Elite roleplay: Off station

OFF STATION

Your ship, deep space, anything that is not happening inside the Citi Gateway or Ingaba...

General Roleplay Etiquette:

1. Control only the actions of your own character(s). (AKA: God Mode)
This doesn't matter how small the action is, even if it is as simple as scratching their nose or a direct reaction to something else that just happened. This applies to everything from casual conversation to full blown fight scenes. If you'd like someone to do something specific, PM that person, however keep in mind they are completely within their rights to say no. Especially if said action is inappropriate to their character and/or circumstance.

2. Don't brute force your way into another persons RP.
Approaching with a conversation starter is fine, or indeed some other small action. However charging in, guns blazing and disrupting the flow of another person/pair/groups conversation/arc is about as rude as doing so in real life. If something is going on that you'd like to participate in, be subtle about it. Put out a gentle hook for someone to take, but again, be aware that said hook may not be taken. If you fear it was simply unnoticed, PM the person or people it concerns. Or even leave a message in the OOC forums.

3. Good grammar and spelling is preferred.
We're not asking you to be perfect, but please at least demonstrate willingness. no1 iz gna tak u srsly usng txt spk. There's a wide variety of people here, many who speak English as a second, or even third language. There are even some with varying degrees of dyslexia and/or likely other issues that affect spelling/grammar. We accept them all here. However, people who aren't accepted, are those unwilling to accept polite correction. Remember that even a small thing like the placement of a comma, or the wrong use of there/their/they're can completely change the definition of an entire sentence.

4. Accept constructive criticism gracefully and politely.
If someone spots an issue with your writings, they may wish to help you improve that writing. They may do this through PM or even publicly air their thoughts on the OOC forum. If they have taken the time to be polite and explain what is wrong with your writing, the best way to behave is to respond in kind, using the same manner they have approached you with. It means they have taken an active interest in what you have written and wish to see more. Basically, you have a fan!

5. Don't take the actions or opinions of things done IN RP, to be directly relevant to the writers thoughts or opinions.
Basically, if some ones character calls your character a jackass, it doesn't mean the writer thinks you are a jackass. It's a ROLE they are PLAYING. Watch a movie. The argument between the characters isn't an argument between the actors involved. The same applies here.

6. It's not a popularity contest.
Your RP might be bustling with participants. You have 3 people off station in a fire fight, while another 2 are infiltrating the darkest areas of the station, meanwhile a group of 4 others are tracking your movements in an effort to stop you. Good for you, I'm sure it will be a thrilling read! But you know what? Sometimes the absolute BEST work, comes from two RP characters having a simple heart to heart. Both are valid, both are great, but NEITHER is categorically better than the other. Period.


Inara RP Etiquette:

1. Respect the setting and rules of the universe.
Inara is an Elite: Dangerous 3rd Party Tool. The RP Forums are set in the Elite: Dangerous universe. Elite: Dangerous has rules, as any fictional universe does from Lord of the Rings to Star Wars, or Game of Thrones to Star Trek. If you intend to RP within the Elite: Dangerous universe you are bound by the history and rules of that universe. Simply put, this RP forum is bound by the same rules as the game, so if it can't be done in the game, it is not permitted here. This applies to things from a 50Ly Jump Range on a normal, unmodified Sidewinder, to the destruction of entire stations.

2. Respect the characters created by others.
We have a wide variety of characters already here. It's expected that some will be similar, just as it's expected that two characters will be vastly different. Opinions of each persons character will naturally be varied, but all are valid provided they follow the rules of the universe. You are allowed to interact with, or avoid interaction with, any character in the RP forums. But you have no right to belittle others for their creation. You are not an authority figure on writing, nor are you directly affected by another persons imagination. You might not like it, but you MUST respect it.

3. Be caught up on current events before joining in.
You need basic things like character descriptions in order to interact with them. You also need to know what's going on in the surrounding areas. This is simply because the people you are hoping to RP with, might be gearing up to something that you might not want to be part of. Or simply that the most recent post, out of context, could leave a different impression on the goings on than if you gather that context. We don't expect you to read every single post from the beginning of the forums, just enough to get that basic understanding.

