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.
13 Sep 2023, 10:51am
"Bed rest sucks right? So ok, its great for a day or two while you catch up on shows you've missed, but like, that's it. And don't bother Ina you know? She's like my big brothers, I guess. Great and all, but she likes to get it done in her own time. Like, its enough to know your all ok"

"And hey dealing seems to be our thing, you know? Like, a few months ago I was in Silvia's place, right? Sitting in a mercenaries cell waiting for someone to come. Like, it sucks being the bait for a bigger fish. Its still there, but like, I'm putting in a place up here" said Willow tapping her skull with one finger "that takes the edge off"


Last edit: 13 Sep 2023, 11:01am
13 Sep 2023, 1:36pm
“You were kidnapped? Why?”

Part of me remembered being told by Silvia, but I couldn’t at all imagine what anyone would’ve wanted with Willow.

“Actually, nevermind. You probably don’t want to talk about that anyway. I’d talk about mine, but uh, not in public. At least, I don’t mind if it’s the right person. I guess you’d be one of them.”

I sighed, and removed my mind from the subject.

“You’d be surprised about Ina. Looks like she could toss you across the room like a cardboard box, but surprisingly gentle. Held my mind… kind of together when I ran into some …” *shudders at unpleasant memory* “… some way too close for comfort trouble with those shitty people stealers the Thargoids got going around.”

I could still feel my chest constricting around my heart every time I brought that up even for just a little bit. Really shouldn’t be talking about it. My eyes darted around the room for a few seconds, coming to rest on a figure, whose strange attire - an unremarkable, dark red hood and robe over some clothes - made them look rather familiar.

I’d seen that figure, clearly a woman, before, always staying distant and observing. Had a certain suspicion about who it was, or rather, what they belonged to. She certainly didn’t seem to care much about hiding it.
13 Sep 2023, 1:58pm
"Yeah, totally a time and a place thing, you know? Not a casual talking point for either of us I guess. But scanning for people on a big ship, right? That's like, my area, you know"

Looking up to figure out what had caught Kasumi's attention, Willow saw a waiter and waved him over.

"Ok so yeah, they already got Lei Cheung, and Juri Ishmaak helping out for sure, but I got some ideas. Ideas better then gathering a load of shit for funding research I can tell you. Thing is, would the Goids like, fall for simulated human in a pod, and would they work out something was up if they detected say, Alpha particle radiation?"

Willow stopped, she had jumped off halfway through a different topic again because Kasumi had mentioned something Willow had been thinking about in her masses of free time.

"Oh, like sorry, I was thinking of. Um, like you said about the Goids, and that reminded me of the new scanners they are working on and. Oh right yeah, did my Silvia detector tweaks help out at all?"
13 Sep 2023, 2:16pm
I pulled my attention away from the hooded figure to look at Willow again.

“It helped us tell that she was in the slave hold, but they moved her to the bridge before we got there. Still, we got her out so it’s all fine. As for the Thargoids… beyond me to tell. For all the time we spent shooting at them, or designing weapons of mass destruction to wipe them put, hardly anyone’s ever tried to understand.”

I sighed.

“Well, I guess some people from the old Aegis tried. From what I hear, they always got shot down and just told to make more guns, so I’m kind of glad to see Alba is not just strung along on strings by the superpowers. Too bad we pushed the Thargoids past the point where they’d even consider talking, if we could understand them.”

I paused to breathe.

“Not sure you could fool their scanners like that, with radiation or whatever. Not that I’ve thought about it much, but their tech is way beyond ours. And even if they did fall for it, they might figure it out after opening up a few empty pods.”

My stomach began to send signals to my brain that I was very hungry.

“Maybe we should get back to that food idea? My belly is beginning to complain about being empty.”
13 Sep 2023, 2:26pm
"Yeah, the guy nodded to me when I waved at him, so I guess we're next on his list. There's more on the menu here than down on the food courts in the market. It's like the solar winds have changed and so has the temper of the station, you know?"

Willow got her bottle of extract out and put it on the table while she looked at the menu screen.

