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[Translucent History]

Alright let me first apologize. I had not meant my comments to be condescending. I am very sorry.

Anyway, vehicle ownership. You know, I don't think there's a big problem with that. And with our current chapter idea, I'd say that it might be a huge help.

Mind you, the choice of transports now is pretty limited. Your "land-rover" might just actually turn out to be a "tracked APC". Wheeled vehicles aren't that prevalent in the Sands just yet. On the original site that this was birthed on, I hadn't intended the use of wheels at all, apart from the occasional cart that is confined to a town.

But I don't see any reason why you can't have your vehicle.

[Arhra]

Ah, I'm glad we've gotten this cleared up.Thanks.

I decided I'd go with the 'wizard'. Basically, as a treasure hunter you'd tend to run across more (unusual) equipment and also more superstitious people you may have to scare off.

I'm pretty clear on the background and most details, just have to organise it into a final profile. What does need more work is the precious equipment list. Just want to check how much archaeotech would be acceptable and put up some ideas I'd been considering. Not really finalised on most of them - some are just testing the waters for what's good and what's not.

Thought to Wire Interface: Being able to control some pieces of personal equipment by a thought command. Might be a cybernetic implant or something that can be worn. Reasonably essential for being mysterious.

Resonance Projector: An exotic energy weapon - two shoulder mounted emitter units broadcast energy waves that constructively interfere with each other at a predetermined point in space. Effectively, this causes an smallish explosion of selectable intensity at that point with no visible projectile. Accuracy falls off with range and it's trickier to aim than a standard gun. Cycling time between shots and power consumption varies with yield.

I'm particularly attached to the projector, seeing its not an obviously visible weapon. To actually target the thing effectively would need probably need the mental interface though.

Jar o' Magical Sand: Microscale machines about the size of a speck of dust. Reasonably mobile, can also move and interlock rapidly to create solids of varying properties. Essentially a crude form of programmable matter, quite bulky compared to nanomachines seeing they're about a thousand times larger. There's a central control unit for them that also acts as a factory to replace lost modules, again probably needs a thought interface to utilise very effectively.

Shadow Field: A man portable force field generator, covering about a ten foot radius. It's named due to the fact that it looks like a darkened sphere when activated. It act against projectiles proportionately to the incoming velocity, meaning it stops bullets but is less effective against thrown weapons. You can walk right through it. It also mostly dissipates incoming energy weapons - the darkened appearance is due to the fact it also rejects most incident light.

However, it has a few disadvantages. It is a serious power hog. It requires no less than three standard power packs to operate and drains them after around five minutes. Next, due to its idiosyncracies, everything is darker from the viewpoint of someone inside the sphere, appearing like twilight during the day.

Still debating about whether it blocks fire from inside the field as well.

[PhoenixFlame]

Thanks for the clarifications, Translucent. To be honest, I'd been thinking of sand-capable vehicles for the last few days, and came up with a few examples to draw from, such as the Lunar/Mar rovers (reality), the Mako (Mass Effect), The Lynx repurposed recon vehicle (Outpost 2), and the Rebellion Spider-Bikes (Dark Reign), only to my suprise find that they are all wheeled vehicles. Granted, they have superb suspensions and very large wheels, but unlike tracks, they are able to maintain high speed over rough terrain without murdering their crews (As suspension tracks require subunits for the tracks to be detached from the hull, ala the Lightning Light Tank (Planetside)). Either one works, though, I've a thing for tracks too, but a real passion for hovers. (<3 Hovers)

As for character design, I'd been speaking with Arhra with our treasure hunty theme and decided someone has to maintain the equiptment, identify our findings (so we're not ripped off while bartering!), and service our vehicle. Suffice to say, this person needs to be a savant, and think as a computer would.

So, with obvious influences, I came up with two possible ways to do this. One is a psionic whom reconditioned her mind to think as a machine would, able to calculate complex mathematics and logical routines with prodigious speed. Since she literally "thinks in code", this makes for a few amusing personality quirks, like being deep in thought literally all the time.

The other is a slightly more literal computer, and fits with Arhra's character a lot better, since he's going for the technological man-machine wizard already. Since your setting possesses cybernetics, psionics, and werewolves, it's not unlikely to possess artifical persons too. Most likely the recovered administrative unit of a long lost research post, the character would be driven to recover and catalogue technology in a (most likely impossible) quest to restore the planet's habitability by its programming. She'd still need to drink, though perhaps not eat, though this is little recompense for the myriad difficulties of operating a synthetic body in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. All the amusing personality quirks of option A, only with a few extra fun bits.

