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.
11 Apr 2024, 8:47pm
“If I am acting in the capacity of the wise old counsellor in this heroic greek epic of yours, my advice would be to first confirm the status of the marque before taking action against the Jester. If it is still valid and you have no choice but to engage the Jester, I advise using proxies rather than be directly involved.”

Vasil paused while the server delivered their drinks and whisked away the empty glasses. An ever-so-slight squint briefly altered his expression, a habit and a subtle indicator of when his mind was quickly churning through plans and their possible outcomes.

Once the server left, he offered Lamb his thoughts formulated in those brief moments of silence. “Whether the marque is valid or not, using proxy mercenaries would be best. After the battle and the proxies are paid, you get the information from the pirate. Then your fleet arrives to take revenge on the pirates for attacking a celebrated Imperial privateer. In the end, you have the information, no one can tie you to the attack on the Jester, the pirate does not get the marque, and you have a reputation for exacting Imperial justice.”

Vasil raised his bourbon. “Justice in the name of Her Imperial Majesty, of course.”
11 Apr 2024, 9:44pm
"Yes, that thought had crossed my mind, hence the carpet bombing whimsy. Do as I'm asked, get what I need, then let the fleet do it again after they have warmed up on the Jade's ships"

"It hadn't occurred to me to use mercenaries. One forgets that is an option when one has a sizable fleet. Thank you" Said Lambast with a nod almost low enough to be a bow indicating she was grateful to hear a sensible suggestion she had over looked.

"I also considered getting the letter for my self, for bargaining power you understand, but Mr Hooder indicated I will not have much time before I will be called upon. That, and I am yet to even occupy the thought of hearing from Captain Jade"

"I must remember my focus should be learning the fate of Lord Goodness. I have no wish to needlessly engage a privateer fleet, or aid a raider, but as I can't simply buy the information as I had expected, my hand may be forced"

Her elbow found the table, and she rested her chin on thumb and ring finger, leaving her index free to tap her bule lips as she mulled over her options. With more time and more information, she could form a reasonable response, but she felt it unlikely she would have much of either.

A tweet in her ear indicated she had a message. Her neuralwear link meant she could mentally let the ships computer relay the message to her ear studs.

"SDC interstellar deliveries. Package for Maul Montresor failed to deliver by dead line. Goods returned to nearest depo"

That was his birthday presents. Today was Mauls birthday, and she still hadn't been able to track him down. She had stopped tapping her lips, and now her finger was tracing the line they made together. She was mildly surprised to find she was frowning, and her brow felt heavy as if it was pressing down on her eyes.

If she, of all people, was feeling this way for a self-destructive neurotic junky, then the Count and Countess Goodness must be feeling something even more intense for their son. Someone they hadn't seen for many years. It was rare for Lambast to empathise with other people, so she didn't know how to respond.


Last edit: 11 Apr 2024, 10:06pm
12 Apr 2024, 1:32am
Vasil took note of the change in the Lady’s demeanor. This was only his second conversation with her, so he had not known her long enough to be certain if the change was due to concern or uncertainty. Whatever the reason, it was a change in the otherwise proper and aloof way she tended to carry herself in public.

Such unexpected shifts in body language and expression often meant an opportunity, which triggered Vasil’s trader instinct. Though he knew he could not close a deal that was not yet on the table, he could at least plant the seeds for one that might later bear fruit.

“Unless I am mistaken, you would not be in this position if not for the Count demanding you find his son. No matter the outcome of your search, I think there is a way to remove the political roadblocks and get your starport built.”

Vasil drew a circle on the table with his finger and tapped it. “Sell or donate to ERS enough land for a small municipality of twenty to thirty thousand people. ERS uses that land to re-settle displaced citizens. In the process a small port will have to be built.” he said, and moved his glass of bourbon into the circle. “Imagine the political fallout and negative publicity for anyone opposing a charity giving Imperial citizens a new start on Cubeo.”
12 Apr 2024, 2:21pm
Vasil words were confusing to start with, because Lambast was stuck in a 'What are you still doing here' loop before she remembered she had asked the man to sit with her for a drink.

The revelation that she was concerned for Maul, and by extension understanding the Count's urgency to know what had become of his son, had almost helped her make up her mind about what she should do next.

Politely she listened to Vasil suggestion, but as soon as he suggested selling or donating some of her family's land, Lamb knew her answer. The Mercy's patch of Cubeo 3 was arable, but hilly. Any serious farming would cause major flooding thanks to the topography and poor drainage. All the Mercy's really had was a good house, a village, and a motorway between rolling hills.

"That is exactly the boat I am already in Mr. Vasilescu. As you can imagine, my own company EOM has a surplus of refugees that require better housing than cabins on a ship, or bunks in a camp. Add to that every planet, settlement, and station under her majesty the Prinsesses rule, is suffering economic strife thanks to a sudden ban on the owning and using slaves, we also have a tidal wave of the local destitute to cater for"

"The prevailing sentiment in Her Majesty's domain is, us first. That understandably insular view has allowed Count Goodness to assert his anit-refugee point of view thanks to the work I do with EOM. Apparently I will be contributing to an already overwhelmed social service by bringing yet more needy people to our doorstep"

She shrugged and picked up her glass, holding it away from herself as she continued.

