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forbarrayar_ooc2025-09-02 06:27 am
barrayarmods) wrote in forbarrayar_ooc2025-09-02 06:27 am
[ reunion event ooc plotting post ]
forbarrayar.Activity Prompts Preview ⚔️ The Form
introduction
Five years ago, a group of strangers from different worlds found themselves stranded on the war-torn planet of Barrayar. Some were taken by the invading Cetagandans, others taken in by the native Barrayarans, but at the time, no one had any idea what impact they would have on the war front in Vorkosigan’s District, or what they’d have to do to get home.
Over the course of six long months, those in the Barrayaran camps helped General Count Piotr Vorkosigan with the war effort, and those in the Cetagandan base found themselves put to work on scientific research and subjected to experiments themselves. Over time, the outsiders came to an agreement and a plan: finish the Cetagandan device that would send them back through the collapsed wormhole, help the Barrayarans launch a massive attack on the Cetagandan base, steal the Star Gate and destroy all the research that helped build it, and send everyone home.
And they were successful — not only did they make it so that the Cetagandans would never be able to build another Star Gate, they gave the Barrayarans enough of an edge to send the Cetagandan base even deeper into chaos. Some outsiders died in the battle, some were left behind, but most made it home.
It’s been five years since then, and now, suddenly, those who left Barrayar find themselves back in Vorkosigan’s District, in a place they very much remember. The war against the Cetagandan Occupation rages on, and Piotr’s forces still wage guerrilla warfare from the mountains, but when the outsiders return, only the Barrayarans come for them — because the Barrayarans were expecting them.
But don’t worry — they’re not trapped here this time. There’s an explanation for all this, and things are significantly less complicated than last time. You’ll be able to read Micah’s enthusiastic and rather lengthy scientific explanation when the event goes live, but here’s a breakdown of the important stuff:
⚔️ Dr. Micah Niadem, the wormhole scientist who helped build the Star Gate, hypothesized a phenomenon that would at some point bring the outsiders that had been sent through the Star Gate back through the collapsed wormhole for a limited period of time, and then send them back to their respective worlds on its own.
⚔️ This rubber band effect is a result of the fluctuating Niadem fields coming from the collapsed wormhole — this is the strongest they’ve been in five years, and apparently strong enough to temporarily pull those who went through the Star Gate back through the wormhole.
⚔️ Based on Micah’s calculations, the Niadem fields should be at their peak for about four weeks before they decline to the point of being overpowered by the neural net entanglement with their shadow trajectories, at which point the outsiders will be returned to their own worlds.
⚔️ However, anyone who remained on Barrayar after the events of five years ago will remain here — the only way to send them back through the wormhole would be to build another Star Gate, and that is Never Going To Happen.
⚔️ Micah will be just as surprised as everyone else that characters who died or were otherwise assumed dead/missing are reappearing on Barrayar as well! They don’t currently have an explanation for that, but maybe one day they'll have enough data to work it out. They are pretty confident, however, that if the phenomenon brought them here, it’ll send them back the same way as the others.
This means that the outsiders are expected to be back on Barrayar for about a month — just long enough to catch up with old friends, pay back old debts, and feel once again whatever sense of home they may have felt for this place, even if they don’t realize it until coming back now.
The Barrayarans remember the outsiders as friends; they’ll be as welcoming as Barrayarans ever are of others, and old friends made among the soldiers will still remember their extrauniversal comrades. Those who risked life and limb to fight for the Barrayarans are still held in high regard, and those who died, even higher. Piotr and his men will be keeping the reappearance of the outsiders a secret from the Cetagandans, and, for old times’ sake and out of a sense of honor, put them up in the Barrayaran camp for the duration of their stay.
All of your CR is as you left it — as are your loyalty points! If you need a refresher, you can find your character’s LP total at endgame here. It doesn’t have any mechanical effect in this event but it’s fun to know!
If you’d like a refresher on how the endgame and aftermath went, here are some convenient links:
July Event Info ⚔️ July Event Results ⚔️ July Log
faq
Easy collapsible FAQ!
What is this event?
