Combat and Firearms

So, you’ve been in the game long enough to get that itch. The one that tells you a sharp word and a fast pair of legs aren’t enough anymore. You want a piece. A heater. Some chrome that speaks a language everyone in this gutter understands.

Fine. But you need to understand something first. A gun isn’t a tool. It’s a statement. It’s a loud mouth, and every time you show it, you’re starting a conversation you better be prepared to finish.

Earning Your Rep (Getting Armed)

You don’t just walk into a shop and buy a cannon. Before any dealer worth their salt sells you so much as a rusty bullet, they’re gonna check your Rep on the Interlink. They don’t care about your Cal; they care about your story.

You need to prove you’re not just some twitchy psycho who’s going to start a war over a spilled drink and bring the CA down on everyone’s head. That means you need to have put in the time. You need a history—jobs done, deals made, a life lived. In short, you need to engage actively in roleplay, work your job, and maintain a consistent presence. Your Story HUD clearly tracks your eligibility; once the system sees you’re a known quantity (at least 5 chapters, 50% signal, and 50% pulse), the doors open.

The Arsenal (What’s on the Menu)

What you carry says a lot about who you are. The city enforces order; the Wastes demand survival. Choose accordingly.

Tier 1: The Daily Carry These are the workhorses, the tools you can carry concealed in the city or openly in the Wastes without needing to ask permission.

• Pistols & Revolvers: The choice of a professional or a traditionalist. Good for settling disputes.
• Shotguns: The alley-sweepers. Impolite, messy, and very, very loud.

Tier 2: The Heavy Metal This is the hardware that draws attention. Carry this in the city without admin approval, and you’re not just armed; you’re a problem the CA will solve for you. In the Wastes, it’s just another survival tool.

• SMGs & Assault Rifles: For when the conversation is over and the war has begun.
• Sniper Rifles & Machine Guns: Wasteland toys. Useless in a tight alley, essential for hunting the horrors in the Pale.

The Forbidden Fruit Don’t even ask. Bringing this stuff to a street-level deal is like bringing a nuke to a knife fight. No rocket launchers, no grenade launchers, no ridiculous hand-cannons from a bad action vid. It’s bad for business.

The Conversation (How to Use It)

This is the most important part. A gun is for raising the stakes, not ending the story.

• Follow the Two-Step Rule: You don’t enter a scene with your weapon already drawn unless everyone agrees OOC.
  1. Step One: The Draw. Clearly write out your character’s action of reaching for and drawing their firearm. Let the air get cold. This gives everyone a chance to react to the new threat.
  2. Step Two: The Shot. In a separate, detailed post, you can aim and fire. You are limited to a maximum of two shots per emote.
• Example: Post 1: /me’s eyes narrow as his hand slips beneath his coat, fingers wrapping around the cold, familiar grip of his revolver. Post 2 (after others react): /me raises the weapon steadily, the barrel locking on the scavenger’s chest. "Walk away," he says, his voice low. His thumb slowly cocks the hammer back with an audible click.

Two Worlds, Two Rules

Where you are dictates what your gun means.

• In The City: Concealed is the Only Way Inside the walls of The Bastion, a gun is a secret. You keep it hidden. Openly carrying a rifle in Sputnik is like screaming “I’m a tourist and a threat!” in the middle of a predator den. Discretion is survival. The CA will confiscate your piece, detain you, and hit your Rep for being a slob.
• In the Wastes: Let Them See It Out in the Pale, the rules are inverted. The threats are bigger, and the only law is the food chain. Out there, your rifle slung over your shoulder isn’t a threat; it’s a statement that you are not today’s meal.

Keeping the Privilege

Get your piece confiscated by the CA twice within 30 days, and your armed status gets suspended. You’re not a professional; you’re a problem. The dealers dry up. Your Rep takes a hit. Be smart. Be deliberate. And understand that the weight of the chrome in your hand is nothing compared to the weight of the consequences.