[ic]You step across the threshold and into the shrine's inner circle, your boots clicking lightly on the polished marble tile. Across from you, seated on a small ornate stool is a wizened old Aerlin sage. "Come my child, I know already that which you seek, for you are here in the shrine of the great power. That which transcends physical prowess, and lays low the mightiest warrior. Knowledge." You sit opposite him, crossing your legs respectfully and bowing. "Ah I see you have respect for such power," he smiles, folding wrinkled hands atop a round belly. "Well then I shall give you a hint of it, and then perhaps you will ask more, for I know much that has been and is that few ever will know."[/ic]
[ooc]What is Mare Eternus?
Mare Eternus is my attempt to consolidate all my ideas from over the years into a single setting. It began with a dream I had. I was walking through a vast empty network of ornate halls and caverns, carved from marble and shaped with brass and crystal, and everywhere there was the feel of a clockwork Atlantis. Windows out into a grand ocean vista, ticking mechanisms and pumping pistons. The place seemed to have an endless age and size to it and everywhere there were signs of past habitation. The overall feel was a place of utter awe, beyond mortal comprehension. When I woke up I stopped and just mulled over what I had dreamed for a good five minutes before going "That would make a really awesome setting." Since then it's grown into something even more. Mare Eternus in Latin is roughly The Sea of Eternity/The Eternal Sea and I hope to reflect that aspect in all parts of my setting. Expect things to be grand, huge, and otherwise awe inspiring in scope. I want to really capture that feeling that you get out of ridiculous fantasy (floating islands, physical impossibilities, etc) basically Mare Eternus is one giant exercise in Rule of Cool beating the crap out of verisimilitude.
What is the feel of the setting?
Grand scopes, fast epic battles, snarky heroes. Take Star Wars, Firefly, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Carribean, and every other similar thing you can think of and cram it all into one thing. That's what I am going for. The real challenge will be crafting the fluff and the crunch to encourage that style of play. In a word I want Mare Eternus to feel cinematic.
Ethocentric or DivSet?
Ah yes here we go again. That ever present question. Well to answer it in a word, neither, or rather both. The ethos aspect of ME is quite strong obviously, however I have been purposefully crafting it in such a way that while there is a certain ethos tugging at the DM and the Players, it isn't hard to go against it. So ME holds the middle ground, though it tilts a bit more towards Ethocentric.
Describe the physical setting
Mare Eternus, or rather the aspect of it I am creating, takes place within an area known as The Expanse. In truth the realm of ME is infinite in size and age. However it would be impossible to craft an infinite world. Thus you could think of the fluff I am creating as a sort of module that one can play in with the ME ruleset and ethos at its core. However, using the example module and the rules it would be ridiculously easy for anyone to snap their own little piece of the infinite ocean into the game and run with their own species and history and places (thus the aforementioned DivSet aspect). Back to the topic at hand though. The infinite ocean is a body of water with no end (in any direction, no surface, no floor), for you DnD buffs think of it like the Elemental Plane of Water, but with more clockwork and more solid stuff. The expanse is a single section of that ocean, a calmer area of water known as a Doldrum, surrounded by massive turbulent currents that separate it from the greater ocean. Within it are numerous worlds, akin to giant cavern filled asteroids with giant air pockets. These pockets are home to numerous land dwelling races and are a central focus for the game (though seafaring plays heavily into it as well). The awe aspect here comes from realizing that you have entire civilizations living within hollow worlds, surrounded by forests and deserts and caves, but instead of a sky they look up upon a towering vista of ancient pillars and skybridges and mile high unbreakable glass domes (looking out upon an endless ocean, backlit in blue), and of course impossibly large clockwork mechanisms. Imagine waking up in the morning, walking outside and looking up into the blue sea peering through a giant glass dome, and just below it clicks a clockwork gear the size of a small city, suspended three thousand feet above your head.[/ooc]
And those questions are only a few that I am sure could be asked about this setting. So please send me your queries and I will see what I can do to sate your thirst for knowledge. With that, may the Mare Eternus Question and Answer discussion commence.
Who are the inhabitants of Mare Eternus?
Who built/maintains the vast and ancient mechanisms you describe?
What kind of conflicts do you envisage players encountering in Mare Eterrnus?
Would I want to live in Mare Eternus (or perhaps, to rephrase, how hard is life in Mare Eternus, and how dystopian is society)?
Have those, to begin with :)
In terms of what PCs and current NPCs have available, what is the lvel of tech? what types of magic are there?
Ah most excellent, our first few brave souls, willing to ask their mind. Let us see what we can do for you.
