Dog Star Blues - Setting Information Thread

[Captain Dwur]

[ooc]They say that in space, no one can hear you scream. That's true. What they don't tell you is that even when you're in space, you're not really 'in space'. You're in a station, or onboard a ship, or inside an EVA suit. They also don't tell you about radios. Everyone has a radio, and it's always listening for emergency frequencies.  Unless your radio is broken, everyone in space can hear you scream.

-Skipper Alexis Kessel Compass Rose[/ooc]

This is your one-stop source for information about the Dog Star Blues Campaign Setting.  I have been writing this material in a disorganized and intermittent way for some time now, and I'm going to try to get it together in a presentable manner.   Please stay tuned for further updates as events warrant.

Please keep this thread for setting information posts only, and go here for discussion.

[Captain Dwur]

The is what I first wrote when I started brainstorming about this setting.
 [ooc]The Ptolemy, the second of three colony ships sent to Sirius, the brightest star system in the constellation Canis Major, arrived to find that the planet they thought they were colonizing has been smashed to pieces. The cargo pods that were sent ahead of them are now scattered across the binary star system, and there was no sign of any of the previous manned missions.

The mission commander of the second colony ship, Clifford Sterling, a decorated Air Force officer, assumed control and declared an emergency situation. He sent a message back to Earth explaining the situation and began to gather the scattered container ships and prepare for the arrival of the third ship, the Nimbarka. The star is 8.6 light years away from Sol, so they were not expecting to get a reply for almost 17 years. Luckily they were expecting to receive additional cargo shipments for several more years. The commander parked his ship in an orbit that put him in a position to intercept the arriving cargo pods. After 3 years, the third and last manned ship arrived in the system.

Shortly after the arrival of the Nimbarka, Sterling began to lose control of the colonists. People began to lose hope of ever going home. Several splinter groups emerged and broke apart from the main colony to form new, long-term settlements in their new home.[/ooc]

Details to follow, but the gist of the setting is to explore how humans will react to their 'blank slate' world.  There are also strong mystery (what happened?) and exploration (what's left?) elements.

[Captain Dwur]

TIMELINE

Go here to see the timeline of major events for DSB

[Captain Dwur]

[ooc]
Famous Facts Every Schoolchild Knows:


The three colony ships are from Earth, the third planet in the Sol system. Their names are, in order, ARCHIMEDES (lost), PTOLEMY, NIMBARKA.


Ptolemy Station is maintained by the Sirius Colonization Authority. They carefully maintain an orbit that allows them to intercept any pods from Sol and allows them maximum broadcast and reception time from Sol.


The Sirius Colonization Authority maintains a network of navigational and communications satellites that orbit the binary system to provide coverage for all in-system traffic.

The Sirius Colonization Authority and the Centauri Colonization Authority worked together to build a Warp Gate that connects the two human colonies.

The Warp Gate is maintained by the Warp Gate Authority, a theoretically independent body that will assure fair use for all traffic and maintain the Gate.

Nimbarka Station is maintaned by the Free Colonists (also commonly referred to as the Nimbarkan Colonists or Nimbarkan Free Colonists).  Nimbarka Station keeps an orbit relatively close to Sirius A (the larger of the binary pair).  Nimbarka Station is the political and cultural center of the Free Colonists.

The Free Colonists coexist peacefully with the Sirius Colonization Authority, but they have given up hope of returning to their home and have resigned to their new life here in the Sirius system. They are often at odds politically with the Solars, but it rarely comes to violence. Most conflicts arise from their disagreements about how to use the resources in system and how best the time of the colonists may be spent.


There are numerous and varied rogue factions that occasionally rise violently or live by marauding. They are few and far between, but any spacer knows not to trust a strange captain any farther than you can throw him.


A small crew of treasure hunters discovered the remnants of the ARCHIMEDES. They discovered that it had been destroyed by a barrage of nuclear weapons.

