[ic=James T. Kirk]'Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before.'[/ic]
Well. Sort of. The USS Ark is not the enterprise by any stretch of the imagination. A vast, titanic ship with a carrying capacity of 6,000,000,000, it is the final, unforgivable result of humanity's drive to expand. Every alien being, every lifeform foreign to man's perception, everything considered unnatural - was brought to ground and hunted, exterminated. Only one man - an individual mysteriously known as 'Noah' - had the power and drive to act against this. The result was the disappearance of the USS Ark - the largest colony ship yet constructed - from her dry-dock in the Texas Military Refitting Spaceport, and the escape of around five and a half billion alien fugitives from camps, prison cells and indeed, from right under the noses of hunting parties.
A New Life
For twenty years, the USS Ark has been flying merrily towards the edge of the human-infested galactic empire, almost unnoticed under her vast cloaking system. Although human fleets have followed it, they can only match its speed - meaning that so far, the Ark has not been harassed by military vessels. But things are changing. The stasis compartments that kept each species frozen have mysteriously shut down. Power failures wrack the ship, and the engines are slowing... meaning that the human fleets are catching up. Where is Noah? Is he dead? Has he abandoned them? Can they fight off the human fleets and repair the ship? These are questions that must, somehow, be answered.
The Dream
So what is the Ark like at present? A thousand species working together in perfect harmony, coming together to help one another in a crisis? A true symbol of the sentient ability to put aside their differences and thrust towards a common aim when everything is at stake?
Well... not exactly. A sizable portion of the species have different languages, different ethnic groups and different religions even amongst themselves, and if they're not fighting one another, they can usually find some grievance against another race that they can use. The human compartment - for there is one of those - is open, and the most peacable race in the galaxy (according to the Encyclopedia Universalis, the Hyin of Dugan) will turn sour when confronted with one of those. Tensions are rising, and many of the compartments have broken down into outright warfare. The crew deck and cantina are held in the iron grip of the Tsochari, who, along with a few other similar species, have possessed most of the skeleton crew that were running the ship (meaning that they are probably the only creatures that know what might be going on).
Magic and Psionics
Unfortunately for most passengers of the ship, the USS Ark, like all ships of its class, is equipped with a Mk 2 Leyline Reality Distortion System - effectively, a mostly-successful replication of the magical field found on certain planets (including, in a weak form, earth). This means that those trained in its usage - or in usage of similar, natural systems - can perform supernatural acts in all working areas aboard the ship. Of course, certain individuals also have mental abilities which are unrelated to magic, a wide-stretching discipline usually referred to generally as 'psionics'.
Demons, Devils, and the Fiends of the Outer Realms
The first exploration of the Outer Reaches of the galaxy occurred only seventy-three years ago, and was conducted by the USS Simba, a scout ship considered one of the best of its kind with one of the most experienced crews. Whilst the exploration was mostly uneventful and few resources were found, a phenomenon now named the 'Kruzo Effect' or 'Kruzo Disease' was observed in detail - the appearance of apparently random computer spasms, hallucinations in the crew, random psychological breakdowns, malfunctioning of equipment and so on, although all on a relatively small scale. The most common hallucinations were of various hellish-looking beings - horned, winged, spiked, chained, they came in many varieties but they all appeared. On one occasion, three members of the crew in Hydroponics completely disappeared without trace. These manifestations are known as 'fiends', 'devils' or 'demons' in the colloquial speech of the human empire, and many other species copied this in later years, up to the present day. It seems likely that as the ship penetrates further into the so-called 'Kruzo Field' surrounding the universe, these symptoms will begin to manifest - if they haven't already.
Robots, Androids, Cyborgs, Drones, Golems and Clockwork Men
[note]Clockwork man: Term usually used to refer to robots and other forms of artificial intelligence. Featured in several children's stories, often used as a method of scaring children (i.e. 'The clockwork men come and get children who don't go to sleep.') (Encyclopedia Galactica, page 1020523)[/note]
All of the above - among infinite other names for effectively the same base object - are names for artificial intelligence, or more specifically, that artificial intelligence found in bodies of vaguely human size and vaguely sentient levels. 'Drone' refers to a relatively unintelligent, single-task robot, 'android' to one that can pass off as a member of a sentient species (usually, but not always, a form of human), 'golem' to a creature at least partially powered by magic and 'cyborg' to a creature that also includes living tissue. Despite the legal ban on commercial usage of these beings (other than cyborgs who, provided they are 65% human, are legal with consent by the individual), there are hundreds of them aboard the ship, generally replacing crew members, although some of them act independently. Most of them, however, seem to have had some kind of memory complication in the recent past - meaning that none of those affected can remember exactly what happened before systems started to go wrong.