"Never mind that I employ as many locals as possible, and use in system resource at my own expense. When pitching to the desperate, low hanging fruit is all that is required. Besides, Blood and Glory Goodness is a hero, and his wife has the ear of the Princess herself. My parents were quit recently elevated by an old duke that was loosing his marbles, so the fight was fixed before it started"

"Most of all Mr Vasilescu, when I look out the window of my family home and see a town that could possibly become a city between the hills, I want it to be my city, not yours. It was however, a good pitch that had merit given your understanding of the situation."


Last edit: 12 Apr 2024, 2:45pm
12 Apr 2024, 7:14pm
Listening closely to her reply, Vasil knew that continuing to press the matter of establishing a settlement would definitely kill the seed. However, that did not stop him from sprinkling a little water on it before leaving the seed alone.

“Now that I better understand the local situation, I see the complications that could arise and that a more in depth proposal would require researching local law and bureaucracy. So, I will not say any more on the subject other than a land lease could be an option where the land is returned at the end of a set period of time, and that most of our settlements are self-sustainable within two standard years.”

Vasil retrieved his bourbon and swiped a hand over the imaginary circle, symbolically wiping away the subject of establishing a settlement. Because the ultimate goal of his sister, Octavia, was using ERS to broaden her political influence, the re-settling of displaced citizens outside of the Cemiess system had already begun. A foothold settlement on Cubeo would be a major coup, but would take more than a few casual conversations, so he changed the subject.

“You know, I think there is more stress being Nouveau Nobility than Old Nobility. The former carries with it general disdain from the later if they do not believe the titles were earned. Whereas once entrenched, one can be destitute but still be treated like a king if the family name is old enough. I do not envy your position. But then again, there is a Vasilescu in the Hall of Martyrs so my condemning the establishment’s favoritism would be hypocritical.”
12 Apr 2024, 7:55pm
"Oh, so true" The words suited someone that was glad to have found an understanding ear, but her tone of voice said she was aware, and at peace with the difficulties elevated commoners faced.

"My farther is every bit the noble. The ideal of nobility I mean, not the reality. On the other hand, mother and I are not. We had a humble beginning, and it shows. No amount of finishing school could beat it out of me. My sister bless her, adopted, doesn't even know she is now the most minor of minor Imperial nobility"

A genuine smile found its way on to Lambasts face thinking about a young Kaisla leaving to make her own way in the galaxy while Lamb was packed off to the academy.

"Her family were federals you see, and she came to us in her early teens. She remains federal to this very day, and we wouldn't want her any other way"

The smile left almost as quickly as it had arrived after Lambast finished thinking about her mis-spent youth with Kaisla. There were more pressing matters that needed resolving.

"I say, you were quick with the recent movements of Destinies Jester. Is that a keen interest of any action of note, or do you have some sort of data link active, may I ask?"
12 Apr 2024, 9:02pm
Vasil found himself momentarily distracted by her brief smile. Though short, the smile managed to shine through the icy decorum she seemed determined to shield herself with. It made her relatable, and approachable. Vasil knew it could be disarming, giving her an advantage in the right social circumstances if she harnessed its power. However, not being familiar enough to say such a thing to her, he remained on topic.

"I suppose you might call it fortune that I have a bit of knowledge on the subject of the Jester. Because ERS supplies slaves for Imperial repair contracts, we do our best to keep aware of anti-slavery activities. Insurance companies give no one, not even charities, a break on premiums if you are prone to losing valuable cargo. Anyway, reports that an Imperial privateer -Destinies Jester- was suspected of capturing a cargo of slaves in Torval space caught our attention. The reports, however, did not specify if the slaves were Imperial or illegal. And that may determine whether or not the marque was violated."
12 Apr 2024, 10:04pm
Sitting up Lambast placed her drink on the table, closed her eyes and sighed.

"You know, I was that close to having made up my mind, but once more you have remind me I am rash, and too eager to rush headlong into an obstacle. It is a bad habit left over from my days bearing suppression shields I should think"

Taking her holo-pad from its pocket, Lambast placed the white disk in front of her and turned on the projector. Just like a hud, it was hard to make out unless you were positioned in front of it.

"I must ask forgiveness for turning to work, but I am on an unknown time limit, and information on Jade and the Jester is vital for me to avoid future complications in favour of short term benefits"

Once her computer was online, asked Vasil for his indulgence.

"Would be so kind as to give me everything you have on the Jesters latest engagement? To help me narrow my search filed and find out what its been up to under its new captain"
12 Apr 2024, 10:56pm
Once again my shift at OMNIPOL was behind me, so I headed, now already traditionaly to the Bar. I slowly walked to counter and ordered Lavian Brandy. As usual, to my Hutton mug. When I was new there, it was rarity to see that mug, but from Wednesday already not. That FSD with Overcharged Supercruise changed that. What was in past feat, which completed only mad, stupid or really determined people is today standard issue. Almost.