Quote from: KindlingWho built/maintains the vast and ancient mechanisms you describe?
Would I want to live in Mare Eternus (or perhaps, to rephrase, how hard is life in Mare Eternus, and how dystopian is society)?
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In terms of what PCs and current NPCs have available, what is the lvel of tech? what types of magic are there?
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Technology is Post-Ren to Victorian in general (with some exceptions of course). Gunpowder exists, as does advanced metallurgy. Electricity is a rather new concept and can only really be utilized by the wealthy as the techniques for generating it are very expensive (so lighting outside of submarines tends to be flame based more than anything else). Non-homing torpedoes and mines exist, as do crude guns. Older weapons such as swords and bows/crossbows still get regular use though as they still offer greater finesse than their newer cousins.
Magic though is an interesting subject. It exists to some degree obviously, but mortal minds can't use it. There has been discovered no way to tap into it directly. But it can be touched indirectly through something known as an artifact. Artifacts are the creations of those minds warped by the clockwork. In that brief period before the warping drives them over the brink, many will for unknown reasons take to creating a device of some form. These devices share abilities with the clockwork, never degrading and seemingly able to defy physical laws. It is these magical artifacts that are so heavily sought after by most. There are guns that fire bursts of energy, shields that slow projectiles to a crawl, artifact engines that can launch a submersible to incredible speed, firemakers that can create a flame anywhere, and much more. In fact the pursuit of artifact technology is a big point within Mare Eternus adventuring circles.
So if I got this right, ME is kind of like a low-tech version of space operas, with an infinite volume of water in stead of the vacuum of space, and inhabitable worlds in big air-pockets taking the place of planets?
What are the aesthetics of the endless ocean, beyond the obvious infinity and watery aspects? Is it utterly lightless? Illuminated by discrete sources of light, as the star-filled night sky? Flat monotonous blue from ambient lighting? A blotchy soup of manifold liquids, like galactic nebulae or like drops of aquarelle dispersing and mingling in a sink?
Quote from: GhostmanWhat are the aesthetics of the endless ocean, beyond the obvious infinity and watery aspects? Is it utterly lightless? Illuminated by discrete sources of light, as the star-filled night sky? Flat monotonous blue from ambient lighting? A blotchy soup of manifold liquids, like galactic nebulae or like drops of aquarelle dispersing and mingling in a sink?
The ocean is backlit. There is some unknown light source that always seems to come from directly above (yes there is a set up and down) that lights up the whole ocean. The color of the light depends on where you are as it is affected by the color of the local water. The Veld Drift for example is a deep eerie green while the hub has an exceptionally light (almost white) blue tinge. There are places where things in the water give it weirder colors (reds, grays, etc). I suppose in that sense there are nebula as you can see these colored areas from a distance if the water between you is clear enough (from the border the veld looks very much like a greenish cloud).
So they're like small hollow rock planets, except that there's a universal and constant direction of gravity. Do they have internal "suns" or other natural light sources, or is lighting artificial (part of the clockwork) there?
Quote from: GhostmanSo they're like small hollow rock planets, except that there's a universal and constant direction of gravity. Do they have internal "suns" or other natural light sources, or is lighting artificial (part of the clockwork) there?
The outer levels are lit through vast windows (and occasionally through bodies of water that open immediately out into the endless ocean). The clockwork is a bit nebulous in what it is defined as. It includes mechanisms, but it also includes some very ornate (and seemingly useless) decorations. These include gigantic glass domes and windows that separate the air inside from the water outside but allow light through. The inner levels are lit by various things. Some clockwork glows and you can find caverns lit by such lighting alone in the deep levels. There are also phosphorescent plants and animals that call the world cores home. Then of course there is the artificial lighting made by mortal hands. Though that is uncommon outside settlements as it is difficult to maintain and so travel through the lightless regions generally requires a group bring its own light sources.
Ah, the picture's getting much clearer. One more question about light: is there a night/day cycle to that mysterious luminosity from above?
Quote from: GhostmanAh, the picture's getting much clearer. One more question about light: is there a night/day cycle to that mysterious luminosity from above?
Yes there is, the ocean's luminosity undergoes a period known as The Fading in which it dims to very low levels. There is a twilight feel to those places lit by it during such times. Nobody knows why it does this, just that it does (and that it happens to coincide with a noticeable brightening of the glow in luminescent clockwork pieces).
Ghostman asked it but it went unanswered: How does gravity work? Is it localized to the inside of the "asteroids"? They're hollow inside, is everyone only living on the "bottom" or do they live along all surfaces of the inside? Do things sink in the ocean, or are most things neutrally buoyant?
