@Brocktree Looks good, just a couple notes. Make sure it's okay with Arkitekt that you cross that bit of lore over. Other than that my only major problem is with the 'Other' section. For one, you kinda have to be connected to the Neuranet via neural implants if you want to be in the Collective. The Collective has also enjoyed peace for hundreds of years, so a digital attack of that manner would not have occurred, and even if it did happen long ago, at 37 Atellus is not nearly old enough to have experienced that.
Also, just a note, the OOC is indeed up and we no longer need to use this topic.
Remember to check the two sections above for updates, general gameplay and lore notes and links and downloads for RP materials. I highly recommend the Solomon System Map PDF.
The bright star of the Solomon system lay near the horizon, slowly dipping down beneath the crest of distant mountains, sending shades of luminous gold, brilliant pink and streaks of green across the evening sky, reflecting off the glass towers of Ipsum.
In Hyperion’s capital city, things were relatively normal. It was an evening like any other; Viveni and Kyrema milling about amongst the street-gardens, Humans and Kraians heading to their homes to relax, Jazekii returning to their palaces on the fringes of the city, and the whole mix of alien races spilling out into the clubs and restaurants and bars as the nightlife of Ipsum began in full swing.
But as the stars began twinkling into existence in the night sky, one by one, those who looked up to admire them could not help but remember the turmoil faced by those more distant and less fortunate. Across the stars, war with the Colossus still brewed, and the systems of the Collective, protected by the Vanguard, grew fewer in number as the Colossus overwhelmed and occupied and conquered.
But those on Hyperion, those in Solomon, were safe.
For the time being.
----- Background -----
----- The RPG -----
----- Data Files -----
----- Rules & Character Sheet -----
----- Story Summary -----
----- Question & Answer -----
----- Links & Downloads -----
----- Notes & Updates -----
----- Further Reading -----
* * *
A thousand years from now, we witness the rise and potential fall of the Collective; an alliance of alien races, banded together to battle the perils of scarcity and need. Technologically advanced and living in a new age of enlightenment, the Collective enjoyed a utopian existence for thousands of years. The Vanguard, the Collective’s protective forces, faced little challenge for eons.
Recently, an army, operating out of the darkness of interstellar space, has cropped up to threaten the Collective. This army, deemed the Colossus, draws its resources from under the Collective’s very nose, and seems to grow with each day. The Colossus strikes irregularly, conquering systems and cutting them off from the rest of the Collective.
Their intentions unknown, and with the the Vanguard’s forces waning, the Collective has seen fit to withdraw their forces inward and cut off the bridges that link systems. The Collective’s capital system, Solomon, now isolated, sits and waits as the Vanguard brainstorms its next move… or as the Colossus continues edging ever closer.
* * *
Players may RP in one of several factions and as one of several alien races. The list is limited for now but will expand as the game does.
Your goal as an RPer is whatever you choose - are you a Collective citizen, biding your time until the Colossus shows up? Perhaps a member of the Vanguard, ready to strike out at the Colossus wherever needed? Or are you a simple trader of the Tyche Concord, getting mixed up in a war that is not your own? The choice is yours and where this adventure takes you is in your hands.
Remember to check the DATA FILES as they are updated for information on the Races, Technology, Factions, etc. of the universe.
* * *
Alien Races
Humans
In 2247, the Human race encountered the Collective after the latter discovered the former through use of an interstellar probe. Many Humans did not see eye-to-eye with the ideals of the Collective, but a power move by Martian settlers compounded a Human-Collective deal in which the majority of the Sol system was ceded to the Collective as Mars became the new capital of the Sol system. Earth became an exile world, but later joined the Tyche Concord. The Sol system has since prospered. Humans are known as very pertinent and hard-working builders by other alien races, and they have spread quickly both across the various worlds of the Collective - influentially, as well.
Kyrema
The Kyrema, hailing from Azïc, are oft regarded as wise but sometimes cynical scholars and explorers. They care little for family matters and more about making new discoveries. One of the two founding races of the Collective, along with the Krai.
Krai
Collais is the home of the Krai. The Krai themselves are peacemakers, and enjoy taking time for leisure. They made an alliance with the Kyrema early in their spacefaring history, and so the Collective was born.
Jazekii
The Jazekii are easily the Collective’s physically largest race - and muscled, due to the high gravity of their homeworld of Karazn. The Jazekii familial system is based in large clans, living together in extravagant palaces on the outskirts of the Collective’s cities. Once warlike, the Jazekii have found no need for war in hundreds of years, as they have prospered under the combined might of the Collective.
Semrians
Hailing from the distant planet of Tarlata are the Semrians - a lithe, thin race of serpent-like aliens. Their fur-covered bodies are long and flexible, and their four arms are more bony and rigid, extending from the sides of their bodies. They forgo legs, and instead slither like snakes with their muscled torso upright, but with the exception of having two tail-ends rather than one. The two tails can be similarly flexed, giving the Semrians extra height if need be. Their mouths are beaked, sitting below two beady eyes, and two large, backswept catlike ears behind their head. Semrians are often regarded as philosophers and monks due to their solitary and scholarly nature.
Sorgati
On average about five feet tall when upright, the Sorgati have four identical limbs set in two pairs at either end of their rectangular body. Each limb can be used as either a leg or arm when called upon. The “head,” if one can call it that, is set in the center of the torso with three gemstone like eyes set equidistant around a circular mouth. The mouth itself works double duty as nutrient intake and a chemical analysis organ. The Sorgati are quite often artists or designers. Everyone seems to find their works beautiful regardless of their species. The home planet of the Sorgati is Bavi'ka.
