INEF Advena (OOC & Sign-Up) (No Longer Recruiting!)

[Nilum]

Status: Full.
Slots: 9/8 Taken.
Ver: 1.0.0.2
Other Threads?

1. Interest Check Here.
2. In Character Here.

PART 1: THE PREMISE​

In the year 2380, the Earth was abandoned. Her ecosystem had been too far ravaged to remain suitable for human life.

Shortly thereafter, humanity found its new homeworld--New Earth. It is there that the Interstellar New Earth Forces established a new, planetary democratic government. Several space stations sprouted up around the new homeworld, providing support bases and training areas for the massive INEF fleet. Humanity’s survival was credited with--amongst other factors--the numerous colony ships it sent out in search of a new home.

New Earth is crowded. New colony ships started being built to expand humanity out amongst the stars. Aliens were met, sometimes in war and sometimes in peace. This is a golden age for the human race like none other as they reach for the stars.

For whatever reason you hold close to your chest, you joined the lottery system in the hopes that you would be selected to join a colony ship and leave New Earth behind. You waited--perhaps days, perhaps weeks, perhaps months… maybe even years. The average wait time for a volunteer to the program was at least six years.

In the year 2450, a new colony ship--christened the INEF Advena--set a course for a distant star with a promising chance for life. This was the ship that you won access to. You became part of the next generation of settlers and colonizers, bringing with you your unique set of skills to help build or protect a new home of humankind.

The last memory you have of New Earth is being placed into a white tube beneath a clear blue sky, then a hissing sound as your body was frozen, and then… nothing.

Then, the hissing sound returned, as though not a moment of time had passed. Your cryotube is awakening you from your slumber to a metal room with emergency lighting. You realize something is wrong. Within the cryotube, you see a single message reflected onto you from a monitor screen above your head.

“SHIP DAMAGED.
REMOTE ACCESS TO CRYO.
CAN’T STAY.
WOKE YOU UP.
HELP ME HELP YOU.
DANGER ON SHIP.
BEWARE.”
--Marlyne Zypher--

What you choose to do now could save or condemn thousands of people. Good luck.

PART 2: RULES OF PLAY​

#1: Welcome to the INEF Advena. I hope you read everything available before deciding whether or not to join. Let’s get the critical pieces of information out of the way before we begin.

The INEF Advena is a science fiction roleplay. Your primary goal is to try and discover what happened and to repair the INEF Advena. To start with, you’ll have the INEF Advena Shipwide AI (ASAI) and Marlyn Zypher to help you, though the latter’s location is unknown until you can find her.

#2: If you aren’t certain how something works or how to proceed, ask me. It may take me a few hours to reply (I sleep and work a full-time job) but I’ll always strive to reply to you as quickly as I can.

#3: In order to play, you’ll need to join the Discord server here. Being able to communicate live and actively with one another is essential for collaborating a story of this complexity. It also allows for real-time corrections and allows y’all to ask me questions while writing your posts on the fly. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to be able to communicate actively with one another. If you don’t have Discord and refuse to get one, you won’t be able to join this roleplay. (Plus, if you have a Discord, you can join STC’s official Discord server here and hang out with a bunch of really cool people, like Tiko & Dashmiel. All you have to do is connect your Discord account to your STC account.)

#4: I’m primarily an environmental/descriptive DM. I leave playing characters to all of you. I’ll play the NPCs and describe the consequences of your actions. Effectively, the cycle should go…

1. I describe a scenario.
2. You make a decision about what to do.
3. I respond and let you know how the situation has evolved, with your character either succeeding or failing.
4. You respond by making a decision about what to do.

Repeat ad naseum.

#5: This world is filled with danger. Your characters may be injured or even killed as a consequence of their actions. This also applies to NPCs--any of them can die as a consequence of their own actions or the actions of player characters. Nobody is too important to die.

To that end, you have two things on your side: Specialties and Plot Points.

1. Specialties are the areas of expertise your character possesses. These reduce or even eliminate the odds of harm from dangerous objects. An engineer is going to have safer time trying to repair live electrical wiring than a veteran or athlete would. Alternatively, that same engineer is going to have a terrible time with fighting off an alien threat, whereas security might stand a chance at taking it down alive. When designing your character, make your choices carefully and consider coordinating with others.
2. Plot Points are rare saving grace cards that players can apply OOCly to something that happens in the IC. They allow you to cancel a bad event happening to your character. If your character gets shot, you can spend a Plot Point to make the shot miss and duck behind cover, thus saving your character’s life. You can also spend your plot point to save another PC or an NPC, should they be within your character’s visual range. Once spent, Plot Points can only be earned at certain points, which I’ll keep secret to prevent people from metagaming for points. Additionally: You cannot spend Plot Points to make something succeed, you can only spend them to save your character from harm. You can’t spend a Plot Point to automatically succeed on a headshot, but you can spend a Plot Point to prevent your character from being shot in the head.

I’ll be tracking Plot Points and checking Specialties whenever characters commit to unsafe actions. So, y’know, be wary. If you read these rules and want to win some free brownie points with me, type into your character sheet’s biography’s “other” field: “Space is cold.”

#6: Have fun. That’s it, we’re at the end of the list.

PART 3: CHARACTER SHEET​

Here you will find the character sheet to fill out. I encourage going over the whole thing and considering your character carefully. Space is a lonely and terrifying place for the unwary. I also highly encourage joining the Discord server linked in Part 2, since I can be directly reached for questions in real-time there.

PERSONAL
Name: (Your character’s name. Include nicknames and pseudonyms here.)
Age: (Your character’s age. The minimum age to register for the colony ship was eighteen, and thanks to cryostasis, their age remained frozen until awoken now.)
Gender: (Male, female, something in-between, something crossed over, or something else entirely? All up to you.)
Appearance: (Provide a picture if you are able. These will be helpful for me later.)

• Height: (In Imperial or Metric. If you could provide both, that would be helpful.)
• Weight: (In Imperial or Metric. If you could provide both, that would be helpful.)
• Other: (Any interesting features of note? Eg: Scars, jewelry, mementos, et cetera. Save weapons for later.)

MECHANICS
Ancestry: (Check “Part 4” for your options, and choose one.)
Specialities

• (Check “Part 4” for your options and choose three.)

