The Campaign Builder's Guild

Infernal Devices

[ic]When the demonstones fell, they came streaking from the heavens like the tears of angels, until they entered our atmosphere, when they began to rain like hellfire.  But when the dust settled and the smoke cleared away, what wonders the gods had chosen to bless us with--however ungraceful their arrival.  We chipped away at the massive black rocks out of space, and within them found translucent blue crystals that blazed with azure light in the sun.  The wisest of our Order remembered from the ancient tales that there were stones a wise king used to imprison demons, and we realized that this was exactly what we had.  Replicating his techniques, we found that nothing was beyond our reach; not even the stars. - Alisdair Morroe, Order of Sapphire Knot [/ic]

This idea is for something of a "mini-setting."  It is perhaps a bit inspired in spirit by the "Spaceships, Sixguns and Cyclopean Horrors" IRC games that have been running here.  Infernal Devices is a Sci-Fi/Fantasy setting, which mixes some elements of Medieval/Renaissance Fantasy standards with Steampunk and space travel.  It is a setting where space-travel is new and dangerous, with threats from both without and within.  When your propulsion system is a bound, angry demon, your own ship is as dangerous as anything to be found out in the black.

System: Undecided.  Probably One Roll Engine (ORE), especially NEMESIS
Tone:  Dark, Adventure, Horror
Inspirations: Steampunk, Medieval Fantasy, Firefly, Spelljammer, Victorian Magical Societies, The Key of Solomon, The Exorcist, Star Trek, Warhammer 40K
Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy (Steampunk)
Technology Influence: Rooted in the technology of the Industrial Revolution(s), but incorporates both more and less advanced technologies, such as swords, axes, and spacecraft.  Technology is hugely important to the setting, but is not necessarily STRICTLY separate from magic.
Magical Influence: Rooted in the "Faustian" magic of the Renaissance, and Victorian Era magical societies like the Golden Dawn.  Magic is mostly based around binding demons to your will with arcane (which is not explicitly different from "divine") rituals.  While Magic is not necessarily evil per se, the demons involved certainly are.  Many feel they can control these demons without consequence, but these types underestimate the cunning, power, and malicious willpower of these creatures.  Over time, association with such fiends will lead to almost certain damnation and destruction.  Magic is something that anyone can dabble in, but few dedicate themselves to.
Ecology/Races: There is a lot of room in space, and there are many things to explore.  There are things out there that we do not understand, and in the wide universe more than one intelligent species.  These may not be playable, however.  
Churches/Religion:  Haven't worked out the details, but religion and priests would be important.  Demonstrable proof of demons (and evidence of angels) legitimates the institution of religion.  
Planar Cosmology: Undecided, but it would likely include at the very least an upper and lower plane, in addition to the material.  


Warp Crystals
[ic]Your breath rattles, and your blood runs sluggish through cold limbs as you cross the threshold into the engine room.  Gyroscopic rings of silver spin around the 2-foot diameter sapphire-looking bauble hovering in the middle of the room.  This multifaceted bauble is of a strange crystal, and shines with a pale light through each of its twenty sigil-inscribed surfaces.  A dark, smoky material swirls inside the crystal polyhedron, seeming to solidify into a leering face.  You shiver through your spine as you look at it.

"Hello Daniel" says a voice like scraping sandstone.  The face in the crystal flashes you a broad, toothy grin.  "Have you come to have a chat with me?  I love our little chats."

Ignoring the thing in the sphere, you make your way to the far wall, taking care not to disturb the symbols drawn in chalk around the sphere.  You mutter the bizarre mystical syllables that Father Dermait taught you--making sure you learned them exactly and by heart.  You are knot quite sure what they mean, but you were assured that they would work.  As you speak, the demon in the crystal gives a slight hiss.  On the far wall is a brass instrument panel, with several tubes and valves, meters, and levers.  You throw one of these levers and the silver rings spin faster, causing the creature inside the crystal growl and shriek in rage and pain.  You feel a slight lurch beneath your feet as the vessel picks up speed. The thing in the stone sputters pitifully, begging to be released from its torment.  
[/ic]
Also called "Demonstones," these crystals are used to bind and contain the essence of a demon out of hell.  Each of their many facets, carefully shaped by master gemcutters is engraved with a different mystical symbol.  The demonstones seem to pulse with an intrinsic celestial energy, which, combined with the angelic sigils, is impenetrable by the demon.  Once bound, this demon can power any device the demon's bound master requires, but the most iconic task these demons are bound to is powering spacecraft.  These demons are capable of warping space to travel anywhere they like at rapid speed.  Warpspace, the term used for these wormholes that are formed, is a frightening place filled with many perils, so travels through warpspace are necessarily brief.