Other than that, I've been reading about this setting for some time. Kudos on creating something very different and unique; it makes me worry that my setting's too plain.
Quote from: XeviatGhostman asked it but it went unanswered: How does gravity work? Is it localized to the inside of the "asteroids"? They're hollow inside, is everyone only living on the "bottom" or do they live along all surfaces of the inside? Do things sink in the ocean, or are most things neutrally buoyant?
Other than that, I've been reading about this setting for some time. Kudos on creating something very different and unique; it makes me worry that my setting's too plain.
Actually he made a statement, which was totally correct and thus I didn't see any need to modify what he said. Gravity has one direction, the ocean has a definite down and a definite up. Also they aren't hollow like you're thinking. They're solid but with networks of caverns and caves snaking through their interiors. People live within these interconnected caverns. Buoyancy is neutral (which is why the very dense worlds don't constantly sink downwards). The rule being that objects at one level will continue to remain at that level unless some force pushes them up or down.
To put the shape of the worlds in clearer perspective, take if you will a piece of rock roughly circular in shape and many miles in diameter and place it in an endless volume of water. Now bore holes through the rock so that you have a maze of twisting passages and caverns, some very small, some miles wide. Where water can enter it will pour into the holes, but if the holes can hold an air pocket they will and thus the water will stop at a surface, creating an interior lake. These air pockets are interconnected with other pockets through the networks of tunnels and so you get essentially a giant underworld floating in a gigantic ocean, separated from the outside by tons of rock and glass.
Let's say that I want to play something akin to a spellcaster in your setting, how would that work? How do the artifacts allow a PC to use magic? Do they act as a focus or does each artifact have a unique ability?
Quote from: XXsiriusXXLet's say that I want to play something akin to a spellcaster in your setting, how would that work? How do the artifacts allow a PC to use magic? Do they act as a focus or does each artifact have a unique ability?
It would probably be a bit like trying to play a spellcaster in a modern setting (one with magic artifacts). It would be hard. Artifacts aren't something everyone has access to. True the average adventurer will eventually end up with at least one, but spellcasters don't exist in ME.
As to your other point, each artifact has a unique ability. They are tools that can break certain laws of reality, but you can't use them to cast your own spells. You can only make them do what they were built for.
Ah, awesome, alright, see I was imagining something different. Thanks for clearing that up. Awesome.
So my initial reaction is you've invented Space, filled it with Water and use the idea of storms and rough seas to allow for different 'worlds' to arise. Interesting.
Is there a Seabed or does it extend infinitely below and above as well?
Do people conquer/colonize other pockets or do they tend to stick to their own and send adventurers out to explore?
Do things live in the expanse's ocean (like Whales or Kraken or mermaids? What of plants? Are there infinitely massive kelp forests or coral reefs?
Quote from: Elemental_ElfIs there a Seabed or does it extend infinitely below and above as well?
Do things live in the expanse's ocean (like Whales or Kraken or mermaids? What of plants? Are there infinitely massive kelp forests or coral reefs?
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Heck yes. You have sentient species such as the Beral (ME merfolk) that call the ocean home in lieu of the worlds. I've even got a species of intelligent whale like creatures that drift upon the currents. There are of course endless populations of fish and crustaceans and more that live beyond the confines of the worlds. You also have some totally incredible creatures. For example I have the fantasy staple of gigantic sea turtles (hundreds to thousands of feet long). I won't lie to you, I named them Daggerhart Behemoths, they are of course totally awesome. In truth the ocean is likely going to take up a good chunk of the beastiary when I populate it. Oh and as for giant kelp forests, they actually are a big settling point beyond the worlds. Think tangled blobs of green many miles wide. Not a few have become back world havens for societies outcasts and eccentrics who build artificial homes within their forms.
How frequent/fast/easy is inter-rock (for want of a better term) travel?
How big are the biggest submarines in general use?
Is there any form of travel between rocks which does not use submarines?
And, not so much a question as a request, I would like to see an at least semi-detailed description of one specific city or other significant settlement from Mare Eternus.
The Question that sticks out in my mind is: How big are the worlds in question? For the people inside near the top, how far do they have to go to get to water?
How did the terrestrial species get to inhabit the pockets? Were they created by the gods or did they evolve on/in a pocket and emigrate outwards?
Quote from: KindlingHow big are the biggest submarines in general use?
And, not so much a question as a request, I would like to see an at least semi-detailed description of one specific city or other significant settlement from Mare Eternus.