The Centauri settlements are more heavily populated than the Sirius Colonies. They report that they lost contact with Earth shortly after the ARCHIMEDES was destroyed. [/ooc]

 [spoiler]Facts the DM should know:

Sirius 3 was destroyed by a race of interstellar explorers. They're name for themselves is Nym, which means people, but the humans refer to them as ghosts. The Nym were in Sirius when they discovered the human space station, and several cargo pods awaiting the arrival of the Archimedes. They mistook the humans' attempts to communicate as attacks, as they are very vulnerable to radio waves. In retaliation the Nym vessel used a powerful seismic weapon on the planet and destroyed it. In only a few moments, the Archimedes arrived in-system. Seeing the massive devastation caused they began to transmit back to Earth, again, the Nym felt they were being attacked and obliterated the Archimedes with a massive barrage of ballistic and nuclear weapons. When they detected the powerful radio transmissions from Sol, they altered course to destroy what they believed to be a powerful enemy weapons platform. They arrived in Sol at about the same time that the Nimbarka arrived at Sirius and destroyed the Earth. However, the ship suffered massive damage from the intense radiation in the Solar system. They were unable to return to their homeworld, but signalled their plight in their dying moments.  [note]The Nym are a collective organism that can exist in deep space without any external equipment.  The size and capabilities of a particular Nym are based on its hit dice.  More hit dice means bigger and more capable.  Nym may divide at any time, such that a 4HD Nym could become two 2HD Nym, or four 1HD Nym, or any combination thereof.  No nym can have fewer than 1HD.  The details of what capabilities accompany what number of HD is yet to be determined.  Some low HD nym were stranded in the Sirius system, and their infrequent encounters with the humans have led to humans developing ghost stories and superstitions.[/note] [/spoiler]

[Captain Dwur]

[ooc] Ptolemy Station:

Original mission '" carry 20,000 people almost 9 light years to the Sirius system. This vessel was to be the second of three colonization ships in the system, and was dedicated to a more specialized function than the Archimedes. While the Archimedes colonists were mostly generalists tasked with the establishment of a functional infrastructure on a new planet, the Ptolemy carried specialists in more areas. Terraformers, lawyers, bankers, manufacturers, more specialized doctors, and the first dedicated scientists were part of the Ptolemy crew. With the basic function of the colony established by the Archimedes, the Ptolemy crew was free to include members with fewer skills related directly to survival, although for mission safety cross-training was a requirement. The Ptolemy was to prepare the colony for the largely civilian population of the Nimbarka.


Physical Characteristics: The Ptolemy is a roughly cylindrical vessel. The aft third of the ship is dedicated to the engineering section. This section is not spun for gravity, and is mainly taken up by fuel, oxygen, and water storage. The foremost eighth of the ship is the command and navigation section. Like engineering, this is not spun for gravity. This section also contains the docking area, shuttle bays and maintenance facilities for the various smaller spacecraft that were intended to supplement the function of the Ptolemy in the Sirius system. The remainder of the ship is left for crew quarters, farming and administrative offices. This section is spun for gravity and is designed to offer many different environments to keep the crew from going crazy during the long voyage. Large open rooms are built to simulate outdoor settings, and many sections resemble actual city streets. There are Parisian cafes, grassy fields, lakes and ponds and metropolitan centers. While not the most material or energy-efficient use of the space, astro-psychologists deemed the expense necessary for the success of the mission.


The Ptolemy is larger than the Archimedes at 10 km long. At its widest point (in the habitation ring), it is 1.5 km in diameter.


Current function: The Ptolemy now serves as the political center for the Sirius Colonization Authority (solar loyalists). It is also the home port for all ships in the Sirius Colonization Fleet. The station administrator and fleet commander share parallel, and sometimes conflicting positions of authority on the station.


In addition to those functions, many CSSA officials have chosen to make Ptolemy Station their headquarters in Sirius.


Its proximity to the Warp Gate has made the station a popular port-of-call for inter-system traffic.


Culture: In the early days, in the panic that occurred upon finding the sirius system in ruins, the only way the mission commander was able to maintain control was by adhering strictly to the mission charter and all associated rules, guidelines and procedures. As such, life on the station is quite regimented and the inhabitants are rather conservative. At the same time, the station's role as a transportation hub often pits the conservative natives against the many and various travelers in a cultural standoff. The station would not be so respected and prosperous if it were not for all of the traffic, but locals also tend to view visitors as interlopers and a threat to their way of life.  With the opening of the warp gate, many Ptolemians moved to Terranova (in the Alpha Centauri System)  to reclaim a more 'regular' life.  Those who remained were the ones focused on discovering the mysteries of the Archimedes' disappearance and the destruction of the Sirian Planets.
Opportunists and entrepreneurs from Centauri have now taken up residence on the station, as well as many travel-related businesses.[/ooc]

[Captain Dwur]

I will try to maintain this glossary as I go along.  If you see something I've missed, PM me and I'll add it to this list.

[ooc] Glossary
DS= Dog Star.  Sirius is the Dog Star, so named because it appears in the constellation Orion near Orion's heal, and Sirius was the name of Orion's hunting dog.