[Krylo]

I have decided to join Arhra and PF's little treasure hunting band.

Name: Malik
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Race: Cyborg
Affiliation: Water Finder/Treasure Hunter

Physical Description: Malik stands roughly six feet, a little under to be honest, and is normally covered in black body wrappings, similar to what bedouins and sheikh would be known to wear, though with the addition of face wrappings which cover everything except for his eyes, the right of which is surrounded by steel and consists of a solid glowing green orb. The robes hang loosely from his body and give in the ways of clues as to the appearance of the man beneath, though if one looks closely they could see that his left hand is also made of steel with vicious claws upon it.

If one were to remove the robes from his body they would see a man, seemingly of middle eastern decent, with a thin, but muscular body from years spent wandering the desert by foot and vehicle--and dealing with its less than friendly inhabitants, both human and otherwise, as well as the general lack of food and water.

His left arm, however, is entirely metallic, as is his left shoulder, and a good portion of his back.

Abilities: Malik's left arm is a fully articulated but viciously sharp claw combined with a 'vacuum' embedded into his palm. He can tear the flesh of man or beast with his claw, and then place the palm to the wound, activating a powerful vacuum which drains the blood--and other fluids where applicable--from the victim far quicker than normal bleeding. Any contaminants (bacteria, toxins, viruses) are then broken down by a filtration system through his arm and back into harmless protein chains, allowing his body to safely absorb any nutrients, leaving only fresh water to be collected into a reservoir in his back. He may also use this system to clean other dirty water sources, and may expel this water back through his palm to store it in a larger container, or give it out to others who may need it. For particularly large water deposits, he may also connect a hose to an attachment just to the left of his spine on his lower back, which allows him to filter the water directly into the hose and then into a larger containment tank.

In addition to this, his right eye makes up his primary method of water retrieval, being a military cybernetic implant originally intended to allow soldiers to see, and aim, through walls. The complex mechanics of the eye read the density of objects, revealing alterations in density as images. This allows Malik to locate underground sources of water merely by looking. As a side effect of this process he may also find under ground bunkers by looking for denser materials, sinkholes by seeing less dense areas of sand, and all other manner of thing. Being a military cybernetic for aiming, he is also able to 'smart-link' his eye into a sidearm and use it to allow for more accurate and speedier aiming.

History: Malik was originally intended to be a pet water finder for a noble, so that the noble could more easily control the flow of water into, and through, his city. He was adopted and fitted with cybernetic enhancements. Had Malik worked out, said noble probably would have attempted it on others. However, Malik quickly grew disenfranchised with the way the noble allotted only so much water to each family, hardly enough for them to live on, while the noble himself owned fountains and a personal swimming pool, lavishing in his own excess and riches, until the boy began to give out water to the people directly where he could. When the noble found out about this betrayal, he attempted to have his water finder killed, the cybernetic pieces installed recovered, and placed into a new host. However, Malik fled into the sands, and the nobles henchmen and guards were unable to follow the boy, who had regularly searched the wastes for water and had grown accustomed to their dangers. They returned unsuccessful and Malik has never returned to that city-state.

It was sometime later when he fell in with a traveling 'magician' and technology hunter, Malik's abilities quickly becoming of great use to the man in finding lost bunkers.

Items: Malik carries two guns, a pistol and a shotgun, each with similar technology which may interface with his eye's smart-link system. Both weapons are able to use virtually any solid block of metallic material as a projectile. The block of metal is placed in the loading slot, and a computer within the gun itself measures the density and size of the material, slicing off bits to be used as projectiles. Once a bit is sliced off the gun then warps gravity through the barrel of the weapon to fling the projectile out at supersonic speeds. The result is a smaller energy usage than full energy weapons, while having a better projectile speed and stopping power than purely chemical slug throwers. The pistol fires one piece of material at a time, while the shotgun fires flechette-esque spreads of material. The smart-link system in both allows Malik to see a computer generated approximation of the flight of all the projectiles through his field of vision.

[IHateMakingNames]

Name: Tunis Bathomin
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Race: Mutant (Unaware)
Affiliation: Sand/Wind Rider
Physical Description: Tunis measures in at five feet four inches, but is still growing. He looks younger than he is, due to his small facial features and comparatively big brown eyes. He keeps his dirty blonde hair short and unkempt. Though he's naturally thin, he has well developed muscles from regular manual labor. His preference for skin to sun exposure keeps him at a dark tan.

