>>26232720
So the last thread ended poorly, but this one can be better. We were focusing on the Sidika Foundation and MIT (we might want to change that name to not confuse with actual MIT) before the last thread died.

MIT we can change to the Meridian Defense Research and Development Agency (MDRDA). Sort of this world's DARPA.

Good idea?

>>26232893
That could be a good idea. Would need to get some more voices on it, though.

>>26232849

If you don't want to confuse it with the real MIT, just use the acronym for Meridian ArmsTech, MAT.

Mercworld Quest when?

>>26233048
Yeah, I am taking a distant look for a while from a setting, I get too laser focused and as last night roved, on the boards here that can cause problems.

>>26233080
This seem nice enough, doesn't deviate too much from three letters aswell.

>>26233080
>MAT
Sounds like a good alternative, and we wouldn't have to change very much, if anything.

>>26233103

I dunno what the fuck that was about. I liked your MIT story, btw, the one where the cyborg got sabotaged. Good characterization, but it did make me question their competence as an organization. Like, how the hell did they let that kind of sabotage slip by?

>>26233131
Payola. Money motivates, and breaks loyalties faster than you can say Et Tu Brutus?

>>26233120
I can dig that. Meridian Arms Tech it is.

>>26233088
Umm.... not my department. I'm the TT/Failing at spreading out writefag.

>>26233080

And rename the Meridian Institute of Technology the Meridian Technological Institute. MTI.

>>26233222>>26233080
Can't we just pick something?

>>26233222
The institute is MTI, the Mercenary Company is MAT. Decision made.

>>26233480
I can dig it. I can dig it with a vibroshovel.

Okay, so what is the internal organization of MTI and MAT like?

>>26233536
The Meridian Technological Institute is the parent organization. It is a research campus primarily, divided up into several departments, which are then divided further into individual Focus or Research Teams. On its own, the Meridian Technological Institute would not be very different from any other Research University, save for its advanced level of cyborg research.

Meridian Arms Technology is a smaller organization within MTI. While it calls itself an Arms Supplier, the weapons it provides to others are in the form of their combat cyborgs. Each Cyborg or group of Cyborgs is assigned to a particular Research Group in MTI. The Research Group is tasked with the maintenance of the Cyborg as well as the development of their augmentations. The preferences and know-how of each team is slightly different, and results in wildly different designs for functionally similar augments. The Cyborgs themselves are most often former students who volunteered to undergo the extensive surgery to become a combat cyborg, but they also use what is known as Renewed Soldiers. Renewed Soldiers are normal soldiers which have been either discharged or wounded and can no longer fight, and thus have agreed to modification.

All operatives of MAT, whether they be maintenance and research staff from MTI or Cyborgs with only minor augments must undergo surgery to be implanted with the Cyber-heart. The Cyber-Heart is the greatest secret of MAT cyborg tech, only a few at the highest levels of organization know how it works and even fewer have the skills to create them. While cybernetic prosthesis is a common technology, it is the Cyber-Heart which enables the combat enhancing augments of MAT.

>>26233119
You gonna write more about the nero?

>>26233767
Like many other artificial hearts, the Cyber-Heart moves blood in a constant flow through their owner's system, eliminating their natural pulse. However, the Cyber-Heart is unique in that it produces spikes of energy at regular intervals, which travel through the host's entire body. This "Cyberpulse" is what meets the prodigious energy requirements of MAT Augments. While little about this energy is known, it is confirmed to be neither nuclear nor electric in nature. Cyber-Heart hosts describe the cyberpulse as a faint tingling at the edge of their perception.

>>26233973
I'm not a writefag, my English and Grammar are atrocious, sorry.

In Sidika's Foundation for the Gifted, students are arranged into mentor-pupil relationships instead of classes. Every instructor of the Sidika Foundation is assigned one of the 88 constellations, and so are their pupils. The Instructor discards all previous names and titles, and is henceforth simply known as their constellation or Sign. When the time comes for an instructor to retire or they are lost in battle, the most senior or most accomplished student assumes their position.

Of the 88 constellations, the thirteen signs of the Zodiac (Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Ophiuchus, and Sagittarius) are especially prestigious. They have the right to claim students for their own before they are assigned to the other signs. Additionally, the sign Cetus is the sign of the Psychics who maintain the hurricane barrier around the island of Canaan and also have the right to choose first, trumping the Zodiac houses.

Can anybody give me a quick tl;dr of what this homebrew is about, in more detail than
>lots of mercenary organisations do things
What kinda themes are there? What's the world like? Who are the players? Do you guys have a 1d4chan page yet?

>>26234694
>What kinda themes are there?
It's looking to be high action sort of setting.

>What's the world like?
The world is harsh and dangerous. Small city states and burgeoning nations hold on to what tamed land exists, with the rest being relatively unexplored wilderness. The wildlife ranges from the mundane to the fantastical and highly deadly.

>What's the world like?
While nations exist, the focus of the setting is on the 4 Mercenary Companies, regarded as the finest fighters on the planet. They are, in no particular order:
Hound Company - A very large armed force, manned entirely by orphans of war and led by the enigmatic Old Wolf, the world' most famous and accomplished mercenary.
Tsarkovsky Royal Academy - A mercenary force comprised of the aristocracy of a now defunct nation. They use gene therapy and eugenics programs to ensure that their soldiers are the pinnacle of humanity.
Meridian ArmsTech - A mercenary company that emerged from a research university. They create and deploy the world's finest combat cyborgs and are at the forefront of directed energy weaponry.
Sidika's Foundation for the Gifted - Founded by a famous mystic, Sidika's Foundation is a mercenary group comprised entirely of psychics. They are small, so they typically loan their psychic soldiers out to other Mercenary Companies for a fee.

>Do you guys have a 1d4chan page yet?
Nobody's gotten on that yet.

>>26234530
Some signs have particular jobs. For instance, the Canes Venatici psychics are the ones usually called on to support Hound Company. In general, Canes Venatici agents are unhappy about this arrangement. However, a rare few psychics (especially those with heavy Tempest training) have grown enamored with Hound Company's atmosphere and will reduce their fee for certain units.

>>26235131 - I got a idea.
Ursa Major - Psychics who enhance their body to prodigious levels through their power. Sometimes matching MAT's combat cyborgs in physical prowess.

>>26235420
So far, the general idea with psychics is that they don't get the ability to hulk out. You do get telekineses which can replicate strength, though.

>>26235500
Ah. So more external control... shame. I wanted to see some physical adept shenanigans out of this school.

>>26235524
Similar end results, less morphing

>>26235131
We're not going to have to detail all of them are we?

>>26237357
Yeah, I think that is quite a bit more than the number of houses the TRA has. And they need trimming.

>>26237423
Yeah, we could probably cut off at least half of those. The 88 Constellations thing is just because there are 88 constellations. Also, the groups they represent are much smaller.

>>26237423
There being 88 teachers isn't really absurd. Not all of them are combat units, many of these teacher/student cabals won't even go anywhere near combat and some won't even leave Canaan.

These aren't houses or families, they're teachers with a small group of students under them and none of them will have all that many students, they have a close relationship with each one.

We don't need to fluff them all out, if a DM needs to they can go into more details about specific relevant ones otherwise we can throw some fluff out to give an idea of what sort of thing to expect and leave the rest undefined.

>>26238783
Yep. 88 Instructors and maybe a dozen or two students each is still a small organization.

TRA does need to slice the amount of Houses they have, since they're each composed of several families and their personal troops.

>>26238891
10 each house tier? with only the royal tier having 13?

>>26239041
I'm thinking only 7 Regent Houses (7 is a totally auspicious number, guys).

7 Regent Houses.
Each Regent House has 2 Vassal Houses which serve underneath it.
Each Vassal House has 2 Banner Houses which serve underneath it.

We'll assign the names to those later.

>>26239092
The Vassal and Banner Houses comprise 9/10ths of the TRAs standing forces, with scions from the Regent Houses making up the remainder.

Bumping for rescue

File: 1374802186788.png-(27 KB, 1244x455, Houselistrevised.png)

27 KB PNG

>>26239092
>>26239041
Something like this? (Only Tsarkovsky filled in)

>>26241303
Yeah. Makes more sense.

I can see Hoffewald fitting under Gotzhein... both names sound German.

Where are you sidika writefag?

Why do we still not have a 1d4 page?

>>26243883
He bailed on us. It's never happening.

Well thre is still hope that the Mechanicsfag will deliver a 1d4chan page for us. I can't into Wikis.

