As we pass over the ruins of a thousand shattered civilizations, I begin to experience an odd lucidity, the likes of which I have not experienced before in my life. What is Septimus? It most surely is not the refuge we humans hope it is. I am certain the worldsphere builders are not counted among the broken empires below. No, it was never their intent to live within their creation, yet clearly they intended for others to inhabit it. Given their advanced technology, they certainly could have kept out anyone they chose. They made it possible for many interstellar civilizations to find a way in. Yet, we have never seen any evidence of any of these civilizations on other worlds, even worlds only a few tens of light years from Septimus. It could be coincidence, it's a big galaxy and we humans have only seen a tiny speck of it. Still, it doesn't seem right. Even if we are new on the galactic scene, many of the ruins in Septimus appear to be thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of years old. Surely, some of these races would have colonized planets within our region of explored space. No, they came to Septimus. The entirety of their civilizations, drawn like moths to a flame. One after another, whole interstellar civilizations swallowed up by the worldsphere. But why? Why would whole empires allow themselves to be consumed? Because they never knew what lay inside. There was no warning. No one warned them. No one ever got out.
No one has ever escaped from Septimus.
Septimus is a trap, a trap for entire civilizations. But that's not the whole story. Of that, I'm certain. No matter how advanced they were, constructing the worldsphere had to be a monumental effort for its builders. Was their hatred of all intelligent life in the galaxy so powerful that it compelled them to build such a trap? It's possible, I suppose, but it still feels wrong to me. What destroyed all these civilizations? Did they make war upon each other? Perhaps, but what of the victors? Was it a case of mutual destruction, repeated again and again? No, too much of a coincidence. Eventually, a race would emerge with the technological edge to wipe out all comers. They should still be around. Maybe they are and maybe they're watching us right now. Still, that doesn't really explain why Septimus was built in the first place. Was all this destruction arranged for the amusement of the builders? Maybe, they are still here. Or maybe something else? Something very ancient and very powerful. Are we intended to be sacrifices to some primordial god? Are we the latest victims to be slaughtered upon some primeval altar?
"Pelham, we're landing in 10 minutes."
"Huh? Oh right." It was Ramos. "Any word from the colony?"
"Nothing yet, but we've got a visual. Everything looks ok. Come take a look."
Sure enough, the colony looked fine. At this range, we couldn't see any colonists, but they clearly had lights and power.
"Ok people, strap in and prepare for descent," Chevsky said.
Just then, the ship exploded.
-Rognar-
Showing posts with label campaigns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label campaigns. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Septimus - Chapter 1.3
Since we have a few hours before arriving at the colony, I decide to take a nap. It seems like only minutes pass, when, for the third time today, Ramos wakes me up.
"Ramos, what is it now?"
"We're preparing for final descent. Man, I think you're gonna want to see this."
I figured by now, I would have built up some resistance to Septimus Syndrome. Okay, it's not a real disorder, at least not yet. But that's what I call the endless beating your mind takes by looking at the worldsphere. I was wrong. As we got close enough to the surface to make out details, all my preconceptions about what to expect exploded in a blinding flash and a puff of smoke. Truth be told, I'm not sure why, but I always assumed the builders were the last inhabitants of Septimus and when they left, how ever many aeons ago that was, the worldsphere remained hidden and abandoned until we humans came along. Maybe since we have never discovered any life on any planets humans have explored, I figured we were really alone out here. Yet, as we approach the island where the Rojas colony is located, I can see dozens, maybe hundreds of structures scattered all over the surface of Septimus. Some look like roads or railways, others like towns and cities. At this distance, it is impossible to tell if any of the settlements are inhabited...
"No EM, except for the colony transponder," Juanita said, as if anticipating my next question.
"Can we get hi-mag?", asked Chevsky.
"Hold on."
Some of the control systems were still damaged from the jump, but Juanita and I were able to get the telescope deployed in a few minutes. As the high-mag feed appeared on the main viewer, I got the sense for first time that I was going to die on Septimus and that death would not be quiet, peaceful and painless. Everywhere we looked, we saw ruin. Broken cities, worn down by the ages could be seen everywhere. Below us were huge craters and gouges that tore up the surface, though a lot of it was overgrown with vegetation. I'm no expert on archaeology, but it sure looked like more than one group of people built all those structures. There were different styles of architecture. Some cities had pyramids, others didn't. The layout of some of the cities was very angular, for others it wasn't. Some cities appeared older and almost completely eroded away. Others seemed more recent, though probably still ancient. But one thing all the cities seemed to share. They didn't die from neglect, they were destroyed. Chevsky was the first to speak.
"We better get to the colony."
I could hear the fear in his voice. It was first time since I'd met the man that he showed fear of anything. No one else knew what to say. We continued on to the colony in silence.
-Rognar-
"Ramos, what is it now?"
"We're preparing for final descent. Man, I think you're gonna want to see this."