An opportunity to revisit a really fun game that ended on a high note! I had hoped for a long time to run a sequel set during the Barrayaran civil war 15 years later, and there was a fair amount of interest in it, but realistically speaking, at this point it’s unlikely to happen. Still, many former players still speak fondly of their time at this game, and since there was a lot of interest in returning to the setting, I wanted to give everyone (including me!) a chance to revisit old CR in some capacity, and perhaps give some characters closure they didn’t get in the very chaotic ending.
What happened to the sequel?
I haven’t had the bandwidth to launch a sequel since the end of For Barrayar, and while I’ve still contemplated it from time to time, I know it’d be too much work for me to properly run on my own. I was only able to solo mod a game as plot- and action-intense as For Barrayar because the game lasted all of seven months, and modding and writing for the game was pretty much all I did during that time. (I have no regrets.) The sequel was intended to run for at least a year, and I could tell that I wouldn’t actually be able to sustain that. Also, I about killed myself playing like six interactable NPCs who were available at all times. (Again, no regrets.)
What will the event consist of and how long will it run?
The event will run for one IC month with broad prompts for each week. A week or two felt too brief for a reunion with really juicy CR potential; there’ll be plenty of time for characters to have whatever fun CR development, conflict and closure your heart so desires. They’ll be there long enough to settle into an old rhythm for just a little while, to really feel whatever sense of home they may have felt for this place, even if they didn’t realize it until now. So for the month of September, the outsiders will get to experience autumn in the Dendarii Mountains! Just look at those beautiful maple trees. OOCly, the event will run for as long as people feel like tagging it!
The reunion event will only consist of the log post with prompts. There are no missions or event rolls, just a rundown of things happening in/around the camp each week. There will be opportunities for just hanging around and/or helping out at camp and Riverfall Village, as well as a couple of action-related prompts and a few parties (and the Barrayarans, if nothing else, know how to throw a party). For bandwidth and logistical reasons, the event will be limited to the Barrayaran camp and Riverfall Village.
A select few NPCs will be returning for the event. And if your character was one of the few that stayed on Barrayar, you’re free to backdate threads with them to any time in that period if you like!
What about after the event?
The event itself doesn’t have an expiration date, so you can continue to tag as long as you desire. As previously mentioned, I have no plans to run a sequel game (I am currently running
thenashira and have plans to run a jamjar after it concludes); that said, I won’t be revoking posting permissions to the comms, so you’re free to use them as a sandbox for any other game-setting-related post-game/canon PSL whatever as you please. In fact, I’d be delighted if you did!My character didn’t stay on Barrayar at the end of the game. Has time passed for them too?
That’s entirely up to you! If your character returned home via the Star Gate, you can treat it like a canon update — however much time you want to have passed for your character is up to you. Maybe five years have passed for your character too, or maybe the last thing they remember is stepping through the Star Gate!
This also applies to dead and dropped characters. While the actual game had stricter rules about dead and dropped characters not going home, this is a reunion event meant to facilitate fun and feelings, so you’re free to have had your character go home canon update-style, or the last thing they remember could be their last known moments on Barrayar. Or, if you like, they could have been on Barrayar this whole time, and were only temporarily missing during the game. If you’re not sure what you want to do, I’m happy to help brainstorm/workshop!
What about my character’s powers and/or humanization?
Humanization and power rules from the game still apply: if your character was humanized to some degree, they’ll return in the form they were as of the end of the game. This means that any depowered characters remain depowered, and that any Cetagandan test subjects who partially recovered their powers will return with whatever powers had been restored by the end of the game. If your character was a gene therapy test subject and you don’t remember where they were at the end of the game, let me know!
What if my journal no longer has access to the comm?
Request and it shall be granted!
Will there be another reunion event in the future?
If there’s interest after this one, absolutely! I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but if people have a good time with this event and would like to have another in the future, I clearly never get tired of revisiting this setting. Any information about possible future events et cetera will be posted on the mod plurk at
the last five years
The Cetagandan Occupation is still in full force on Barrayar fifteen years into the war, and things still look dire for the Barrayaran resistance, but some things have changed since the outsiders were last here.
barrayar
The Barrayarans aren’t winning the war by any means, but things are a little less dire on the front in the Vorkosigan’s District. They’ve had their fair share of victories against the Cetagandan base, even if small ones — keeping the new ghem-General on his toes has even given them the opportunity to take back some small pieces of territory in Vorkosigan’s District with the aid of some of the neighboring Counts.
