S
SamIO
Guest
([ Foreword ])
This is a setting which is dear to me and as such has a lot of headcanon associated with it; consequently, I may be rather vague at times. Please don't hesitate to ask loads of questions if it suits you, or make shots in the dark to come up with some of your own ideas if you feel comfortable doing so (and are interested in collaborating! :D).
Also, expect lots of long-posting from me; I know this is the Jump-In section, but I actually really enjoy this setting and I want to make sure everybody has a good idea of what's going on — I know that I often splurge and forget to fill everybody else in. I don't expect anybody to go out of their way to fit into a certain post length, but I do prefer quality posts over quick posts. There's no rush; take your time. If it turns out all you have to say fits into a few sentences, so be it! ^.^;
I haven't properly structured this roleplay just yet, as I'm still looking into a few different plot ideas, but the initial summary of what's going to go down in this little space colony is that we'll be wanting Conestoga back. After that depends on which tone the players lead us into, be it action, techno-political, or something in between.
The tech firmness of this setting is moderately hard (the IP comes from the NASA is awesome! boom in the late 90's), so you can expect a lot of jargon flying back and forth; if it starts to go over your head, don't worry — I'll do my best to bring things back to reality before they get out of hand.
Characters will be involved with various practical and theoretical pursuits, all geared toward the survival of humanity (we wouldn't have sent a bunch of psychos to represent humanity, now would we?); some characters may be focused on research and development of advanced technological solutions, others on the society's structure and decision-making — some even may be the hull mechanic from down the corridor with a dozen tales of near-death-experiences. The point is that we're all in this together, though that is not to say that there won't be a lot of very strong and very credible opinions.
This is a setting which is dear to me and as such has a lot of headcanon associated with it; consequently, I may be rather vague at times. Please don't hesitate to ask loads of questions if it suits you, or make shots in the dark to come up with some of your own ideas if you feel comfortable doing so (and are interested in collaborating! :D).
Also, expect lots of long-posting from me; I know this is the Jump-In section, but I actually really enjoy this setting and I want to make sure everybody has a good idea of what's going on — I know that I often splurge and forget to fill everybody else in. I don't expect anybody to go out of their way to fit into a certain post length, but I do prefer quality posts over quick posts. There's no rush; take your time. If it turns out all you have to say fits into a few sentences, so be it! ^.^;
([ Historical Overview ])
The Earth is dead.
As the fragments of Vulcan's Hammer landed, the last few survivors departed the Solar system onboard the Conestoga seeking a new home among the stars. But world after unsuitable world was rejected, and with their resources low — their situation desperate — a marginally-suitable planet was chosen.
They called the world New Terra. It was cold, dry — nearly airless — but they saw possibilities. In that spirit of optimism, they named their colony Eden. They came with the best of intentions: to rebuild, grow, and thrive; and for a time, they did.
Then conflict arose between the survivors, threatening to rend the colony in two. New Terra would be their home, but on what terms? Many wished to live in harmony with the planet, adapting themselves to live in its harsh realm, no matter the cost. There were plans, however, left in the databases of the Conestoga to tame such a hostile home — to terraform it into a new Earth using unprecedented bio-technology.
The two philosophies could not co-exist; talks grew heated as the colonists learned of secret intentions to proceed with the plan despite mixed sentiments and an indecisive council. Catastrophe struck when the only communications link with the Conestoga was destroyed, condemning a third of the last children of Earth to an uncertain fate.
Extinction is not an option.
The Earth is dead.
As the fragments of Vulcan's Hammer landed, the last few survivors departed the Solar system onboard the Conestoga seeking a new home among the stars. But world after unsuitable world was rejected, and with their resources low — their situation desperate — a marginally-suitable planet was chosen.
They called the world New Terra. It was cold, dry — nearly airless — but they saw possibilities. In that spirit of optimism, they named their colony Eden. They came with the best of intentions: to rebuild, grow, and thrive; and for a time, they did.