A properly bound demon needs only be commanded with an incantation of the Holy Words.  Anyone who can learn the incantation properly should be able to command the demon, as long as the Warp Crystal in intact.  But should the Crystal be damaged, the demon can begin to establish a foothold in their surrounding, exercising some of its power.  In such a case, the demon's contractual master, or a priest may be required to keep the demon under control.  

Even while bound, these demons retain their intelligence, personality, and often powers of communication--meaning that even a bound demon is still dangerous.  The corrupting influence of the demon means that no one person can be allowed to spend too much time with it.  Many ships have counselors and priests on hand to help the crew manage and assuage the darkness they encounter on a daily basis.  When a crystal is damaged, the demon becomes even more threatening, able to exert his will, and take possession of anyone whose will it can dominate.  If a crystal is destroyed completely, the demon is released, and can take any action it wishes.  

Equipment[note][/note]

Voidsuit:  A personal life-support suit.  It contains pressurized air for breathing in its most basic form.  Many Voidsuits are equipped with special clockwork gauntlets, which include a number of tools for repairing hull damage and solving other issues, or with hydraulic force amplification.  

SPAR: Steam Powered Automatic Rifle.   This rifle uses steam to expel a stream of bullets at high velocity and in rapid sequence.  It cannot produce enough steam at once to lay down a continuous blanket of fire, but this is sufficient to unleash a hail of fire each round. The SPAR has a spray rating of 3, and can make multiple attacks without penalty.  

Lightning Ray:  Uses weaponized "Tesla Coil" technology to launch an electric charge through the air at a target.  Tends to function similar to a modern tazer.  The lightning ray can be used over multiple rounds, using electrocution rules on escaping from a steady current.  The Lightning ray includes a power pack, which can, in a pinch, build up a charge with a hand-crank.  A fully charged pack can sustain 5 rounds of electricity.  It takes 5 rounds to fully recharge the pack.  

Close-Combat Weapons: In the confines of enclosed ship-to-ship battle, it sometimes proves necessary to fight hand-to-hand in a vicious melee.  It is common to see swords, axes, maces, and the like in the armories of Voidships.  Some may scoff at them, but unlike guns, they never run out of ammunition, don't need recharging, and can be used inside a ship with minimal risk of hull damage.  Some brawling types prefer brass knuckles.

Firearms: Guns.  These often take the form of pistols, such as revolvers, but can also come in larger calibers, and in rifles, carbines, and shotguns.  Revolving chambers can provide semi-automatic fire.  So far, special creations such as the SPAR are the only means of achieving automatic weapons.  Playing with the idea of firearms functioning using a jacket filled with phlogiston (the essence of fire) instead of gunpowder.  

Protection: Most forms of armor and shield are out of use, as firearms will tear through them far too easily to render the loss of mobility worth it.  Shields are almost unheard of as well, mostly because they take up space.  


The Legion
The legion are a sub-race of human cyborgs who have been possessed by demons who have escaped from their Warp Crystals.  The Legion fuse steam, clockwork, and electrically powered weapons and technology into their bodies, and are creatures of madness, dominated by the unleashed rage of the demons that control them.  They devastate, and expand their numbers by destroying the demonstones of the ships they capture.  They are insane and cruel, given to all manner of unnatural, depraved, and violent acts which they enact on their victims.  They much prefer to maim rather than kill, so that when the ship's demon takes possession of their body and mind, there is an intact, functioning body to control.  They happily torture, defile, rape, sever limbs, and mutilate their victims, seeking to forcibly corrupt their souls, to make them more susceptible to possession.

As the demonic intelligences are experienced with merging their essence with technology, they facilitate the process of body modifications that The Legion undergo.  Though the haste (and relative lack of care or attention to detail) with which these devices are applied results in the occasional malfunction.  And as each demon controls its Legion completely, The Legion lack a sense of self preservation.  The demon cares little about losing one of its empty bodies.  They also tend to function as a hive mind, due to sharing a demonic intelligence that orchestrates their actions and thoughts.  

This is sort of crazy.

It's a crazy I am totally down with, however. :D

This is the sort of stuff awesome is made of!  It's like you are mashing up the best parts of Star Trek, Hellboy, and Barsoom with a splash of grimdark.  Turtles everywhere approve!

Agreed, this is really, really cool.  Will there be undead?  Artificial intelligence?  Any non-demonic supernatural entities?

How big is the territory humanity controls?  Lots of planets?  A small handful?