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How did the terrestrial species get to inhabit the pockets? Were they created by the gods or did they evolve on/in a pocket and emigrate outwards?
[/quote]
Who knows? I have quite purposefully left this out. Oh I have my own thoughts on the matter but I will never say what they are as I don't want to influence things. There are religious concepts and beliefs about the creation of the universe and its inhabitants but there is no way to prove that any one is more correct than any other. From the little information that has been cobbled together by scholars it does seem that the universe follows a cyclical pattern with life. Groups appear out of the woodwork, grow, develop, and inevitably some crisis eventually exterminates them or at minimum knocks them back to the stone age. Some last longer than others but nobody it seems has gotten past pre-modern (referencing earth modern) technology levels thanks to this.
That's quite a devolution, being knocked back into the stone age and all.
Is there some race, or being(s) that record the history of all that was, is and will be?
Quote from: Elemental_Elf That's quite a devolution, being knocked back into the stone age and all.
Is there some race, or being(s) that record the history of all that was, is and will be?
There could potentially be one somewhere, though it is unlikely. Records tend not to survive the cataclysms unscathed. That's not to say they get wiped clean, after all the scholars had to have pieces to put together. As an example the Kroa whom were highly susceptible to the Veiran Plague were quickly wiped out by it, with the last stragglers not having enough numbers to make a viable breeding pool. Thus the last cataclysm in The Expanse was quite nasty. It managed to kill alot of Nicu as well (and a few Maeri though they were largely immune). The chaos though resulted in a period of utter strife with the burning of cities and executions of thousands of suspected plague bearers. This included the burning of items that had been near the sick. The Kroa were probably the top record keepers of the time and with the burnings much of the knowledge of the time got wiped out. What remains is mostly Maeri records (though the Nua likely have their own surviving records as well). The only Kroan stuff that survived was their sculptures and carvings, some of which are quite grand (one of the current cities was once Kroan and if viewed from the air you will realize that the houses and alleys were carved out of rock in such a way that it forms the shape of a serpents head). Things like that often outlast the cataclysms and leave behind clues from the past but there are no unified records of all knowledge.
I would like to hear more on artifacts.
Quote from: XXsiriusXXI would like to hear more on artifacts.
The Spiralicus[/b]: The Spiralicus was created by the archivist Benjamin Grisbon, after which he immediately jumped to his death from the city walls of Laktoung. Grisbon had been driven mad by his thorough study of the clockwork in an attempt to understand it. His notes were quite thorough throughout the whole process, but as he went more and more mad they took a strange twist, showing bizarre diagrams and nonsensical notations up until the last page on which there is written only one sentence. The great work is complete, Spiralicus glory shall drive back the tides of the insane. From these notes were learned the little that is known about the artifact. It wasn't discovered thanks to its very secretive location for nearly a month. A member of the city guard uncovered it and reported it to the baron who quickly grabbed it and set it up as a heavily guarded defensive weapon. It was a cannon, about the size of a cannonade but with a slightly longer barrel and a strange energy generator of some form in its base. For many years it stopped all attacking forces in their tracks. The great weapon had a line of sight attack and so had to be set up upon a great armored tower above the rest of the city. Being fired it send forth a blinding cylinder of blue energy and a deafening boom. The shot was instantaneous in its travel, able to fire into armies approaching all the way from the great arch, twenty-five miles away. Upon impact the shot blossomed out into an explosive shockwave hundreds of feet across that incinerated anyone nearby. It was finally destroyed after a hundred years of defending the city when black hull raiders snuck in and attempted to steal it. A gunshot went astray and struck the generator and Spiralicus exploded, tearing apart the upper sections of the tower and killing everyone in range. The palace is still there, the tower still standing, and the upper portion has since been rebuilt, but every local recalls tales of the great artifact and how it broke armies with a single shot.
Ellanor: Controlled by the Pearl Way, Ellanor is the shield maiden of Tenajvel. It was crafted a mere 70 years ago by the artisan Ellanor deBarlym, a giant carving in the shape of a beautiful woman. It stands now in the center of the city upon a great guarded pedastal that rises a hundred feet above the ground. Ellanor sought a way to inspire peace with the clockwork, hoping to find within it a great work of art to use for that goal. She did find it, but only when the madness took her. Unlike most artificers, the madness actually drove her away from her creation and she was last seen leaving the Under-Road deep within Atumnoh. It was claimed by The Pearl Way and after some experimentation they discovered what it did. It was promptly built a home upon the great pillar and set there with heavy guard. Ellanor is called the shield maiden for a reason. She puts forth a field of some form, not quite understood. Yet for whatever reason she can detect projectiles in flight and stop them. Arrows, Bolts, Lead Shot, Cannonballs, all such things fired at or within the city are simply erased from existence. Strangely enough Ellanor exhibits some form of intelligence as she can differentiate between hostile fire and projectiles fired in defense of the city. While no attacking force can harm Tenajvel with weapons fire, the city is fully capable of firing at them. This fact has completely stopped any attacks upon the city for the past 50 years and its guardsmen have grown a bit lazy because of this.
