Initially I was thinking you all would start at level 3.
The other option is to start at 4th, just beginning your Advanced Class.
Thoughts?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
AmiFed Security New Offering!
New product offering from AmiFed Secirities! The Autonomous Stun Snake! Add a low power Electrograv module and maintain your sense of mind over your precious cargo. Leave one in the Children's Creche for peace of mind!
Only 10,000 ChiDom credits!
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Only 10,000 ChiDom credits!
Order today!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Communications and the Economy
As it turns out, Science Fiction about Gray Goo nano-assembly and faster than light communications was just that: Fiction.
Economics is still driven by scarcity. There is no magic end around that allows us to convert Hydrogen into Rembrandts and Palm trees. Assemblers and cybernetics can help, but you still have to build things. Core worlds can manufacture and afford more than the Outback. The outback still has easier access to minerals, rare-earths, radioactives and Hydrogen. This is where we come in, moving raw materials to the core, finished goods and fresh rations to the Outback. Supply and demand. And we aim to fill it.
Now as to communications. There are those who have watched old style vids of space empires projecting real time holograms halfway across the galaxy. And well, we’ve got the skip drive so why not instant communications. Turns out the Skip drive is some sort of hole in Einstein’s Law’s. Don’t ask me how it works because I don’t know. I just own the ship.
So it turns out there’s good money to be made in delivering mail packets. Turns out that some of the best payouts can be if you have an encrypted server to deliver official mail to some far-out in the Outback – never mind the pay you can make if you deliver an official Colonial Courier to another system.
Economics is still driven by scarcity. There is no magic end around that allows us to convert Hydrogen into Rembrandts and Palm trees. Assemblers and cybernetics can help, but you still have to build things. Core worlds can manufacture and afford more than the Outback. The outback still has easier access to minerals, rare-earths, radioactives and Hydrogen. This is where we come in, moving raw materials to the core, finished goods and fresh rations to the Outback. Supply and demand. And we aim to fill it.
Now as to communications. There are those who have watched old style vids of space empires projecting real time holograms halfway across the galaxy. And well, we’ve got the skip drive so why not instant communications. Turns out the Skip drive is some sort of hole in Einstein’s Law’s. Don’t ask me how it works because I don’t know. I just own the ship.
So it turns out there’s good money to be made in delivering mail packets. Turns out that some of the best payouts can be if you have an encrypted server to deliver official mail to some far-out in the Outback – never mind the pay you can make if you deliver an official Colonial Courier to another system.
'Evolvists'
--Accessing Colonial Union Infobase archive....
What follows is the full text of what is commonly called 'The Evolvist Manifesto' by the lay public.
A Solution to The New Holocaust
Dr. Sundaj Markim Rao
Humanity has reached a turning point in the course of our history. We have the ability to elucidate the nature of complex nuances of chaos systems in synergistic interaction. Unfortunately, we have yet to shed the hubris that allows us to ignore the philosophical ramifications of these interactions. These interactions will soon reach immeasurable proportions on the new colony worlds throughout the near sector. What interactions am I speaking of? Those between the native species of the colony worlds and the flora and fauna we introduce.
On the newly settled world of Procyron, there is an interesting species of insect, Victus Aboreum Insectus. They seem to have a hive mind structure much like the conventional ant. However, they seem to have on marked difference (other than their size): they seem to be able to override their hive ingrained behavior due to individual stimuli. What does this mean? Researchers are not certain. However, we do know that we are racing the clock to learn what we can about this new species. Why? Because their main source of food is a type of grass on Procyron B. A grass that is rapidly being predated by our engineered Terrestrial flora.
You see, by colonizing and terraforming Procyron B with our flora and fauna we are condemning the native species of that planet to eventual extinction. Terrestrial species have no natural parasites of predators on these worlds; aside from what we introduce. The result is the eradication of all native flora and fauna.
We have all ready seen this occur near the main colony of Procyron B. How long until the rest of the world is similarly affected?
It is, in a nutshell, another holocaust. We are eradicating some of the genetic diversity of the universe by our actions. Who are we to play God with what may one day become a truly sentient species? The 'Ant-Lions' of Procyron B seem to have intelligence at least that of a chimpanzee. Who are we to condemn them to eradication? Are we, in our hubris, as evil as the Zealots of Earth made us out to be?
