FRONTIER
Date 23-13-2093
Temple Grounds
I stood among the silent crowds as the cold winter wisps stung like daggers across my face. The men, women and children who usually gathered here were often filled with warmth and cheeriness, but no-one would dare even smile today. On the platform high above, atop the neatly cut stairs sprinkled with a downy white layer of snow, were the three most powerful beings on the entire island.
The great mask makers; our leaders… And Him.
Out from the middle of the assembly of viewers, a procession of armed guards strode forth armed with electronic weaponry. In the center, layered in chains, was Messeck. No-one could turn from their gaze upon him; his expression, his very face was the epitome of wickedness. “Kulta Reborn”, as they called him. He was layered in badly mangled furs and the shrunken head of Bingzak could be seen dangling from his hip.
Messeck was the leader of the Dead of Kulta, which one might describe as a fanatic cult - but they had the blood of a hundred souls drenched into their very beings; they were the epitome of wickedness on the island of Okoto, and Messeck somehow outclassed every single one. As he took each step, my careful eyes chanced to spot small, traces of powder drifting into the snow - possibly some addictive, I thought, until I noticed the bag of ashes in his hand that he was emptying upon his ascent.
The two guards who lead him up were afraid to be even as close as the were, widely spread apart as far as the chains and the stairs would allow. The intense fear spread over them and the crowds cannot be spoken in the same manner as for the two mask makers Hokku and Velmes, as they stood by the executioner who had little care for the event in general.
The former was of fire; wise and discreet, and was robed in a puffy coat lined with scales. Despite the incredible warmth it must have given him, he still shivered intensely, perhaps from the presence of Messeck alone. Velmes, however, was of the ice, and was known for a violent temper, precise calculating, and the way he brutally killed anyone who would pose a threat to the lives of the villagers, as we shall soon see. He did not even quiver once as the grinning master cultist was slowly marched up the stairs.
When the villain at last reached the top, The executioner strode forward and began the usual speech given for every criminal executed. “Messeck, your time in existence on this world has come to an abrupt close. None exist who can prove your innocence. As usual, the criminal will be executed-”
The criminal was shoved down onto the stone block used for this public display, but the next second had rolled off the back of it and pulled hard on the pair of chains being held by the two guards. They were immediately flung forward, as they thought no harm could come once he was on the block. They flew down the stairs, letting go of the chains and trying anything to stop their descent. The executioner came at him with his axe, but Messeck sidestepped the vertical swing and landed a knife in his throat.
And then - it happened so fast I still cannot recall it properly - he began his approach to the mask makers, but a blinding flash came from somewhere in the separation of Hokku’s coat, followed by a horrible cry. I could not see what happened to him, but the people say that Messeck swung toward the crowds in great agony, and the right half of his face was glowing with the light of a furnace, melting to slag as he screamed. The next instant Velmes brought his powerful hand down on the back of Messeck’s head, perhaps moreso than he intended, slamming onto the execution block on which he was leaning and exploding anything that made up Messeck’s neck.
The bland, smoldering head of the villainous monster tumbled down the steps in an almost musical fashion, before burying itself in a pile of snow at the base. The snow on the steps ran a crimson trail down to the audience, as the audience slowly dispersed into the blizzard as it picked up speed once more.
After a long silence, as the wind whipped around them, reminding each of the horrors that life had to bring, Hokku spoke to Velmes once more.
“We’re almost there, Velmes. One more step to the cosmos.”
Velmes responded with a deep exhale, turning towards me as I finished scraping the final touches into my slate to remind me what to copy down. He placed his hand on my shoulder, leaving some of the blood of the one who just died. “Do not forget what has happened here, young one. You just may live to see the day where man will no more be murdered, no crime shall he commit, no punishment he shall face. For on that final day we shall stand at the edge of the universe and speak to the stars.”
“But what will you tell them?” He strode into the forge, Hokku following along behind. I scraped a few more reminders and hurried after as fast as I could.
~“Pigmy” Muvoso, Chronicler of the Ancients
Sections
1: Story
1.1: Pre-Collapse
1.2: The Race To Space
1.3: Death Is Thy Moniker
2: Okoto Specifics
2.1: Locations
2.2: Wildlife
2.3: Technology
3: Outer Space
3.1: To Space and Back
3.2: Vehicle Physics
3.3: Weaponry Physics
3.4: Planetary differences
3.5: Dimensional Etc.
