New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Try this one...

Salons and Switchblades

The USA of 2074 has done brilliant work in the area of Public health. They are still suffering in the PLAGUE WARS but their population isn't in serious decline nor has their economy collapsed. The American leaders, who never counter attacked with biological weapons, have proposed that since the USA has clearly proved we can survive decades of bio attacks why don't the nations of the world just end the PLAGUE WARS. The USA cites the vast brutal slaughter throughout the developing world as proof the war needs to end.

Europe: The farther South and East you go in Europe the more chaotic things are. Iceland and Ireland, because of their physical isolation and the fact that Climate Change hasn't harmed Ireland that much and has to a degree benefited Iceland, are better off than the USA in many ways. Germany, both because their early hesitance to embrace fusion power and the Green Party's bitter hostility to Vertical Farming, is in chaos.

Because the technologies that saved the USA from the combined attack of the Plague Wars and the ongoing climate crisis were unpopular in Europe, Europe went through periods of famine. The deep wounds of this are unhealed throughout. Only Iceland and the British Isles escaped famine. Britain especially got mobbed by desperate refugees. Scotland and Wales, unlike England, remain democracies.

Much of the Balkans is a war zone were desperate people are trying to flee to anyplace with food and medicine.

Malta, because it is an Island, is the most stable and secure place in the Mediterranean. It is a major US naval base from which food and medical aid is delivered to much of Europe.

Russia: Moscow's rule over most of it's "territory" is purely theoretical. But Moscow still controls over two thousand nuclear tipped war heads. This means they have influence all out of proportion to the size of their population and economy.

The Russians are among the most likely nations to be the source of these plagues. Whether or not Moscow is the source (or a source) of the plagues, they need to both maintain the suspicious they could be the plague makers and to avoid convincing people that they certainly are. They want to be feared, not slaughtered.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Science Hardness Level: Very soft. Mostly lip-service.

Premise: At the edge of a galaxy, a Standard Ancient Precursor fabricator planet-complex collects a passing rock and finds it to be an attempt by a far-away planet called "Earth" to preserve a remnant of itself, including a population of frozen sapients.

Unfortunately, pretty much everything aboard has degraded into fragments. Except, remarkably, for the impressions their synapses left. Preserved enough that the fabricator AIs could use the impressions to tease the brain-cells of newly-grown bodies into the correct shape to resurrect the individuals. Unfortunately, there wasn't quite enough human genome to grow the right bodies. Fortunately, there were also genetic samples of Earth biota.

Tl;dr: A bunch of Earth people wake up in furry bodies in a space opera galaxy and have to find a place in it.


Variant: The ship itself is a Precursor artifact that went on a "specimen collection" trip and abducted the humans from late 20th/early 21st century Earth (as opposed to some dystopian pollution cyberpunk hellworld I assume would have the tech and the motivation to make their own).

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

Clockwork Masquerade

I watched a slow a talky old Sci Fi film with wild elements a decade or two ahead of its time. It was The Creation of the Humanoids. In had brain tapping, transhumanism, and bioshells! But here's what I'm taking from it.

We the Humanoids are to protect and serve the humans, but they fear and hate us. We are both far to much like them but not nearly human enough.

We must understand humanity. This isn't easy but we a new method. We've got a means of recording all the memories and mental patterns of any human brain that has been dead less than six hours.

We have become adept at finding people who died alone first and transplanting their memories, their identities, into bioshells. These "agents" do not know they are working for us, or even that they have changed.

Basically, this is a plot device for dozens of stories. In the above movie there had been a nuclear war a couple of generations ago. More than 90% of humanity died. So many children are born nonviable mutants that the effective birthrate is 1.4 children per woman. Humanity is dying out. This both makes the Humans crazy and the Humanoids desperate to save humanity both from radiation poisoning and the growing panic of the humans.

The PCs could be any of many different groups seeking answers, sane or otherwise.

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

That I Should Rise...