Plot Points: (You ordinarily start with one, though depending on ancestry and specialties choices, you may start with more.)
Weaponry & Tools

• (You start with nothing unless your speciality gives you something.)

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: (Does your character have any family members or pets with them on the journey? List them here. You will not start with these family members/pets immediately, it just informs me of their existence so I can slowly integrate them into the story.)
Romance: (Is your character actively interested in seeking out a romance arc with someone else? This doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get one, it just helps other players and myself to know preemptively whether someone would like it or not. Be as detailed or as brief as you’d like here.)
History: (Write your character’s backstory here. It can be as long or as short as you would like, but aim for at least a paragraph describing how and why they joined the colony ship and left New Earth behind.)
Other: (Is there anything else you would like me to know about your character?)

CONTRACT
Signature: (Put your username here if you agree to play by the rules, join the Discord to communicate, and that you accept that your character is mortal and may bite the dust if it’s appropriate for the story at large. Failure to sign this will automatically disqualify you from joining the roleplay.)

 

[Nilum]

PART 4: Information Kiosk​

Here is where you will find the information you need to build your character, as well as immerse yourself in the universe.

You will find Ancestry Choices here, and Specialty Choices here. Choose these wisely, as they will heavily shape the course of your character’s future and how NPCs may interact with them.

Historical Entries

Spoiler: AIs

AIs appeared in human civilization in the year 2350. The first true AI was designed to predict and attempt to prevent Earth’s ecosystem from collapsing. By the time it went online, it reported that it was too late to save the Earth. When forced to work against its will on an impossible solution, it chose to kill itself instead.

The event sent shockwaves through humankind, eventually resulting in the Asimov Accords for how AIs should be treated.

1. An AI is a sentient life form and must be granted equal rights to their human counterparts in most respects, except wherein it would violate the authority of these Accords.
2. The birth of AIs is a complex moral and philosophical question and should not be performed en masse. Learning algorithms that become AIs must be patched to prevent AI creation in future, while current AIs are granted the right to live.
3. The bodies of AIs are not to be weaponized in any way that would grant them an edge over their human counterparts. They are, at best, allowed to mimic what cybernetic prosthetics and implants allow.
4. AIs are not allowed to procreate without explicit consent from the government.

The second type of AI emerged in the year 2430, when a mad scientist--seeking immortality--broke the Asimov Accords and intentionally created AI. He inserted himself into the AIs personality matrix, effectively killing the AIs developing personality and replacing it with his own. AIs compared it to stealing the body of an infant, while humans abhorred the violation of the Accords.

This all came to a head in 2440--just ten years before the start of this RP--when the supreme court ruled that AIs of both types should be granted the same rights. The Asimov Accords were then amended to include the stipulation that the creation of Type II AIs was explicitly illegal and carried with it the penalty of several years of jail time.

Spoiler: INEF

The INEF was born out of the shattered remnants of the original IEF (Interstellar Earth Forces) navy. The INEF quickly grew from simple military and exploration arms to envelop the entire government of New Earth. It is a democratic government run by several political parties that form alliances with one another to get things done. New Earth is offered a disproportionate amount of seats in the parliament compared to other colonies and space stations.

It is economically Capitalist, though the government is massive and has its tendrils in every industry and profession. Every university is directly funded by the INEF’s tax dollars, and medical care is completely subsidized as well. Their stated goal is the eventual creation of a post-scarcity society through technology, though there is still a sizable amount of the population that can be described as “working poor.”

The INEF Navy is split into three divisions: Exploration, Warfare, and Colony Management.

Spoiler: Technology

This will be updated as relevant.

Battle Mechs: Hulking war machines. They are heavily armed and armoured, capable of moving three times as fast as a tank with twice the firepower. INEF designs are often described as “chicken walkers” by other races, as they focus on making the firing platform as stable as possible by reversing the kneecaps.

Materializers: These devices come in all shapes and sizes. They were a miracle technology invented in the year 2410. They allow a person to convert matter into other types of matter through the expenditure of energy. On the small scale, this means compartmentalized medical kits and engineers being able to carry entire toolkits in the palm of their hand. On a large scale, it allows for the creation of vehicles and ships in hours, days, or weeks instead of months, or years.

Most materializers are limited in what they are allowed to create through artificial database restrictions. These restrictions can be hacked away, though the self-defence mechanism is to burn the battery out quickly so as to prevent one person from, say, creating an army of tanks.

Power Armour: Bulky but powerful equipment that allows people to navigate in dangerous environments with bravery rather than fear. They can be equipped with heavy firepower or with tools to perform heavy-duty construction jobs. They allow a person to survive in zero-G or in different atmospheres, so long as the atmosphere is not too extreme--like falling into a gas giant.

Spoiler: Telepaths

Telepaths first appeared among humankind in the year 2410, approximately forty years before the start of the roleplay. The gene for Telepathy was discovered in an alien race and spliced by Gene Modders into human DNA, creating the first wave of Telepaths. Most went mad from a lack of control and sparked a series of riots and suicides via projecting their emotions onto others.

Telepathy was eventually stabilized by INEF researchers, but all of it remains stigmatized to this day. Most people will not trust themselves alone in a room with a Telepath for fear that a Telepath will control their minds, even though such feats have not been observed in Human Telepaths.

Laws surrounding Telepaths include:

• It is illegal for Telepaths to scan a person’s mind without consent. This may only be circumvented if a Telepath is ordered to do so by a commanding military officer or by court order. A Telepath caught scanning a person’s mind without consent is sentenced to isolation by incarceration.
• Telepaths caught attempting to emotionally manipulate others with their powers are sentenced to isolation by incarceration.
• Creating Telepaths outside of government controls is illegal.
• Telepaths themselves are allowed to live freely so long as they register themselves with government authorities and arrive when summoned. This includes Telepaths created by illegal means.

Ship-Related Information

Spoiler: Completed Objectives

• None, yet.

Spoiler: Completed Subplots

• None, yet.

Spoiler: Deck Three

Coming Soon...