I figured by now, I would have built up some resistance to Septimus Syndrome. Okay, it's not a real disorder, at least not yet. But that's what I call the endless beating your mind takes by looking at the worldsphere. I was wrong. As we got close enough to the surface to make out details, all my preconceptions about what to expect exploded in a blinding flash and a puff of smoke. Truth be told, I'm not sure why, but I always assumed the builders were the last inhabitants of Septimus and when they left, how ever many aeons ago that was, the worldsphere remained hidden and abandoned until we humans came along. Maybe since we have never discovered any life on any planets humans have explored, I figured we were really alone out here. Yet, as we approach the island where the Rojas colony is located, I can see dozens, maybe hundreds of structures scattered all over the surface of Septimus. Some look like roads or railways, others like towns and cities. At this distance, it is impossible to tell if any of the settlements are inhabited...
"No EM, except for the colony transponder," Juanita said, as if anticipating my next question.
"Can we get hi-mag?", asked Chevsky.
"Hold on."
Some of the control systems were still damaged from the jump, but Juanita and I were able to get the telescope deployed in a few minutes. As the high-mag feed appeared on the main viewer, I got the sense for first time that I was going to die on Septimus and that death would not be quiet, peaceful and painless. Everywhere we looked, we saw ruin. Broken cities, worn down by the ages could be seen everywhere. Below us were huge craters and gouges that tore up the surface, though a lot of it was overgrown with vegetation. I'm no expert on archaeology, but it sure looked like more than one group of people built all those structures. There were different styles of architecture. Some cities had pyramids, others didn't. The layout of some of the cities was very angular, for others it wasn't. Some cities appeared older and almost completely eroded away. Others seemed more recent, though probably still ancient. But one thing all the cities seemed to share. They didn't die from neglect, they were destroyed. Chevsky was the first to speak.
"We better get to the colony."
I could hear the fear in his voice. It was first time since I'd met the man that he showed fear of anything. No one else knew what to say. We continued on to the colony in silence.
-Rognar-
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Septimus - Chapter 1.2
Only a few seconds remain in the airlock cycle and then my first look at the worldsphere from the inside. I still can't really wrap my head around it, they say the surface area is something like three hundred quadrillion square kilometers, almost a billion times the area of earth. The human mind is simply not equipped to truly appreciate such immensity. Venting is complete, the airlock opens. A gentle push and I'm drifting out.
I've never been much for religion, but only someone who's stared into the face of God can imagine it. In every direction, a sky full of world. Never again will I see black sky or stars, yet I feel no sadness at this. In this instant I know that the wonder I feel right now will not fade in my lifetime. There is too much here for a hundred lifetimes to fully understand.
I don't know how long I floated there in awe of what I was witnessing, but eventually my reverie was disrupted by Juanita's voice asking if I was alright. After a few seconds to compose myself, I replied that I was fine and that I was about to turn on my helmet cam for video feed back to the bridge. The mike was still open when they received the first signal and I could sense the awe in their response. If only they could see it as I was right now. It was at this point that I noticed the sunblocks. I don't recall if I ever gave much thought to day and night cycles within Septimus or whether we would just be living in perpetual high noon. If I had, I probably would have thought such a thing would be difficult to get used to. As it turns out, the Septimus builders had thought of that. A giant ring of alternating plates and voids rotates slowly within the sphere, casting shadows across an equatorial band within the sphere. There is certainly plenty of landmass above and below the equator which never sees night, but for anyone living within the equatorial zone, it appears there is a normal (or whatever passes for normal inside Septimus) day-night cycle. Of course, reflected light from within the sphere would no doubt mean night isn't exactly dark, but I guess some sort of diurnal cycle is better than none at all. On the closest part of the sphere, I can just make out some detail. There are continents and oceans, mountain ranges and rivers, and clouds. From this distance, It's hard to tell the scale of these things, but they must surely be staggering when viewed from the ground. I thought Olympus Mons was breathtaking. I guess there are going to be a lot of people walking around in a daze for awhile once we land. Which reminds me, I'm out here for a reason. Time to get to work.
First, the optics array, I've got to get that online. I make my way over the hull, trying to avoid further distraction. However, I notice some strange scoring on the hull. Can't recall having seen anything quite like it, several sets of widely-spaced parallel scratchs criss-cross the outer surface of the ship. I've seen the effects of micrometeors and sandcasters, railguns and debris fields and they never looked like this. It definitely doesn't look like anything produced by lasers or plasma cannons either. Very weird, but it doesn't appear as though it caused any significant damage, whatever it was. Still, it gives me the creeps. Okay, the optics bay is just ahead. Yeah, as I suspected, the forward camera has be torn off. It probably caused a surge which burned out the rear camera as well. No big deal, I have a spare I can install for now to give us forward viewing. The rest of the system can be overhauled when we land.
It takes a half hour, but we have visuals. I only have a few minutes of EVA time left, so I'm just going to take a quick look at the impact shield. It's only a few meters, so I take it in one bounce. Damn, what a mess! I don't know if the scratchs on the hull and the hole in the impact shield are related, but something tore into us pretty good. Owww, my head is starting to hurt again. I'll have to ask Ramos for another shot of that painkiller he gave me. Looking at the hole, it's strange, narrow, but deep and unusually round. It almost looks like some kind of tool was used. No melting around the edges and no transfer from the object. Man, I'm starting get a bad feeling about this. Damn, this headache! What's that?