Tervani
The three-eyed Tervah are a noble, hardy race of explorers who have conquered many a system, stretching out from their homeworld of Ulavara. Other races have jokingly referred to the Tervah as “wet Humans” and to Humans as “dry Tervah” due to an overall similar figure. Standing around the same height of the average Human, the straight-backed Tervah have gilled necks and webbed fingers and toes, owing from an aquatic heritage. A stout muzzle ends in a flat nose and a set of thin lips. On the crown of their head and their shoulders reside a plumage of feather-like sensory organs.
Viveni
The Viveni are the newest race to enter the Collective. They converse using oral sounds to deliver basic speech but release pheromones to provide certain contexts. Before joining the Collective, the Viveni fought massive, bloody wars with one another, but sought peace after being discovered by the Collective, which they view as an honoured mediator.
* * *
Factions & Organizations
The Collective
The foremost influential power in the galaxy, the seed colonies of the Collective span a great area of the Milky Way. Having gathered new races into its ranks, the Collective has conquered not these races, but these races have worked together to conquer scarcity. Putting illustrious technology and prowess to work, the citizens of the Collective have built up habitable worlds and created self-sustaining systems on a galactic scale. Food, water, shelter, power, entertainment, connectivity and all else is readily available to those under the Collective’s umbrella.
Each citizen of the Collective is implanted with neural nanotechnology, enabling connectivity to the Collective’s Neural Supernetwork, which allows for quick and easy exchange of data and information between peers. This technology forms the basis for Collective society, as it allows each individual to upload and download knowledge as they need, as well as allow for a decentralized government in the form of a pure, direct democracy (though sometimes Ministers are appointed by the Citizenry in the case of disputes). Crime is also regulated through this technology; though the Collective’s laws are few in number, and serve only to protect others from harm or wrongdoing, the laws are enforced directly. Though simply thinking about committing a crime does not constitute a criminal charge, seriously considering or taking action to commit a crime do result in warnings and criminal charges, though charges often result in Merit reductions or, in the worst case, rehabilitation.
Merit is the Collective’s system of currency, or lack thereof. In the Collective’s world of post-scarcity, there is no need to pay for belongings, food, water, shelter, et cetera. Those can all be provided for the Collective Citizen in any justifiable number as long as said citizen has a requisite level of Merit (a base level is provided to each Citizen so that they are able to live rather comfortably). Merit is gained through acts which benefit Collective society, from doing good deeds that help other Citizens, to baking muffins for public consumption, to creating a statue for public display, to saving the lives of those caught in a building fire. Merit is not lost through obtaining goods, and is therefore not a currency. Gaining Merit only results in being able to access a higher standard and quality of non-essential goods. Merit is only lost through criminal actions.
In addition to the Neural Supernetwork (the Neuranet), nanotechnology makes itself apparent in almost all corners of Collective life, from carpet-cleaning to printing parts for starships. The Collective also makes use of benevolent AI that assist them in daily life in numerous scopes of work, home life or otherwise, in exchange for technological freedom. This symbiotic relationship is upheld, and so the Collective continues to prosper.
As the cherry on top, the Collective practices genetic modification. Through gene editing, the Collective Citizenry is free of disease, are adaptable to a wide range of climates, pressures and atmospheres, and have ‘cured’ aging - the Citizens of the Collective do not age past their early adulthood, and thus live forever, unless killed by other means.
The Vanguard
The Vanguard makes up the Collective’s police, military, and specialists. It is divided into several branches:
Peacekeepers - Main public police force of the Collective.
Tacticians - High-ranking Officers within the military that supply strategic knowledge.
Combatants - Main fighting forces of the Vanguard. Soldiers, Warlocks, Warriors.
Air Combatants - The Air-Force division of the Combatants.
Sea Combatants - The Naval equivalent of the Combatants.
Sentinels - Central Espionage Division of the Vanguard. Infiltrators, Assassins, Spies.
Lifekeepers - Doctors, Surgeons, Medical Officers and Search and Rescue Teams make up the Lifekeepers.
Practitioners - Similar to Advisors, but continually practice in their individual fields within the Vanguard as military personnel.
Advisors - Non-military personnel that bring auxiliary expertise to the Vanguard; Medical, Physical, Chemical, Engineering, et cetera.
Consulars - Citizenry-appointed regulators that assure the input of the Citizenry is made clear to the Vanguard, specifically the Tacticians and Advisors.
Star Guardians - The space forces of the Vanguard. Starship pilots and Combatants trained specifically for space combat. Were originally more like a Coast-Guard-type organization - they have now been militarized after the threat of the Colossus arose.
The Exile Worlds
(Not Currently Playable.)
Not all remain satisfied with the Collective. When one wishes to leave, their neural implants are deactivated and they have a choice of where to go. The exile worlds are a plethora of planets still within Collective space but not controlled by the Collective. They have free reign, and are politically diverse, though they do not have the resources of the Collective. Collective Citizens who wish to leave may choose whichever exile world they want to start anew on. Those wishing to leave the exile worlds and join (or re-join) the Collective are only accepted under a specific set of circumstances.
The Tyche Concord
The Tyche Concord is an alliance of exile worlds that are partnered with the Collective instead of being separated from them. The Concord regulates trade between the two powers; the Collective gains access to resources only produced by members of the Concord, and in return the Concord gains access to Collective space and technology. The Tyche Concord is based, obviously, from Tyche, in the Solomon system, one orbital out from Hyperion.
The Colossus
(Not Currently Playable.)
The Colossus seems to have come from nowhere and everywhere at once. It is a mysterious army, using a mix of old Collective materiel, stolen new technology, and unknown alien ships. Striking out from the interstellar space between Collective systems, they strong-arm and overwhelm the Vanguard military presence and conquer systems, cutting them off from the rest of the Collective. Their motives are unknown.
