The Act - A stab at a semi-realistic RP driven by dialogue and stage directions

RADIO ANNOUNCER: In more world news, we turn today to little Valasia and the situation that Europe has been watching for weeks as relations grow more and more tense between the Valasian government and a splinter faction that calls itself the INP, an abbreviation for what translates to the 'true peoples' party.' After last year's talks revealed that prime minister Yossof Imiy agreed to allow Keleti soldiers passage through Valasia, civilian protests have been turning violent with more and more frequency, and new policies allow for the arresting or detaining of individuals who are caught doing so little as wearing green and white clothing, the colors being brandished by what Imiy terms 'extremists.' Despite the strict laws, demonstrators crowd the streets of the capital, Segitseg, demanding that Imiy leave office. One protestor commented that "it is not just that we do not want to take a side in the fighting... the police are here... and they don't protect us, they have beaten us when [we were protesting peacefully] and we are afraid of them, it is not right, and that is what [the revolution] is about." Imiy's press conference on Friday did little to ease the tensions that have stood for decades-

<The radio clicks and falls silent as Arfur Grennevic, mid-thirties and bear-like, shuts it off and leans back in his chair. In his lap is a black-and-white newspaper. He groans to his feet, smacks his lips curtly and shuffles off into the parlor. Enit, his wife, sits shuffling papers on a threadbare couch across the room and calls to his back.>

ENIT: Are you going to make tea this early? Just wait a bit, and Jona will be home from school.

ARFUR (turning): I'm fetching the honey bottle. We used the last of it yesterday, so I'm going to get more from the market.

ENIT: Okay. Be home quick. Are you sure you won't wait until Saturday? It'll be safer then, and we can go a day without honey.

ARFUR: I won't be long.

He removes his hat and coat from a stand by the door and slips outside. Humming to herself, Enit begins to scribble messily on something in front of her as the curtain drops.

~~~

What I want to do here is have an RP that resembles a play. Here's what's happened:

-A war between two far-reaching and powerful factions in Europe - to the west, the Nyugats, and to the east, the Keletis - is igniting tensions that have existed for decades in a little country called Valasia in the mid-20th century.

-Current prime minister Yossof Imiy is bargaining with the Keletis and allowing their troops to pass through his country unharmed, giving the Keletis an important strategical advantage over the Nyugats.

-The INP, backed by overwhelming civilian support, manages to storm the National Hall in Segitseg and is unable to apprehend Yossof Imiy himself but captures some of his leading officials. One by one, smaller cities are captured by INP members or simply by angry civilian militia. Some cities remain independent and loyal to Imiy and still others may soon be stormed by Keleti troops as their mother country grows impatient and tempted to take advantage of Valasia's situation.

-Most of the backstory shouldn't actually be that relevant. The RP takes place in a little manor in the countryside - here INP militia were ordered by their higher-ups to guard a group of prisoners, each of whom was formerly an important figure in Imiy's regime, or was at least perceived to be when mobs of angry revolutionaries ran through the streets of Segitseg.

-Players control either an INP guard or a prisoner. At the start of the RP, prisoners live fairly comfortably - eat twice a day, sleep on mats in one large room, are even allowed to go outside for a few hours each day - but are almost always watched. Guards are civilian militia with no formal military experience. They have firearms and bayonets and sleep in beds in their own rooms but eat the same food. Supply trucks come twice or thrice a week from a large city three hours away. Attitudes of the guards and prisoners towards eachother may vary wildly. Guards always have one of their number in the basement, listening at an old radio for orders from the revolution leaders.

-Anything can happen - it could be discovered that one of the prisoners knows Imiy's whereabouts and will be subject to torture, the prisoners could mount a revolt and escape, the Keleti army could roll through, the radio could suddenly broadcast the order to execute all prisoners. I will control OUTSIDE events as a means of guiding the story along and spicing stuff up - everything else is up to the RPers!

-Oh and, since the backstory shouldn't matter so much to the actual RP, feel free to help create the world as you go along, in the form of discussions your characters are having with other characters.

-Double posting is allowed, like if you want to make separate posts for each of your characters and stuff.

