In the 23rd century, the Earth became overpopulated and vital resources grew scarcer by the day. The nations of the world, in a desperate grab for stability, went to war with one another in an attempt to unify the planet under a single banner. Horrible weapons of mass destruction were used and countless lives were erased in a days long conflict.
When the dust cleared the terrible scars and damage done to the planet became apparent even at a cursory glance. The war nearly continued until experts came to a terrible realization-
The Earth was dying.
The environment and ecosystem necessary for sustaining human life, if not all life, was in a rapid state of decay. It was estimated that in just two short decades the Earth would become completely uninhabitable.
Face to face with possible extinction the surviving superpowers of the world declared a truce and began pooling their resources to search for a solution.
They founded “Umhlaba” an organization dedicated to making the colonization of space and the continued survival of the human race a reality.
Quickly ruling out building space colonies at Lagrange points due to the sustainability issues involved, Umhlaba focused its research towards terraforming and colonizing the nearby planets, Mars, Venus, and the moon.
The moon was the closest celestial body, Mars was seen as the easiest to possibly colonize, and Venus while toxic was nearly the same size as Earth and possessed an abundance of natural resources.
Making great scientific and technological strides Umhlaba eventually discovered the means necessary to terraform the planets. However their resources more limited than they had hoped as the surviving nations began to bicker with one another.
Time grew short and they were forced to make a choice, attempt to terraform all three planets with a limited chance of success or focus on one to guarantee success.
They chose to focus on terraforming Mars, building living habitats beneath the moon’s surface and in Venus’s upper atmosphere with their additional materials.
Umhlaba had only just finished with their efforts when the world fell into chaos. The remaining nations collapsed and anarchy swept across what remained of the civilized world.
Armies transformed into roving packs of marauders and law disintegrated in a matter of hours. With no word from their backers and all their emergency plans failing, it looked like their efforts would be for nought.
However the leader of Umhlaba, Alfred G. Zern, took responsibility into his own hands and pressed to load the transport ships they had ready with as many people as possible even if it meant grabbing strangers off the chaotic streets.
Risking life and limb Alfred and Umhlaba’s personnel prepared the ships, ushering countless civilians onboard as their security personnel battled with the criminals and bandits who intended to take the ships for themselves.
Once they were fully loaded they launched without delay, blasting off as fighting raged on around them and escaping to the skies.
Every ship escaped without any significant damage thanks to the sacrifice of many allowing the survivors to begin their journey to Mars.
It was a long six month trip to the red planet but they made it and once they landed they were greeted to the fresh air of the newly terraformed Martian skies.
When it came time to establish a government the people were indecisive. Everyone was so disillusioned and embittered at the failure of their ‘modern’ governments that they desired a return to something older, more noble.
Since all the high ranking men of killing and supposedly important world leaders had all been left behind on Earth, the people chose Alfred as their new leader.
On top of Olympus Mons a ceremony was held and Alfred “The Great” Zern was crowned the first Emperor of Mars.
It was a grand day and it filled the beleaguered survivors with a newfound sense of hope for the future. However unpleasant news arrived and the newly crowned king was forced to make a decision.
Not everyone could live on Mars. While fully terraformed the planet’s ecosystem was incredibly fragile and with the burgeoning amount of survivors they had grabbed, they risked harming their new world.
People needed to be ferried away to the habitats on Luna and Venus both due to reduce the population on Mars and to provide important resources.
Many were upset at the news, but the newly crowned King calmed everyone.
This event later became known as the “Great Exodus” that decided who were the Martians, who were the Lunites, and who were the Venusians.
Those sent to the Moon, or “Luna” as it became known, became farmers working in cylindrical habitats beneath the surface with proper gravity and a pseudo Earth like environment with false skies and proper light reflected below the ground.
Meanwhile those sent to Venus lived on floating habitats in the upper atmosphere. Air was a lifting gas on Venu and the atmosphere had a proper rotation, giving them a day and night cycle similar to what they had on Earth. Drawing gases from outside they made oxygen, carbon building materials, and processed deuterium, which provided a vital source of power.
Once people became established regular trading and shipments between the colonies became normal those living on Mars soon found themselves with an abundance of food and resources. They prospered and over time began to forget...
Nearly five centuries have passed since then. It is currently the year 499 of the Revolutionary Calendar.
The Kingdom of Zern has become the Zern Empire, with Luna and Venus considered it’s protected territories.
Over the past five centuries technology has both regressed and progressed in a variety of areas. Computer technology and robotics are light years ahead of what they once were while the technology to create weapons of mass destruction has been intentionally lost to time.
Clean power is produced by exotic particle reactors utilizing deuterium, generating immense amounts of clean energy with the side effect of spreading disruptive particles that make wireless communications and many sensors almost useless.
Once peaceful without a standing army beyond a guard force, the Empire of Mars now has a great standing military with entire fleets of space combat vessels, armed soldiers, and as of the last ten years humanoid weapons known as “Mobile Suits”.
Initially made to deal with the rampant space piracy that had developed, they are now used to keep order on Luna and especially Venus, where rebellious sympathies have developed out of a desire for independence.
Our story is set on and around Venus where the willing soldiers of the Empire attempt to keep the peace while brave civilians join the rebellion in the hopes of winning a better life...
Too Long Didn't Read Version
500 years after the destruction of Earth mankind continues to survive in space.
Mars has become the cradle of civilization with those less fortunate being born into habitats beneath the surface of the Moon and in the upper atmosphere of Venus.
Now, ten years after the development of humanoid weapons known as "Mobile Suits" Venus threatens to explode into outright rebellion...
Mars has become the cradle of civilization with those less fortunate being born into habitats beneath the surface of the Moon and in the upper atmosphere of Venus.
Now, ten years after the development of humanoid weapons known as "Mobile Suits" Venus threatens to explode into outright rebellion...
What is Gundam?
Mobile Suit Gundam is a mecha series that debuted back in 1979 and laid the groundwork for the "Real Robot" genre with its more grounded characters, mecha designs, and its dark tone dealing with the harsh realities of war and conflict. It spawned a long running continuity and separate spin-off series that all tackled different takes on the similar theme of conflict and the nature of the human condition.
And a bunch of cute shows with kids playing with models, but that's besides the point.
What is this roleplay?
This is a mecha roleplay based out of an original setting that draws heavily on the themes and concepts of Mobile Suit Gundam.
Originally I wanted to make a roleplay based out of one of the entries in the Gundam series...but I realized no one would probably join one due to being completely unfamiliar with the source material.
So I made an original setting using elements from the Gundam series so even those who are totally unfamiliar with the series could still participate.
Anyone familiar with similar "Real Robot Shows" like Full Metal Panic, AlnoahZERO, Code Geass, Martian Successor Nadesico, or even something like GEN:LOCK etc should be able to grasp how things work in this RP pretty fast.
And since the setting is largely original its open ot a lot of creative flexibility and development outside of the initial concepts and technologies I will be establishing up front.
Originally I wanted to make a roleplay based out of one of the entries in the Gundam series...but I realized no one would probably join one due to being completely unfamiliar with the source material.
So I made an original setting using elements from the Gundam series so even those who are totally unfamiliar with the series could still participate.
Anyone familiar with similar "Real Robot Shows" like Full Metal Panic, AlnoahZERO, Code Geass, Martian Successor Nadesico, or even something like GEN:LOCK etc should be able to grasp how things work in this RP pretty fast.
And since the setting is largely original its open ot a lot of creative flexibility and development outside of the initial concepts and technologies I will be establishing up front.