"So drinks? And um, we can talk about that local team, er spots thing they did, if you want to keep it light"
13 Sep 2023, 2:36pm
“Whatever you want to talk about.”, I replied, shrugging. “Though I’m not exactly sure what you mean by ‘spots’ thing. Sports? Not my favorite subject, if so. Kinda stopped looking at it much a few years ago.”

I shifted around on the sofa again, returning my right arm to the arm rest. I suddenly felt painfully aware of the electrical signals coursing through biomechanical nodes within the arm, a sensation that had been absent for a while, and balled the hand into a fist reflexively.

“Drinks… well, I’m still boring so I’ll probably just settle on something like orange juice or water. Or both. And you probably don’t want me stumbling around drunk, anyway. I might say things I’d regret more than a little tomorrow.”
13 Sep 2023, 2:50pm
"Yeah I tried drinking when the company thing fell through, and I was like, just about to get a hot personal assistant too, damn it. So I'm on Vega juice. Like, I don't think its got any fruit in it, but its fizzy and tastes real good. Want one" Asked Willow hovering her finger over the Vega juice icon.

"As for the sports thing, some guy with a hair cut more expensive than my ship probably put a ball somewhere that made some people real happy, that's about as much as I know" said Willow smiling "I was trying out small talk, but its real hard, you know?"

"Hey, I did hear there are illegal fights in parts of the station that we haven't opened yet"


Last edit: 13 Sep 2023, 3:01pm
13 Sep 2023, 3:21pm
“Mh… thanks, but I think I’ll stick to simple stuff. And I don’t really like fizzy, anyway. Tried it once, by accident at that, and just hated it.”

I looked at some of the screens around the bar, with entertainment programs or news running on them.

“Nothing interesting. Still the same old stuff as people further into the Bubble pretend nothing is wrong.”

I shook my head, and quickly decided to not go into that further.

“Small talk… the one thing antisocial nerds like me aren’t good at. Or just being social in general. And speaking of haircuts, you see that Creamy guy lately, or is he still missing after that angry guy with the trench coat showed up? Oh, and I’ll pass on those fights in closed parts of the station. Can live without a knife in the back of my body. The Reaper has tried to catch this soul enough already.”

I threw in a mildly joking tone at the last sentence, as if to mock my tendency to defy death a little.
13 Sep 2023, 3:36pm
"Yeah, I don't do well, you know? The people I like, usually work with don't tent to talk, and broken stuff is like, a logic puzzle I can solve. Broken things don't have feelings and like, hidden meanings to look out for"

There was a short list of real fruit drinks, and they were expensive, way more expensive than they had been last time Willow ordered one. Must be a side effect of the supply problems Citi was facing. Mixed berry crush looked good, so Willow ordered that for Kasumi, and a hot lemon tea for her self.

"So, the guy with the coat is the one Blue Karen beat up right? But like, I don't know any one that's, like creamy. Oh right! that reminds me, I need to get some more Altairian Skin. Like, I would just get in my ship and jump to Altair, but I can't fly like this. I'm starting to look like I have vitiligo when I shower"
13 Sep 2023, 3:50pm
“I was more wondering where that guy’s at. He did show up around here quite often, playing music man or bartender, but he’s been kind of absent for a while now.”

I paused for a second.

“And speaking of absent, I’d maybe have offered to get some of that stuff for you, but there’s a good chance I’ll be staying on the ground for a while after today. None of that ‘soul-seeking’ stuff, just… take a bit of time to hang around somewhere less… I suppose, risky? Whatever the correct word would be.”

I threw a hinting look to where the window would usually be located in a bar on the station concourse, as if to point out to space, Thargoids, and whatever else lurked out there for me.

“I think you can imagine, given what you know about me. But let’s just ignore that for now. I can give you a bunch of money to arrange for remote transport, if you want that option. Doing what I do leaves me with more than I’d know to use, and not a lot of opportunities to give it to other people.”
13 Sep 2023, 4:05pm
"Credits? Like no way, I'm" Willow leaned in "I'm loaded. One trip to the rim scanning every mould patch and daisy I saw like, got me enough credits to buy a carrier. No, I need to go there and get the young cultures otherwise they color you like a rainbow, and I want marble white. Thanks though, that's real nice of you to offer"

Willow looked over to the bar to see if the drinks were coming yet.