Gragoran's Fist: The only recorded artifact submersible, Gragoran's Fist, was discovered by the Nicu Fenis Gragoran, abandoned and floating within the veld, and added to the Nicu fleet. It wasn't especially large for a submersible, but it was reported to be unhittable by any weapon. Torpedoes exploded before impact, shockwaves flowed around it, ramming did nothing but cause the ramming ship to disintegrate. When the Nicu split during the war of separation it was the colonist minded forces that took control of the fist and used it to lay waste to entire enemy fleets. It was finally destroyed when a suicidally brave Kroan mercenary by the name of Llamour Laghast swam up to it in the heat of battle and pried open one of its airlocks in a desperate boarding attempt. The captain had become cocky though, thinking nothing wold ever breach his hull and so all inner bulkhead doors (including the inner airlock door) had been left open. They all drowned, and when the cold sea water hit the boiler the resulting explosion destroyed the legendary vessel.
WOrship/faith?
Churches?
Gods? Saints?
I mean, you've kind of set the clockwork-ness as God...
Quote from: LordVreegWorship/faith?
Churches?
Gods? Saints?
I mean, you've kind of set the clockwork-ness as God...
Gray Circle Order[/b]: Believe that life can be lived to the fullest through the removal of conflict in ones own daily walk. Neutralists take to the philosophy of viewing others, even enemies, not as a point of conflict, but as another accepted part of the universe. They strive to see things from the other person's point of view, to recognize that there is a reason for everything and to be accepting of it as outside their control. This does not mean they do not have adherents within the adventurers walk. Adventurer Neutralists often take the roles of healers and protectors, mastering the practices of defending those who can't defend themselves (through defensive martial practices and healing arts).
Shrine of the Perfect Mind: Believe in the ultimate power of wisdom and knowledge and the sacred obligation of passing down knowledge. Wisards maintain great libraries and archives and see to the acquiring and protecting of such things. Wisards are quite common adventurers as many of them are always on the hunt to find more knowledge. Additionally their view of sharing knowledge means that they regularly pursue the life of the instructor.
Ardialan Path: Ardents Believe that the Clockwork is an intelligent and all knowing being who created and maintains the endless ocean. Respect is given daily to it and prayers for guidance. In addition some are chosen as listeners, people who spend small amounts of time connecting with the clockwork and listening and viewing it. These holy men then translate its messages for the common believers. Ardents view the clockwork as holy and actively seek out those that would defile it (clockwork harvesters).
Pure Light Devotees: Believers in the two truths, Ferrhos and Genalla, Purists seek to guide others towards the ultimate truths of the lights. They believe that the universe was created by the two truths and is watched over by them. Purists pray to the light for guidance, collecting water at the ending of the fading period, sprinkling it on the ground where the kneel before prayer. At the days end they pour out the water and thank Ferrhos and Genalla for blessing them with another day to live.
Wandering Way: Wandering Way Journeymen believe that all life is a journey along a road, and that those that have already made that journey have the wisdom to guide new travelers. Ones ancestors are said to be able to help you along your path through life if you will but listen. For those that do listen they may find themselves directed in any number of path and there are not a few explorers that practice the wandering way. Journeymen were also the ones to unlock the reality of the existence of the soul and the creation of soul binding items.
are common folk expected to worship? Are there commmon religions? How does it affect the game, or common living within the game?
Quote from: LordVreegAre there commmon religions?
How does it affect the game, or common living within the game?
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Not sure what you mean, religion in ME is similar to the real world. There has been both great good and great evil done in the name of it. Beyond that there's not much more I can say.
So is there a way to create an artifact without going completely insane or dying?
How about a person creating multiple artifacts?
Quote from: XXsiriusXXSo is there a way to create an artifact without going completely insane or dying?
How about a person creating multiple artifacts?