While the Dendarii Mountains see their fair share of harsh winters, none have been quite so vicious as the one suffered five years ago with the outsiders. They haven’t had to resort to eating horse meat since then, at least.
Vorkosigan Vashnoi, the former capital of the district, still glows in the dark at night from its nuclear bombing five years ago. The Barrayarans had more success in receiving aid from off-planet thanks to Prince Xav’s tireless efforts, though most of Barrayar is still relegated to guerilla warfare. The capital city of Vorbarr Sultana is still under heavy occupation, ground that the Cetagandans are most reluctant to give up. News of victories such as Piotr’s from other parts of Barrayar, however, is fueling the resistance there.
Tarn, who was last seen badly losing a fight with Crown Prince Yuri, fled into the mountains after the events of five years ago, and there are rumored sightings to this day of the Dendarii Mountains’ own Baba Yaga.
cetaganda
Ghem-General Zahal Zefyst was removed from his post following the Barrayarans’ successful raid on his base and the fallout of the haut murder conspiracy. The new ghem-General commanding this front has not been as successful as his predecessor, and the Vorkosigan’s District base still hasn’t managed to completely recover from the chaos of five years ago. He’s not nearly as ruthless as ghem-Zefyst was, and Piotr does not respect him at all.
Lady Diya d’Zefyst’s death at the hands of a Natasha reprogrammed by Haut Sei was framed as a tragic tale of someone whose own ambition became her undoing, rather than the haut murder conspiracy that it was, and Haut Sei, Handmaiden of the Star Crèche, returned with Ba Talim to the Cetagandan homeworld shortly thereafter. Responsibility for losing control over such a sensitive project fell on Zahal as commander of the base, culminating on his eventual execution back on the Cetagandan homeworld; whatever haut politics followed were an opaque mystery to the rest of the world.
As far as anyone can tell, the research related to the outsiders was abandoned completely after Diya’s death. Diya’s position remains conspicuously open, meaning that no one appears to be doing any genetic research at all in Vorkosigan’s District. Dr. Amai ghem-Soren, the ambitious genetic researcher under Diya who wound up helping the outsiders return home, disappeared after the Star Gate ship landed back on Barrayar and has not been seen since.
your lovable cast of npcs
General Count Piotr Vorkosigan looks like he's aged more than just five years, but he’s still the lean, hard-faced General the outsiders remember, leading his men with ruthless efficiency and taking shit from absolutely no one. He and Olivia have since had two sons: Mikhail, age four, and infant Aral. A war camp hardly seems the place to raise small children, but the Count must have an heir, and it never hurts to have a spare — and Countess refuses to be separated from her husband and the war effort.
He’s still stubborn as hell, unhesitating to do dirty work in the name of his Emperor, and has a remarkably low bullshit tolerance, but he’s not totally unyielding to outside influence: he has, in the intervening years, relaxed his prejudice against female soldiers somewhat.
Princess Sonia Vorbarra, now age 29, has definitely done some growing up since the outsiders were last here. She’s more patient, a little less impulsive, and conducts herself with a good deal more grace — no less an unrepentant troublemaker, but with far more confidence and subtlety. She’s still a social creature, though, excitable and mischievous, girlish at heart, and she's never quite given up her hobby of finding creative new ways to ditch her put-upon but hopelessly fond bodyguard Armsman Gavalas. Who knows what old habits old acquaintances might bring out in her?
Her hobbies remain the same: drinking, photography, dancing, and the occasional mischief (her long-standing prank war with her cousin Ezar still rages on). She seems to take tremendous joy in her young nephews, though she herself is still unmarried, nor does she have any children of her own.
