Line #108 DarthWiki/OpenBlue


1	Describe ''Open Blue'' here.
2
3	Sure, gimme a sec to regain my bearings.
4
5	...
6
7	Right, then.
8
9
10	Title of a (possible series of) novel(s) by MasterOfThePhoenix (''does'' ArchiveBinge here, but doesn't consider himself a regular troper, leaving the entry to be made by [[{{Essex}} moi]] and his faithful comrade [[{{Ankh}} Ellie]]), currently under construction, if he could just find the time out of his busy college schedule.
11
12	Based on a series of PlayByPostGames, each set in an AlternateContinuity of varying difference from the others. TheVerse itself is somewhat vaguely defined, though it generally seems to be an AlternateHistory of earth set in [[TheCavalierYears 1773, in the new world]], with naval superpowers vying for control, with pirates thrown in the middle. It's supposed to be about {{Pirates}}, anyway.
13
14	These nations include:
15	* ''[[TheEmpire La Reina de Avelion]]'' - FantasyCounterpartCulture to Spain and/or France, depending on the continuity. Normally has a big chunk of the new world in its grasp like Spain, and in a [[VestigialEmpire state of decay]]. The most likely nation to survive a ContinuityReboot. Source of many a hero and villain alike. [[SarcasmMode Thanks to a certain player,]] is normally chock full of ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' [[ShoutOut Shout Outs]], of all things, including TykeBomb special forces called "Spartans". Fortunately, these sorts of things have reduced with each incarnation. Wear blue.
16	* ''[[ThoseWackyNazis Das Reich von Seran]]'' - FantasyCounterpartCulture to Great Britain and UsefulNotes/NaziGermany [[AC:[[RecycledInSpace In]]]] [[AC:TheCavalierYears]]. Normally has a small chunk of the new world in its grasp. Avelion's hated rival in most settings and second most likely nation to survive a ContinuityReboot. Contrasts with Avelion's vast ZergRush-worthy numbers with fewer soldiers [[StupidJetpackHitler armed with]] AnachronismStew weapons that in the real world had only just been conceived at the time. Ruled by a DistaffCounterpart of UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler with ChessMaster tendencies. {{Munchkin}}'s choice. Wear red, [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience for obvious reasons]].
17	* ''[[MegaCorp Het Hertogdom van Remus]]'' - FantasyCounterpartCulture to the Netherlands, France, and some Slavic countries. Normally controls strategic locations on trade routes in the new world. Neutral to the Avelion-Seran war and third most likely nation to survive a ContinuityReboot. Rely on fast ships and imported weapons from all over the place to survive. Functions as Switzerland, hosting an annual conference where Avelion and Seran debate over who gets Reman economic support. Wear white.
18	* ''{{Pirates}}'' - Administrivia/SelfExplanatory. Rape, pillage, plunder, and... [[ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything stuff]]. Divided amongst various Pirate Lords (and Ladies), the most powerful of whom is Roberto the Pirate King. Wear whatever the heck they want.
19	* ''[[{{Precursors}} Imperium Jormungand]]'' - FantasyCounterpartCulture to [[strike:''[[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} The Imperium of Man]]'']] AncientRome, with Norse references. Normally long-gone by the time Avelion rises to power, this ancient civilization with [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment ancient]] technological and mystical wisdom was completely destroyed by [[TheHorde barbarian hordes]] over a thousand years ago. Makes for interesting settings like a TempleOfDoom. Four of its ten [[strike:SpaceMarine]] Imperial Templar Chapters survived in tatters and now compose an AncientConspiracy that protects the Imperium's scattered [[ArtifactOfDoom artifacts]] from nosy [[AdventurerArchaeologist college professors]], [[GentlemanAdventurer rich idiots with nothing better to do]], and [[ThoseWackyNazis Those Wacky Serannis]].