Tunis normally goes around in simple shirt and pants, wrapped in an open cloak. He has one pair of boots he always wears, and goggles resting on his forehead. It is not uncommon for Tunis to go down to only pants, and sometimes lower. In the desert he wraps up though.

Abilities:
Mutation: Tunis collects and stores solar energy. This energy can then be converted, discharged, and/or consumed. For example, on converting and discharging, he can produce an electrical current, create a concussion blast, dissipate heat, or charge a powercell. For converting and consuming, it's turned into chemical energy to fuel the body.

He can only store so much solar energy before he'd explode, so his body naturally consumes it. He can only consume so much energy before his body becomes overworked. At this point it would start discharging any way it could.

Sand/Wind Riding: Tunis kicks ass at it.

General Fitness: Tunis is a great runner, both in speed and distance. Though in distance, and stamina, it's uncanny how far he could go (Mutant). He's pretty strong from doing manual labor.

Technology: Tunis has a slight fascination with technology, and when given the chance has tinkered with whatever devices he could. He's no expert, but he can work his way around common machines.

Fighting: Due to the dangers of the world, Tunis has become a decent brawler. It's mostly dirty fighting, like crotch shots and finger breaking. He owns a few slug-throwers, a couple pistols and a rifle, and is a decent shot.

History: Generations ago, an ancestor of Tunis was the center of a project. At some point someone though it would be easier to breed batteries than create them. So this man was genetically altered to gather, store, convert, and discharge solar energy. The genetics worked, but the project failed. This man managed to reproduced, and these mutant genes went on, mostly recessive. Then they hit Tunis.

Tunis was the son of a pair of traders. For his early life, he stayed at home with his mother. They lived on the edge of a city, near a trade port, so Tunis could often see traders coming in and out. What always fascinated him the most were Sand Riders. It just seemed like so much fun, and he grew up always wanting to do that. When Tunis was eight, his father brought him a sand rider to play with. Oh what fun he had, but only for short periods of the day under adult supervision.

One night, Tunis really wanted to try and be like the Sand Riders he watched, so he snuck out and went off. Unfortunately he was a kid and didn't know how to really control under larger winds. So he was drifted off into the sands by whatever winds were taking him. Normally a kid would have died from lack of food and such, but Tunis' mutant genes kept him fueled for the trip.

Eventually he came upon a group of Sand Riders. Tunis had no idea where he was or where home was, so they took him to the nearest city. This was not Tunis' home city. Not wanting to deal with it, the Sand Riders quickly left. A family took in Tunis, mostly to do labor for them. Tunis hated this and wanted to go home, or at worst just leave. Then he realized he had left once before, so he could do it again. Once again the winds took Tunis away.

This cycle went on for awhile, until eventually Tunis knew how to ride the winds. He stopped being taken in, and started doing work so he could move on, still trying to find home.

When Tunis was fifteen, he managed to get back home. He found his parents, and they had a long awaited heartfelt reunion. However, Tunis couldn't settle back down. During his travels, he had grown to love roaming. Going from place to place, experiencing new things, meeting strange people, having misadventures, finding exotic locations, learning various tricks, gaining knowledge. Tunis once again left at night, though this time he left a note explaining where he went. Now Tunis just goes from place to place, seeing what happens.

Items: On his person, Tunis has the clothes mentioned earlier, pistols, and whatever he last found to trade. He has whatever sand riders use to ride sand, which he stores the rest of his stuff on. That stuff includes his rifle, extra clothes, supplies, and favored trinkets/junk.

Extra Notes: Tunis does not know he is a mutant. He has no known form of discharging, and he only can consume because it happens unconsciously. He has also yet to both store to much energy and be unable to consume it all before breaking down (Thus discharging wildly). As it affects him now, he just feels really good and refreshed when out working in the sun, but horrible if at rest for awhile.


What exactly do Sand Riders ride on? I'm assuming sailboats, but for sand.

[Arcanum]

Ok first off I'm sorry I havn't been around recently, I've been really busy with school and other stuff so I havn't had the time to post. However I have been keeping up to date. That said, I'm glad everything got resolved while I was out. Now onto actual RP related stuff.

First off, Ahra's suggestions:

The Thought to Wire Interface is accepted, but it seems likely that the technology would be done via cybernetic implant since if it's simply something that is worn, if that something get's stolen than another person will be able to control your devices and I doubt anyone in the Old World would create something that could be so easily used against them.

The Resonance Projector is approved and I find it quite the interesting piece of technology. Obviously larger versions would cause larger explosions, which is giving me some ideas already -insert evil laugh-.

