Foster
Inheritor
Digital Symbiote
Hello everyone! I’m back with a mecha universe that I’ve been refining for a while now and I’m finally happy enough with it to drop it here in the interest checks to see how the rest of RPN feels about it. For this roleplay I’m only looking for a small group of players, maybe just four including myself so I might be a tad more picky than usual when it comes to approving applicants. Ideally a good mix of males and females for the sake of diversity but it’s not the end of the world if not. There are a few requirements going into this that you should be aware of though so let me just quickly outline them.
- 18+. Sorry younger members of RPN but due to the themes of the RP and my own personal discomfort roleplaying with minors 18 years is the cut off, nobody younger.
- Please be literate. Occasional lapses in grammar and spelling are fine, nobody will crucify you, but I am expecting a good grasp on English for this. Oh and at least two paragraphs per post please, no one liners.
- Discord for OOC is my go-to and really helps me run roleplays so if you don’t have it or are unwilling to use it this isn’t for you.
- At least one post a week unless there are unusual circumstances that prevent you from doing so. If something important comes up just let me know, no worries.
- Outside of that all the usual RPN rules apply of course.
The year is 2213 and humanity has finally got its collective asses together. After centuries of being at each other’s throats the countries of Earth banded together to form the N.E.C, a union of every nation on the planet. It was as a unified force that we faced the problems that plagued our species, pushing back against overpopulation, climate change and poverty. Headway was made on many fronts and we pushed the boundaries of what science could achieve to change the world around us.
Overpopulation was probably the biggest problem we faced, with humanity pushing the 10 billion mark by 2050. Cities began to grow up rather than out, smaller families with only one or two children became standard and finally the N.E.C launched its efforts to colonize other celestial bodies in our solar system. Luna was first, then Mars and her moons. By the 2090s there were billions of humans out there in these colonies which came together under the name of the E.C.C. People of all backgrounds settled amongst the stars and there were generations that had been born without ever setting foot on Earth.
Of course things were far from perfect. Back on Earth there were still conflicts bubbling away beneath the shield of the N.E.C and out in the E.C.C terrorist groups grew like fungus. Tensions between the two great superpowers were on the rise, with the E.C.C claiming that they were treated like second class citizens. As 2100 approached there were fears that everything might begin to fall apart, that countries that had stood side by side for years might go back to their old squabbles.
These fears were replaced with new ones when a new threat appeared on Earth. A portal had come into being just outside of Kalush, Ukraine. It was huge, easily 10 meters across and composed of what seemed to be a fluctuating black liquid. From this portal came the first of what would later be dubbed ‘Demons’, a trio of creatures bearing resemblance to hulking canines that went on to terrorize the city for hours before being brought down by sustained gun fire.
This was the first of many attacks, each one worse than the last. After the Kalush incident attacks slowly became more and more frequent, with larger and more deadly demons attacking each time. It went from a bizarre tragedy to a worldwide threat. Everyone had their own theories for what demons were and why they’d come to Earth, from aliens to hell. Getting proof was another matter entirely. The colonies entered a sort of lockdown, hiding their biodomes beneath massive blast shields in the hopes that Demons wouldn’t spread outside of Earth, even going as far as to shut off all communications between planets. Soon it got to the point where traditional military tactics just weren’t able to cut it anymore, and outside of dropping nukes on top of cities the world was running out of options.
Enter C.A.M.P, the only organization standing between the Demons and the extinction of all life on Earth. By pioneering new technologies they had taken the existing concept of mechs and evolved them into something new, something better. We will be playing as the lucky (Or very unlucky) few who have been selected to pilot this new generation of mechs, known as Seraphs.
Your guide to creating your own Seraph!
So, if this has you interested enough that you’d like to submit a character sheet here is what you need to keep in mind when designing your mech. I’m sure you all appreciate that whilst I have a good idea of this universe I can’t write out every last possible option available to you so if there’s something you want to know I’m just a DM away. It may be worth you scrolling down first and giving the lexicon a good read first as well, it’s a bit of a slog but it will hopefully answer a lot of your questions and give you a better idea of the world you’ll be exploring throughout this RP.
- Although Seraph’s can vary in size (Around the 70m mark) and shape they all conform to the same basic design. They are humanoid in shape, so no tanks or planes on legs, think Gundam or Evangelion if you need examples of what I mean. Your Seraph should essentially be a huge, mechanized body for your operator and A.I! That being said, small deviations from the human body plan may be possible, I’m anticipating at least one person to want wings for example. That’s fine, but I will only be allowing one winged mech. If you want something like wings on your Seraph that would make it a bit more unique don’t be afraid to ask, the worst I can say is no
- Despite being an all-purpose combat machine your Seraph can be specialized somewhat, with a focus on CQC, ranged combat, tanking hits or supporting comrades, and pretty much anything else you can think of, within reason. If you have a particularly outlandish idea feel free to run it by me first, and I’ll give you a heads up on how viable it is.