The Conclave
(Not Currently Playable.)
The Conclave is an interstellar federation that has colonized great stretches of the Orion-Cygnus arm. The extento of their territory lies on Collective borders, and the two maintain talks to keep the peace, but do not collaborate in any such way. They have a presence in the Trema System.
The Core Empire
(Not Currently Playable.)
The Core Empire is a feudalistic empire of many alien species originating from the stars near the core of the galaxy. They have slowly outstretched their limbs and upon discovery of the Collective and the Conclave, have also spread to and maintain a presence within Trema. The Core Empire gets along moderately well with the other galactic powers, but often shutters itself off and refuses communication with the Collective and Conclave. Not much is known about the species of the Core.
* * *
Creatures, Flora & Fauna
Thoulians Giant shelled beasts that roam within the jungles of Hyperion.
Sartiyan Birds Bird-like fliers that can commonly be seen in Hyperion’s skies.
Baski Small rodent-like mammals that are often found burrowing in the grasslands of Hyperion.
Feel free to create your own.
* * *
Spacecraft & Vehicles
Civilian Vehicles
Skybus A hovering vehicle designed to transport Collective citizens wherever they wish to go. They are fully autonomous and self-driving, and use antigrav technology to fly in designated sky-lanes to free up ground traffic for pedestrians. Skybuses come in a variety of sizes and styles, from two-seaters to large carriers for dozens of people, and from economical, bulky designs to sleek, whatever a citizens needs or wants at any given time. Skybuses or other hovering vehicles are not able to be owned by Collective citizens and are strictly for public use.
Hovercars, wheeled vehicles and other transport vehicles The Tyche Concord has access to several different forms of transportation, engineered by different alien races. Hovering vehicles are rarer in the Tyche Concord, though some do exist on the wealthier worlds like Tyche and Earth.
Military Vehicles
Air
Vanguard Private Manufacturing (VPM) Atmospheric Strike Fighter #74 (ASF74) A fast, heavily armed strike fighter used by the Vanguard. Carries plasma guns, propellant-based projectile guns, and micronized missile launchers, as well as flares.
Vanguard Private Manufacturing F09 Air-Ground Assault Craft (AGAC) A delta-wing-shaped hovercraft, able to fly around a battlefield with great speed and maneuverability in order to deliver fire wherever needed. Completely unmanned, this craft boasts two explosive-tipped projectile cannons and two plasma cannons.
Vanguard Private Manufacturing LN-27 Standard Bomber(LN-27) Operating at high altitudes, this sleek bomber carries an internal payload bay of high-explosive shells, ready to be dropped at a moment’s notice. The bomber’s speed owes to its high-powered engines, though the craft also has the ability to hover. Additionally carries two heavy missile launchers and four light plasma cannons.
Sea
None yet.
Land
Tambin Armory (TAARM) Heavy Siege Craft Model 56 (HSC56) A towering tank-like vehicle boasting a complement of serious armament, including a heavy railgun, surface-to-air missiles, artillery cannons and point-defense guns.
VPM Hovering Armored Strike Tank #32 (HAST32) The Vanguard's light battle tank of choice. THis hovering vehicle can zip around fairly fast and carries a powerful main gun as well as antipersonnel lasers.
Oskana Metalwork Industries (OMI) Designation 86 Tactical Scout Vehicle (TSV) A six-wheeled scout vehicle used to make like probing pushes into enemy territory before quickly retreating. Armed with an anti-air cannon as well as two side-gunner positions with antipersonnel guns.
VPM Light Scout Vehicle #26 (LSV26) A two person hovering scout car. It is as quick as it is small and relatively unarmored. It does not possess any weaponry.
OMI Series 2 Artillery Transport (S2AT) A specialized, six-wheeled truck, slung with heavy armor. Its bed carries a turreted weapon system, comprising of two heavy artillery cannons and a heavy missile launcher, as well as ranging devices, scanners, and Sonar.
VPM #99 Superheavy Tank (99ST) A massive treaded tank the size of a building. It’s extended pilot section provides a panoramic view of the battlefield, and also has internal sections for analysts, officers, and intelligence. Used primarily as command vehicles. Boasts a heavy projectile cannon as well as missile launchers.
TAARM Armored Infantry Transport Model 22 (AITM22) A heavily-armored, hovering APC that is able to swiftly transport a dozen soldiers to wherever they need to go. Comes armed with an anti-air plasma turret and micronized missile launchers.
VPM Model 54 Light Scout Drone A four-treaded, lightly armoured drone vehicle. Possessing advanced scanners and optics, it is meant to head quickly into enemy territory and transmit whatever crucial data is needed. Armed with a light missile rack and a light rotary projectile cannon.
OMI Drone Series Medium Battle Tank This treaded drone tank is heavily armed and dangerous, boasting both powerful weaponry and heavy armor. Its turret possesses an autocannon, light missile racks, and a heavy railgun. A heavy missile launcher is located off to the side.
Ship Appearance: An absolutely monstrous craft, the Alpha-Class Freighter is used as much for intimidation as it is for delivering supplies, gear, and Combatants to the field. Its arsenal is also comparatively large, and especially deadly. The vessel’s exterior is sleek and smooth, as are the other ships in the Vanguard’s main fleet line, but noticeably marked by hundreds of docking bays for the smaller craft it carries. One difference to the typical ship exterior is the exposed superstructure components of the Heavy Assault Freighter, helping hold everything together. The superstructure is most noticeable around the engines - which are six in number; three on either end.
Other: One of the most famous Heavy Freighters in Vanguard history is the Maliin, which was, at one time, commanded by Vigilant Guardian Joruna.