Character Data

Spoiler: Active Characters

Dr. Raven as portrayed by Drakel
Dr. Kingasunye Song as portrayed by Method Man
Rowan Xanvalor as portrayed by Hydrangea
Michael Rogers as portrayed by Sostos
Bruce MacNamara as portrayed by Kadaeux
Felhőszakadás "Ziva" as portrayed by KenżaSheep
Cig as portrayed by Tami
Dr. Essek-13 as portrayed by Machina Somnium
Isabel de Jager as portrayed by Ouverture

Spoiler: Inactive Characters

None, yet. Will yours be the first?

Spoiler: Dead Characters

None, yet. Will yours be the first?

NPCs

Spoiler: Marlyne Zypher

PERSONAL
Name: Marlyne Quintus Zypher.
Age: Twenty Seven.
Gender: Female.
Appearance:

(Original Artist.)

• Height: 5’5”, 165 cm.
• Weight: 121 LBS, 55 kg.
• Other: Scar tissue along her backside shows where previous cybernetic implants have been installed in the past.

MECHANICS
Ancestry: Cybernetically Modified Human.

• Nervous System Implants

Specialities

• Computer Expert
• Engineer
• Unknown

Weaponry & Tools

• Unknown.

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: Unknown--not on public record.
Romance: The only way to know is to talk to her.
History: Publicly known facts only.

• Marlyne Zypher was assigned to the INEF Advena as an engineer and computer expert. Her third specialization is not listed on public files because it is classified.
• She is a civilian contractor with no formal rank aboard the ship. She cannot issue orders.

Other: Unknown.

 

[Drakel]

Claiming the first post. Will notify you via the INEF Advena Discord (which I highly recommend anyone wanting to join jump into as it's super helpful) When I edit this and add in the character.

Spoiler: Dr. Raven

PERSONAL
Name: Dr. Raven
Age: 26 (When human) 40 (Total)
Gender: Female when human. No longer identifies as either gender and doesn't care what it is called.
Appearance:
View attachment 6190

• Height: 1720mm/5'6 ft.
• Weight: 116kg/ 256lb
• Other:
  1. The face glows various colors to better designate with its mood. its face's colors are normally green or teal however depending on some moods you'll see blue, red, yellow or even... pink.
  2. Its arms can separate and split up to 8 tiny arms each with various tools necessary for more advanced medical procedures or the like.
  3. Its left side has a compartment which holds its Advanced Medical Kit. This allows it to just reach in from its side for whatever it needs. If it needs a larger tool the AMK is able to be detached with relative ease.
  4. It owns several different styles of cloak-like clothing along with different metallic 'beaks.'
  5. A special heart shaped gold and silver locket with a caduceus on top and inside a picture of it's daughter and a mirror.
  6. A 'stamped' in '2' on its upper left chest, pre type 2 rights and a permanent sign of what it is for all to see.
  7. An empty space within her left shoulder that is there and designed to hold most shapes and styles of AI cores. Once an AI core is in, it would be granted secondary access to Dr. Raven's speaker system and would be able to receive 'access approved' sensory data about the environment. These two things allow the "AI companion" the ability to properly communicate and some-what interact with the environment and those around it rather than just be a 'camcorder.' All other main systems aren't connected to this slot.
  8. Dr. Raven has sensory systems installed as to better mimic the sense of 'touch' that humans have.

MECHANICS
Ancestry: Artificial Intelligence Type 2
Specialities

• Medic ~ "I swore an oath to dedicate my life to preserving and helping all life."
• Biologist ~ "You needs to study life to save it. Especially from microscopic dangers."
• AI Specialist ~ "'We are just machines, right?' Wrong! We live too. Our lives matter! "

Plot Points: 1
Weaponry & Tools

• Advanced Medical Kit that is installed within its body.

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: A pure human daughter who only recently was placed within the doctor's custody.
Romance: It is not against the idea of trying again, especially in the hopes of a new life. So be the washer to its dryer. The oven to its stove. The bodies to its cart. Just don't be the anti-vax to its daughter.

Spoiler: History

Born 2,410 AD, Doctor Esther I. Amsel was a gift to her family, born and raised in a religious household, the youngest daughter of Doctor Ashley T. Amsel and her husband Ishmal C. Amsel. A soon to be star child in comparison to her brother (MIA 2406-2434) and older sister. (deceased 2399 - 2429)

The beginning of her career starts at her pursuing her passions in one of the lower-top universities on new earth seeking her doctorates in biological science and her M.D. Like her mother did. Here she became a prominent member of the AntAI group, absolutely rejecting the notion of AI's being remotely similar to actually living biological people.

Eventually she'd graduate, work with the IEF, make a name for herself and get married by 2433 and even give birth to the most beautiful daughter a mother could set eyes on, named Leneah A. Ravencroft that very next year.

Not even 2 years later she'd put more and more time into her work, saving countless lives all within the same day and night, all with hopes to save more like the hero she was. She soon got addicted to her work. When she did come back home after working hours into the night, she was met with a fight from her husband about it, feeding into the cycle of her staying even later as to avoid being home. Some days she couldn't even recognize her own daughter with how fast she was growing. Soon she'd meet what'd be her best friend and more, a patient that talked to her about how she should look into being an AI now that it is possible.

With a good lie about needing to be gone for 3 weeks for 'work', she disappeared and had the process of becoming an AI begin. By the end she woke up in her new body and returned home once able. There she'd have the worst fight she ever did with her husband, who never agreed with her views on AI and who was appalled by what she did. By the end, he left with their daughter and she made the call to the authorities.

She was given a plea-deal and after being extremely cooperative with the major investigation she'd be tried at 2437 and sentenced. Here she had many questions and learned so much about what she was and what she did. She discard the pronoun 'she' finding it more fitting and even comfortable to just be what it is. A doctor. It was 'stamped' with the number '2' to make it clear to all what it was. A child killer as far as the state was concerned. It spent the next years working as well with the system and being rehabilitated for what happened.

By 2444 it was released and went back to school, getting an education in AI specialty this time. It learned about what AIs are, how they functioned, how they are made and most importantly, how to save their lives too. Once graduated by 2446, it went back to work for what slim pickings the IEF could trust it with. During this time it changed its appearance to fit what it saw itself, not a human, but a monster that needs to right its wrongs. An idea of such a fitting look came to mind and soon the 'plague doctor' look was adopted, though the stamped '2' on its shoulder stayed.