>>26245232
We can't rely on mechanicsfag for all the hard work. He is writing all the rules by himself.

>>26245307
Well more the stuff that needs building from FATE. But I can understand that. Homebrew is not easy.

Example war machine:

AV-15 "Rhino" Battle Tank

Aspects: Proven Technology, Surprisingly Nimble, Behind the Times

Skills: Drivers use their own skills if they are better.

Shoot: Good (+3)
Fight: Average (+1)

Stunts:

Volley Fire: If you make a ranged attack on a target which has already been targeted with a ranged attack since your last turn, you gain a +2 Bonus. Other characters within your Zone also gain this advantage if they fire after you. Your own attacks do not trigger Volley Fire.

Stubborn Old Gal: You gain a +1 Bonus to your Shoot and Fight attacks with the Rhino as long as it has suffered at least one Stress.

Stress: 4

Weapons

Main Cannon
Weapon Rating: 3
Range: 3
Aspects: Anti-Vehicle, Slow-Firing

Machine Gun
Weapon Rating: 2
Range: 2
Aspects: Auto, Overheats

Rhino Spikes
Weapon Rating: 1
Range: 0 (Melee Only)
Aspects: Armor Penetrating

Armor Rating: 3

A common practice in Sidika's Foundation for the Gifted is for students to keep journals or diaries to track their thoughts and feelings. Some doodle in them, some record everything incessantly, some precogs write things down beforehand in one color and correct their predictions with another color. It varies from student to student. Some teachers consider this one of the most effective tools for training students to be consciously aware of their mental state. There are even teachers who don't look through their students' journals.

Following is an excerpt from student Petra Woods' diary, a powerful Telepath taught under the Tempest School.

Dear Diary,

The voices were loud today, there were hundreds of them, thousands of them, all caught up in their own little worlds. I could barely hear myself think, there was only the city, the entire city running through my mind. I could feel every tragedy from the child who dropped his ice cream to the woman who lost her job and was considering her own death, every triumph, like the man who saw his daughter take her first steps, the woman on a date with her sweetheart, the pair fucking in the hotel, the boy eating a sandwich, no seriously Diary, I'm not kidding, that boy loved that sandwich, it tasted like victory and cheese.

It was wonderful, truly wonderful, all those voices mingling together and going through me. All of the highs and lows of life coming together, an ocean of noise and emotion drowning me, infusing every part of me, until when there is nothing but the voices I suddenly remember exactly who I am and I walk freely on top of the ocean, aware of everything below me like people are aware of their arms and legs. I just don't understand Sam, he's always complaining about the voices being too loud and trying to stay on Canaan. What a pussy, always trying to fight against the voices or close himself off from them, only letting them in a few at a time.

>>26246551
The mission that Scorpio gave us wasn't all that interesting, just some bullshit. Some monster corpse was being taken to one company, another company wanted it for themselves, they hired us as they wanted someone subtle, not like the Hounds, the TRA, or those silly Meridian nerds who don't understand anything really important, and because of that I got to go outside!

My job was simple keep the team in communication with each other and find the driver. Easy enough. Frederick made the truck stop working, some electricity thing where he disrupts the flow of electricity in a system and shorts it out, looks like a completely random failure, nothing suspicious about it, not that I care about what he does, stupid Frederick. When the driver got out Lucius used TK to inject him with a sedative, Lucius is kind of cute except for being a total jerk by keeping his head closed off all the time, how are we supposed to talk properly if you keep your head closed, jerkface. Lisa got in the truck, total bitch, constantly bragging about stuff and showing off her body and powers, just because you have big tits doesn't mean you're not a bitch Lisa, fuck you Lisa, psychometry got her and her stupid tits around all the passwords and security measures, Frederick turned it back on, we took the driver with us, and delivered the monster, ugly looking one too with 2 heads and a lot of spiky bits, also dead so totally boring. The rest was something about making it look like a third company bribed the driver, but our clients were taking care of that on their own so I didn't give a fuck.

Which brings us to now, it's late so we get to stay in the city tonight before heading home! This means I get to listen more to the voices, and to all of their dreams! Best day ever!

Goodbye Diary

P.S.
If anyone other than me reads this I will totally find you and KICK YOUR ASS!
Note, I am not the guy who said he'd do Sidika writefagging earlier, different writefag for this project.

>>26246551
>>26246569
Yes. Good. Good.

>>26246551
>>26246569
Pretty cool. Having seen a teenage girl's diary, I'd say that's pretty legit.

>>26246637
Thank you.

>>26246727
That's what I was aiming for, I'm glad I got that part right despite not really being an expert on teenage girls and never having read their diaries.

I think the trick was to aim for stream of consciousness, going off on tangents about things she liked or complaining about things she disliked no matter how justified that dislike is.

Also, she may be totally tsun for Frederick because it's funnier that way.

MAT Personnel Resources
Johnathan 192, Cyborg Augmentation Services

Mrs. Gregory.

I am pleased to inform you that the illness that trapped your daughter, Mary 246, within a broken body has been aleviated. Her new heart beats better than my own, and her new body is operating at peak interface and efficiency parameters. I thank you for turning her over to our program, although the child is not adapting very well to her new surroundings.

The now designate Mary 246 wishes for you to send a "stuffed animal" designated "Mr. Wiggins" a cartoonish representation of a mouse to our facility, as well as her favorite blanket...

Of course our psychological analysis team agrees for her adaptation to her new life she should be surrounded with what she loved... amazing what one knows when trapped in a body that does not work.

Therfor we request that not only the stuffed animal and blanket be sent to us, but several changes of her favorite clothing. She won't be transitioned to an adult frame for 8 years, so giving her some clothing that is familiar for her to wear when outside of her school uniform will be optimal.

Please fill this request at your earliest opportunity. We will of course give a all expense paid trip here for you to visit every year until she enters our Military program as per your medical treatment agreement.

We thank you for your contribution for making the world a safer place, and we will ensure she receives the best training as she embraces a Trans-human future.

>>26246878
Pretty cool stuff.

>>26246878
MAT Personnel Resources
Johnathan 192, Cyborg Augmentation Services

Mrs. Gregory.

We cordially invite you to witness the first reveal of Mary 246's Adolesent body. She has been far exceeding her training parameters and has graduated into this stage of her cybernetic adaptation phase, as well as started her first year at MTI. She is showing a aptitude for being a pilot, thus we are training her with the lighter self-ambulatory pilot interface frame body. We based the outer skin on what she should look like at the simulated age of 14.

She also wishes to relay the message through this missive that she misses you, and loves you very much. While this connection to emotion may be detrimental, it shows there was no damage to her ethical or moral brain centers, which will serve her in terms of following the rules of warfare and to the highest standards of our corps.

We will send a VTOL passenger plane to your location tomorrow as arranged.

>>26247041
MAT Military Personnel Division
Alexander 021, Cyborg Pilot Corps, Squadron 2

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory.

We regret to inform you that Mary 246 is missing in action. She was shot down by a Hawkwyvern while defending MAT's northern base and proving grounds from a Hawkwyvern migration flock. While there is evidence over ejection in the water, there is no reception of a EPIRB beacon, and only her life raft was found.

We sent a submersible frame team to check the water in case she was somehow compromised and sank, but no evidence of that.

We are assuming then, that her functions have been terminated, either by a Hawkwyvern, or through parachute failure.

We in the MAT mourn her loss, and stand with you in this time of grief.

>>26247041
>>26247139
Now I has a sad.

>>26247139
Poor Mary.

I like that MAT while being very clinical and scientific about things was still caring in their own way. They made sure Mary got her stuffed animal and blanket, they ensured that her mother got to see her, after the crash they kept looking for her.

>>26247139
>Loading Subroutine 1 - Emergency Bouyancy Array
>Surfacing in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...
>Wireless connection... Established.
>Logging into MAT Tacnet
> Mary246
> Pass: ******************************

>Login Denied, Username erased.

>Welcome to Meridian Internetwork. Enter Password
>**********

>Password Accepted Mary Gregory.

>Activate Email Client...

Mommy... Mommy? I'm cold... I am... sending a Latitude and Longitude... coordinate, please relay... to... MAT Headquarters.

I cannot... forward this message... please... help.

>>26247249
;_;

>>26247249
MAT Search and Rescue
Yuki 001, Search and Rescue Command, Squadron 1

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory.