Ship Appearance: Like a giant whale, floating through space, the Beta-Class Carrier is a bulky, bulbous ship, meant to maximize the amount of cargo it can carry from planet to planet. It is one of few ships in the Vanguard main fleet line that can lug around the massive heavy dropships used by the Collective.
Other: Pre-war, these ships were used mainly for supplying the frontier colonies with whatever resources they needed.
Ship Appearance: The Dreadnaught is essentially a larger, bulkier version of the Epsilon- and Zeta-Class battleships and battlecruisers. Meant to maximize weaponry over transport, the smooth surface shell of the Dreadnaught is littered with weapons emplacements, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
Other: You can fit three Patrol Crafts inside the Dreadnaught.
Ship Appearance: Razor sharp, the Fast Attack Craft packs a punch - both through spacetime and through enemy lines. The Delta-Class is a name feared by the enemy. Its tubular appearance is built around four engines - arranged in twos in front and behind - bookended by a long, sharp front nose and a shorter tip behind. Along its long body are slung many a weapon for many a battle.
Other: Assignments aboard Fast Attack Craft are highly coveted.
Ship Appearance: The Epsilon-Class most closely resembled a finless shark. Its sleek exterior is dotted by docking bays for shuttles and dropships, as well as weapons emplacements and reaction control thrusters. It has four main engines - two in front and two in back - which utilize matter-antimatter annihilation to produce thrust. Similar to the engine placements, four super-heavy laser emplacements on either end are used as primary weapons, and can easily cut smaller ships to pieces.
Other: The Epsilon-Class is the primary battleship of the Vanguard Star Guardians. It has run many a mission and has seen plenty of use in both offensive and defensive combat scenarios.
Ship Appearance: The Zeta-Class Battlecruiser is on a similar design to the Epsilon-Class Battleship, though the cruiser is noticeably smaller by comparison. Sleek and shark-shaped, the Battlecruiser has a similar loadout and cargo capacity to it’s larger cousin, but lacks the heavy beam lasers that make the larger ships more deadly.
Other: These ships are often seen aiding Battleships in combat.
Ship Appearance: The Eta-Class Light Cruiser is particularly shaped - with a wide, gaping “mouth” at the front, opening downward from the twin fore engine nacelles, and tapering to a much more common engine-hugging tail. Like other ships in the main fleet line, weapons emplacements and docking bays line the surface. However, one particular docking bay, nestled in the “mouth,” makes this craft special as it is the smallest ship in the main fleet line that can launch a heavy dropship.
Other: The Light Cruiser has a large number of missile emplacements and is often used as a missile ship.
Ship Appearance: Bulky and tuna-shaped, the Destroyer is just big enough to make it into the medium class of naval ship in the main fleet line. It is light on docking bays and heavy on armament, boasting weapons that can scare less wieldy Colossus ships out of system.
Other: The Theta-Class has a fairly numerous supply of hydrogen warheads for its size.
Ship Appearance: Looking like a barracuda missing its lower jaw, the Iota-Class Frigate is long, sleek, and dangerous. The Frigate’s tail is extended in order to maximize interior space. Its armament is comparatively light, but still should not be underestimated.
Other: Primarily used for “hit-and-run” operations which include fast deployment of troops to a planetary surface.
Ship Appearance: Modeled similarly to the Frigate, the Kappa-Class Corvette offers a smaller armament than it’s larger brother, spread out in light-to-medium class weapon batteries scattered across the ship’s exterior.
Other: Primarily used to aid larger ships in battle.
Ship Appearance: The minnow of the main fleet line, the Patrol Craft has a noticeable forward bump on its top side, where the advanced scanner package resides. Along its underside are three panels, where the landing gear extend and retract. It is the only ship in the main fleet line that is capable of space-to-ground landing.
Other: The Patrol Craft is a scout vehicle, whether it is used for combat or for regular patrols - its primary purpose.
Other: The C15 is one of the most common shuttles in the Vanguard fleet. It is used primarily to drop squads behind or close to enemy lines, and summarily pick them up again. It can also be used as a light support craft when necessary.
1 medium-class vehicle or 4 light-class vehicles or 100 tons cargo
4.4 tons extraneous cargo capacity
Ship Armament:
2 heavy projectile gatling cannons
6 gimballed light plasma batteries
2 gimballed light beam laser batteries
Ship Technologies:
High-frequency scanners
IFF scanner
Multi-frequency communications package
Reentry aerogel reapplication drones
Automated landing/docking computer
Heat- and blast-resistant alloy chassis
Ship Appearance:
Other: C202’s are common battlefield dropships. They can deliver air support and clear areas before deploying troops and cargo. Ideal for moving people and equipment from ground to space, and back again.
1 heavy-class vehicle or 9 medium-class vehicles or 36 light-class vehicles
12 tons extraneous cargo capacity
Ship Armament:
6 heavy turreted anti-air beam lasers
4 heavy retractable & fixed plasma cannons
3 retractable light missile batteries
20 point-defense beam laser batteries
Ship Technologies:
High-frequency scanners
IFF scanner
Multi-frequency communications package
Automated landing/docking computer
Heat- and blast-resistant alloy chassis
Advanced heat shield
Ship Appearance:
Other: A C670 is enough to deal with on its own. Heavily armored and huge in itself, the C670 is one of the only ground-space capable dropships to fit a heavy vehicle inside its bay.
