Ace Of The Duck Pond an alternate history deaslpunkish game occ and start up

Stella Gaslight · October 24, 2015, 03:33:07 AM

I have been watching wartime farm set in ww2 and I kind of want to go back to The steel birds of paradise game http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,38487.0.html and see what could grow out of that story but change things up a bit. I want our captain to be a brash reckless woman with a more calm second in command. The world will be a bit different as well I want to play off the idea that world war one fizzled out after the Christmas truce and none of the men would go back to fighting. This leads to something more like a cold war where each country is trying to get a leg up on the others and fly boys and spy's get all mixed in to it. Sort of like the rocketeer but instead of straight up nazis there is mystical Austrian order that seeks to bring about a war to unite Europe and the the birds get caught up in it when it looks like they are trying to infiltrate the refuelling station out merry band calls home. it would be sort of like indana jones where there are supernatural elements and some neat tech.

The duck pond would be our staring point. Nestled in in the south pacific it was once a humble fuelling station but with the rise in air travel it grew and grew until it became it's own tiny nation with everything a flyboy could want. It is neutral being owned by a cooperation instead of an existing country and hosts travellers from all over the world including some that have heavy prices on their heads. As long as you keep your head down and follow the rules no one will bother you.

Ranger Reid · October 24, 2015, 01:15:59 PM

I will play. Will work on character. Got an idea.

Atterton · October 24, 2015, 01:38:36 PM

Aww, I thought this would be some kind of dieselpunk Donald Duck thing.

Stella Gaslight · October 24, 2015, 01:47:33 PM

Yay I cant wait to see what you come up with Reid

Atterton you could play a man cursed to be a duck it worked fine in porco rosso after all.

I went ahead and pulled one of mine from the old game. I want to run her and the captain for a bit.

Full Name- Donavon Arie often called Donna

Age-32

Gender-female

Nationality-Brazil

Character History- Her father was an airman that found he did not like being shot at by air pirates much and retired to build planes. He built Donavon's ship. Her mother was an Icelandic minor opera star with a taste for adventure and a love of the skies. Donavon is named after her grandfather who built the family business that grew from a small shop to a massive chain of import export suppliers. She worked with them until a deal gone spectacularly wrong left her with some heavy bills to pay and a rather high price on her head in certain circles. To keep things from heating up and possibly getting her family in trouble she has not been home in quite a while.

Aircraft Name-Dogged Determination

Aircraft Description-
Heavy cargo and bomb carrying convertible seaplane painted sunset colors with a peacock as nose art. Fitted with two belly guns and a small eletro cannon that works well but is prone to breakdown.

Skills-
Was a merchant that dabbled in the black market before so has a lot of connections and is excellent at negotiations. Can pilot in all weathers and has tried more than a few stunts to smuggle cargoes various places. Knows her plane like a part of her body and can tell if anything is wrong by the sound of the engines and air flow. Knows every out of the way smugglers port you can think of and is well liked enough to get most people in without getting them blown apart.

Gear- (weapons, gadgets, anything else you would usually have on your person)-
Has a small glider for ship to ship actions and an oxygen tank for high work. bright green goggles. A set of boot knives she is rather fond of throwing. A little black book of contacts. A fancy little pistol and a much sturdier looking set of revolvers.

Personality- Happy go lucky provided you don't threaten her ship, her bushiness or her chicken. Fights dirty when she can get away with it. Night owl and chronically late to morning events. Keeps a chicken called Henrietta on board for luck that she has trained to peck buttons on command.

Clothing and Physical Appearance- long Lean and tan with long blond hair she normally braids in pigtails. Goes for a military look with a bit of flare and ruffles. Goes for black work clothes but off duty clothes are as bright as her plane.

And here is a blank template if that helps anyone.

Full Name-

Age-

Gender-

Nationality-

Character History-

Aircraft Name-

Aircraft Description-

Skills-

Gear- (weapons, gadgets, anything else you would usually have on your person)-

Personality-

Clothing and Physical Appearance-

MWBailey · October 24, 2015, 07:47:58 PM

Wondering about bringing back Al and the Blue Duck (his souped-up and additionally-armed Grumman Duck flying boat).

