New: The Archipelago (free, open-ended, email, human, fantasy, rpg) From: lindahl@pbm.com (Greg Lindahl) Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 19:13:01 +0000 Name: The Archipelago Email: rchon916@aol.com Frequency: 1 to 2 a week Type: Sci-Fi, RPG URL: http://www.crosswinds.net/~verticalgames/home.html Costs: free Last-Update: 2001Apr18 Keywords: free, open-ended, email, human, fantasy, rpg Description: The Cyber Archipelago is a layered pocket dimension anchored in the Matrix, the power generating dimension. The dimension is spherical to observers on the outside of its wall. Inside the pearl rests six dimensions stacked on top of each other. The inhabitants believe their dimensions are separate round planets but they are wrong. The edge of each pocket dimension automatically shunts the voyager to the other side of the plane. Plane 1 has only six inhabitants at the moment. Each inhabitant absolutely controls his section of the dimension. Each inhabitant has limited control in the other's sphere of influence. They can also manifest in the other planes as any o.c.c. or r.c.c. raised to a god-like level. Each deity takes an interest in the struggle of their people as the lesser races are considered and hatch plots to interfere with the other gods' plans. A seventh deity is said to exist but none of his brothers know where he has gone since he left Plane 1 many years ago and has been unheard of since. Plane 2 is a medieval world set in a feudal system. The main continent is shaped like a backwards J. Numerous countries cover the realm. The main force for good is the Academy for Training in Wizardry. The academy teaches control in magic, psionic, and metahuman abilities. The main force for evil is the Living Darkness which is trying to spread from its home in the center of the continent. A rumored treasure trove of magic is supposedly buried in the heart of the Living Darkness. Plane 3 is two crescent-shaped continents laid to form a rough circle. Magicians and monsters mix with cowboys and high-tech. The major law enforcement is done by the Marshall Service. Small towns may have a local sheriff. The main government center is in the massive city called Old Town. Major criminals are kept in the prison on the Devil's Rock. Safeguards are kept in place to thwart any natural gift and spell ability. Plane 4 has five continents and is roughly at the same level of technology of 20th century. A men in black situation exists on this plane as the security forces try to keep monstrous beings under wraps and secret. A major foe is Sir Henry Blackthorne, who is trying to eliminate 90% of the population and enslave lives, spirits, and magic energy from the rest that survive. Blackthorne's chief aid is a glory man he has named the Rose Knight. The continent of Cybele is guarded by National Security, or NatSec. The isle of Cormorant is guarded by the Cormorant Security Service. Both services keep a special prison that is called the "tank" for any enemy they capture. Low powered psionics and magic are the norm on this plane. Some super powers exist as well as robotics. Most things are hidden from the view, or fictionalized to preserve secrecy from the general public. Any superhumans who are found are quietly pressed into super squads to handle emergencies beyond the scope of a cover team (men in black). Plane 5 is a vast wasteland populated by genetic monstrosities and megalopolises. Order is kept by the city police force and local militia named matrix marines. Each building in one of these cities is a small city capable of housing 2 to 300,000 people. Genetic engineering and matrix-tapping devices are present along with Rifts/Phase World/Aliens Unlimited level technology. There is no magic present. Also there is a complete lack of the traditional monster such as the werewolf, and vampire. Metahumans and psionics are prevalent, as well as genetic monstronsities. A witch is active on this plane, trying to secure sustenance for his master, a supernatural intelligence. The witch has taken over Island City, an artificial mountain in the ocean. He is quietly stoking the intelligence's strength so that the supernatural creature can use its minions to run wild through the other cities. The witch, also the chief admin officer for the city, framed and jailed a matrix marine that got to close t the truth. He is locked up in the security psych ward. Plane 6 is a single continent at war. Various city states are allied and working together. The main power in the west is General Rai Chaos, and his forces at Fort Chaosium. The main power in the east is the ice dragon Malmanithes, and Dragonopolis. A foe to both sides is the Father of Seven, a bio-creator, who is a master of both science and magic and always returns from any defeat. His most recent loss resulted in the self destruction of his testing base. A time-space anomaly called the Rift Triangle is a one way route from Matrix City. Entrance is blocked by dimensional barriers that keep people from entering the Triangle, but allows new arrivals to enter Warworld, the sixth plane. Titan Town is a democratic walled city of cyclopean stone. 60% of the population are giants of one type or another. The rest are various large dimensional beings, humans, or human-sized humanoids. Core is an absolute monarchy ruled by Queen Ferrus, a silver mask wielder. 90% of the permanent population are some type of elemental controller from warlocks to element shapers. The Black Watch are a battalion of robbers and bandits that target the commerce around Titan Town and Core. The Black Hand, the Watch's leader, is said to be able to kill with a touch of his hand. They have recently lost 8 men and have a vendetta against Karim Campbell and Juan Valdez. They operate in the forests west of the Divide Mountains. Blood Castle is a stronghold for the undead in the Eon Desert east of the Rift Triangle. Count Desante Nostro, a master vampire, is the secondary leader of the vampires of Blood Castle. He is gathering up troops to launch a destructive war against the West. The governments of Titan Town, Core, and Explorer's Jump are hoping to blunt this with a covert action. They do not know about the vampire intelligence underneath the castle. Desante Nostro was recently exiled by Campbell and Valdez to another dimension. A female vampire has taken over Nostro's position. Explorer's Jump is a trading post on the south shore of the continent. The sea around it is afire with random rift activity. No one knows why the doorways exist or where they go. Explorers and adventurers hope to win fortune and glory trying to find out what is causing the activity. One of the chief gangs of Explorer's Jump are the Boy Commandos. They are 500-600 strong consisting of 7-16 year old boys with high caliber energy weapons and dwarf sized armor. The Armory is a city devoted to the manufacture of weapons and soldiers. The city itself is in the west but its troops and weapons are hired by any of the city states that do not want to join General Rai Chaos or the East. Fort Chaosium and Steel Harbor make up the bulk of General Chaos's forces. Additionally the general is allied with most of the city-states in the West. Fort Chaosium is a sprawling complex of armor and weapons. Brigades of every type are assembled and trained into a well-oiled machine. Steel Harbor has population that is 90% animated machine people of one type or another. Ghost Town is a deserted city state just to the east of the mountains. Its face looks out on the north shore of the continent without life. Ghost Town is the home of every type of spectral entity possible. It is said that the city is where intelligent weapons go to retire from use. A rumor persists that there is someone, or something, in control of the entities. No one knows for sure because no one has returned to tell the tale. [ This is a new entry for the PBM List. You can find the list itself, and instructions for adding games or comments, at http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/pbm_list/ -- greg ] Up