My Game proposal - Skraypers/HU/AU

And realizing not everyone will know what I'm talking about because I've been told on many occassions that I do this sort of thing...here you go

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kirby%27s_Fourth_World - Jack Kirby's Fourth World

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Starlin- Jim Starlin

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica_%282004_TV_series%29 -Battlestar Galactica (new version)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farscape - Farscape

Praise be Wiki!

Doc

I'm thinking not. Unless said Ferret is prepared to deal with psychotic Tarlok warbulls, alien gods, and strange new planets.

I guess my bio freak ' tank' will fit right in then

I'll address a lot of this stuff in due time.

OK, first, here's some things from the Skraypers book that I'm going to throw right out:

-Crimes against Science: The fact that there are over a dozen semi-humanoid sentient species, on multiple planets all capable of supporting that kind of life, despite the various differences in distance from the sun, planetary mass, rotation etc etc boggles the mind. Now that said, I understand what Zeleznik was going for here (and yes, I choose to believe that Zeleznik was the primary writer); he was trying to recreate the "Pulp Planetary Opera" of the 20s and 30s- Flash Gordon and Buck Rodgers and their ilk. So, I'm going to keep the species, but I'm going to ignore the actual astrophysics data in the book, and just hope that none of you try to think too hard about it.

-Population Data: Not as serious a crime against science as the other stuff; it is possible I suppose, to squeeze 20 BILLION+ people onto a planet roughly the size of Mars, and keep them alive. Somehow. Probably with some really neat oxygen production technology that massively ups photosynthesis. However, to do that and still maintain a standard of living even comparable to 20th Century North Americans is pushing it. So Again, I'm going to ignore this.

More will come later

Don't make me hurt you

OK, now I think I'll start with some details of Seeronian history to give context and add some much-needed "color" to the setting.

THE SEERMAN: History and Culture

The Southernmost continent and nation of the planet Seeron, known as Seerta, is the original home of the Seerman race, While there are several major large forests in the temperate zone, the coastal regions where the ancient Seerman civilization developed were harsh and rocky terrain. Many to this day would only be accessible by horse if not for hovertechnology. Ancient Seerman cities were coastal fortresses meant to hold invading armies and withstand sieges. Later in their development, they began to develop the forrested areas, but even now these regions are mostly pristine wilderness, virtually untouched by civilization.

Ancient Seerman civilization was equally harsh; the men were often horse-riding barbarians who looted and pillaged from each other. Of course, given the Seerman's natural abilities of Clairvoyance and Sense Evil made these long, bloody wars where each faction would try to pre-emptively dispose of each other. Roughly 4000 years ago, realizing that this path would lead to their own genocide, the Seerman race began to more openly accept one another and devolop along a more peaceful society.

Seerman, each individual capable of looking (imperfectly) into the future and sensing dark intentions in one another, is a society of stark contrasts. Being able to sense evil in the members of society, they are stoic, perhaps on occassion jaundiced, for their history and experiences show them how prevalent evil is. Many are often suffer from a streak of fatalism and borderline depression due to their ability to see the future (this was especially present during the Tarlok invasion and occupation). That doesn't mean that they are all forever downbeat; Many are flamboyant, and defiant of what fate may come; these are often young Seerman (and women), filled with passion and romance and the desire to create their own fates.

A few interesting Seerman customs of note:

-The Violet Hood - In their barbarian days, Seerman would kidnap women they intended to be their brides and cover them with a violet hoods. The Seerman would then spend several days trying to win over their affections with gifts, pleads, or arguements. If the woman was still defiant, she would be released back to her family, otherwise a more formal marriage ceremony would then be arranged. This practice was outlawed 2500 years ago, and anyone caught attempting this version of the ceremony was severly punished (originally the penalty was death by stoning. Now it is merely life in prison without possibility of parole). However, in an odd honoring of their "traditions", a version of the Violet hood exists. When a male Seerman proposes to his beloved, he will give her a large purple scarf. The woman will wear this scarf for four days to show that she is considering the proposal. On the morning of the fifth day, if she returns it to the male, it marks that she has declined. If she burns it, it means that the proposal has been accepted.