Not sure about Merovingia (Morgantha from Steam London's fledgling, who was also Dreyfuss' nemesis in Between the Threads). She's a great archvillain, her vampiric ability to just keep coming back makes her good for recurring scenarios, also good as an antihero (antiheroine?), but I wonder if making up a new character wouldn't be better.

As I understand it, the villains and the threat would be from a different quarter, true?

In any case, I'm in.

Stella Gaslight · October 24, 2015, 08:32:07 PM

I want something more two pronged the mystical Austrian order is being led by a spiritual man that clams to know of a glorious future of world united under their rule while Japan is trying to get ahead in the world by taking any tech not nailed down and trying to get resources where they can.

CPT_J_Percell · October 24, 2015, 08:39:45 PM

Sorry, no can do, I don't have any agents that far across.
All mine are stuck in Europe.

MWBailey · October 25, 2015, 04:01:47 PM

Name- Alouicius (Al) Clancy

Age= Late 30s

Gender- Male

Nationality- American

Character History-

Spoiler: Show

Born and raised on a farm adn around a farming community on the West Coast of the United States, Al has flown everything from barrage observation balloons to fighters to bombers, and even an autogyro. His last aircraft had been based on a Supermarine racing floatplane; "that flying hemorrhoid" had had more than its share of problems, however, and "it glided like a rock," as he often puts it when asked. The unit he had flown it with had all flown the same thing, and while none could touch them in the air, it took gargantuan effort to keep them in flying order, and they had been unable to survive heavy nighttime flak bombardment in the end.

Only he and the second in command of Stilton's Slammers had survived, and only because he had picked up the Number Two after that officer's plane had been downed. Al's own had taken an eventually-fatal hit as well, and although they both made it back to the sky above the home airharbor, they had had to bail out and watch the burning plane embed itself in the surf as they floated slowly down on their chutes.

Several odd jobs, a treasure mission and a small fortune in Brazilian placer gold later, Al bought the second-hand basket-case aircraft that eventually became the Blue Duck, at first carrying goldfield cargo and fighting off pirates with the armament and powerplant the machine had come with. Two years and a major rebuild , refit, and souping-up later, he had joined Jace's Aces in a small rescue/observation/fighter-bomber role, even deploying torpedoes for the first (and he hoped, the last) time against a rogue flat-top in the Marshall Islands.

He now gets sent out on all sorts of missions, but only dogfights when it is unavoidable, though most of the local pirates have learned to leave him alone; the Duck is a real scrapper, and able to slow down abruptly but still stay airborne while it's foes try to come about and generally lose control as they try to compensate; or, suddenly surge ahead or aside just as they thought it was assured that the little ship was in their sights. That, or it suddenly is gone from in front, and then is suddenly behind them, the dual forward .30's spitting death.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Aircraft Name-Blue Duck

Aircraft Description-Grumman J2F Duck (heavily modified for performance, armament and increased range and altitude).

(Mentioned modifications included. Jpeg of industrial airbrush
illustration found on Web adapted and modified by myself in
Paint Shop Pro 7.04)

Skills- single and dual-engine seaplane piloting in rescue, small fighter, and small fighter-bomber seaplane roles, communications, and navigation skills for both rescue and offensive/defensive roles; full military pilot training and skills; Basic stopgap repair and maintenance skills for single- and multi-engine seaplanes (in case of downing due to happenstance, attack, or both). Known for ability to make the Blue Duck fly "with chewing gum and baling wire." – and the occasional flattened beercan for skin patches.

Gear- (weapons, gadgets, anything else you would usually have on your person)- Colt 1911 semiautomatic pistol in .45 ACP caliber in shoulder holster; large Khukri knife in belt sheath; a pair of pliers and an adjustable wrench for engine quick fixes in the pockets of the flight jacket; E6B dead reckoning wheel with slide grid in leg pocket. Folding opera glass; large-ish Case Bearpaw pocket knife.

Personality- Fairly Genial, difficult to ruffle, relatively easygoing, but can be dangerous if provoked, and is pretty ruthless in battle. Does not go looking for fights or dogfights, but doesn't shirk them either, and tends to do whatever is necessary to win or at least survive to fight again; does likewise to ensure survival and success of squadronmates as well.

