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USP 2022 Year End Review

USP 2022 Year End Review

Hello heroes!

I hope this message finds you well wherever you may be out there in the world. Somehow another year has already come and gone and we’ve accomplished so much. I am so proud of our team’s hard work and triumphs this year and I am eternally grateful to all of you who tune in each week, join our games at conventions, and support us in so many other ways.

2022 has been a growth year for us here at USP as we’ve added more members to our core team and expanded into physical gaming events. I just want to highlight some of the accomplishments that I’m most proud of from the last year. I’ll present them below in no particular order:

  • The expansion of our shared Earth-Prime Universe! We wrapped up the first seasons of our NetherWar and City of Destiny games and added the Guardians of Haven and GemStars to the mix, bringing our total games in one shared continuity to four. We’ve had multiple successful crossover events throughout the year and I can say we have some exciting plans on the horizon for our heroes of the Freedomverse. We’ll be increasing our collection of USPEPTTU campaigns with some returning hero teams and some new shows, but we’ll save that for another post
  • Origins, Gen Con, and PGX 2022! Holy cow we had our first physical convention appearances, where we ran over twenty events for mostly sold-out tables. I even got to lead a panel about superhero RPGs at PGX as an industry guest, which was a first for me and a wonderful experience. It was so amazing getting to game with some of you in person as well as spreading awareness about our channel and our mission here at USP. We will be back to these conventions in a big way this year and we would love to see you all there! (Psst we’ll be running a 25 person mega event for Mutants & Masterminds at Origins this year that you’re not going to want to miss. Hades is going to be there and everything!)
  • Game Systems Galore! We showcased a BUNCH of new systems on the channel this year. Part of our mission has always been to shine a light on RPGs that don’t get the love and attention that they deserve and I think we really showed up for that this year. We featured Low Life, Lancer, Power Rangers, Alien the RPG, Honey Heist, Deadlands, Cthulhu Awakens, Marvel Multiverse RPG, Modern AGE, along with our tried and true Mutants & Masterminds. We also had a bunch of new GMs on to share their stories and I look forward to continuing this trend in 2023.
  • Trevor Project Fundraiser! This is my favorite accomplishment of the year! Our team banded together for a weekend long stream during which we raised $500 for The Trevor Project. We played so many games, hosted interviews with several industry professionals, and really banded together to do something truly good in the real world. This truly felt like a culmination of everything we wanted to accomplish when we set out to found the Untold Stories Project. We have always believed that gaming is for everyone and that it is a place where people should be free and safe to express themselves honestly and the compassion all of our donors shared truly blows my mind. Thank you to everyone who made that possible!
  • USP Patreon! The last thing I’ll mention in this list of accomplishments is the founding of our USP Patreon! We wanted to create this as a way to connect with the people who support us most and as a way to thank them with exclusive content. We’re still navigating exactly what that looks like, but we intend to increase our presence there in 2023. We are cooking up lots of fun surprises for the people who support us there and we would love to see you there!

As for the first quarter of 2023, I am happy to report that we are going to be continuing strong. I’ll go ahead and break down what will be happening on our weekly programs over the next couple of months:

  • Mondays: We will be finishing the Silenced Night holiday special for the first few weeks in January, then we will be taking a month off. I’m going to explain why in a separate blog post in the next couple of weeks, but I feel like I need to recharge and have some time to write what is coming next. And what is coming next is…Freedom League Dark Season 1 (or NetherWar Season 2, we’re still working on the title.) Our Monday night heroes will be returning to the familiar shoes of Centuria, Resonant, Bowman, Mortis, and… maaaybe Overdrive. I don’t know he seemed pretty retired when we last left our overpowered speedster. All I can say is Kevin will be there for sure. Our heroes will be delving into the dangers of the multiverse to heal the damage caused by Una and stop their former ally, Eldrich, from causing pandemonium in the DC, Marvel, Titan City, and various dimensions of Earth-Prime. This is going to be a long series and will feature a lot of guest stars and a litany of changes to my current GM style. I’m excited to see how it all shakes out.
  • Tuesdays: GemStars will be continuing in the Tuesday night slot, and I know Wiccy has some killer things in store for her players that are going to tie the GemStars even further into the main story arc of our shared continuity.
  • YouTube: One of the things I want to accomplish during my month off of GMing is filming some more short-form RPG advice videos, some Story Forge videos, and generally dipping my toes into slightly more snack-sized content for our channel. Please let me know if there’s anything in particular you’d like to see me tackle as a subject!