Nope, at least not the insane part (not everyone dies though most do rather soon after). As far as anybody knows the only way to create an artifact is to have your mind altered by the clockwork, unaltered minds can't grasp the intricacies of artificing. As far as has been seen the mind altering of the clockwork dynamically shifts a persons view of reality. There have been attempts to find a way to reverse the madness but none have succeeded. It is likely that only something as potent as the clockwork could do that, and nobody knows of the existence of such a thing. There have been countless expeditions to hunt down fabled anti-clockwork items. So far nothing has come of it though, and now days any person with a bit of knowledge knows that the man selling you a map to a stash of anti-clockwork is either crazy or running a con. As to multiple artifacts it is unheard of, in all instances while the person was busy crafting the artifact they maintained a small level of sanity (note that artificers during artifact creation do not sleep eat or drink and show no signs of requiring such things), the instant they stop though their sanity shatters and they either run off babbling or kill themselves. There would likely not be time for the inspiration to strike them twice.
Nobody has asked this question but I figured I would go ahead and answer it.
QuoteCan animals be affected by the clockwork
Yes, clockwork madness can strike any creature that spends too much time in close proximity with clockwork. There is however an intelligence threshold for artifacts with only highly intelligent species (sentient beings) being capable of artificing. However the madness can still drive any living creature mad. This is actually the source of some of the most frightening horror stories in the expanse (what makes them more frightening is that many of them are true). Mad creatures, nicknamed devourers, plague many of the less traveled ways of the expanse. Both great ocean beasts and small core dwelling rodents have their fair share of madness driven members. Devourers are so named because for some unknown reason the madness causes them to attack, kill, and eat anything that moves (and isn't one of them, they seem somehow able to recognize each other). Artificers have also shown such behavior though theirs is less pronounced and indeed devourers are more often less intelligent creatures. The common theory being that more intelligent creatures retain some shard of their original self which fights the monstrous desires taking over them, a potential explanation for why artificers so often end up committing suicide. More instinctual creatures show no such inhibitions however and the cores of many worlds are nightmarish places to be. Indeed the Under-Road of Atumnoh is still a dangerous place to travel, even patrolled as it is. Leaving the road is the choice of the suicidal or the crazy.
Note that this darker side of the clockwork has fueled alot of religion and superstition within the peoples of the endless ocean. Many people fear and hate it as a pestilence. Those that utilize it are often of a more reckless sort, either scoffing at superstition or believing that there is more to gain than lose in utilizing clockwork and its derivative artifacts. Even the religions that worship the clockwork tend to pray and give it offerings as a sense more of appeasement than respect. There are however groups of people that see its gifts of technology as proof of its benevolence and the mad creatures as a warning against those that would abuse the gifts rather than proof of evil.
Who are the most technologically advanced race out there right now? Are they standing on the precipice of their own inevitable damnation?
Quote from: Elemental_Elf Who are the most technologically advanced race out there right now? Are they standing on the precipice of their own inevitable damnation?
The line is a bit blurred here since technology is shared within governing groups as opposed to individual species. There are many single-species groups out there but then you also have things like The Pearl Way with multiple member groups. Overall though the most advanced group is probably the Maeri due to their prevalence. There is a bit of irony here though as the Maeri are also highly tribal. Nobody knows though if technology alone is what brings forth the cataclysms. The last one happened when local technology was slightly beyond what it is currently and there is no telling when the next one will strike. It's sort of how real world scientists talk about major catastrophes. Asteroid impacts, earthquakes, climate shifts, they're not a matter of if, but when. Same deal with the cataclysms of ME.
Are there any pirates in the Expanse and if so how do they operate? Are all submersibles combat-able? How are underwater battles fought, by ramming, torpedoes or other means?
Quote from: GhostmanAre all submersibles combat-able? How are underwater battles fought, by ramming, torpedoes or other means?
Torpedoes[/b]: Standard underwater unguided explosive missiles. Most are propeller driven with a compressed air engine. There are however rocket torpedoes, propelled by rocket engines. Much faster but much less stable, often used in micro torpedoes to create huge barrages.
Drones: Intelligent suicidal constructs, drones are pointed at an enemy ship and released. They will follow that ship at top speed until it destroys them or they impact and detonate. Drones are often smart enough to pick out weak points on a ship and target them for maximum damage. For these reasons drones are the bane of many ship captains, but fortunately are expensive and so an uncommon weapon.
Mines: Torpedoes without an engine, mines explode on contact with passing vessels. Generally used to cordon off an area, either to keep the besieged in or an attacker out. Sometimes used in combat, with submersibles dropping mines into their aft to take out enemies behind them.