The most terrifying example of artificial intelligence on the ship, however, is HIM 2.0, the Higher Intelligence Model (second software package). HIM is technically present everywhere, although he rarely makes an appearance. According to the most knowledgeable, HIM has suffered some kind of fault - he appears to have split into several personalities, each governing an area of the ship. Some of these personalities are benign, some malevolent, some merely insane - there is a section on Subdeck 29 where the gravity is constantly being switched on and off at apparent random - but none of them are ever willing to discuss the current state of the ship beyond basic details, and many of them never speak at all (it takes a lot of effort to even speak to the ship's computer, showing that something is wrong). The entirety of the four Bridge decks are closed off, and cannot be accessed - merely adding to the general sinister feel of the entire thing.
The Real World
Matters are not helped aboard the ship by the presence of the Emergency Holographic Contingency Simulation Matrix, or 'XM' as it is commonly pronounced. This is effectively a system designed to, should the ship's stasis modules shut down, provide a false reality to soothe the passengers until they can be returned to stasis - hopefully without them ever realising they're trapped inside a storage space. This has only worked in certain areas - such as the Hyin module - and effectively works by finding in your brain your perfect reality and creating a simulated version in which you can happily reside. Entering this false reality is possible via several maintenance substations scattered throughout the decks, and is referred to (perhaps in some now-obscure ancient pop culture reference) as 'entering the Matrix'. It can, however, be difficult to convince those within the Matrix that they are living in a virtual reality.
How did 6,000,000,000 aliens get on board? Don't tell me they were all in Texas :-p
Why was the Ark built in the first place?
QuoteHow did 6,000,000,000 aliens get on board? Don't tell me they were all in Texas :P
>.> Deus ex machina?
No, seriously though. Effectively, most of them were teleported (sometimes out of supposedly teleport-proof cells, although not generally, because why waste that kind of cell on something nobody would ever want to rescue?) and onto various stasis-equipped shuttles where they were put into XM and Noah introduced himself (although not in the flesh, because the XM system is virtual and you can appear as anything, even a disembodied voice). Mostly believing themselves to be in some kind of heaven, they went to bed or hibernated or meditated or just relaxed enough that they could be frozen into stasis inside the pods that they were already physically inhabiting.
The Ark was one of several similar colony ships built for two main purposes by the human government. Their first purpose was to allow rapid settlement of new worlds and transit of large amounts of humans. Their second, more secretive purpose is as part of a contingency plan by the humans - should something absolutely cataclysmic happen - say some alien species more powerful than the humans appearing - large populations could be loaded onto them and sent shooting off to find new worlds to colonise.
When you mention the Tsochari, are you thinking about the bodystealers from Lords of Madness?
And i didn't get the line about humans; is every race hostile or unfriendly towards them?
Can fiends manifest as anything other than visions and symptoms? Good idea to have them exist on the edge of space as we know it. Makes them rather ominous.
I like the matrix machine! Could be very neat in-game, especially if it malfunctions.
What are the clockwork men?
I like a lot of the names btw; HIM 2.0 is just brilliant, and Mk 2 Leyline Reality Distortion system sounds pretty sweet as well.
Looking interesting so far, although the way you did magic seems slightly... unoriginal. But that might be what you are aiming for, what the hell do i know ^^
Hydroponics (the Endless Jungle)
[ic=Bob Marley]'Cause my life must be somewhere to be found -
Must be somewhere for me,
Instead of concrete jungle,
Where the living is harder.[/ic]
The Hydroponics section of the ship is effectively designed to provide oxygen, water and food to the entire vessel. [note]Atta grass: Genetically engineered moss-like plant that photosynthesises at an unnaturally high rate and produces almost everything necessary for life. A staple part of a shipman's diet, noted for its foul, fungus-like taste, its ability to turn your teeth yellowy-green and its vile smell; hence the saying 'As Atta as a shipman's mouth' and the shorter 'Atta-mouth'. (Encyclopedia Galactica, page 10053)[/note] It originally took the form of miles and miles of Atta grass, but due to neglect and a lack of enough crew to prune it correctly, many of the plants have malformed and changed, becoming something different. This has not been helped by the invasion of the Hydroponics decks by several plant-like sentient species and the escape of several non-sentient plant and animal species from the medical and scientific labs nearby. A sizable colony of monkeys, for example, now occupies Hydroponics Deck E. Water Tank 82, the largest on the ship, is now the home of Alabar, the Last Kraken.