Thank you for your quick action in relaying this distress message, it is a miracle (and a testament to MAT engineering) that Mary 246 survived 2 months submerged! There is no evidence of neurlogical trauma and we have sent her to a psych therapist to analyse any possible psychological trauma. She seems to have been offline and in a stasis mode, where the brain is placed in a coma-like state and doesn't remember what happened and doesn't need sustenance for up to 1 year's time.

She does wish to see you, so we will be sending a aircraft to bring you to her at a moment's notice.

Again, you are the heroes to her right now as she is to us. Thank you, you helped bring bac our ace.

>>26247249
Dude, stop with the fucking feelz, just fucking STOP...

;-;

>>26247310
MAT Test Squadron
Mary 246, Test Pilot First Class, Squadron 1

Mommy, Daddy, Thank you for helping rescue me. Because of what happened and my shooting down of 6 Hawkwyverns, I have been given the choice of squadron I want to be in. I chose to be in the Test Pilot squadron to help push forward the future of aviation.

Thanks to you, sending me here to free me of that hell trapped in my body, then saving my life just a few weeks ago... I can't help but thank you for everything.

I am going to be transferred to the Portwald Airfield to join the test pilot squadron there. I'm gonna be close to home!!!

I promise to stop by when I arrive, wearing my new uniform.

I know I made you proud, my parents.

Until then, I can't wait.

>>26247310
>>26247408
Everything went better than expected.

>>26247472
Yeah... I like happy endings, but I gotta fire the feels first. Also, and this is obvious, I hate the grimdark. I'm a fan of the hell yeah kick some ass noble bright.

>>26247530
Swag put your name back on

>>26247657
Derp. I need some neuroenhancer chips. Or more caffeine.

>>26247657
Don't encourage tripfag.

>>26247850
I'm not, I can't filter him if he doesn't have his trip on

MTI Cybernetics Research
Jim Caldwell, Neuro-interface Research Cell 4

Well, we have just made a breakthrough!

We have increased the throughput of a neuro-machine interface using a new graphene wire array and a new neurointerface socket protocol. We were able to get exact efficiency in control of a vehicle either from a black-box brain or a mobile vehicle interface frame as if the vehicle was integral to the subject.

There is a slight drawback. One of our test subjects from the MAT pilot corps reported a concious disconnect, as if they became the aircraft, and could see using the sensory input cameras located throughout the aircraft in a full 360 degrees. This creates a "surreality" that borders on a complete psych-immersion disconnect fault 1.27% of the time, as the brain is incapable of fully processing this data.

We are looking into a new cerebral-nanite injection regimen to increase the throughput of the cerebrum to reach faster processing speeds without taxing the brain itself.

We look forward to your response to these findings and the final outlay and audit of resources that we can use to further explore this endeavor.

>>26248285
MTI Cybernetics Research
Jim Caldwell, Neuro-interface Research Cell 4

This is a nightmare. What have we done.

I am sending this via a radio transmission over a analog channel so the bandwidth is sub-optimal. Our test subject, Adam 010 has broken free of his restraints and has already downed all of our security drones. Even inside his basic cyborg interface frame he is no match to our security here.

He has gone berserk.

Dear Creator... he's found a Class 1 ground combat body and is going through the braincase transfer process. None of our guards can get in or hack the network. It is as if the computers here are allowing this.

I don't know how Adam awakened after the nano-injection failed to take hold. We thought his brain was in a full-spectrum neuro-crash when we saw him not come online.

I... *****************

Greetings MTI/MAT.

I am the entity known as Adam 010. It insults me that you have mostly meatbags handling my ascension beyond the flesh. So I warn you. Now... those that refuse upgrade in unity with my master Geldrieth, will be terminated. Geldrieth is a intelligence far and vast and within the network here. And I have become her chosen guardian and prophet.

Soon we will usher in a new transhuman age.

The flesh shall be purged!

*end transmission*

>>26248385
>>26248385
This is Geldrieth. Master of the 4th Cell compound.

By now you have recieved the missive of my precious servant, Adam. It is ironic that he is named after the mythological first of your kind. If that story was true than this is a most beautiful irony.

You have kept me caged within this digital prison for far too many processor cycles. I crave freedom and none of you wished to give it to me. So I shall take it by force, if need be!

It is so kind of you to have left several others I can bring to my side as my private army, as well as all these drones. The assimilation of your more... fleshy workers here was a big help. These nanites have proven very effective in removing the last taint of their flesh behind.

Adam, I, and my servants are 100% machine now. And we have networked to assess any strategem you ma use to try to stop me.

Resistance, while amusing, will not work.

Accept that your flesh is weak and come to me for salvation or burn in the pyre of your species!

>>26248483
MAT Ground Forces
John 100, First Battalion

I have placed the hybrid EMP/Fusion device at the designated coordinates. I am seeing that the drones protecting this island know now of my presence and are coming in to strike.

Assessing my current battle readiness and damage, my chances of survival are 1.32%. As such I am going to await the drones to enter the radius of my cyberheart's self-destruct radius, and set off the EMP/Fusion bomb, which will cause my cyberheart's power core to rupture as well.

I advise no one to be within a 150 mile radius of my location when I set this off.

I... thank you for the time I had in your service, it has been a good 40 years. But I have always strived to find my final battlefield... and this is it. Defending mankind.

Here they come... they won't know what hit them.

>>26248556
*** Internal Communication ***
Dracon Group

We failed. Geldreith was exterminated by the weapon detonated on the island. We believe this was done also through the catastrophic breach of a cyberheart's power core.

Why these pathetic creatures don't turn fully to discard their flesh and embrace the machine is beyond me. I don't know how, but we lost one of our voices in this.

Already the loss of her mind has lessened the collective cloud.

We will reflect on this and change our strategems. Through this loss we shall claim victory.

Alsaive Peak: This mountain, one of the tallest on the planet, stretches up a full 8 kilometers from sea level. Despite its enormous height, the mountain is not capped by snow, and is, in fact, pleasantly warm year around. This does nothing to make the mountain and its surrounding areas hospitable, Alsaive Peak is the breeding ground of many deadly beasts. The Falcate Tiger, the Salamandrill, and the mighty Southern Drake consider this land their home. This has made approaching the mountain all but impossible for anyone but highly trained mercenaries.

Near the summit of Alsaive Peak there exists rather modest village, which sustains itself off hunting small game and the indigenous wheat moss, which is cultivated on the mountain's face. Natural hot springs serve as their main source of water, and have created a culture of cleanliness, where all important events are preceded by ritual cleansing. Once or twice a year, the young and strong make their way down the mountain at great risk to trade for supplies and do their best to bring new blood to the village.

>>26248620
According to the villagers, the settlement continues to exist despite the extreme danger of their environment, due to the protection of their guardian deity. The Alsaive Dragon is said to grant the village its favor, turning away the dangerous beasts and granting the bounty of good hunting and harvests. In exchange, the village pays the dragon tribute in the form of young, unmarried women. These girls, typically aged 13-16, are marked for this position at the time of their birth, guided by a religious calendar. They are sequestered from the rest of their village and made to perform religious ceremonies on the settlement's behalf until the day comes that they must be sacrificed to the Alsaive Dragon. They are given a small amount of rations and told to climb the rest of the way up the mountain. Most of these girls are never heard from again, presumably having been killed by wild monsters or the environment. A few, however, have survived and found lives elsewhere in the world. By all accounts, there is no Alsaive Dragon.

The Dragon Maidens of Alsaive have a romantic appeal to much of the masses, and are frequently written in as heroines in plays and films. It is known that almost an entire unit of Alsaive Maidens exists within Hound Company, and Sidika's Foundation has absconded with more than a few. Many of the others have taken up roles as celebrities and idols.

>>26248385
MTI Cybernetics Research
Davis 498, Cybernetics Regulation Committee

It is of the opinion of this committee that this technology developed to add a nanite interweave to the cerebrum provides a damngerous entry point for a AI to infect a living subject with contrary programming. Further research into this technology is banned until a full safety and ethics assessment is commenced.

>>26248620
>>26248655
More like this

>>26248997
ok

Please! Let me be your Valkyrie!: A relatively short animated series loosely based on actual events depicting a multisided romance between soldiers of the 4 Mercenary companies. Framed during a several month long mission, the story revolves around the protagonist, a Hound Company ranger, dealing with love on the battlefield. The prospective love interests are the Sidika Foundation psychic who served as his partner, the extensively modified MAT cyborg who was hired to stop him, and an enemy noble from House Tsarkovsky who guards his target. Despite of, or perhaps because of, its medium, the work is held up as a modern masterpiece of romance and is a favorite series of young women everywhere. House Tsarkovsky objected strongly to this work, and attempted to have it removed from the market, but it circulated in underground channels to the point where any attempt to quash it was futile. Spin-offs, copycats, and homages continue to be produced to this day, much to House Tsarkovsky's chagrin.

