Stranded: Blacksite (High casual Sci-fi/fantasy Horror)
Plot:
The prison ship Alcatraz, designed by a council of multiple races and nations to house the worst criminals (and even a few of the lower offenders) in an effort to cut down on prisons. The ship had a self sustaining food supply, an around the clock staff of guards and civilian staff. Unfortunately, said staff weren't informed of the ship's true intention. Once out of explored space, the ship's controls locked up and the engines shut down setting it adrift. Months later, the ship's intercom has started playing some strange garbled message and communications with the rest of the galaxy have been completely cut. The warden has vanished and the captain has locked himself in bridge with only a few crewmates. If the prisoners and staff hadn’t suspected anything before, they certainly did now.
Magic origins:
A mysterious pulse that emanated from a colonized planet light years away from earth had unprecedented effects on lifeforms all around the galaxy. It seemed to attune them to energies that were naturally present and previously unobservable. These abilities, once realized, allow the user to manipulate the elements around them using a combination of the energy present in the air and their own "mana" reserves. Oddly enough, the powers granted to these "Attuned" as they have been designated manifest in different ways. Some seem to be able to heal the wounds of others and themselves, others can wield nature as a weapon. Unfortunately the Attuned are unable to receive any type of technological augmentation. All attempts have ended in the death of both the Attuned and the one trying to conduct the procedure.
Unfortunately for those aboard the Alcatraz, the disconnection from nature has heavily affected their ability to use magic.
Types of Magic:
Fire: Those attuned to fire can normally ignite the air and control those very flames. Those unfortunate enough to be stuck on a ship for long periods are lucky to still be able to manipulate fire that’s been artificially created.
Air: Those attuned to the air would usually be able to compress and use wind as a weapon. In space with the recycled air and lack of ambient mana aboard a vessel though, they can barely use their magic to filter airborne particles or create a light gust.
Water: Water attunement allows mages to wield almost any liquid as a weapon to defend themselves assuming there isn't anything solid between them and it. Their power is weakened without the assistance of ambient mana, but they can still control liquids that they touch directly.
Earth: Earth wielders can move through dirt and rocks as though they were liquid, of course this is a constant drain of mana and is rarely used for prolonged periods. They are also able to draw minerals to them as a defensive or offensive measure. Aboard a fully metal ship however, there’s not much use to any of their abilities. They can use their magic to help them bend metal somewhat, but it’s still rather strenuous.
Life(healing): Being attuned to Life lets mages manipulate any living matter that they are in direct contact with. While this is normally used to mend non life threatening wounds, some have used it to do...horrifying things.
ProstheTech Corporation:
Naturally, the abilities of the Attuned bred both fear and envy among the people not fortunate enough to recieve mana. As a result, technologies that were originally seen as tabuu saw an immediate spike. Body augmentations became commonplace, especially when it was found that the Attuned couldn't benefit from this technology. The original companies that developed this tech joined together to eliminate any competition. Eventually they even managed to create basic kinetic shielding and cloaking tech by condensing air and bending light around the user.
The only race that has developed better prosthetics is the Arraxi.
Races:
Humans: Yeah, humans. They have a decent connection to magic, but fairly powerful internal mana reserves. As far as cybernetics go, they're quite advanced. (Probably about Deus Ex level give/take)
Homeworld: Earth
Tulak: A humanoid race with horns and a strong link to nature. They are naturally stronger magic users, but unfortunately don't have the same mana supply that humans do. Unlike humans, the Tulak are almost entirely composed of magic users, and most of those that can't use it are in positions of political power.
The Tulak homeworld of Vai’Ralu is mostly forest with a small portion taken up by the planet’s scattered lakes. It’s almost nonexistent industrialization is very clear just by glancing at the clean waters and air devoid of almost any pollution. Truthfully, had it not been for humanity discovering and elevating their technology, the concept of spaceflight would have been at least another century off.
Arraxi: An advanced race of cybernetic bug people that lack any kind of link to nature. By the time the Pulse occured, they were already more machine than organic. Those that could have become "attuned" died in horrible agony as their bodies suddenly rejected the majority of their organs and limbs.