There is a better way. Our knowledge has progressed to a point where planets are no longer necessary for our survival. We can easily procure oxygen, water, hydrogen, complex carbohydrates and minerals from the Ort cloud bodies. That which we cannot acquire we can grow or synthesize.
It is time for a social evolution. Or brains have become capable of complex higher order thought. There are even studies demonstrating the viability of Extrasensory Perception. We live in marvelous times of technological marvels, but we are still blind to our true potential.
We have no need of planets. Let us leave these incubators for the future intelligent races. Let us not fall to hubris and prejudice and exterminate potential friends. We have discovered the Chilranti and the Xitichui. Who knows what else we may find? Who knows what we have all ready found, but are busily destroying?
Only we can save ourselves. Only we can save our (dare I use the term) souls from what we are about to do to the future of the sector. I hope the Ant-Lions of Procyron B are given the chance to survive and evolve. I would like our decedents to be able to look them in the eye without guilt or remorse.
15 years later, 100,000 Evolvists (as they are now termed) moved into a privately funded spherical construct orbiting the Brown Dwarf Sol B.
They have become nomads of sort, traveling from one ice body to the next in search of resources. Their construct has no spin gravity, and their bioengineering has restored hand-like feet and prehensile tail in some, and wing like structures under the arms of others. More than sufficient physical modification to thrive in a weightless atmosphere. It is said that their construct is the most beautiful thing imaginable, with artificial rivers and lakes flowing through variable artificial gravity fields with uplifted cetaceans thriving in the zero g environment.
Could this be the future of Humanity? We don't know. But their lifestyle does have appealing qualities.
--- End search results.
Far out in the Sol system Ort cloud is a brown dwarf star, roughly 10 times more massive than Jupiter. While it does not produce light, it creates massive electromagnetic fields and bombards nearby space with energy. It is in orbit around this dwarf that the they have built their main habitat. They have discovered way to convert the solar energy of this failed star into electricity, enabling them to lead what they consider normal zero-g lives on the edge of deep space.
The Evolvists are convinced that to understand science - to know the universe it to look at the face of God. All that we of the Colonial Union do know is that thy have abandoned most human 'morality' in the name of progress, genetic utility, and planetary independence.
What follows is the full text of what is commonly called 'The Evolvist Manifesto' by the lay public.
A Solution to The New Holocaust
Dr. Sundaj Markim Rao
Humanity has reached a turning point in the course of our history. We have the ability to elucidate the nature of complex nuances of chaos systems in synergistic interaction. Unfortunately, we have yet to shed the hubris that allows us to ignore the philosophical ramifications of these interactions. These interactions will soon reach immeasurable proportions on the new colony worlds throughout the near sector. What interactions am I speaking of? Those between the native species of the colony worlds and the flora and fauna we introduce.
On the newly settled world of Procyron, there is an interesting species of insect, Victus Aboreum Insectus. They seem to have a hive mind structure much like the conventional ant. However, they seem to have on marked difference (other than their size): they seem to be able to override their hive ingrained behavior due to individual stimuli. What does this mean? Researchers are not certain. However, we do know that we are racing the clock to learn what we can about this new species. Why? Because their main source of food is a type of grass on Procyron B. A grass that is rapidly being predated by our engineered Terrestrial flora.
You see, by colonizing and terraforming Procyron B with our flora and fauna we are condemning the native species of that planet to eventual extinction. Terrestrial species have no natural parasites of predators on these worlds; aside from what we introduce. The result is the eradication of all native flora and fauna.
We have all ready seen this occur near the main colony of Procyron B. How long until the rest of the world is similarly affected?
It is, in a nutshell, another holocaust. We are eradicating some of the genetic diversity of the universe by our actions. Who are we to play God with what may one day become a truly sentient species? The 'Ant-Lions' of Procyron B seem to have intelligence at least that of a chimpanzee. Who are we to condemn them to eradication? Are we, in our hubris, as evil as the Zealots of Earth made us out to be?