You know that feeling when you have a setting idea you like but can never seem to get it to work right and tinker with it and then suddenly someone comes along with a similar idea and it has SO MUCH MORE AWESOME? That's how I feel about this. I am intrigued and want to know more. Unfortunately, every question I had has already been asked, so I'll just chime in with an agreement of awesome and wait for more.

Quote from: Xathan
You know that feeling when you have a setting idea you like but can never seem to get it to work right and tinker with it and then suddenly someone comes along with a similar idea and it has SO MUCH MORE AWESOME? That's how I feel about this. I am intrigued and want to know more. Unfortunately, every question I had has already been asked, so I'll just chime in with an agreement of awesome and wait for more.

I know that feeling. It's not a happy feeling...
But yeah, you go Seraphine! Honestly though I too had an idea for a steampunk space opera that never really wen't anywhere, but I'm not that upset by it.

Quote from: Newb Again..
I know that feeling. It's not a happy feeling...
But yeah, you go Seraphine! Honestly though I too had an idea for a steampunk space opera that never really wen't anywhere, but I'm not that upset by it.

Are you kidding? It's the best feeling ever - it means you weren't barking up the wrong tree, just didn't have that spark of inspiration someone needed to make awesome. At least, that's my 2cp.

Also, question occurred to me:

How powerful are these demons? Do they run the gamut from imps to demon lords, or are they all the fallen angels with similar horrifying powers? And how do they react to their captivity? Do they actively seek to be free, or do they "enjoy" the chance to corrupt mortal more easily from proximity?

Quote from: Steerpike
Agreed, this is really, really cool.  Will there be undead?  Artificial intelligence?  Any non-demonic supernatural entities?

One of the human empires I had in mind experiments with animating the dead with electricity, but as now that is the extent of "undead."  I've not yet worked out a name for this empire.  This empire does not believe that priests are a necessary part of religious ceremonies.  The role of priests is strictly as counselors and guides.  Layman magickal societies learn the incantations and all the magical workings for binding demons, and some keep personal demon servitors, striking up fell bargains with them, or believing themselves in complete control, when the demon is quite content to let them FEEL in control, until they have supped full and grown far too strong for the mortal to handle.

It is possible that artificial intelligence will arise at some point, but in general nothing that can be called true "intelligence" exists that is not biological.  Machines do the job they were constructed to do.  Difference engines are mechanical, and more like calculators than modern computers, but having certain parameters input into their system, can perform operations and perhaps lay a course for a ship to follow, or be used to set a basic action sequence for clockwork soldiers or some such.  This sequence would not be able to adapt to changes in their surroundings, however, and the command must run its course before a new one could be issued (barring someone disabling and hacking it's "program")

As to other supernatural entities—the short answer is yes.  There are most likely angels as well, at the very least.  There may well be horrors from beyond the stars—beings beyond our comprehension.  Lovecraftian monstrosities and creatures from other dimensions.  And a few other things I haven't decided on yet.

Quote from: SteerpikeHow big is the territory humanity controls?  Lots of planets?  A small handful?

Humanity will have the run of several planets, with each of 3 empires having colonies on other planets in Aetherspace.  There will be asteroid mining colonies, and settlements on habitable planets.  These empires would each have at least a few Aetherspace colonies, and there would likely be at least a dozen known habitable planets and moons. 


And Xathan I have not forgotten you.  I will answer your questions when I have a bit more time.

Quote from: Seraphine_Harmonium

And Xathan I have not forgotten you.  I will answer your questions when I have a bit more time.

No worries, I can be patient. Ish. :P

Another series of related questions occur to me: with humans having several planets, how are speeds out here? Light speed is the limit and demons solve for relativistic dilation? Real Physics apply? FTL possible? Or do ships simply move at the speed of plot?

Quote from: XathanAnother series of related questions occur to me: with humans having several planets, how are speeds out here? Light speed is the limit and demons solve for relativistic dilation? Real Physics apply? FTL possible? Or do ships simply move at the speed of plot?

I have not decided on an ACTUAL top speed, but FTL is not possible, except by cheating with Warp.  The demons tear a hole in spacetime, opening a Warp tunnel between two places, allowing the ship to take a shortcut traverse what SHOULD be hundreds of lightyears in something like an hour.  There may be some systems that have multiple habitable planets and moons very close together, and in such systems, Warp is probably unnecessary for most. 

I am not going to promise "Real Physics" because I would rather just have things be what seems appropriate.  Also, I'd invariably screw something up.  There will be a degree of "speed of plot" present. 