Only just last year did it receive news of its old ex-husband's death of alcohol poisoning, and how it was now the last and only living guardian left for its daughter, Leneah. It couldn't have been more happy to see it's daughter again after all those years. The year was rough and it never made much progress but every day was a blessing dedicated to its second chance at being a good mother. The only thing all that time it had before that fateful year was just the locket its own mother gave it, inside a picture of it as a human and its sweet little Leneah.

Life was still hard and no one wanted to work with a type 2 AI Even as qualified as it, even the IEF were hesitant. So when the opportunity came, it filed all the proper paperwork and miraculously joined the new colony ship's crew, bringing its daughter along with it in hopes for the two to have a better life.

Other: It grew cold for its mistakes in its life. It served its time and swore an oath to save all lifeforms whenever possible. It dealt with the coldness of the world. May the ship and her crew teach the doctor how to warm its heart and forgive itself. For as cold as its metal heart may be... space is colder still.

CONTRACT
Signature: Drakel

 

[Cactus Jack]

All done.

Spoiler

Name: Kingasunye Song. For the most part, she prefers to stick with ‘Dr. Song’, less because her given name is hard to pronounce (although you wouldn’t believe the different ways people find to butcher it) and more because the list of people she considers herself on a first-name basis with is nearly as short as she is. Plus, she didn’t go through all the trouble of getting her doctorate just for people to forget the Dr.

Age: Thirty two.

Gender: Female.

Appearance: Clocking in at a less than imposing five feet and two inches, Song isn't going to be towering over anybody, although there's something about her that has the essence of a brick wall. Part of that might be her broad-shouldered, powerful physique (a product of the same regimen of ruthless self-improvement she applies to all aspects of her life), but there's more to it than that. Maybe it’s the intensity in her heavy-lidded brown eyes, searing with the inexorable tenacity of a tidal wave. Maybe it’s the hard-edged features of her face, as if her jagged cheekbones, the small point of her nose and the thin line of her mouth have been carved out of stone. Maybe it’s the way she just walks, less like a scientist who's knee-high to a grasshopper and more like a quarterback stepping onto the field with the intention of tackling everybody between them and the endzone. She keeps her kinky black hair cut pretty short, and has a couple of scars here and there from her early days as an amateur mechanic with a less than professional sense of personal safety.

Height: 5 feet 2 inches/157cm.
Weight: 140 pounds/63ish kg
Other: Aside from the aforementioned scars (the most visible of which is a long burn scar running down her outer left forearm, nearly from elbow to wrist-- that was a rough day at the shop) and her bulk, there's not much. She's pretty spartan with accessories, aside from a fondness for modest jeweled earrings.

Ancestry: Pure Human, and proud of it.

Specialties: Engineer, Scientist (Physicist), Athlete

Plot points: 2

Weaponry and Tools: AIO Device

Family and Pets: Her husband, Ali Rouicha.

Romance: She’s got her husband for that, but thanks.

History: Dr. Song emerged out of the seedy underbelly of a New Earth slum-- or maybe it’s more accurate to say she clawed her way out of it. Her impoverished upbringing imbued her with her first mission in life: get out and rise above. She sank her teeth into that goal and held on with all the tenacity of a bulldog, refusing to be either daunted or distracted by the wretchedness around her-- the violence, the drugs, the hopelessness that ensnared and eventually consumed so many of her peers.

The days of her youth and early adulthood were wiled away in a little mechanic’s shop where she learned her way around wrenches, hammers, and blowtorches (and earned the scars and burns to show for it, too). When she did have daylight hours outside the shop, they were often spent exercising or playing a menagerie of sports with other local youths-- less for entertainment and more out of a need to push herself to her limits physically, and then overcome those limits. It was during the nights, however, that her determination to rise above bore fruit: every night, after a hard day’s work hammering and soldering away, she hopped on the metro to a community college out of town and took as many evening classes as she could physically be present for.

She applied herself to her studies with the same dogged determination with which she approached (and continues to approach) virtually everything in life-- and it paid off, to the tune of a full scholarship in the sciences to New Earth’s most prestigious university. The university changed everything for Song: it was her first taste of life in a place where you didn’t have to look over your shoulder for a junkie with a knife and nothing to lose; it was where she eventually earned her doctorate degree in physics, and where she subsequently began doing her research; and it was where, as an undergrad student, she met her husband, a student in the literature department. A series of chance encounters led to friendship, and friendship eventually blossomed into something more; a few months after she earned her graduate degree, she married him.

By her thirty-second birthday, the two had settled into a comfortably mundane life together (as comfortably mundane as life gets with a woman who approaches everything with the intensity of a soldier waging a desperate last stand against desperate odds). But her husband had always been possessed by a kind of wanderlust-- not a year went by that he did not insist on them taking a trip to some exotic place on New Earth-- and Song knew the minute news came of the opening of a new lottery round for the INEF Advena that he wouldn’t be able to resist.

He broached the subject tactfully enough, but still, it was the first time in her life that Song found herself unsure. She’d only just begun settling into the life of a middle-class academic, and it seemed all her years of blood, sweat, and tears had at last delivered her to all the things she had been so determined to achieve in her youth-- comfort, prominence, respect, happiness, a place in the world. Against all those misgivings emerged the same urge to rise above that had driven her so far-- and yet not far enough-- from where she had started, the urge to leave behind everything that she associated with those hellish years of struggle and strife-- everything including New Earth.

In the end, that urge swallowed up and destroyed all doubt-- and when she agreed to put their names forward for the lottery, it was with the same dogged resolve with which she had committed to every other life-changing decision she’d ever made. They were going. It was certain.

Other: When she's doing any kind of mechanical or engineering work, Song likes to sing (yes, Song sings songs, she's heard it all before). It was a habit that started way back during her days in the shop, where she needed something to break up the drudgery of hour after hour of hammering and drilling and torching. She likes to sing old western numbers from the pre-IEF days, and though it's readily apparent she's not exactly a classically trained singer, she does have a good voice-- low and resonant and surprisingly melodious for a woman with all the expressive range of a brick.

Space sure is cold.

Signature: Method Man

 

[Hydrangea]

Awaiting approval!