Spires/Rams: Giant battering rams used as last ditch weapons. The difference between a spire and a ram is that a spire is a metal extension designed to puncture, a ram is a reinforced section of the hull designed to crush. Rams are actually more often used as shields that keep approaching torpedoes, mines, and drones from harming the ship (by turning into their path and purposefully striking them with the reinforced section).
Shockwave Generators/Thunderguns: Shockwave generators are massive warship weapons in which a disk is spun up to speed, winding taut a complex series of kinetic storage pulleys. Once ready the whole system releases the stored energy with the slamming together of two heavy metal plates. The resultant shockwave creates a deafening sonic boom that races out from the ship. Depending on the size of the weapon it can disable torpedoes, push away a boarding vessel, or even implode viewports and warp metal. Smaller versions are called thunderguns and are point defense weapons mounted within tubes that allow the weapon to direct precise energy to approaching projectiles.
Quote from: NomadicQuote from: Elemental_Elf Who are the most technologically advanced race out there right now? Are they standing on the precipice of their own inevitable damnation?
Interesting.
Does any race/group some how document and hide the technology they create, there by preserving it for future generations to find and utilize?
Quote from: Elemental_Elf Interesting.
Does any race/group some how document and hide the technology they create, there by preserving it for future generations to find and utilize?
No, but do you stockpile knowledge against the next black plague or asteroid impact? Even modern humans are horrible about safeguarding their knowledge. If a worldwide plague killed us all within 500 years the only thing alien explorers would have to document us by would be our great monuments (mt rushmore, the pyramids, etc). The cataclysms are not well understood and alot of people think they're bogus. Certain scholars though have been researching them but you must understand they are things that are often thousands or tens of thousands of years apart within a given area. That much time means that alot of the records of the time survive only in ancient monuments and sculptures and in folk tales passed down over the generations.
The Veiran plague was actually a very minor cataclysm. It only wiped out a single race and the Expanse was only set back about 300 years technology wise. The research found on previous cataclysms is speculation based upon broken bits of ancient pottery and sculpture and strange references to species that no longer inhabit the expanse. Even if they had left detailed knowledge behind it obviously crumbled away long before the first Kroan stepped foot within the expanse.
Getting a bit meta here (something I try to avoid if I can) but the cataclysms are a bit like reset buttons constantly firing off at different places in the endless ocean. In some ways they almost seem artificial, as if something is causing them on purpose.
Do you have a map of The Expanse? I'd be interested in seeing one.
Quote from: TheMeanestGuestDo you have a map of The Expanse? I'd be interested in seeing one.
Unfortunately I don't. It has proven very difficult to map a 3-dimensional object in only 2 dimensions. I don't have the artistic capability to render such a map (though I have tried several times).
Quote from: NomadicQuote from: TheMeanestGuestDo you have a map of The Expanse? I'd be interested in seeing one.
Unfortunately I don't. It has proven very difficult to map a 3-dimensional object in only 2 dimensions. I don't have the artistic capability to render such a map (though I have tried several times).
Have you considered doing 2 maps? One from a top down approach and another from a side view. Granted it's no perfect but it would help to illustrate where things are.
Quote from: Elemental_Elf Quote from: NomadicQuote from: TheMeanestGuestDo you have a map of The Expanse? I'd be interested in seeing one.
Unfortunately I don't. It has proven very difficult to map a 3-dimensional object in only 2 dimensions. I don't have the artistic capability to render such a map (though I have tried several times).
Have you considered doing 2 maps? One from a top down approach and another from a side view. Granted it's no perfect but it would help to illustrate where things are.
I have considered doing that, the downside is that I would have to make sure that nothing overlapped. I may actually have to go ahead and do it since even if I find someone who can create a 3d representation they are going to need something to show them what I envision. Perhaps I should make that my next big project.
Ok with a bit of work I have something that represents the regions. With 2 dimensions I can't really put in exact points (worlds, colonies, and so forth) but this is a very rough look anyways. Names are of primary regions. Colors denote powerful sovereign powers (except red which indicates lawless areas, highly populated zones without a true governing body). Lesser powers (such as the maeri tribes) are not shown. This map is up to date based upon pearl way records so some areas such as the veld drift are likely way out of date. On a side note the pearl way on the map is not the pearl way I keep referencing. The pearl way is the powerful alliance centered on the hub. It takes its name from the old pearl way that was a series of major trade routes between nicu and kroan territory. That is the area marked as the pearl way on the map (it has been left unused since the plague caused Nuaso to lock down its borders).
(http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7702/12265293.jpg)
Good map, really helps me get my head around the setting.
So tell me about the Lesser Quarter.
The map really does help.
Let's hear about the graveyard.