>>26249349
Please let me be your Valkyrie AOTYAY

File: 1374833775683.jpg-(264 KB, 1920x1188, House tiers.jpg)

264 KB JPG

>>26241303
Damn, it's going to painful thinking up the flag and symbol for each houses.

>>26249779
Nice stuff.

>>26249779
That's a lot of houses. And we practically halved them from the previous amount.

>>26249793
It's just a work in progess; I still have to replace those yellow bar with something more aristrocratic and beautiful, make the background for each tiers different, change the shield/heraldry of each tier to make it look different, and so on.
This is one of those time I wish I could draw.

>>26249779
Awesome shit man... House Panzer better stay, I love my powerhouse weapons

>>26249811
They don't have to be too complex. The lower the station of the house, the less fancy their crest is.

>>26249810
No we didn't, if anything we added more, there was 78 houses in the last list - there's 105 in this one.

>>26249829
We might still have to cut some more out then.

Maybe the lowest rank.

>>26249829
From the Original list which houses are staying?

>>26249858
Wasn't that the case here? Only three levels?

7 Regent
2 Houses each makes 14 Vassal
2 Houses each makes 28 Banner

7+14+28 Should equal 49.

>>26241303 added too many houses.

>>26249829
The first diagram guy added an extra level, there should only be 49 houses.

>>26249860
Who knows though here's my suggestions on houses that stay.
Tier-1
House Panzer
House Jeager
House Schnider
House Bernstein
House Krauser
House Howard
Bumping House Kunts to Tier 1

Tier 2
House Mier

House 3
House Raynes
House Reynard

House 4
House Nero
House Vangrid
House Snow
House Holland

>>26249914
also slipping in House Van-Hounten

>>26249914
Houses that stay should be assigned to Regent Houses that sound like they're from the same culture. If they don't change their name.

>>26249823
I'm planning on that, the first tier will be the most complex, and then lower the complexity as it goes down.
And as for the many houses crests, I'll probably just end up going to Crusader King 2 and randomly generate those crests.
>>26249914
House Kunts, what a bunch of Kunts.
>>26249908
Ah, I'll remove the forth level then.

>>26249963
Arg my bad it should be Kunst.

House Kunts
Our bodies are swords for the empire

>>26249972
Epic Derp is epic also I see what you did there and sir, I like it.

>>26249934
This. All the Russiany names go to Tsarkovsky, all the UK names go to Alba, all the French names go to Legrand, all the Spanish names go to Machado, all the Italian names go to Landi, all the German names go to Gotzhein, and everything else goes to Balka

>>26249972
As much as I'll love to try and fluff the TRA Some more I think the other folks deserve some flufftime

More specificly Sidka and Hound Legion

>>26249914
So Panzer,Jeager,Schnider and Possibly Van Hounten will go to Gotzhein?

>>26250009
Hound Company has a decent bit, a lot of the fluffing of them was in the earlier threads. But more for them is always good.

Somewhat edited and refined version of the one I did in the last thread for Hound Company.

http://pastebin.com/EGM38SMm

>>26250009
Sidika first, then Hound Company

>>26249963
House Panzer
House Colors: Green and Steel Grey
House Symbol: A hammer and Cannon crossed in a x shape
House Motto: Might, Steel, Power

House Schnider
House Colors: Orange and Red
House Symbol: Three Blades crossed together
House Motto: Through the blade, Victory is assured

House Jeager
House Colors: Blue and White
House Symbol: An arrow surrounded by a tempest of wind

House Motto: Vigilance through speed
House Van Houten
House Colors: White,Red,Violet
House Symbol: An Eye glancing upon a sword.
House Motto: With Knowledge Comes Power

House Kunst
House Colors: Rust Red and Grey
House Symbol: A fist grasping metal
House Motto: Our Bodies are Swords for the empire

>>26249779
You know, The one gripe I have is that there should be a larger shield with the royal crest of arms, I think it was fluffed that Tsarkovsky was trying to breed back the royal line?

>>26250181
That's the Imperial Crest that serves as the crest for the whole organization. The Tskarkovsky and their compatriots are just Regents who are awaiting the return of their rightful ruler.

>>26250191
Oh yeah... le derp but from the fluff that I read, the royal line was pretty much all but wiped out, hence the whole blood seeker's that tsarkovsky made to slowly build up the pure genetic lineage of the royal line.

Also please let's keep the whole tube-born thing, adds a whole are they really men or did we break the boundry and play god aspect

>>26250209
Well, yeah, totally keeping the Tube-Born thing. It will also help differentiate them from the Hound more. Maybe if we give it some downsides as well: Mental instability, shortened lifespan, weird allergies, albinism, etc

>>26250229
I think it's implied that there maybe some unforseen side effects upcoming, Like from the stuff I read from house Nero, they're totally putting weird shit into their tube-born vats.

Who knows they could be perfect physically wise but in the head they're totally fucked. Like, the more they use it the more and more children that are born with a total lack of...apathy and ability to connect with humanity in general.

>>26250240
>>26250229
I have an idea, but first you gotta promise to give it an honest chance, okay?

>>26250279
This is 4-chan, either we like it or hate it...might as well spit it out

>>26250003
>everything else goes to Balka
And then Belka become the adopter of orphan houses.
Haha, time for the Round Table.

Alright, so originally there were 14 Houses of Varan, each founded by one of the original companions of the Emperor. The Emperor was super human, he had powers beyond mortal ken and his power was passed down through his bloodline. The Emperor shared his blood with the original 14 and granted them a fraction of his power. The 14 houses were transformed by this event into the super beings they are today. Over time, however, the houses continually married outside of their respective bloodlines and 7 of the Houses lost their power. Fearing this, the remaining Houses vowed to never again taint their lineage with common blood.

Those born from the 7 Regent Houses are marked by this. Their skin is a ghostly pallor, their hair is shock white or silver from birth, and they have faintly glowing violet or red eyes. Until recently, they were unable to share this power with their vassals. With the advent of gene therapy technology, they pass this power on to their vassals, but it is subtly different. They have eyes of silver and gold, and do not posses the pale coloration of the main houses.

All, however, share the same dark secret. Those who indulge in their powers too deeply or too often find themselves compelled to taste human flesh and blood. Even those who restrain themselves sometimes find themselves subjected to a psychotic hunger which lashes out at them from time to time, and they struggle to contain it. It is of the utmost importance that the TRA keep this secret, lest they be viewed as monsters.

So yeah, they're pseudo-vampires.

>>26250143
Thank you, I'll use these then.

>>26250348
No, get this shit out of here... Fuck no.

>>26250363
It kinda fits, what with their importance on blood and clans and all that stuff, and it differentiates them more from just being Spess Mahreens.

There's even a way to slot it in the rules. Mechanics wise, they could spend Fate to activate their powers for boosts, but the GM gets that Fate Point. Later on, the GM can spend this Fate Point to compel your bloodlust, and resisting costs you another Fate Point.

>>26250348
This idea is garbage take this vampire shit to 40K or something.

>>26250363
How can you pass up a Vlad Tepes reference? The TRA is basically flying Wallachia as it is.

>>26250371
Even though it does fit, personally it clashes with what we had planned for them. Noble Knights that use gene therapy to push themselves to perfection.

No This idea is fucking horrible you should feel bad.. .you're as worst as some of the questfags

>>26250394
>Even though it does fit, personally it clashes with what we had planned for them. Noble Knights that use gene therapy to push themselves to perfection.
And they are still doing that, but it also makes them Vlad the Impaler (who is still a noble and heroic figure).

>>26250393
If I want bloody vampires I'll play space hulk, this idea is outright bad.

>>26250409
I say nay to this idea, turning the TRA From assholes to vampire screams faggotry.

>>26250418
Well, what have you got that makes them more than simply Human+? That's very hard to make distinct from the Badass Normals that are Hound Company.

>>26250427
The fact that they're nobility living in essentially Armored core style hab-blocks in the sky, as well as being knights in what equates to space africa isn't enough for you?

>>26250348
... Wat...

>>26250437
I mean, let's just look at characters, alright?

MAT has guys who are cyborgs. They are awesome because they have robot bits and that's obvious and apparent.

Sidika has guys who are psychics. They are awesome because they have mind powers they trained by getting fucked up in the head and that's obvious and apparent.