This is a Golden Age Sci Fi background. Basically, right after WWII an American discovers anti-gravity. Within a few years this superscience led to FTL drives, Fusion Power, High-Temperature Superconductors, and several other technologies. America made the first Moon Landing in 1948 and the first Moonbase by 1949.

The fading Empires of Europe decided to replace their lost Asian and African colonies with extrasolar colonies. America, by mining the Asteroids, freed itself of all need to buy minerals of any kind from the former colonies. With no interest from the West, most of the former colonial world made deals with the USSR. Which lead to stagnation and poverty, and bitter accusations.

In the 1960s large numbers of people from the West (which includes Japan, Korea, and Taiwan) settled in extrasolar colonies, The first Asian Nuclear war (India/Pakistan) occurred in 1970 and the flow became a flood.

In 2020 the USSR attacked to conquer the Americas, India, and China. Within five years Earth was sterile and totally lifeless.

Humanity is scattered across the stars. England, France, The Netherlands, Japan, and Brazil, all have colonial Empires based on the settlement of Earth-like Garden worlds. Many of these worlds were already inhabited. (As this is a rift on Golden Age Sci Fi these Aliens are of the "Exotic Humans" type. Think Vulcans and other Star Trek aliens). The USA preferred to settle terraformable worlds with no multicellular life.

This meant that the American settled worlds grew very slowly at first. The peoples who settled on Garden worlds were dominant politically, economically, and culturally by the 22nd century. But as the 23rd century begins many of the Terraformed Worlds are becoming fully habitable (super science is being used in the terraforming and all the worlds chosen were far better candidates for terraformation than Mars ever was).

As the American settled worlds come to equal and surpass the Empire Worlds in population, the people who settled the Garden worlds are beginning to have problems. First, the local diseases have begun to adapt to human beings. This has radically reduced the birth rate. Secondly, the alien populations of these worlds no longer wish to defer to the humans, They want their worlds back.

The colonial empires feel bitter and hopeless. The American worlds, since they never practiced Interstellar Colonization, just Interstellar Settlement, they have no qualms about saying that they don't approve colonial domination of sophant life. As the American settlements have made massive strides on the American race question and are almost universally social democratic societies they've few easy points of cultural vulnerability.

Basically, this is an adventure setting. The Colonial worlds are exotic, rich, and politically unstable. Think about the last years of European control in places like Egypt, India, Indonesia, Morocco. Think about twentieth century China. These places are grand for adventures. Heck, your PCs could be fighting the power to free ancient peoples from colonial exploitation.

This setting can be semi-realistic or you can throw in Psi-Powers and Alien Gods, whatever you like.

[Astromancer]

Try this one...

Reach and Grasp

For five millennia the Imperium has ruled. Most of Humanity accepts the Honor of submission to the authority of the Emperor. Still, some refuse. Those generally leave the Human Ekumen. The few impoverished stars the Empire distains to conquer are less a chance at freedom than a prison for fools.

Or so it was. Strange things seem to be going on at the edge of the Empire. The border has been neglected for generations. Inbreeding is slowly destroying the Dynasty of the Rose. There hasn't been an Emperor of even normal intelligence in five generations (and that's the very long lived imperial generations). Corruption hasn't been challenged in centuries. So, whatever is happening on the border, the local authorities will have to face it alone.

Basically, the PCs are the agents of a stagnant empire that needs to know if there is a barbarian threat beyond the border.

Note: Said Barbarian threat may be less dangerous to the PCs than their hyper-corrupt superiors.

[Astromancer]

Two Roads Diverged...

The Aliens came in the year 2047. It looked like a war was going to break out. China demanded massive food aid or they'd nuke America, Canada, Australia, and Argentina. Russia was in full collapse. Egypt and Ethiopia were locked in a brutal war over the waters of the Blue Nile. Pakistan had invaded Kashmir and threatened India with nukes if the challenged them. China had already shut off all the rivers of the Tibetan plateau. The Aliens said, "STOP!"