Ship Manufacturer: Tambin Armory
Ship Class: #89 Cargo Dropship
Ship Size: Length - 30m, Height - 8m, Width - 31m
Ship Crew/Personnel:
2 Command Crew
Accommodations for 10 Non-Crew Personnel
Ship Cargo Capacity:
1 light vehicle or 3 tons cargo
450 kilograms extraneous cargo capacity
Ship Armament:
2 retractable fixed projectile rotary cannons
2 retractable gimballed plasma cannons
4 retractable gimballed point-defense lasers
Ship Technologies:
High-frequency scanners
IFF scanner
Multi-frequency communications package
Automated landing/docking computer
Heat- and blast-resistant alloy chassis
Advanced heat shield
Reentry aerogel reapplication drones
Ship Appearance:
Other: Cargo dropships like the #89 are seen primarily dropping supplies or light vehicles in minor skirmish scenarios.
Other: The screaming sound of a Hellfire passing overhead is one that brings joy to the Combatants below, and strikes fear into its enemies. This heavily-armed craft usually works in pairs, delivering strafing runs wherever needed.
Other: Only lightly armed, the Troop Lander is made specifically to be flanked by other support craft. It is a fast, maneuverable vehicle that can deliver plenty of Combatants to the battlefield and make a quick escape to pick up more.
Other: The Type 3 is a fairly standard starliner-type of craft. Maximizing comfort over passenger capacity, it is a comfortable ship to stay on while cruising through the unknown.
Other: An S4 is essentially a giant cargo tug. It went out of production fairly quickly, due to its massive bulk and limited cargo capacity, though it still remains popular amongst Tychean traders.
Other: The Mass Transporter is a craft whose design has been disseminated through the entirety of the Collective, allowing anyone to build one, required they have the resources. This massive craft is designed to haul multiple ships, and entire fleets, at ludicrous speeds inside its massive warp bubble. Ideal for transporting battlefleets or essential cargo to frontier colonies.
Feel free to create your own using the skeleton below. No manned starfighters, however. They don't exist in this universe.
Ship Skeleton
Ship Manufacturer: (Who made the ship?)
Ship Designation: (What is the ship's name?)
Ship Class: (What kind of ship is it? Frigate, cruiser, freighter...)
Ship Size: (How big is the ship in meters/kilometres?)
Ship Crew/Personnel: (How many people, aliens, AI, etc. crew the ship?)
Ship Cargo Capacity: [optional] (How much cargo can the ship transport?)
Ship Armament: (What kind of weapons does the ship have? Plasma cannons, lasers, missiles...)
Ship Technologies: (What kind of extra gadgets is your ship packing?)
Ship Appearance: (What's it look like?)
Other: (Anything else of note.)
* * *
Technology
Genetic Technology
One of the primary essential technologies of the Collective is that of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering allows the Collective to modify and optimize its sentient species. Examples of benefits of genetic modification include enhanced endurance, fast metabolism, fast fat burning and muscle gain, adaptability to harsh climates and atmospheres, life extension (to infinity), regrowth of limbs, fast healing, and elimination of disease and birth defects.
Antigravity
The Collective has mastered the manipulation of gravity through Dark Energy, and so has become able to create localized gravity fields wherever the need arises. This technology is usually used in starships, in drones and in hovering vehicles.
Robotics, Drones & AI
Drones, robots and AI are widespread in the Collective. Unmanned drones assist the Vanguard in every theatre of combat - from platoons of AI-controlled robots on the ground to drone ships in space. Additionally, AI and robots assist their flesh-and-blood counterparts in all aspects of life. Many citizens of the collective employ use of drones to aid them in daily tasks - cleaning the furniture, carrying boxes or luggage, et cetera. AI are often seen in more official positions, siphoning through and compiling data in return for free will. Drones and robots take many forms, but realistic androids or robotic forms resembling a certain alien race are not often one of them. Many use antigravity technology to get around.
The Tyche Concord and Exile worlds also sees use of robotics, though at a more primitive level. The Collective does not usually trade in robotics, so those in the Concord are left to engineer their own. Some AI are also present in the Tyche Concord.
Cybernetics
Cybernetics come in a plethora of uses, styles and enhancements, though they are few and far between in the common Collective Citizenry. Only the Vanguard see extensive use of Cybernetics, as standard Collective neural implants can do almost anything any extraneous cybernetics can do.
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is everywhere in the Collective. Nanotechnology is used to print parts in factories, to assist in cleaning and sanitation, et cetera. It also has applications in medicine and treating whatever disease may arise.
A common use of nanotechnology is though SuperForm - a nanometal that can change its shape and density to whatever is required of it. It is used in armor plating, spacesuit repair functions, utility knives, multitools, and more.
Neuranet Technology
The Collective Citizenry's neural implants are multitools themselves. They allow for augmented reality without any ocular cybernetics, instant translation of alien languages, wordless and wireless communication with anyone anywhere in Collective space (through use of Nexuses) as well as data exchange with peers, such as knowledge, skills, and memories. Think of it like a hyper-advanced smartphone, but in your head.
Neural implants connect to routers placed anywhere and everywhere the Collective occupies in order to ensure constant connectivity to the neuranet. The routers then connect to large Nexuses, which use wormhole technology to link to other Nexuses in other systems. Nexuses, like routers, are placed anywhere and everywhere (even on starships).
Collective starships use antimatter to power their engines, with metallic hydrogen as backup. Metallic hydrogen is used in Collective spacecraft reaction control thrusters.
XC-Drives are starship FTL drives that work on the Alcubierre warp principle - spacetime in front of the ship is compacted and spacetime behind the ship is expanded, creating a warp bubble travelling at thousands of times the speed of light, within which the starship rests. XC-Drives are used for in-system travel and to travel to frontier colonies.
Bridges
To travel from system to system, the collective use Bridges (wormholes, basically) stationed at specific orbits within systems. Linked together, the systems and the bridges within them form a sort of interstellar highway.
Handheld Devices
GENERATIONAL Series 9 SuperForm Reforming Multipurpose Tools (MPTs) (SuperForm Swiss Army Knives. Come in a variety of sizes.)