Clothing and Physical Appearance- Khaki shirt and trousers under khaki colored canvas pressure flightsuit. Has been known to wear a tie when the occasion warrants it. Low-rise boots, Often carries a switchblade in one sock or the other. Leather bomber 5-pocket flight jacket worn outside of flight suit. Either khaki officer's peaked cap or leather aviator cap or both. Aviator cap has standard conical strap-on oxygen mask with integral radio transceiver setup and ear speaker. Standard alloy-and-brass pilots goggles, British pattern.

Stocky, burly in appearance. Hair is odd mixture of sandy, dark brown, and scattered silver. Graying temples. Aquiline features. Is not tall, but not precisely short, either
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Aircaft Specifications (Grumman J2F-35 Duck, 'Blue Duck')
(adapted from the "Data from Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II" section of the relevant Wikipedia page)

Spoiler: Show

CPT_J_Percell · October 25, 2015, 06:55:18 PM

I'm actually getting tempted.
What the actual plot of this?

Stella Gaslight · October 25, 2015, 07:32:20 PM

it starts with a scientist that needs protection. He clames to have invented a way to travail faster than sound and is hoping to use it to gain asylum in the united states the only thing standing is his way is a giant storm and a troupe from Ahnenerbe hoping to catch him and force him to work for them. It is up to our crew to keep him safe.

And Our Capitan
Full Name- Jacinda Walters goes by Jace

Age-30

Gender-Female

Nationality- Australian\British

Character History-Born to a stunt pilot in a flying circus and one of the top wing walkers of an age Jacinda spent more time in the air than on the ground growing up. With a bit of star power in her blood she quickly took her place in show biz becoming one of the youngest performers in the history of airborne entertainment. She had expected to follow in her parent's footsteps but a race where two rocket powered experimental planes broke the sound barrier. It only lasted for a moment before the plane shook apart but it has stuck with her ever since. She has been chasing the lightning ever since. Her daredevil ways led her to the duck pond but not without some bumps along the way.

Aircraft Name-Screaming Green

Aircraft Description- A sleek aquatic biplane made for stunt work and adapted for fighting that has two under wing machine guns and an experimental lighting gun that was a gift from a good friend. The nose is painted with a dragon made of lightning and it has several anchor points for wing walking.

Skills- Excellent piloting skills and an amazing sharpshooter. Well trained acrobat

Gear- (weapons, gadgets, anything else you would usually have on your person)- a worn looking pistol that she clams is from the one and only Buffalo Bill. Her fathers goggles, cracked from a stray bullet but still the best ones on earth or so she says and a cracked and faded flying cap that was once her mothers. With her lucky charms Jace says she is untouchable.

Personality- An ego only slight smaller then Texas but a heart of gold when it comes to her crew. Tends to bite off more than she can chew. Cheerful and always up for an adventure. Bit of a sucker for hard luck stories.

Clothing and Physical Appearance- Only around 5'3 but you would never notice. Curly red hair and sharp green eyes. Flexible and athletic from long years of acrobatics. Wears a jumpsuit most of the time that is tailored and has a bit of flash while still being useful. When dressed up she goes for sparkle and theatrics.

Ranger Reid · October 26, 2015, 12:14:07 AM

I am curious to elements of fantasy within the gaming world. So the Austrians are into the Occult? Are other "creatures and beings" part of this world?

Thanks!

Stella Gaslight · October 26, 2015, 12:26:21 AM

This is kind of the last throws of hidden folk before everything become to quote one of my favourite authors violently science ridden. There are still pockets of the old ways but they are getting harder to find. Magic is more likely to pop up as esp and techno spell slinging through artefacts and science.

MWBailey · October 26, 2015, 04:25:17 PM

If I reprise my character Merovingia (Meri) Harper-Chen (a "vampire ninja" girl of Eurasian (British-Chinese) origins from the Steam London Universe, and a nemesis of my character Dreyfuss, also from that RP), the elements of both interdimensional and intratemporal travel, plus the vampirism microcosm et al, would become part of the mix. In Steel Birds of Paradise, toward the point where things fizzled out, she was on the verge of joining forces with the Steel Birds (her Japanese intel superiors having betrayed her and the ninja village that adopted her). How she came to be in the Steel Birds universe and at the Duck Pond is kind of a convoluted plot manipulation involving time warps, and deep cover aboard a Japanese light carrier that attacks the Float.

Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, long story short, yes, there're potentially "creature and beings" elements aplenty in this game's universe (LOL). Of course, that's just my personal take on things.

CPT_J_Percell · October 27, 2015, 08:54:50 PM

Full Name- Wilfried Oliver Lewis Ferdanand

Age- late 50's

Gender- Male

Nationality- English

Character History- Former fighter Ace for the R.A.F.

Aircraft Name- Blue fang

Aircraft Description- Custom MKXXX Supermarine Spitfire Stolen from Albion Air Developments.

Skills- Gives little away.

Gear- Swords, knives assorted rifles and handguns covering multiple worlds and timeframes. Blue Fang is also outfitted with some other worldly weapons.

Personality- Abrasive and prone to mood swings.

Clothing and Physical Appearance- Scruffy gray overalls with sheepskin coat that has seen better days.

Ranger Reid · October 27, 2015, 09:16:11 PM

Would a mechanic who is afraid of heights be fun to bring along? I would not have an aircraft of my own, but could be a gunner/ handyman....

Stella Gaslight · October 27, 2015, 09:39:13 PM

You could have got swept up with the captain. she is quite the whirlwind and would most likely do thing first ask questions later.

MWBailey · October 28, 2015, 02:22:05 PM

OK... Here's Meri:

Full Name- Merovingia Harper-Chen

Age-Barely twenty-two when turned; was turned March 1861.

Gender-Female

Nationality- Originally Eurasian (Born in a minor British diplomatic outpost in Manchuria); Has been part of several nationalities, Most recently Japanese.

Character History- Merovingia (variably Meri, Vin, Vini, Vinga, Ia, or Mei, among other diminutives) was born to Sir James Harper, a minor British diplomat and peer of the realm, and May Li Chen, the daughter of a local warlord, in a now mostly forgotten village in Manchuria's hinterland in 1849; the politics of the time were complicated, especially considering that Manchuria was being contested by both Russia and China.

Still, Sir James' lot was relatively peaceful until little Meri impressed a visiting dignitary and it was decided that she should be schooled in 'appropriate surroundings.' Accordingly, her father was promoted to consulate duties in Shanghai, which had become a powerhouse of trade and political influence. Thus, at age 8, she and her parents moved to that metropolis. It was discovered later, far too late, in fact, that the 'dignitary' was one of the British empire's great spymasters, and that Meri's new school, and her new 'education,' were of a very special kind: for assassins.

Things progressed as such things will, and at age twenty-two, she infiltrated and was assigned to infiltrate the Russian Consulate in Austin, Texas, of all places; In a series of events (not all of which have come to light even as of the present), she was attracted to, and taken in by, and turned by, the leader (Morganthe* de la Villareal) of a sect of assassins and so-called 'anarchists' of a very dark and sinister variety indeed; they were a creche of vampires allied to the Russian "Cold Ones."

(It should be noted that, in the universe in which Meri was born, raised, and trained, Texas never became a state of the United States of America, but remained a republic, and in the poltical climate of the times, in which the United States was smaller and came to be bordered by several other countries comprised of the territory taken up in our own RL world by the states west of the Mississippi, became a world power that rivaled the US; thus, Austin was wooed/espionaged at that time by almost every world power of the period).

From that point onward, Meri became under the tutelage off her sire and her minions an assassin non pareil, not only deadly and ruthless but nigh deathless, and nigh unkillable as well - a trait common to the lineage of her sire.

From being burned to very nearly a lump of charred meat several years later on an airship over Shanghai harbor by a fire-throwing Texan, to having her soul ripped out and put back again; to being flung by wild mischance through time, space, and alternate realities before coming to rest in Meiji-era Japan of the Duckpond's universe, her life was already a exceedingly strange one. Then, she was recruited by the farseeing master of an obscure ninja sect purported to have supernatural connections, and still persisted in survivng whatever fate threw her way even then. Meri has seen it all, or most of it.

