So I've noticed a huge lack of RPGs with storylines. Or at least ones that unfold at a decent pace. So I've decided to make a two-parter (and possibly a subsequent sandbox sequel). But too much explaining, let's get to the story already!
Nearly 64 light years away from the Blue Planet is a mostly barren alien world, mostly inhabited by polymimetic crystalline formations, and the occasional fungus patch. The crystal itself is the future of human space technology, with it's self-replicative behavior. Unfortunately, the scientists that were studying the crystals were mimicked. With the jumpstart of having a living being in it's molecular memory, it began spawning a whole civilization. This attracted the attention of a race of ancient explorers, of whom we know little. But now, to harvest the crystal and put it to our own uses, we have to subdue the local fauna and transport them to processing plants. Sure, some naturalists had objections, but the war council made a tactical decision that they wouldn't complain after a few minutes in the cold vacuum of space.
12/4/AD2162/0630 Earth Time: Mankind is half an hour away from it's first interstellar invasion. You've got to gear up and get to your dropship. Outside the generation ship there are faint pops in the atmosphere, probably enemy fighters.
Character sheet:
Rank: Name: Type: Age: Gender: (only for officers and infantry) Size: (height, weight, build, pick your type before you do this) --------------- --------------- Conditions: HP: Vehicle: Group: Primary: Secondary: Sidearm: Melee: Augment: Backpack: --------------
Types: (basically race)
Officer: Human (male or female) Rank: 2nd Lt. HP: 60/60 Size: No specs Weapons: A41 Carbine, B12 Shotgun, Colt M911, combat knife Specialty: Access to vehicles, platoon-size groups Description: A cushy, well-paid job well behind your assigned cannonfodder. Or if you've got nothing to lose, at the very front of the onslaught.
NCO: Human Augment Rank: Corporal HP: 75/75 Size: Larger than regular human, no real restrictions Weapons: G60A SAW, 40mm rocket launcher, Razor Automatic pistol, KA-BAR Specialty: Access to augments and mech suits, team-size groups Description: NCOs are the liasons between the cannonfodder and the officers.
Warrant Officer: Human Augment Rank: Warrant Officer HP: 80/80 Size: Slightly larger than an NCO, consistently heavily built Weapons: M20 Assault Rifle, 40mm Rocket launcher, Colt M911, Trench knife Specialty: Access to heavy vehicles (e.g. tanks, fighters), mech suits, augments Description: Highly trained and specialized soldier capable of a dynamic addition to any fighting force.
Infantry: Human (male or female) Rank: Private HP: 50/50 Size: They take 'em all shapes and sizes Weapons: M20 Assault Rifle, P90C SMG, Colt M911, Combat Knife Specialty: Access to careers such as medic, driver, gunner, or grunt. Description: Cannonfodder.
More weapons will be available later on, and if the players ask, more vehicles. Choose your loadout, and I'll set the rest up. Your rank is basically your level, and with level comes larger teams and access to better quality equipment and weapons. Want to increase your HP? Equipment does that. Augments also do that.
Word to the wise for wannabe officers, managing a large group can be as challenging as it is rewarding. You can get promoted to the point where you control several tanks, aircraft, or even ships! But managing those resources is time-consuming.
Your objective: Establish a foothold on the alien homeworld, and push to what seems to be their capitol. Expect heavy resistance.
Squad Charlie: Support Bravo (100 Corporal Ackles/75/50/50), Medical Charlie (100 Stephans/50/50/50), Bravo Scouts (100 Corporal Padelacki/75/75/75), Transport Alpha/Bravo (75 Corporal Jameson/A50//B50/50)
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Gear: Padded Boots (5hp), padded pants (5hp), padded jacket (5hp), Padded Gloves (5hp), Knee guards (5hp), elbow guards (5hp), shoulder guards (5hp), Plate Vest (25hp), Tactical Interface Helmet (40hp, allows platoon helmet cam access, mobile command interfacing with vehicles)
Primary: A41 Carbine (180/30 rounds)
Secondary: B12 Shotgun (45/5 shells)
Sidearm: Colt M911 (42/7)
Melee: combat knife
Augment: N/A
Backpack: 2 flares, command radio (allows access to fire support, reinforcements), 2 smoke grenades, 4 MREs, 2 bottles of water, 2 power cubes, flashlight, 2 HE grenades
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"CONTINUE FIRE!" I shout as I continue to unload the re-loaded the 40mm. "Stay away from that plasma!" I set up a link to the FOB, "Commander we're being swarmed by enemy fighters! We need air assistance if we are to continue our objective!" I give him our location, "We're holding them off but there are more then we can handle!" I tell him how many I can see from my position. "Medics prepare for corrosion, explosive damage and burns!" I call into Corporal Gansen, Corporal Ramos and Corporal Stephans' radios.