Leitgester Technology Solutions Byt54 Chemical Data Storage Stick (CDS) (DNA-based information storage.)
Incarrasi SmarTech Data Storage Disc (Small crystal disc about the size of a quarter.)
Incarrasi SmarTech Storage Disc Reader/Writer (Linkable to Neural Implants.)
Military Equipment
GENERATIONAL Series 8 Carbon Steel Utility Knife (Just a good ol' knife.)
Vanguard Private Manufacturing SG54 Smart Grenade (Can be set to 'Frag' or 'Smoke')
Vanguard Private Manufacturing New Standard Stun Grenade (An effective flashbang.)
Vanguard Private Manufacturing New Standard Explosive Filament Tape with Folding Applicator & Detonator (Explosive tape with a compact applicator. Good for breaching.)
Vanguard Private Manufacturing Shaped Remote High Explosive Charge (HEX Charge) (Great for destroying walls.)
Vanguard Private Manufacturing New Standard Infiltration & Controller Module (ICM) (With a SuperForm connector, allows one to hack into virtually anything.)
Vanguard Private Manufacturing Model 153 Compact Airborne Reconnaissance Drone (CARD) (Toss it skyward, watch it fly, let it work for you. About the size and shape of a hamburger patty.)
Taurus Engineering Series 54 Rapid Grapple/Rappel System (Grapple Gun) (Self explanatory.)
Weaponry
Ian V. Xavier (IVX) Firearms Class 2 Model 9 Charged Particle Assault Rifle (C2M9 CPAR) (The standard plasma rifle of the Vanguard Combatants.) (Image Link)
Vanguard Private Manufacturing (VPM) Mk. III Special Applications Sidearm/Laser (MK3 SAS) (Sleek laser pistol. Favoured amongst Sentinel Operators.)
Kasper New Series (KNS) Type-21 Magnetic-Accelerated-Projectile Designated Marksman Rifle (T21 DMR) (Whisper-quiet, as with all magnetic-driven weapons.)
BRUMADÉ Model 47 Propellant-Driven-Projectile Assault & Multipurpose Shotgun (M47 AMS) (Semi-automatic shotgun. All propellant-driven projectiles are caseless and are essentially rocket-bullets.)
All currently available locations will appear here.
Solomon System
Abarimon
A "hot Jupiter," resting in a close orbit to Solomon, it is used only as a gas mine.
Vāyu
Abarimon's sole satellite. Its sandy, inhospitable surface is baked by Solomon. Only underground refineries and mines provide shelter.
Jinn Belt
An asteroid belt where millions live in small colonies.
Ansfront.
Karkinos
An arid, rocky world where terraforming operations are underway. The main settlement is Ansfront.
Attis
The rocky, airless mining moon of Karkinos.
In orbit above Maylie.
Maylie
A large waterworld that serves as a major residential planet in Solomon, next to Hyperion. Numerous sunken cities and agricultural depots dot Maylie. Its capital city is Yolvien.
Thalia
The larger of Maylie's two moons. It serves as both a mining base and an agricultural centre.
Ceraon
Rocky and airless like Thalia, mines and military centres are present on Ceraon.
Hyperion's Capital, Ipsum.
Hyperion
The heart of the Collective. This beautiful terrestrial world is populated by over six billion. Huge megacities dot the landscape, with the Vanguard's military centre - Hyperion Base - resting in a crater in the north. The capital city is Ipsum.
A settlement on Tyche.
Tyche
The namesake of the Tyche Concord. It is a colder and starker terrestrial world than Hyperion, but still beautiful and habitable. From the capital city of Agathos, trade between the worlds of the Tyche Concord and the Collective prospers.
Argus
The second of Solomon's gas giants. Aside from numerous gas mines, several floating cities reside in Argus' upper atmosphere, including its capital, Noll City.
A view of Ahab's surface.
Ahab
A dense, watery moon, exploited only for its abundance of liquid water and for agricultural purposes.
In Rivendell's outlands.
Rivendell
A warm, swampy but illustrious moon of Argus, currently being colonized by the Collective after extensive terraforming efforts. Most of its residents are settled in Elrond City.
Illuyanka
With a dense atmosphere of carbon dioxide and soot, this volcanic moon is only exploited for its rare metals.
Jíufeng
Solomon's outermost gas giant. Much like Argus, it is dotted by gas mines and floating cities. Its capital is Galari Horizon.
Dökkálfar
A rocky and intimidating moon dotted with gleaming crystal towers. Brave colonists have flocked here to witness its twisted beauty.
Rhapso
A small rocky, airless moon dotted with mines.
Nessus
Similar to Rhapso, Nessus is also primarily mined.
Lomar
Rocky canyons of beautiful colors stretch across the surface of this otherwise uninhabitable moon. Mines and a military base are present here.
Euporie
Solomon's richest planet in terms of raw metallic resources. Colonist-workers have also set up a settlement here, named Tir's Reach.
An old fortress on Ino.
Ino
A cold, icy, mountainous world where massive refineries process material from all over Solomon.
Maalik
Solomon's resident factory world. Everything from simple toys to starship parts are built here. Otherwise, Maalik is dark, rocky, and airless.