- The cockpit and A.I core of a Seraph is situated in it’s head with the latter towards the back. It’s reactor is in the chest. The A.I limiters are tube like structures that fit into the neck and upper back, lining the area where the spinal cord would be on a human. When active (Which they should always be… in theory.) they are imbedded within the Seraph and can’t be seen as they lay flush with the surface of the machine.
- The year is 2213 so you have access to some fun sci-fi gizmos! That being said, firearms are still a somewhat traditional affair even when scaled up for Seraphs. There are laser weapons, but they are less common and come with their own drawbacks, like overheating and a heavy demand on the energy source of your Seraph.
- What is your Seraph’s core? Most likely nuclear. For most Seraph’s the miniaturized nuclear reactor is the safest and most efficient option, providing plenty of power for all it’s demon slaying needs. Running on one of these bad boys your Seraph could theoretically stay active for months at a time. Should you wish to try a different power source feel free to ask though!
- Aesthetics. Have fun with this, within reason! Each Seraph has it’s own team of engineers working on it and they may have wanted to add some personal touches with it. Any colour you like, maybe some kind of decal on it? Shouldn’t be any issues there. Of course, it does have to fit thematically so I can’t have them running around in giant tutus. Sorry ballet fans.
- Perhaps just as important as the mech itself is your smart A.I. It will be integral to your character as it essentially their partner and your second character to some extent. Although their limiters prevent a substantial amount of personality in these A.I they may still show hints of it and it might be worth thinking about how they are reflected in the mech they inhabit.
Lexicon
C.A.M.P
The combat approved mech programme. C.A.M.P oversees the creation, maintenance, and deployment of mechs for the N.E.C in their efforts to combat the “demons” that plague humanity. Although it was set up by the N.E.C and enjoys many benefits because of it (Funding, international freedom, etc), C.A.M.P is run semi-independently, answering only to those at the very top of the N.E.C and able to act relatively freely in their battle against the demons.
C.A.M.P is at the forefront of its field and attracts brilliant minds from all around the world and as such is at the cutting edge of technology, even in experimental fields. It is responsible for the rapid evolution of mech combat, from cumbersome machines that were good only for manual labor to humanities best hope. Their latest line of mechs hope to blur the line between man and machine to create a true extension of the operator’s body, doing away with the level of raw skill and extensive training it took to pilot their older models.
N.E.C
Nations of Earth collaboration. The countries of Earth have come under the unifying banner of the N.E.C after a long and bloody history of being at one another’s throats, pooling together their resources to confront the many problems of mankind. Established in 2042 the N.E.C absorbed the UN and went on to acquire all other nations on Earth, even those that had initially resisted the concept of a unified planet. Countries still hold on to their individuality in the N.E.C but for decisions that directly effect our future as a species the N.E.C has final say. Relations between the N.E.C and the E.C.C have been rocky for the majority of their lifespans.
E.C.C
Exo-colonial collective. The E.C.C is made up of the solar bodies colonized by man, the largest of which are on Luna and Mars. Luna was man’s first conquest into the stars and with the world united under the N.E.C what had once seemed like a wishful fantasy became reality. Mars and its moons swiftly followed. Instead of terraforming entire planets the E.C.C creates vast biodomes with controlled atmospheres and gravity, creating cities connected only via vast magnet train lines. These create a spiderweb of infrastructure across planets, with room for biodomes committed purely to agriculture and oxygen production.
Mechs
Mechs are an integral part of society in human settlements across the solar system, providing a fantastic means of getting intricate heavy lifting done. However, those in industry are clunky beasts at best, controlled by traditional methods like pedals and levers. Mechs deployed in combat are naturally top of the line and as such can achieve much more impressive feats than their industrial cousins. This does make them incredibly difficult to pilot however, even with the ‘dumb’ A.I systems that are installed in military mechs to lessen the strain on an operator. The training required to become proficient in these machines means that when the demons first appeared and began causing operator causalities it was impossible to replace them fast enough to keep up. This is where C.A.M.P step into the picture with their hopes of creating mechs that are not only faster and stronger than those that have come before them but also require far less training to pilot.
