thankfully, I am in a setting that allows for so many variables to come into
play. If for reasons the odds are against you and your resolve or reaction to
events is below what I am expecting, your situation will be worsened. That is to
say, I will kill you slowly. However, no matter how bleak the situation is I
will always leave a sliver of hope. I want you to succeed obviously but I have
made accommodations for death. Just don't expect the game to end for you if you
do die. Oh also, I don't need all of you to complete the story. Just one.)

"Well, that's a lot of weapons." she says a bit startled. "To clarify, the
operator is your in field operations assistant. He handles every aspect of the
missions and directs the agents along the way. You are one of 5 agents on this
mission. The other agents information is confidential so I can't divulge that.
Feel free to ask them yourself however. Our efforts are stretched thin so each
agent has his own path. You shouldn't run into the others frequently.
Thankfully, each soldier has a coat of arms transponder. This allows each other
soldier to see from what nation another hails without the need of visual aids."

"Oh and that armor, its a basic low grade model but it's dragon scale none the
less."
You look down at your chest and directly over your heart a circular emblem with
a dragon inscribed is placed.

"you seem to know a lot about the dragon brand already but I'll tell you the
specs on this model anyways. This model needs activated for full effect. It can
be activated on will and when it is, the suits power supply kicks in. Power is
sent all throughout the suit through circuits and the alloys the suit is made of
become super hardened. Energy and plasma weapons can penetrate normal armor but
are reduced enough by the armor to not be lethal by the time the discharge
reaches the wearer. Dragon makes their scale armor to disperse the energy from
the shot laterally within small chip like cells which cover the surface. They
call these cells 'scales' and the more power that runs through them from the
power supply the better at dispersing the energy from firearms the scales get.
However, the power supply in the suit is less than optimal, lasting only several
minutes. When the suit is not powered it is equivalent to a small arms fire
civilian suit. When it is powered, it's top notch armor only surpassed by better
scale models."

You notice she was reading all of that from her terminal.

"If that was all I will be transferring command to the operator for the final
step of debriefing."

he walks over to you and presses a button combination on a keypad built into
your right chest piece.

An unnaturally low voice speaks to you over your com unit.
"Damn, glade you're with me on this mission. Is that Dragon your wearing? About
time one of the agents are competent... Hold on..."
You hear rapid fire through the com unit. An explosion goes off and you hear
mechanical movement.
"They're amping up unit density in this sector. I kinda need you over here
quickly. Walk out the door, jump in the gondola and I'll finish your debriefing
on the way."

You turn to the girl who is waving goodbye to you. You pause for a second before
deciding to follow your directive. Once you get to the door it slides open
revealing a colossal metal-scape.

"Agent 003. You may call me operator, my name is not important now. What is
important is making sure you hit the ground running."
You are standing on a catwalk. The catwalk leads to a spherical ship a short
distance in front of you. Not really having a choice you walk to the gondola and
step inside. The windows make the whole gondola seem translucent because of
their size. You can see all your surroundings.
"first off you need a better knowledge of the station."
The gondola begins to move.
"Halcyon is made up of cylindrical floors known as levels. These levels have
different names but they all work the same way. They are laid out in layers one
on top of the other. These layers never touch though. In between each layer is a
frictionless gap of space known as the interval chasms. Each level spins
opposite of the levels above and below it. Centrifugal force from the spin
simulates gravity for each level. This means that 'up' is always in the
direction of the center of the station. We call it the spine. It is a tube
running the entire length of the station. It houses the magnetic drives which
regulate the speed of the levels. It is also the location of the core room. Your
mission takes place in the commodes. The commodes where made as a sandbox room
for humanity. Anyone could use this open space for anything they wished."

The entire level looks to be covered in structures. All the buildings you can
see look abandoned. The buildings and metal-scape cover the area far into the
distance and disappear behind the ceiling due to the curve of the level.

"After the war started, it's just a battle field now."

you see some flashes of light off in the distance in the direction of where you
are headed.

"That's really all you need to know for the station."

You hear more gunfire in the background of your com unit.
"oh shit..."
The coms are silent for a few seconds.
"Hey kid, you have any questions... before you get shot out of the air? I mean,
you have a few seconds... no rush."

(aside: your next post isnt meant to be an action entry. your getting the last
entry in the prologue so just talk and ill enter you into this battle when
chapter 1 starts. Or, i guess you could do something about the situation ive
presented you with. You know what... do whatever you fuckin want)

"aside: previous entries will be altered to reflect your refusal to give a
background in game. I will not be as generous in the future.)"
^ I have no idea what this statement means. I don't particularly remember you
being generous about anything in the first place.

Also, since I was never informed about the nature of the weapons in this game
and everybody else was, I am going to retroactively change my weapons from
ballistics to energy-based weapons. There's no point in having ballistic
weapons in a world that doesn't support them.]

"Well, operator, I guess it's a good thing..." A smirk comes over my face, and
I pretend to put a pair of sunglasses on. "I put my running shoes on."

"Seriously, though, I'm going to get SHOT out of the air?! Now, which kind of
shot are we talking about here? Are we talking by weapons or by some sort of
propulsion system activated by this gondola? The latter would be preferable.
Well, either way, just tell me what I need to do. I guess you already told me I
need to hit the ground running, but I'm not quite sure if that was literal or
figurative..."