Dr. Micah Niadem, in contrast to their Barrayaran friends, seems to have hardly changed at all — they’re still animated, earnest, and curious to a fault, and just as liable to talk your ear off about their favorite subjects if left unchecked. They’ve actually left Barrayar and come back again in the interim, traveling with Prince Xav to drum up support for the Barrayaran cause and bring relief where possible, but this time, they’re doing more than just humanitarian work: they’re knee-deep in a new thesis as well. In spite of the hostile conditions, Micah seems more than happy to be indulging their pet passion amongst their many degrees: exoplanetary geology. And half-terraformed Barrayar sure makes for an interesting subject!
status quo
It’s early autumn on Barrayar! The mix of green Earth vegetation and the red-and-brown native flora blends together in a panoply of color across the Dendarii Mountains, and the abundance of maple trees in all their varying shades makes for a beautiful sight.
Piotr’s army has moved camp several times in the last five years, so the layout and location won’t be quite as familiar, but they’ve come back around to an encampment not too far from Riverfall Village. It’s only a half a day’s walk from the camp — less, if you really hike, and some of the villagers will likely remember those outsiders who helped them during the hard times in the cold and the flu epidemic.
While the Barrayarans are very much still roughing it out in the mountains and they still have to be careful with their resources, they can actually accommodate the outsiders’ temporary presence without putting a strain on their supplies.
The tactical situation is better, but still far from ideal, and morale is still recovering from a nasty encounter with the Cetagandans about a week before the outsiders arrive. A Barrayaran patrol in the foothills was ambushed by a Cetagandan squad, resulting in the deaths of several of Piotr’s men. Piotr, of course, does not intend to let this lie, and will be gearing up for a counterattack. Any old comrades who’d like to help him kill some Cetagandans will be more than welcome to participate.
activity prompts preview
Ongoing
Leaf viewing: The Dendarii Mountains are breathtaking in autumn as all the leaves change color. While the outsiders are discouraged from wandering too far from camp, taking a stroll to appreciate the view is a popular seasonal activity. The locals say that the scenery is even prettier with a cup of maple mead in hand.
Helping out around camp: There are no idle hands in the Barrayaran camp. Hunting for food, mucking the stables, cooking, laundry, weapon maintenance — just about anybody can help with something.
Portraits: Sonia will be taking photographs of (or with!) outsiders as keepsakes. While she doesn’t know if they’ll be able to take anything back with them, she’ll gladly take two photos — one for you, and one for herself.
Riverfall: The village is about a half a day’s walk, and much like the Barrayarans, the hillfolk remember the outsiders who helped them in the past.
Micah's Device: If you’ve recently returned to Barrayar and you’d like to stay for good, you can ask Micah to do something sciencey to detangle your neural net from the wormhole, but it will be permanent. There is also a level of personal risk involved, as it can’t be done from the Barrayaran camp.
Week 1
Welcome back: On the first night, there’s a very unofficial reception, the loosest sense of the word — mostly soldiers sharing drinks with the outsiders around a fire, recounting old battles and swapping stories from the interim. There will be a lot of drunken toasting.
Training drills: Piotr recently lost several good men to the Cetagandans when one of their patrols in the foothills was ambushed, and he’s running training drills to hit the Cetas back. If you proved to be a reliable soldier in the past, he might even let you run some yourself.
Week 2
Skirmish with the Cetagandan soldiers: There are, of course, always opportunities to help the war effort in a more direct sense. Piotr has no problem allowing outsiders on his mission to fuck up the Cetagandans in turn, though things don’t go quite according to plan.
Treating the injured: It’s not a pretty fight, and there are plenty of wounded afterwards, though no casualties. The medics could always use a hand in treating injuries, even if it’s just to hold someone down before they have a broken bone reset.
Week 3
Harvest festival: The Riverfall locals throw a lively festival to ensure a bountiful harvest every year, equal parts excuse to party and deep-rooted tradition of superstition. The hillfolk throw a hell of a party, and there’s sure to be plenty of drinking, dancing, and music.
Skirmish, round 2: After a messy first engagement, Piotr leads his troops in a more tightly orchestrated raid on the Cetagandans — this one with a much more satisfying conclusion.
Week 4
Dorca and Yuri: Emperor Dorca and his son, Crown Prince Yuri, arrive in Piotr’s camp at the tail end of the outsiders’ visit. Yuri, whose famously unpleasant demeanor has only grown worse over time, still has yet to remarry and produce another heir after the deaths of his sons five years ago.