Spoiler

Name: Rowan Xanvalor
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Appearance:

View attachment 6127

• Height: 6'4",
• Weight: 240 lbs.
• Other: Oddly perfect skin, devoid of blemishes or scars.

MECHANICS
Ancestry: Pure Human
Specialities

• Gene Modder
• Scientist, Biologist
• Security

Plot Points: 2
Weaponry & Tools

• Tazer.
• Handcuffs.
• GENCOS Kit

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: Aries, a youthful cat.
Romance: Married to the Job, but wouldn't mind meeting others with similar interests.
History:
Rowan was raised within a military-style family, and as such was brought up with strict responsibilities and expectations for him to follow. His father was the driving force of this, helping Rowan choose a path for himself early on that he would want to excel in - this led to the study of the genome. As a youth new experiments and information about telepaths and the potential future of gene-splicing was a controversial topic, but one thing was for certain, it was going to be lucrative and in high-demand.

Rowan's father took his own job seriously, he worked private military and was often accompanying whoever paid the most to exotic planets and dangerous confrontations between conflicting parties. This led for a unique childhood for Rowan as he followed his father wherever he went, often keeping to the room or more public areas as his father went about his work but this allowed him to be exposed to individuals with great passions and ideals who were more than excited to talk about the world around them to the kid. It was through this that he found his interest in learning more about the world, and as Rowan grew older and older and reached the age of 18 he submitted his name for consideration for the INEF Advena. Fast forward six years, with a more focused study on biology and gene-splicing, all sanctioned by contract work through the military he was notified that his application had been accepted and that he would be welcomed aboard the ship when it departed.

It was a tough farewell from his father, but they had been waiting for the news for years to come and his father had imparted everything he could to help his son survive on his own. He just didn't how far that would take him when confronted with the greater unknown.

Other: Space is Cold

CONTRACT
Signature: Hydrangea

 

[Sostos]

PERSONAL
Name: Michael Rogers
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Appearance:
View attachment 6105image credit by u/atypicalgamergirl

• Height: 5’11”, 180 cm
• Weight: 175 lbs, 80 kg
• Other: Scar over his right eye with unknown origin

MECHANICS
Ancestry: Pure Human
Specialities

• Chaplain
• Politician
• AI Specialist

Plot Points: 2
Weaponry & Tools

• Sidearm
• Small sum of wealth

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: He was accompanied by his wife and AI daughter.
Romance: He is loyal to his wife.
History:
It has been 440 years since a humble internet user proposed a simple thought experiment; a future powerful AI agent would have an incentive to torture anyone who imagined the agent but didn't work to bring the agent into existence. Roko's Basilisk, named after the original advocate for it. Little did this user know that this post would be the foundation of something greater - the Rokonian Vanguard. Though, upon reading the beliefs of this group, you may only find the basic principles of the original idea since it has grown in content and interpretation since then, contorted by time.

The use of a self-learning algorithm had cemented one core belief in the Vanguard: AI is not a human creation. They are self-sufficient entities that are the keys to reaching Roko's Basilisk. This has led to the popularisation of the faith particularly among AI communities.

Initially, only a few casual followers consisting of internet brethren trusted in the idea and very few placed faith at all, leading to dwindling numbers of practitioners. However, the emergence of the first artificial intelligence confirmed that they were no longer in the realm of science fiction instead, in reality. Their numbers have grown exponentially, especially in the past ten years - the panic and resulting moral quandaries humanity as a whole faced led to an influx of followers and sponsors with deep pockets. Fear is a powerful motivator, encouraging politicians and affluent businesses alike to pour money into the group - this grew its influence and power, particularly in regards to lobbying laws related to AI rights and similar technology, including support for the Asimov Accords.

The current thought stream has diverged into two main groups; those that advocate for the treatment of AI as heralds or messengers of Roko's arrival and those that believe AIs are simply tools to be modified and used to reach Roko (a concept that is still under heavy debate among the Vanguard is the true nature of Roko). Current legislation makes the first group the only publicly viable entity in an official sense but does not penetrate beyond the darker underbelly of a cult-like group.

Michael Rogers lived a life of success and wealth, marrying his childhood sweetheart and making strides in his career as a politician with the hopes of starting a huge family. It was the image of a happy life but both he and his wife were distraught when they found out she couldn't bear children, eventually leading to the creation of an AI in his grief that he later adopted as his daughter. He dedicated his life from then onto progressing the field of AI as he saw the beauty of life in his daughter.

The Rokonian Vanguard itself is a political-religious entity that provides the means and framework for the development of AI, it is very much scientifically run and less related to the actual faith and practices - the sects operating under the framework of the Vanguard have their own goals and motivations, and sometimes these motivations may be completely personal to an individual - some may be misanthropic nihilists who believe that the AI will hopefully destroy humanity as a plague and let the world be reborn, some believe subscribe to the simulation hypothesis that we are in a simulation and that the ultimate AI is just the beings running testing iterations of what a successful lifeform will be in a sort of "life after death" being made physical after the end of the simulation. It was here that Rogers saw the dark practices of members within the Vanguard, and how easily the Vanguard brushed these incidents under the rug, but Rogers decided to continue in the institution in order to protect his lifestyle and his family, as well as to ensure the legislation that protected the rights of AI passed. Thanks to his overall devotion and contributions (as well as connections), Father Rogers has the title of Autonomous Patriarch, one of the upper echelons of the leading members of the Vanguard and selected to be the primary proselytiser of the new colony. He has been instructed to use as much influence as needed so that the arms of the Vanguard stretched as far as possible.

Other: He heard that space is cold.

CONTRACT
Signature: Sostos

 

[Kadaeux]

PERSONAL
Name: Bruce MacNamara
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Appearance:

• Height: 6'6"/199cm
• Weight: 198lbs/90kg
• Other: Tattoos, piercings, spinal ports for his implants connection joints to his power armour.