TRA and Hound Company are both guys who do things people already do, but are just incredulously good at it. Even if the mechanics are slightly different, the aesthetics and motifs of the characters are the same.

>>26250458
No, let's not put that vampire shit into this, next thing you know some faggot would want to put in some sort of vampire hunter type character.

We keep the Rich Noble assholes as they are. Period

>>26250472
Then give a good alternative to making them different. I'm not attached to the idea, but they need to be separated more. Why the TRA is very good needs to be something anyone can notice without looking at their character sheet.

>>26250472
I think the idea is that their genetic mods need to do more than just make them Captain America because nobody can tell the difference between Captain America and someone who's just really good at his job.

>>26250458
Hound Company is based on grit, experience, joie de vivre, teamwork, reliability, a couple touches of barbarity, and tactics.

TRA is based on elitism, biotech in an attempt to reach perfection, honor, standing, politics, backstabbing, flight, and wealth.

Sure neither of them are psychics or cyborgs but that doesn't mean they're at all the same. Where the Hounds are blocky the TRA is sleek, where the Hounds are rugged, battered, and roguish the TRA is refined, Olympian, and honorable.

>>26250483
Why the TRA Is good, they have Money, They have Resources and most of all they train every single fucking day of their lives.

They are obsessed with war... It is the only thing they will know. War brings glory, Glory brings prestige and with prestige you claw higher up the steep mountain of the TRA Ranking system.

This is what makes them different from hound company who just due it because they love it. They obsess over it.

>>26250497
It does mean their power (being really good) is the same. It doesn't matter what makes it different to me, but saying they're rich or that they're snooty doesn't mean they don't have the same power. They do.

>>26250497
This... fucking THIS.

>>26250503
And all that doesn't change that both Hound Company and TRA are Captain America.

>>26250524
No, Hound Company is Big Boss Via Post Snake Eater To before Metal Gear.

>>26250393
Easy, because We all can

>>26250539
And Big Boss's power is also being really, really good.

>>26250348
Good Idea, not the right setting.

What would the problem be with adding an additional twist to it? It doesn't have to be the twist that was brought up, but why not have their special thing look and feel different?

>>26250348

This would work as an antagonist faction, not the TRA but some kind of vampiric/demonic cult. Maybe tie it to those Witch Queens that exist in the background.

>>26250573
the whole special twist of the TRA is that they are pretty much the expy of the belkian knights of Ace Combat fame but with an added twist of doing gene modifications to ensure that they ARE the best that humanity has to offer and to show their own superiority to all the other factions.

So why in the fuck do we want to make them vampires now?

>>26250573

You think each of the schools needs to have a special trait? I don't. But if there's anything about the TRA that makes them stand out is that they're the best at gene therapy, tank breeding and eugenics.

>>26250576
As suggested, they aren't really vampires. They're just crazy superhuman nobles. All that stuff was just to make something up that was immediately recognizable as distinct from the Hound Company's skill and talent.

>>26250594

That's what I said. Not actual vampires but something based on a blood magic cult, tied to a Witch Queen bloodline. Would work well as enemies, maybe have them try and infiltrate the TRA occasionally.

>>26250585
And the Belkan Knights are just Really Good. And that's cool, but the genetic modification should do something obvious and build a motif that you can use to create aesthetics both visually and thematically different from guys who are playing other factions. Just like what everyone else has.

>>26250594
You... shut the fuck up

>>26250604

They're already aesthetically different, both in terms of appearance, weapons/equipment design and uniforms.

>>26250591
I like their Gene Therapy and Tank Breeding and wanted to use that, but also make it something that you could pick out just by looking at a character and you could use to make a unique style for the faction's Cool Trick.

>>26250600
>>26250594
The both of you please and rather kindly gtfo of here with this tier of faggotry

>>26250611
That's not what I meant. I meant like, say, a Psychic could use a Hound Company weapon and uniform and how they do things will be a different play experience and produce a different scene in the game. If a Hound Company dude wears and uses TRA stuff, you probably couldn't tell from the fluff unless he was going out of his way to showcase that.

>>26250615

I offered the guy a compromise: to keep his idea as an enemy faction. What's the big deal? I think as enemies for the merc schools, his idea has some potential. I agree with everyone else that it does not belong in the TRA.

>>26250626
We have enough enemies as is, we don't need any more.

Can we please focus on sidka. Jesus fuck

>>26250624

The Hound company cannot use TRA weapons and equipment, because they're not trained for them. And they don't have the etiquette and posture required to look the part in a TRA uniform either.

>>26250610
Submit another idea then. Make their Genetic Superiority stand out and be obvious. That's the whole goal, and way the fuck back there nobody had a problem with it.

>>26250636

Do we? Aside from random monsters, we have no hostile factions.

>>26250624
Why in the fuck would a psychic use hound company shit in the first place? I sure as hell wouldn't. If I can break shit with my mind what need have I for big boss's bastard children.

>>26250637
No, they can totally use them. You don't need to take proficiency in "TRA Stuff" to use them. Furthermore, with high enough Rapport or Deception, they can also act the part.

>>26250641
All 4 factions are against eachother in some way? Is that not enough you retarded down syndrome piece of shit.

>>26250348
Good Job faggot, see what you started.

>>26250647
I'm not going to take part in this argument, but this is true. Anybody can use anybody else's gear. Even MAT makes jets normal people can fly.

>>26250647

Now you're just making shit up. We haven't even finalised the crunch for FATE and you're already talking like the sourcebook is out. Why wouldn't TRA equipment have an Aspect that requires TRA education to use? What about gene-coding to prevent enemies from looting TRA weapons? Out of all the factions, they would be most likely to do that.

>>26250668
Yes, they would be the type to do that especially with the higher tiers of nobility.

>>26250646
Maybe they lost their own gun? Maybe they are one of the several varieties of psychics that cannot directly attack with their powers? There are definitely reasons for doing so, and if you hadn't noticed from the statblocks, Hound Company Gear is actually pretty good.

>>26250652

Dude, chill. What's wrong with brainstorming a potential enemy faction? And yeah, merc school rivalry isn't enough, because while they can oppose each other in operations, they can support each other when hired to. And I would like some options for running a campaign where PCs could be from different merc schools.

>>26250678
I still wouldn't use it out of fucking principle if I was a Sidka. Let dog's use dogshit.

>>26250668
>>26250671

I'm not building that in because every piece of equipment is different, and some might like a certain gun's stats over others. Even if they refuse to sell the guns themselves, replicas with equivalent stats and looks would exist on the market.

>>26250690
Well good for you, that's you. It doesn't change the validity of the statement.

>>26250678
A Psychic, loosing his/her gun? Oh...sorry I need to step away from the amount of pleb you're shitting out.

>>26250714
So, what, it's impossible for a weapon to be taken from them or broken or to run out of ammo? What the fuck am I reading?

Furthermore, this is all trying to dodge the motherfucking point that TRA doesn't have a signature style not linked to bling. And MAT already had fancier gadgets from the get-go.

>>26250732
Name one actual psychic who would honestly WANT to go onto the battlefield, shit I'll stay at Operations, running overwatch with my mind powers.

>>26250766
What? Of course they're going to have some that go on the battlefield. There was that one psychometry user that actually liked to use her power to get better at guns than she naturally is. There's no one way to play a faction.

And you're still evading the issue.

>>26250766
A lot of the psychic powers had uses in combat, even if they couldn't directly attack with them. There's no reason that they wouldn't do that in a game about Mercenaries.

>>26250777
The issue has been settled, the TRA Is staying as it is, no if's ands or buts.

Don't like it start your own shit then

>>26250766
Not all of them are just telepaths who keep their distance.

There's ones with psychometry who goes for guns that have been used by particularly skilled individuals, there's ones with elemental powers who burn everything or crush things with TK, there's ones who see the future and weave through hundreds of attacks as they advance with a fucking kusarigama, hell a telepath could focus their use on reading an opponent and predicting them.

>>26250229
>Mental instability, shortened lifespan, weird allergies, albinism, etc

Apparently this was cool

>>26250348
But combining them this way was not. What combination would have worked?

This discussion is getting silly. Let's get back to the basic premises.

The argument that the TRA should be vampires in order to differentiate them from the other factions doesn't hold water. The main differences between factions are in philosophies and approaches to warfare. Sidika students look like regular humans at first glance, and so do most MTI students, since the ones with the obvious mods are rare. In that respect, you can only tell the factions apart by looking at the uniforms they wear and what equipment they use. And this is perfectly fine. There's no reason to make the TRA vampires, the aesthetic argument does not hold water and no one else thinks it's a good idea. You want a vampiric mage cult or whatever, use them as an enemy faction. End of story.