4: Characters
4.1: Profile Sheet
4.2: Non-Playable Characters
4.3: Playable Species
5: Rules & Regulations
6: FAQ
1: The Story
1.1
Now you are speaking to Lord Hokku, elder brother of the mask makers. Velmes is my younger brother, and the two who came before us are brothers as well, but not ours. Listen now to the tale of the past, future, and present, before you be sent into the stars.
Long, long ago, before time had found its proper place, The Island of Okoto was filled with our people; our ancestors were quite strong indeed, morally, physically, and mentally. We always heard that the times back then were a perfect paradise, but no-one can say for sure anymore.
When Makuta dared to create the Mask of Ultimate Power, all of Okoto was riveted. Of course, Makuta was part of the mask makers: Gold-armoured and powerful Okotoran with incredible strength and skill beyond belief. Two were from the Ice tribe, Makuta was from the Earth tribe, and myself from the Fire Tribe. Velmes and I stayed to protect the people as Ekimu ventured into the Temple of Time after Makuta right as the third moon passed over it.
Anyone who says they know what happened there is a fool, for the doors sealed from the energy and a pillar of what can only be described as pure light destroyed the roof, carrying into the skies and beyond our feeble sight. When the Temple gates were broken open, there was a crater in the room, and both the legendary Mask Makers had vanished, with the powerful masks they wore.
Well, you know the rest of the story. Meteors rained down all over our tiny island, causing Velmes and I to step in and take command. We ordered for the construction of high, heavily fortified walls around Ko-Koto with special construction so nothing could possibly climb up them, and electric machinery based on technology inside the ancient city, which shattered the meteorites before they landed. We also ordered that special defense suits be made for the soldiers, and that any equipped head out in huge teams to find the fabled Masks of Unity, in the event that they could hold some fragile hope for our future. However, one day, a grave mistake was made…
1.2
An odd, crimson meteorite encompassed in flames arrived shortly after the arrival of the Skull Spiders - absolutely morbid swarm creatures, they maul everything in their path and beware if one should land on you; they control their prey and hollow out the inside of their victim’s head. The meteorite was shot down like the others, but it was followed with a deafening cry of agony, and large pieces of torn metal rained down instead of rock. Upon closer inspection, the “meteorite” was a capsule, which contained one of the heroes of the prophecy - dead. The blast had ripped him apart, and completely ruined his mask.
After a saddening funeral, close inspection was carried out on the capsule and, more specifically, the mechanisms that let it travel through space. They were copied, tested, enhanced, and by the time the search teams returned with the majority murdered by the vicious spiders, vehicles were under production that would let the users travel the stars. It was unknown how far they could go, but the mystery of what lay on the orbiting moons was too great to let minor concerns hold back our ambitions.
With no outside power able to hold any threat against us, how could we fall?
1.3
The Dead of Kulta is the most wicked group of individuals I have ever come across. They are so vile and horrifying I could not believe such a calm person as Dessimus would have risen to the throne after Messeck, self-proclaimed reincarnation of Kulta, was rightfully ‘executed’. Its sole purpose is to reach the moons before we do to harvest the resources and claim it as theirs. Oh, and kill everybody and take control of everything, that too. If you encounter any Dead of Kulta members, kill them - do not hesitate. Except, however, for Dessimus. His capture could lead to the surrender of the entire group- If not, it will still cripple them heavily.
- Okoto Specifics
2.1
On this cursed island, the majority of it is cut off from access by our large walls and the hordes of Skull Spiders looking for a good way to scale them. Take heed; if you find a way out you will not be allowed back in. We do not request pilots who prove themselves to be rebellious. The village is on the back of the Temple of Time, which sits in the ice region of this island. However, the front is inside the ancient city, which is teeming with Skull Spiders and the sluggish Skull Warriors, who were defeated after Ekimu destroyed the villainous Kulta. The Temple is off-limits to anyone aside from Velmes and Myself, and the chronicler Muvoso.
All other regions were decimated by the forces of darkness except for this one. The temperature of the village is generally very cold, except for inside the forge itself, where the heat of the magma pools circulating keeps things very comfortable. There are small shops here and there, a restaurant with surprisingly fine wares, and one inn which never gets used, but there is no other major building with interior heating. This is another reason why we’re trying to find a new home. A house exists for every Okotoran before the Skull Spiders, except for a select few who were too lazy to build a house when they had the chance.
On the way up to the forge, you will spy the two massive carvings of Ekimu and Makuta which Velmes commissioned after their demise. And in the town square, the statue of the first explorer to the stars resides, the statue of the ever-famous Hymuka. He was the one who took on the first three space adventures before a mistake occurred with his capsule and he was incinerated on re-entry.