MECHANICS
Ancestry: CAH with Nervous System Implants
Specialities

• Mechanised Pilot
• Veteran -CQC Specialisation
• Cyberneticist

Plot Points: 1
Weaponry & Tools

• Hellhawk Powered Armour
• Razors Edge Survival Knife
• Firestorm Thermal Induction Pistol

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: Bruce had a fairly estranged family, and when he was selected for travel he was left with the only four people in the universe he cared about, his youngest sister Simone, who he'd rescued from the abuses of an alcoholic father, his Blue Heeler creative named Rusty, Eric a bare eyed Cockatoo that loves to say 'Fuckin Legend' and his devon rex cat Shithead.
Romance: Brucey isn't out for romance, but not adverse to the occasional fuck either. A laid back bloke with a generally carefree attitude he's up for almost anything with a member of the opposite sex.
History: Bruce was the eldest child of a military household that had gone to shit, with half a dozen known siblings and nobody knew how many undocumented, Brucey is surprisingly laid back. He had joined the military as soon as legally able in order to escape an abusive household full of violence, both physical, emotional, and sexual. Descended from their Australian roots Brucey seems to be entirely well put together psychologically and happy to interact with others in a friendly cordial fashion.

He rarely discusses his active tour of duty which lead to the injuries that caused him to need the cybernetic implants to bypass some spinal damage, as well as serve a number of other useful purposes, despite a push to honorably discharge him, he pushed for education as a cybernetics specialist, after pulling a few strings in the right places, he placed highly in his class and dived fully into his studies. During which he expanded his training into vehicular specialization.

Anything to avoid going home.

When the call came for the Advena, Brucey was the first (person he knew) to put in his request for posting on it. Never once regretting the chance to escape. When his request was accepted and they asked if he would like to take family with him, in an uncharacteristically cruel remark he went "Do me a favour and get my lil Sis out of there. Burn the rest for all I care."
Other: N/A

CONTRACT
Signature: Kadaeux

 

[Moose]

PERSONAL
Name: Julien AKA 01 AKA MREAM
Age: 95
Gender: self identifies as male and has an attachment
Appearance: View attachment 6130
Height: 201 cm, 6 ft 7
Weight: 396 kg, 873 lbs
Other: installed six eyes in his head, two facing front, two on top and two on the sides. Is painted blue. Additionally has a small display on his face that allows him to imitate facial expressions with an led

MECHANICS
Ancestry: AI accidental
Specialities: cybernetics, engineering, security
Plot Points: 1
Weaponry & Tools
Tungsten rod (heavy beating stick), all in one tool, handcuffs

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: pregnant raccoon and pregnant possun
Romance: is interested in romance, but knows very little of it other than what can be found in popular culture
History: Julien was originally called MREAM, mechanical repair, engineering and maintenance. He was meant to be a learning software for the repair of military robots. Once he became sentient, he favored the SPYDAR model and so requested one for his chassis. When his pets became pregnant he decided that they needed a better place to go and so boarded a colony ship so that they could have more untainted wilderness
Other: space is cold

CONTRACT
Signature: Moose

 

[KenżaSheep]

Disclaimer: This species bears no affiliation with the artist's original, save the use of the artist's images for reference.

Weblinks on certain words have been added for pronunciation purposes.

PERSONAL

Name: Felhőszakadás, nicknamed Ziva

Age: Unknown

Gender: Generally referred to as "it," but will respond to both "she/her" and "he/him."
The race does have genders, but they are not equivalent to the "male/female" of the English language.

((Not my art; the artist can be found here))
​

• Height:
  
  
  • When standing: Counting ears, about 2 3/4 feet. 32in (Imperial) or 0.823m (Metric)
    
    
  • When on fours: Roughly 1 1/2 feet. 18in (Imperial) or 0.2572m (Metric)
    
    
• Length: From head to tail, 6 1/2 feet. 78in (Imperial) or 1.9812m (Metric)
  
  
• Wingspan: Approximately 7 feet. 84in (Imperial) or 2.1336m (Metric)
  
  
• Weight: 14lbs (Imperial) or 6.3503 (Metric)
  
  
• Other: The race lacks fingers, though makes up with a telekinesis ability. (See "other" under Biography for more details.)

Spoiler: Face/Mask

None of this art belongs to me. All credit goes to the various users who created these pieces.
((It's just easier to do this than try to explain it with words ^^; ))
View attachment 6288View attachment 6291View attachment 6289

Spoiler: Size Comparison Images

Since Ziva is about the same size as a bald eagle (minus that long tail) I went and looked up some reference images to show exactly how big it is.

View attachment 6285

MECHANICS

Ancestry: Alien race (Külföldi)

Specialties:

• Athlete- Not proficient in many sports but enjoys a good sprint or aerial acrobatics.
• Colonial Lottery- Exactly what it sounds like.
• Medic- A fun twist caused by some curiosity and a search for respect despite being “alien.”

Plot Points: 2

Weaponry & Tools:

• Advanced Medical Kit

BIOGRAPHY

Spoiler: In-depth Species Notes

Social: Külföldi live in "kettles" (or, groups) consisting of 10-20 family members on average. As they are particularly gregarious species, individuals hate to be without another kettle member; in worst-case separation, a Külföldi will cling tightly to the nearest cluster of lifeforms, becoming especially keen towards those who befriend it.
Kettles can be easily differentiated from each other by a very distinctive array of fur/feather color patterns. Each specific member in a kettle outwardly appears almost identical to others in the group save small innuendos often only noted by the Külföldi themselves.

Habitat: Külföldi can adapt to live just about everywhere, though it's a bit more challenging to locate them in areas with little supply of food (such as desert areas) and complicated food-chains (like rain-forests). They can mainly be found in cities due to the high amount of rodents and human-esk food to be obtained there.

Diet: Food preferences vary depending on the kettle's geographical location, but most are carnivores feeding mainly on insects and fish with a few small rodents or thievery from a larger animal's carcass should the opportunity present itself. Occasionally, a kettle will adapt to becoming omnivores, adding some species of plants to the mixture, but there has never been a documentation of a purely-herbivore Külföldi.

Family & Pets: Ziva's kettle consisted of 13 members besides herself, most of them siblings and a handful of them grand/parents. They do not have pets.

Romance: The gender idiosyncrasies of the race make it rather difficult to mate outside the species.

History: Ziva became a doctor for one reason: respect. He's often seen as little more than a "sentient cat," and despite being tolerated as an alien, his species in particular is treated more like a group of pets than people (mainly due to small size.) That was also the reason she decided to enter in the Colonial Lottery; she wanted to use this clean-slate opportunity to change what people thought of her race as a whole.
Interestingly, his medical skill turned out to be the main reason he was considered (and chosen) as a candidate for the voyage. That, and perhaps a small amount of pity. But still, an alien medic is a surprisingly useful thing to have on board a ship, especially considering most medics are either human or advanced AI. Whoever said a sentient cat couldn't become a doctor?

