Elite roleplay: The galactic bar

INGABA (Inara Galactic Bar)

Welcome to the swankiest bar and most popular bar on station. Located in the Pilot's market and due to its close proximity to the docks is heavily frequented by pilots and all manner of crew, tourists, and layover passengers. Dark, smokey and trimmed in neon lights and bits of tinsel, InGaBa plays only the best music straight from Radio Sidewinder and local DJ star, Janten Groove.

There are various tabled and seated cubby holes that patrons can hold private conversations as well the main bar top where all assortments of drinks and bar food can be ordered up. On the back of the bar on various shelves, from all over the galaxy, the fines and rarest ales preside. next to the impressive collection are several screens that can usually be seen playing adverts or the CQC championships.

It is the most prominent choice for meeting up with other pilots to discuss business discreetly, whatever they may be...

Notice booking the InGaBa for private functions require a deposit of 250,000 CR to cover potential damages.

InGaBa drinks menu:
  • Cubeo Gold - Mid Whiskey
  • Achenar Blue - Upscale Whiskey
  • Kamadhenu Red - Red wine
  • Old Sol - Scotch
  • Barnard's Choice - Gin
  • Crown Jewel - Cocktail
  • Pegasi moon - Pirate Surprise!
  • Supernova - Cocktail
  • Barron's Head - Beer
  • Lavian Brandy
  • Alioth Sparkling - Sparkling Wine
  • Jaques' Quinentian Still - Gifted by a mysterious benefactor, two of these rare devices now distill single shots of whiskey from whatever is on hand for the patrons of 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.
18 Aug 2023, 5:35pm
Only her eyes moved to see who would be rude enough to bring her mind back from its wondering. Seeing Vasil's friendly face brushed aside any annoyance there may have been for being snapped out of her reveries.

"Sad looking? Like, what do you expect from pasta? Dancing tagliatelle and sparklers? Like, this is the stuff dreams are made from, you know?" Scolded Willow wagging her fork at the man.

Cracking a smile, she gestured for him to sit.

"So yeah, hey Vee. You back from your latest good will run? I met an imp woman that runs a liner business. She's started like, a hundred charities to avoid paying inflated tax to.. Um, like, what ever corp runs the system she's in. Maybe you two would get on"
18 Aug 2023, 5:56pm
“Thanks,” said Vasil after being offered a seat. Seeing one of the waitstaff approach, he ordered a beer and cheesesteak. “Just bringing some materials this trip. Heavy shock mounts, machinery and such. And getting some plates patched up where the old girl managed to pick up a few splashes of acid puke. Nothing exciting.”

“So, a charitable entrepreneur, you say? Does not surprise me. If structured correctly you can become a charitable business. Have to be careful with executive compensation, though. While the charity can show no profits, it can be suspect if the officers are banking more profits than the charity spends on, well, charitable causes.”
18 Aug 2023, 6:25pm
It was hard to eat sticky pasta in a lady like way, but Willow did her best to keep the slurping to a minimum.

"So for her, I think she just doesn't like paying tax to corpo's you know? Like, she's mega loaded from what I could tell, and didn't want to keep all the credits for her self. She paid me like, waay over the odds for suit and personal weapons parts when I found them"

"So like, talking of high tec modding, you building, or just supplying? HNs are for serious ship tech. So yeah, if you're lining me up for a job, like, I get paid by the hour, and with one arm, I'm going to take like all day just undoing screws you know? Just a warning for when the bill comes in"
18 Aug 2023, 6:44pm
Vasil laughed. "I thought one armed engineers got half pay. But I suppose if it takes a one-armed engineer twice as long, then it evens out in the end." His beer arrived and he nodded a quick thanks to the server. "Not modifying or retrofitting anything, just hauling in materials. Most non-emergency work I tend to have done at Imperial yards when I am in the bubble. Even the Lakons. Had my Asp built and commissioned in the Carthage system years ago."
18 Aug 2023, 7:56pm
"Erk! Like no thanks. I mean yeah it's a classic ship, and I know why so many people love them, you know? But like, I basically grew up on one with Mom, Dad and like 5 brothers and sisters right?"

"Hey, could I get a Vega Juice please?" Willow asked the waiter before they had left.

"So, um, like where was I? Oh, yeah. Like, if I never see the inside of an Asp again, it'll be too soon right? I mean, it was all shouting, arguing, and tears right?"

As she dealt with another fork full, Willow realized she had just done her upbringing a huge disservice. She had a great childhood, and she'd just made it sound like something from one of those old English homework books the computer used to make her read.
18 Aug 2023, 8:22pm
"Sounds like tight quarters with so many people. Only ever had one other person in the Always Lost but that was years ago when it still smelled mostly new and my hair was much darker than it is now. Now, after all these years out in the unexplored nothing, we both creak a little more and are not quite as fast as we used to be but that ship is like..." Vasil paused, looking for the right word. "...An old friend. Each knows the other's faults but does not judge, and each knows the other will be there no matter what."
18 Aug 2023, 9:00pm
"Like, you make that sound real cool, you know? And Always Lost? Yeah, very explorer like naming. I guess I'll get a connection like that one day right? But like, I haven't been flaying anything long enough. I kinda hope Bramble and me get like that"

"So like, when you have a choice, do you always go for the Lost? I mean, the module sizes on asps are weird, and its stopping distance isn't like, that far off a carrier's, you know? Ever tried the Phantom? I hear it's a good contender"

Now they were talking ships, Willow was itching to tell him about the Bramble, but she knew the rule thanks to her family. Your ship build was always the best, no matter how much better the other person's build was.


