Stargate: Rise of Humanity

[Imperial1917]

The year is 1998 and humanity can taste the wane of the second millennium and the birth of the third. As if to mark the occasion, two bright stars unexpectedly burst across the heavens, and many marked it as the dawn of a new era. Officially billed by the media as the successful testing of new intercontinental ballistic missiles by the United States, the sole standing superpower with the end of the Cold War, many dismissed it as post-conflict military muscle flexing and extolled how such peace had come that a superpower could show off its power without rises in international tension. They are wrong.

Beneath the rock and steel of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, a new era had indeed begun. And at its heart was the Stargate, an alien device of mysterious origin capable of sending people across the stars to hundreds or thousands of worlds connected to the so-called Stargate Network by identical gateways. Unearthed in Giza seven decades before, the Stargate was only successfully tested a few years before, leading the United States Air Force to discover just how small a power humanity is in the galaxy. Since their defeat of the alien Goa'uld Ra, humanity has found itself under increasing danger from alien powers. The most egregious of these events was the failed attempt by the Goa'uld System Lord Apophis to conquer the Earth, leading the flagship Stargate team SG-1 to disobey orders and infiltrate the enemy fleet, successfully destroying it in orbit over the planet.

But even with the fall of Apophis and his ambitions to subjugate the people of Earth, the Stargate Program under the authority of Stargate Command remains under pressure. Where critics of the Stargate Program like Senator Robert Kinsey no longer advocate for the shutdown of the operation, talks of increased oversight and the need to expand efforts to keep the Stargate a secret have mounted. Many fear that further attacks on the world will reveal the existence of the Stargate and cause mass panic among the civilian population. Others are afraid of the onset of a new Cold War if the technology retrieved by the Stargate program shifts the balance of power in the world.

Amid all this speculation, the goal of the Stargate Program remains as it always has: to explore the galaxy, to gather powerful new technologies, to build off-world alliances, and to protect the Earth and humanity, whatever the cost.

* * * * *

Welcome to Stargate: Rise of Humanity! This is a fanfic RP set in the Stargate universe after the events of season 2, episode 1. Humanity is in increasing danger and all that stands between it and enslavement by alien species are the forces of Stargate Command, a top-secret division operating under the United States Air Force. At the center of its operation is the eponymous Stargate, a great metallic ring of alien origin that connects to an intergalactic network of such devices, allowing near-instantaneous travel to any world with a working Stargate.

Player characters will be United States Armed Forces personnel (mostly Air Force) assigned to the Stargate Program or civilians with special skillsets that are considered outside military expertise. They will be assigned to one of the Stargate Teams sent through the Stargate to worlds unknown in order to explore, procure alien technologies, make alliances with alien species, and oppose the increasing dangers closing in on humanity. On these perilous missions anything can happen as the galaxy is filled with many threats both ancient and contemporary. Death is a real possibility on these missions and not necessarily the worst thing that can happen.

While the dangers of the universe lay beyond the Stargate, humanity maintains its stronghold of Earth, at least for now. There SG personnel can receive training and equipment for their perilous missions. They can also make recommendations to the scientists and researchers of the SGC to push the boundaries of technology and knowledge in ways that will make their jobs easier, or even possible. But this is not without its danger either. Whether through failed missions or information leaks, any use of alien technology or materials may attract the attention of both curious civilians and foreign powers. The forces of the SGC may find themselves called upon to make compromises or even commit unsavory acts to protect the secrecy of the Stargate Program.

* * * * *

Rules:

- Follow RPA rules
- Use third-person past tense for all posts
- Use assigned text colors to indicate other people's text in your post
- Quote other posts only for context - do not quote entire posts
- Speech marks are fine for your own character's dialogue
- Please post notes in the OOC if you are taking a break or leaving the RP

* * * * *

Interest Thread

IC Thead (Not Available Yet)

* * * * *

Spoiler: Character Sheet 

Name: Self-explanatory

Age: Self-explanatory

Appearance: Pictures and/or written description. Please describe your character in an early IC post as well.