When bartender slide to me my mug, I thanked him and headed to one from sofas. I preferd that, from which was view into docking bay, but today it was already occupied. So I sat on nearest free sofa and took look around bar, while I slowly sipped brandy. A lot has changed during that time, from what I am visiting this place. Extrovetistic pianist is gone, piano doesnt look the best, bartendress called Silvia is gone and hooded woman is not here, too. But if I remember correctly, she preffered to stay in shadow.

As I was continuing to sip brandy, I was remembering (or trying to remeber) all bigger events. One was quite like from yesterday-western standoff scene when bartendress colapsed. And some more. Now, whole bar is feeling different way. It is more generic, I would say. When I finished brandy from mug, I stood up and headed to counter to pay bill and let mug to be washed. After that, I took last look arpund bar if I dont spot somthing unusual or somebody known. Nobody, nothing important. So I walked away from bar, headed to get shower in my flat.
13 Apr 2024, 12:38am
“I’ll give you something even better. ERS holds a Class-A license with the Imperial Slave Association, and that comes with certain perquisites,” he said and tapped the gold ERS pin on his collar to establish a connection with the Alpina’s COVAS. “Carina, secure near field link for data transfer.”

In his ear, the COVAS requested voice recognition before establishing the link to Mercy’s computer. He sighed, mildly annoyed. “Carina, îmi cunoști deja vocea.” It took another few seconds for the secure link through his com badge to Lamb’s computer to be established and secured.

“Carina, send ISA access request for recipient, Lady Lambast Mercy. Designation, ERS advisor for slave...” he almost said ‘Acquisitions’ but thought that would cause problems for her. “...for slave manumission and re-integration. Assign research rights. Sign, send, and end link.”

Vasil again tapped his collar badge to close the connection and looked to Lambast. “Completing the registration I just sent you will grant you limited access to query the Association’s A-Level databases. Those databases contain info on all legal and illegal slaving activity in Imperial space. It is how we get our reports on anti slaving activity. If the Jester took any slaves at all in the past ten years, the details will be somewhere in that database.”


Last edit: 13 Apr 2024, 12:44am
13 Apr 2024, 10:42am
"I say! That's spot on. Yet another reason why the banning of slavery was a foolish move for our corner of the empire"

This was going to take some time. The information on the Jester and its previous, and current captains my not be complete, but having access to the Imperial Slave Association's database was invaluable.

"You know, I had a chap for this sort of thing, but I should manage thanks to you letting me use this database" said Lambast not looking up form her work.

"Last time we talked, you served us a pastry with a pleasant raspberry jam. I find a tasty bite aids me with endeavours such as this" Lamb nodded at her screen "I'm thinking of having someone fetch me a snack from my ship"

She looked up momentarily "I'm quite accomplished in the kitchen" she remarked with a hint of pride.

"Would you care to try a slice of Victoria sponge? Noting fancy, only raspberry jam and cream between light sponge cake, but I do apricate the purity of simplicity, and raspberry jam happens to be a weakness of mine"
13 Apr 2024, 5:28pm
"Sure, I'll try a slice of your cake." Vasil filed away in the back of his mind another small bit of information regarding the Lady Mercy that further humanized her. She apparently enjoyed baking.

Finding that such a cake seemed a very Old Earth British thing that meshed well with her accent, he added, with a light laugh, "I warn you I have no singing voice, so I hope the chorus of Rule Britania is not required when the cake arrives. I could probably whistle a few bars of the British Grenadiers, but even that might not turn out well."
14 Apr 2024, 9:07am
That was enough. It had been a few years but she'd change more than he thought she was capable. Now was as good a time as ever to reintroduce himself. Necking what was left of his wine, Fresh stood and walked over to the side booth where his old acquittance was busy with her holo-pad.

Glancing between Lambast and her friend, Fresh coughed.

"Hi Lambast" Tipping his head towards Vasil "Sooo, is this mister Mercy or what?"
14 Apr 2024, 5:04pm
That still wasn't the voice Lambast was expecting to hear, but the face was familiar.

"Phresh?" she said studding the young mans face "My word, the years have been good to you, I'm pleased to see you again, but not your sense of humour"

Lambast stood and straightened her tunic "Vasil Vasilescu, may I introduce you to Pierre Phresh, an old acquittance of mine, and Lord Goodness"

"Phresh, this is Vasil Vasilescu, a gentleman in the same line of business as my self, though more adept at achieving the goals I wish to attain" She said with a nod to Vasil.

"My accent by the way, is a product of the finishing school I attended, Vasil. My ancestry is French, on my father's side at least. Mercy is a degeneration of Marceau, so I am told"
14 Apr 2024, 7:58pm
Once again I entered bar, but today not after shift, just regular "pub evening" or how it was called on the Earth. I walked to counter ordered, as usualy, Lavian Brandy to my mug. I planned to take seat on bar stool but near were some people looking like Imperials, and well, I don't like them much. So I took my mug and moved to darker corner, next to old piano. As usualy, I just watched hapenings in bar, in station while slowly sipping brandy from mug

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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.