Our characters will be those lucky/ unlucky enough to be selected to take C.A.M.P’s prototypes into action. They operate using a link between a human being and a ‘smart’ A.I, the likes of which have never been seen before. This new technology allows an operator to control their mech as if it was an extension of their own body, allowing for feats of dexterity and skill that older models couldn’t hope to match. This technology is in its infancy however and is therefore not only volatile and temperamental but there are very few people who are deemed compatible with these smart A.I.
Operation ‘Headache’ was launched worldwide in an effort to identify those who would be able to link with these machines and through its success a limited pool of candidates were found.
These gen lll mechs (Codename: Seraphs) stand at around 70 meters tall, or roughly 229 feet. They were created with the ability to achieve the full range of human mobility in mind and so are limited only by the skill of their operator. As what is essentially a scaled up and fully armoured human they are a vital weapon in the hopes of defeating demons but aren’t invincible. With a sizeable enough demon these mech could easily be dispatched so there is little room for error. The three weakest points on gen lll mechs are the cockpit, reactor and it’s A.I core. All three are suitably armoured to make up for this but it doesn’t change the fact that a breach to any of them would likely render a mech inoperable.
Rather than mounting tons (literally) of weapons to each Seraph C.A.M.P provides scaled up firearms and melee weapons that the mech can then equip in the same manner a human solider can pick up and use a weapon. This allows the gen lll mechs to be versatile in their fighting style and allows them to adapt to what a situation wants of them.
The prototype gen lll mechs currently under C.A.M.P’s command all follow the same core design but have aesthetic and mechanical differences that were implemented by their respective head engineers.
Operators pilot their mechs from the cockpit of their mech which is located within it’s ‘head’. There is no pilot seat, instead a piloting rig allows an Operator to stand upright within their mech and achieve free motion within its confines. The piloting rig uses gyroscopic technology to ensure the pilot is always aligned with the real time position of their mech, allowing for near perfect synchronicity. A direct neural link plug is attached at the base of the skull and it is through this that the Operator’s own thoughts can, with their smart A.I’s help, control this hulking metal beast. The two essentially act as the left and right hemispheres of the mechs brain, with the human element making decisions and the smart A.I micro-managing all the things we take for granted when performing actions in our own bodies. It would be difficult, if not impossible for a human to successfully operate a Seraph by themselves and C.A.M.P will not allow A.I full control of weapons like these.
Demons
“Demons” is the name commonly ascribed to the creatures that are attacking Earth and for those who’ve seen them in action it is easy to see why. The only real consistency between demons is that they are always organic in nature. They come in seemingly limitless variations in both shape and size, with some smaller than humans and others the size of entire skyscrapers. The N.E.C assigns each one a threat level when they appear and those of particular importance are also given names. The threat levels are as follows.
- 1(Imp)- Human sized creatures that can be dispatched by a handful of people equipped with small firearms.
- 2(Jinn)- Comparable to large terrestrial animals in size, can be taken down by a well equipped and trained group of professionals such as police officers or soldiers.
- 3 (Gorgon)- Large enough that small arms fire is now ineffective but can still be dispatched by the military using heavier firearms and group tactics.
- 4 (Fury)- Not impossible for a well-equipped military to defeat but with characteristics such as heavy armour that make them highly resistant to even heavy shells or explosives.
- 5 (Cerberus)- Too powerful for any conventional force to take on. C.A.M.P’s intervention required to defeat. Usually exceptionally large or capable of using powerful abilities.
- 6 (Archon)- Demons capable of proving problematic for lone gen lll mechs. Can be overcome with numbers or suitable skill and tactics.
- 7 (Abaddon)- Strong enough to take on multiple gen lll mechs. Will easily lay waste to cities if left unchecked. Nukes should be considered if C.A.M.P cannot take a level 7 out.
- 8 (Dracule)- If left unchecked a level 8 demon would destroy a country. Exceedingly difficult for an entire team of gen lll’s to kill, even with assistance from the military.
- 9 (Hades)- A level 9 is nearly impossible to kill and would likely require everything the N.E.C can throw at it to destroy. Nukes, heavy bombardments, every mech at C.A.M.P, the works. Would wipe out most life on Earth if not stopped.
- 10 (Leviathan)- A demon of this magnitude would bring about the end of the world.
The true nature of demons is largely unknown to the N.E.C. They appear through portals (Nicknamed ‘tears’) in seemingly random locations, although often near large populations of humans. All attempts to cross through these portals have failed, even with the use of drones and other machinery. The demons have proven impossible to capture or study as their bodies rapidly decompose upon expiry and any that have been captured alive die before they can be transported to an appropriate facility to be researched.