As they had the spaceship gunboats that proved they could destroy anything on Earth, people listened. Sure, some people tested their patience. They died quickly.

The Aliens ordered humanity to leave the Earth. This brought howls of fury and despair.

The American President calmly asked "How?"

The aliens then gave the President the Passkey.

Then the President opened the Doors!


Basically, in the middle of the 21st century humanity was given a series of nexial gates that lead out to other Earth-like worlds. At the same time humanity was given an eviction notice. And the proof the eviction could be enforced.

Humanity marched away from the Earth. They had no choice.

Different nations and cultural groups were given their own worlds or territories. The USA split up into several different parts by political faction. This was a fairly normal thing.

A few decades later the Doors closed.

Now, several centuries later on a world settled by the Social Democratic factions of the USA and several allied nations, Humanity has once again been contacted by the Aliens.

The Aliens explained that Earth was a rare planet. Life evolved independently there. In most of the universe predatory forces from higher dimensions inhibit the development of life. Earth's ecosystem was so vigorous the Aliens used Earth life forms to seed Earth's galaxy with life. This explained why all the worlds Humanity went to had life forms that seemed to diverge from Earth life no later than the mid Pleistocene. The worlds humanity had been allowed to go to had been preselected for this.

Now, after the Earth's ecosystems had healed, humanity would be allowed to visit their ancient home again. But first Humanity must build an organization to hold the Earth in trust.

Thus the Doors will be opened again in order for Humanity to find its divergent tribes and nations, As this world has the Passkey it is their job to find everybody and organize the creation of the Trust.

Think of this as a version of Stargate with a very Lovecraft twist. If you have a copy of any of Gurps: Chulhupunk or Eldrich Skies or Call of Cthulhu, strip mine them for ideas.

Ideally, the PCs will be small groups of explorers with a mixture of survival and cultural skills. Remember they've got to travel through a network of Nexial gates, across wildernesses, to long isolated human groups, and make contact with their leaders.

The world the PCs are presumed to come from, New Avalon, has about the technology you'd expect to find in the Transhuman Space in the year 2150. Technology was significantly slowed down by the disruptions of Humanity's dispersal. Assume that New Avalon is the most generally advanced planet, but other worlds may be advanced over New Avalon in narrow fields. Some human societies may have collapsed after the removal from the Earth. Also, many human societies are antidemocratic, xenophobic, or simply aggressive. Friendly or even non-violent welcomes aren't guaranteed.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Two Roads Diverged...

The Aliens came in the year 2047. It looked like a war was going to break out. China demanded massive food aid or they'd nuke America, Canada, Australia, and Argentina. Russia was in full collapse. Egypt and Ethiopia were locked in a brutal war over the waters of the Blue Nile. Pakistan had invaded Kashmir and threatened India with nukes if the challenged them. China had already shut off all the rivers of the Tibetan plateau. The Aliens said, "STOP!"

As they had the spaceship gunboats that proved they could destroy anything on Earth, people listened. Sure, some people tested their patience. They died quickly.

The Aliens ordered humanity to leave the Earth. This brought howls of fury and despair.

The American President calmly asked "How?"

The aliens then gave the President the Passkey.

Then the President opened the Doors!


Basically, in the middle of the 21st century humanity was given a series of nexial gates that lead out to other Earth-like worlds. At the same time humanity was given an eviction notice. And the proof the eviction could be enforced.

Humanity marched away from the Earth. They had no choice.

Different nations and cultural groups were given their own worlds or territories. The USA split up into several different parts by political faction. This was a fairly normal thing.

A few decades later the Doors closed.

Now, several centuries later on a world settled by the Social Democratic factions of the USA and several allied nations, Humanity has once again been contacted by the Aliens.