-The Seerman Justice System: Again, because psychic powers are so common within the population, they are used both as a preventative means and in administering justice. Clairvoyant cops will often speak to a potential criminal to dissuade him or her from an action and inform them of the likely consequences. Similarly, Psychometry is used to glean facts of evidence, and both telepathic and empathic evidence is admissable in courts. Thus, the Seerman Justice system has historically been oddly Draconian and ultra-efficient. It is often said that a court case is about as quick as ordering dinner, and about as empassioned.

-Seerman Songtelling: In contrast to the rather emotionally reserved Seerman society, they allow themselves great emotional displays in Songtelling. Part Operatic performance, part oral presentation, a Songteller is a single individual (Historically male, although in modern times, 15% of Songtellers are female) who takes to a stage, and accompanied by a simple drumbeat (the tempo is composed by the songteller and performed by drummer, but modern songtellers use a computer program to provide the beat) will tell a story. It can be a relatively straightforward tale, though most of the greatest songtellers tell large, sweeping tales equivalent to War and Peace or the Illiad (Most of these "epics" stretch for 4-6 hours! Intermissions are common, thankfully). Songtellers are highly regarded in Seerman culture for being able to truly express the feelings of the Seerman people, and the best are on the level of national icons. Required: a high PE (14 or higher), and the sing, compose music, and computer operation skills.

And done with the ancient history. On to something a little more recent, before digging into the modern Seeronian Tapestry. Feel free to comment and feedback.

THE JAVELIN

10 years before the initial Tarlok invasion, the Seeronian government assembled and debated strategies. Most knew how badly the odds were stacked against them, and they knew that the Tarlok would be a formidable force. They also knew that Seeronian technology was generally superior to Tarlok, but that they didn't have the time to fully prepare for a space war. It was then that one scientist turned diplomat devised a solution: To send away some of Seeron's best and brightest in total secrecy to someplace safe. The idea was mocked; after all, where could they go that the Tarlok wouldn't be able to find them? The scientist responded:

"Everywhere"

And thus began the javelin project. At a staggering cost, and in total secrecy, the massive ship was built, tested, and the crew assembled from the finest military and civilian minds. They would report to no one but the secret government, and they knew that they might never see their home again. Their mission was simple: the massive ship, powered by the most powerful engine ever devised, would travel at relativistic velocity throughout the solar system, and it's crew would prepare to be the ultimate failsafe, the secret weapon that would, one day, spell the end of the Tarlok. And so it was that shortly before the begining of the Tarlok invasion, the Javelin was sent away.

The Javelin, eight miles long, 5 miles devoted to the massive ramscoop drive needed to fuel the atomic reactor, travelled for 50 years, most of its crew aging a fraction of that (depending on when they boarded, the average is about about 20 years, although members whom have been on board all 50 have only aged about 15). The ship would occassionally "collect" valued members of the secret government or other assets to use in its work as they helped to create new technology and strategies, and to train more Freedom fighters to prepare for the day when the Javelin would strike.

And so it was, decades later, when that day arrived, when the united resistance of Seeron rose up, and the Javelin came down upon the Tarlok Space fleet. For you see, the thing about having an engine that is 5 miles long and is capable of propelling that much mass at relativistic velocities is that it makes for an effective gun in its own right; a mass driver capable of punching thru the most hardened Tarlok ships like buckshot thru wet tissue.

Which wasn't to say it was an easy fight. The Tarlok were nothing if not persistent. They had the edge in fightercraft and in space infantry, some of which boarded that ship. In the 3 days of heavy fighting, there was not a single deck of the massive spacecraft that did not see battle and blood and death, including the command deck, where Captain Horden Praka died. All might have been lost had not the mission operations officer, Jhon Roben, himself wounded in the attack, took command and rallied the remaining crew into a final push that cleared Seeronian Space of the Tarlok. With the loss of orbital and air support, the already beseiged Tarlok occupations forces planetside were eventually overwhelmed. Seeron was free.

After the battle, Roben was brought planetside for medical treatment where he spent several months recovering. The Javelin, having spent all its fuel in the battle, lies at the Lagrange point between Seeron and Etopia (the point in space where the gravitational pull between the planet and the moon equal out; effectively a safe orbital point) where it serves as the new command base of the Seeronian Space Defense Group.