(Threads with Dorca and Yuri by request only.)
Farewell gathering: The night before the outsiders’ last day on Barrayar is, of course, full of drinking, though the mood is somewhat different from the first night. The next day, the Barrayarans say their goodbyes before the outsiders are escorted back down to the foothills for their return home. Some of the Barrayarans may even have some parting gifts, even if no one’s really sure if the outsiders will be able to take them home. Will this really be the last time they see the outsiders? Micah says nothing’s impossible…
the form
Now it’s time to plot! Leave a comment with your plans and wishes, and feel free to use the below form.
QUESTIONS
Kaidan Alenko
Re: Kaidan Alenko
GENERAL COUNT PIOTR VORKOSIGAN [NPC]
Pronouns: she/they/he
Character Name: Piotr Vorkosigan
How did things end for your character? Piotr led the assault on the Cetagandan base that coincided with the Star Gate ship hijacking, to great success. The Barrayarans saw their fair share of casualties in the battle, including Tucker and Lakshmi, for whom death offerings are burned every year on the anniversary of the battle.
What has your character been up to in the interim? Continuing to kill Cetagandans and take names, and his reputation now looms large over the Cetagandan invaders. He continues to hold down the war front in Vorkosigan's District, occasionally receiving support and reinforcements from Emperor Dorca when possible. He also now has two sons, Mikhail (age 4) and Aral (baby). While he doesn't seem like the very fatherly sort, there's no mistaking the gleam of pride in his eye when it comes to his children.
Any character beats and/or CR you’d like to revisit? ALL OF IT. Especially if you were someone who challenged Piotr or his views in the past — those characters left their impression on Piotr, one way or another.
Plans for the event: Piotr's primary focus during this month will be on the counterattack on the Cetagandans, though he'll be somewhat more socially accessible than usual — what's that? Piotr Vorkosigan wants to...chat with old comrades?? Perhaps even share a drink??? He probably won't make much of an appearance at the party, but he'll still be there to bid the outsiders farewell at the end of the month.
PRINCESS SONIA VORBARRA [NPC]
Pronouns: she/they/he
Character Name: Sonia Vorbarra
How did things end for your character? Sonia snuck into second wave of soldiers during the attack on the Cetagandan base and boarded the Star Gate ship along with the outsiders so she could help (and say goodbye to her friends). She didn't learn of Lakshmi and Tucker's deaths until the ship had already taken off and was well on its way to the wormhole and has grieved them both ever since, participating in the annual death offerings burned in their honor. After the (crash) landing of the ship back on Barrayar, she made a safe return to the Barrayaran camp.
What has your character been up to in the interim? Sonia has remained in Vorkosigan's District, refusing to be parted from her sister, and, increasingly, the district itself. Despite not having grown up in Vorkosigan's District, it's certainly grown on her, and she's embraced her role in maintaining morale in the war effort — not as a mascot, but as a facilitator, playing the closest a Vor lady can get to socialite in a war camp. She helps keep the atmosphere as hopeful and determined as she can sharing visions of a future Vorbarr Sultana, sharing stories that have sustained her for the last five years.
Despite being what is considered "advanced age" for a Vor maiden of her status (29), Sonia is still unmarried — adamantly and by choice. Even though some people on her father's side would love to see her married and out of the way, she refuses to be parted from her sister, let alone to be traded off in a political marriage to some Count's son.
Any character beats and/or CR you’d like to revisit? There isn't a single piece of Sonia CR I don't want more of! So many of the characters had a significant influence on her, and she'll be so happy to see her old friends again. She had some really juicy stuff going on with a lot of characters, and I'd love to see where further developments in her CR go. I'm also interested in fleshing out CR that didn't get as much screentime for whatever reason! Give it all to me pleaseeeee
Plans for the event: Sonia will be spending as much time in the outsiders' company as possible to make the most of it while it lasts. In addition to taking portraits, she'll be around for leaf viewing, dancing, the harvest festival (you know it), and drinking wherever drinking applies (this is Barrayar, so: most occasions). She'll also be spending a good deal of time with her nephews, giving Olivia a little relief from active motherhood here and there. When Dorca and Yuri are in camp, you can bet she'll have at least one really unpleasant interaction with her uncle.