4. Either subscribe to, or frequently check, the Roleplay: Q&A and OOC forum.
People may be discussing something relevant to you there, or even discussing you directly. Perhaps someone asked what the general consensus on the existence or non-existence of a certain object. Or we're just chatting about random gibberish. Either way, be aware of it and use it. If you're unsure about something, such as how guns would look and or behave, or even the music selection, use the OOC forum to ask. We don't have all of the answers, but the collective knowledge and logic usually allows us to overcome an issue and come to a decision on what should be allowed. Frontier Developments, and even David Braben himself, don't have the answers to every possible question that can be asked.

5. Large Scale events exploding out of nowhere are a complete no go.
We get it. Everyone wants their character to be noticed and for people to be tripping over themselves to interact with them. In some audiences, an introduction involving you blasting in for landing in a fiery wreckage of a ship, before cart wheeling out and sword fighting 35 Ninjas before whisking off with the local celebrity for a glorious night of passion, is in fact, cool. This is not one of those audiences. It is generally considered better to build your character up slowly over time. Eventually, you might even have a legitimate excuse to fight those Ninjas. Maybe even with other RP participants by your side.

6. Perfect characters are boring.
The point of a character arc, is that it is in fact, an arc shape. One who is morally unquestionable, fully kitted out and an infinite fountain of knowledge, cannot go through an arc. Give your character flaws. Be it a tendency towards befriending the wrong people, or a bad knee that frequently gives out at inopportune moments. It gives readers something to latch onto and empathise with. You can give your character exceptional capabilities at something, but it requires balance. She's a damn good pilot with no equal, but can't drive an SRV for peanuts. It can lead to some very interesting moments between characters, be it heartfelt or comedic.


Other Notes:
It should be noted that there can be exceptions to these points. For example, good grammar when a character is speaking is actually rare. Few people in real life actually speak with perfect eloquence after all. Or previously arranged actions during a fight scene, such as someone stumbling back after a punch. What's key to remember is context.

All in all, remember this is purely for fun. We have some seriously talented writers here, and others whose writing history starts and ends at high school. But many are willing to help out in whatever way they can. All it takes is that you ask nicely.

Also keep in mind that many people who RP here, also have logbook stories related to the character, or characters, they portray. If it looks like there's an "in joke" going on that you're unsure of, it's probably in those.

In fact, some users have even gone to the trouble of creating "alts" to RP with. If you read back far enough, it's usually pretty clear who has and hasn't, and which ones are the "alts". It's therefore not unheard of to see the apparent seizing of control of other characters. If you do spot one, point it out in the OOC section. If intervention is needed, it will be sorted quickly and (hopefully) politely.

Most, if not all RP participants here have Logbook stories pertaining to their character(s). These are for the reading pleasure of anyone who wishes to do so. While it can be useful to read them in order to gain a bit of backstory on a character you wish to interact with, it should not be assumed that your character shares that knowledge. Within the E:D Universe, these Logbooks either don't exist, or are private diaries kept by the characters. Either way, without explicit statements to say otherwise from the writer, your interactions should reflect that your character is in the dark about any information you, the writer/reader, have gained from reading the stories.
16 May 2024, 10:49am
"I've got it, mostly. Currently, I want to build a star port closer to mum and dad, but that's turned into a town that needs construction. Somehow that growing project evolved into the problem I'm dealing with right now"

"Still, if it bothers me that much, I can buy land on almost any planet and build there, along with a new manor for mum and dad. As long as I don't try to buy a perfect tropical island on a Magrathian planet, the galaxy is my oyster."

Lambast thought about it for a moment. There were a few things missing in her life, but they came with penalties she wanted to avoid, like children.