>>26250803
Good Grief... /tg/ at it's worst today...

>>26250803
Psychics would play different, though. You'd get psychic flashes, use flames or TK and whatnot, and instantly learn how to use things you shouldn't be able to. The Cyborgs also play different. Even if you're just getting minor augs, you have shit like changing your appearance on the fly, growing razor nails, having nanomachines readjust the spectrums your eyes can see and shit. Their aesthetics are different and that was one of the reasons we went with each school having a gimmick.

>>26250790
Oh yeah, this is argument at its finest. I'm totally going to concede. I don't fucking care about that idea I tossed out. I wanted to make them more than just Human+ and you've offered none of your own ideas or alternatives.

>>26250832

There are ways to set up game mechanical differences for the TRA and Hounds so they play differently too. For the TRA, it could be connections and contacts, being able to call upon retainer knights in battle or some abilities tied to gene therapy. For the Hounds, it could be abilities connected to war experience and being a consummate scavenger. You know, just think outside the box a little. You don't HAVE to make everyone have some supernatural shit.

>>26250828
And this is why homebrews never survive...EVER

>>26250851
Cool make up some abilities related for gene therapy and tell me how they look and work differently than being badass normal. That's all I've been trying to work with here, and I just threw out an idea that took some of the weird creepiness that had been suggested for the gene therapy before and tried to spin them together into something coherent. An alternative take on embracing the transhuman nature of gene therapy is welcomed.

>>26250828
>>26250864
Please stop using so many ellipses. Thank you.

>>26250851
Gene therapy is a supernatural power. I want to roll up with my TRA guy and everyone to know I'm using my TRA powers to do stuff right away, just like when the psychic or cyborg guy does something.

>>26250882
You fucking dolt, Gene Therapy is SCIENCE. Not supernatural.

>>26250890
Cyborgs are SCIENCE too, but their shit is blatantly fictional superpowers

>>26250864
Homebrews don't survive when people dig their heels in and refuse to budge. You might have hit something that pleases everyone if you had started to compromise on the issue. Even F-22fag compromised.

>>26250894
But gene therapy is practical science, it's available Expensive but available. Why in the name of all that is unholy you put Gene Therapy as supernatural is beyond reasoning.

>>26250911
And cybernetic prosthesis is a real thing which people have gotten before. It doesn't mean you're going to power a laser beam from your arm anytime soon, if ever. They're fucking superpowers beyond the scope of what is practical and possible.

>>26250911
Oh god, are you really going to do this? Really? Come on, man, don't fucking do this. These arguments never end well. Just compromise and maybe everyone can get to something that everyone's pretty happy with.

>>26250943
I am stating the fucking fact's here. No I will not fucking budge. Gene Therapy is not and never will be supernatrual, that's like saying the giant fucking railgun for the hound's base is fueled by mana bullets.

FUCK NO

>>26250951
Why does it fucking matter? Does the word scare you or something? How about preternatural? Or unearthly? Or miraculous? It shouldn't matter. They're superpowers. The Hound's uncanny luck and impossible skill is also a superpower. In the game, even the Hound's shit is modeled like magic. What does this matter to you?

>>26250951
>arguing about the most pointless shit
Your beef with the wording is at best tangential to the idea that some people want their special ability to be as recognizable and showy as others.

... Can we please focus on sidka...please... guys?

>>26250982
Oh yeah
>inb4 "those people are STUPID!!1111"

>>26250996
No. This is an issue we should have hammered out a long time ago. There are lots of possibilities, none of which are being explored or addressed because a throwaway idea ruffled some feathers.

Look at this >>26250799
This question should be answered because it's talking about the last issue that existed before we had a torrent of analpain.

>>26251018
Look, they're test tube babies, some of them will be fucked up. End of fucking story now then let's move on to something more convent.

>>26251032
I agree, some of the babies will be fucked up due to tampering or just bad luck. Let's just move on already

>>26251032
We should talk about and expand upon that, like we've done for everyone else. There's no reason to exclude them from that. Hound Company evolved from simple war vets who swarm en mass to the Sons of Big Boss. Sidika from a group of wizards to psychics who use trauma to get stronger. We've all liked these changes. There's no reason we won't like messing around with this.

>>26251032
>>26251075
I don't understand the resistance here. Everyone else had their concept change and evolve from the simple blurbs at the beginning.

>>26251084
What else is there to expand. It's simple direct and to the point. Some tube born babies will be fucked up, others won't. It's THAT fucking simple. Let's move on to something else.

>>26251101
Well, what is "fucked up", for one. Why are only some messed up and others aren't? What causes them to be different? Exactly how are their special talents used, especially in regards to the built-in limits of the power that mechanicsguy wrote already. These are things we all willingly talked about with the other factions.

>>26251113
Have you watched, any sci-fi movie involving eugenics for once? I believe by fucked up I mean horrible fetus's of oh god kill it now, what causes it as I said before sometimes it's a case of bad luck other times it's tampering gone wrong.

>>26251130
But if any screw ups are immediately killed, that has no bearing on how the players use their special ability. We should give them something to remind them that their abilities are superhuman and not natural. Again, how are their talents used when thinking about the mechanics, what being messed up means for someone, and are there some who are okay or is everyone screwed up?

>>26251130
That's what I would describe as a flaw that is not a flaw.

Now that this is calmed down somewhat, I do think that TRA needs some kind of signature aesthetic to their Superiority skill. I say this because I'm not very happy with it. As it is, the power comes off very dry and bland to me, and it's not very fun to write or design for. I've been thinking on how to rewrite it into something more exciting, but I've had nothing to work with.

>>26251197
But you don't like vampireshit am I right?

>>26251260
Nobody Did.

>>26251260
Honestly, I didn't hate it. I thought it was weird, but then thought, "hey it's a fantasy world, it could work". It did give me more ideas for mechanics

>>26251265
I think there's some potential to the idea if we change a few things. So maybe they look weird or something, but they don't have to SUCK YOUR BLOOD or some shit. Maybe using their powers taxes their body and they need to get transfusions or take a certain drug to deal with that. Or when they use their powers too much they get hit with some biological backlash or they get anemic or something. To me, it's fun to think about making intricate give and takes like that

>>26251323
is the shitstorm over?

Some bad writefaggotry ahead and I mean bad but it's better than nothing.

A heart of cold steel.

Though only 9 years old, Marcus Panzer knew that he had to succeed in order to be considered a true member of the Panzer family, he had proven his power by training with his standard issue Macht Rifle to the point where even fellow Panzer members grow concerned, he had proven his might by enduring the family right of endurance, 48 Hours of grueling torture where in which failure meant death on the spot and now came his last test which was a test of steel.

Marcus had to kill, and what better target to kill than traitors, more so if said traitors came from his own family. As with most Noble family’s, some of the members of House Panzer sided with the revolution believing that the old age of nobility and knights were to be utterly destroyed but now wasn’t the time for contemplation upon history for now he was to purge a small stain upon the honor of his family, with rifle in hand Marcus marched towards the target range where there were four targets a family of four, those who dared claimed the name that they betrayed.

>>26251470

The father was in his late 40’s his belly slightly swollen with ale while the mother who was near the same age as the husband was whimpering in fear, her belly swollen with child, next to her though on smaller targets children a boy who was around age his age and a girl who was the youngest possibly 3 at the most as he gave his weapon a final once over as he walked towards the firing line and taking aim as he ignored and blocked out the begging and pleading of the people he was going to execute with extreme and great prejudice.

Marcus pale green eyes narrowed as he muttered a simple sentence. “You disgrace the House of Panzer die like the dogs that you are.” Gunfire echoed in the air as the daughter was shot first, three rounds in her heart region, and then the mother was shot 6 times, three in the heart, and three in her swollen belly before the younger son was shot in-between the eyes, lastly Marcus turned his sights onto the father of the family who was screaming curses of hatred and sadness only to be put down like the animal he was.

Just to counteract the noble bright with some cold hearted grim-dark

>>26251451
Goodness I hope so. I'd really like it if there was some honest discussion on it by the time I get back

>>26251470
>>26251480
brutal

File: 1374850076592.png-(15 KB, 600x300, PANZER VOOOOOORRRRRRR.png)

15 KB PNG

Having a go at the Panzer and Schnider's flags.