Then conflict arose between the survivors, threatening to rend the colony in two. New Terra would be their home, but on what terms? Many wished to live in harmony with the planet, adapting themselves to live in its harsh realm, no matter the cost. There were plans, however, left in the databases of the Conestoga to tame such a hostile home — to terraform it into a new Earth using unprecedented bio-technology.
The two philosophies could not co-exist; talks grew heated as the colonists learned of secret intentions to proceed with the plan despite mixed sentiments and an indecisive council. Catastrophe struck when the only communications link with the Conestoga was destroyed, condemning a third of the last children of Earth to an uncertain fate.
Extinction is not an option.
([ Roleplay Description ])
In Divided Destiny, humanity's finest and brightest find themselves amidst a techno-political crisis that could very well mean the difference between life and death. The colonists are subject to ideological, technical, and practical influences, putting them under a degree of pressure known by no others; every decision leads mankind one step closer to either survival or extinction. Each evacuee has been entrusted — hand-selected by a desperate Earth — with the fate of the species, and they are responsible to use every means at their disposal to ensure that the right decisions are made.
[ Eden Colony ]
A fledgling community of the Earth's most brilliant and most able-bodied personnel works together with a small circle of advanced bio-optical computers to maintain and fortify humanity's last bastion. With many of the colony's functions automated, the survivors have ample opportunity to reconstruct the Conestoga's databases, approach the challenges brought on by New Terra's inhospitable environment, and to maintain a sense of society among their peers.
The quality of living is atrocious, with the elite of the colony scraping by in rooms just large enough for an undersized bed — most end up bunking in the middle of public corridors with little more than a thermal blanket to call privacy. Rations are nourishing but unsatisfying, most of the agridome produce reserved for air recycling. Most of these people once lived comparatively luxurious lives on Earth, and many would trade a large favor for some extra rations or an upgrade in living arrangements.
[ The Conestoga ]
The sleeper ship that brought two hundred hand-picked evacuees to New Terra also brought a gene bank containing the germ of another thousand, a wide variety of seeds for produce, seven Savant-class supercomputers, and a massive database containing even the most confidential information Earth had to offer in hopes that the survivors might be able to make use of their homeworld's knowledge. Its experimental cryostasis suite managed to do its job, but at the cost of the colonists' longevity, having slowed but not stopped their biological clocks. Many are expected to succumb to their age before they've experienced fifty years of life.
It is controlled by the most advanced of the seven supercomputers, known as Archer; it was designed exclusively for this purpose, with computational capabilities outpacing any and all of its predecessors. It was tasked with the delivery of humankind to a comfortable new Earth, and failing that, to bring it salvation in the form of a chance. It dispatched probes for centuries, collecting data and compensating course in hopes of encountering a suitable world before its power reserves ran out. It is widely recognized as the savior of humanity, and many consider it a devastating loss that it was not yet recovered when the ship's contact with Eden was severed.
[ New Terra ]
The Mars-like planet lacks any significant geological or atmospheric activity, providing insufficient heat and magnetosphere for safe living in the outdoors despite the almost-breathable air composition. Gravity is only mildly lesser than that of the Earth's, but for lack of a natural satellite, New Terra is thus the victim of constant meteor showers and debris storms as it wades its way around the star system.
While a significant danger to one's health, it is possible to survive some time exposed to the open air on New Terra. Hypothermia is the most immediate threat and least difficult problem, but within an hour, hypoxemia can settle in as a result of the thin atmosphere's minimal oxygen levels, leaving unprotected colonists unable to rescue themselves as a result of delirium and exhaustion. Ultraviolet radiation is the next concern, as there is no magnetosphere to speak of, and this has proven to be the most costly environmental hazard to solve. Long-term exposure even in enclosed shelter can result in severe burns and cancerous growths if the hull is not fortified with the proper materials.