There is a better way. Our knowledge has progressed to a point where planets are no longer necessary for our survival. We can easily procure oxygen, water, hydrogen, complex carbohydrates and minerals from the Ort cloud bodies. That which we cannot acquire we can grow or synthesize.
It is time for a social evolution. Or brains have become capable of complex higher order thought. There are even studies demonstrating the viability of Extrasensory Perception. We live in marvelous times of technological marvels, but we are still blind to our true potential.
We have no need of planets. Let us leave these incubators for the future intelligent races. Let us not fall to hubris and prejudice and exterminate potential friends. We have discovered the Chilranti and the Xitichui. Who knows what else we may find? Who knows what we have all ready found, but are busily destroying?
Only we can save ourselves. Only we can save our (dare I use the term) souls from what we are about to do to the future of the sector. I hope the Ant-Lions of Procyron B are given the chance to survive and evolve. I would like our decedents to be able to look them in the eye without guilt or remorse.
15 years later, 100,000 Evolvists (as they are now termed) moved into a privately funded spherical construct orbiting the Brown Dwarf Sol B.
They have become nomads of sort, traveling from one ice body to the next in search of resources. Their construct has no spin gravity, and their bioengineering has restored hand-like feet and prehensile tail in some, and wing like structures under the arms of others. More than sufficient physical modification to thrive in a weightless atmosphere. It is said that their construct is the most beautiful thing imaginable, with artificial rivers and lakes flowing through variable artificial gravity fields with uplifted cetaceans thriving in the zero g environment.
Could this be the future of Humanity? We don't know. But their lifestyle does have appealing qualities.
--- End search results.
Far out in the Sol system Ort cloud is a brown dwarf star, roughly 10 times more massive than Jupiter. While it does not produce light, it creates massive electromagnetic fields and bombards nearby space with energy. It is in orbit around this dwarf that the they have built their main habitat. They have discovered way to convert the solar energy of this failed star into electricity, enabling them to lead what they consider normal zero-g lives on the edge of deep space.
The Evolvists are convinced that to understand science - to know the universe it to look at the face of God. All that we of the Colonial Union do know is that thy have abandoned most human 'morality' in the name of progress, genetic utility, and planetary independence.
Character Creation Guide
Necessary SRD's
- Cybernetics (53k RTF)
- Equipment (348k RTF)
- Mecha (250k RTF)
- Mutations (92k RTF)
- Robots (241k RTF)
- Vehicles (140k RTF)
Introduction
So here it is. Earth got used up. It wasn’t one thing, but a whole raft of things; the ice melted, religious wars, to many nukes got used, the collapse of the ocean food – chains, take your pick of disasters they all happened. We can still look at it, its still there. The astronomers say that those who stayed behind are still nuking each other. It’s only been 200 years since the exodus – maybe they’ll get tired of fighting some day, but not yet.
When the wars started lots of people fled to the colonies and the outposts. Seems we invented fusion powered pulse engines just in time. Lots of people got out of earth as it all came crashing down. 5 million. 10. 50. We don’t rightfully know. Still just a drop in the bucket.
Lots of nations had official plans. The North American Colonial Union sent their people to Mars. United Galactic Spaceways and El Israel gathered the survivors of the General Exchange in the Middle East and loaded them into the L4 Hilton.
But what really saved our asses was the Skip Drive. Imagine all these refugees in space, with no where to go. Some cultures like the Turks and Chinese started to cobble together Generation ships out of their national space stations. But then we got lucky again. A scientist on Mars created the Skip Drive. Making light years take weeks instead of centuries.
The mostly completed Generation ships were retrofitted into Skip Ships while they watched Earth burn. And then they disappeared.
The Chinese headed to Alpha Centari, the Turks Barnard’s Star, the Australians Procyron. And so on. Europeans, Brazilians, Chinese, Japanese, African Unionists, Indians - cultural seeds scattered to the six winds.
Now we're in the now. Humanity has pushed out to about 25 light years from Sol system. The Martian terraforming project is complete, and the NorthAm’s are getting started on Venus, Europa and Enceladus. Planets populated by people, some main line, some genejacked to be more compatible with their new homes. And some who have stayed out in the beyond having decided planets are retroburn.