20
21	Recurring characters who survived more than one ContinuityReboot.
22
23	* [[TheCaptain Capitan/Commander]] Joseph/Giuseppe/Jose/Joe Hawkins/Ceretto/Somethingorother (Master of the Phoenix) - DeFacto [[TheHero Hero]]. Normally an Avelian WideEyedIdealist, who may or may not resemble Franchise/HoratioHornblower (if not have him as an NPC First Officer). His [=RPer=] has considered the possibility that he might be a MartyStu, and is currently working on fixing him. Owing to his [=RPer=] being a RealLife fencer, Joe naturally has ImplausibleFencingPowers.
24	* [[TheCaptain Capitan/Commander]] Jessica Spade (LTK) - ActionGirl. Joe's inevitable LoveInterest, who starts out as an "[[{{Pirate}} Adventurer]]". May or may not come in a package with her father [[LovableRogue Aegis]]. Age varies between 12 and 16.
25	* [[TheCaptain Captain]] Leo [[RedBaron "Burning Boot"]] Drummond (Ellie) - LovableRogue. A pirate who loves to [[KillItWithFire kill things with fire]]. He's never really the same thing twice. Sure, the name sticks around, but a reboot can make him anything from a master of the natural sciences to a pirate with amazing luck at finding third-rate legendary weapons to a man who failed his mission in life.
26	* [[TheCaptain Capitan]] Amanda [[MeaningfulName Todeskind]] (Führer Mandy) - TheBaroness (Looks like a Sexpot, acts like a Klebb). A [[ShesAllGrownUp grown-up]] {{Expy}} of [[WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy Mandy]], based primarily off her rendition by [[http://grim.snafu-comics.com/archive.php Bleedman]]. Wears [[PuttingOnTheReich grey coats]] and works for Avelion's [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction Office of Naval Intelligence]], typically has a background in their [[Franchise/{{Halo}} Spartan]] [[TykeBomb Project]], and Joe's ForgottenChildhoodFriend (sort of). May or may not be the BigBad.
27	* [[TheCaptain Commodore]] Robillard Karriden. (Stewie) the Hunter... of {{Pirates}}. Feared by pirates across the seas, this guy comes from either Avelion or Remus, depending on the continuity. Either case, somehow becomes Joe's friendly rival of sorts, in both romance and {{Flynning}}. JustForFun/MadeOfWin.
28	* [[TheBrigadier Almirante-General]] [[MeaningfulTitles Don]] [[ShoutOut Terrance]] [[Franchise/{{Halo}} Hood]] (NPC). ReasonableAuthorityFigure and AFatherToHisMen. Supreme Commander of all Avelian Forces in the New World, an OfficerAndAGentleman who started his career with a serious case of hydrophobia, ironically enough. Hands out missions to people. And stuff.
29	* [[TheCaptain KapitÃ¤n]] [[Creator/AyaHirano Aya]] [[ShoutOut Seran]] (Führer Mandy). CloudCuckoolander. Essentially [[Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya Haruhi]] [[AC:[[RecycledInSpace As a]]]] [[AC:[[ThoseWackyNazis Seranni]]]] [[AC:[[TheCaptain Captain]]]], minus the RealityWarper factor. [[PuttingOnTheReich Fuhrer]] [[MeaningfulName Katrina's]] younger sister who graduated at the rank of Ensign. [[MookPromotion Promoted to Captain]] [[TheUriahGambit in order to get her killed on the front lines]] to prevent her from ascending to the throne and ruining the country, should the Fuhrer die. Of course, [[ContractualImmortality Aya never gets killed]].
30	* [[TheyCallMeMisterTibbs Mister]] [[{{Tropers/Anonymous}} Anon]] (NPC). LouisCypher. A Reman businessman and self-proclaimed ManOfWealthAndTaste. The two things he loves to do are hang out at a coffee shop on top of a hill, ask people to [[SayMyName guess his real name]], and [[DealWithTheDevil do business with a non-monetary currency]]. The ''[[Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus three]]'' things he loves to do are [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment hang out at a coffee shop on top of a hill, ask people to guess his real name, and do business with a non-monetary currency]].