DR. MICAH NIADEM [NPC]
Pronouns: she/they/he
Character Name: Micah Niadem
How did things end for your character? Although they spent most of the game trapped on the Cetagandan side, Micah boarded the Star Gate ship during the assault on the Cetagandan base. After its (crash) landing back on Barrayar, they escaped back to the Barrayaran camp with Piotr's soldiers, and soon thereafter was smuggled off planet by Prince Xav.
What has your character been up to in the interim? Micah went back to Beta Colony for a short while for a very secret debriefing with Prince Xav of the events leading up to the creation and subsequent destruction of the Star Gate. While all the research and physical evidence on the Cetagandan base was successfully destroyed, Micah's perfect memory means a lot of it lives permanently in their head. But by agreement with Prince Xav that they can't risk the research falling into the wrong hands, Micah resolves not to write about so much as the theory, even though their discoveries would probably have resulted in academic celebrity. The Cetagandans can be trusted, insofar as they can be trusted with anything, to keep the secret themselves — if only out of shame of their failure if nothing else.
Still determined to help Prince Xav in the war effort, Micah has since returned to Barrayar. One might question what a Betan Survey officer could do on the war front, but their career exploring uninhabited planets has made them rather used to weathering the elements, and besides, they're working on a new thesis on Barrayaran terraforming! Their research, though not conducted under ideal conditions, will hopefully aid in Barrayar's recovery after the war ends.
Any character beats and/or CR you’d like to revisit? ALL OF IT PLEASE!! Micah had some great friendships among the outsiders at the Cetagandan base and they'll be so delighted to see their old comrades. I'm also down for new CR with folks who were primarily on the Barrayaran side and never got a chance to meet/interact with them. They're surprisingly invested in the Barrayaran cause for a Betan.
Plans for the event: Micah will be offering the option to make it so that any outsider who would like to remain on Barrayar won't be returned to their home universe. The device they've built for it is powered, though, which means it can't be used in the Barrayaran camp, so it'll require traveling with Micah to an safehouse in a nearby settlement. It carries a personal risk to both Micah and anyone with them, but this town is in one of the Barrayaran-controlled areas of the District, and they've made this trip at least a dozen times already.
beth green kavarin
Character Name: Beth Greene Kavarin
Blurb: Beth is a teenage girl who died in the zombie apocalypse and found herself alive and well on an alien planet. She worked with the Barrayarans for a time, with the hope of staying forever and building a new life with them.
How did things end for your character? Beth was lost and forsaken for a bit after I dropped the game, but eventually, let's say she found her way back to the Barrayarans and was content to remain on the planet (the alternative was death, after all).
What has your character been up to in the interim? She's now 23 and has continued to help with the war effort, splitting her time between camp and more civilized settings as needed and appropriate. While she doesn't bring a great deal of brawn, she's able to build morale and move relatively easily between soldiers and civilians, making it possible for her to carry messages and communicate plans between different pieces of the Barrayaran resistance. Her cover story is that she's a music student - and when she can study, she certainly does!
A year or two in, she began to work closely with a merchant's son called Thomas Kaverin (pb), whose family doesn't know the extent of his dedication to the cause. He runs guns on the DL, Beth assists, they bond over their love of music, and eventually their friendship becomes something moreship. They're married now, with an accidental-ish 2-month-old daughter named Anna (but called Anya, Annechka, Dochenka, Malyshka, etc. etc. etc.).
She has not, alas, opened an ice-cream shop that specializes in sprinkle toppings, but perhaps when there's a lasting peace to be had...
Any character beats and/or CR you’d like to revisit? I'm not sure how much time I'll have to devote to this, due to boring RL stuff, but I'm just interested in playing with the setting a little. Beth, Thomas, and Anna will be based in the village, but Beth will insist on visiting the camp proper at some point.
