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Old 12-17-2018, 02:09 PM   #841
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

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What wondrous ruins they would be. I'd be interested in saying that the war spurred weird science, and all kinds of bizarre phenomenon can be found in the inner solar system. Landing on Earth itself would subject you to things all the more outlandish.

Chronobombs, sentient incendiaries, stable neutronium projectiles, stasis shields, warp exponentiators, green goo swarms, singularity tunnels...
it is clear to me that we've watched some of the same TV and film SF, and read similar novels, short fiction, and comics.
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Old 12-18-2018, 01:31 PM   #842
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

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it is clear to me that we've watched some of the same TV and film SF, and read similar novels, short fiction, and comics.
I'd play in this campaign. I might even set it up, someday, if Facets ever ends (it's on end-of-school-year/holiday hiatus, and I'm jonesing).
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Old 12-19-2018, 03:34 PM   #843
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{The Farfarers}
The Planet Hessengau has more life than such a thin atmosphere would suggest. Most of the lifeforms of Hessengau live in the deep trenches that rend the surface of this world. The plains that make up most of the surface of the planet are as cold and sterile as the high Himalayas. This means that the deep valleys are nearly as separate from each other as distant planets.

Given that Hessengau is in a star system with 12 active gates that lead to multiple trade entrepots having areas where wide varieties of aliens can live comfortably is a major economic boon.

Basically, an Earthlike valley would be a base/outpost for Earth type lifeforms. Other valleys could be far more exotic.
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Old 12-20-2018, 08:11 AM   #844
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This idea rifts off of Metamorphois Alpha and The Starlost. It also assumes that the THS setting is what this world's 2100CE was like and that that apocalyptic hints at in the vignettes in GURPS: Biotech is also in the deep background.

The Mariposa had made the long voyage. The voyage was longer than the time between the founding of Rome and the launch of the ship. The vast ship found suitable worlds, swift transport took terraformation pods to the waiting worlds.

The early reports were good but they stopped too soon. Telescopic examinations suggest the worlds targeted are now green fertile and earthlike, but nothing of why there is no answer from those sent ahead.

The long voyage saw degeneration among the people, few, a tiny few, have the ancient skills. The people are divided into separate parahuman tribes. Settling humanities new worlds won't be easy.

Basically, humanity is both technologically and culturally retrograde after a multi-millennia voyage in a Generation Starship. The Mariposa was built and launched after a series of genocidal wars throughout the solar system. The passengers and crew were the battle-scarred survivors of incredible horror. There were wars fought on the Mariposa and much was lost.

Although there are a small group of Aristocrats that have early TL12 skills and knowledge, the vast majority have an oddly assorted mix of skills from Tech Levels 5 through 8. Those political and cultural ideas we associate with the modern West are either kept secret by the Elites or are held as secret lore by the people.

The Elites of the Mariposa govern with a political theory and practice drawn from Chinese Legalism, the more anti-democratic aspects of Greek philosophy, and the Guilstan's teachings about submission to authority.

There are groups among the people who vaguely remember there was another way. They tend to keep what they know quiet because the Elites are merciless about crushing anything that might challenge their rule.

Still, the Mariposa won't last much longer. Survival requires settling the new worlds. Settling the new worlds will require a loss of control. The Mariposa was damaged during entry into its new star system and the resources needed for the short term survival of the ship mean that the Elites will have to teach large numbers of people TL12 skills and allow far more independence than they like. The secret rebels know this and bide their time.

This setting is about exploring the land and building settlements while avoiding the control of the Elites. The Elites believe they saved humanity and that only they can build a safe and worthy future for Humanity. Sure they have privileges and luxuries, but they earned them and they are a small recompense for the hard work of the Elites.

The New Worlds were terraformed by AIs sent on by Ansible 800 years before the Mariposa arrives. All life on these planets came from Earth-life. That said, how these lifeforms evolved under the strange pressures of these new worlds and what choices the AIs made in Terraformation leaves large areas for exotica in the setting.
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Old 12-21-2018, 10:15 AM   #845
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The old ones say the People came from somewhere else. The Sky Folk took the ancestors from the place they called home. Why they brought them to this world the ancestors were never told. They were given some plants and animals from their world an allowed to farm and raise their animals. Then the Sky Folk left.

In the years after the Sky Folk left they met the Others the Monkey Folk, the Bat Folk, and the Dragon Folk. They seem to be left behind too. Why? For what purpose? The Dragon Folk simply kill humans. The Bat Folk avoid humans, but a form of trade has been arranged. The Monkey Folk will speak and even be friendly for a while. But they've shown that, in their minds, neither honor or morality extends to Humans.

Survival is hard, but the People endure.

This is a GURPS: Land Out of Time setting. The four groups (The People, Monkey Folk, Bat Folk, and Dragon Folk [Use Reptile Men]) were all brought to this world with agricultural plants and domestic animals from their homeworlds. Unknown to The People (and thus to the PCs) there are also Cat Folk, Otter Folk, and Owl Folk. Both the Bat Folk and Owl Folk can fly. The Monkey Folk have Prehensile tales. like Otters, the Otter Folk are fine swimmers and have many aquatic adaptations.

The people of this world are TL2, the People, the Bat Folk, the Owl Folk, and the Cat Folk, are a mature TL2. They also have books and writing. Making long lasting materials to write on is expensive and time consuming. The Monkey Folk (although they have greater intelligence) are only just barely TL2 and don't much care about technology or permanent homes or dwellings and disdain writing. The Dragon Folk are also barely TL2. Although intelligent, the Dragon Folk are Hidebound and lack curiosity. They have a writing system, but only their priests use it. The Otter Folk are also barely TL2. They follow a Transhumant lifestyle. Which discourages technology. although the Otter Folk have the best boating and fishing technology. The Otter Folk have heard of writting and would like to gain that skill.