2.2
Sadly, almost all of the creatures on this island were killed off by those arachnids. Only the most powerful ones survive, spare some that were already here that were raised as either pets or livestock. The small-toothed Rezge is a lizard-like worm, only it’s the size of a person and can tunnel through anything that isn’t stone or metal. It is dangerous, but nothing like the Horde Spider. Oh, the Horde Spider! Named as such because when they were first seen, they thought they were simply a horde of tinier spiders pretending to be something massive. Smart as one of us, and ten times as strong. Rumors abound about this creature, and some say one found a mask of power with which to control those Skull Spiders, although I believe it’s hogwash.
The livestock consist of only one species now: a variety of miniature cow known as the Ekimu Bull. They’re a struggle to keep alive, especially in the cold weather. The only other creature around here is the Misken, a furry, little, four-legged creature with tiny teeth and lots of energy, which is usually considered to be a pet. But, it’s rather irrelevant, so I’ll move on.
2.3
Technology, despite our recent advancements, is still basic and blunt in comparison to what Ekimu and Makuta must have known. Yet, despite this, we still have made some interesting technological advancements. Of course, not everything is available to the public, but we make as much as we can available.
These publicly available advancements include:
- Very expensive heat generator, large enough to heat up a whole room
- Electricity-powered circular saw, can run for three hours
- Specialized crossbow, designed to fire bolts instead of arrows
We have also devised special baiting towers, which let off certain frequencies that Skull Spiders cannot resist. They will madly crowd around the towers, scrambling over each other and sometimes killing each other. While they are durable, the towers have an expected life span of only two years.
Of course, not many will be able to afford some of what we can offer, but the expedition to the stars can possibly assist us in making more advanced technology available. We must do whatever it takes to explore the universe!
- Outer Space
3.1
Thanks to our most talented associates, we have constructed the most basic of all flying machines for travel beyond the skies- the Vertical Transportation Pod. I know, it’s not much of a name, but the name does not matter. What matters is if it can fly through space - and it can! We have perfected the landing, cycling, fuel, and durability in zero-gravity conditions, so nearly anyone can fly it safely. Thankfully, it is constructed out of materials we have immediate access to, so the loss of a Pod in the south sea is no major concern.
All passengers on board the VTP will be required to wear the special spacesuit we have designed personally for every daring adventurer. Constructed out of several high-durability materials, it is perhaps the strongest protective armour ever to exist. It can withstand and, in most cases, completely deflect knives, arrows, and other such materials/ However it is never to be used outside of the mission itself or the return trips. Wearing it casually for whatever you wish may result in you losing the suit and the right to explore the cosmos.
A team of three at a time will climb into one of these pods, take off from the specially designed take-off area, and head through the cosmos. The vehicle is very fast, but even with its great speed, and the close proximity of our first moon, travel there still takes an hour. Then, they will explore the reaches of the new world, bring back samples of whatever they can find in specially sealed containers, and return home, landing in the south sea.
Then they must escape the pod, and survive the Skull Spiders to return to the main gates, but this will be the most trying portion. While Skull Spiders are very weak and can usually be felled if they hit something too hard, despite their ability to withstand lava, the swarms are deadly. Therefore we have placed baiting towers at different locations to draw their attention to them. Despite this, the road up to they region of ice is still very dangerous. Okotoran brave enough to volunteer to assist in guarding these researchers and explorers may go out only then, to assist them in their safe return.
3.2
With the current VTP, there is not much capability to them. They can fly to the moon and back, but not much else. Thankfully, almost every night the first moon is directly overhead. They have quite the kick when they first take off, but those who have made the trip several times may not even notice it anymore.
Perhaps, in the future, there will be a machine even more powerful that can take us to other moons and, perhaps, other planets.
3.3
Sadly, there is no weaponry on the vehicles as of yet. Someday, there will be, though! Then we can eradicate the infesting Skull Spiders from our shores!
3.4
Something to remember is: A smaller world means less gravity. And several of the conditions of our home of Okoto will be quite different on the moon(s). The atmosphere, at least on the first moon, is in no condition for breathing in any way, so you will have to rely on the air tanks on your spacesuit. Perhaps, on some of the others, the atmosphere will be safe, but we will see.
3.5
Dimensional warping? What kind of madness is this? Yet some have suggested that, someday, we will be able to cross the plane of existence itself! What rubbish! Although, we cannot cross out the possibility of its occurence. Still, the idea is ridiculously absurd. I’ll wager the fur coat off my back that we’ll never even come close.
- Characters
4.1
Here’s where you make your characters. This is the basic character sheet, although as technology in the game progresses, the sheet will update as well as the descriptions of vehicles, technology, and etc.