BETH <3
i am ofc always interested in more sonia and beth, but if there's anything else you'd be interested in getting out of the setting, let me know! it's a fun setting and i love to facilitate that kind of stuff.
no subject
Pronouns: she/her
Character Name: Kaidan Alenko
Blurb: Kaidan was collected by the Cetagandans, but ended up making contact with the Barrayaran side and funelling info their way. He helped Micah with their research on the Star Gate, and blew his cover in one glorious night of helping disable Ceta ships ahead of the visitors' escape aboard the Star Gate ship.
How did things end for your character? Kaidan made it home, or at least back on board the Normandy, which was still very far away from Earth thanks to the detonation of the mass relay network.
What has your character been up to in the interim? Work, work, work...
From the relevant bits of endgame material, Kaidan was returned to the moment where the Normandy was blown light years away from Earth, riding the crest of the tsunami of deus ex machina energy spreading out from the Crucible's firing. They survive, thanks to having an excellent pilot, but crash land on an unknown planet to step into a world where the mass relays, AKA their primary way of getting home, have been knocked offline, even if they can get their broken bird airborne again.
Which they do, because the concentration of alarmingly competent people on board the Normandy exceeds all sensible limits.
The relays are being repaired, they've gotten limited communications back online, so now all they need to do is survive an eight month trip at FTL to reach the nearest one, with limited supplies, a ship AI that's in the equivalent of a vegetative state, crewmembers who can't even eat the same amino acid configurations of food, and Kaidan now the ranking officer on the ship. One hopes they know some good sea shanties as they do a spacefarer's reenactment of one of those failed polar expeditions. (Space shanties?)
Any highlights from their time in game? I enjoyed the tension between Kaidan's growing negative opinions of the Cetagandans and his attempts to blend in to learn more, the sneaks sneaking about, and all the questions of loyalties. Also loved his various village scenes, as there's nothing quite like making a space marine get his boots covered in pig manure.
Any character beats and/or CR you’d like to revisit? Uh... all of it? He'd be very interested in seeing how the past 5 years have gone for the Barrayarans, and would be happy to help them in some missions. Definitely want more Micah CR, would love more Piotr, and I'm hoping to see who else among the players returns so I can fling him at them.
no subject
plus, micah is going to be desperate to hear details about kaidan's exploits, especially the part where they crash landed on a totally new planet. that sounds SO exciting.
did kaidan and piotr ever directly interact? i couldn't find any threads between them while i was skimming but a LOT happened in this game so it is entirely possible i just missed it. either way i am super down for kaidan and piotr B)
no subject
Pronouns: she/her
Character Name: Miles Naismith Vorkosigan
Blurb: Miles is the dumbass who decided to still help despite this CLEARLY being his own personal family history. He had problems with seizures and MOSTLY kept his head down without telling anyone that hey he's from the literal future, but his close CR all got the real deal by the end.
How did things end for your character? Miles made it home! Barely!! He took a shot to his arm in the last fight and had to basically be pushed through the portal instead of staying in the world like he'd originally planned.
What has your character been up to in the interim? Miles has been home for about 6-12 months! Well. "Home." Guess who has two thumbs and a revised timeline?? It sure is Miles! The new timeline is a distinctly lateral move for him, at least, and he still exists as himself, which is also a plus.
A rough sequence of events is linked here due to length. Summary: Miles now has five sisters in addition to Mark, he's missing an arm and is no longer Lord Vorkosigan, and Simon is absolutely going to kill him when all of this prompts another timeline (probably).
Any highlights from their time in game? One of the few Barrayaran natives, also generally a messy bitch on account of all the seizures and needing medicine. He married Lakshmi for a hot second before she died (probably), freaked out about his home getting bombed, and generally had to be told not to make awful decisions constantly.
Any character beats and/or CR you’d like to revisit? All of his close CR!! Anyone who’s returning who knows him! But for NPCs I definitely want him to talk to Sonia again, and mmmmaybe explain more about what tf happened to him.
Other plans for the event? He’s going to be either super twitchy or extra gung ho about changing things this time around. Probably more the latter, if only so that nobody else feels like they’re ICly or OOCly constrained by his future being in question. (And frankly if we have to handwave that Miles is now off on his separate timeline that can no longer be influenced, that’s extremely valid.)
Anything else? I think I covered everything!! SUPER excited to play as much as I possibly can here.