Quote from: XXsiriusXXThe map really does help.
Let's hear about the graveyard.
Seconded.
Quote from: GhostmanQuote from: XXsiriusXXThe map really does help.
Let's hear about the graveyard.
Seconded.
Third-ed.
Ok two votes for the graveyard and one for the lesser quarter...
[ic=The Graveyard]A combination of seven sectors, The Graveyard makes up one of the richest archaeological sites in the expanse. Everywhere in the expanse has some signs of previous habitation, but nowhere has as much as here, and thanks to the utter chaos of the Veiran Plague none plays host to so many shipwrecks. Its seven sectors are:
- Astia: One of the three central zones, contains several self-sufficient settlements, often used as a stopover on the way to Indacus as it offers one of the few places safe from piracy in The Graveyard.
- Baedos: Westmost section that borders the Tideflow Belt, thick in in shipwrecks, most of which have been plundered to some degree though rumors continue to circulate of undisturbed hulks waiting to enrich their next discoverer.
- Foern's Drift: Lawless zones of the graveyard where people have reinhabited the region, several notable pirate fortresses can be found here, including Dugahr Hold.
- Huevor: The Leviathans lair, Huevor is the smallest sector of the seven, more of a micro sector than a true one, being a small strip roughly 40 miles wide. Contains the Leviathan Forest, a massive grayweed colony that was abandoned during the Plague. The colony still remains though it is a shattered hulk with most of its interior flooded. The greyweed itself though is still a regular meeting place for smuggler meets and other less than legal business.
- Gamalia: Eastern borderzone alongside the Tideflow Belt, rumored to be the location of Elegaul, the dead city.
- The Pearlclasp: The Thin strip between the Bhatu Drift and Longarm Way and the other sectors of The Graveyard.
- The Vendamont Maze: One of the three central sectors, The Vendamont Maze is home to the shattered remains of several giant worlds, the remains of Ondaria being a semi-permanent smugglers settlement.
All of these sectors have a great deal of evidence of past inhabitants. However the area is largely lawless and dangerous. Pirates and smugglers have looted what they can carry and find but most scholars feel that even what remains offers a great trove of knowledge for any brave enough to enter the area. Unfortunately nothing short of an armed convoy or a strong warship has ever managed to get far and such things are expensive beyond the reach of most people. Without this only the crazy would consider going in, and even with it very few would dare to stop at a world long enough to study it. The area is lawless, though most pirate and smuggler groups hold enough sway to keep each other from preying on their ships. Outsiders though are not welcome and become prime targets for attack.[/ic]
[ic=The Lesser Quarter]After the Nicu war of separation, the losing forces were driven out of the veld drift. The survivors made their way as best they could. Civilization had spurned them and so most were forced into lives as criminals to make their way. Groups of such people can still be found stretching from the borders of The Veld Drift to the edges of Artunis. However, most have long since found themselves with The Lesser Quarter. Named for its similarity to The Empty Quarter, The Lesser Quarter is a region with few worlds, instead having its settlements mostly within the many microworlds and Greyweed Colonies found there within. The Lesser Quarter was for awhile a pirates haven, but being as far out of the way as it is most such people have left for better hunting grounds. Now days the region is home to societies outcasts, a collection of hundreds of loosely affiliated colonies, inhabited by those that the great powers rejected.[/ic]
Giving this sucker a bump, will probably detail some other sections or another thing unless someone throws me out another question.
Why are some areas called "Mazes"?
Quote from: GhostmanWhy are some areas called "Mazes"?
Didn't even see this one before, perfect chance to do some definition education in regards to sea features. There are various different names for things in the great ocean. Just as we have names for mountains and valleys and plains they have words for unique regional features. To detail those seen on the map:
Belt: A thin strip of highly turbulent water. Often denote the location of currents or tide-surge zones.
Drift: A slowly rotating area of water with many small and broken worlds.
Maze: A largely unmoving area of water with many small and broken worlds.
In the graveyard, what % of the archeological matter is earlier civs, and how much is clockwork? where their bridge cultures, or ancient cultures that are currently thought of as having more of a handle on the truly ancient?
Quote from: LordVreegIn the graveyard, what % of the archeological matter is earlier civs, and how much is clockwork? were their bridge cultures, or ancient cultures that are currently thought of as having more of a handle on the truly ancient?
The clockwork is as common there as anywhere else. Percentages though are totally guesses since it would be insurmountable and suicidal to try to document all the things there (or anywhere else for that matter). Regarding bridge civilizations... nobody knows, the stuff left behind gives little clue to how much its creators knew.