Quote from: XathanHow powerful are these demons? Do they run the gamut from imps to demon lords, or are they all the fallen angels with similar horrifying powers? And how do they react to their captivity? Do they actively seek to be free, or do they "enjoy" the chance to corrupt mortal more easily from proximity?

Ok, now that I have my computer and my notes in the same place at the same time, I can get to giving this a preliminary answer.

To use a D&D analogy, I see demons as being BAD.  So there aren't really imps around.  That said, not all of them are Demogorgon either.  They'd have a range in power, with some more simple ones being still scary and dangerous, but the kind of threat that can be dealt with by capably adventurers.  There are some, however that are SO BAD, that if you meet them (at least when they are not bound in some way) they will FUCK YOU UP.  And they can think of far worse things to do to you than just kill you.  Though they could do that too without much difficulty.  The really bad demons are things that we don't really have a chance against.   

Now, I am thinking there are 3 basic "Categories" of demons: Corruptors, Destroyers, and Dominators.  (I may amend that later)  Some even like to give demons a taxonomic classification based on their categories and M.O.s, but these categories are imperfect, and not 100% mutually exclusive, so by extension neither are these taxonomies.  Demons of all three categories could come in various levels of power.  Certain devices would need sufficiently powerful demons to function.  The stronger the demon, the more wards are necessary to bind it and keep it under submission.  It takes a rather powerful demon to power something as large as an Aethercraft, but something the size of a human, like a mechanical golem, could be run with a more manageable demon.  Such a golem would still need to be engraved with sacred words, symbols, and patterns, and damaging these could release the demon, leading to major problems.  However, these weaker demons are safer to use in such devices, as some wards could be doubled up, making it less likely for the spirit to break free, should a sigil or figure be damaged. 


Demon Categories
Corruptors: These include any kind of demon whose goal is to lead mortals astray.  They can use many different means to achieve this goal, from trickery to bargains.  Corruptors are the category most likely to "enjoy" their captivity in a Warp Crystal.  They revel in the opportunity to pervert good intentions, to trick mortals into foolish bargains, and to slowly give up their goodness, their humanity, and their souls.  They are in this for the long haul, and are willing to play the game over years to win over a soul.  Several mortals in a confined space for long periods of time suits them perfectly.  Lots of easily accessible fodder.  And when on a vessel, where tempers can run high with cabin fever, these demons only have to wait for the right moment.

• Power--Some corruptors might choose to offer physical, magical, political, or some other form of power in exchange for a soul, or even better: an alliance that will corrode their soul completely.
• Sex--Some, like incubi and succubi could use desire and pleasure as gateways to corruption, treating them as leverage to blacken a soul with ever worse acts

Dominators: These are any kind of demon that seeks direct control over mortals.  This can take the form of human thralls, or can be done directly though possession.  Whether a dominator can enjoy captivity depends on the demon's M.O., but it is unlikely.  Possession oriented demons can sometimes be content with the arrangement, banking on the possibility of escape.  Such demons act on the assumption that at some point their containing Warp Crystal will be damaged, allowing them to take control of a mortal engineer.  A dominator which uses other means to control mortal will find the idea of submission abhorrent and intolerable.  The ends to which dominators seek mortals to act through is unclear, but they are certainly nefarious.  Some suspect that it is infiltration into our society they want, so they can tear it apart from the inside.

• Possession--inhabiting a human body.  Briefly, they may choose to go undetected in this form, until their odd behavior gives them away.  Can be used to wreak havoc, access secret information, and any number of uses.
• Slavers--These are the demons who keep thralls and slaves.  They may command these, either keeping as slaves to their personal whim, commanding them to more and more demeaning and perverse acts.  Succubi and Incubi can act as Dominators of this type, in addition to corruptors.  This can also be used by ambitious demons to build up an army.

Destroyers:  These are the least subtle of demons, and are the sort which simply act to cause harm to humanity, angels, and all things "good."  This can take any form of harm, from outright killing, to those who send plagues, to those who instill rage and discord among humans, causing them to kill one another.  Destroyers will never consent to imprisonment in a demonstone, as it impinges their ability to sow calamity.  Even those who create rage find that imprisonment interferes with their ability to function.  Many of this kind focus on their magical ability to produce an aura, more than using words to provoke humans.  They are therefore all but helpless when their power cannot extend beyond their crystal prison. 