Rank: Private Name: Rudolf Fuchs Type: Infantry Age: 18 Gender: Male Size: 5"11, 190 lbs., scrawny --------------- --------------- Conditions: Bruised HP: 135/135 Vehicle: N/A Group: Corporal Jags (75/75) Equipment: N/A Primary: N/A Secondary: N/A Sidearm: N/A Melee: N/A Augment: N/A Backpack: 2 medkits, flashlight, 2 flares, 2 smoke grenades, 6-pac of anxiety pill bottles, 6-pac of Dihydro (C17H19 N O3), box of 3 IVs, 6 MREs, 4 bottles of water
[I]"So we have something off the battlefield that acts like the bacteria, but could we grab things like the bacteria on the field?"[I] I think to myself.
You continue firing, expended a good amount of ammunition. Another ship goes down under your fire, but by now they've got a lock on you, and they're hitting your armor pretty frequently.
You see four soldiers running in from the west.
Name: Bob "Tower" Light Type: NCO Kill Count: 8 Age: 32 Size: 7' 8", 357 lbs --------------- --------------- Conditions: Burned, piercing leg wound, stitch in side HP: 135/145 Vehicle: Squad: Fireteam (75/50), Scout team (75) Gear: Padded Boots (5hp), Combat Pants (5hp), Plate Leg guards (10hp), Ammo belt (2 saw clips, 3 rockets, or 6 pistol clips), Padded Jacket (5hp), Plate Vest (25hp), Combat Helmet (20hp) Primary: G60A SAW (300/100 rounds)(automatic) Secondary: 40mm rocket launcher (9/0 rockets)(semi-automatic) Sidearm: Razor Automatic pistol (80/20 rounds)(automatic) Melee: KA-BAR Augment: Domino (triples group size) Backpack: 4 MREs, Bottle of water, shovel, flashlight
You run up to see three Rhino APCs and a Sovereign tank. There's a Hoplite mech firing at the swarm of ships, and several men with rocket launchers pursuing the same goal.
Squad Charlie: Support Bravo (100 Sergeant Ackles/75/50/50), Medical Charlie (100 Sergeant Stephans/45/50/50), Bravo Scouts (100 Sergeant Padelacki/75/70/75), Transport Alpha/Bravo (75 Corporal Jameson/A50//B50/50) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gear: Padded Boots (5hp), padded pants (5hp), padded jacket (5hp), Padded Gloves (5hp), Knee guards (5hp), elbow guards (5hp), shoulder guards (5hp), Plate Vest (25hp), Tactical Interface Helmet (40hp, allows platoon helmet cam access, mobile command interfacing with vehicles)
Primary: A41 Carbine (180/30 rounds) Secondary: B12 Shotgun (45/5 shells) Sidearm: Colt M911 (42/7) Melee: combat knife Augment: N/A Backpack: 2 flares, command radio (allows access to fire support, reinforcements), 2 smoke grenades, 4 MREs, 2 bottles of water, 2 power cubes, flashlight, 2 HE grenades --------------------
The men do as you say. The enemy ships are down to 6 thanks to your men, your mech and a group of four men coming in from the west.
Several of your men have been burned or just blasted to pieces.
The commander replies, "This is small fry. Take care of it with the rocket launchers, a lot of troops have it far worse than this, we can't afford to redirect air support."
You slip into sleep, then wake up later in a lab room, pure white. There are no visible doors or windows. The outline of a door lights up azure, and soldier steps in. His black armor is a stark contrast to the white room.