Layout
Hydroponics is found at the front of the ship, beneath several bulkheads, storage areas and maintenance corridors. It is readily accessible from most points in the ship via (if you're willing to travel this way) ventilation shafts, all of which eventually lead back to the ventilation hub in hydroponics. It consists of five subdecks, slightly below the levels of their equivalent main decks, labelled A-E in rising order and collectively termed 'Hydroponics 1', and the water tanks which are known as 'Hydroponics 2'. The water tanks are found beneath Hydroponics 1, and stretch back a lot further into the ship. Hydroponics 1 consists almost totally of racks and racks of Atta grass descendants, most of which have malformed into something different and grown out of their set areas. The racks are run through with many corridors and crawl-spaces, as well as paths cut by their various new inhabitants, although many of these are rapidly blocked by new plant lifeforms.
Important information
The atmosphere in decks A-D is almost totally CO2, pumped back in to feed the Atta grass, although there is enough oxygen for a human or similar lifeform to survive with laboured breathing (although life support is suggested). Deck E is more oxygen-based because all of the oxygen that the Atta grass produces is vented upwards before being spread outwards throughout the ship, and can support human life reasonably well. Gravity is at earth levels, and the Leyline system is active except in isolated spots. There has been no known contact with HIM in the Hydroponics section, and it is unknown which of his many personalities is in control here.
QuoteWhen you mention the Tsochari, are you thinking about the bodystealers from Lords of Madness?
And i didn't get the line about humans; is every race hostile or unfriendly towards them?[/quote]Can fiends manifest as anything other than visions and symptoms? Good idea to have them exist on the edge of space as we know it. Makes them rather ominous.[/quote]I like the matrix machine! Could be very neat in-game, especially if it malfunctions. [/quote]What are the clockwork men?[/quote]I like a lot of the names btw; HIM 2.0 is just brilliant, and Mk 2 Leyline Reality Distortion system sounds pretty sweet as well.[/quote]Looking interesting so far, although the way you did magic seems slightly... unoriginal. But that might be what you are aiming for, what the hell do i know ^^[/quote]
I wanted some way to get magic in without going too far away from sci-fi. I'm not sure if it works - what do you think?
Robots
[ic=Kraftwerk]We are the robots...
We are the robots...
We are the robots...[/ic]
There are several, easily differentiated types of device that come under the heading of 'robot':
Androids (also: Replicants, Droids, Annies and Creepy Bastards)
Androids are robots designed to mimic a lifeform. The most common of these are human or humanoid, although it is possible to create replicas of any species. The less advanced (and cheaper) of these forms are easily recognisable, either by obviously-synthetic skin, jerky movements, badly-replicated forms or other signs. More advanced versions are indistinguishable by sight, smell, or even (in the case of the Replicant N2450 line of models) by comprehensive anatomical testing. They have been stigmatised in the past by humans, many of whom find their apparent humanity sinister - however, they have long formed an important part of many starship crews, serving as barmen, engineers, and in many other capacities. Androids are mostly self-aware (or at least appear to be self-aware).
Drones (also: Repairmen, Doreens)
[note]Nanobots: Programmed robotic devices usually equal in size to a red blood cell, capable of providing, en masse, various different services including medical aid. (Encyclopedia universalis, page 2040020)[/note]Drones are not self-aware in any form. They are generally small maintenance robots, and nanobots are often included under this definition. They may be self-sustaining or connected to the ship's computer, HIM, but none of them are capable of any kind of real conversation beyond affirmatives and prerecorded messages. They are extremely common on ships of all kinds, particularly in repair roles.
Holograms (also: Glass men, Hollies, Simulacra)
Holograms are virtual projections of varying levels of realism. Most consist of a small holounit equipped with some kind of propulsion to keep it hovering, capable of projecting varying images. Most holograms contain the programming for only one image, although they can deactivate it at will. Older holograms are often fuzzy-looking, colourless, or make humming or whirring noises emitted from their engines, whilst newer holograms can be indistinguishable from regular humans. Whilst newer holograms tend to have spacial awareness programming, older holograms sometimes walk or put body parts through solid objects, rather ruining their realism.