Thank you again to everyone who has supported us this year and to the entire USP team for continually pushing us onward and upward. You all work so hard to make this nerdy corner of the internet everything that it can be. I am so impressed with your creativity, passion, and talent, and I am glad I get to bask in the light of your efforts. 2022 was an amazing year and I cannot wait to see what we accomplish in 2023!

Con Prep: The Player Character Edition

Con Prep: The Player Character Edition

At USP, we run a lot of one shots (or, in Alex‘s case, limited series) both on the channel and at the conventions we attend. To do that, we have to spend time not only crafting the story but also creating the characters for it as well. I’ve given out some general con game creation advice before, but this week I thought I’d narrow it down a little bit and talk about creating the Player Characters that those who attend the game will get the chance to portray, and some tips and tricks to make them memorable!

Diversify…

For this, we’re not just talking about a diversity of gender, race, or even class, though all of that is generally important! No, what I’m talking about here is making sure that none of your characters feel the same, even if they all “are” the same. For example, a friend of mine once ran a game where every player got to be Batgirl. The twist, however, was that we weren’t all playing as the same one, we were each unique in which multiversal world we came from, what experiences had brought us to that point, and what skills we brought to the scenario. When creating the PC’s, you want to make sure that each one feels unique and doesn’t step on the others toes, as much as you can while staying true to the character (if you’re creating one based off an existing property). Make sure that each of your PC’s has a unique attack, skill, or ability that sets them apart from the others in the group.

…but Overlap

Here is where the perils of a con game come into play. You’ll never know exactly how many players you’ll have for your game, and as you try to tie the story to your players abilities, you may be tempted to make each character unique in what they bring to the table. And that’s great, you absolutely want a character who specializes in, let’s say, computers, if that plays into a large part of your game. But what happens if that character doesn’t get picked, and none of the other characters you made have any way of interacting with the story’s largest plot piece without suffering a bunch of penalties? Then the players are either left to fumble through the game, or you have to improvise on the fly and try to modify your story as the game progresses. The key thing I do here is make sure that for the specific plot skills that are a focus for the story are spread out throughout the player base. Of course I’ll have a character who specializes in computers, and they’ll have the highest bonus, and therefore the easiest time, with the story elements. At the same time, one or two other characters will have moderate to fair bonuses that will allow them to interact with those story elements with some chance of success, even if it isn’t quite the guarantee it would be with the focus character.

Know your Limits

While most con games run with between 4 and 6 players, you may find yourself with a glut of inspiration and want to build every potential character that could exist in your game. This is especially true if the game you are running is based on established property (like one of the two major comic book universes). But, that means you are taking the time out of whatever else you would do to build out all of those characters, which could be a detriment to your game overall. Another side effect is that then you have so much more for players to look at to decide on a character that you might eat into the actual play time as they try to choose which of their however many favorite characters they want to actually play as. My own advice, after going a bit overboard for my very first con game, is to make between 8 and 10 characters for a game, though there is nothing wrong with making just enough for the maximum number of players you expect to run for.

Know your Characters

This piece of advice is a bit harder to pull off, because as the GM you have so much to remember anyway, but you’ll want to have detailed knowledge of what the characters can do. Not only will this better help you plan out the combat scenarios for the game, making sure you give players the ability to let their character shine, but it will also help you explain to the players just what it is their character can do. Making sure to write down specific notes for yourself about specific characters can give you the hint or reminder to try to bring them into the spotlight for certain scenes.

Include Story Elements for the Players

I like this last piece of advice as it’s been something that I’ve been trying to do more often with my games. Having a background sheet that gives the player more information as to the character’s background/motivation/quirks/etc., as well as to how they relate/feel about the other characters can help with roleplay opportunities and interactions as the game goes on. If you give your players a few minutes to read this material through, ask questions of the other players, and generally get a sense of each other with all of this info, the probability that your game has more player interaction and awesome roleplay moments will skyrocket!

And that’s it for this week’s blog post! I hope you found something of use out of this blog post, and that your next one shot can be taken to new heights with some of the knowledge you gleaned from us!

USP Holiday Specials!

USP Holiday One-Shots

Well, it’s that time of year again, and no, I don’t mean the annual thawing out of Mariah Carey for 60 to 75 days of All I Want for Christmas on repeat on all store radios. No, it is time for the annual USP Holiday One-Shot season! Every year we try to run a few new game systems that we don’t usually do on the channel (not that we won’t run a Holiday M&M if the mood suits us), and this year is no exception. We have 8 amazing games on the schedule for this year, with one already in the books from last night. Here’s the schedule so you can plan out your Wednesday evenings to join us!

