Metropolis - The World in Waiting (Full)

To many the world is little more than the street that they scrounge for food within, to most the world stretches out through the sprawl of the city they call home, but one thing binds the people of the world, none have seen the outside world, Metropolis is their home.

The dark world of Metropolis is one of a doomed existence, where the people of the world are contained to a single city, and none have ever ventured forth into the wasteland that surrounds it (in fact few have ever even glimpsed the powerful city walls that protect their homes).

Millions of people dwell in the city from all walks of life. Sailors pilot ships through the canals to trade with other portions of the city. Explorers visit far-flung suburbs in an attempt to map the impossibly huge city. Archaeologists delve deep into the earth to discover the origins of their home. Peasants try to earn a living, trying to ignore the worthless existence that they live in.

“Metropolis – The World in Waiting’ is a PbP with a difference. Though the players will be delving though an adventure seeking a resolution, the adventure will be heavily based on the group’s decisions. What does this mean?

I’m looking for four players that can provide a special skill-set for this game. I’m not looking for people that simply respond to the GM whenever he provides a problem, nor simply talks to the other players when an adventure requires a decision. I want four players to play real people.

They must be able to shoot of in tangents, talk politics to each other, and share cake recipes. This game is based more on the players than the story, more on what you do than what I say.

IF you think that you can be a part of this dynamic group, then get a character background posted (be as liberal as you want with your history, but don’t go overboard). Many aspects of the background have been left vague at the moment (I’d like to complete my background based on character histories), and I am keen to post once the players are accepted.

There are only a handful of things to remember:
- There is no one ruler or god of Metropolis. The city’s population is in excess of ten million people and sprawls across a massive landscape than none have the power to control.
- No-one has left the city in centuries (though there are urban legends).
- Even though you are low-level characters, you can still be important. A good background will inspire me to grant you additional items/prestige/money dependant on the needs of the game or the character (a little vague, but you’ll get the picture once you’re in).
- The story is more important than statistics, if you want to play a Commoner, go for it (I’ve always been partial to the Accountant myself).
- This is a game of storytelling, though there will be combat involved you will be disappointed if you design your character solely for fighting. Pack a sword though.
- Applicants must be able to post once every 1-2 days, this will be a fast-paced game so if you have holidays or you know you can’t keep up, don’t apply.

The logistics?
4th level characters (no need to worry about who is playing what or if you need a cleric).
28 point statistics buy.
PHB classes and races only (be creative with the Druid).
5,000 gp starting money (anything from the PHB or DMG only).

Hey, I'd like to throw in an "I'm very interested." in this.

You make Metropolis out like a giant urban sprawl. Are there any rural areas, say, where farmers work?

Edit : Concept, if there are rural farm areas.

In one of the massive rural sprawls, where the only 'life' is that of the farmers working away their days, a small family of Clerics to [Insert Death Diety Of Your Choice Here] have made their home. They've existed for a few generation, making out a less-than-meek existance. Indeed, they've made a monopoly on the food production of the immediate area.

The family is relatively small - a father, his wife, and their daughter. All three have dedicated thier lives to their diety, and all three work to further themselves in the city. They do this by maintaining one of the largest farms in the area through cheap - almost free - labor. The undead.

Alexis is the daughter of the family, and has only been in the employ of the [Diety of Death Here] for a few short years. She knows that her parents don't have much time left in them, and so seeks to become more powerful herself, with hopes of taking over the farm herself one day.

Her family lives lavishly off the monopoly they've created, and although they're not the kindest of people, they're not without charity. More than once the town has been in dire need and the farmers of Deadknead Orchard have come to the rescue.

Currently the thought was that farmers worked in areas that ran along sewer lines underground, creating cheap and nasty food sources for the population. The upper-class deal with more expensive sources, such as hydroponic buisnesses that grow food in specially prepared buildings. Most meat come from "battery" buildings, where animals are inhumanly caged and force-fed until ready for slaughter.

Rah. That's... vulgar. There aren't any farms at all? Then I guess you can discard the concept that I'd just editted into my other post.

The concept is that Metropolis is 10 million people all squeezing into a city too small for it's growth. People live anywhere they can find, the only real space in the city is reserved for those with wealth and power, it isn't a very nice place at all. People are often miserable and starving, but there are beacons of light in this place of squallor...the PCs of course.
If you can think of the most built up (and yet run down) area of a major city, that's 98% of Metropolis.

Alright, that's understandable. I'll see if I can come up with another concept [hopefully one where I can still maintain my Neutral Necromancer, since I've been craving to play one.]

If I can, I'll edit it in here.

Sounds good, you can always have the undead work in the sewer farms, after all there are a lot of dead people, and no space to bury them....

I'm also in the "immensely interested" pile.

Very intrested. Sounds a little like bit like House from the OtherLand series of novels, or the Eternal Chicago from The Time Swept City. I've got a few concepts in cooking already, but what's level of magic and technology in this place? I'm thinking rouge/ranger mix for class, but that depends largely on how I hammer out my concept. Will the characters have a history together or are we starting out strangers? What are the pseudo-authorities in a given area, gangs, churches, faction like orginizations, fraternities?

*edit*-almost forgot, what are the status of the Demi-humans in the slums, & in the upper-class (if differint)? Are generic racial tension's still the rule of thumb?

Alright, alright, I think I've got it all in one piece.

Alexis's family is big. They're rich, well-known, and notorious. They run the largest church to Wee Jas in known Metropolis, and they abuse it. They control most of the sewer-farms in the area, and have their fingers dipped in nearly every market they can get their hands on. Their temple is a massive, black tower, one that reaches nearly thirty stories into the sky [or higher, depending on the average size of buildings in Metropolis - it should be *very* big.], and just as far underground. Most people despise the Order of Wee Jas [or Other] for one primary reason - their abuse of an unfair advantage makes it difficult for others to get ahead. Indeed, the Temple has very few living employees, having hired only clerics and clerks from the ranks of the living. When more employees are needed [which happens to be all the time], a pathetic sum is offered in return for corpses. This gives rise to scroungers who scavenge the city for the dead.

Alexis is young, and has only recently begun her training as a cleric. She lives in the upper recesses of the Tower, with her mother and father, the High Priestess and Priest of the temple, respectively. She doesn't yet realize how corrupt her parents and their way of life is, and honestly believes what they do is for the best. "We help to keep food on the plates and gold in the pockets of the people!"

Despite her role as the only child and heir to the massive corporation, Alexis has no real desire [or know-how] to take over the company. Instead, she wants more 'real-life' experience, and is just becoming old enough to indulge herself in it.


How's that look? I guess I might've gone overboard with the Temple.