Tears
Tears are the names given to the portals through which demons appear. They can vary massively in size but are usually round and cannot be seen through, being filled with a swirling layer of shadows. The edges of the portal flicker and shift, almost like a pixel glitch in reality. When they appear a dome of the same shadowy substance will spread with the portal at its epicenter, easily wide enough to conceal entire cities. This veil can be passed through easily but does obscure all within, making air support difficult to use and bombing runs a blind affair, not the kind of thing you’d want to inflict on a populated area. Despite humanities best efforts all attempts at passing through a tear have failed, with the portal repelling anything thrown at it.
A.I
Artificial intelligence, which I’m sure you all already knew.
Dumb A.I are, despite the name, actually highly intelligent and useful. They are only ‘dumb’ in the sense that they are not sentient and can only essentially do what they have been programmed to do.
Smart A.I are sentient artificial beings and are capable of more than even the most advanced dumb A.I. These A.I can only currently be found at C.A.M.P as they were created with the Seraph line of mechs in mind. In order to prevent Smart A.I from doing whatever they please there are limiters placed on their cores to restrain them from straying away from their purpose.
The smart A.I that are used at C.A.M.P are all named after various deities from around the world and were even allowed to choose their own names.
Mega cities
In an effort to make the most of the space left on Earth most cities stopped growing outwards and instead focused on reaching for the skies. The largest of these vertically sprawling cities are dubbed ‘mega-cities’. London, New York, Cairo, Tokyo and Berlin are just a few of the many cities that have been able to claim this title.
Aegis operator rigs
These are standard issue for any mech operator, although those made for gen lll operators have a few modifications to ensure they are compatible with their mechs.
Aegis rigs are a semi-powered light armour system that serves to protect operators in and out of their mechs, while simultaneously offering a seamless interface between man and machine. They somewhat resemble a futuristic motorcycle get up, complete with helmet. Armor and padding are placed at strategic points on the rig, increasing the amount of protection it can offer an operator without sacrificing flexibility. Although the neural link in gen lll mechs can be established without the helmet (By plugging itself directly into the back of an operator’s head) most prefer to use the helmet as go-between, plugging the link into the rear of the helmet.
Aegis rigs provide solid protection outside of mechs as well, should an operator end up in a hostile environment on foot. The gen lll models are even customized to match their respective Seraphs.
Operators
The name given to the individuals who pilot mechs. In most mechs this is a difficult task that demands a high skill level to pull off, even in the more mundane fields that mechs are used in such as agriculture.
Combat operators that are found in the military are some of the most highly skilled soldiers mankind has at its disposal, using their talents to pilot their unwieldy metal monsters around battlefields. There hadn’t been much need for mechs in this capacity before the Demons showed up, with terrorist groups being the most they had to deal with.
Gen lll ‘Seraph’ operators are a different story all together. The experimental program has recruited its operators from an extremely small pool of candidates, picked out from the population by the infamous ‘Operation Headache’. Once they sign up with C.A.M.P they undergo invasive surgery to make them compatible with their next generation mechs and A.I, which not only allows the all-important piloting process to be possible but should also increase the rate at which they learn the skills they need for the job. This is possible because their A.I will initiate a neural link and streamline the transition of information into the gen lll pilots, sometimes even depositing information directly without an outside source. There are some peculiar traits that all gen lll operators possess, the most obvious of which is that they are all orphans, and all lost a sibling along with their parents. The vast majority (97%) of these candidates lost their families in a Demon attack. They are all also quite young, ranging from 18-20 on average. Those deemed as suitable candidates can come from all over the world, as Operation Headache was a global effort that no child escaped. There is also no leaning towards a particular gender, physiology or nature so feel free to go wild with your character!
C.A.M.P HQ
C.A.M.P HQ is a colossal satellite structure in geosynchronous orbit over the Earth and is home to both operators and their Seraphs. At 43 square miles it is nearly the size of Dublin and has a vast population of resident staff backed up by thousands of automated drones. From a distance C.A.M.P HQ bares some resemblance to a jellyfish, with it’s huge domed surface giving way to a collection of pillar like structures jutting out from beneath it. HQ is equipped to be inhabited year round and as such has all the necessities, microgravity, oxygen producing gardens and automated defense systems, just in case. C.A.M.P HQ is overseen by Sia, the only smart A.I created for a purpose other than piloting a Seraph.
Despite its size C.A.M.P HQ is surprisingly mobile and can reposition with remarkable speed for such a large structure. This allows it to respond to incoming tears and move in order to deploy Seraphs as rapidly as possible via a series of mass drivers.
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