"You will undergo a series of tests that will change your genetics, and possibly your chemical makeup. Any objections you have will be heard now."
Squad Charlie: Support Bravo (100 Sergeant Ackles/75/50/50), Medical Charlie (100 Sergeant Stephans/45/50/50), Bravo Scouts (100 Sergeant Padelacki/75/70/75), Transport Alpha/Bravo (75 Corporal Jameson/A50//B50/50) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gear: Padded Boots (5hp), padded pants (5hp), padded jacket (5hp), Padded Gloves (5hp), Knee guards (5hp), elbow guards (5hp), shoulder guards (5hp), Plate Vest (25hp), Tactical Interface Helmet (40hp, allows platoon helmet cam access, mobile command interfacing with vehicles)
Primary: A41 Carbine (180/30 rounds) Secondary: B12 Shotgun (45/5 shells) Sidearm: Colt M911 (42/7) Melee: combat knife Augment: N/A Backpack: 2 flares, command radio (allows access to fire support, reinforcements), 2 smoke grenades, 4 MREs, 2 bottles of water, 2 power cubes, flashlight, 2 HE grenades --------------------
(I thought you meant that there were a lot more of them, thus my request for support. My bad.)
I turn my comms to transmit to the area around me, hoping that the new squad will hear my transmission. "Squad, identify yourself! If you have any heavy weapons deploy them now!"
An uneasy expression crosses across my face. "I'll comply with the tests, so long as I don't become like those genderless guys. I guess you can't guarantee me anything though." I shrug in a bad attempt to calm myself. "Okay, you have my consent to conduct tests on me. But where's Jags? And the infected guy, how's he doing?"
Name: Bob "Tower" Light Type: NCO Kill Count: 8 Age: 32 Size: 7' 8", 357 lbs --------------- --------------- Conditions: Burned, piercing leg wound, stitch in side HP: 135/145 Vehicle: Squad: Fireteam (75/50), Scout team (75) Gear: Padded Boots (5hp), Combat Pants (5hp), Plate Leg guards (10hp), Ammo belt (2 saw clips, 3 rockets, or 6 pistol clips), Padded Jacket (5hp), Plate Vest (25hp), Combat Helmet (20hp) Primary: G60A SAW (300/100 rounds)(automatic) Secondary: 40mm rocket launcher (9/0 rockets)(semi-automatic) Sidearm: Razor Automatic pistol (80/20 rounds)(automatic) Melee: KA-BAR Augment: Domino (triples group size) Backpack: 4 MREs, Bottle of water, shovel, flashlight
Your new officer is @JACKinbigletters. You'll be a part of his platoon now. (I'm trying to get everyone together so we can get to the.... well... interesting part.)
You lay back on the soft table, and you are locked into it by straps. "Injection cycle beginning" is the last thing you here before you black out.
When you wake up, you are suspended in a clear, breathable, water-like substance (perfluorocarbon). Your whole body aches and burns. You can feel something wedged all the way up into your skull from your spine. Your veins feel like popping. Your eyes feel bulgy, and your vision is tearing at the seams. A black-armored soldier walks up to the tank you're in, and fiddles with the controls. Your lungs feel like they're being pumped too full of oxygen. Liquid plasma is released into the water, shocking you with a cold, acidic burn. Suddenly the thing lodged in your spinal cord pops its way along your back. You can hear a sickly crunching sound, and you look down.
There are angular cracks glowing a strong azure, patched across your body. You feel a sudden surge of power, and what look like big worms start moving under your skin, stretching your bones. Your bones crack and grow in a matter of minutes, and you black out. As you sleep, someone appears in your delirious dreams.
It speaks. "I am the Araphan. You are part of me now. You must join the Legacy."
When you come to, you feel like the creature that you saw. You're laying on a soft table, surrounded by the black armored soldiers.
Okie. Serious turningpoint. You can choose to return to the "Legacy" by going HAM on the humans, or continue as a medic.
Well, that depends. I understand that the humans are basically going "Manifest Destiny" all up on the aliens. But are the aliens any better?
I quickly grab one of them and use him as a human shield from the others. "What have you done to me!?" I demand. "What did I just see!? WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE!?"