Name: What is your name? What do you call yourself?
Gender: Boy, Girl, neither, both, or something else?
Element: Where did you come from? What element do you have?
Mask: What style of mask do you have?
Weapons: What do you use to fight with?
Appearance: What do you look like?
Personality: We’ve got good and bad traits. What are yours?
Bio: What was your life before the race to space? (this also includes if you joined the Dead of Kulta.)
4.2
These are the major NPCs, and more will be appearing later.
Name: Hokku
Gender: Male
Element: Fire
Mask: Golden Fire mask of Unity
Weapons/Equipment: Hokku is armed with a very experimental firearm. Nobody knows what it does, and very few know it exists. Rumours suggest Velmes was the original creator of it. He also carries a variety of small knives inside his fur coat, which he is very good at throwing and fighting with. Along with Velmes, he is incredibly strong, much more so than any Okotoran.
Appearance/Powers: Squat, to some degree, crystalline formations across his chest, wide-set shoulders, and muscular hands. His whole appearance displays raw power. He is usually considered the nicer of the two brothers, based somewhat on Velmes’ bitterness.
Personality: In accordance with popular belief, he is gentle, loving, and kind, willing to display it on the outside instead of just by himself. Despite this, he is not very keen at making big decisions, and was often chastised by Makuta in the past for being too weak.
Bio: When he was born, he was separated from his brother, and sent to the fire region, as all born of the fire element are. He began his career as a carver, making statues and figures and such. Ekimu saw his great leadership capabilities, and he was advanced trough the ranks very quickly until he became a member of the council of four. He was finally reunited with his brother after many years, who was also chosen, and they worked together under Ekimu and Makuta’s guidance up until the Collapse.
Name: Muvoso
Gender: Male
Element: Stone
Mask: Mahiki
Weapons/Equipment: Muvoso has no weapons, at least none that are seen, although he tries to outwit every fight he finds himself in. He carries a large satchel, and wears a backpack, each filled with stone slates for writing notes on to remind him when he copies down proper information, along with a metal writing utensil.
Appearance/Abilities: When he was younger, Muvoso was much shorter in height, earning the name ‘Pigmy’. He is still of very miniature stature, but he is quite powerful despite his limitations. He has followed the mask makers all around Okoto, and over the years has become an incredibly adept runner, climber, hunter, marksman, and can handle the temperatures of each region as well as any Okotoran specific to that region.
Personality: He is intensely loyal to the mask makers, malicious towards anyone that speaks a word against them. He also tries very hard to be a leader of the people whenever he has to, which usually involves forcing some people to pay attention.
Bio: Muvoso was chosen by Ekimu to be the chronicler for the mask makers when he was very young, and was mostly raised by Ekimu as he grew up. Now he is one of the leaders of the island, in his prime, and usually in a position of zero pity for the villagers.
Name: Velmes
Gender: Male
Elelment: Ice
Mask: Golden Ice mask of Unity
Weapons/Equipment: Velmes is very powerful with hand-to-hand combat. He wears no cloak. He has several knives tucked away in his armour, which he is very good at throwing and fighting with. He is very skilled in almost any weapon type. Along with Hokku, he is incredibly strong, much more so than any other Okotoran.
Appearance/Powers: Squat, to some degree, crystalline formations across his chest, wide-set shoulders, and muscular hands. His whole appearance displays raw power. He is usually considered the more vicious of the two brothers, based somewhat on Hokku’s kindness.
Personality: Despite what his cohorts say to the public, he is snappy, harsh, and very strong-willed and stubborn. Despite this, he is a masterful calculator and planner, but was often chastised by Ekimu for being too unwilling to learn.
Bio: When he was born, he was separated from his brother, and sent to the ice region, as all born of the ice element are. He began his career as a public figure, organizing the reconstruction of the ice region after an attack by the Dead of Kulta. Makuta saw his great leadership capabilities, and he was advanced through the ranks very quickly until he became a member of the council of four. He was finally reunited with his brother after many years, who was also chosen, and they worked together under Ekimu and Makuta’s guidance up until the Collapse.
Name: Dessimus
Gender: Male
Element: Earth
Mask: Black Kraakhan
Weapons/Equipment: Dessimus is armoured in a very articulate suit of silver armour. The top hunch in the armour contains two tanks of air for potential space travel. He has a mechanical right hand, which is equipped with an unfolding blade, skeleton key, and small cord for choking.