"(static)...Pelham, respond!"
Right there, some sort of shimmering. Ahhhh, my skull feels like it's gonna explode. There, again.
"(static)...Pelham, we are picking up elevated gamma radiation. Please, respond!...(static)"
No, leave me alone! Get out of my head! No please, leave her alone! Leave them alone! They're just kids!
--------------
"Pelham, you're awake."
"Ramos, what happened?"
"You tell me."
"All I remember is seeing some kind of shimmer and my head was killing me."
"There was a radiation surge. We're not sure where it came from. When it stopped, Chevsky went out to find you. You were unconscious, but you still had air. Your suit was fine and you seem to have suffered no radiation exposure."
"That's it?"
"Well, Juanita claims she heard you mumbling something about children just before your comm went dead, but she couldn't make it out too clearly. Anyway, you seem fine now and we have a bit of good news. Juanita has located the transponder frequency for the Rojas colony. As soon as we get a fix on their location, we're on our way."
"That's good to hear. I can't wait to breath some real air."
"Odd thing though, she says she was only able to detect about a half dozen transponder frequencies, besides the one Rojas is using. Every colony ship is supposed to be broadcasting one and there have been over two hundred ships going through so far. I guess a lot of people just want to be left alone."
-Rognar-
I've never been much for religion, but only someone who's stared into the face of God can imagine it. In every direction, a sky full of world. Never again will I see black sky or stars, yet I feel no sadness at this. In this instant I know that the wonder I feel right now will not fade in my lifetime. There is too much here for a hundred lifetimes to fully understand.
I don't know how long I floated there in awe of what I was witnessing, but eventually my reverie was disrupted by Juanita's voice asking if I was alright. After a few seconds to compose myself, I replied that I was fine and that I was about to turn on my helmet cam for video feed back to the bridge. The mike was still open when they received the first signal and I could sense the awe in their response. If only they could see it as I was right now. It was at this point that I noticed the sunblocks. I don't recall if I ever gave much thought to day and night cycles within Septimus or whether we would just be living in perpetual high noon. If I had, I probably would have thought such a thing would be difficult to get used to. As it turns out, the Septimus builders had thought of that. A giant ring of alternating plates and voids rotates slowly within the sphere, casting shadows across an equatorial band within the sphere. There is certainly plenty of landmass above and below the equator which never sees night, but for anyone living within the equatorial zone, it appears there is a normal (or whatever passes for normal inside Septimus) day-night cycle. Of course, reflected light from within the sphere would no doubt mean night isn't exactly dark, but I guess some sort of diurnal cycle is better than none at all. On the closest part of the sphere, I can just make out some detail. There are continents and oceans, mountain ranges and rivers, and clouds. From this distance, It's hard to tell the scale of these things, but they must surely be staggering when viewed from the ground. I thought Olympus Mons was breathtaking. I guess there are going to be a lot of people walking around in a daze for awhile once we land. Which reminds me, I'm out here for a reason. Time to get to work.
First, the optics array, I've got to get that online. I make my way over the hull, trying to avoid further distraction. However, I notice some strange scoring on the hull. Can't recall having seen anything quite like it, several sets of widely-spaced parallel scratchs criss-cross the outer surface of the ship. I've seen the effects of micrometeors and sandcasters, railguns and debris fields and they never looked like this. It definitely doesn't look like anything produced by lasers or plasma cannons either. Very weird, but it doesn't appear as though it caused any significant damage, whatever it was. Still, it gives me the creeps. Okay, the optics bay is just ahead. Yeah, as I suspected, the forward camera has be torn off. It probably caused a surge which burned out the rear camera as well. No big deal, I have a spare I can install for now to give us forward viewing. The rest of the system can be overhauled when we land.
It takes a half hour, but we have visuals. I only have a few minutes of EVA time left, so I'm just going to take a quick look at the impact shield. It's only a few meters, so I take it in one bounce. Damn, what a mess! I don't know if the scratchs on the hull and the hole in the impact shield are related, but something tore into us pretty good. Owww, my head is starting to hurt again. I'll have to ask Ramos for another shot of that painkiller he gave me. Looking at the hole, it's strange, narrow, but deep and unusually round. It almost looks like some kind of tool was used. No melting around the edges and no transfer from the object. Man, I'm starting get a bad feeling about this. Damn, this headache! What's that?
"(static)...Pelham, respond!"
Right there, some sort of shimmering. Ahhhh, my skull feels like it's gonna explode. There, again.
"(static)...Pelham, we are picking up elevated gamma radiation. Please, respond!...(static)"
No, leave me alone! Get out of my head! No please, leave her alone! Leave them alone! They're just kids!
--------------
"Pelham, you're awake."
"Ramos, what happened?"
"You tell me."
"All I remember is seeing some kind of shimmer and my head was killing me."
"There was a radiation surge. We're not sure where it came from. When it stopped, Chevsky went out to find you. You were unconscious, but you still had air. Your suit was fine and you seem to have suffered no radiation exposure."
