New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by PTTG

The result of all this is that location becomes almost irrellevant. Humans are rapidly scattering over the countless inhabitable earthlike worlds of the cosmos, finding alien life and occasionally new civilizations.

See Dan Simmons' Hyperion series, based on something much like this idea.

[Astromancer]

Dawn Light

A colony world that collapsed ecconomically and politically some centuries ago. For decades before the collapse they'd stopped having contact with the Earth or other colonies. The why of this is unknown. The planet's culture is beginning to quicken. A renaissance might be beginning.

The planetary population is about five million, roughly that of Earth 5,000BCE. The tech level is about four around most of the planet. There are a few enclaves were higher tech level knowledge and skills are preserved. Basically if the population gets large enough they'll jump to higher tech levels very quickly.

Basically it's an altered swashbuckler setting. The PCs could be diplomats, merchant sailors, millitary types fighting pirates or bandits, scholars bringing useful knowledge to isolated communities, or just wanderers seeking a better life in a largely empty world.

Multiple cultural groups with different values and ideals, often highly divergent from the mainstream of the cultural group they came from, much like the Quakers or the Puritans, settled this world. In the period of isolation following first the lost of contract with Earth and then the collapse, these cultures evolved in unpredictable ways. So explorer anthropologist is a useful player type.

More later...

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Dawn Light



Multiple cultural groups with different values and ideals, often highly divergent from the mainstream of the cultural group they came from, much like the Quakers or the Puritans, settled this world. In the period of isolation following first the lost of contract with Earth and then the collapse, these cultures evolved in unpredictable ways. So explorer anthropologist is a useful player type.

More later...

Ten main groups make up about two fifths of this world's population. Each of these having about a couple of hundred thousand people.

Tianxia A Chinese cultural offshoot. They are overwhelmingly Christian and Eastern Orthodox Christian. Their Christian Church embraces Confusian thought the same way the Medieval Catholic Church embraced Aristotle and Plato, and Buddhist and Taoist thought influences religious mysticism. The state, as opposed to the Church, is Legalist.

This culture is on a large island roughly the size and climate of Sumatra. Agriculture and forestry are the main industries. Handcrafts and fishing are also important.

Urys A Russian offshoot. Anarcho-Capitalist society degenerating into an oligarchic aristocracy. This culture is spread over a large temperate to sub-artic plain on the main southern continent. The economy is largely based on raising cattle of different kinds (including bison, elk, and mammoth) and processing their skin and hides.

Colchis Mountainous isthmus of land, with a temperate climate, connects the trade routes of two oceans. This offshoot of Caucasian Georgian is a republic with oligarchic tendencies. Wine, dairy products, and spices, are the major exports. The trade between the seas is also economically important.

Nusantara A Indonesian offshoot, mainly based on the culture and religion of Bali. The mineral rich island has many mines and exports metal ingots and finished metal goods. The island is agriculturally productive and the tropical climate allows three harvests a year. The government is a democracy with some odd quirks. Civil liberties are very well respected, but there are theocratic aspects to the government. The spirits get a real say in public policy. For now the spirits speak up for the little guy, for now.

Fodla Irish Gaelic and Buddhist in culture, but ethnically diverse. The people of this temperate island, relatively isolated in the northern hemisphere, are the premiere shipbuilders and sailors of this world. They are also the best clock and instrument makers, this includes musical instruments. Their island exports dairy products and preserved meats.

Vengrija Hungarian offshoot. Cattle raising and agriculture. Oligarchy with a surprisingly high regard for civil liberties. The local nobility is known for it's touchy sense of honor. Dueling is endemic, but most are only to the blood. The lower classes are well organized and the nobility respects the basic deal, "We rule, and you the people get respect and security." How long that can last is unknown. However, the nobility fiercely defends the honor and security of their lands and people. Because they feel they can't afford to lose the respect of the people, no violation of the security and safety of the people is forgiven.

Lenape Native American offshoot. Agricultural and mercantile with manufacturing, the culture is early TL5 (TL6 in food processing). Democratic and egalitarian. They live in a temperate climate.

Freedonia USA cultural offshoot. Egalitarian social democratic society. They live on a chain of islands isolated in the northern hemisphere. Climates range from subtropical to cool temperate. Productive agriculture and a quick growing population. A major source of gemstones, and metals. Highest literacy rate of the planet and a solid manufacturing base.

Aldovia Latin American based monarchical culture. Tropical agriculture based on genetically engineered crops (the technology of genetic engineering is rare on this planet, but genetically modified organisms, if they can breed true, aren't effected by a reduced tech level). Culture is a consciously designed version of early modern Iberia. This culture tends toward extravagant gestures, which may or may not hide shrewd judgement.

Nairomi African based culture. Based on islands of mediterranean to tropical climate, maritime trading nation, manufactures exported.
Local governments very widely but are generally good on civil liberties.

There are dozens of other cultures on this planet.

[warellis]

What was the pre-collapse wider universe like? What TL I mean.

Because I wonder if "artifacts" could be some form of technology from the distant past here.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by warellis

What was the pre-collapse wider universe like? What TL I mean.

Because I wonder if "artifacts" could be some form of technology from the distant past here.

To have interstellar flight an colonization it would need to be TL10 or better.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

To have interstellar flight an colonization it would need to be TL10 or better.

Nah, you can have interstellar colonization at TL 0 if you want. Everybody knows if you pile rocks up in the right patterns you can open gates to other worlds, right? It's at least as traditional a trope as FTL engines.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by malloyd

Nah, you can have interstellar colonization at TL 0 if you want. Everybody knows if you pile rocks up in the right patterns you can open gates to other worlds, right? It's at least as traditional a trope as FTL engines.

This is a mainly no mana setting. ;-)

[dcarson]

Or have Turtledove's "Road Less Travelled" where we overlooked a path of physics that gave everyone else anti-gravity and FTL at usually 1400s-1600s tech level. There is at least race that uses bronze spaceships because they haven't developed iron yet though.

Going down that path means you miss things like electricity so when the first ship to land on Earth tried to overawe the backwards (no anti-grav) locals with one man fliers dropping black powder filled clay bottle gernades and a volley of musket fire things went poorly for them.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by malloyd

Nah, you can have interstellar colonization at TL 0 if you want. Everybody knows if you pile rocks up in the right patterns you can open gates to other worlds, right? It's at least as traditional a trope as FTL engines.

Originally Posted by Astromancer

This is a mainly no mana setting. ;-)

That's just a change in technobabble. Claim they work because diffraction from the properly aligned crystals in the rock set up standing waves in the tachyon winds blowing out the black holes at the center of the galaxy and you're good.

I suppose the other easy way to spread around low TL colonists is to have somebody else move them, bothering to tell the moved people why is optional. A fair number of SF franchises have done this to justify using historical Terran cultures In Space.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by malloyd

I suppose the other easy way to spread around low TL colonists is to have somebody else move them, bothering to tell the moved people why is optional. e.

Because humans make great pets!