"I suppose you could say I've finished the game, and now I'm just being picky. You, Mr Montresor, need to pick a psychosis and stick to it. Feeling you are responsible for everyone's well-being suggests you feel as if you are in control of everything. That dose pair with feeling alone in a crowd, if you feel superior to them, but I don't think you do, and I highly doubt you feel in control. Hence the drugs, I suppose. Whatever the case, narcissism is my thing Mr Montresor, stay out of my lane; I'm better at it than you"

"Do you have any sense of what's next once you have completed your exorcism tour of the bubble?"
16 May 2024, 7:26pm
Lambast Mercy "I suppose you could say I've finished the game, and now I'm just being picky. You, Mr Montresor, need to pick a psychosis and stick to it. Feeling you are responsible for everyone's well-being suggests you feel as if you are in control of everything. That dose pair with feeling alone in a crowd, if you feel superior to them, but I don't think you do, and I highly doubt you feel in control. Hence the drugs, I suppose. Whatever the case, narcissism is my thing Mr Montresor, stay out of my lane; I'm better at it than you"


He's tendencies seemed to make as much sense to Lambast as it did himself, which is to say that it doesn't make a lick of sense at all.

Lambast Mercy "Do you have any sense of what's next once you have completed your exorcism tour of the bubble?"


"Not really, no."

Maul was the definition of a drifter. A home base may exist but most of his time was spent out and about getting mixed up in other peoples business, fighting for whoever paid the most, taking on contracts or finding rabbit holes to lose himself in. As the saying goes, "Wherever the wind blows, that's where I'm headed."

"I know you said you've basically finished the game of life, but everything you mentioned was material things. Strip those things away and tell me what Lamb the person wants, not Lamb the business woman."

As close as he felt Lambast and him were, he never really heard her discuss much of anything outside of business or financial wants. Perhaps that was as deep as it went.
16 May 2024, 7:51pm
"Noting, I've done everything I want, and I can buy anything I'm missing. Mother and I had humble beginnings, so we're not good at having credits. As for the human experience, I have limited interest"

"Much like you, I do what ever needs doing for an army of managers and directors running what I built, far better than I ever could. I'm a gofor troubleshooter in my own company" said Lamb enterally happy with her role.

"You, however seem to be looking for direction. Once you find one, let me know, and I'll see what I can do to give you a push"


Last edit: 17 May 2024, 10:25am
16 May 2024, 8:31pm
"Noted and appreciated." said Maul with an affirmative nod.

"I'll be around and available from now on. No more going dark...willingly anyhow. So, to reciprocate on your offer and continuous aiding of me; If you ever happen to need me for anything, just say the word and I'm there, Lammy." He said, with a nervous snicker at the silliness of the name 'Lammy'.
21 May 2024, 5:16pm
(previous)

I scratched my head thoughtfully, a sly grin playing on my lips. “Gullveig may be the keeper of treasures, but somehow, that wasn’t quite how I envisioned it…” I replied, casting a not so subtle glance at my curvaceous passenger and alluding to the measurements she mentioned.

“The cockpit’s just up ahead. Let’s hope your seat is satisfactory and the journey doesn’t end before it even begins. By the way, the slightly ambiguous dimensions are precisely why the padding exists and adjusts - it’s meant to balance things out, in more ways than one.”

I made hand movements that were supposed to indicate expansion and contraction, but due to the lack of space on board the spaceship, they probably looked more like the lame flapping of an albatross' wings. I then turned and headed toward the cockpit.

"Apologies for my lack of manners, but I’ll just go ahead and step in without waiting for you. I figure you won’t be overtaking me in this corridor anyway…"
21 May 2024, 6:59pm
I shook my head.

“No, I do not mind. This corridor may have fit two people side-by-side… if they were normal. But I would not try overtaking. Or fitting by someone, sideways. And, you would probably be faster than me anyway. So, go ahead.”

I stretched my right arm forward.

“Let us see this chair… or me, anyway. Unless you have not yet seen it, too.”
21 May 2024, 7:33pm
I slipped into the cockpit, my boots echoing against the metal floor. The pilot’s chair beckoned, and I made a beeline for it, clearing space with a swift move.