Cyborgs (also: Borgs, Metalmen, Redeyes)
[note]22.1: As for those referred to as 'Cyborgs', implantation is declared by this court, sovereign and whole, to be legal and proper provided the human retains 65% biological tissue and any implantation had the consent of the individual or a responsible governmental official. (Galactic Lawbook: Biomechanics Clause 22)[/note]
Cyborgs are part-organic, part-robotic creatures. Whilst technically, any individual with an implant link counts as a Cyborg, the term is usually used for those who have large amounts of visible implantation. Cyborghood tends to attract a certain sort of person - the kind of person who in modern-day earth would take dubiously legal steroids in an attempt to increase their strength - and so Cyborgs are both feared and mocked by human society. There are not very many Cyborgs aboard the Ark, although the number is growing because of the vast amount of stored Cyborg parts and resources with which to make new parts found in various compartments. Cyborgs generally retain an organic brain; although it is theoretically possible to download your personality into a better, biotechnological equivalent, this tends to result in certain personality disorders and is usually avoided.
Mark 7 Universal Translation Device (now with even MORE languages!)
[ic=Coldplay]It feels like they're talking in a language I don't speak...
And they're talking it to me.[/ic]
[note]Universal: The modern creole language of the Human Empire, which developed from a pidgin with its roots in modern American dialects. Spoken as a first or second language by most humans. (Encyclopedia Universalis, page 108,012,200,587)[/note] Happily, language is rarely a problem aboard the USS Ark. Most individuals are equipped with one of the various UTD implant models - the product of a highly ambitious product which uses a vast internal lexicon to attempt to (and usually successfully) translate anything said into Universal. Although this generally results in comprehensible basic speech, the device tends to directly translate many idioms, particularly in less extensively covered languages. This has resulted in Universal being spiced with many foreign and even alien idioms and turns of phrase. Universal phrases, for the purpose of this document, will be translated into English. There are a few languages which the translator cannot cope with at all - highly idiomatic or contextual languages, sign language (although a project is developing a sign language version implanted into the eye) and any language that relies on media other than sound. Furthermore, intonations and emotions are lost in translation - the translator speaks with a pleasant, yet obviously pre-recorded and somewhat jerky female voice.
I am going to enjoy reading more about this setting when I get home!
I love the idea of the sentient ship computer being afflicted with multiple personality disorder but I have to ask, how malevolent are some of the personalities?
How big is the USS Ark? To hold 6 billion people, even in cramped quarters, it would have to be massive.
Why is it called USS Ark? What does it stand for? United States Ship? United Species Ship? United Sentients Ship?
I wish to hear more about this Kruzo Field!
Quote from: Elemental_ElfI am going to enjoy reading more about this setting when I get home!
I love the idea of the sentient ship computer being afflicted with multiple personality disorder but I have to ask, how malevolent are some of the personalities? [/quote]How big is the USS Ark? To hold 6 billion people, even in cramped quarters, it would have to be massive. [/quote]Why is it called
USS Ark? What does it stand for? United States Ship? United Species Ship? United Sentients Ship? [/quote]I wish to heard more about this Kruzo Field! [/quote]
Righto. :P
The whole 'robots' section made me smile. Starting with the quote.
How small are the hologram projectors?
How do we avoid the typical issues with the Creepy Bastards self awareness? Any secret societies of human haters?
Quote from: Lord VreegThe whole 'robots' section made me smile. Starting with the quote.
How small are the hologram projectors?
How do we avoid the typical issues with the Creepy Bastards self awareness? Any secret societies of human haters?[/quote]
Are there any compartments that had weird experiments that were going to be used in them? Things such as mutagens, or halucinegenic gases or anything of that sort? Seems to me that the human government is pretty immoral and would do that sort of testing if it felt like it.
Quote from: Loch BelthaddAre there any compartments that had weird experiments that were going to be used in them? Things such as mutagens, or halucinegenic gases or anything of that sort? Seems to me that the human government is pretty immoral and would do that sort of testing if it felt like it.
Hmm. Possibly some stasis cells - the brig, for example. However, this ship was designed for humans, and generally speaking, the government are moral when it comes to humans. They justify their policies by using them on non-humans. The captain could release such gases into compartments if desired, however - in case of a mutiny for example. Since there is no captain, this is left in the hands of the ship's trustworthy computer, HIM 2.0, currently suffering from a minor bout of multiple personality disorder possibly brought on by the mechanical equivalent of demonic possession. Isn't life great?