Appearance/Powers: He is very tall, powerful-looking, and dark and sinister. Most of his body is covered in the silver armour, supposedly made of “the strongest steel in all of Kulta’s domain.” In reality, it is just normal steel.
Personality: He is hard and cold, sometimes colder than the ice region itself. His intentions are just and right, although he is responsible for several deaths. Rumours abound for the commoners; is Dessimus trying to destroy the Dead of Kulta? Is he trying to resurrect Kulta himself? or does he know of some dark secret in the island’s core? nobody knows for sure, and it might be possible that not even Dessimus knows…
Bio: Dessimus’ past is clouded in mystery. No-one is really aware of his history, but this very quiet gardener jumped to command after Messeck was executed.
4.3
These are the playable species and their specifics. So far only Okotoran are playable, but who knows what you might find on the other moons.
Okotoran
Fire: These Okotoran have a high tolerance of heat and a bitter hatred of cold. Many in their youth are taught to work with metals, others focused more on being physically capable.
Water: The water Okotoran have a deep connection with the sea and any large bodies of water. They tend to be better swimmers and were the first to discover the Skull Spiders.
Jungle: The Jungle Okotoran are excellent climbers, and the fastest on foot. They tend to have very athletic capabilities and some speak with an odd slang, mainly involving plants.
Earth: These Okotoran are the strongest and have better vision in the dark. Looks can be deceiving with them; even the scrawniest one is tougher than he appears.
Ice: The Okotoran of Ko-Koto have the most technology, most of which was destroyed in recent events. They have a high tolerance of cold and a bitter hatred of high heat.
Stone: The Okotoran of stone have no special traits, except their ability to control the odd, floating blocks in the Labyrinth of Control, which have not been found after the eruption.
RULES
These are the specific rules for this RPG. I still expect you to follow the on-site rules and respect the admin’s power at all times, although I’m making things a little harder here as well. Nothing straining on the site’s rules at all; if anything, they back them up.
A. No Swearing.
Yep, you heard me. No swearing at all. I expect this to be very well memorized and kept in order, so I’m going to say it again in bold print,
No Swearing,
so that you’re really without excuse. If I see any expletive in this I’m going to report the post to staff, and it’s going to count as a strike against you. Five strikes and you’re out; other things can count as strikes too, so play by the rules. Other things such as Karz, Brakas, Piraka, etc. are allowed.
B. Please keep to ‘IC’ and ‘OOC’ in posts, please
Yes, I want you to use IC (In-Character) when speaking in-character, and OOC (Out-Of-Character) when out-of-character, this should be easy to understand. You won’t need to do this in the Discussion topic.
C. No Bunnying, GodModding, Etc…
Okay, this may be a bit unfamiliar with some people. Bunnying is where you pull other player’s characters along and basically play them without the other player’s consent. GodModding is where you repeatedly perform the miraculous or impossible with your character simply because you want to, or you’re afraid of losing a fight, etc. If you think another player is being unfair in the game, or is violating one of the rules, bring it to the discussion topic, and do try to keep it civil.
D. Please keep character to your posts.
I’ve looked at some of the other RPs on this site, and they’re incredibly lacking in post quality. Most of them are one-sentence blurbs, such as:
Joe (placehold character) went inside.
And then what? I want to know what happened when Joe (placehold character) went inside! Did he sit down? did he get a drink? where is inside? So instead of saying that, I would say…
IC: Joe (You can include the location of the character after that, if you want)
Joe walked into the door and pushed it aside. A couple of thoughts tumbled through his head; he was quite uncertain of the situation at hand, but he decided to accept it anyway and move along.
He walked a couple of steps forwards and stood once more, eyeing the situation, expecting a potential outcome that might occur.
There, I have just said the exact same post, but with more meat to it; more life to what I’m trying to do. Keep this in mind, and you’ll be a good RPer in no time.
E. HAVE FUN.
Do it or else. 
FAQ:
There will be questions here as they come up in discussion. In the meantime, here’s a few that I figured would be obvious.
Q: What’s this about a mask? Dessimus appears to have a G1 mask, and so does Muvoso; what’s with that?
A: I’m not limiting the masks to G2, although they are only in design. Masks with elements may come later, but we’ll see.
Q: What even is this “Dead of Kulta”?
A: Basically, the main evil organization of the game. This won’t stop you from creating your own group, though!
Q: When more technology is discovered, can we customize out ships?
A: The pods will eventually be replaced entirely with a new kind of vehicle, and customization will occur then. In the meantime, try your best to find as many resources as you can!
Refer to the Discussion topic for creating profiles, and for discussion about the game itself. Do not post in this topic unless you have a character approved by myself.