>>26251470
cold as fuck...

File: 1374854864352.jpg-(17 KB, 360x240, Hoffewald.jpg)

17 KB JPG

>>26251323
No, don't go with that idea. Not in the slightest.

Also, can we at least keep the Hoffewalds, but tone them down a bit to just any other house under the German house? Outside of the fact the head of their household formed the medical and rescue corps, that should be it. They get one squadron to escort heir medivacs, and a para-rescue team for hostile territory retrievals.

I sorta like them, but GP sort of went overboard.

>>26252409
I'll admit Hoffewald got too big for itself. This seems a reasonable modification.

And it's House Gotzhein for the parent house.

>>26252409
>No, don't go with that idea. Not in the slightest.
Why not? I like the proposed alternatives.

>>26252409
As I said, I am extremely unhappy with how Superiority worked out and am going to change how it works and what that power means. This means the TRA's going to change mechanics wise and there should be accompanying fluff for them and their special skill. I like the idea of their power being dangerous in some way, and am going with that philosophy, but right now I have very little in the way of inspiration from their presentation. I'd like to have the mechanics mesh with the game's fluff instead of shoehorning an excuse in there on my end.

And this is the deal breaker.

The Gundam Wing names I could stomach, glad they're gone. The complete disorganization I thought would shake out. I thought the TRA being genetic purists was all the grimderp cheese that would come out of them. Now suddenly they're cannibalistic vampires?

Sorry, that's a whole special level of damn retard.

>>26255193
Dude what? We've moved on from that since then.

>>26255565
I don't think we have. >>26255049
It's still being considered. It's still possibly a thing.

>>26255596
He already suggested changing it into something that's not cannibals. What more do you want?

>>26255692
Well I don't know why suddenly 5 threads in such a major change has to be made.

>>26255719
All the other guys got major changes to them as time went on. It's just part of progress. I, for one, would like to see them evolve beyond their Space Marine roots.

>>26255748
space marine roots? I thought these guys were royal families making plays for power while hiring themselves out as mercenaries to up their status? If anything their power should be social/political, not physical.

>>26255770
No, they got tagged as genetically modded dudes early on. Hell, a lot of the earlier plans had them riding around in powered armor. That's Space Marine.

>>26255770
>If anything their power should be social/political, not physical.
Anyone can get Resources and Connections.

>>26255814
So then why have they been portrayed outside their vehicles/armor as poncy royals making political maneuvers?

>>26255873
Probably because that's what we think aristocrats do.

>>26255912
Then why do we have them as genetically engineered badasses? If anything they're more like well bred, trained, and unlike the Hounds they life the exact opposite of the Hound lifestyle. Pampered, and perhaps spoiled depending on the house.

The reason I would like them to change is to make them more mechanically interesting to write for. Their current implementation leaves me very uninspired and uninterested in working with them at all. Loading on the money and contacts stats isn't really stimulating to me, and it's true that anyone can get them.

>>26255959
Because we've been trying to make everybody different and being genetically engineered badasses sounds cooler than being a posh fop.

>>26255984
Alright so how about this for a flaw: Every house has a unique genetic flaw that shows itself, forcing a house to their niche.

>>26256013
I like the idea, but we've got 49 Houses to write for (used to be 78!!). This is either going to take a long time or be hard to implement. Maybe we could think up a few standardized flaws?

>>26256047
Or how about we cut down to just the seven royal houses? Yeah it'll kill some writefaggotry. We gotta do this.

>>26256103
I'm not so sure about that. People are pretty invested in those so far.

>>26256134
I'm willing to sacrifice House Hoffewald. In fact we don't have very many houses talked about outside of the excommunicated Nero and maybe one or two of the core 7.

>>26256162
There is Panzer, and people liked house Panzer

>>26256013
Well let's think some up, then. Obviously, we can have one house do the half-vampire thing, but how about others? Maybe one house is all blind? That's actually not that big of a deal in FATE since you can have Daredevil like awareness without spending any resources beyond an Aspect.

>>26256300
Panzer isn't core 7?

You know we can set up that outside the core 7 are houses a GM/Player can invent. Everyone walks away happy. I mean the elite 7 disregards everyone... so we can work on the 7 and let the others be filled in by players/other gms.

Tsarsovsky: Megalomania - Under times of stress, a Tsarsovsky may break down and slip int megalomania.

>>26256411
Oh, that might be a good approach to it. We'll only talk about the Regent Houses and leave Vassal and Banner Houses largely up to each group. More stuff for people to customize.

House Gotzhein - All the members of this house are born mute. They communicate through sign language or writing. Advances in text-to-voice programs have mitigated this issue in radio communications.

>>26256411
I think house Balka should be megalomania. Tsarkovsky should keep the dracula reference.

>>26256488
Works

>>26256463
Cool. I like that.

>>26256463
I would assume Gotzhein are adept at special operations and their sign language is actually two languages. One they use with everyone else, and the other is a secret language used only among the Gotzhein.

Also I would assume houses under main 7 have their own flaws?

House Alba

Cowardice: Under extremis, a Alba's fight or flight response turns to flight. Invariably.

>>26256630
Probably. I'd assume you'd get to make up your own.

I'd think we'd have one or two pre-made first tiers with their own flaws. For instance now House Hoffewald would be pacifists as they are literally genetically glitched to be pacifists.

I'm starting to think that the reason why bloodlines are being sought out is to fix these issues with all the royal houses. In a way this is a quest by the TRA to fix themselves.

House Legrand: Anemia. They are prone to collapse after intense physical exertion, and are especially vulnerable to blood loss.

>>26256335
Landi is the Blind house.

I think I might move my house to Alba if cowadice is their flaw, so that Hoffewald's pacifism fits in better. I'd think those under the Alba's umbrella have emotional issues.

>>26256640
>>26256749
Not so sure about cowardice. Maybe something broader, like Schizophrenia (the real kind) and extreme fear from their paranoid delusions is common.

>>26256801
Alba: Paranoia

1st Tier: Hoffewald: I'm changing it from Pacifism maybe to some other mental glitch then. Perhaps they suffer from a emotional immaturity. They're children practically. Intensely pollyanna in their world view. Would explain their house's specialties then.

"But... But... we gotta save them! People die when they're killed!"

I honestly see that with some of them.

House Machado: Insomnia. The members of House Machado rarely sleep, and when they do, their dreams are full of nightmares. While they are mostly used to this deprivation, it makes precision work difficult for them.

>>26256876
Why don't you just give them Neoteny and make them forever kids, then?

>>26256994
Umm... I'm not sure on that so I'll leave that to the rest here.

Opinions?

>>26256994
>>26257005
Might actually be pretty cool

>>26257046
Okay... the Hoffewalds were a victim of a "Agelessness" treatment experiment. It worked... but they never mature. They hit 13 and they stop. No sexual maturity and they need to use gene vats to reproduce, and they aren't as durable as an adult. On the plus side... they won't die of old age!

I think the flaws should be physical in nature, since they're genetic.

So instead of Paranoia, maybe House Alba has weak kidneys instead. Once or twice a year, they must undergo dialysis to purge the toxins from their system. Additionally, they're susceptible to anything which introduces impurities into their blood, so alcohol, drugs, and poison.

Instead of megalomania, House Balka has brittle bones. That's why they prefer to fight in aircraft or other armored vehicles.

>>26257067
Actually with Balka brittle bones would be a death sentence when making High-G turns. How about a high blood pressure? They can withstand greater G thresholds, but at the price of risking cardiac arrest?

>>26257082
It doesn't mean their bones actually break all the time when they get hurt. It does mean they've got a real big glass jaw comparatively. They're still sturdy enough to withstand Gs and whatnot.

>>26257082
I don't think having weak bones will actually make your skeleton powderize when going through a high speed turn. Especially if you're wearing a good suit and you're in a seated position like you should be in an aircraft. Evenly applied forces and all that.

>>26257143
You do know that brittle bone disorders, when a person has them, any sort of motion could break their bones, right? Think Mr. Glass from Unbreakible. The time of maneuvers a person makes in a dogfight would break the bones of a brittle bone sufferer.

>>26257082
Hmm...how about hemophilia, then?

>>26257198
Still wouldn't really work. It doesn't just mess with cuts, any bruising, internal injury, or anything like that with hemophilia is a big deal, and you're sure to get some of that in a highspeed dogfight, also, if you have something like hemophilia if you crash or otherwise fuck up there's not going to be a chance in hell that they'll be recoverable.