31
32
33
34	Recurring characters who survived at least one ContinuityReboot.
35
36	* [[TheCaptain Captain]] Edwin VanCleef (LTK)- [[TheBrute Brutal]] {{Pirate}} [[TerroristsWithoutACause Without A Cause]]. Quoting his profile, "No one knows what he really wants. Not even him." VanCleef typically goes around taking what he wants, killing people he doesn't like, and... well, inspiring fear in whoever hears about him. Makes his point with a {{BFG}} in one hand, {{BFS}} in the other.
37	*
38
39	----
40
41	DarthWiki/OpenBlue contains examples of:
42
43
44	* ActionGirl - Jessica from the Pirate/Avelian side, and KapitÃ¤n Karla Weir from the Seranni side. OB had a lot of these...
45	* AmbiguouslyGay - Seranni Vizeadmiral Hrodwulf is quite the fop, and spends most of his onscreen time doing things like shopping for a new nice hat, much to his escort's chagrin.
46	** Leutnant Steingard, being an {{Expy}} of [[Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya Koizumi]], is played for laughs this way.
47	* AscendedFanboy - (well... FanGirl, anyway) KapitÃ¤n Caitlyn Straz, a GenderFlip [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Cloud]], who joined the Seran Navy to make sure that JusticeWillPrevail.
48	* AxCrazy - Capitan Yuka Kamishiro, who enjoys torturing pirates every chance she gets.
49	* LittleMissBadass - Elsa de Ceretto, an ''Espartano'', in one continuity. Started out as more or less an {{Expy}} of a minor character from ''Manga/GunslingerGirl''. [[CharacterDevelopment She got better]]. Wields a Spencer Repeater with ImprobableAimingSkills.
50	** Janice Cervantes, a Spartan Cadet who [[YouHaveFailedMe flushed-out]] of the [[TheSpartanWay training program]], survives her disposal and teams up with Smuggler King Luke Anatoray. Kills by DualWielding daggers.
51	** Angelique Soriano is another Spartan, who uses a WhipSword. Also serves as Vice Almirante Royche's MoralityPet.
52	* BattleCouple - The relationship between KapitÃ¤n Weir and her marine commander, Ronald Paccone, is at the very least, rumored to be this.
53	** Joe and Jessica are definitely this, when one of them isn't being a [[BashBrothers Bash Brother/Sister]] to Elsa.
54	* BigBrotherMentor - Enrique Costas, Elsa's bunkmate and best friend during her time in training. Set a record in stripping and reassembling a rifle that she could never seem to beat. Was killed during a live fire exercise.
55	* BlingOfWar - Everybody who can afford/is assigned to wear it, justified by the time period...
56	* TheCavalierYears - 1773...
57	* TheChessmaster - Fuhrer Katrina, Vice Almirante Royche, Luke Anatoray the Smuggler King, and in one continuity, [[{{Expy}} Grand Admiral]] [[VideoGame/StarCraft Duran]].
58	* ChildSoldiers - Espartanos begin active duty at the age of 13.
59	* ContinuityReboot: Nearing five, last count. Go figure.
60	* ColdSniper - Elsa, who gets some DefrostingIceQueen treatment.
61	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience - Avelion and its bluejackets, is typically presented in a positive, or at least sympathetic light, despite its flaws (greed, corruption, etc). An exception to this are the agents of ONI, who dress in intimidating grey coats and are usually up to no good.
62	** Seran and its redcoats are either presented as 'wind-up toy soldiers', militaristic all-consuming war machine, or proud and honorable men and women protecting their country, [[SympatheticPOV depending on the character]]. Reichsintelligenz, whose agents wear black coats, is always up to something sinister.
63	** Remus and its whiteshirts are depicted as either neutral impotent merchants, or the [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Nation]] in the world.
64	* CoolShip - There have been quite a few, including, but not limited to, fire-breathing
65	* CursedWithAwesome - Boolean Radley, a pirate cursed with skeletal immortality, is out to cure himself by [[WebAnimation/HowToKillAMockingbird killing a mockingbird]]. (A lot more difficult than it sounds.)