* * *
Miscellaneous
Corporations, Organizations & Manufacturers
BRUMADÉ (Tyche-Based Firearms Manufacturer)
GENERATIONAL (Collective-Based Manufacturer of Bladed Tools & Weapons)
Ian V. Xavier Firearms (Collective-Based Firearms Manufacturer)
Incarrasi (Collective-Based Manufacturer of Consumer Electronics)
Kasper New Series (Collective-Based Firearms Manufacturer)
Krueller-10 Weapon Systems (Collective-Based Firearms Manufacturer)
Leitgester Technology Solutions (Collective-Based Manufacturer of Consumer Electronics)
Oskana Metalwork Industries (Collective-Based Manufacturer of Military Vehicles)
Tambin Armory (Collective-Based Manufacturer of Military Vehicles)
Taurus Engineering (Collective-Based Manufacturer of Military Equipment)
Titanium Craftworks (Collective-Based Manufacturer of Starships)
Vanguard Private Manufacturing (Manufacturing Arms & Armor Specifically for the Vanguard)
Planet Classes
Class A - Agricultural Center
Class C - Colony
Class F - Factory World
Class GM - Gas Mine
Class M - Military Base
Class N - Nature Preserve
Class P - Protected Sentience
Class R - Residential Center
Class RF - Refinery
Class RS - Resource Gathering
Class T - Terraforming
Weaponry Types
Laser Weaponry - Fire a barely-visible beam that flares, brightens, and usually causes a small, spark-laden explosion upon contact with a surface. The firing itself is fairly quiet for a firearm, with only a loud (but aurally tolerable) electric whine upon firing. Can fire as a single burst, or a beam, depending on the model of weapon. Power levels can be varied, but battery-magazines deplete quickly if the power levels are increased. No recoil.
Plasma Weaponry - Loud, bright and obnoxious to fire, but pack a hell of a punch. Uses a particle beam to create a magnetic channel for ionized gas (usually held in the magazine) to flow through, though the particle beam can also ionize the surrounding air at the cost of weapon battery life. It's essentially like shooting a straight, bright, non-branching lightning bolt. Can be found in Automatic and semi-automatic variants. Little recoil.
Propellant-driven Projectiles - Using high-power explosives contained within the body of the projectile, instead of an auxiliary casing, these weapons essentially shoot caseless ammunition in the form of a sort of rocket-bullet. This even goes for shotgun rounds. These weapons make extensive use of discarding sabots to keep the projectile package intact before it leaves the barrel. They are quieter and kick less than their firearm counterparts of a millennia past, and they can be customized just as much.
Magnetic-driven Projectiles - Use magnetic rails or coils in order to launch projectiles at lethal velocity. Like propellant-driven projectiles, the rounds are caseless and use discarding sabots. They can be fired either supersonically or subsonically. Supersonically, the rounds produce a sonic boom (like a whip-crack) when passing an observer. Subsonically, everything is quiet. Whisper-quiet. Ideal for those with a mind for stealth. No recoil.
Species Age Limits
(Maximum ages for Collective and Ex-Collective citizens)
Kyrema - No older than 2600 years.
Krai - No older than 2600 years.
Jazekii - No older than 1700 years.
Semrians - No older than 1350 years.
Sorgati - No older than 1000 years.
Humans - No older than 800 years.
Tervani - No older than 500 years.
Viveni - No older than 250 years.
* * *
Rules
1. No Godmodding, metagaming, powergaming, et cetera. Exercise basic common sense and be courteous to your fellow players, please.
2. Please don't try to make one alien race have sex with a different alien race. And on top of that let's keep it PG-13 in terms of romance, okay?
3. Please RP only in the locations that are available and readily apparent; only as the races listed (the list will expand later); and only in the factions available (again, the list will expand later).
4. If you have trouble understanding something or otherwise need direction, please indicate so and I will offer assistance and/or direction.
5. Always consult the Data Files section first if you need to know something.
6. Original art preferred.
7. Player feedback, art, and expansions to the lore and Data Files section are always welcome. Just be sure to check in with me first.
8. Adherence to a measure of realism is recommended.
9. Please denote where exactly your character is at the beginning of each post. A simple System-Planet-Location breakdown is generally the best way to go.
10. Try to have some fun.
* * *
Character Sheet
Name: (Get as creative as you like)
Species: (Please select only one of the species listed in the Data Files)
Age: (Remember, Collective Citizens (and former ones too) live forever, so some could be very old. Just a note: Humans cannot be older than around 800.)
Sex: (Up to you.)
Appearance: (Also up to you, but remember the limits of your species.)
History: (Keep it brief.)
Personality: (What makes your character interesting?)
Allegiance: (Please select only one of the playable factions from the Data Files section.)
Personal Effects: (What belongings do you keep on your person?)
Other: (Anything else you want to note.)
* * *
Here, the story's Arcs and Chapters will be summarized.
ARC 1
Retaking the Concourse
Chapter 1 - The Liberation of Jurole
No summary yet, complete this chapter first.
* * *
Q: How did the Collective put wormholes across the galaxy?
A: They loaded micro-sized wormholes into Von-Neumann-type probes, which they sent all over the galaxy at then thousand times the speed of light, over a few thousand years. When an appropriate system for colonization was found, the probe would release the micro-wormhole and the Collective, from one of their home systems, would increase the negative energy density inside the wormhole from their end. Rinse and repeat, and you have an interstellar highway.
Q: Does the Collective occupy ALL of the space within its 'borders' on the galaxy map?
A: No. As above, they only occupy the most interesting and habitable systems. Essentially, they're seed colonies. Once they get a Bridge (wormhole) up to a new system, they colonize that system, and also colonize the few stars immediately in the vicinity to that new system. These adjacent star systems are called Frontier Colonies, and can only be reached via a few days' worth of travel by XC-Drive.
Q: How high-ranking can my character be?
A: Don't go above Commander. I don't want any characters with enough authority to order the mass bombardment of any planet.
Q: Do AI control only one robotic body at a time?
A: No, not usually. That can be the case sometimes, but usually AI control multiple drones at once.
Q: Wait, are neural implants mandatory?
A: For Collective citizens and members of the Vanguard, yes.
Q: How old is the Collective?