"This ship was meant for one, but my engineers swiped a chunk of cargo hold and conjured up your own little domain," I said while leaning against the chair’s armrest.

I gestured toward the area behind the pilot’s seat - additional space now adorned with monitors, blinking lights, and all sorts of tech wizardry. In the center sat a custom-made throne of sorts, its seat capable of a 360-degree spin.

"State-of-the-art gear, my friend. Eavesdropping and espionage. They might peg us as mediocre traders, perhaps even fortune-seekers and smugglers, but no one suspects we’re a flying eye and ear."

I grinned, my eyes scanning the room.

"What do you think about it?"
21 May 2024, 8:14pm
I moved over to the big seat, inspecting it. Then looked back at my host. And pilot, apparently.

“I was… just, expecting a seat. Not… this. I do not know if I can use this… these, tools, very well, yet. But I will try my best.”

I figured my next best move was to test the physical dimensions of my “throne”, and decided to nestle in it as best I could. Once I was in… at least, it would hold me for the duration of this operation. Maybe a bit snug around the hips… but that was to be expected, considering the unique spatial constraints which my body presented, and maybe it’d be fine, since the soft mass which was most of my weight in those areas could shift a bit itself. I threw another look at my soon-to-be pilot.

“I think I fit. Kind of. But I hope this can adjust like you said… because, it is already a little snug, around the hips. Which means… even less space around thighs, because they are a little wider.”

Though little in this context probably made quite a significant difference, given the scale at which my lower half generally operated, now.
22 May 2024, 1:17pm
I eyed the situation, waiting and hoping that everything would resolve itself favorably. After all, I wanted to spare my passenger the inconvenience of being rescued from her seat by an engineering team if at all possible.

“Is everything to your satisfaction?” I inquired cautiously.

“As far as operating the instruments goes… I have complete faith in you, and they say one grows with their tasks. At least, that’s what I’ve heard. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for your chair… I hope it’s at least reasonably comfortable. Fortunately, our journey shouldn’t take too long - though, you know how it is, never quite certain, and one must always be prepared for things not going according to plan.”

“So, if there’s anything else we should prepare before departure, now would be the opportune moment to discuss it.” I added with an encouraging nod.
22 May 2024, 3:05pm
“I hope… it will be fine. The, ‘stuff’, on my body, looks… firm, but it is not bone or muscle just underneath. It can move out of the way itself, if needed. At least, a little bit. It rather likes to… spread more, than go inward.”

Necessary or not, I made a rather generous stretching gesture with my arms, then a - less so - contracting one. Then I thought about the other things said, answering after a few seconds.

“I may think about bringing more than my pistol, if you expect trouble… on the surface. But I would rather just avoid fighting… partly, because I make a big target now. If that is where people aim, anyway. As for the instruments …”

I couldn’t judge those much further right now, except for one thing. I moved the panels which were normally above the legs into their correct position, hoping they wouldn’t interfere with my thighs… because that was bound to be less than comfortable, I’d encountered the issue before myself, and the soft mass beneath me did its fair job of attempting to lift me upward from a standard seated position.
22 May 2024, 5:26pm
“I reckon this whole caper should go down without any wild shootouts, if possible. This ain’t no abandoned outpost we’re talking about – there’s bound to be backup on a hair-trigger notice. I picture us waltzing in and out, all stealth-like, just as any other trader would do. And keep those peepers and listeners wide open – both the flesh-and-blood kind and the electronic ones. That’s where you come in…”

I glanced at the mess with the panels laid out before me. Clearly, they weren’t exactly ready to fit, let’s say, an ‘unconventional’ anatomy.

“…but I can see you’re probably not gonna have a ball with these panels. There’s another way in, though, with a helmet you can slap on, giving you that retro-cyberpunk vibe. It oughta work, but I’m telling you, it’ll wreak havoc on your hairdo…”
22 May 2024, 5:55pm
"I would prefer quiet, too, yes.", I answered, momentarily stopping the act of 'Will this fit over my thighs' to do so. "But I hope you have some kind of shield that is good enough to keep things in a piece while running. If it is needed. Because I would rather not be in the middle of an angry outpost... or on a ship falling apart."