I would like to ask - what system d'you think I should use for this? D20 has its advantages, especially if I'm going to use fantasy races, but on the other hand, I could have customisable alien races. Of course, I could do both. But y'know. :P
The Kruzo Effect [ic=Axel Rudi Pell (apparently)]We're losing our minds
Losing (our) souls
Who will restrain
Who can't let go
We're riding on, on the edge of the world
We're riding on, on the edge of the world[/ic]
The galaxy is finite, bounded on all sides by the Outer Reaches. Beyond the galaxy lies... what? More galaxies, so the scientists tell us. The Hyin, who are supposedly greatly given to storytelling, describe those further lights beyond the borders of the place we reside as 'the lights of the deep', a kind of spacefaring equivalent of the Will o' Wisp, a natural phenomenon once believed to be a dark spirit leading those lost abroad late at night into the swamps from which he came. Is this true? Who knows? We do not. But it is possible that, eventually, those who call the Ark - no matter how reluctantly - their home will reach another galaxy. And then we shall see what we shall see.
That is, if our eyes (or even we) survive the trip.
Roughly seventy-three years ago, the best scouting ship in the fleet - the USS Simba - set out on a long-distance mission to explore the Outer Reaches. Code-named 'Mission Will-o-Wisp' by some pessimistic mission controller with a morbid sense of humour, the Simba was expected to take a short trip, possibly discovering some useful resources. The mission - intended to last the average three-month tour of duty - went on for three years. According to the Captain - later court-martialled along with most of his administrative staff for gross errors of judgement and repeated disobedience - minor systems began to fail before they even reached the official border of the Outer Reaches. Once within the border, other systems - including, supposedly, the engines - began to act erratically. More unfortunately, so did many of the crew. Hallucinations of various horrific creatures - horned, tailed, or sometimes merely the stereotypical portrayal of an alien found in Earth propaganda - plagued first the superstitious and then more and more people, as did paranoia and schizophrenia, although these symptoms, like everything else, appeared erratically.
The ship's science officer (since unfortunately medically sectioned and confined to an institution on completely unrelated grounds), a man named Zimon Kruzo, performed an extremely detailed study of these effects, resulting in the modern terms 'Kruzo Effect' and 'Kruzo Circle' (the latter referring to the Outer Reaches themselves). His papers described one particularly horrifying incident - the loss without trace of three Hydroponics crew members, and the later discovery of one man dead in bed, his head twisted around three-hundred and sixty degrees, with the autopsy suggesting he was murdered during sexual activity. Both of these events were later blamed on the first mate, one Aleisha Yumat, although she has never admitted her guilt in either of these crimes, nor have the bodies of the three missing crew members been found. The evidence pointing towards her was, in fact, mostly circumstantial - she was found to have opened an airlock near Hydroponics shortly after the men's disappearance, and a message was found on her personal computer terminal:
Quote from: #ff0000
wearethechaosinthestormwearecomingwearethefacesinthedarknesswearecoming
wearethescreaminginyourheadwearecomingwearethemidnightattheedgeoftheuni
versewearecomingforallofyouFEARUS [/color]
This writing - apparently written by someone with no comprehension of the use of spaces - was used as evidence in the trial and has become the most common symbol of the Kruzo Effect. Quotes are even found on counter-culture clothing, although tasteful society does not appreciate them.
I would play this as a Florian. Hydroponics FTW!!
Major coolness points Wensleydale. I'll read in more depth in the future.
Typic android/AI issues involve the cliche of created intelligence outstriping it's human counterpart and evolving ahead of it. And then taking over, Ho-Hum.
That's what I was refering to.
Well, they have the distinct disadvantage that they can't evolve and adapt like we can and experiment with their form. (Unless something like this - http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=870 - is implemented.)
So they just have to be less intelligent than we are now, then they shouldn't be able to reach the Singularity too soon : P
i think...