"That's it?"
"Well, Juanita claims she heard you mumbling something about children just before your comm went dead, but she couldn't make it out too clearly. Anyway, you seem fine now and we have a bit of good news. Juanita has located the transponder frequency for the Rojas colony. As soon as we get a fix on their location, we're on our way."
"That's good to hear. I can't wait to breath some real air."
"Odd thing though, she says she was only able to detect about a half dozen transponder frequencies, besides the one Rojas is using. Every colony ship is supposed to be broadcasting one and there have been over two hundred ships going through so far. I guess a lot of people just want to be left alone."
-Rognar-
Friday, June 11, 2010
Septimus - Chapter 1.1
It had been over four days since the Svetlana dropped out of out jumpspace. Throughout that time, Captain Chevsky had been in periodic communication with the UNA Septimus Directorate negotiating for clearance as we closed on the massive wall of blackness. Now, as we waited only a few hundred thousand klicks from the gate, we could see several ships and small craft flitting about, as well as the approach lights erected by the Directorate, indicating the location of the otherwise invisible dimensional gate. A big modular colony pod was preparing to enter and we would be permitted to enter a few hours later. The maneuvre thrusters on the colony ship fire and it proceeds forward. I watch intently as the colony ship appears to head directly toward a featureless wall so immense that even at this distance, no curvature is noticeable. It's as if one half of the sky is starless and the other sparkles with lights so clear, you almost feel as though you could touch them. I'm told it's because of the combined effects of almost non-existent ambient light and because the space around Septimus is as pristine as the interstellar void. The colony pod picks up speed rapidly. I've heard the gate works best when a ship is doing over a thousand klicks per second. Good thing they put final approach under computer control. Most helmsmen would lose bowel control flying at a solid wall at half a percent of lightspeed. And what happens on the other side? There's a lot of room inside a sphere with a radius of over one AU, but who knows where you pop back into normal space? There's a lot of decel required once inside. Could be a lot of ships finding the inside of that shell coming at them at uncomfortable speeds, especially for those clunky colony pods. Any radical course changes and those pigs turn into a fireworks display for the folks below. I try not to think about it too much.
"There they go," Captain Chevsky says.
I look up in time to see the colony pod approach the gate. It's really just a blur. There's no flash of light and, happily, no explosion either. One second she's there, the next, she's gone. Good luck, folks. You're gonna need it.
We spend the next few hours prepping the ship for the gate jump or whatever it is. I don't claim to understand the physics involved. I'm not sure the big brains understand it either. Again, not something I spend much thought on. I'm a tech, not a scientist. I signed on with Chevsky back on Mars. He was pretty well-known around the spacer bars. It surprised everyone when he decided to retire, he was one of the few independents left in the game. Interstellar freight transport is an expensive business and most small operators couldn't make enough money to stay in it. They just couldn't afford the really big freighters and in space, you have to go big. Chevsky was an exception. He had a way of sniffing out small, high-value cargoes. Most figured he had connections. Government or criminal, who knows? Anyway, he announced he was getting out. He bought out his crew and said he was headed for Septimus. Yeah, I know, Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot? Anyway, he was looking for colonists, young people, men and women, under thirty, no families. I don't know what convinced me to sign up. I was sober, so it wasn't that. I guess I just wanted to be part of something. So here I am, checking the sleepers in the cargo hold. Don't want anyone to bite it because of a faulty relay. If I was flying in a low berth, I'd hope someone would do it for me. After I finish with the sleepers, I'll do a check on the thrusters. Those things never have a problem, but there's a first time for everything. Then I'll grab a sandwich in the mess before heading back to the bridge. Don't want to miss the floor show.
I get back to the bridge with a few minutes to spare. Chevsky has the helm, his wife Juanita is on the comm. The only other person on the flight deck is Ramos, the medic. Everyone else is in the sleepers. We'll need Ramos when we wake up the rest of the colonists. Cold sleep is pretty safe, but it's always a good idea to have a medic on standby in case someone's ticker gives out. As I finish strapping in, the Captain informs us that final approach is about to commence. The impact shields descend over the flight deck windows and the lights dim. The thrusters engage and three gees of acceleration press us hard in our seats. Seconds pass, we must be close. What the hell was I think...
"Pelham, wake up!"
Ahhh, my head is pounding. What the hell happened?
"Pelham, get up. We need you!" It was Ramos.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Sensors are down. We're flying blind!"
"Well, open the shield," I reply as I look around for my toolkit.
"Can't, we hit something. The shield is jammed."
"Damn! Alright, I'm on it."
It took a few scary minutes, but I got sensors back online. Some sort of power surge tripped breakers all over the place. Weird, but reparable. Ramos is checking out the sleepers. Damn, I hope they're ok. Should be, they're well-shielded and each has independent power in an emergency. Chevsky's missus is scanning for debris. I guess something hit us pretty hard just as we dropped back into normal space. Video is still out, whatever we hit probably busted the optics package, but radar and passive EM is working. Why does my head hurt so much?