  • 11/2 – Low Life, with special guest GM Tom of Matinee Adventures
  • 11/9 – Lancer finale with Calvin
  • 11/16 – “Jurassic Park” utilizing the Aliens RPG setting with special guest GM Carl of Matinee Adventures
  • 11/30 – M&M Holiday Spectacular with Alex
  • 12/7 – Essence20 Power Rangers, titled “It’s A Kind of (Christmas) Magic” with Andy (that’s me!)
  • 12/14 – Crash Pandas, titled “Crash Santa” with Wiccy
  • 12/21 – Modified Honey Heist, titled “God Bless Us, Every One!” with Brandon
  • 12/28 – Star Trek with Kevin

Admin’s Note: If you want to get a look at the PC character sheets for any of these games, a reminder that they are available at our Patreon page at the Sidekick or higher level.

Pa… Pa… Pa… Patreon!

Hey guys! We’re happy to announce the upcoming Untold Stories Project Patreon Page! It’ll be launching on October 1st, and we’re super excited about it.

Why A Patreon?

Because we’re poor. Ok, that’s not the real truth, but what is the truth is that running a streaming network costs money, and one of the things that is keeping us from being able to upgrade equipment, bring in more guests, get more custom artwork, etc. is a lack of funds. We make some money from our Twitch streams and our merchandise store, but we think that there are those of you out there who would be happy to support us financially and this seemed like the best way to do it.

What Benefits Are Available to Me?

Quite a lot, hopefully! We’re planning to offer a lot of Patreon-exclusive content, starting with access to a Patreon-only channel on our Discord, character sheets for original characters from our games, the ability to add NPCs to our games, free and reduced merchandise, private AMAs with our cast and crew, and invitations to games with the USP crew.

When Does it Start?

Our Patreon page will officially be available starting on October 1, 2022. At launch, Patreon supporters will have access to a preview of our upcoming October Limited Series games. Within a few days, those who are supporting at the Sidekick or Higher Tier will have access to the character sheets for the PCs of those Spoktober Limited Series games (with the exception of our Call of Cthulhu game, which is a pre-published module with its own pre-generated characters).

That said, if you follow the link below, you can access the Patreon page today.

Where Do I Go?

The Untold Stories Project Patreon page is located at https://www.patreon.com/UntoldStoriesProject

USP Con Appearances Fall 2022

USP Con Appearances Fall 2022

Hello heroes! I hope everyone is having a great day out there in gamer land! I just wanted to check in to let you all know that USP GMs are going to be appearing at a couple of conventions coming up in October just in case you want to come out and play in some of our games or just say hi!

I (Alex) will be starting us up with my industry guest appearance at the Pittsburgh Gaming Expo from October 1st-2nd at the Monroeville Convention Center. I will be running two Mutants & Masterminds games. One on Saturday October 1st at 11am EST and one on Sunday October 2nd at 1pm EST.

I’ll also be leading my first ever panel at this convention! I’ll be talking about Writing and Running Superhero RPGs on the main stage Sunday at 11am. There’s also tons of fun cosplay, video games, and other tabletop games being run! I’m beyond excited that the PGX team has invited me to participate and I can’t wait to let you all know how it went! Event sign up hasn’t gone live yet for this convention, keep an eye out on their website for badge and event registration. https://www.pghretrogaming.com/

The following weekend Andy and I will be heading up to Ypsilanti, Michigan for U-Con! This is one of my favorite cozy conventions of the year. Andy and I are both running games throughout the weekend including:

Andy:

The Shepherd’s Burden

  • When: Friday 2pm EST
  • Synopsis: You’ve tried to reinvent yourself over the course of your high school career, but is the Senior class trip your last chance? And if so, what happens if you don’t like who you become?
  • System: Things From the Flood

Young Justice: Trauma Drive

  • When: Saturday 9am EST
  • Synopsis: Dealing with the aftermath of the Reach’s assault on Earth, the Team gets back together to investigate a set of odd occurrences happening in Central City. But how will they deal with what they find?
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds

Alex:

Gotham City Misfits

  • When: Friday 9am EST
  • Synopsis: Killer Moth is getting together a crew to kidnap Bruce Wayne. Should be easy money…
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds

Titan City Chronicles: Spectacular Beasts

  • When: Friday 2pm EST
  • Synopsis: Magical zookeeper Avery Montgomery has lost a group of mythical monsters en route to the Titan City zoo. It’s up to our local heroes to rescue them before someone gets hurt.
  • System: Mutants & Masterminds

I actually left a decent amount of playtime in my schedule for U-Con so if you’ve ever wanted to be on that side of the table with me this is a prime opportunity! Feel free to send me a message on Discord and I’ll be happy to share my play schedule. I also as always recommend any games run by our friends at Matinee Adventures!