Personality: A few brief points to guide your character/if we need to pilot them as an NPC.

Stargate Team: All player characters will be assigned to a re-formed SG-7 until we know how many characters we have. Characters may note that the designation SG-7 was originally given to a SG team that was destroyed by a Goa'uld bio-virus on the planet Hanka. Whether they know this from the outset is up to the player.

Skills/Specialization: The SGC maintains garrison personnel for large combat operations and grunt work, so SG teams are primarily made up of specialists who handle matters scientific, diplomatic, etc. Military ranks here will never rise above a major general and will generally be below a lieutenant. SG teams may be made up of either military or a mix of military and civilian personnel. Please keep emphasis on specialization. Nobody should be able to do more than two or so things and nobody can do everything.

Military personnel will keep general military skills like firearm operation and higher physical skills as a basic. They may also specialize into areas such as demolitions, marksmanship, medical, command, etc. Please note your character's rank in their name and explain how they came to be associated with the Stargate Program. It may be helpful to note that the Stargate Program is under NASA and the USAF respectively.

Civilians are almost non-existent under the SGC for the simple reason that they do not have the clearance to be involved in the operations. However, the SGC has made exceptions based on non-military specializations including medical and scientific skill sets. However, the greatest interest in civilian personnel generally revolves around historical knowledge as many of the alien species encountered by the Stargate Program seem to have connections to past human civilizations and their mythologies, most notably the Egyptian pantheon, but also including the Norse. Nevertheless, civilians are still treated with some hesitancy by the SGC and must prove the worth of their knowledge.

(*GM Note: Read: If you want to be a civilian, you better have a convincing backstory. That being said, characters with more historical and mythological knowledge can give the RP more options for growing. I would also strongly suggest that players have at least a passing familiarity with whatever history/myths their characters are experts in, as I will work hints and clues into the RP based on characters' skill sets to give options for how they can handle situations. Be prepared for deviations though, as we are mixing aliens into things after all.)

Stuff: This is a miscellaneous section for non-military items such as clothes (most military personnel will wear uniforms/dress uniforms pretty much all the time) and personal effects. Military personnel may also carry a sidearm, but this should be noted in the IC. This is a good place to put anything that has plot/sentimental value to your character for character/plot development purposes.

Generally equipment like firearms, explosives, etc. will be handed out before a mission and will not be carried around the base. Specialist equipment like scientific gear likewise will either remain in specific areas in the base or be distributed based on requests for missions. Because this will change from mission to mission, it isn't necessary to update this unless something remains in your character's possession for an extended period of time.

Background: This does not need to be too extensive and it is expected that character backstories will grow as the RP does. However, this is where all characters should justify their association with the Stargate Program, especially the civilians. There will be an opportunity for the characters to mention their backstories in the opening posts in the IC. All characters, including civilians, may either have been part of the Stargate Program before their addition to SG-7 or have just been added having just been introduced to the Stargate Program, but none may have been part of the SG teams before - they generally would be administration, specialization (e.g. non-field scientists or researchers), or garrison.

Spoiler: Stargate Command Armory 

Spoiler: Tau'ri Armory 

Spoiler: M9 Beretta 

The standard side-arm of the SGC, the M9 Beretta is simple and versatile, more than capable of offering a lethal solution in combat against unarmored opponents. However, it's slow rate of fire and poor penetration has proven it ineffective against some Jaffa armor.

Spoiler: FN P90 

As it became apparent that the Stargate Program was faced with opponents wielding sophisticated armament and great numbers, the SGC made the decision to equip its soldiers with the FN P90. A compact, fast-firing submachine gun with a large ammunition capacity, the P90 has so far proven a capable main firearm for the forces of the SGC. What it lacks in stopping power and penetration, it makes up with sheer ferocity, more than enough to give any Jaffa warrior pause.

Spoiler: Non-Tauri Armory 

Currently it is the policy of the SGC to limit exposure, possession, and use of non-human weaponry to researchers and personnel with extensive experience with any given item until such time as their functions are better understood.