~~~

Character sheet:
Name: I'd suggest making it sound ambiguously central-European, but you could have any kind of name - say, if your character was a reporter from London who got caught in the mix of things.
Faction: Prisoner or guard? Prisoners will either be politically active (writers, politicians, etc.), wealthy and hated by the lower classes, or just plain unlucky. Guards could be anyone from famed revolutionary minds to average joes.
Backstory: Gimme a sentence or two on how you got involved with the situation, what your occupation was beforehand, etc. Feel free to invent specific events that happened before or during the uprising.
Other: Anything else you like - stuff like whether or not they're married, their attitude towards the different parties, if they have any big secrets... Don't describe their appearance, you'll do that in your first post, and don't describe their personality, you'll do that by playing them! :D

Anyway before I start making my own characters or lay a floor plan for the manor I want to see how many people are interested in this. Posts'll be short and should run like the example I have up at the top: you'll give your character's dialogue (you can have as many characters as you want) and only use stage directions when necessary to show movement or whatever. I want this to really be about character interaction - people could form friendships, discuss their lives, kill eachother (with the other player's permission), anything. Any thoughts? o:

~~~

Accepted characters

JazzTap:
Name: Ms. Soijka (Cойка)
Faction: Prisoner. Former minister of statistics.
Backstory: One of the more knowledgeable, more impotent government officials. Supported bargaining with the Keletis as a matter of either pragmatism or simple fear, despite the populace's sympathies.
Other: Is convinced that a Western agent is in play, and isn't particularly shy to let this be known. Will she manage to identify someone? Will she be killed? Will anyone believe her? Well, 'yes' would probably be more exciting.

MataRahi:

Name: Arfur Grennevic
Faction: Prisoner
Backstory: Formerly a history professor who published a pamphlet advocating entering the war on the basis that neutrality would soon be impossible. Despite his membership in INP, was detained by angered rioters for his controversial words during a demonstration and held for a day in the city hall before being shipped off with the other prisoners.
Other: Sympathizes with the INP, detests both Keletis and Nyugats, and firmly believes that he was mistakenly targeted and can explain himself free.

Name: Lev Farkas
Faction: Guard
Backstory: Dropped out of secondary school to work in factories producing weapons to sell to the Keletis. After suffering an accident that scarred his face, was let go without any kind of compensation and, angered, has since been one of Imiy's government's most passionate, if not most vocal, critics.
Other: Fiercely loyal to the INP and will not hear a word against it.

Name: Mikhal Molnar
Faction: Guard
Backstory: Served in the war on the Nyugat side for 8 years before illegally obtaining residence papers to live in Valasia decades ago. Had then intended to immigrate permanently to the west, but ended up marrying and settling down instead. Now in his early sixties but still in good health, has criticized Imiy ever since he was elected.
Other: Known as 'Mika' to most of his friends and colleagues. Is sick of politics and does not care for parties, only wishing that the conflict would end as soon as possible.

Balu
Name: Zora Valek
Faction: Prisoner, A Shoemaker
Backstory: A widow of a shoemaker unlucky enough to have been the fiance of a relatively unimportant secretary in the National Hall. Has no previous or current party sympathies.
Other: She may or may not have the location of what may or may not be a safe house for the escaped officials.

Name: Alexey Dmitrikohv
Faction: Guard, An inspired revolutionary.
Backstory: Inspired by the recent uprising, he joined the INP and was assigned Guard. Has a troubled childhood.
Other: Might actually be a infiltrator from the east told to eliminate any relevant information.

Name: Emil Dvorak
Faction: Prisoner, The Minister of Transportation
Backstory: A wealthy business owner, an influential figure in the National Hall, and just plain unlucky. Was a roadblock in allowing the Keletis to pass through the country, but eventually gave in with sufficient bribing.
Other: Has a few skeletons in his closet, mainly about his accepting bribery and just general corruption.

Name: Tomas Novak
Faction: Guard, Protective older brother.
Backstory: He's just watching over his brother, making sure these smooth tongued extremists don't make him suicide bomb some cafe. That is, he was until his brother died from a guard while they stormed the National Hall. Now he is driven by revenge.