This is the U-Con website if you want to sign-up: https://www.ucon-gaming.org/

These two conventions are only the beginning of the exciting stuff we have planned for you through the end of the year. I’ll check back in next week with another post to talk about our end of the year one-shots!

Rectangles of Romance

Rectangles of Romance

Hello heroes! I have some special shapes for you today! As you may remember Oggrus and Gruk recently exchanged mixtapes with the Moon-Moon Twins, one commemorating a possible new romance and one signifying that perhaps friendship was still a possibility. They both feature some excellent Earth music that celebrates their variety of emotional states and I’m excited for you all to get this fun snapshot into their lives. Hopefully this won’t be the last rectangle Oggrus gives Elara…

Oggrus’ Rectangle “For the Queen of the Dark Side of the Moon”

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6KgzuKE2x1hgkVEqmWKXr9?si=ce1e389a4dd34547

Special shoutout to Deuce for lots of great song suggestions for Oggrus!

Gruk’s Rectangle “She Said She’s Gotta Frakkin’ Boyfriend”

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/29ZtoetZxGvP7AjaN69uLd?si=b0c69028cf834c86

To Be Continued?

Anyone who’s been around USP for any length of time knows that not only do we stream long form content, but we also tend to generate a bevy of one-shot style content as well, when we can get it all to fit into one session that is. This is generally in keeping that a lot of us who GM for USP also tend to run games at conventions, and it’s usually easier to come up with a one and done scenario. But, as sometimes happens, we run into an idea that’s designed as a one-off that resonates so well with the players that they beg and plead for a sequel, and if we as a GM decide to honor that request, we have to come up with ways to pull that off.

Recently I’ve been asked to create follow ups for games that I’ve run, and while I’m still working on both of the games, I’ve done enough that I think I can tell the story in an attempt to help others who may find themselves in the same boat. I won’t name the games (those that know, know), but the existing one shots that were created both have their challenges in writing a follow up.

In the first games case, I had always intended to go back to the world, with the same characters, but following a completely different setting. You could say that any follow up to this game would be indirect; I could utilize the same characters or not, but I would likely not reference the elements from the first game unless I had a majority of players at the table who had played the first game. In this way, it’s almost as though I’m writing another one shot, just utilizing the same setting from the first game, tweaking things, and presenting the new game to the player. The only issue I had here was in living up to the expectations of the previous game; I’d gotten so much positive feedback from the first I didn’t want the sequel to fall flat on it’s face. That in and of itself is a weird feeling I’ve not had before as a scenario writer, and honestly it put me into a paralysis situation for the longest time. At the end of it, I ended up giving myself a deadline to have it done by, wrote a story that stood on it’s own but could reference the first, and presented it to the players. Thankfully, it as as well received as the first, but like most things there’s still some tweaking I can do.

The second game is a bit more of a challenge. The way the game ended amongst the players almost cries out for a direct sequel, in this case defined by utilizing both the same characters and the same setting or world, and directly referencing the elements from the first game. Now, direct in this case doesn’t necessarily need to mean starts immediately after the events of the last game. Time can still pass to allow the narrative to advance to a point where a new story can be picked up, but the events of the first game propel this new story forward, hopefully onto a new trajectory.

As I’m still in the process of even working this game out in my head, the only thing I can provide is the questions I’ve been asking myself as I do my brainstorming. Those are:

  1. What was the ending of the previous game? If I know where things ended I can decide if I’m picking up directly after the events of the previous game or pushing things into the future a little bit. Since I’ve run the game multiple times, I probably need to try to come up with one “canon” ending based upon what the majority of tables did to get to that ending, while still allowing myself a little wiggle room.
  2. How did the world evolve after the events of the last game? This is really about what did the players of the game do that would have changed things. If you’ve run the game multiple times with different decisions by the players, this can be a bit trickier to overcome, but generally trying to look for similar patterns can be helpful. Not specifically about the ending of the game, since that’s the previous question, but more about what did the players learn and how might that have affected what they did once the session was over.
  3. Why is there a need to continue the story? Outside of the request itself, what is it that the players found interesting about the setting, and how can you continue to subvert their expectations while treating them to an enjoyable experience. This tends to be where my brain starts trying to figure out all the little plot twists and interesting minutiae that I can throw at the players.
  4. Is it possible for this to stand alone? One would think this is odd, especially since we’re talking about a direct sequel, but when you do a lot of one shots at conventions, you understand that having a stable of games to pull from cuts down on prep time immensely. So my thought process here is, what happens if no one at the table has played the previous game? Do I write up a long blurb about the previous games events (which I’ve done with my Cartoon Universe games, though that was always designed as a two-parter), or, do I let this story stand on its own and not worry about the events of the first game? The way my story prep is going, it’ll be easy enough to opt out of or insert the story bits I need so that I can run the game as both a direct sequel or as its own one shot.

Not everyone is going to have the same experience as it relates to this, and that’s normal! I’d actually love to hear other people’s takes on this situation, so please drop a comment on this story or in our Discord if you’ve had or have a similar experience but different outcome. Thanks for reading!

We Welcome the GemStars to the Untold Stories Project

We Welcome the GemStars to the Untold Stories Project

 

Greetings! If you turned in on Tuesday, then you got to see our Session Zero of our brand new show that is (in ways that will eventually be obvious) a part of our Untold Stories Project Earth-Prime Tabletop Universe – Gemstars!

This past week, you got a taste of our characters and what they’re like, but you didn’t really get to see them in action (or indeed, even with their powers!) So, we’re giving you a little peek behind the curtain and a chance to get to know the GemStars directly.

Alexandrite Crystal Enchantment! GemStar Activate!

Alexandrite

Played by Aunt Puppy

Elliot may be the first daughter of a Baron family in Shadowfallen; she doesn’t seem to fit in with her family exactly. With things like music, books, games, surviving from the various cultures previously conquered are regarded as illegal contraband and jealously guarded, which Elliot thinks is a ridiculous thing to outlaw.

With the help of her mother, she smuggles various contraband to the poor subjects to help keep their spirits alive. Her and her father do not get along in any way. He is a true evil Baron politician and will do anything to keep the power that he has.

In exact contrast to Elliot, Bates, her younger by 1 minute fraternal twin will follow directly in her dad’s hoof prints. Bates constantly taunts Elliot and has known their viewpoints clash their entire lives. Bates has gained great favor with the Empress and other Barons. Both girls are betrothed to another set of twins, Azazel (meaning scapegoat) and Caine (Irish meaning “son of a fighter”, but Elliot wants nothing to do with them. Because of their favor with the Empress, Elliot knows she’s playing a dangerous game that could get both her and her mother killed.

View Alexandrite’s PL10 Character Sheet here!

Amber Crystal Metamorphosis! GemStar, Activate!

Amber

Played by Aaron

Braelin is a 22-year-old member of the Iadotian clan in the Jadeite Expanse. They were a quiet, studious child, deeply devoted to their people, but also very suspicious of outsiders. They believed that the less contact between the Iadotian clan and the other tribes, the better – and they favored as little contact as possible between the nomad clans and the outside world even more so.

That said, they were very fond of their people, and had many friends among the youth of their clan, none more so than Soda, who being just a few years younger than them was in many ways the younger sister they never had.

When they turned seventeen, it was time for their rite of passage, and they wandered out into the Expanse for the vision quest that would help them know their path in life. When they came back some months later, they were… different. They had been attacked by a wild predator in the Expanse, and in addition to their physical injuries, their memories were clouded. They remembered their name, and most people in the clan, but they were somewhat distant… cut off and isolated from their people.

As they healed and recovered and their memories (mostly) returned, there was a shift in their personality. Instead of the insulation and isolation that they had favored before their rite of passage, they now had a fascination with other people and cultures. Because of this newfound empathy and interest in other cultures, the Elders chose them to be an assistant to the Consul in Perle, with possibly training to eventually take over the office.

In Perle, Braelin has become a bit of a social butterfly. They don’t really have any super close friends and confidants, but they have dozens of friendly acquaintances.

What they have kept from most people is that during their Rite of Passage, as they healed from their injuries, they discovered an inborn ability to shapeshift. This has become enhanced by the Amber Gemstar.

View Amber’s PL10 Character Sheet here!