Felt like a better idea to address that subject than what the right course of action would be if I myself needed to be gone, in that way. Still, I discreetly pointed at the back of my head... then continued with what I'd done before. Which, of course, was not too successful, and made me sigh.

"Yes. I am too thick.", I remarked, mostly to myself. "I do not think this will work, with those panels. I can... kind of, close them, but they squeeze me already. And the result would not be too great during an abrupt stop... or negative Gs."

I kind of wanted to say that I rather expected the panels to pop off rather than any significant harm come to me... but decided to just leave the implication in the air. Maybe it added a little ridiculous humor to an otherwise serious situation. Or one that was about to be, and as much as it could be, given what was currently occurring.

"I did not think of this problem myself, either... until I sat in the seat for the first time. So it does not surprise me, that your team did not, either." I paused to think, briefly. "I would like your helmet... I can, always, 'fix' the hair, later. Or, I could use this. With holo-control interfaces."

I raised my right arm, where the wrist computer was currently underneath my suit.

"But I will need to connect to your ship for it, to send the signals. If it is ok with you."

To put a little finishing point to that, I decided to undo the mechanical lock keeping the two panels in place, because their pushing into the soft fat of my thighs, cushioning as it was, got annoying. Which, then... kind of made the panels forcefully shoot back into the 'not in use/nobody in the seat' position. And I sort of innocently looked off into the air, to the right, with a silly smirk on the face, drawing the right corner of the mouth upward, and lips poking outward slightly.
22 May 2024, 8:21pm
“As far as the ship falling apart in an irate spaceport goes, we’ve still got a bit of a trek ahead of us… Right now, I’m more concerned about the ship disintegrating due to the antics of a certain someone…” I quipped dryly, a smirk playing on my lips as I watched and heard the panels snapping back into their starting position with a bang.

Then, the expression on my passenger’s face added to the mix, and that was the last straw. I just couldn’t hold back the laughter any longer.

“Maybe…” I snorted, the corners of my mouth twitching, “…maybe it’s a good thing you’re staying aboard…”

I fought back another burst of laughter, gasping for air and chuckling to myself.

“…as long as you don’t break anything, because given our wildly mismatched anatomies side by side… we’re about as inconspicuous as… well… as a flamboyant parrot... in a funeral parlor.”

And then the laughter burst out of me, unstoppable and free.
22 May 2024, 8:39pm
Seeing the delight which being stupid with a big body caused to my counterpart, I couldn't quite prevent a light idiot's grin from appearing on my face.

"See... I can be funny."

I straightened out in the seat, putting both hands somewhere centrally on the thighs, while waiting for the laughter to subside... not quite able to stop an amused noise from escaping my own mouth.

"Pf. I am so stupid sometimes. But it is what you get with me... an idiot, with her very big curves."

I took a deep breath, signalling the switch back to a... slightly... more serious demeanor.

"I was not planning to leave the ship. You can just, sneak around, outside... and, maybe, connect me to something. If you find a thing worth looking at. While I, stay here... and I will try not to break anything."

I tilted my head forward and put on one of those looks, with the corners of the mouth drawn upward slightly, plus an appropriate tone.

"Or play with panels."
23 May 2024, 1:20pm
“Well, I reckon you’re itching to get back to your cozy little abode in the galaxy, and that alone should keep you from tearing this beauty of a ship into spare parts,” I chuckled with a wink.

Slipping into a more serious tone, I added, “It was never in the cards for you to abandon ship. We’re docking at Howarth Engineering, and I’ll be scoping out the joint while you play overwatch from the ship, keeping those eyes and ears peeled.”

I paused, mulling over our next move.

“I guess that means we’re all set. What’s the latest buzz on Xi Wangda?”

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