"So your talking about the piano man right?" Willow let out a little wolf whistle "Yeah, so I can see why you'd call that creamy. No I haven't seen him for like, ages. Shame, him and Silvia were like, the whole Galactic for a while you know?"

She looked into space for a moment contemplating how things had changed over the few months she had been on Citi.

"Hey, maybe you get some people that like, bring a vibe to a place you know? So piano man and Silvia both like, filled the room with like, that feeling, and now they are gone something else moved in. I don't know, I feel like I'm talking out of my ass right now. Sorry"
13 Sep 2023, 4:15pm
“No, I mean, he calls himself that. It’s a pretty dumb name, but whatever his real one is, it’s not coming out. Or maybe it’s some weird Imperial naming convention, I haven’t got a clue.”

I took a breath and chuckled lightly.

“Besides, I’m not one who’d make any ‘competition’ for him, if you get the drift. Might be a good guy, but nature decided my brain swings the other way. Like I said. Anyway…”

I looked around.

“Place doesn’t look much different to me, but I also don’t spend a whole lot of time on the station, so I see a lot less of what goes around. Just noticed there’s a lot more light in here - “ I gestured at the bar with both arms. “ - now. I preferred it when it was a little more moody, and I could disappear into a corner.”

A sigh came out.

“Well, not much I can do about that right now. Oh, and if you’re curious about what I’ll do next, I’m thinking about poking the bee hive a little, and see what those new structures people have reported to be in space the Thargoids hold around here. Not that I expect much more than spooky stuff and mysteries. Not going there to shoot anything dead, though, don’t worry. I’m trying to avoid pissing them off more.”
13 Sep 2023, 4:58pm
'Give me 10 damn minutes to get my stuff together then we will be leaving.'

'Hurry up we can't let this wait. The sooner we get this information over to the Imperial courts the sooner we can get over to Colonia. You mom and dad want to talk about Jackson's involvement with your kidnapping. They didn't sound too happy about it.'

'Yes well..... oh maybe talk about this later... OK I'll be right back out give me a few please.'

'Yes dear.'

Venus and I enter into the bar mid conversation over me coming back to grab what few belongings I had left in the room I was provided for my brief work cycle. As I enter the back room with Melli hot on my heels she stops when she notices Willow and Kira. Venus walks over to the bar and grabs a bottle of wine and a glass. She proceeds over to the entryway and pours herself a glass. Looking out into Citi Gateway for what would likely be the last time for a long while she lights a cigarette and sighs.

Melli walks over to Willow and Kira and hops up onto a chair chittering politely attempting to not derail the conversation the 2 are having. I sit down on the side of the bed in the room behind the bar tears welling up in my eyes. Everything was wrong. Leaving the bubble was the last thing I wanted to do, but given the extreme circumstances surrounding my kidnapping I knew there was no real choice. I would be giving up everything. Friends I had made, a fun quiet job, and the enjoyment of meeting new people.
13 Sep 2023, 5:39pm
“Well, hello there, you crazy ball of fur.”, I said to Melli in place of a greeting. “At least you no longer look red.”

I had intended to offer a wave to Silvia upon seeing them enter, but the fox distraction had worked very well at not making me do that. I looked back at Willow, thinking it’d be impolite to just stand up in the middle of our conversation, to chase after someone else that’d be leaving soon.
13 Sep 2023, 5:51pm
"Hey, we are what we are right? If that gives other people hang -ups, like, that's on them. So, you're saying piano guy's name is like, Creamy? Sure it is, and I'm, umm" Willow looked around for inspiration. Their drinks were coming, and Kasumi's berry crush came with the juice in one glass, and the pulp in a small tumbler.

"And I'm like, Fruity Chunks. Yeah, call me Fruity, or miss Chunks ok?" A fuzz ball arrived at the table just before the waiter put the drinks down.

"MELLY!" squealed Willow with a voice that belonged ta a 5 years old "It not so smelly Mellie. How are you Not So Smelly?" squeaked Willow unable to resist ticketing the foxy thing's cheeks.

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ROLEPLAY ONLY! Respect the universe settings!
If you are new here, please try to at least partially involve in the ongoing stories and conversations instead of establishing a completely different "arc". You can always turn it to a different story later.