Emerald Crystal Fortune! GemStar, Activate!

Emerald

Played by Brandon

Kingsley Pallas is the only daughter of Jasper Pallas, the co-inventor of the airship and the founder of Pallas Aeromotives, and his wife Citrine Pallas, the other half of the brilliant inventing duo. They are doting parents who encouraged Kingsley’s curiosity in everything, which developed into a deep sense of wonder for everything. With each new interest she developed and explored, be it creative, intellectual, or athletic, she excelled due to her innate talent and her parents’ support.

Kingsley grew up in the beautiful and bustling metropolis of Feldspar in the Sunstone Valley. Growing up, she had every advantage, and experienced only enough “setbacks” to make her kind and grateful, rather than petty and entitled.

It is unsurprising that the Emerald Gemstar, with its powers of luck, would fall into the hands of someone who so thoroughly won the jackpot of life.

Kingsley is exactly as happy, carefree, and bubbly as one would expect for someone who has lived such a fortunate life. From a wealthy and respected family who loved her deeply, Kingsley lacked for nothing emotionally, socially, or materially while growing up. As such, she walks with a literal spring in her step, and always has a bright smile on her face.

One would expect such a person to be reviled by others for her absurdly good fortune and excessively saccharine disposition, yet they don’t. Kingsley is sincere, not naive, so she understands how lucky she is. She is happy and excited, not a fool. As such, there is a vulnerability in her happiness that disarms even the severest cynic when they meet her.

View Emerald’s PL10 Character Sheet here!

Morganite Crystal Restore! GemStar Activate!

Morganite

Played by Gemmy

Mari is very bright and bubbly, always trying to make new friends and put a smile on people’s faces. She’s from Perle, but enjoys traveling around the world whenever she can. Occasionally that proves to be a little challenging though, because her parents are very overprotective and cautious. They often enjoy going to the markets, plays, or anything else with people just to chat with others, although often makes sure to keep them close without opening up too much, too afraid to have too many people caring for them.

At a very young age, Mari lost their older brother in an accident, which resulted in their parents becoming extra paranoid about their living child. She doesn’t have many memories of her brother, and doesn’t recall his body ever being found, but knows he was a kind boy. Her parents since then have always had her follow a lot of safety precautions, including learning first aid for not just herself but others.

While they do find this behavior annoying at times, they also understand why their parents are so adamant on it, and they’re still glad they get to go meet people. She absolutely adores chatting with others, and will often just travel just to see if there’s any new friends she can meet, although does take care to not get too close to anyone who could be too potentially dangerous.

While she was never going to be able to help her brother, she still feels like she needs to help those around her medical knowledge. They’ll take on the role of therapist if needed to help someone, but refuse to open up in return, and risk hurting people with their own fears. Most of their fear has been because of their parent’s fear, but they fear bringing this up to their parents might scare them more, and thus are willing to go a little behind their backs if it means getting a more normal life.

View Morganite’s PL10 Character Sheet here!

Ruby Crystal Might! GemStar, Activate!

Ruby

Played by Calvin

Arcelia is headstrong and straightforward, unwilling to back down from a fight if it means someone else might get hurt. She can be excessively talkative, especially when it comes to her favourite book series or coming up with “cool” catchphrases. Her family has a history in the mining settlement of Eopenon.

Arcelia, a young woman who grew up as part of a large but tight-knit family in Eopenon. Her family is dedicated to gathering crystals/minerals/resources from the deepest regions of the Saualpiteen Mountains with a long past of honour and tradition as a mining guild with history reaching back centuries. Arcelia, however, dreamed of more. Especially once she got her hands on the Shining Justice novels, a series of books that chronicled the fictional adventures of a group of warriors and friends set in different points of Leifandi’s history. Her interest turned into fandom after getting a chance to see a play/concert that covered the events of the first book in the series. Since then, the stories (and her scraps of fanfiction) have been her escape when the mining work became dull. Arcelia often emulates character phrases and poses when she thinks no one is looking. Outside of that, her life is often work oriented with occasional moments for leisure, which she uses for exploration, reading or heading into the city for entertainment. She has some skill with technology, but mostly what’s needed to manage the necessary tools for excavation. Arcelia also has a deep-seated fear of heights that stemmed from getting lost in the Saualpiteens as a child.