Ahh, I see what you mean now. Well, they have a difficulty in that evolution and intelligence software is still in relative infancy - besides which, what do they have to learn from? Human beings, generally speaking, so advancing beyond them could be difficult. Other problems are also present - even the most advanced Replicants, although capable of doing extremely complex mathematical equations, cannot understand certain social situations, or many things that cannot really be explained by basic logic (why humans appreciate art, for example). This may not appear to be a great disability, but it can cripple social ability. Besides which there are so many parameters written into every mass-manufactured android (including a shutdown code, mass shutdown code etc) that they're generally no danger unless hacked or if they go severely wrong.
Water Tank 82
[ic=The Little Mermaid]Under the sea, under the sea
Darlin' it's better
Down where it's wetter,
Take it from me...[/ic]
Water Tank 82 is the largest tank on the USS Ark - technically speaking part of Hydroponics, but in reality stretching throughout the ship. In it resides Alabar, the Last Kraken. Known for his knowledge of goings-on about the ship, Water Tank 82 is a good place to come to if you want to know something others do not - provided you keep your wits about you.
The Last Kraken
'Alabar' - a rather embarrassing approximation of a Kraken's call - refers to himself as 'the last Kraken'. This is a reasonable claim - the planet of the Krakens, named rather unoriginally 'Oceania', was mined for its oil, fished for its cuisine and then destroyed in an attempt to view its core. Alabar was captured and moved in stasis to the New New Jersey Oceanic Lab, where he spent fifty-three days in a tiny, psycho-repressive tank before Noah teleported him directly into Tank 82. Kraken prefer water, and are quite capable of living for at least five-hundred years. Kraken communicate by a mild natural psychic disposition and a powerful combination of hormones and scent replication, but Alabar - who prefers to be referred to as a summary of the complex mass of thoughts and chemicals that could be described as his name, Virile-Young-And-Swims-Quickly - has developed his psychic ability to a new level. It is thought that this is why he knows so much about what occurs on the ship. Alabar himself is of unknown size - possibly as much as a mile long from the tips of his longest tentacles - but all most people ever see of him is one great eye, or possibly a spiked and frilled tentacle, if that. He survives through a mixture of the rare foolish individual who strays too close to the edge of his tank, a kind of 'thermosynthesis' by which he creates sugars from heat energy, and spending most of his time in a kind of trance-hibernation.
Many of the more savvy inhabitants of the Ark often use Alabar as a source of information. However, he does not provide such easily - if you're lucky, he'll demand some food or some duty in return, if not, he may give you an immensely complex riddle or some complex and fiendishly difficult quest to complete. Alabar can be addressed from any one of the many maintenance platforms above the waterline in Tank 82 - there are entrances beneath the water level, but nobody who has ever entered these has come out alive. It is important not to stray too close to the edge of the platform - Alabar can commune with potential customers fully wherever they are within the tank, although he sometimes pretends to be unable to do so to lure people within attacking distance. Communicating with him can be somewhat draining, especially the first time, because it involves so many sensory sensations, telepathic and otherwise. However, he almost always has something useful to offer. Those who double-cross Alabar often discover that their actions were highly misguided - Alabar has, apparently, an 'understanding' with many of HIM 2.0's personalities.
The Ark
[ic=Children's Song]The animals went in two by two, hurrah, hurrah...[/ic]
AN INTRODUCTORY PAMPHLET TO THE USS ARK
REQUIRED READING FOR NEW CREW MEMBERS
Design
The USS Ark is a 7000-crew colony ship with a six-billion-man stasis capacity. The largest and most advanced of its kind, roughly 15,000 kilometres long, construction began eighty-seven years ago in the Texas Military Refitting Shipyard. Because of its size, large portions of its internal hull are actually natural - three small planetoids, in fact. The artificial sections of its hull are mainly made up of wiring, maintenance corridors and crew accomodation, forming a frame around the asteroids. To the rear, the ship tapers off to a large sphere - the engine core - behind which extends a long tail which consists of a complex web of thrusters. To the fore, the frame likewise tapers to a point. This point, and a large space behind it, make up Hydroponics and the cargo bay. You should familiarise yourself with this general placement to help avoid confusion.
Interior Construction
The natural sections of the Ark's hull are almost completely given over to stasis modules - each one a small room about 10 metres by 10 metres by 2 metres capable of holding 10 people in stasis - and the accompanying extra technology, access corridors, maintenance panels etc. The planetoids are slowly spun to maintain low gravity as a cheaper, stasis-friendlier alternative to the anti-gravity devices used elsewhere on the ship.