"Sleepers are ok, thank god." Ramos was back. "Pelham, what happened to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You lost consciousness. I had to hit you with a stim to wake you up."
"I dunno, but my head is killing me. Maybe hopping across dimensions doesn't agree with me...like tequila." I was trying to lighten the mood, but my heart wasn't in it. Ramos smiled and moved on to check on Chevsky and the Missus.
Time to go EVA and see if I can do something with the optics array.
-Rognar-
"There they go," Captain Chevsky says.
I look up in time to see the colony pod approach the gate. It's really just a blur. There's no flash of light and, happily, no explosion either. One second she's there, the next, she's gone. Good luck, folks. You're gonna need it.
We spend the next few hours prepping the ship for the gate jump or whatever it is. I don't claim to understand the physics involved. I'm not sure the big brains understand it either. Again, not something I spend much thought on. I'm a tech, not a scientist. I signed on with Chevsky back on Mars. He was pretty well-known around the spacer bars. It surprised everyone when he decided to retire, he was one of the few independents left in the game. Interstellar freight transport is an expensive business and most small operators couldn't make enough money to stay in it. They just couldn't afford the really big freighters and in space, you have to go big. Chevsky was an exception. He had a way of sniffing out small, high-value cargoes. Most figured he had connections. Government or criminal, who knows? Anyway, he announced he was getting out. He bought out his crew and said he was headed for Septimus. Yeah, I know, Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot? Anyway, he was looking for colonists, young people, men and women, under thirty, no families. I don't know what convinced me to sign up. I was sober, so it wasn't that. I guess I just wanted to be part of something. So here I am, checking the sleepers in the cargo hold. Don't want anyone to bite it because of a faulty relay. If I was flying in a low berth, I'd hope someone would do it for me. After I finish with the sleepers, I'll do a check on the thrusters. Those things never have a problem, but there's a first time for everything. Then I'll grab a sandwich in the mess before heading back to the bridge. Don't want to miss the floor show.
I get back to the bridge with a few minutes to spare. Chevsky has the helm, his wife Juanita is on the comm. The only other person on the flight deck is Ramos, the medic. Everyone else is in the sleepers. We'll need Ramos when we wake up the rest of the colonists. Cold sleep is pretty safe, but it's always a good idea to have a medic on standby in case someone's ticker gives out. As I finish strapping in, the Captain informs us that final approach is about to commence. The impact shields descend over the flight deck windows and the lights dim. The thrusters engage and three gees of acceleration press us hard in our seats. Seconds pass, we must be close. What the hell was I think...
"Pelham, wake up!"
Ahhh, my head is pounding. What the hell happened?
"Pelham, get up. We need you!" It was Ramos.
"What? What's wrong?"
"Sensors are down. We're flying blind!"
"Well, open the shield," I reply as I look around for my toolkit.
"Can't, we hit something. The shield is jammed."
"Damn! Alright, I'm on it."
It took a few scary minutes, but I got sensors back online. Some sort of power surge tripped breakers all over the place. Weird, but reparable. Ramos is checking out the sleepers. Damn, I hope they're ok. Should be, they're well-shielded and each has independent power in an emergency. Chevsky's missus is scanning for debris. I guess something hit us pretty hard just as we dropped back into normal space. Video is still out, whatever we hit probably busted the optics package, but radar and passive EM is working. Why does my head hurt so much?
"Sleepers are ok, thank god." Ramos was back. "Pelham, what happened to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You lost consciousness. I had to hit you with a stim to wake you up."
"I dunno, but my head is killing me. Maybe hopping across dimensions doesn't agree with me...like tequila." I was trying to lighten the mood, but my heart wasn't in it. Ramos smiled and moved on to check on Chevsky and the Missus.
Time to go EVA and see if I can do something with the optics array.
-Rognar-
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Cartagena colony
Founded by the brother and sister team of Raphael and Jacinta Rojas, the Cartagena colony was established two years ago and currently has 19 members. Typical of many Septimus colonies, it is made up of the desperate and the adventurous looking for a better life than the one offered on the marginal worlds of explored space. All members of the colony have some basic training in hydroponics and aquaculture. Raphael Rojas is a physician, while his sister, Jacinta, is a biologist and geneticist. Other prominent members of the colony include Travis Willem, a former member of the UNA Scout Service, Natalie Tanaka, a one-time corporate espionage agent, and ex-mercenary, Roberto Morales.
The Cartagena colony site was chosen because of the presence of an alien artifact which Raphael was curious to investigate. The artifact appears to be a polished white stone obelisk some 50 metres tall and 20 metres across, perfectly hexagonal in cross-section and with a modest bevel along the top edges.
Raphael Rojas is an old friend of Boris Chevsky, famed captain of the freighter Svetlana. Before leaving for Septimus, Rojas invited Chevsky and his wife, Juanita, to join him in the new colony. At the time, Chevsky wasn't interested, but Rojas left the invitation open and gave Chevsky the colony's transponder frequency should he ever change his mind. Two years later, Chevsky is looking for a new life and has decided to take Rojas up on his offer. He bought out his crew and is looking for adventurous young men and women to join him inside the worldsphere.