The Dragon Folk always treat those of other species as non-people and evil spirits to be driven off or killed. In fact, they treat Dragon Folk of unknown tribes in the same way.

The Bat Folk are isolationists. They will experiment to see if limited cooperation can be had. But they only want a little cooperation.

The Monkey Folk came from a post-apocalyptic world. They are Anarcho-Primitives. They reject and disdain society and community beyond the Band level. although not evil at heart, they are Antinomians and are often irresponsible or cruel.

The Cat Folk are Proud and suspicious. But if approached well, they could be allies.

The Otter Folk are also possible allies. However, all Otter Folk are at least Playful at the Quirk level. They rarely come across as serious. Their easygoing ways can seem like those of the Monkey Folk.

The Owl Folk also seek allies. They are however highly manipulative and sneaky. They can be honorable, generous, and respectful, but they'll drive anyone to distraction with their manipulations and tricks.
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Old 12-22-2018, 03:17 PM   #846
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At first, the explorers thought they'd found the inspiration for Hyperborea. What else could a tropical valley in the northern mountains of Northeastern Greenland be?

However, as there was more exploration of the valley, it was noticed the stars were wrong. In mapping the valley and photographing the skies it was soon realized that the valley leads to eleven other worlds. Preliminary explorations suggest that these others worlds have Earth lifeforms, or at least no clearly nonterrestrial lifeforms have been found. All of the worlds are reached through a far northern valley like the one in Greenland.

A series of multinational teams drawn from the NATO nations and EU members are being sent out to find answers.

Basically, this is a setting for 600 pt PCs or better. The PCs are going out into Earthlike worlds totally unknown to science. They'll all come out into climates like Northeastern Greenland. They'll be going into unmapped wilderness with no knowledge of what lifeforms or societies they might meet.

This is meant to be contemporary.
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Old 12-23-2018, 03:42 PM   #847
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This TED Talk provides a simple idea for a threat. The crisper technology can be made transgenetic along with desired traits. Thus if you have a situation somewhat like this book with a desirable trait causing horror and panic.

With the technology described in the TED Talk, the trait can become a dominant that everyone descended from those who have the trait will inherit. Mind you, the trait could be seen as evil by many people in the setting. Heck, they could be fully or partly right.
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Old 12-23-2018, 08:45 PM   #848
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

On a related note, I've always liked the idea of taking grounded yet highly speculative science fiction, then erasing history somehow and having the characters think of it all in mythical terms.

You get these speciated parahumans living in tribal groups on a terraformed (and magnetically protected) Luna. The Earth is a greenhouse world covered in volcanic smoke and evaporated seas. Some lunar inhabitants are genetically adapted for spaceflight, others are subaquatic forms, and many have inherited a number of obscure vanity mods. Some many-times-reformatted robots rove the high mountains, while the jungles are home to uplifted elephants, chimps, tigers, and wolves. Dolphins are the second-most-common sapient (after humans as a whole,) and they share the lakes with uplifted octopi with extremely alien mindsets...

But from the player's perspective, they see this:

The Silver Stone is the immobile center of the universe, around which all else rotates, while the swift bead stars are warriors forever protecting the world from demons and sickness. The gods made mankind, as well as the Twitchers, thick-boned and fast-thinking servants of K'bal; the Sea People, who serve Akwa; and many other forms of mankind alike. Beware the high mountains, for vengeful demons dwell there (though some still parlay with them, risky though it may be). The Jungles are home to the beasts; do not go there without your wits about you. The Sea People and the Dolphins are bitter foes, but sailors that show sufficient respect can treat with them...
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Old 12-24-2018, 06:35 AM   #849
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On a related note, I've always liked the idea of taking grounded yet highly speculative science fiction, then erasing history somehow and having the characters think of it all in mythical terms.

You get these speciated parahumans living in tribal groups on a terraformed (and magnetically protected) Luna. The Earth is a greenhouse world covered in volcanic smoke and evaporated seas. Some lunar inhabitants are genetically adapted for spaceflight, others are subaquatic forms, and many have inherited a number of obscure vanity mods. Some many-times-reformatted robots rove the high mountains, while the jungles are home to uplifted elephants, chimps, tigers, and wolves. Dolphins are the second-most-common sapient (after humans as a whole,) and they share the lakes with uplifted octopi with extremely alien mindsets...

But from the player's perspective, they see this:

The Silver Stone is the immobile center of the universe, around which all else rotates, while the swift bead stars are warriors forever protecting the world from demons and sickness. The gods made mankind, as well as the Twitchers, thick-boned and fast-thinking servants of K'bal; the Sea People, who serve Akwa; and many other forms of mankind alike. Beware the high mountains, for vengeful demons dwell there (though some still parlay with them, risky though it may be). The Jungles are home to the beasts; do not go there without your wits about you. The Sea People and the Dolphins are bitter foes, but sailors that show sufficient respect can treat with them...
This reminds me of a Novel I once read which was set on the Moon. It was based on a dream one of Jung's patients told him. It was about a beautiful winged vampire and living on the moon.
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Old 12-24-2018, 11:58 AM   #850
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

On similar lines would be the Darkangel books by Meredith Anne Pierce.
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