SL=Solar Loyalists.  These are people living in the Sirius system who wish to abandon their original mission and go back to Earth now that they have found the destruction in the Sirius System.

AC=Alpha Centauri  Alpha Centauri is Earth's closest neighbor and was colonized in the mid-23rd century.  The AC colonies were well established by the time humans decided to try to colonize Sirius, a system that is much farther away.

NFC=Nimbarkan Free Colonists  These Sirian colonists wish to stay in the Sirius system and abandon the original mission charter, which they say is null and void given the circumstances they found when arrived in system.

CSSA=Centauri-Sirius Spacecraft Authority

PS=Ptolemy Station

NS=Nimbarka Station

LIS=League of Independent Skippers

WG=Warp Gate

WGA=Warp Gate Authority

CCA=Centauri Colonization Authority

SCA=Sirius Colonization Authority[/ooc]

[Captain Dwur]

Here is a detailed write-up for the League of Independent Skippers.  It follows the format from the D20 Modern Menace Manual for factions.

[ooc]League of Independent Skippers

The League is a civilian spaceflight organization. They try to increase regulatory transparency, develop safety standards, host competitions and trade shows and fund exploration efforts. They sometimes provide legal counsel for space traveler's against the Centauri-Sirius Spacecraft Administration's byzantine rules.

Agenda: Act as a public conscience for the CSSA.

Structure: dues-collecting professional organization

Symbol: An ancient sextant, orbited by a modern spacecraft

Most Common Allegiances: League of Independent Skippers, Good, Nimbarkan Free Colonies

Requisition Limit: 25(Licensed) see text


Overview
Formed shortly after the arrival of the Nimbarka in the Sirius system, the League of Independent Skippers developed to oppose the strict spaceflight regulations being imposed by the Sirius Colonization Fleet at the time.  In the early days, it was illegal to use fuel or other resources on 'non-vital' tasks because the Ptolemy's Mission Commander wanted to save enough fuel for a return trip to Earth.  The League sided firmly with the Nimbarkans who wanted to make the best of the situation and start their new life in the Sirius system unhindered.

As the SCF slowly began to acknowledge that making a life in Sirius may be the only hope for the stranded colonists, their antagonism lessened and the League began to expand its repertoire to include advocacy and research into improving spaceflight systems.


Structure

League membership is open to any private citizen who owns or commands a spacefaring vessel.  Anyone who meets those criteria may pay the initial application fee to become a member.  Members vote on officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, plus committee chairs and representatives for the various action committees the League is focusing on for that election cycle).  Members are always eligible to observe and speak at committee meetings, but only elected officials may cast votes.  Annually, each action committee will present finished proposals to the membership at large for approval.  The officers are supplemented by volunteers within the organization as well as professional office staff.


Member benefits include a subscription to their internal newsletter, discounted subscriptions to trade publications and eligibility to attend League functions.



Bases of Operations

The League's home office is on Nimbarka Station. Regional offices are located on Ptolemy Station and on Terranova.


Resources

The League has little in the way of direct resources. Their holdings are limited to their three offices, but individual members may have great personal resources and frequently will lend those resources to the League or to other members upon request.


Involving the Heroes

It is likely that the heroes, in the course of their adventures, will come into possession of a spacecraft. As a matter of course the League will be interested in the heroes' activities. This may take the form of invitations to the heroes to join, or promotional offers explaining the benefits of membership. As members, the heroes may be involved in developing new rules or codes for spaceflight operations. They also may be involved in rescue operations.


Using the League of Indipendent Skippers

League members are sworn to help vessels in distress. This is the most likely way the heroes will encounter any league personnel. Also, if the heroes get in trouble with the CSSA the League may help them mount a legal defense.


Learning About the League of Independent Skippers

Gather Information The League makes no particular effort to conceal its activities (except where member privacy may be a concern), so gathering information about them is hindered only by the fact that they are relatively unknown.  The GM should feel free to apply up to a -5 circumstance penalty to the check if the League is particularly uncommon in the area.
Check DC-Information Learned
5-Find out if any local skippers are associated with the League; tell if local sentiment is in favor of or opposed to the League
10-Find out if a particular skipper is a member
15-find out where the local hangout is for League members
20-learn the personal contact information of League members in the area


Knowledge (Current Events)The League will occasionally publish public service announcements, op-ed pieces, or technology bulletins.  Someone with a knowledge of current events can get information based on the publicized activities of the League.
Check DC-Information Learned
1-know if the League has been in the news lately
5-remember the main point of the most recent story about the League
10-Know some details of publicized activities, and have a rough idea how often the League has been in the news lately.
15-Know quite a few details about recent and upcoming League activites, such as meetings, rescues they were involved in, and if they have published a new standard or guideline.
20-Know the topic and content of the most recent League publication.