• Plague-bearers--Sending bouts of illness to ravage a town is a famous way to disrupt society.  And the harder it is for the priesthood, which is often seen as responsible for curing illnesses, to keep up, the weaker it seems, and the less faith people hold in their gods.
• Killers--Demons that manifest in the world to kill humans directly as thankfully INCREDIBLY rare.  When they do appear, they rarely choose to make their true selves known, instead masquerading as a mortals.  That minority of a minority of times when a demon reveals its true form, occur when the demon has no fear, and wants to shock and terrify many onlookers.
• Provokers--These demons exude an aura of some damaging emotion--Rage, paranoia, jealousy--something bent on manufacturing conflict between mortals, destroying bonds of love and fellowship, and filling their hearts with darkness.

The demon stuff is too awesome for me to process right away. I'll need some time on that one.


A suggestion on travel: If I were you, I'd make one light year = one day of travel, roughly. That makes traveling to another world take about as long as traveling to another continent does in a normal steampunk setting, while allowing travel within a single star system to be pretty zippy. Just my quick 2cp as I digest awesome.

Gotta second Xathan on this one.  Demon stuff is too awesome.  All of this really is.  It's got a terrific feel.

As for speed of travel, here is a ton of information on our own solar system, including distances, travel times, and communication times between various celestial bodies at sublight speeds (note that I haven't taken the time to correct formulae for relativistic effects, yet).  As far as interstellar travel goes, here is the Hipparcos Catelog in all of its glory.  If a hundred thousand stars in our galaxy isn't enough, I don't know what to tell you.  And for speeds, figure consider that travel time might be instantaneous, but preparation time could take a while, too.  It's an option that Asimov used to great effect in the Foundation books.

I...I keep trying to come up with more questions in regards to the demons. But it's too much awesome, I can't come up with more than "yay" for that. I can't even pick out  a particular part I love. Just....you just win at Demons.

So, instead, something semi-demon related: ships. How big are they? How expensive? What do they look like? Who owns them? Are they mostly military? Are they like sailing ships of old? Can a rogue individual afford their own ship? Who crafts them? Is there a monopoly or do corporations vie to make the best? What do they use as weapons between each other? ARE THERE PIRATES!?

That is all for now.

Quote from: Xathan
I...I keep trying to come up with more questions in regards to the demons. But it's too much awesome, I can't come up with more than "yay" for that. I can't even pick out  a particular part I love. Just....you just win at Demons.

Wow thanks!

Quote from: XathanARE THERE PIRATES!?

YES!

In fact, I can very easily see renegades, outlaws, and pirates trying to make their way at the edge of space in run-down ships as being among the protagonists of this world.  Such people would be in somewhat more danger, as they would have to avoid not only the hazards of aetherspace and the Warp, but also have to dodge some tyrannical authorities. 

Quote from: XathanSo, instead, something semi-demon related: ships. How big are they? How expensive? What do they look like? Who owns them? Are they mostly military? Are they like sailing ships of old? Can a rogue individual afford their own ship? Who crafts them? Is there a monopoly or do corporations vie to make the best? What do they use as weapons between each other?

OK!  Let's see.  There are a lot of questions here, so I will do my best.  MOST ships would be as small as you could manage, while still incorporating life-support systems, and an adequate store of food and water (or alcohol).  So, think more "sloop" than "galleon."  The empires would have some bigger warships, but these would be few and far between.  The most expensive part of a ship will be the warp crystal, due to the extreme rarity of the material and the large size the crystals require.   Not being sure on the economy of this world, I cannot give you any numbers, but ships are definitely expensive.  It's not that "rogue individuals" can't afford their own ships, but it would be a HUGE investment for such people.

Numerically speaking most ships are either military or short-range trade ships.  But even most military aethercraft would not contain a long-range Warp Crystal.  Perhaps an array of much smaller and less powerful demonstones that are used in concert to power the ship, but make travel outside their immediate system virtually impossible. 

There would be a handful of companies that produce these ships.  Not too many.  The contract for all the ships of the navy of the Kestric Imperium would likely be held by a single company, but a separate country might make the trade ships that supply the planets within the Imperium.  It is possible there might be a third company that produces ships for private consumers (mostly of the VERY WELL OFF variety), but these might also be handled by one of the previous two companies.  The other empires would have their own companies.  There all also chop shops, and some bizarre frankenships made up of salvaged parts from multiple designs.

For weapons, probably something relatively traditional.  Some kind of high-caliber gun turrets.  The details may vary, and some might have unusual or bizarre weapons.  But I think in general most ships will use "guns" of some kind. 

As for what they look like, I love the look of the ship Serenity from Firefly.  Though they probably would not look quite like it, but I feel drawn to ships with a similar look.  The following pictures give a sense of the kind of looks I am interested in.