-Rognar-
The Cartagena colony site was chosen because of the presence of an alien artifact which Raphael was curious to investigate. The artifact appears to be a polished white stone obelisk some 50 metres tall and 20 metres across, perfectly hexagonal in cross-section and with a modest bevel along the top edges.
Raphael Rojas is an old friend of Boris Chevsky, famed captain of the freighter Svetlana. Before leaving for Septimus, Rojas invited Chevsky and his wife, Juanita, to join him in the new colony. At the time, Chevsky wasn't interested, but Rojas left the invitation open and gave Chevsky the colony's transponder frequency should he ever change his mind. Two years later, Chevsky is looking for a new life and has decided to take Rojas up on his offer. He bought out his crew and is looking for adventurous young men and women to join him inside the worldsphere.
-Rognar-
Monday, May 10, 2010
ONI Corp in the Septimus future
Although most of Asia has fallen under the control of the Red Blok, two prominent exceptions remain, Japan and India. Though both countries maintain good relations with the UNA, they realize the limits of those relations. The UNA simply will not contribute greatly to the defense of either state. As such, India and Japan have formed a defensive alliance to deter Red Blok aggression. A lucrative arms industry has grown out of that alliance and the most prominent of the arms manufacturers is ONI Corporation. With its head office in Kyoto and major facilities in New Delhi, Mumbai and Osaka, ONI has become the largest single corporate entity on the planet. Besides providing for the massive military needs of the Indo-Japanese alliance, they also provide arms to the UNA, the Europeans and the Australians. In addition, they have adapted their considerable technological prowess to the construction of starship components for the UNA. In fact, there are persistent rumours that ONI actually maintains an extrasolar colony somewhere, known only to a hand-picked elite of scientists, politicians and company men. Among the more feverish conspiracy theorists, there are even suggestions that ONI's rapid rise to power has resulted from access to a secret cache of alien technology or even contact with an intelligent alien race.
-Rognar-
-Rognar-
Friday, April 30, 2010
Some worlds of human space - 2300 AD
Early in the 24th century, human space encompasses some 50 explored systems, although only a handful of worlds have sizable populations. With the sole exception of Earth itself, all the major colony worlds are currently being terraformed, a process that takes centuries. Of these, only Mars now has a breathable atmosphere and even there, the air is thin and very dry. Most Martians still use respirators and eye protection when venturing out on to the planet's surface.
Earth A867A75-B N S Hi Ht In Ri
Over 20 billion people live on Earth. Though largely depleted of natural resources, the planet is relatively free of harmful pollutants due to plentiful fusion power. Atmospheric regeneration stations ensure the oxygen concentration stays at breathable levels. Despite its enormous population, Earth is generally self-sufficient as far as food production is concerned.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Streetwise-0
Mars A451975-B N S Hi Ht In Ri
Mars supports almost 2 billion people, thanks to massive terraforming efforts. Dozens of small comets were harnessed and mined to provide the huge amounts of water needed to make Mars inhabitable. The process is expected to continue well into the future. Mars also has the distinction of having the only planetary base not administered by the UNA or the Red Blok. EuroStation One is an Anglo-French colony with a science station and a consulate. It also maintains a small security detachment.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Carouse-0
Luna C200565-B N Va
Earth's moon offers little benefit for colonization beyond its close proximity. As such, permanent human habitation is limited to mainly to scientific and military facilities, although some service industries have been set up to provide for the needs of the personnel stationed on Luna as well as a small number of lunar tourists.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
Titan C3A2565-B N Fl
Titan is a UNA colonial protectorate, although there is a sizable Red Blok enclave. Little can be done to terraform Titan, as it is much too far from the Sun to ever support life, but its abundance of methane and other commodities make it the support base for all outer system activity.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
Hyperia B731765-B N S IC
Hyperia is the oldest of the extrasolar colonies, having been established by the UNA nearly a century earlier. The planet is mostly frozen, although a thin band of habitable land exists around the equator. Hyperia has great potential, however, as the massive ice caps hold abundant water and carbon dioxide, the necessary components for terraforming.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
Xindiqiu C8207B7-A N In
The oldest and largest of the Red Blok colonies, Xindiqiu is a marginal world rich in mineral wealth. The atmosphere is unbreathable and there is little water, so the enormous population is supported by extensive importation of food and water.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
Krepost A5107B7-A N In
The largest military base outside of the Solar System is found on the Red Blok world of Krepost. More Red Blok soldiers die while training on Krepost than do so in military actions. Aside from supporting the military, Krepost also has thriving mining and industrial sectors.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
-Rognar-
Earth A867A75-B N S Hi Ht In Ri
Over 20 billion people live on Earth. Though largely depleted of natural resources, the planet is relatively free of harmful pollutants due to plentiful fusion power. Atmospheric regeneration stations ensure the oxygen concentration stays at breathable levels. Despite its enormous population, Earth is generally self-sufficient as far as food production is concerned.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Streetwise-0
Mars A451975-B N S Hi Ht In Ri