The Fortis family is notable in the Eopenon mining community and the Industrial Consortium. As the name behind the Fortissimum Mining Guild, the family has some level of respect and renown throughout the Saualpiteen Mountain region. After losing several family members during the Outer Belt mining disaster Arcellius Fortis (Arcelia’s ancestor and namesake) put the considerable resources of his family guild into the formation of new guidelines for mining safety. Arcellius himself helped in removing the previous leadership and working with several other guilds to form the Industrial Consortium. Despite the expansion and changes in leadership over the centuries, the Fortissimum Mining Guild (often referred to as FMG in modern times) was never far from influence. While successful, the family’s deep sense of honour and pride kept them from being as wealthy as many of the other mining guilds in the region. Being so deeply connected to such a pivotal moment in Leifandian history is important to the Fortis family and members of the family rarely have careers unrelated to the “family business”. Even interests outside of it are seen as abnormal.

View Ruby’s PL10 Character Sheet here!

Sodalite Crystal Supersensory! GemStar Activate!

Sodalite

Played by Jo

Down in Feldspar of the Sunstone Valley, there is someone who can only be found when you look for “The Cloaked Dream.” No one can remember what this person looks like. But “sensitive” situations can be…resolved…if the need arises.

Rumor has it The Cloaked Dream’s work has been seen around Perle recently… but that could just be rumors and locals’ desires for their own secret shadowy assistant.

View Sodalite’s PL10 Character Sheet here!

Risk vs Reward

Risk vs Reward

“We should go back, show those jerks who we really are!”

“Please, keep going! We need to get away while we have the chance!”

“We need time to think, somewhere to catch our breath. We need quiet!”

The poorly lit backstreets of Starhaven’s Draffsnarl district are interrupted by a lone silhouette limping through them, cradling an injured arm against their chest. Anyone not minding their own business in the less than reputable section of the refugee center that Starhaven was becoming would hear three distinct voices arguing in hushed tones, though the sight of a single individual would then leave them confused. The shadowed figure pauses for a moment, seemingly assessing their situation. The sound of several heavy footfalls bounce off the strange buildings making up the labyrinth of this section, making it impossible to tell how close they are. A moment longer and the figure darts off down another alleyway, away from the approaching footsteps.

“No, not away! Back towards them! We can beat them! Let us have control!”

“Keep going, keep going! Let us have control, we’ll make sure we get somewhere safe!”

The shadowed figure lurches in different directions for a moment, arms and legs spasming as though they were pulled by invisible forces apart from the center. A slight whimper echoes off the close walls of the alleyway as the injured arm flails, and the figure stops, clutching the arm once again.

“Stop! We are not giving up. We don’t have what we came for, and we are not leaving without it. We need to work together for a change, instead of bickering! Else we may as well do those thugs jobs for them.”

A moment of silence hangs in the air, as the lights flickers on above the figure, outlining a feminine form clad in utilitarian clothes. Fox-like ears sit atop their head, a mane of reddish brown hair with highlights of yellow and purple frame their face. Three tails swish back and forth seemingly in annoyance, before the light flickers out once again.

“….Fine.”

“….ok.”

“Good.”

Moving again, the figure heads towards the only lit doorway in the alley. Testing the door and finding it unlocked, they push their way inside, the door closing behind them silently. Inside, the room is shadowed, the only light coming from the streets outside. Debris from a makeshift camp, long abandoned, litters the room. They move into the mess, grabbing pieces of tarpaulin and long pieces of broken supply crates as they head towards a rickety looking discarded chair. Slowly they sit down, testing the chairs integrity, and when it holds they begin to set their injured arm as best they can, clawed fingers easily ripping through the tarpaulin to create strips to tie the sling together. The process is slow and seemingly painful, as the figure winces several times during the process. Ears perk up halfway through as the heavy footfalls get closer, and they freeze, breath stuck in their lungs for what seems forever before the footfalls depart. A long sigh escapes into the night, and the last few knots are tied on the makeshift sling as time passes once again.

“Hmmph, idiots. Didn’t even check the door.”

“That’s a good thing though, right?”

“Yes, and now, we have the advantage. Let’s hunt, sisters.”

“FINALLY!”

The doorway opens, the darkened interior broken only by a slight flash of light, as a mirror reflects the scene outside of it. The figure steps out into the alley once again, their stride, before limping and afraid, now full of confidence (if not also limping slightly still). No footfalls are heard as they retrace their steps through the alleys, even as they move quickly back towards the point of their previous confrontation. Slowing their pace, anyone watching would see the figure take on a predatory gait, almost disappearing amongst the shadows. Finally, their gaze settles on their target; another worn looking building, but this one guarded at its lone entrance.