Her current assignment, by that same master (whose loyalty is questioned by the japanese spymasters, and whose status as a hostage supposedly (?) ensures Meri's cooperation) is outwardly to infiltrate and closely observe the activities at the station, taking no overt action, but to feed in secret under deep cover as the hunger dictates and blend into her surroundings undetectably as anything other than a denizen of the station, awaiting further orders. Such orders may in fact be already on the way.

Inwardly, secretly, she is to wait until her sect decides whether to remain faithful to the Nipponese government, or rescue the master and strike out on their own and seek allies elsewhere.

Meri, therefore, walks a very fine line and avoids trouble as much as the beast within will allow. Woe betide he who attempts to upset that balance, but it is possible to recruit her, if one can overlook or handle the necessity of feeding her inner beast.

Aircraft Name-None. Has her own wings (she mnanifests them when needed, and they disappear when she does not), and does not need an aircraft.

Aircraft Description- Hrself/her wings. She is capable of flying very fast, though not as fast as, say, a the top speed of a high-performance mid-wing monoplane fighter such as the Spitfire. She could probably keep up with a japanese parasol fighter (meaning the type with the wing on top, a la a piper Cub, for instance; such were the first purpose-built carrier-based fighters used by the RL japanese navy).

Skills- Extreme stealth; Misdirection; disguise; all weapons; many techniques and styles of fighting and both offense and defense, gained through nearly a cumulative century of existence, and more than seventy years of actual experience. Flight via use of manifested wings, various forms of apparition/disapparition. Can use literally anything as a weapon, and is extremely strong, fast, and agile. Can kill or protect with equal ease (but be warned, she has an undead immortal's outlook on survival, and on whom is worthy of survival or being protected), Has volunteered to be left behind to face the enemy alone, been damned near obliterated, and has turned up again - Many times. She can endure sunlight, and has been known to develop a tan for the purpose of an assignment; capable of tanning to a 'light chocolate' hue. Heals extremely rapidly, which coupled with her othe runcanny abilities, has caused some in her adoptive vllage to label her as an "oni," or "devil."

Gear- her beauty, a most potent weapon indeed; Her nails, which can grow into sharp and strong claws andc back again; Her canines appear normal if somewhat pointy most of the time, but can grow long in an instant; always carries some kind of metal implement, even if it's just a steel chopstick, which she is adept at throwing lethally. The same goes for wooden ones; nail file; Sword, when she can acquire one, usually a katana or long wakazushi. Always manages to conceal some kind of small handgun about her person; is fond of derringers and minirevolvers. Impossible to tell where her weapons go when she changes form or puts them away.

Personality-Ruthless; a predator, and a particularly voracious one, but with a conscience and still the vestiges of humanity and its softer sides -- but will not hesitate to kill to feed or escape detection if the situation warrants. Once befriended or allied, is loyal to an extreme and ruthless degree. Has been known to work as a prostitute as a means to complete an assignment. Clients from such activity have a tendency to turn up dead and drained, however, and anyone she considers perverted or unclean tends to get very short shrift.

Clothing- Chinese dresses when working at the club, entertaining a man (WARNING, what she considers to be 'low' or 'unworthy' types tend to be entertained for dinner - fatally), or trolling for food. For working as assassin or guard, (or when feeding, though this is not really always true), dresses in either her original all-black, form-hiding attire, or in attire appropriate for the specific job. High heels or sandals, or job-appropriate footwear. Can manifest clothing to a degree, but it is draining, and thus she prefers mundanely-made clothing.

Physical Appearance-; Long-boned in the face in the classic Chinese Eurasian style; Alabaster skin, Long, silky, shining black hair, Eyes that appear black but shine or reflect red in the dark, and burn with a reddish glow when angered or her dark instincts are aroused; the brighter the glow, the more excited or angry she is (she can mask this, but the effort is taxing; usually she hides her eyes behind dark round -lensed glasses when not in the club). Nails can become long claws if necessary, but she hates to do that, as it destroys the polish. Canines appear normal, but can grow to long, needle-pointed, slightly-curved razor sharpness when angered or aroused (or provoked to hunger).

Meri Is extremely beautiful in the stereotypical way of Eurasian beauties, whether in human-seeming or vampiric form.

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*No relation to the Sorceress of the same name from the Fantasy "D&D RPG genre.