Not much is known about their “home worlds”, enormous space stations that they have a cybernetic link to upon stepping foot back onto the station. These insanely huge metal stations travel at random, the “Queen” Arraxi being it’s commander of sorts, and they aimlessly travel and observe...everything. Arraxi as a whole, want to study the universe and vice versa, be studied, so that they can further their technological advances, each day something is added or taken away from the Arraxi “ecosystem”. Most of the universe’s remaining Arraxi population, tend to stay on the stations. There are pockets of Arraxi population on major planet systems, but the further out you get, the less Arraxi will be there.
Currently, there are about 6 stations, each one being a melting pot of Arraxi, all different shapes and sizes. Each station does have a “Queen” and they make up the Arraxi Council, meeting at the beginning of a new Arraxi Cycle (about two human years). These Queens are the oldeest Arraxi to exist currently, they are also the most integrated with the ship.
Arraxi rarely conceive kids, about 3% of the active population are born naturally, the other 97% are born in “birthing labs”. Yes indeed Arraxi are test tube babies, this being that many Arraxi have stripped reproductive parts from their body, an act that the Queens started, to limit population growth, though now it’s widely accepted as the norm. Growing up on the station, kid Arraxi will receive their first modification when they turn the Arraxi equivalent of five, from there the modifications flood in. Upon being created, each Arraxi is given a job, that upon reaching the “working” age, if they choose to stay on the station, will be their title. It works on a random generation, so each child has the same odds of getting any job. For the past 30 years however, the stations are encountering something that troubles the Queens. Much of the Arraxi youth don't want to stay on the Station, instead wanting to explore the vastness of space. This has created somewhat of a rift between the New Age Arraxi and Older Generation.
Sapishte: A race of people that seem to be able to shapeshift on some level. This is due to what seems to be a sentient goo attached to their flesh. This goo or "slime" is able to change in density and shape allowing the Sapishte to mimic the forms of other races. One other notable trait is the Sapishte's inability to cloak their emotions. Only a select few are able to hide their feelings, and those that can are almost immediately exiled upon discovery as they are seen as terrifying mutants.
Homeworld: Glonelia
A swampy world, home to the shape shifters of the Sapishte race. The planet is of a tropical, humid climate with swamps and jungles covering most of its landmasses, with warm oceans covering everything else. The Sapishte people aren't exactly the most advanced of the races, having only relatively recently become capable of spaceflight and most of the planet is comparatively low-tech compared to the rest of the races. The people themselves are often quite amicable and more or less an extremely honest people. Being unable to hide emotions well, make for poor liars and manipulators most of the time.
For the most part they are friendly, and have relatively good relations with the rest of the galaxy. Considering their ability to mostly take whatever form they want, their is no shortage of demand for them in less than reputable jobs.
The Alcatraz:
The Alcatraz was one of the biggest collaborative efforts between each race’s governments. A ship capable of securely holding over ten million high priority prisoners without ever having to stop at a planet. Of course, anyone that was aboard the ship would wonder why a vessel with such a capacity only carried about a quarter of its capacity. In reality, the Alcatraz was much more sinister.
While the standard crew and prison staffing is indeed present, there also seems to be much more under the surface. A week after the ship was launched about a quarter of the guards were sent further into the ship on some seemingly inane assignment. When they returned, it was in completely different armor and with much more lethal equipment than they were sent down there with. The warden announced that these guards were to be given absolute impunity when dealing with prisoners and that the regular staff was to completely ignore their presence unless specifically approached. Not long after, a large chunk of the medical staff was also taken to the depths of the vessel, though unlike the guards they did not return. From this point onwards, prisoners that acted up ran the risk of being taken down to the Draught and never seen again.
For some seemingly inexplicable reason the prisoners’ belongings were kept aboard as well. Stranger still, the decision was made by the warden to keep said things on display in the owners’ respective prison blocks. The majority of the crew suspects it’s just an excuse for the Draught Sentries to abduct those foolish enough to attempt to reclaim their property.