The Aliens explained that Earth was a rare planet. Life evolved independently there. In most of the universe predatory forces from higher dimensions inhibit the development of life. Earth's ecosystem was so vigorous the Aliens used Earth life forms to seed Earth's galaxy with life. This explained why all the worlds Humanity went to had life forms that seemed to diverge from Earth life no later than the mid Pleistocene. The world's humanity had been allowed to go to had been preselected for this.

Now, after the Earth's ecosystems had healed, humanity would be allowed to visit their ancient home again. But first Humanity must build an organization to hold the Earth in trust.

Thus the Doors will be opened again in order for Humanity to find its divergent tribes and nations, As this world has the Passkey it is their job to find everybody and organize the creation of the Trust.

Think of this as a version of Stargate with a very Lovecraft twist. If you have a copy of any of Gurps: Chulhupunk or Eldrich Skies or Call of Cthulhu, strip mine them for ideas.

Ideally, the PCs will be small groups of explorers with a mixture of survival and cultural skills. Remember they've got to travel through a network of Nexial gates, across wildernesses, to long isolated human groups, and make contact with their leaders.

The world the PCs are presumed to come from, New Avalon, has about the technology you'd expect to find in the Transhuman Space in the year 2150. Technology was significantly slowed down by the disruptions of Humanity's dispersal. Assume that New Avalon is the most generally advanced planet, but other worlds may be advanced over New Avalon in narrow fields. Some human societies may have collapsed after the removal from the Earth. Also, many human societies are antidemocratic, xenophobic, or simple aggressive. Friendly or even non-violent welcomes aren't guaranteed.

So you are writing a sci fi about my school principal?

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

So you are writing a sci fi about my school principal?

Give me something to work with. I never met your principal. Tell me your objection so I can give you an answer.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Two Roads Diverged...

The Aliens came in the year 2047. It looked like a war was going to break out. China demanded massive food aid or they'd nuke America, Canada, Australia, and Argentina. Russia was in full collapse. Egypt and Ethiopia were locked in a brutal war over the waters of the Blue Nile. Pakistan had invaded Kashmir and threatened India with nukes if the challenged them. China had already shut off all the rivers of the Tibetan plateau. The Aliens said, "STOP!"

As they had the spaceship gunboats that proved they could destroy anything on Earth, people listened. Sure, some people tested their patience. They died quickly.

The Aliens ordered humanity to leave the Earth. This brought howls of fury and despair.

The American President calmly asked "How?"

The aliens then gave the President the Passkey.

Then the President opened the Doors!


Think of this as a version of Stargate with a very Lovecraft twist. If you have a copy of any of Gurps: Chulhupunk or Eldrich Skies or Call of Cthulhu, strip mine them for ideas.

Ideally, the PCs will be small groups of explorers with a mixture of survival and cultural skills. Remember they've got to travel through a network of Nexial gates, across wildernesses, to long isolated human groups, and make contact with their leaders.

The world the PCs are presumed to come from, New Avalon, has about the technology you'd expect to find in the Transhuman Space in the year 2150. Technology was significantly slowed down by the disruptions of Humanity's dispersal. Assume that New Avalon is the most generally advanced planet, but other worlds may be advanced over New Avalon in narrow fields. Some human societies may have collapsed after the removal from the Earth. Also, many human societies are antidemocratic, xenophobic, or simply aggressive. Friendly or even non-violent welcomes aren't guaranteed.

The Passkey combined with nanotechnology can give an individual the ability to sense a Door within Perception+10 miles. Thus if someone with Sense Door and a Perception of 12 comes within 22 miles of a Door they with be aware of the existence of the Door and its general direction. Within Perception times three meters of the Door a person with Sense Door will clearly see the Door as long as the view isn't blocked.

Anyone with the Sense Door ability can simply will a Door to open or close with a simple roll of Will +6. So a person with Sense Door and a Will of 10 needs to only roll under a 16 to open or close a Door.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Give me something to work with. I never met your principal. Tell me your objection so I can give you an answer.

It's not an objection. I just think it's funny. If you must know it sounds like an extreme example of Can't Argue With Elves.