Last edit: 18 Aug 2023, 9:07pm
18 Aug 2023, 11:07pm
"The Always Lost has been my only choice for probably longer than you have been around. Right about thirty years or so. Aside from brief visits to the bubble and Colonia for major refits I spent most of that time just wandering space. It is only because I was called back home to help with the war that I am here now."

His cheesesteak arrived, looking and smelling like it might be real beef and cheese rather than the synthetics grown in a vat that it actually was. "You know, when I first commissioned it and set out exploring, the ship was pretty much bone stock. Stripped down, bare minimum. Over the years its been refitted here and there and tweaked for long trips away from civilization. I once spent six months on an earth-like planet out in the Acheron sector. I suppose that for me exploring is more of a hobby than a profession. Some places I find I delete from the nav logs so they do not get registered."

Vasil took a bite of the cheese steak. "What about this Branble of yours," he asked after swallowing. "Do I detect a flora motif?"
19 Aug 2023, 9:07am
"Flora? Nar, well yeah, but not flowers. So, my name is Willow, my big brothers are like, Oak and Birch, my oldest sister is named Hazel. Like, you seeing a pattern?"

"So mom and dad had a thing for trees, you know? And our family name is Thorn, so I name my ships after thorny plants right?"

"So the ship I took to the southern rim is the only exception. Dad named it when he gave it to me, and even that is like, one of my knick names.

Taking a moment to chew, Willow played back what she had just said, causing her brow to furrow.

"Gee, explaining it makes me sound real self-absorbed right?"
19 Aug 2023, 3:08pm
"Self abdorbed? No. Often things -and people- are named after something that has meaning to a person. For objects like personal starships it gives them a sort of permanence that will outlive us. "

Vasil shrugged and took a swallow of beer. "Of course, after we are gone a ship can be renamed by whoever inherits it or claims the salvage rights. But as far as the dead are concerned, the name outlived them. From a practical point of view, a ship's name history is recorded in the ship's registry data, so even if the name and number are changed, the original name is still recorded somewhere." He started to take a bite of his cheesesteak but paused to add, "I suppose in that regard, the names do live on long after us."
19 Aug 2023, 4:23pm
"Like, it is bad luck to change a ship's name once you've named it. So that's why I let dad get away with naming my ship The Wisp. He'd changed it for me so, whatever"

Her Vega Juice was bought over. Ignoring the glass, Willow cracked it open, twisted the tap around and dropped a straw into the hole.

"Yeah, I was thinking they called me Wisp, because like, I'm like a wispy willow you know? But like, it's some weird old show he watched as a kid. So like that name has meaning for him, but like a totally different meaning for me right?"
19 Aug 2023, 5:15pm
"So, the ship is Willow's Wisp. Sounds close to Will-o'-the-wisp." Vasil picked up a fork and jabbed at a few of the bits of synth cheesesteak that had fallen out of the bun. "Some form of the will-o-wisp is in most all cultures, and has different names and connotations depending on the source. Sometimes it is a lost spirit, sometimes a trickster, or sometimes a guide."

Vasil popped the fork in his mouth, chewed and swallowed. "Hmmm. I think the scientific name for it translates into something like silly fire or dancing fire or something like that." Vasil looked to Willow, a slight grin on his face. "Willow, I did not take you for a silly dancer."
19 Aug 2023, 6:36pm
"Yeah, like that'd be real nice, but like, I've seen the show dad took the name from. It's nothing that cool"

Looking at Vasil's food, Willow remembered how hard it was to get hold of the pre-packed she liked.

"Hey, you do cargo runs right? Ever looked at goods and services logistic supplies? Like, it's getting tricky to get hold of some foods here. The dock works say that the few guys that ran food and goods have kind of dried up. So, a work force is like an army, you know? Full bellies make a full shift worth working, you know? Fancy pitching in?"

Willow waved her crushed arm a little.

"I'd take a pop at it, but like. You know?"
19 Aug 2023, 7:12pm
"I'd not given much thought to dry goods and consumables. The profit per ton is marginal on things like that. True, there is less risk. Only a desperate or hungry pirate would waste hatch breakers on frozen dinners."

Vasil leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. With a slight cant of his head to the right, he looked up and to the left as he mentally ran through numbers and scenarios. "I suppose it would not have to be a full six hundred tons. Maybe unallocated tonnage to fill the cargo holds. Then there is the question of what to haul out." He looked back to Willow. "Other than people wanting to get the hell out, I doubt the station currently produces anything worth selling elsewhere."
19 Aug 2023, 7:50pm
"Yeah, so like, it'd pretty much be charity work, right? And I mean, if the pilot's bringing that stuff in are real few and far between now, 600 tons isn't going to go that far you know? Like, Damran, my team boss; I guess he can do 600 tons in a month by him self, you know? Said Willow with her arms out around an imaginary big fat belly.

Twisting more pasta onto her fork, she tried to rest her head on her broken hand, but that was still too painful.

"So, the Citi curse not going to put you off? I mean, people have been going missing, you know? Like, roughnecks and laborers are known to peace out after picking up a pay check or two, and deciding the job is not for them, you know? But Mark" Willow leaned in as if she was about to impart some secret information.

"Mark, he's like, a slave right? He said some of his people are going missing" She leaned back with a knowing nod.

"So, he says his manpower company is trying to keep it quiet, but like, slaves can't just quit and leave, right? And like, it's staff all over the station you know? I mean, the piano man isn't here anymore, and Silvia is just the latest that everyone knows about"

"Maybe the pilots that were running day to day cargo are also being targeted by whatever. I mean, it's all people that are like, working to get the station back online that are going missing, and like, the guys and girls that feed us are real important to that, right?"


Last edit: 19 Aug 2023, 8:22pm

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