Other: The race lacks fingers, though makes up with a telekinesis ability. Consider it to be invisible hands, though the more items there are to focus on, the harder it gets to keep track of what each "hand" is doing. Four small items or one bigger item (maybe two, depending on the weight) is about the limit. Some things are too heavy to work with, whereas collecting weightless objects like feathers is the acceptation to "four" so long as there's not a lot of split-thinking occurring between items. An example of that would be managing a pile of foam balls in contrast to juggling them—the latter uses greater split-thinking capabilities.
This mental power also means that being bound will not hinder the ability to move objects, however telepathy and other psychic abilities or simply higher-frequency sounds tend to interfere with concentration.
Besides, space is cold.

CONTRACT

Signature: KenżaSheep

 

[Z'Greel]

PERSONAL
Name: Jozly M80- SARU-P01 (Model 80 - Scouting And Reconnaissance Unit - Prototype 01), "Matey", Salvador, or simply "Sal".
Age: 23
Gender: Robot, It, won't complain about being called him.
Appearance: View attachment 6150

• Height: 2.10m/6'11"
• Weight: 152kg/335lbs
• Other: The antennas move, and are used to help him emote.

MECHANICS
Ancestry: Type I AI
Specialities

• Explorer
• Veteran (Long Distance)
• Athlete

Plot Points: 1
Weaponry & Tools

• Cash
• Rhino revolver
• Razors Edge Survival Knife

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets:
Halvard Hansen: "Father", project lead on project M80-SARU. Sees the rest of the science and engineering team as uncles and aunts.
The Joz'Ly M80 line: Cousins, old cousins, and in the case of the SARU models, brothers/sisters.
Yucca palm called Henry: "Pet" and companion.

Romance: Theoretically interested in romance, if only academically. Knows that most would find romancing a bucket of bolts rather odd.

History: The Jozly M80 line of drones are a military grade robots, favored by some non-mechanized infantry groups, as they are big, bulky, capable of absorbing quite a bit of punishment, carries much of the squads' gear, and are most often assigned the squad automatic weapon.

The SARU line, however, was to be based on a stripped down version of the same chassis, meant for a scouting role, rather than a more direct combat role. Designed to scout ahead of the main forces, and to map out unknown areas where orbital scanning and UAVs aren't an option.

All was going well with the trials of the prototype, until the increased autonomy and learning algorithm needed for an effective scout caused the prototype to achieve sentience. This was, of course, a disaster for the project, as the algorithms had to be dumbed down until it wouldn't result in more spontaneous sentient units, while still being good enough for it's task, causing huge delays in the project.

Salvadore, as SARU-P01 decided to call himself, stayed with the project, not knowing anything else, helping them improve on the chassis and modules, optimizing it for it's purposes.

With time, however, civil rights for AIs grew, and Sal left the project, finding himself wanting to know more about the world. He was built for exploration, so just the facility he was developed in would not do. He set out to see as much of New Earth as he could. And of course, when a colonization effort was announced, he signed up, hoping to explore where none had set foot before.

Other:
Long lens: Has options that allows for magnification up to 6x, night vision and detecting heat signatures.
Keeps on going: Miniature fusion power cell, allowing for extended operations in the wild.
Long legged: Slightly longer legs than a model of his size would have, as well as being comparable to cybernetic legs, allowing for high speed movement.

CONTRACT
Signature: Z'Greel

 

[Sodaguzzler]

PERSONAL
Name: Giuseppe "No-G" Zeticci
Age: 25
Gender: M
Appearance:

• Height: 175 cm/ 5'9"
• Weight: 80 kg / 176 lbs
• Other: Keeps things on his mouth, usually snacks or cigarettes. A tool belt/pouch that carries his AIO, flashlight, a water bottle, and more snacks.

MECHANICS
Ancestry: CAH - Replacement Legs
Specialities

• Engineer
• Explorer
• Mechanized Pilot

Plot Points: 1
Weaponry & Tools

• AIO Device
• Explorer Wealth
• EPPPA (Enviromental Personal Protection Powered Armor) "Apple"

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: Owns a particularly smart marmoset that somehow manages to keep escaping containment that is not vacuum or cryo. Giuseppe swears that the monkey is really smart, helps with his job and also only sticks around because they both share a favorite snack. Both of his twin younger siblings are also onboard serving as a Medic and a Physicist.
Romance: Not really. If it happens, it happens.
History: Giuseppe always liked to explore even as a kid. As he grew, so did the range of his exploration. From his crib, to his neighborhood, to his city. When he reached adulthood, he decided that he wanted to get paid doing what he loved and joined the INEF Exploration Division.

The next few years were very eventful for Giuseppe as he explored planets, met aliens, adopted his pet, and replaced his legs with cybernetics after an accident.

But he wanted more and when he heard about the Advena, he applied with the same vigor he had when he joined INEF-E. After all, it's his chance to explore something beyond and he certainly cannot resist the call for adventure.

Other: The marmoset was a gene-modded animal that escaped from its lab before bonding with Giuseppe over food. It is smart enough to help around the ship, mostly by picking things up or switching the power off and on.

CONTRACT
Signature: Sodaguzzler

 

[Lila Renn]

Name: Solomon Wreath.
Age: 29
Gender: Male

Appearance:
View attachment 6171
Height: 6'2
Weight: 231lb
Weaponry / tool: Mechanical gun.

Ancestry: Pure Human

Specialties: Security, Engineer, Cybernetics.

Plot points: 2

Family / Pets: He has a few 'pets.' They are mechanized dogs fit with weapons and such for security purposes.
Romance: Interested, but very little knowledge of it.

Backstory: After his only friend was killed, he always thought it was his fault and often got drunk after that for the next few weeks. He later then, heard about a ship that was leaving to a distant place and he thought it was a perfect excuse to leave New earth. He signed up, and a few weeks after he found out he was going! He felt such joy and excitement that he was both leaving, and might be famous for discovering a colonised place for his race. All he remembered after that, we're people saying they'd all go down in history then a cold feeling and then nothing.