The Jar o' Magical Sand I'm kind of iffy about. The idea of having a malleable/controlable mass that can turn into solid objects, regenerate lost pieces, etc, just seems like it can do too much. On top of that, controlling it with the Thought to Wire Interface seems like it would take too much effort to manipulate such a mass of small objects. If you take for example the nano-machine swarms in the Old Wars, those were just programmed to sweep entire areas and destroy whatever they came across. If you could give me some details on what you were planning on doing with the Jar o' Sand, then I might approve it, but for now I'm gonna have to say no.

The Shadow Field, while neat, seems very tedious to use just for some brief defense. I assume that you ment this to be used onboard your vehicle, since carrying it (and the power packs needed) around in the sands by yourself would be inviting a quicker death. While I'm alright with what it does, I'd like some more info on your intentions with such a device before I approve it.

Next up, Phoenix:

In regards to the tracks vs wheels issue, I think it's not so much that tracks are "better" but easier to throw together. For a wheel you need the rim, the tube, and the actual wheel all put together. Problem one is fabricating the required pieces. As for a track, you have two wheels(i'm not sure on the technical term, also, possible more for bigger vehicles) supporting the track, and the track itself, which can be thrown together out of whatever the builder wants that he thinks will work. This doesn't necesarily mean that wheels don't exist, it's just that tracks are more prevalent.

In regards to hover vehicles; hey if you managed to find enough hover engines, or a large enough one, and have a way to power it, knock yourself out. Just be warned that a floating vehicle will probably attract more attention, and not the nice kind.

As for your character, both options are possible, but there's the problem of power regarding an entirely synthetic body. With a Tech-Nick, only part of their body is mechanical and doesn't require as much power to operate. However I'm just bringing the problem to light. If you have a solution already (or think up one) then feel free to run with it.

Next up: Krylo. Character is approved. Also, I love your idea for harvesting water, especially since it can be done in less humane methods too.

IHMN - Approved. In regards to your question, I've never really given it much thought. My own Sand Rider character uses something similar to a wind-surfing board, only the board is made of metal and with a small salvaged hover engine on the back so he can still ride the sands with a bad wind.

However, I'm sure that anything can be possible, so long as it relies on the wind to skim it over the sand at high speeds. So yes, a sailboat-ish vehicle modified for sand would work.

[PyrosNine]

Name: Nein
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Race: Normal
Affiliation: None

Physical Description: Dusty broad rimmed hat, over a brown leather jacket with some runes upon it, faded green and grey military jeans, boots, and a sheathe on his back. Brown moppy hair hanging over his back and parting only for his face, which is somewhat "fox-like" with thin slitty eyes (Think Gin Ichimaru for you newby Bleach types, or Hajime Saitō from a REAL anime about swordsmen), that only serves to dishearten others once he opens his eyes all the way, revealing rather large, fierce eyes.

Abilities: The skill and the talent with his blade his match for the technological terrors of the day, any ordinary person going around hacking at robots and sand-raiders armed with lazers is a dead man, and somehow Nein is not a dead man. He is also quick on the draw, though his aim is not perfect, and he has a animal-like energy for moving. He is, at the very least, by fate or luck, very hard to kill. His demeanor and dark aura, despite being a major part of his character, also somehow seem to draw forth women, and catwomen/more women.

History: Nein crawled from the end of the world (read, his hometown) knowing no one (they were all dead) and clutching only clues as to why (some weird papers he can't read) to find himself wandering the baren wastelands with no purpose or direction: He merely acts because he 'feels' like acting. Wherever he goes, there is destruction, death, and...well, some confusion. His legend is far too young for his name to spread, and though there are reports of sand-ships slain to the last man lying abandoned in the desert, the myriad dangers of the desert divert any fears or suspicions of a one-man force of nature.

Items:
Runic Blade: A blade marked with Gaelic runes, yet with broken hilt that give it an almost asian look. The runes mean among other things, the idea of "luck" and the number seven. An alternate, if more accurate title, is the "Lucky Blade".

Twin Revolvers: Unnamed guns marked similarly to the sword, yet are obviously younger, powerful enough to pierce buildings and even energy fields.. They have a special magnetized barrel to allow for quick, one handed reloading by means of quickly pulling shells in the right direction, and expelling spent shells by some means of magnetism. (in a sense, he can roll out the barrel and the spent shells go flying, then hurl 7 bullets at the barrel and they will line up perfectly in mid air and fall in perfectly most of time, and also not interfere with the firing process). The barrel holds 7, though this means the guns themselves are slightly bigger to accommodate scale, with a notable heft.