Mars supports almost 2 billion people, thanks to massive terraforming efforts. Dozens of small comets were harnessed and mined to provide the huge amounts of water needed to make Mars inhabitable. The process is expected to continue well into the future. Mars also has the distinction of having the only planetary base not administered by the UNA or the Red Blok. EuroStation One is an Anglo-French colony with a science station and a consulate. It also maintains a small security detachment.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Carouse-0
Luna C200565-B N Va
Earth's moon offers little benefit for colonization beyond its close proximity. As such, permanent human habitation is limited to mainly to scientific and military facilities, although some service industries have been set up to provide for the needs of the personnel stationed on Luna as well as a small number of lunar tourists.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
Titan C3A2565-B N Fl
Titan is a UNA colonial protectorate, although there is a sizable Red Blok enclave. Little can be done to terraform Titan, as it is much too far from the Sun to ever support life, but its abundance of methane and other commodities make it the support base for all outer system activity.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
Hyperia B731765-B N S IC
Hyperia is the oldest of the extrasolar colonies, having been established by the UNA nearly a century earlier. The planet is mostly frozen, although a thin band of habitable land exists around the equator. Hyperia has great potential, however, as the massive ice caps hold abundant water and carbon dioxide, the necessary components for terraforming.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
Xindiqiu C8207B7-A N In
The oldest and largest of the Red Blok colonies, Xindiqiu is a marginal world rich in mineral wealth. The atmosphere is unbreathable and there is little water, so the enormous population is supported by extensive importation of food and water.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
Krepost A5107B7-A N In
The largest military base outside of the Solar System is found on the Red Blok world of Krepost. More Red Blok soldiers die while training on Krepost than do so in military actions. Aside from supporting the military, Krepost also has thriving mining and industrial sectors.
Starting skills: Computers-0, Vacc Suit-0
-Rognar-
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Campaign reboot...again
It seems I do this every couple of months, make wholesale changes to the space horror campaign I am planning. I don't know if it's my fussy nature or late-onset ADD setting in, but I just haven't been able to incorporate everything I want into one package. Although, I think I at least know what I want in the campaign.
1. A game system that is not too onerous, but permits enough rules depth to allow for sophisticated equipment and vehicle design, as well as tactical combat.
2. A game setting that can readily incorporate several design features, namely, a Dyson sphere, mechs, robots, artifical intelligence and cosmic horror. I want some elements of Septimus and some of AT-43.
With the demise of West End Games, it's clear there will be no more support for the d6 system, so before I have to backtrack too much, I am making the decision to go with Traveller as my system of choice. With a summer release of Cthonian Stars announced, it seems to be pretty much a no-brainer. Now, for a little bit of background for my campaign:
The first half of the 21st century saw great upheaval in the geopolitical situation on Earth. The economic collapse of 2008 and the decades long debt crisis left America weakened and insular. While some countries did what they could to help, namely the Anglosphere and Japan, America simply could not maintain its economic and military standing in the world. Europe was even worse off, as country after country defaulted on its loans. To add to the misery, the long-feared global oil shortage began to be felt in the 2020s. The Middle East oil fields began to run dry. Unconventional oil supplies became more important and the countries who had the oil became targets for those that did not. Central Asia was the worst battleground as Russia, China and India contested for control of what oil remained.
For half a century, the world writhed in an orgy of deprivation and violence. Eventually, the nations of the world had exhausted themselves and new technologies were developed to replace oil, which was all but gone anyway. However, the world was changed and it was not a peaceful, happy place. The Chinese had settled their differences with Russia as the communists were able to regain control. A new collectivist superpower, the Red Blok, was born. Russian and Chinese troops were able to conquer much of Eurasia, with the exception of India and western Europe. Only the remaining nuclear arsenals of the US, Britain and France prevented even greater conquests.
Meanwhile, the US had finally climbed back up from its collapse, but like so much of the world, it too had changed. Several secessionist movements had arisen and had successfully achieved independence. Rather than complete balkanization, however, the disparate parts of the old USA, combined with several other nearby states including Canada and Mexico agreed to form an alliance called the United Nations of the Americas or UNA. Most other countries in the western hemisphere would eventually join the UNA and a second global superpower was born. A new Cold War began.
By this time, nuclear fusion had begun to replace fossil fuels as the main source of the world's energy. Among other things, it allowed humanity to once again look to the heavens. Exploration and colonization of the solar system followed. Asteroid and comet mining provided for much of the material needs of humanity. For a century, humans expanded and multiplied until the population offworld was in the hundreds of millions and always, the rivalry between the Red Blok and the UNA remained.
When FTL travel was developed in the 23rd century, the space race took to the stars. Competition for worlds was fierce. Few were even remotely suitable for human habitation, even with massive technological support. It seemed even the galaxy itself was not big enough to allow mankind to live in peace. Then they found Septimus.