In Divided Destiny, humanity's finest and brightest find themselves amidst a techno-political crisis that could very well mean the difference between life and death. The colonists are subject to ideological, technical, and practical influences, putting them under a degree of pressure known by no others; every decision leads mankind one step closer to either survival or extinction. Each evacuee has been entrusted — hand-selected by a desperate Earth — with the fate of the species, and they are responsible to use every means at their disposal to ensure that the right decisions are made.
[ Eden Colony ]
A fledgling community of the Earth's most brilliant and most able-bodied personnel works together with a small circle of advanced bio-optical computers to maintain and fortify humanity's last bastion. With many of the colony's functions automated, the survivors have ample opportunity to reconstruct the Conestoga's databases, approach the challenges brought on by New Terra's inhospitable environment, and to maintain a sense of society among their peers.
The quality of living is atrocious, with the elite of the colony scraping by in rooms just large enough for an undersized bed — most end up bunking in the middle of public corridors with little more than a thermal blanket to call privacy. Rations are nourishing but unsatisfying, most of the agridome produce reserved for air recycling. Most of these people once lived comparatively luxurious lives on Earth, and many would trade a large favor for some extra rations or an upgrade in living arrangements.
[ The Conestoga ]
The sleeper ship that brought two hundred hand-picked evacuees to New Terra also brought a gene bank containing the germ of another thousand, a wide variety of seeds for produce, seven Savant-class supercomputers, and a massive database containing even the most confidential information Earth had to offer in hopes that the survivors might be able to make use of their homeworld's knowledge. Its experimental cryostasis suite managed to do its job, but at the cost of the colonists' longevity, having slowed but not stopped their biological clocks. Many are expected to succumb to their age before they've experienced fifty years of life.
It is controlled by the most advanced of the seven supercomputers, known as Archer; it was designed exclusively for this purpose, with computational capabilities outpacing any and all of its predecessors. It was tasked with the delivery of humankind to a comfortable new Earth, and failing that, to bring it salvation in the form of a chance. It dispatched probes for centuries, collecting data and compensating course in hopes of encountering a suitable world before its power reserves ran out. It is widely recognized as the savior of humanity, and many consider it a devastating loss that it was not yet recovered when the ship's contact with Eden was severed.
[ New Terra ]
The Mars-like planet lacks any significant geological or atmospheric activity, providing insufficient heat and magnetosphere for safe living in the outdoors despite the almost-breathable air composition. Gravity is only mildly lesser than that of the Earth's, but for lack of a natural satellite, New Terra is thus the victim of constant meteor showers and debris storms as it wades its way around the star system.
While a significant danger to one's health, it is possible to survive some time exposed to the open air on New Terra. Hypothermia is the most immediate threat and least difficult problem, but within an hour, hypoxemia can settle in as a result of the thin atmosphere's minimal oxygen levels, leaving unprotected colonists unable to rescue themselves as a result of delirium and exhaustion. Ultraviolet radiation is the next concern, as there is no magnetosphere to speak of, and this has proven to be the most costly environmental hazard to solve. Long-term exposure even in enclosed shelter can result in severe burns and cancerous growths if the hull is not fortified with the proper materials.
I haven't properly structured this roleplay just yet, as I'm still looking into a few different plot ideas, but the initial summary of what's going to go down in this little space colony is that we'll be wanting Conestoga back. After that depends on which tone the players lead us into, be it action, techno-political, or something in between.
The tech firmness of this setting is moderately hard (the IP comes from the NASA is awesome! boom in the late 90's), so you can expect a lot of jargon flying back and forth; if it starts to go over your head, don't worry — I'll do my best to bring things back to reality before they get out of hand.
Characters will be involved with various practical and theoretical pursuits, all geared toward the survival of humanity (we wouldn't have sent a bunch of psychos to represent humanity, now would we?); some characters may be focused on research and development of advanced technological solutions, others on the society's structure and decision-making — some even may be the hull mechanic from down the corridor with a dozen tales of near-death-experiences. The point is that we're all in this together, though that is not to say that there won't be a lot of very strong and very credible opinions.