“Only two? We are disappointed.”

“We must have drawn off a fair number of them….that’s helpful.”

“Let’s make this quick then, shall we?”

For guards, the two at the doorway are not good at their jobs. Neither one notices the figure move up behind the one to the left, just as he leans over to light a cigarette, the one on the right scanning through a magazine with scantily clad human females on it. The figure’s look of concentration as they strike changes to a feral grin, the guard’s cigarette falling from his mouth as his muscles seize, dropping him unceremoniously to the ground, momentarily paralyzed. Moving quickly, the figure dances to the right, the feral grin snapping back into rigid determination as they catch the guard’s chin in a powerful uppercut, knocking him unconscious. Standing amongst their downed foes, a look of concern crosses the figure’s face before they turn to the door.

“Sorry, we’re in a bit of a hurry. You’ll be able to move, just not until we’re done.”

“Oh don’t pity them. Wasn’t even a good fight!”

“Come on, let’s not waste time, or we’ll still be here when the others return.”

Inside, the warehouse is a mess of goods and sundries strewn about, almost as though they were in various stages of sorting at some point earlier in the day. The figure walks among the tables strewn with various goods and, grabbing a bag, begins filling it with items. The items going into the bag are a bit eclectic; clothes, knick knacks, various dried foodstuffs, no multiples of the same thing. As they work through the tables, they stop, noticing a humanoid figure slumped against a wall, it’s grey skin almost blending in. Small Preserver robots surround the humanoid, attempting to move the humanoid from it’s location. Casting their gaze back to the door, they quickly move over to the individual, shooing the small robots away from it placing a hand on it’s shoulder. It’s eyes open, and it looks up at the figure.

“Curious. Most of my memories appear to be missing. I do not know how I came to be in this place, and I am unsure as to who you are. Have we met?” the grey humanoid states, slowly rising to it’s feet.

“We are Ailynn, and no, we don’t believe we have. Are you alright?”

The grey humanoid rolls its neck and shoulders. “No permanent damage to my being is detected, though I detect I am not operating at one hundred percent capacity. I am Chimera, though I am unsure how I recall that designation. Query; what is this place?”

Ailynn shrugs her shoulders. “Drop off point for some of the gangs of Starhaven. Things they “collect” as taxes or “protection money” are brought here. We are just taking a few things off of their hands.”

Chimera looks to the bag, and then back at her. “I do not believe I am payment for these gangs.”

A wide grin spread across Ailynn’s face, showcasing her fangs, and she gave a short laugh. “No, we don’t think so either. Want to help us get what we came for?”

The emotionless grey face considered Ailynn for a moment, then nodded.

As the two spread out among the tables, filling bags with items taken from their rightful owners, those that had once chased Ailynn return, finding their comrades on the ground unconscious. Shouts and calls over comms commenced, before several individuals stand before the door, kicking it in.

“Shit, looks like they’re quicker than we thought.”

“We’re in trouble again, aren’t we?”

“Stow it, and help us figure a way out of here.”

Chimera drops the ration pack he is holding, as the thugs swarm into the room. They number about ten, and most of them spread out to surround the pair, a few staying back to guard the exit.

“Mistress Ailynn, it appears we have company. How should we handle this?” Chimera asked, no trace of fear in his voice.

“Mistress? Hmmm….looks like we need to fight our way out. Can you assist us with that?”

“Affirmative.”

Chimera doubles in size, startling both the thugs and Ailynn. The thugs hesitate for a moment, before one rushes forward, swinging a large rod at Chimera. It bounces off his chest and the thug looks at him agape, before Chimera’s fist is the last thing he remembers for quite some time. The room devolves into a rather one sided brawl, Chimera acting as a shield as Ailynn moves around the room utilizing hit and run tactics. Soon, the fight is finishd, all of the thugs either downed or fleeing.

“Oh, we like him.”

“We think so too…we should help him. We think he’s a bit like us; he doesn’t have anyone else.”

“Well Chimera, what do you say? Do you want to come with us?”

Chimera looks to Ailynn, then grabs the bags they had filled. “I find that agreeable. After you, Mistress Ailynn.”

The two leave the warehouse, stepping over the bodies of the unconscious thugs on their way out of the Draffsnarl and back to Ailynn’s home. There, they check the items against the requests on Ailynn’s data pad, sorting the goods into various piles to be delivered after a good night’s rest.