I ready myself for what is to come next. I don't pull out any weapons, though,
as that could be semi-dangerous if my landing just so happens to be conducive
with injury. My ready stance just so happens to look a little bit like this:
http://www.supersentai.com/database/2002_hurricanger/images/hurri-al-gaoranger.jpg

"Alright. Let's do this."

Pandora example

Narrator-
The mainframe room lay just beyond your reach; taunting you with it's
transparent door. You don't have the means to get in. Hell, knocking would work
if there was anyone in there but this place is all but vacant. If only the few
roaming guards you passed up had security routines in the mainframe room. You
see your objective through the door; The security core. You need to deactivate
it.
"we are almost out of time" the Operator urges you. "you need to think of
something fast or team alpha is dead. 1 minute and 20 seconds until impact"
You start a mad dash back to the hanger in hopes a walking tank could fit
through the halls.
"Merc! Look out! Guards are about to turn the corner!" the operator urgently
warns for action. The narrow hallway you are in leaves little option, for you
are directly in the center of a lengthy section of it. Already having hacked
into the monitoring system you see that one man is of high rank. A high enough
rank to access the mainframe room with his digi-presence key given he is alive.

Player-
"this isn't going to work" I think aloud to myself as I sprint towards to
hanger. It's too far and I know it.

(rehash:"Merc! Look out!" the operator warns.)

This is perfect! I need only drag this man to the door at the end of the hall
behind me. I wall jump my way to the high ceiling and wait in the trusses. The
heavy contrast of the hanging lights concealing my presence. I loop the end of
my utility cable into a simple slipknot and wait to lower it. The useless lackey
walks in front of my target in the practically one man wide hallway. As they
pass under me I lower my fishing line and adeptly drop it around my targets
head. Immediately I jump down from above leaving the cable around the trusses
like a pulley. The target flys up as I drop down in front of the lackey. The
lackey turns behind him to find no one to his amazement. He turns back to me who
already has a gun to his face.
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"
he screams.
BOOM I plant a shot into his face.
" ... I'm the juggernaut... Bitch"
I kick both the mens dropped weapons down the hallway and retract my cable which
pulls me quickly to the ceiling. I jump through the trusses to undo my loop and
both the target and myself fall to the ground. I plant one good blow to the side
of his head which knocks him out immediately.
"20 SECONDS!" the operator now screams.
I begin running back to the mainframe room while putting slack in the cable.
It's close but my cable just barely makes it back to the mainframe door. I grab
the handle and hold on with all my strength and then... retract the cable. The
amazing force of the cable pulling the man to my right wrist stretches me but I
hold. The guards unconscious body slams head first into the door with a mind
shattering crunch. I quickly release my cable from his neck as I say "there's
something I didn't mention in acclimation... I can throw like a mother fuckin
riot"
The door slides open. As it does I prime my grenade and whip it through the
mainframe room.

__________


This interaction gives a good example of what a player can do. The only reason
this world is ambiguous is for the player to fill it in. At first the player
starts out a little bit before the point the narrator ended. Gave his thought
process during the previous narration. In each narration after the intro, the
player will be presented a new goal with certain hurdles to get by. This goal
can be something as simple as going through a door (mind you, if you do not know
what's on the other side of that door then it's not a good idea to keep going).
The goal can also be complicated with many prerequisite parts to achieve. This
example is one such goal. As the narrator I give the player a setting and
obstacles to surmount. It is assumed this player has already been in the hanger
and therefore can go to that area and come back all within his turn. If he had
done so, the player could have expanded upon that part by adding more obstacles
of his own to make a better story. In this case the player took the challenge of
telling how he neutralizes both enemies without killing one of them. To do this
he took an ambiguous aspect of his surroundings and described it further in his
favor. This change to the environment is very small and would not affect
anything vital. Things like this are acceptable in the game and encouraged in
order to make a good story (since that's the real goal).

Truthfully this is almost a minimalistic entry in respects to description. The
player tells just enough to make it understandable. What the player does do well
however, is manipulate the enemies. This is allowed to a point. The player
defines how the enemies are walking, how they react and what they say. I don't
have any rules about what you can make an enemy say but good rule of thumb is
keep it short and purposeful and only faceless minions. I will almost always
omit something you make a main character say. This example is one of those
exceptions. try not to step on my toes as the story architect and I won't cut
your feet off.

The last thing the player does is assume an event. He ends his turn with his
grenade in the air. This has little more purpose besides being a good story
element. I as a narrator will not make the grenade miss since his comment right
before makes the success so much sweeter.

There isn't any rules on enemy difficulty but it's a good idea to follow some
guidelines when killing an enemy. Enemies should all fall in a few general
categories. You will find infantry, mechs, tanks, and massive enemies. If a
player decides he's going to one shot a tank with a pistol, I'm probably going
to omit the rest of his message after that action, not kill the tank, and give
him a 'stumble'. So, enemies do have an effort rating. This is not to say you
can't kill a tank in one shot but you'd better make a good reason.

Do not respond to this email. Chapter 1 will start shortly.