Research By searching newspaper databases, phone directories, and corporate profiles, the following information may be obtained with a Research check.
Check DC-Information Learned
5-Location of offices and contact information for public relations officer.
10-Contact information for other officers
15-Membership directory, including names of people and ships; obtain copies of published material including press statements and articles about the League
20-obtain news items about members, even if the League isn't specifically mentioned in the article



Members
Members may be any race, nationality, religion, gender or political affiliation, but they must own or command a spacefaring vessel.  Given the political mission of the League, it would be highly unlikely that a CSSA captain would want to join, but such a member would be allowed.


Sample Member

Not much is known about the captain of the ISS Recalcitrant, but she is widely regarded as one of the finest skippers and most trustworthy arbitrators in the Sirius system.  She made her first appearance in the public eye in DSY 26, when she performed a daring rescue that the Sirius Colonization Fleet had deemed too dangerous.  A mining colony in the asteroid belt had suffered a violent depressurization of a habitat dome and was blown onto a collision course with another nearby asteroid.  At the time she was merely piloting a small prospecting craft, but she managed to rescue a family of miners who were certain they were doomed.  Despite her young age and suspicious background, she was an overnight sensation.  She was given a hero's welcome when she returned to Nimbarka station, and a mysterious benefactor offered her the command of the recalcitrant.  Now she is a powerful proponent of the League and has an uncanny knack of always being in the right place at the right time to settle disputes between spacers and the CSSA.

Jaquelyn Mudcarthy (Dedicated 5/Charismatic 3/Negotiator 2)
CR 10; Medium-size human; HD 8d6+2d8; hp 41; Mas 10; Init +4; Spd 30 ft; Defense XX, touch XX, flat-footed XX (why); BAB +5; Grap +5; Atk XX; Full Atk XX; FS 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AL Nimbarka Free Colonies, Good, ISS Recalcitrant; SV Fort +7 Ref +3 Will +13; AP 8; Str 10 Dex 10 Con 10 Int 15 Wis 18 Cha 16[/ooc]

[Captain Dwur]

[ic]Here is some RL science about Alpha Centauri and Sirius
Sirius is a binary system. The primary star, Sirius A, is a main sequence star like our sun, but is larger and hotter, appearing bluish-white.  The secondary star is a white dwarf. They are about 20 au apart and have an orbital period of 50 years. No planets have been discovered, but it is theorized that planets could form and support life.

Alpha Centauri is a binary star with a third star orbiting the main binary star. Alpha Centauri A is slightly larger and brighter than our sun, while Alpha Centauri B is somewhat smaller and dimmer.  Both are main sequence stars.  AC-A and AC-B have an elliptical orbit from about 11 au to 35 au with a period of about 80 years. They are orbited by a red dwarf named Proxima Centauri at a distance of 13,000 au with a period of about 500,000 years. It is theorized that terrestrial planets could form around either A or B, but that gas giants would be unlikely to form because of the gravitational effects of the binary system.
[/ic]

 [ooc]
Here is some made up science for Dog Star Blues

Sirius A was once orbited by 6 planets.  The 5 closest planets were terrestrial and ranged in size from roughly .8 to 3.5 the mass of the Earth.  The farthest planet was a gas giant slightly smaller than Saturn.  No planets orbit Sirius B.  When the Ptolemy arrived in the Sirius system it discovered that all five terrestrial planets had been destroyed and a large cloud of asteroids now fills the inner orbits of the star system.  The only remaining planet was the gas giant, which is now known as Miracle.  Miracle has 15 known satellites, the largest of which is about 1/2 the size of the moon.  Colonists in the Sirius system harvest gases from Miracle to replenish their ships' atmospheres and to use in the production of synthetic compounds of all kinds.

There are three terrestrial planets around AC-A. From closest to farthest they are: Carsuan, Terranova, and Telemachus. Carsuan is dense and rich in minerals, but is not suitable for permanent habitation. There are some mining installations on the planet and a lot of construction yards in orbit.  Terranova is habitable now. The atmosphere is the right pressure and temperature, but there isn't enough oxygen yet. They've slowly been increasing the oxygen levels, and there are some valleys with enough to walk around without a mask, but most of the cities are in domes.  Telemachus is too cold to be really terraformed. It's habitable, in the domes, but it will never get enough sunlight to trap enough heat to keep the surface habitable on its own.
[/ooc]