The outer frame which surrounds the interior cavity is split into three main parts. At the rear, the long tail and sphere which make up the revolutionary Singularity Drive and its control structure are referred to as the 'Engine Bay', and include working accomodation for engine shift staff, manual controls for the engine and the ship's power plant, which is connected up to the engine. The midsection is referred to as the 'Command Section' - the underside contains the larger shuttle bays, whilst the section on the top of the ship makes up the crew decks, the bridge, accomodation, the cantina etc. The front section is the 'Vitals Section', including Hydroponics and its water tanks, various sensor arrays, and (taking up most of the large cavity between the foremost planetoid and the bows of the ship) the Storage Bay.
Technology
The USS Ark is equipped with some of the most advanced technology currently known to mankind. Other than stasis booths - which are nothing particularly new, there are several other important systems to take note of:
HIM 2.0
Although humans have many virtues, they are not yet capable of doing extremely high-level calculations and interfacing with other humans at the same time across a vast ship. The captain has some of this responsibility, but when a calculator is needed or systems are simply required to keep running, the Higher Intelligence Model Version 2.0 comes in. HIM 2.0 is not capable of true decision-making, but complements the captain and science officers as they compliment it. The computer's main centre of operations is found in the computing lab, Deck 42 of the command section - please note that only authorised personnel are allowed within the Computing Lab. Various subsystems of HIM can be accessed throughout the ship via maintenance terminals, and commands can be given using the IP intonation system detailed during your training.
Singularity Drive Mechanism
The SDM is the propulsion system of the ship. Found to the rear as stated in earlier documents, it is one of the first of its kind to be taken beyond the experimental stage and fitted to a large ship. The artificially-generated black hole, so feared by the propagandists of the media, is perfectly safe as long as you follow the guidelines detailed during your training. The SDM can take us past the speed of light whilst generating enough power to keep the entire ship running.
Leyline Reality Distortion System (Mk 2)
Another revolutionary system from EMCA Engineering, the LRDS (or 'Leyline') replicates natural mild magical fields found on many planets, including, scientists hypothesise, our earth in antiquity. Trained operators are capable of feats referred to by sensationalists as 'supernatural' - if you have not witnessed magical acts before, please do not be alarmed. Operators will be assigned daily quotas of Arcan units after application to the Leyline Department. The Leyline system is powered indirectly by the Singularity, so overuse could cause minor power failures and other inconveniences in local areas.
Movement
[ic=The Proclaimers]I'm on my way,
From misery to happiness today...
Ahuh ahuh ahuh ahuh.[/ic]
The Ark is immense. It would take years to walk around it - and so other methods are required for transit. This article will deal with the varying methods of getting around aboard the spaceship.
STSS
The Set-Track Shuttle System is the most common method of getting around large ships. Effectively, these shuttles are autopiloted vehicles which travel along specially designed set paths from station to station inside the ship. Their paths run everywhere, and are part of the complex internal network of maintenance shafts, ventilation, wiring etc that form the interior of any large ship. Many of the shuttles are currently damaged or not working, and traditionally the STSS has been a target of much criticism anyway due to its slow movement and long, winding routes.
RTSS
The Rapid Transit Shuttle System is the higher-class response to the STSS's failings. In effect, it is the taxi to the STSS's bus - the RTSS goes by the most direct route and is thus much quicker. However, the RTSS system has always been restricted to emergency usage by officers and maintenance technicians, and is not in daily usage even aboard the largest of ships. Today, the RTSS survives mostly intact, other than malfunctions aboard the shuttles - and all RTSS shuttles have manual control, meaning that they are still usable.
The Tunnels
Tunnels of various different kinds riddle the ship - maintenance corridors, ventilation shafts, waste and sewage pipes - and if you don't mind walking, crawling, climbing, falling, jumping and taking a long time to get where you're planning to go, you could probably navigate the entire ship through these tunnels.
The Shell
Both the interior and exterior of the 'shell', the metal frame surrounding the ship's core, are navigable provided you have gravity boots or some other method of remaining attached to the ship. Although walking across the outside is not really desirable, at times it is necessary.
Teleportation
Still highly experimental and extremely dangerous and expensive, teleportation is not encouraged. However, if you need to get somewhere instantaneously, this technology-magic hybrid is theoretically possible aboard a ship with a Leyline system, provided you possess one of the experimental Teleportation Modules. Almost inevitably by this point, the Ark possesses a small stockpile of the latter and one of the most advanced versions of the former - if rapid movement is required, teleportation is the way to go.