For nearly three centuries, humans had explored space. In all that time, they had never found any evidence of life beyond a few ambiguous microfossils. Suddenly, a marvel of engineering so astounding, the most advanced science of the day could not explain how it could even exist, let alone how to construct it. Septimus is a Dyson Sphere approximately one astronomical unit in radius. It was studied for decades by both Red Blok and UNA teams. Eventually, a sort of transdimensional gate was discovered and robotic exploration teams were sent in. None of the teams returned or communicated back. Futher study followed and still nothing was discovered about the interior. Some 35 years after the initial discovery, a fringe religious group called the Septimus Extant commandeered a ship and was able to enter the sphere. When nothing more was heard from them, they were presumed lost. However, a few years later, a signal was detected eminating from the sphere. It was from the Extant. They claimed to have set up a colony inside the sphere and that the interior was perfect for human colonization. The one problem was that they had not discovered a means to leave. This didn't matter to many. The interior surface of Septimus was so large, it could easily house the entire human population of the galaxy with ample room to spare. Settlers from both Red Blok and UNA worlds began streaming in, eager to set up colonies in the vast new frontier. Still, some questioned what was the reason for Septimus. Who built it? Where are they now? Why is its interior so conducive to human life? Why can you enter, but not leave? Is it some sort of trap?
-Rognar-
1. A game system that is not too onerous, but permits enough rules depth to allow for sophisticated equipment and vehicle design, as well as tactical combat.
2. A game setting that can readily incorporate several design features, namely, a Dyson sphere, mechs, robots, artifical intelligence and cosmic horror. I want some elements of Septimus and some of AT-43.
With the demise of West End Games, it's clear there will be no more support for the d6 system, so before I have to backtrack too much, I am making the decision to go with Traveller as my system of choice. With a summer release of Cthonian Stars announced, it seems to be pretty much a no-brainer. Now, for a little bit of background for my campaign:
The first half of the 21st century saw great upheaval in the geopolitical situation on Earth. The economic collapse of 2008 and the decades long debt crisis left America weakened and insular. While some countries did what they could to help, namely the Anglosphere and Japan, America simply could not maintain its economic and military standing in the world. Europe was even worse off, as country after country defaulted on its loans. To add to the misery, the long-feared global oil shortage began to be felt in the 2020s. The Middle East oil fields began to run dry. Unconventional oil supplies became more important and the countries who had the oil became targets for those that did not. Central Asia was the worst battleground as Russia, China and India contested for control of what oil remained.
For half a century, the world writhed in an orgy of deprivation and violence. Eventually, the nations of the world had exhausted themselves and new technologies were developed to replace oil, which was all but gone anyway. However, the world was changed and it was not a peaceful, happy place. The Chinese had settled their differences with Russia as the communists were able to regain control. A new collectivist superpower, the Red Blok, was born. Russian and Chinese troops were able to conquer much of Eurasia, with the exception of India and western Europe. Only the remaining nuclear arsenals of the US, Britain and France prevented even greater conquests.
Meanwhile, the US had finally climbed back up from its collapse, but like so much of the world, it too had changed. Several secessionist movements had arisen and had successfully achieved independence. Rather than complete balkanization, however, the disparate parts of the old USA, combined with several other nearby states including Canada and Mexico agreed to form an alliance called the United Nations of the Americas or UNA. Most other countries in the western hemisphere would eventually join the UNA and a second global superpower was born. A new Cold War began.
By this time, nuclear fusion had begun to replace fossil fuels as the main source of the world's energy. Among other things, it allowed humanity to once again look to the heavens. Exploration and colonization of the solar system followed. Asteroid and comet mining provided for much of the material needs of humanity. For a century, humans expanded and multiplied until the population offworld was in the hundreds of millions and always, the rivalry between the Red Blok and the UNA remained.
When FTL travel was developed in the 23rd century, the space race took to the stars. Competition for worlds was fierce. Few were even remotely suitable for human habitation, even with massive technological support. It seemed even the galaxy itself was not big enough to allow mankind to live in peace. Then they found Septimus.
For nearly three centuries, humans had explored space. In all that time, they had never found any evidence of life beyond a few ambiguous microfossils. Suddenly, a marvel of engineering so astounding, the most advanced science of the day could not explain how it could even exist, let alone how to construct it. Septimus is a Dyson Sphere approximately one astronomical unit in radius. It was studied for decades by both Red Blok and UNA teams. Eventually, a sort of transdimensional gate was discovered and robotic exploration teams were sent in. None of the teams returned or communicated back. Futher study followed and still nothing was discovered about the interior. Some 35 years after the initial discovery, a fringe religious group called the Septimus Extant commandeered a ship and was able to enter the sphere. When nothing more was heard from them, they were presumed lost. However, a few years later, a signal was detected eminating from the sphere. It was from the Extant. They claimed to have set up a colony inside the sphere and that the interior was perfect for human colonization. The one problem was that they had not discovered a means to leave. This didn't matter to many. The interior surface of Septimus was so large, it could easily house the entire human population of the galaxy with ample room to spare. Settlers from both Red Blok and UNA worlds began streaming in, eager to set up colonies in the vast new frontier. Still, some questioned what was the reason for Septimus. Who built it? Where are they now? Why is its interior so conducive to human life? Why can you enter, but not leave? Is it some sort of trap?
-Rognar-
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