Other: Revenge can push you and cloud your judgement.

Name: Felix Jager
Faction: Prisoner, Influential writer and political critic.
Backstory: Was taken prisoner paying his respects to an old friend with an important minister. Consistently defames INP in his newspaper. Holds a high regard for the government, but not for its officials.
Other: Could easily be swayed to betray ministers, but how is a mystery.

Sounds fun. Very interesting. So are we encouraged to make semi-disposable characters?

Also, I'd like to know how dark this has the okay to go. I've been itching for some psychological horror. Sticking to the lighter side of deaths is fine with me, just want to know before I cross a line without knowing it.

I'll join, partly out of boredom, mostly out of intrigue.

Yeah, this seems novel. Worth a go.

While I have no idea how to convincingly play a government official, I do conveniently have one on hand already.

Name: Ms. Soijka (Cойка)

Faction: Prisoner. Former minister of statistics.

Backstory: One of the more knowledgeable, more impotent government officials. Supported bargaining with the Keletis as a matter of either pragmatism or simple fear, despite the populace's sympathies.

Other: Is convinced that a Western agent is in play, and isn't particularly shy to let this be known. Will she manage to identify someone? Will she be killed? Will anyone believe her? Well, 'yes' would probably be more exciting.

Yup, semi-disposable would be good. People might die, people might not, and feel free to go as dark as you like. I want this to be really sandboxy!

Perfect Jazz, accepted!

Okay, I've got a couple of sheets now. We still need another person or two before we can start! :D

I have approximately 6 Sheets, all missing something that makes them well, special. I can put em up and fill in the missing pieces that make them people instead of husks, but their not pretty, so I'll fix that real quick.

Oh hey, I had no idea! :D No, take your time if that's the case. I was just worried no one else was gonna show up.

Name: Zora Valek
Faction: Prisoner, A Shoemaker
Backstory: A widow of a shoemaker unlucky enough to have been the fiance of a relatively unimportant secretary in the National Hall. Has no previous or current party sympathies.
Other: She may or may not have the location of what may or may not be a safe house for the escaped officials.

Name: Alexey Dmitrikohv
Faction: Guard, An inspired revolutionary.
Backstory: Inspired by the recent uprising, he joined the INP and was assigned Guard. Has a troubled childhood.
Other: Might actually be a infiltrator from the east told to eliminate any relevant information.

Name: Emil Dvorak
Faction: Prisoner, The Minister of Transportation
Backstory: A wealthy business owner, an influential figure in the National Hall, and just plain unlucky. Was a roadblock in allowing the Keletis to pass through the country, but eventually gave in with sufficient bribing.
Other: Has a few skeletons in his closet, mainly about his accepting bribery and just general corruption.

Name: Tomas Novak
Faction: Guard, Protective older brother.
Backstory: He's just watching over his brother, making sure these smooth tongued extremists don't make him suicide bomb some cafe. That is, he was until his brother died from a guard while they stormed the National Hall. Now he is driven by revenge.
Other: Revenge can push you and cloud your judgement.

Name: Felix Jager
Faction: Prisoner, Influential writer and political critic.
Backstory: Was taken prisoner paying his respects to an old friend with an important minister. Consistently defames INP in his newspaper. Holds a high regard for the government, but not for its officials.
Other: Could easily be swayed to betray ministers, but how is a mystery.

The First five Monsieur

Perfect! Shall we go ahead and start, then, or is anyone else in the works?

I wouldn't imagine anyone else is in the works, but I've been so busy lately...

Aaaaight! I'll put the IC up then :D

Ooookay, IC is now up! We can now use this thread to discuss plot ideas and such if we like, or we can just let everything happen by itself. Remember your posts can be short, even just one line of dialog. That's the best way to have this go forward I think.

Any or all of the guards can respond to Lev, and of course the prisoners can do stuff, too~

Oh no, I've become attached to my character.

If the guards do decide to kill her (with nary an outside observer in sight), can I at least rescue her at near-death somehow? Silencing her would perhaps be realistic, but also a rubbish end to her narrative thread.

(Am tempted to make a guard at some point. Soon-ish.)

Feel free dude, but I don't think it'll come to that, at least not for a while :P

Sweet! More characters is always cool! We'll find a way to work all potential new charries in