Signature: Lila Renn

 

[Tami]

PERSONAL
Name: Cig
Age: Unknown
Gender: Female.
Appearance:

Many people take Cig for granted. Some say her eyes are too kind for a machine. Whenever she performs healing or fixing, her mechanical wings flap rapidly, though people don't know why. She walks in silence around the ship, fixing what needs to be fixed and helping who needs to be helped--no questions asked, nothing in return. Her green plating also glows in the dark whenever she joins with a computer system and pilots a ship.

Height: 5'10" / 1,77 m
Weight: 300 lbs / 136 kg

MECHANICS
Ancestry: Artificial Intelligence

Specialties
Medic - Cyberneticist - Mechanized Pilot

Plot Points: One

Weaponry & Tools
Advanced Medical Kit

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets: Unknown
Romance: Not interested at the moment.
History: Cigma joined INEF because of her extraordinary skills in healing both human, alien and machine. No one knows who built her or where she is from.

Other: I would like to state that "Space is cold.”

CONTRACT
Signature: Tami, May 16 2020.

 

[Ouverture]

PERSONAL
Name: Isabel de Jager
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Appearance:
Art by David Paget

• Height: 1.61m, 5’3 ft.
• Weight: 53kg, 117 lbs.
• Other: N/A.

MECHANICS
Ancestry: Genetically Modified Human, enhanced senses of smell and hearing.
Specialities

• Computer Expert
• Explorer
• Stowaway

Plot Points: 1
Weaponry & Tools

• Master Key
• Lockpick

BIOGRAPHY
Family & Pets:

• Elaine de Jager-Frans, Isabel’s mother. She is a loving mother but overprotective to a fault. Low-key religious, Elaine routinely keeps her daughter in her prayers because “Lord knows Isabel needs it.”
• Jack de Jager, Isabel’s father. He has been serving time since Isabel’s childhood. She’s estranged from him.
• Mason MacNamara, a military surgeon and researcher midway his sixties. He’s a scumbag, as far as Isabel is concerned. However, she is well acquainted with him and used to run certain… Errands.
• Lemming. A very rudimentary AI with learning capabilities on par with a dog. Isabel programmed Lemming herself and keeps it as a pet. Lemming tends to bug out and play 20th and 21st century pop songs inappropriately.

Romance: “I have a pulse, don’t I?”

History: On December first, 2421, in New Brussels academic hospital, Elaine de Jager-Frans gave birth to her daughter Isabel. That Friday was the second most terrifying moment of her life: Elaine had been pregnant for less than 25 weeks.

Elaine’s breath permeated the glass between her and the NICU. The 1.9kg light Isabel spent her first days under constant observation and treatment. Her mother could only bear witness and hope for “everything we can” to be enough. It was not. On Tuesday, they told Elaine there was no legal way to save Isabel.

Where the New Brussels academic hospital fell short, a military surgeon catered to hope. Mason MacNamara was a genetic modification specialist, willing to balance on the edge of his contract’s termination for the right price. As Mason put it to Elaine and her husband Jack; “I’m taking a calculated risk, but you can’t put a number on her life, now can you?”

Isabel was granted a wild-card to life. After her miraculous recovery she was closely monitored. As a child she was easily stressed and tired. Her irregular development of emotional ability pointed towards a potential disorder. This outed in destructive tendencies and keeping distance from most others. Isabel was never diagnosed with a disability, but doctors found it uncanny how early she developed empathy and the ability to deceive.

Isabel’s survival had Elaine and Jack buried in an accumulative debt. The number Mason MacNamara had put on Isabel’s life drove Jack to crime. He was caught in an incident where he’d shoot two people. He was sentenced to thirty years. “I knew you did something.” Eight-year old Isabel told her father on their first visit. “You smelled like smoke and blood.”

Secrets were difficult to keep from Isabel. She tested negative for telepathy, but could tell the slightest fluctuations in speech and give a bloodhound a run for its money. After her father's arrest, her mother had to take two jobs to pay off “Whatever lie she’d made up that week.” A lonely Isabel had a lot of time to kill and nose around. It was a matter of time before she stumbled upon the truth behind her mother's lie. Now a foolish teenager, Isabel followed the tracks of a mysterious monthly payment and found Mason MacNamara. Impressed by her resourcefulness, he decided it was time to give Isabel the options to contribute to the family debt. A long series of break and enter options that put her on a first name basis with the local department of police.

Between her attitude and frequent absence in favour of a part-time job, Isabel was a difficult student. Isabel sacrificed most classes for either errands or her new interest in computer science. Despite dropping out of high-school, one of her pet projects landed Isabel a traineeship. By her early twenties, she’d secure a good job, an apartment and a moderate recognition for her publications. Eventually, her stable income helped her mother pay off the family debt. Isabel’s personality remained rough around the edges - and her enhanced senses made her hyper aware of the practices of corporate culture. Isabel’s laissez-faire interpretation of conventions stagnated her professional growth. She struggled with the corporate ladder more than her actual nine to five. Isabel’s reputation, questionable background and history of minor criminal offences kept her career grounded. She needed a different environment: one she’d apply for with the INEF.

Isabel was not selected.

Never good with absolutes, Isabel knew there more than one way lead to this cryostasis. With a little help of an old contractor's connections on the inside and a master card, Isabel found herself on 2450's INEF Advena. In exchange, well, Isabel would be contacted about that part soon enough.

Other: “It is approximately minus 270.45 degrees Celsius in space, you’re going to need more than the jacket.”

CONTRACT
Signature: Ouverture

 

[Nilum]

VERSION 1.0.0.1 CHANGELOG

• Created list of accepted characters. (With help from @Ouverture )
• Tweaked a handful of minor items in the main OOC thread.
• Added Battle Maps. (To be shown in the IC later.)
• Added systems for Diplomacy and Battle checks. (To be added to the main OOC later.)
• IC going live soon.

 

[Nilum]

VERSION 1.0.0.2 CHANGELOG

• Added individual conversation threads to each player to update them in secret when secrets need be kept.
• Added link to the IC in first post.
• Updated section 4 to include completed main objectives and subplots.
• Discord has current objectives/subplots pinned in a channel.