66	* CustomUniform - Officers of all four StateSec organizations have these to make them stand out from their nations' various RedShirtArmy grunts. ONI officers wear gray, OCI officers wear navy blue and red, Reichsintelligenz officers, suitably enough, wear outfits evoking the SS, and Reichskolpo personnel look just like the Gestapo.
67	* DramaticWind - The PowersThatBe seem to oblige to this whenever the timing is right for any character wearing something that can billow.
68	* TheEmpire - Avelion, which is slowly becoming a VestigialEmpire.
69	* {{Expy}} - Several of them, from [[Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya Haruhi]], to [[Franchise/LyricalNanoha Nanoha]], to [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist Winry and Fuhrer Bradley]], to [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean Hector Barbossa]]. Oh, and Franchise/IndianaJones. .
70	* EyePatchOfPower - With the number of pirates around, it would make sense that this shows up occasionally. Radley, in particular.
71	* FemmeFatale - Sheila Kree, a major Pirate Lord, who commands a CoolShip.
72	* {{Flynning}} (naturally)
73	* ForeignSoundingGibberish - Ronald Paccone and Aya Seran don't sound anywhere close to German. In fact, Aya is ''Japanese''. Giuseppe Hawkins sounds closer to a mix of Italian and English than Spanish. Todeskind probably isn't a real German surname, but [[MeaningfulName means]] [[TheGrimReaper something]]. Even if it ''were'' a real German surname, it doesn't explain why somebody from a [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Spain equivalent]] has it.
74	* GratuitousForeignLanguage - At least one character uses Gratuitous Russian, while most other characters sometimes speak gratuitously in the tropes below:
75	* GratuitousFrench - Reman characters from the French side.
76	* GratuitousGerman - Seranni characters are prone to this, for obvious reasons.
77	* GratuitousSpanish - Avelian characters are equally guilty.
78	* HandicappedBadass - Subverted by Almirante Harper, who ''[[ObfuscatingStupidity pretends]]'' [[ObfuscatingStupidity to be lame]], in order to cause his enemies to underestimate him.
79	* HardDrinkingPartyGirl - Yuka and Vita.
80	* HighClassGlass - Flotteadmiral Nimitz wears one, which occasionally veers into ScaryShinyGlasses territory.
81	* ImprobableAge - Katrina Seran became Fuhrer at the age of 20, owing to the mysterious assassination of her father, Kaiser Alfons ([[EvilPrince which was probably one of her machinations]]). Before ''that'', she graduated from the academy at the age of 15 with the rank of KapitÃ¤n, and attained the highest rank in the navy in five years. Obviously an evil TeenGenius. Elysia [[MeaningfulName Schneider]], one of her more normal classmates, reached the rank of Konteradmiral (a two star naval rank) at the age of 24, thanks to pure dumb luck.
82	** The original Joe was a Captain at age 16, and was promoted to Commodore a few months later.
83	* ImprobableWeaponUser - Leo has, among other things, used a flamethrower sword, white phosphorus-mounted giant metal sea critters, and burning shoes. One Captain Beatrix Engel carries a razor-sharp halo for medium-range fights.
84	* KangarooCourt - Jessica is forced to defend Joe in the most ludicrous court marshal in the history of the Empire, which comes to a most bizarre resolution. Doesn't stop it from becoming a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome to her credit, though.
85	* KingOfAllCosmos - [[{{God}} El Dios]], who spends his time drinking and arm wrestling with Kukulu, an {{Expy}} of [[Creator/HPLovecraft Cthulhu]].
86	* LawOfChromaticSuperiority - Subverted with Aya's ship, ''Thirteenth Glory''. She has it painted bright red for reasons that are [[GenreSavvy obvious to her]]. All it does, however, is make the ship a bright red target for anybody who wants to blow it up, and the paint used is flammable, nonetheless. Looks like the laws of HumongousMecha [[WrongGenreSavvy don't necessarily apply to 18th century warships]]...
87	** Kree's ''Bloody Keel'' uses its color to intimidate, rather than to make it three times faster.
88	* LesYay - The other players seemed to like the idea of Karla x Rhianna, for some reason, though it never really got to that point.