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we talked in detail on plurk about miles spilling the beans about his own timeline and also the massacre to sonia at some point, and i am SO hype for that, but how do you feel about that coming out in the second half of the month? partly so sonia can be Unburdened With Terrible Knowledge for at least the first half of the event, and also because we both know know that this shit is better with buildup and i assume miles is going to have to wrestle himself about it for a little while first B)
and also as i mentioned on plurk: i don't think miles's timeline stuff will impact other PCs, but i really appreciate your flexibility on it and willingness to handwave in the event that it does! for all intents and purposes, the 4b timeline is also a separate timeline from miles's AU and the canon timeline (even if miles doesn't know it) so i'm sure we can work it out if any issues do arise.
BUT DAMN MAN I'M EXCITED FOR SONIA AND MILES AGAIN they were so sweet. she loves her grand nephew sooo much and she'll just be happy to get to spend more time with him
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I 100% can do the second half of the month! Honestly that makes the most sense anyway, miles is going to need time to work up to it AND it will be more fun if he has to really grapple with it first. He’s got a mess of feelings to work out first for sure.
And yeah of course no problem on being flexible, the last thing I want is to constrict what’s going on because it affects him or whatever. Making this separate from even his new variation makes the most sense. (He will still grapple with the idea and fuss about it because he’s Miles but he can also be dead wrong. Dead wrong miles is my favorite kind lol)
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and YES work out those complicated feelings, miles!! we love a good buildup and i will keep tagging this event into forever because i love these two. i look forward to watching miles's writhing and agonizing internal monologue B)
agent washington
Pronouns: He/They
Character Name: Agent Washington, AKA just Wash
Blurb: Wash is an ex-special ops sci fi Space Marine who defected from his fancy top-secret Project, had a bit of a revenge quest and then became the babysitter to a bunch of colorful dumbasses. PTSD, survivor's guilt, distant and slow to trust but steadfast once it's earned. Generally trying to do the right thing, but his definition of "acceptable costs" may vary with yours! Always looks kind of tired. (He's also changed PBs since he was here, lmao, I just needed more icons!! Sorry Anders BSG)
How did things end for your character? Wash initially planned on staying on Barrayar, and then decided to go home, and then got stuck on Barrayar anyway. It's fine.
What has your character been up to in the interim? Wash turned down a position as Sonia's bodyguard, breaking off on his own, doing odd work wherever his skillset was useful while he tried to learn more about his new home universe first-hand. He eventually catches wind of a plot to target Sonia, and in foiling it decides to accept the bodyguard position, swearing an oath directly to her at Piotr's request. This is where he's been, taking care of her both directly and indirectly and over time would also start to help regularly along the warfront where he can be useful without compromising his priority to protect Sonia.
Time on Barrayar has accelerated the more brutal and ruthless parts of Wash's personality, but outwardly he's the same: a bit distant, friendly enough if stiff, slow to trust, sarcastic and with the air of someone who's perpetually tired. He is very aware he fits in quite well here actually even if he doesn't like it, and is comfortable enough where he's ended up at Sonia's side. He's preferred to deal with with threats indirectly or with intimidation where possible, but is not at afraid to shank someone, so. Just be cool.
Any highlights from their time in game? Wash was Best Dressed at a Cetagandan party and learned to dance a bit, and was much happier on the Barrayaran side of things, where he learned more than he really should have about Barrayar and its future (and is not telling a single soul). He worked as a handler for Natasha while she was off spying on the Cetagandan side of things and was in general Not Thrilled with how a lot of that went down.
Any character beats and/or CR you’d like to revisit? All of it! Five years is a long time on a place like Barrayar and Wash might be a bit more seemingly detached from old attachments than one would expect, but that's just surface -- though he has no qualms about where his loyalty and priorities currently are and how that butts up against older things might be interesting. He'll remember even briefly met characters perfectly, but I might not remember, so uh, we'll figure it out.
Other plans for the event? Nothing super specific!!
Anything else? 4B was a great time I still look back on so fondly, love ya'll. <3 I've got a lot to juggle currently so I may be slow here overall, but I'm looking forward to things very much!