Papers: The only thing he has to his name, and he doesn't know what they say, and likely no one else in the wastes do. He keeps them as a memento that he can't remember.

Extra Notes: Nein doesn't possess the ability to shoot lasers of love from his eyes or orderwomen around....maybe.

[PhoenixFlame]

Originally Posted by Arcanum Darkfire

In regards to the tracks vs wheels issue, I think it's not so much that tracks are "better" but easier to throw together.

It's multiple wheels, actually, only two are actually part of the drive train however, as opposed to single wheels on wheeled vehicles. It's notoriously easy to throw tracks, both need to be operated independantly for turning, and are primarially favored for carry capacity, as 11mm armor makes wheels sad.

Don't take offense, but I've honestly never heard of tracks being less maintenance intensive or remotely easier to construct than wheeled assemblies. It's arguable mankind invented tracks pretty early in history though, if you consider ancient egyptian sledges. The hovers comment was tangental, and mostly a joke. :3

Originally Posted by Arcanum Darkfire

but there's the problem of power regarding an entirely synthetic body..

Not much more so than powering a land vehicle, or pulse energy weapon, or yes, even Technick implants, since examples included limbs and onboard pulse energy weapons, both on the "very high" spectrum that easily eclipses standard body power draw. I've got it all figured out, though, which is why she drinks water. While partially related, functional elements of the human body require suprisingly low amounts of power. Your brain for example, consumes less electricity than an 80 watt lightbulb. Besides, while reasonably durable and strong (compared to flesh), she's not a combat model.

PS: But enough of that, writing begins soon!

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[Dx2]

Name: Ganekuro Maouran
Gender: Male
Age: 31
Race: Normal looking Mutant. (Super strength.)

Affiliation: The City of Muskthrat under direct command from his Lordship Tul'Rak Sturtheet, presiding official of the Noble City of Muskthrat. Muskthrat is located roughly 2,100 miles south-east of Lon'Din.

Physical Description: Ganekuro is very plain looking. Standing at 5'11'' he has no remarkable features except for his raven black hair which is punctuated by his hard green eyes and the huge sword he carries on his back. Dresses in plain clothes, a pair of pants with multiple pockets and a worn out flak vest, also littered with pockets.


Abilities: Super mutant strength. Life as a mercenary has made Ganekuro a battleworn/ready man. He relies on his quick reflexe and super strength. He is in no way invulnerable.

History: Ganekuro grew up on the battlefield. A merc the day he could hold a sword, and when his super strength emerged he found himself quickly becoming a single man force to be reckoned with.
Many years later he was imprisoned in the city of Muskthrat under fals pretenses. At first his heart burned with a need for revenge and hatred for his captors, but when Tul'Rak, the Mayor of the city himself descended to apologize and free him from his bondage, Ganekuro found himself instead with a desire for justice and to make sure no one ever suffered the injustice he had.
Upon conveying this desire to Tul'Rak, he was inducted into the police force of Muksthrat where his quick wit and mutant abilities helped him quickly attain the rank of Captain of the Guard.
Ganekuro has served faithfully for 6 years by Tul'Rak's side and is now being deployed as an emissary to Lon'Din, seeking trade and information with this foriegn nation.
He doesn't like being political.

Items: Ganekuro carries an asortment of small knives, daggers, rocks, just about anything he can throw goes into his pockets. Most noticibly is his Olol sword, which is at least a foot taller than he is.. The sword was forged by Olol, a beastsmith who created gigantic weapons for beast-men.

Extra Info: Travels with Sala'Dun, the street rat, from Muskthrat. He has taken Sala'Dun under his Olol wielding wing as an apprentice. Foremost because of the street rat's abilities and connections, but finds himself harboring brotherly feelings for the urchin, dispite being twice his age.

[Arcanum]

Edit -- Pyros and Pheonix, Translucent messaged me regarding your posts and will be the one approving or denying them. Ignore what you saw here earlier if you saw it.

Dx2, approved, and I'm glad to have you back. Just no dissapearing off the site like last time :P.

Alright well I think we have plenty of people for this, so I'll probably start it up next weekend (I have some tests during the week and won't be able to post, also this gives Ahra and any others time to finish their sheets). Sign-ups will remain open for a while after the rp starts, but once everyone sets off into the Deep Sands it will be more difficult to involve new people so while people will still be welcome to sign up, you probably won't be joining the story until the next chapter.