What are the dangers of teleportation? Being disintegrated? Ported to a random destination? Twisted anatomy? Creating duplicates of the teleported characters?
Quote from: GhostmanWhat are the dangers of teleportation? Being disintegrated? Ported to a random destination? Twisted anatomy? Creating duplicates of the teleported characters?
All of the above, as well as parts of your anatomy disappearing, being left behind or bursting into flame on arrival.
Crew Recreation Area
[ic=Star Wars Cantina]At the Star Wars, Star Wars cantina...[/ic]
The Recreation Area is one of the lowest areas of the ship's Crew Deck, beneath and above which are sleeping areas. Spanning two decks, it includes a small warpball stadium, shooting range, gym, cantina and bar and various other areas intended for enjoyment and exercise.
Ownership
The Recreation Area was one of the first to be seized by aliens after the mass escape. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your point of view, it was seized by Tsochari. A Tsochar is a writhing hive mind of snake-like strings capable of possessing most living beings and either riding or controlling them directly. In the case of the Recreation Area, the Tsochari immediately took total control of all of the crew - with the possible exception of Ronnie, the barman, who may or may not be under Tsochari control - and began using them as bodies. This situation continues to the present day, with all of the recreation deck under the iron control of the Tsochari. It serves as a neutral zone, a place where species can meet together or just gain sanctuary for a while. Because the Tsochari have at least some knowledge of the memories of those possessed, they are probably the only ones who know exactly what happened during 'the event'.
Ronnie
Ronnie the Barman appears at first to be a cheerful soul, unaffected by the Tsochari controlling all of his crewmates. However, he too has a Tsochar inside him - whether the Tsochar is riding him or actually controlling him is as yet unknown. Ronnie is believed by some to have a hidden agenda - he refuses to talk about the Event, but is quite free and natural on other topics. It is possible that Ronnie is not actually who he says he is - but this, along with most other things about him, is shrouded in mystery. Either way, Ronnie keeps a blast rifle under the bar and is quick to use it if anyone tries anything.
Just a thought based on your Star Wars quote: how far in the future is this? And since it seems to be based on our world only with some additions, do people still watch Star Wars :p (now going from episode I to XX)
Also, again, love the Tsochari... possibly the best thing WOTC ever made :D
How do you play Warpball? Does the recreation area follow a set of enforced laws in any way or are you aiming for some kind of hedonistic paradise?
In general, how is order maintained on the ship when it is maintained?
Alabar is neat; also cool to have him be the last of a race of kraken. Do you propose that Earth's oceans saw visits from them at some point since we have myths etc? I like them better confined to their own planet to be frank, but it would explain the myths. Maybe a freak teleportation accident or a species of highly developed intergalactic jesters dropped a kraken there at one point.
Did Alabar escape or was he always located in the Water Tank? Seems odd since that water was probably meant for drinking.
You also mention that you can walk on the outside of the ship. Has the outside seen any kind of development? Colonization by space mushrooms or some such?
You have mentioned the hyin several times: what are they other than the most peaceful alien species?
Do you have any immaterial or non-carbon-based races?
I think that was all for now.
Quote from: Cataclysmic CrowJust a thought based on your Star Wars quote: how far in the future is this? And since it seems to be based on our world only with some additions, do people still watch Star Wars :p (now going from episode I to XX)
Also, again, love the Tsochari... possibly the best thing WOTC ever made :D[/quote]How do you play Warpball? [/quote]Does the recreation area follow a set of enforced laws in any way or are you aiming for some kind of hedonistic paradise?[/quote]In general, how is order maintained on the ship when it is maintained?[/quote]Alabar is neat; also cool to have him be the last of a race of kraken. Do you propose that Earth's oceans saw visits from them at some point since we have myths etc? I like them better confined to their own planet to be frank, but it would explain the myths. Maybe a freak teleportation accident or a species of highly developed intergalactic jesters dropped a kraken there at one point.[/quote]Did Alabar escape or was he always located in the Water Tank? Seems odd since that water was probably meant for drinking.[/quote]You also mention that you can walk on the outside of the ship. Has the outside seen any kind of development? Colonization by space mushrooms or some such?[/quote]You have mentioned the hyin several times: what are they other than the most peaceful alien species?[/quote]Do you have any immaterial or non-carbon-based races? [/quote]I think that was all for now.[/quote]
Thanks a lot :D