A: Around 2500 years in the past from the time this story takes place (so about 1500 years ago IRL), the Krai and Kyrema signed the Collective Compact, and thus this new superpower began.
Q: Why can't my character pilot a starfighter?
A: Primarily because I like realism and have tried to infuse it into this story as much as possible. In reality, a starfighter is essentially like a flying missile. They'd get shot down by the laser targeting systems of larger ships in an instant. Putting a person in one is a death sentence, and nobody would do that. The Collective doesn't like to waste lives, so they use dispensable drone fighters. They're too small to have effective XC-Drives, and they're not really much faster than the larger ships, so they tend to swarm together to deliver combined fire on an enemy ship, or they protect their mothership by shielding it or using their weapons as extra point-defense, or defense against enemy fighter drones.
Q: Why are there no mecha?
A: Again, realism. Mecha would have way too many moving parts, thus more potential for failure. Their body shape is not practical for armor plating, either. Standing mecha also make for easy targets, too. Combine these and throw one on a battlefield, and that this is gonna be out of commission in an instant. I'd prefer to have tanks, hovering vehicles, and wheeled vehicles, big or small. The treaded vehicles could also have the ability to raise themselves on protruding treads, to gain a little extra height if need be.
Q: Why can't I use technology to make my character/ship go invisible?
A: Once again, realism. Invisibility is a fickle technology - one that we don't really know if we can actually pull off yet. Even if we could, it'd only be sort of effective from one side. I prefer not to get into this debate, as I feel it is also sort of overpowered. I don't need ships going invisible or players fighting and one can just disappear into thin air. There are other ways to do stealth, and I feel like it might be more of a fun challenge if invisibility wasn't a thing.
Q: Why can I not be a realistic-looking android?
A: If you have a robot character that looks like a human, talks like a human, and acts like a human, why wouldn't you just play a human? Because the robot is smarter, stronger? So are the members of the Collective. They're genetically modified and have neural implants. You don't need to be an android to get those benefits.
Q: Why aren't there shields?
A: For the last time, realism. Energy shield technology, like invisibility, is almost certainly not going to be a real technology that we can engineer. There are other wars to protect a spacecraft. Lasers and plasma? Your ship could have an array of emitters along its surface that generate a thin layer of plasma or localized magnetic fields to dissipate the energy. Projectiles and missiles? Use particle beams, either low-intensity to 'push' away incoming projectiles, or high-energy lasers to destroy missiles and drones.
Q: Do holograms exist in this universe?
A: Yes and no. No, because hologram technology is really impractical and almost certainly impossible to pull off without having projectors, screens and mirrors all over the place. Instead, Collective citizens can see holograms, instantly translated text, and more through the augmented reality of their neural implants.
Q: Why did you remove all these typical sci-fi conventions in the first place?
A: Because this isn't Star Wars, this isn't Star Trek, or Mass Effect, or Battlestar Galactica, et cetera. It takes elements from these things, but what I've crafted here is something that ignores these conventions for the sake of realism and for the sake of challenge. I really believe that abstaining from these conventions and adhering to realism can be a fun, challenging breath of fresh air. I want players to feel directly engaged with what they are doing and I want them to experience the world I have meticulously crafted for over a decade. The most important thing is the ability to have fun. Despite the lack of these conventions, I believe fun is still a possibility. All I've done is replace some things you typically see, with other things you don't. I hope that makes this game fresh and interesting.
This section is here to notify players of any changes to the post, updates to the Data Files, or anything else need-to-know. That said, that is all and thanks for reading.
Footnotes
1. The circled numbers indicate the number of low-orbit orbital rings around the planet.
General Notes
Mecha, (Manned) Starfighters, androids that look like humans or an alien race, force-field-type shields, and invisibility-based stealth devices don't exist in this universe.
Atmospheric fighter pilots and Combatants work in drone groups. The squad leader(s) lead(s) a squadron of unmanned drones.
Updates
[Update 11-07-17 17:53 ET] Expanded Data Files - Technology & added spacecraft skeleton to Data Files - Spacecraft & Vehicles. [Update 11-07-17 20:40 ET] Expanded Data Files - Spacecraft & Vehicles, updated spacecraft skeleton, Expanded Data Files - Miscellaneous, added to General Notes. [Update 11-08-17 23:53 ET] Added two images to Data Files - Technology - Weaponry. [Update 11-14-17 21:30 ET] Made Zeroth OOC Post look sexier. [Update 11-16-17 19:20 ET] Added three sections to first two posts: Story Summary, Question & Answer, Further Reading. Expanded Data Files - Miscellaneous. [Update 12-08-17 00:04 ET] Huge update to Data Files - all sections
* * *
Further Reading
Here are some books, films and YouTube Channels I recommend.
Books
Foundation, by Isaac Asimov The Culture (Series), by Iain M. Banks Stand on Zanzibar, by John Brunner Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card Rendezvous with Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke The Expanse (Series), by James S. A. Corey Neuromancer, by William Gibson Dune, by Frank Herbert Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley Ringworld, by Larry Niven 1984, by George Orwell Revelation Space (Series), by Alastair Reynolds Contact, by Carl Sagan The Martian, by Andy Weir
Films
Ex Machina, dir. Alex Garland 2001: A Space Odyssey, dir. Stanley Kubrick Metropolis, dir. Fritz Lang Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, dir. Nicholas Meyer Interstellar, dir. Christopher Nolan Alien, dir. Ridley Scott Blade Runner, dir. Ridley Scott Close Encounters of the Third Kind, dir. Steven Spielberg Minority Report, dir. Steven Spielberg Solaris, dir. Andrei Tarkovsky Star Wars (Series), dir. Various Arrival, dir. Denis Villeneuve
Member
Plank Sinatra,
TrippyNightmare