It also turns out that we aren’t alone out here. Turns out there are habitable planets everywhere. And any place with liquid water has life of some sort. We found a moon colony of a species that suffered the same fate as Earth just barely scraping by. Found a species of pre-industrials. Found other places with wrong – handed DNA folding, making the life there the most toxic thing in the Universe for us. Leave those alone.
But everywhere we go, we start terraforming and populating and building.
Some say humanity’s numbers are back to where they were before Earth died. But now we're spread. And we're still humans – same old problems. NorthAm Colonial Union and Chinese sparring for control over territory and resources. Pirates operating off map and preying on traders. Mercenary companies and Security teams helping raw planets fight off pirates and natives and whatever else comes their way.
You’d think we’d learn.
Anyway. I’ve got a Trader. Shinzuku Class out of New Nippon, 10KT displacement. It isn’t pretty but it moves cargo nicely.
Here’s what I need by way of crew:
Pilot / Navigator.
Hacker
Machinist / Engineer / Robotics
Security
Doc.
A fixer or faceman.
Overlap is good because then you can catch some sleep in shifts. I’ll let you know once we’re ready to ship.
(OOC: we’ll be using d20 future / modern. Get yourself to 3rd level and we’ll specialize down the road. And no, I’m not sure when we’ll start this, but I figure if we get it up and ready it can be a one off now and then for those days when the Tuesday night game isn’t able to go).
When the wars started lots of people fled to the colonies and the outposts. Seems we invented fusion powered pulse engines just in time. Lots of people got out of earth as it all came crashing down. 5 million. 10. 50. We don’t rightfully know. Still just a drop in the bucket.
Lots of nations had official plans. The North American Colonial Union sent their people to Mars. United Galactic Spaceways and El Israel gathered the survivors of the General Exchange in the Middle East and loaded them into the L4 Hilton.
But what really saved our asses was the Skip Drive. Imagine all these refugees in space, with no where to go. Some cultures like the Turks and Chinese started to cobble together Generation ships out of their national space stations. But then we got lucky again. A scientist on Mars created the Skip Drive. Making light years take weeks instead of centuries.
The mostly completed Generation ships were retrofitted into Skip Ships while they watched Earth burn. And then they disappeared.
The Chinese headed to Alpha Centari, the Turks Barnard’s Star, the Australians Procyron. And so on. Europeans, Brazilians, Chinese, Japanese, African Unionists, Indians - cultural seeds scattered to the six winds.
Now we're in the now. Humanity has pushed out to about 25 light years from Sol system. The Martian terraforming project is complete, and the NorthAm’s are getting started on Venus, Europa and Enceladus. Planets populated by people, some main line, some genejacked to be more compatible with their new homes. And some who have stayed out in the beyond having decided planets are retroburn.
It also turns out that we aren’t alone out here. Turns out there are habitable planets everywhere. And any place with liquid water has life of some sort. We found a moon colony of a species that suffered the same fate as Earth just barely scraping by. Found a species of pre-industrials. Found other places with wrong – handed DNA folding, making the life there the most toxic thing in the Universe for us. Leave those alone.
But everywhere we go, we start terraforming and populating and building.
Some say humanity’s numbers are back to where they were before Earth died. But now we're spread. And we're still humans – same old problems. NorthAm Colonial Union and Chinese sparring for control over territory and resources. Pirates operating off map and preying on traders. Mercenary companies and Security teams helping raw planets fight off pirates and natives and whatever else comes their way.
You’d think we’d learn.
Anyway. I’ve got a Trader. Shinzuku Class out of New Nippon, 10KT displacement. It isn’t pretty but it moves cargo nicely.
Here’s what I need by way of crew:
Pilot / Navigator.
Hacker
Machinist / Engineer / Robotics
Security
Doc.
A fixer or faceman.
Overlap is good because then you can catch some sleep in shifts. I’ll let you know once we’re ready to ship.
(OOC: we’ll be using d20 future / modern. Get yourself to 3rd level and we’ll specialize down the road. And no, I’m not sure when we’ll start this, but I figure if we get it up and ready it can be a one off now and then for those days when the Tuesday night game isn’t able to go).
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