89	* LovableRogue - Aegis Spade, who always has a magic flask full of alcohol. There's also the Weiss Katze, a CulturedWarrior who has a thing for [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin white and... well... cats]]. Leo may or may not be lovable, depending on who you ask.
90	* MadBomber - Anita Tekker, Rhianna's First Officer, specializes in explosives. She might not actually be mad, but is at least a NightmareFuelStationAttendant, using ''plastic explosive'' as a substitute for modeling clay.
91	* TheNeidermeyer - Vice Almirante Royche, a member of ONI's board of directors. He is equally disrespectful to superiors as he is to subordinates, and can back it up with his [[IKnowKarate hand to hand skills]]. Made worse by the fact that he has a tendency to [[KickTheDog ruthlessly beat]] [[ChildSoldiers Spartan cadets]] in training whenever they screw up.
92	** His less-competent counterpart from Seran, Vizeadmiral Hrodwulf, got his rank by having his family pull favors, and cares more about buying a new nice hat than an international conference that he is supposed to attend.
93	* NewMeat - KapitÃ¤ns Caitlyn Straz and [[{{Expy}} Beatrix]] [[{{ptitleglq70rg8}} Engel]], though they can more than handle themselves.
94	** Joe is also this, to some degree.
95	* ObfuscatingStupidity - Almirante Harper's greatest weapon, which goes hand in hand with his ImplausibleFencingPowers.
96	** Ephraim Archer, a wealthy Reman heir, pretends to be a JerkAss UpperclassTwit, hiding a calculating intellect which he uses to assess prospective trading partners. It helps that he's BornLucky.
97	* OfficerAndAGentleman - Almirante-General Hood, Commodore Karriden, Almirante Harper (albeit somewhat eccentric), Flotteadmiral Nimitz, Hogeadmiral Ryatur, generally anybody with the rank of Admiral and up. Vice Admirals, [[TheNeidermeyer on the other hand]]...
98	* {{Pirates}} (duh)
99	* ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything - King Roberto is more or less OrcusOnHisThrone.
100	* [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Proud Warrior Race]] - Seran, where every able-bodied citizen aged 18 and above is part of the [[WeHaveReserves Reserves]], and every able-bodied citizen between 13 and 18 is enrolled at one of its multiple military academies. The Yamanis in the BackStory, and Jormuna.
101	* SchizoTech - In some continuities, Seran is a few years away from developing [[GatlingGood Gatling Guns]], and in at least two, uses [[RevolversAreJustBetter revolvers]] and repeating rifles. Avelion has perfected the technology to coat its weapons with diamond (albeit accessible only to high-ranking officers).
102	* ShoutOut - Many a reference to ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'', ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', and ''Warhammer 40K''.
103	* SinisterShades - Being a high-ranking TheMenInBlack agent, Royche wears these.
104	* StateSec - Avelion's Office of Naval Intelligence, which in turn is kept in check by the Office of Counter Intelligence. Reichsintelligenz functions as this for Seran, with its branch Reichskolpo (a dead ringer for the Gestapo) serving to control their colonial populations.
105	* StepfordSmiler - [[PuttingOnTheReich Standartenfuhrer]] Rhianna von [[MeaningfulName Adolf]], commander of Reichsintelligenz special operations, is also a GirlWithPsychoWeapon. Perhaps owing to her nature of being an {{Expy}} of [[Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya Ryoko Asakura]].
106	* ThoseTwoGuys - Privates Melissa Wiedemann and Mayrie Walde, two Seranni [[EliteMooks Storm Troopers]] who [[InHarmsWay would kill to get some combat action]].
107	* ThoseWackyNazis - Seran is basically UsefulNotes/NaziGermany [[AC: [[RecycledInSpace In]]]] [[AC:TheCavalierYears]], using British uniforms and technology.
108	* TykeBomb - The Avelian ''Espartanos'', who are taken from their homes at the age of three, and put through TheSpartanWay until age 13, when they start getting sent on missions.
109	* WretchedHive - Cofressa.

Context DarthWiki / OpenBlue