Spoiler: Zat'nik'tel 

Analogous to human pistols, the Zat'nik'tel is an energy weapon used by the Goa'uld and their Jaffa armies. It is known that the weapon is capable of discharging energy bolt at a semi-automatic rate of fire. If an individual is hit with the first bolt, it will stun them, possibly to unconsciousness, and cause great pain. A second hit will kill the individual while a third will cause their bodies to disintegrate entirely. Currently there are no known countermeasures for these effects, though the SGC has ordered that lines of research be opened with a high priority.

Spoiler: Ma'Tok Staff 

More commonly known simply as the Jaffa staff, this elongated staff is capable of firing lethal bolts of energy over long distances. It is the favored and standard weapon wielded by the Goa'uld Jaffa armies and is capable of penetrating conventional anti-ballistic armor with little more difficulty than plain clothing. Jaffa armor appears capable of blocking, deflecting, or otherwise dispersing the energy of the bolts, but only to the limited degree that glancing shots alone are survivable; direct hits are instantly fatal. Like with the Zat'nik'tel, the SGC is attempting to discover a means to enable better survivability against these weapons.

Spoiler: Tok'Kal 

Also known as the Jaffa shock grenades, these spherical energy weapons are about the size of a baseball. When activated, they will glow red before detonating with intense light and sound, causing near-instantaneous unconsciousness in those in the immediate vicinity. Though this poses a significant threat given the potential for SG personnel to be captured rather than killed, the SGC does not consider research into countering the Tok'Kal's effects as high priority given the relative rarity with which they are deployed.

Spoiler: Locations 

Spoiler: Cheyenne Mountain Complex 

Buried deep under the Cheyenne Mountains, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex serves as the nucleus of the Stargate Program and its main base of operations. Home to the sole Stargate owned by humanity, the Complex is a series of underground bunkers and tunnels housing the SGC, the scientists and researchers working on the Stargate, the SG teams, and the largest of the Stargate garrison forces.

Though immense in size and nearly self-sufficient, the Complex contains only one notable entrance and exit. Inside is a bewildering array of complex machinery, cutting-edge technology, and the few pieces of alien objects retrieved by away missions, with both known and unknown properties and purposes. Scientific research laboratories butt up against barracks and mess halls, all within steel-reinforced concrete, parts of whose construction date back over seven decades. Some have suggested that a new facility should be constructed to house such an important operation, but even with the importance of the Stargate Program funding and resources for such an endeavor, let alone a secure enough location, is impossible to find for the time being.

* * * * *

Accepted Characters

Spoiler: Major Adile Thurman 

Name: Adile Thurman

Age: 39

Appearance: Adile is of Eastern European descent and stands just under the average height for a woman sporting vibrant red hair and a fair complexion. Prominent cheekbones stand out on an angular face that ends in a smooth, rounded chin that underlines her full lips and sporadic freckles. Stockier than most her age, most of her girth comes from a long life of physical work and it does little to diminish her feminine appeal. Though regarded as plain overall by most, one thing stand out about Adile: her eyes. Even not being any smaller or larger than others, all those who draw near can see that the iris carries a mixture of blues and purples that seem to intermingle with one another, some swearing that they change places every time they see them again. Combined with an unexplained effect that causes them to seem to reflect more light than normal, some people find meeting her gaze unnerving.

Personality: Typically calm, focused, and detailed to an almost clinical degree, Adile exudes an air of authority and gravitas that simultaneously stifles levity in her presence and reassures those under her command. Known for her measured and deliberate pace, she rarely approves of hasty action and is quick to reprove those who act out of emotion. These traits have left her with an ever-shrinking pool of personal acquaintances, but those who know her are well aware that she was not always this way. Occasionally her original personality of laughter and warmth will appear, highlighting days long gone.

Stargate Team: Leader of SG-7

Stuff: Generally austere in her clothing and furnishings beyond what is necessary for her role, Adile carries a single personal item: a small icon in the shape of an emerald dodecahedron encrusted with tiny pearls that she wears on a bronze necklace string. She keeps it on her person at all times, with it being said that she even dulls it down with camo paint so she can bring it on missions.