*Yes, Meri's sire is the same Morganthe as the one to whom Steam London's Dreyfuss was affianced, and later forced to shoot in order to save his foster sister. Obviously, the "execution" did not take...

It's my intention that she will develop into either a recurring villain, or an antiheroine allied to teh Steel Birds.

Ranger Reid · October 28, 2015, 02:57:07 PM

I have an idea of who this young man is, and what his personal demons are, but would rather let them unfold during the story, if that is okay.

Full Name- Liam

Age- Indeterminate probably about 30

Gender- Male

Nationality- muddied He talks of the old country occasionally, but lived most recently in America

KNOWN Character History- Liam has been going from unit to unit working on equipment.

His skill at reviving dead husks has given him notoriety which he keeps trying to shun.
He is also known to disappear at odd times which has given him a bad reputation too.
He will work for a group for some time, and then decide he has to leave without warning.

Even with the negatives, good mechanics are hard to find, and Liam is well liked by anyone who he has worked for. Their only complaints come from his occasional disappearance and when he decides to leave them.

Aircraft name- none
Aircraft Description- none

Skills- He has a rare gift of "making things run" beyond general repair.

Gear- (weapons, gadgets, anything else you would usually have on your person)- Liam keeps a tool pouch (the size of a messenger bag) with him at all times. He keeps an odd custom pistol.

Personality- Liam is polite and agreeable. But he also seems to not understand a lot of basic interactions. When he "gets a joke" he laughs fully, but he can also take offense at odd things, or get a dark expression and walk away at odd times.

Clothing and Physical Appearance- He generally wears multi lensed goggles, his tool pouch, 2 belt pouches, vest, and scarf.

He keeps an aviator's cap pulled over his ears due to a "childhood incident" that left him with scars all over his body. He says he was mauled by an animal, and the beast left scars all over him. His ears are torn at the tops. (lending an almost elven look, but softer, and more rounded.

CPT_J_Percell · October 28, 2015, 05:07:16 PM

I kept mine brief because as you can see he is hiding something.

Ranger Reid · October 28, 2015, 05:27:04 PM

Nice beginning with the "Blue Fang."

Idea, if our opening narratives fit the larger story, maybe we could import them when/if they make sense.

CPT_J_Percell · October 28, 2015, 05:36:25 PM

Quote from: Ranger Reid on October 28, 2015, 05:27:04 PM
Nice beginning with the "Blue Fang."

Idea, if our opening narratives fit the larger story, maybe we could import them when/if they make sense.

Thanks, I think it should be imported once all the foundations are laid.
BTW nice bit of writing there yourself

I've been reading the "Biggles" book so am inspired.

Ranger Reid · October 28, 2015, 05:44:25 PM

I will have to find that book.

So that we don't cross mythologies or superstitions..........

My idea is related to the fear of "Gremlins" that was so prevalent during WWII (granted more-so with the British.) I will be introducing them as a side antagonist as long as it doesn't interfere with the overall plot.

CPT_J_Percell · October 28, 2015, 06:05:28 PM

Quote from: Ranger Reid on October 28, 2015, 05:44:25 PM
I will have to find that book.

So that we don't cross mythologies or superstitions..........

My idea is related to the fear of "Gremlins" that was so prevalent during WWII (granted more-so with the British.) I will be introducing them as a side antagonist as long as it doesn't interfere with the overall plot.

Its a series of over 100 books http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_nr_n_11?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A266239%2Ck%3ABiggles&keywords=Biggles&ie=UTF8&qid=1446055388&rnid=1642204031

Gremlins!
Don't talk to me about them.
British Airways employ them as pilots and Cabin crew *shudders* have you ever seen a gremlin in a skirts and stockings!
*runs to the toilet to be sick!*

Ranger Reid · October 28, 2015, 06:07:53 PM

Ah yes, I don't know why that didn't register. Perfect series indeed.

CPT_J_Percell · October 28, 2015, 08:13:39 PM

As I mentioned in reids discussion.

WWII was 1939 - 1945
The Christmas truce was 1914 WWI
Biplanes, triplanes and huns.

News:

Ace Of The Duck Pond an alternate history deaslpunkish game occ and start up