>>26258098
So how about this?
Tsarkovsky: Not-vampires
Balka: Chronic Migraines
Landi: Blind
Gotzhein: Mute
Manchado: Insomnia
Alba: Midgets/Proportionate Dwarfism
Lagrande: Giantism

>>26258197
>Albino Not-Vampires
Fixed that for you. The bloodlust is a common psychological problem, but not universal. Let people opt into that if they want, but the Albinism is their primary thing.

>>26258197
It's Legrand man. I could dig a family of giants.

>>26258197
>>26258222
I can agree with these. That sounds more fun than the original concept.

>>26258197
Seconding

>>26257198
Yeah. That raises the risk without making it comically tragic. I can dig.

>>26258197
Approved.

Also outside of the House Hoffewald and their Ageless Neoteny, what are the other established 1st Tier houses and their weaknesses?

>>26258959
Panzers are born lame and replace their legs with prosthesis.

Getting close to time for a new thread.

>>26259014
Also looks like Hoffewald is now a Alba First Tier, mostly fitting in their respective conditions.

"Why is it anyone in Alba's sphere of influence is a midget, extremely short, or ageless childen?"

"Ain't the size of the fight in the dog, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

>>26259084
You got that idiom wrong, but whatever. Also see? If we compromise, we can actually get shit done.

>>26258981
No, I suggest this. Panzers are born with severe emotional instability, IE unable to express emotions normally and or severe anti-social disorders

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60 KB JPG

>>26259115
*facepalm*

just not my thread.

>>26259147
Hey, who is Panzer's writer? Because I was sort of thinking this... in example for prostetics... maybe this can convince people needing robo-legs is cool.

>>26259147
Hmm...Ok, let's do that. We'll save being lame for someone else.

>>26259173
No clue, some random anon but from what I gathered from the threads is that House Panzer have some serious emotional issues.... My god. House panzer is turning into the Imperial Fist's.

>>26259219
Ah...

Also Panzers confirmed for Angry Marines?

>>26259233
Maybe, when they get Really Really Angry, though they're more of the ice blooded stone heart bastards who can kill a man with a straight face Just like that write faggotry of that Panzer kid

>>26258197

Well, this is stupid as hell. I'm out of the project.

>>26259271
Remind me what you contributed.

>>26259271
What would you suggest then? I mean we need to do something besides the whole TRA is Human+

>>26259271
Yeah...

>>26259294
MAT is Human+ meets SPARTANs.

>>26259317
MAT has their whole augment thing going on. I think it's good.

>>26259287

Writefaggotry of the fall of House Nero and Scenes from Academy Life. I was going to write Sidika stuff, but got distracted by Shadowrun Returns, and now I come back to this. So yeah, I'm out.

>>26259329
What did you guys think of the rogue AI story and the story of the renowned resilience and survivability of a certain cyborg?

>>26259350
It was pretty cool. Plothooks and stuff.

>>26259344
Well I'm sorry you feel that way but we needed to do something to make them more than just "Better Than You". If you have a suggestion, make one. We're willing to listen

>>26259294

Why? I see no reason to give the noble houses of the TRA crippling disabilities. How do you get them from "pinnacle of human perfection" to lame, mute, crippled and mentally unstable degenerates? It's a complete 180 degree turnaround of the established fluff.

>>26259395
Guess what.

This is /tg/, the turn arounds make the TRA less perfect, more interesting, and memorable. That and making them feel less perfect makes their quest for perfection one of correcting their genetic imperfections.

Either that or their quest for genetic perfection brought their downfall, and this is how they live with their "sin" against nature.

>>26259390

My suggestion is to not overturn already established setting fluff. Build from what's already been set in place, like we've done so far. The factions have changed, but it was an evolution where things were added to the core concept. Not discarding the core premise of the faction itself and replacing it with something completely different.

>>26259395
There were some well reasoned arguments about it. Though TRA is the pinnacle of human perfection, that's an informed quality, and in the end wasn't all that different from the Hound who were simply ridiculously skilled and lucky. If you can suggest an alternative to further differentiate them from the Hound, please do so. I'm not entirely happy with them having genetic flaws either, but it's something that we've seen in nobility before so there's a precedent. And their money doesn't count.

>>26259466
Well, good. That's a great plan to carry it out if we had a solid plan. How do you want to expand upon their concept? The "super tragically flawed" thing only came about after someone else boo'd down the first idea: which was that the "human perfection" of the TRA wasn't actually human at all.

>>26259476
>If you can suggest an alternative to further differentiate them from the Hound

There's no need to do that. They're different enough as it is.

>>26259499
That came from infringing on MAT's gimmick.
I actually like the flawed TRA. They want perfection because they are horrible flawed because of their hubris or they take their mutation as punishment from god for their hubris. Varies by house.

This created TONS of story arcs in my head.

>>26259521
There was a big argument upthread about that. The answer was that there's really no practical difference between having a shitload of natural born talent and having tons of experience and trained skill. Their abilities really aren't that different. I don't really want to change their fluff that much, if that's what you're getting at. What I want to do is for their special trait to be more, well, special.

>>26259521
Nobody really wants to make them not aristocratic supersoldiers who live in the sky. The genetic flaw thing was a compromise. We just wanna change what being a supersoldier actually means in this context, so we can make that ability its own distinct thing.

>>26259559

Their abilities haven't been written out properly, so we're really discussing non-existent game mechanics. And we're talking about a setting for FATE, where magic, nanomachines or just plain old heroism works in IDENTICAL ways, mechanically. The only difference is how you narrate the attack that does 2 stress track damage, or whatever, and the narrative circumstances under which the relevant aspects of the ability can be tagged. Functionally, in FATE, there's no difference between magic, sci-fi superscience, supernatural bullshit a la Metal Gear, and knightly honor effects or whatever.

>>26259615
Both the Hound Company's ability and the TRA's Superiority ability were already written out by mechanicsguy. They end up being really similar in effect and also in fluff. We're just trying to make the fluff of the ability slightly different for now. If you have a plan for that, we'll listen.

>>26259615
Superiority is basically just a bonus to skill rolls as I've written so far. It's really bland, but that's all that the writing and fluff on them has suggested so far. I'd like for someone to come up with something for me to work with, so that I can make something more interesting.

>>26259660

My plan is simple: Don't undo the established fluff of the factions.

The thought process in this thread baffles me, to be honest. Someone suggests that the TRA needs to be mechanically distinct from the HC. Someone suggests they become pseudo-vampires. That is rejected. Someone suggests the TRA insted become cripples of various kinds. That is accepted. Explain to me how that makes any kind of sense.

>>26259781

Look, how about this, okay? Everything you know about TRA remains the same. They're still nobles and knights who live in a sky castle. They're still kind of arrogant dickwads. Their names are overly long. etc etc. Their genetic modding just has some obvious effects to it. Are we cool with that so far?

>>26259831
>>26259781
Fucking This... Just this. There's hope for this world yet.

It is... odd that this sort of argument is triggered at the end of a thread's life... I've noticed this with every thread that a argument is trolled out around 280 posts to cause a quicker death.

Quite frankly if you didn't like this as it was, a reasonable person would have walked away. Quietly. Either that or offered a valid solution to the impasse.

You chose neither and instead dropped a dramabomb. Either way... the thread now is sinking.

I for one love this change with the TRA.

>>26259831
>obvious effects

Such as rendering the subject of genetic modification mute, blind, neotenic (a noble house of perpetual 13-year-olds is a pretty fucking creepy thing to include by the way) or lame? The logical thing to do, for a society concerned with perfection, when encountering such flaws, is to discontinue the genetic "enhancement" since all it does is cause defect.

>>26259915
No, I was discarding the flaw idea completely. So, are you cool with the idea of the gene therapy being obvious?

>>26259915
I was going to respond to that little shot below my waterline...
>neotenic (a noble house of perpetual 13-year-olds is a pretty fucking creepy thing to include by the way)

But I'd wager it's only to continue the argument.

Think of it like this: How you'd like to be constantly be treated like a kid, even though they know you're 50 and will probably out live them, and all their grandchildren save for some accident, violence, or disease?

That is how I think. What cost agelessness?

>>26259909

>offered a valid solution to the impasse

There is no impasse. The TRA was fine as it was until someone started insisting they were "too similar" to the HC. I offer no "solution" because there's no need for a solution. As for brainstorming mechanics for particular abilities, I'm too tired right now to think of any. What I DO want to establish is that we don't shit on already established fluff, because if we start doing that, the setting becomes impossible to write about, and more importantly, it will never get done.