Background: Little is clear about Adile's past before she joined the Stargate Program at its inception as a sergeant in the garrison forces. During her time in the garrison she rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant after displaying exemplary conduct in the field against a Goa'uld ambush that resulted in the incapacitation of her commanding officer. With the reformation of SG-7 Adile became one of a number of candidates drawn from the garrison for the posting as the new team leader, who the SGC felt should have experience in the Stargate Program. Though some held reservations due to her growing distance with other personnel, her record tipped the balance in the end and opened the post to her.

Text Color=Purple

bluemoon - Doctor Coryn Ambrose (Ambri) - Text Color: Red

Storm - Samantha Mari - Text Color: Blue

Dnafein - Ensign Stanley Rodgers Text Color: Yellow

InfraredHero - First Lieutenant Jacob Popertue - Text Color: Brown

Delta808 - Staff Sergeant Vasili Ilari - Text Color: Green

Fox Xalian - Maisie Chapman - Text Color: Pink

[bluemoon]

I would like to reserve the role of medical personnel please. I will start working on my CS tonight.

[Storm]

Getting a late start to the day, planning a tatical officer, still debating of making a male or female character (what, Storm writes female characters). Plan on starting a CS tonight.

[Delta8O8]

Doing my CS right now.
Making a Military Support dude aka the guy with the big gun.
But I'm doing it on my phone so...yeah...

[bluemoon]

Name: Doctor Coryn Ambrose (Ambri)

Age: 34

Appearance: Ambri stands a little over 5'6" and sports an athletic build with soft curves. She is typically seen in her uniform around the base and in the field. At work in the medical facility, she wears a white smock over her uniform.

Spoiler: Ambri 

Personality: Ambri is very personable. She is quick to smile and very friendly. Her bed-side manner is also bubbly, making her a pleasure to work with. Her quick wit and sarcasm only adds to her charm, her more serious side only seen when she is working frantically to save a patient.

Stargate Team: Re-formed SG-7

Skills/Specialization: Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Ambrose has a medical degree and specializes in emergency medicine and parasitical infections. She has a clear head in the face of danger and performs best when under pressure. Although she is skilled in hand-to-hand combat, her ability with firearms is mediocre at best. Her knowledge of the weapons is above par, but her aim is where she is lacking, a situation she is working hard to correct in her spare time.

Due to her extensive work with parasites in the field, she was brought into the Stargate Program to study the Goa'uld symbiotes. She has spent the past eight months working with the other doctors to unlock the unique relationship the snake-like creatures have with their human counterparts.


Stuff: Medical bag with all the expected supplies--bandages/morphine/trauma dressings/splints/basic instruments/penlight/etc. She also wears a necklace with a small pendant of the tree of life on it. It is kept tucked inside her uniform top.


Background: Doctor Ambrose's father was a pilot in the air force and she followed in his footsteps and joined the USAF right out of high school. She was put though medical school and graduated with honors, serving overseas for a few years until she became a member of the Stargate Program. She typically is a first responder in regards to patient care, doing triage, then getting the individual(s) stabilized before handing them off for the next stage in treatment.

As for her personal life, she is a health nut, exercising daily and eating well to maintain her figure. Her only vices are coffee...and chocolate, the two things she has not managed to cut from her daily routine. She believes everything should be done in moderation, so she only allows herself one cup of brew daily and one candy bar. Everyone has their vices, and those are hers.

[Storm]

Name: Samantha Mari

Age: 28

Appearance:

Spoiler: Technical Sergeant Samantha Mari 

Samantha stands 5'6" with over the shoulder dark brunette hair, chocolate brown eyes and a slim athletic build.

Spoiler: Uniform Badges, Patches and Beret 

Master Parachutist


Master Freefall Parachutist



Special Operations Patch and Beret with Crest

Personality: Samantha is warm and friendly to those around her. She is always inquisitive and retains information easily. This is helpful during training or on missions being able to keep a calm demeanor. She has an understanding of different cultures and works on relating to any she meets.

Stargate Team: SG-7.

Skills/Specialization: Samantha specialized sniper training. She tempers her military side with diplomacy. Her belief is to resolve with words over weapons. Samantha also does well with first contacts. She learned the art of diplomacy from her parents. Her father was a career special forces commander and her mother a career diplomat, a mismatch made in heaven.

Stuff: Aside from her military equipment, she has form fitting sweats for working out. In her room she keeps a Keurig coffee maker. Though she does not drink alcohol, always keeping her mind sharp from the years she could be called on an Op with less than 30 minutes notice, coffee is her drug of choice. She also has multiple USB micro cards with an extensive music library. When not on duty, she could be often seen with wireless earphones listening to play lists in her collection. She often would be seen with a holstered Beretta 9 MM.

Background: Upon Graduation from college, Samantha enlisted in the Air Force entering Special Operations following in her fathers footsteps. She Currently holds the rank of Technical Sergeant. Samantha holds a crypto top secret clearance. She has been an active SG-7 member for the past year.

[Imperial1917]

I would like to reserve the role of medical personnel please. I will start working on my CS tonight.

@bluemoon
Medical personnel it is, if that is what you want. I don't have limits on any specialization unless we get an overabundance of them.

Getting a late start to the day, planning a tatical officer, still debating of making a male or female character (what, Storm writes female characters). Plan on starting a CS tonight.

@Storm
I'm not particular on who plays what gender character. Do as you please.

Doing my CS right now.
Making a Military Support dude aka the guy with the big gun.
But I'm doing it on my phone so...yeah...

@Delta808;
Sounds good. You may want to consider distinguishing whether they are heavy weapons support or demolitions.

[Imperial1917]

For everybody's benefit, I will say that I was initially hesitant about having multiple specializations, particularly diplomacy, all for one character, but on reflection that the US has actually deployed special forces with the expectation that they will engage in diplomacy, I decided it was acceptable. For multiple specializations not including diplomacy, I would say that the question is more whether it is believable given the length of service and number of specializations. For example, having two specializations for a character who has served for ten years is plausible and acceptable.

On a related note, while I don't want every character to be a special forces operative and I simultaneously don't want to necessarily mimic the show, where a lot of SG teams seem to have been formed of grunts mixed with research/diplomatic personnel, I will say that it is not unlikely and is acceptable for characters to be special forces given the clearance/operating levels of the Stargate Program. I won't hold anyone to balancing the team, at least not in the meta sense, but it would be preferable to have a well-rounded team and any deficiencies might cause... accidents. Dreadful accidents. For the team as a whole, of course. *smiles*

@Storm

You say she is 'warm and friendly' and 'cold and direct' in her personality section and that she is trained in diplomacy, but has a low tolerance for politics over the practicality of security. While these are not necessarily mutually exclusive and I leave it to you to convey these things in a realistic fashion during the RP, I will say that you aren't making things easy for yourself. Even in a military setting this can rub a lot of people the wrong way or come across as dangerously/unstably bi-polar. Jack O'Neil and Daniel Jackson are both warm and friendly and generally remain so while Teal'c is generally more distant, especially with those he doesn't know/doesn't yet trust/respect, but all are fairly consistent in their behavior when Teal'c isn't making Jaffa jokes. The choice is yours.

As for her skills:
I would sum this as a sniper with diplomatic skills. Hand-to-hand, small arms, and rifles (rifles are small arms, btw) would be standard training for all military personnel while small unit tactics would have roots in basic training and be naturally extended as part of her special forces background. Small unit tactics is also something less tangible that your character would prove in the field. Diplomacy is that way as well, actually, though both are nice to have on her resume so I know what she might be interested in trying.

Besides those notes, she looks good to go.

[bluemoon]

CS is now done and ready for inspection!

[Storm]

@Imperial1917 I am probably going to tweak the character over the next day or two. Mentioned that have not the highest knowledge of SG and want to write the character that could fit the setting. Will most likely ease up on the cold part and focus more on the having the ability to handle aggressive situations however focus more on the resolving things through diplomacy. Will update you when done, any suggestions on what I could tweak would also be appreciated.